Dear Friends,
June has been a busy month, and we have been extra blessed by the work of our Congregational Life committee. They provided a delicious brunch on Father’s Day ahead of worship, and this Sunday, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S.A., they will be providing meat, desserts, and games for a cookout after worship! We welcome any sides you would like to contribute to the gathering and suggest bringing a lawn chair for your comfort!
Other committees have been busy as well! The Presbyterian Men have been meeting weekly on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m., and the Presbyterian Women have continued with their monthly luncheons and dinners and continue to gather money and items to donate to folks in need. They are collecting purses with hygiene and toiletry items to donate to Four County Mental Health, as well as new and gently used socks of all sizes for the Community Access Center, and they participated in the Midwest Pregnancy Care Center baby bottle fundraiser. The Mission Committee has also contributed regularly to numerous service efforts around town, and this month we formed a new Marketing and Stewardship Committee which will be preparing for our Fall stewardship campaign. The Building committee has been busy, as well, getting our steps repaired, and getting bids to re-paint all of our exterior building doors. Exciting stuff is happening, so if you would like to join in any of these efforts, or even start something new, let us know!
We have been studying the book of Genesis in our weekly Bible Study and have drawn a few new people and they, in turn, are inviting their friends! The discussions have been both informative and lively! We unpacked the misconception that the God of the Old Testament is angry in comparison to the loving God of the New Testament, and this past week we discussed the curse of Ham, and how this curse was erroneously used in later centuries to justify racism and slavery. If you have not yet attended, we would love to see you! It meets at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday in the conference room. This week we will focus on the Tower of Babel, and next week we will discuss God’s covenant with Abram.
In June, I began a new sermon series studying the major biblical characters from Genesis, and I will carry this series on through July and August and possibly beyond. Abram and Sarai have been the focus thus far, and this Sunday we will learn about the role of Hagar in their family’s chronicles. This is an exciting series that will show the ups and downs, good works and foibles, of the characters who formed ancient Israel and the foundation of Judaism.
May you stay dry in all this rain, and always be open to the leading of the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit!
Shalom,
Pastor Amie