Greetings! Hope that you enjoyed the beautiful snow and all of its muddiness!
I have been freed from isolation and by now, many of you are also - if you were exposed - probably almost free. I plan on worship this Sunday and am ready to get to it!
This means, I hope that our Elders are able to meet very soon, preferably this Sunday after church, for a session meeting, as we prepare for the Congregational Meeting. Elders, please get your reports to Sharon ([email protected]). If you need help, just get them to me one way or another and she and I will assemble them together.
Ministry to the Isolated: Being in isolation with COVID has been a way to find out the difficulty of living life, getting the things you need. I really appreciate you those of you who offered to get us groceries, who helped with special deliveries of chile stew and much much more. You show me that we can minister to others who are having to be isolated with illness and to do it in a way that is safe. We could do such a thing on a small scale, if you know anyone else who is in a similar position. Our Mission Funds can help.
Prayers and Updates
Dorothy Randals can have visitors at the hospital - staying in a swing bed at Trigg for about 21 days, as she recuperates from her injuries. You can call the nurses station and they will bring her to her hospital room window to visit with you. She needs our prayers for pain and just the angst of having to be hospitalized.
Teresa Gallegos-Brake - leg pain, procedure to clear blockage
Susie Martinez- thankful for new home, but still looking for affordable transportation
Healthcare workers, teachers, first responders all who are trying to protect their families from illness
Hospitals around the world
Students and their families
Thanksgiving for good neighbors
Travelers
Betty Ragan and her daughter-in-law, Heather Hoefer as they griev
Places of turmoil, particularly on our own soil right now
Ruth Johnson
Those who are isolated and/or depressed
For our Church, going through changes, preparing for the Annual Meeting
Who and what have I omitted? Please let me know what other prayers you have to add.
January 3rd was Baptism of our Lord Sunday, the Sunday when we recall Jesus' own baptism in the River Jordan, when his cousin, John wondered whether Jesus should have baptizing him instead! It could cause us to recall what baptism might mean to you and me. Because, after Jesus was baptized, he was sent into the world to heal and help the needy and to preach the Gospel whereever he went. What does your baptism mean to you? I would like to share a versionn of "Down to the River," recorded on YouTube with a virtual choir. Check it out here: https://youtu.be/BumCkswUUDA
Church Bulletins: Friends, this new year, our church will be doing more recycling of church bulletins. In an effort to exercise good stewardship of funds, we have cancelled our church bulletin subscription. We have MOUNDS of old, blank ones, for they would send us 50/Sunday. You know that's a lot of excess. So, we are doing to recycle some of them because they are pretty to look at. If you are interested in designing a bulletin cover for us for any particular church service day (like Palm Sunday, etc.), please let me know and I can give give you a list of those special church days.
Friends, please be safe and well today. May the Lord bless you and keep you, make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you, and give you peace. Amen.
Love,
Rev. Amy