It's that Tuesday morning ritual... another weekly message from your pastor. Our spirits are in recovery mode this morning, as we pick up the pieces after two funerals. Please continue to hold Robin, Mike and Kayla, as well as Marie, Laurel, Dorothy, Virginia and Will in your prayers. Remember to hold our church in your prayers as well as we step forward in God's mercy and grace. We shall miss Barbara Cherry and Lou Sims. For, as with every saint who has gone before us, we are changed for the better because we have known them.
THANK YOU! I would like to remind you that we have been thoroughly blessed by a great group of people who helped so much these last two Mondays. They were able to find the time in their busy lives to plan out the food and organize the kitchen and Fellowship Hall. I won't name their names for fear of accidentally leaving someone out, but you know who you are. I think our church should be proud to have shown such loving and hospitable support to our grieving families and believe me, they noticed, as did our community. I am also grateful for Nancy Mueller's musical support during our services. Nancy, you were able to grace and beauty to people in the midst of grief.
ANOTHER THANK YOU! To Kenna for taking on the challenging work of preaching the Gospel for us on Sunday. Many thanks also come from the Page Family and those at First Presbyterian of Lovington, where I could preach for them and then baptize little Calvin John Bruelhart. You might have caught a glimpse of the little guy at our church yesterday (he was the mellow baby in the little red jumper). In the near future, I hope to offer another "Brown Bag Lunch N Learn" to discuss in greater detail what the Belhar Confession is about.
SUNDAY SCHOOL This Sunday at 9:30, we're going to take a slight detour from straight review of the readings we hear on Sunday mornings in worship. We are going to take a more careful look at different "steps" you can take in interpreting the Bible. We will consider it from several different angles, including historical, literary and grammatical.
DEACONS' FUND The Deacons' Fund provides the financial support towards bereavement meals and occasionally flowers sent to members who are in the hospital. The Deacons' Fund could always stand a little replenishing. If the Spirit so moves you, you are invited to drop a gift into the the offering plate Sunday, using one of the colorful envelopes in the pews.
OFFERING SITE If you feel like you have been missing church lately, and worry that you are falling behind in your tithing, you are welcome to visit our online giving site: Presbyterian Mission Exchange. You can give to our Memorial Fund, Mission Fund or to a fund to take care of and repair our buildings. This online giving page will be updated in the future with new information, and potentially additional avenues for your gifts (such as towards the Deacons' Fund).
SESSION NEWS... our Elders are currently working on a policy towards the use of church facilities, especially by persons and groups not a part of our church. Having a policy in place will make it easier for our Elders to determine what it would cost to rent our space out, which potentially could help us with the expenses of maintenance and repair. More to come on that in the future.
AMY IS OFF (IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE!) Speaking of "maintenance," I will be relatively "off" during certain times this week. Ordinarily, Mondays are the day your pastor takes for a Sabbath time, and that didn't happen at all during July. As you can imagine, I'm a little pooped. If God was allowed to rest on the seventh day of creation, how much more don't WE need a little rest from time to time?
So here's what's happening this week:
Today - yoga at noon; 1pm on Amy will be taking time off
Wednesday - 9-12, Amy is available for church business, in the church. Exercise, Eat and Pray meets at 9; Afternoon, Amy is resting.
Thursday morning - Amy is out and about for visitation and meetings in community till 4pm.
Thursday from 11:30 till about 2:30, outside group is using Fellowship Hall for the Bradley Family's funeral meal.
Friday morning - 9-12, Amy is available for church business, in the church. Exercise, Eat and Pray meets at 9; Afternoon, Amy is resting again!
Sunday - 9:30AM Bible Study - this will be a special "crash course" in Biblical Interpretation
Communion Sunday!
Monday - Pastor takes a Sabbath
Prayers? I missed Sunday, so I don't know all of who needs your prayers, but here's an attempt:
The Sims Family
The Cherry Family
Wayne Huffman (receiving injections)
Tom Anderson (still experiencing severe neuropathy following chemo)
Jerrene McCord and her family, after the loss of her brother, James "Rojo" Bradley. Graveside service will be at Quay Cemetery at 10AM Thursday. (click here for James Bradley's obit) Her cousin, Mary Lou Martin, just died about a week ago, and her husband, Mac, has not been too well. They live next door to the manse.
Ronda McCormick (used to attend this church about 15 years ago) - has recently become homeless and is looking for help. She is taking care of her grandchildren.
Prayers for our nation.
Prayers for all those who are traveling this week, including those Rattlers coming in to town!
If you have more prayers to share, please reply to this email or text/call 575-708-0860.
We are so lucky to have the love of God in our lives. Sometimes that involves our standing up to evil as it manifests itself in our lives, even in small ways. We might not be able to change the world with big, dramatic acts of goodness, but we can change the world by reversing the presence of evil in those moments that it comes to us. It is just one of the ways we can live our lives in the image of God. May this week you find such opportunities to answer evil with good.
Much love,
Pastor Amy