Click here to see the August calendar.
What is the heart of Christianity? What does it mean to be Christian today? In a world as complex as ours—with scientific discoveries pushing the boundaries of knowledge, with people of many different faiths (and no faith at all) trying to live and work together without killing each other—these questions are not easy to answer. Some would say we should just keep giving the answers we’ve always given—dig in our heels, stick to our guns…maybe even bury our heads in the sand. But that has never been the Presbyterian way. We have always tended to take the world seriously, and that means taking seriously the creative challenges the world poses. Let me share some words with you by James W. Dollar (curious name), the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Amory, Mississippi. “Presbyterians look upon faith as an adventure of the highest order—an adventure based upon the realization that revelation continues; that all that can be known about God is not known; that our ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and opinions must change and evolve if we are to become like we ought to be rather than we are. This means, of course, that we never can claim to have truth cornered, captured and incarcerated; and that what we have to offer is not a stilted list of things to think and believe and do, but an atmosphere that encourages the examination of what is known and the exploration of what is unknown so that what is worth knowing might emerge. This is a different kind of approach to faith, which some people might find frightening, alarming, and unsettling. It asks a lot of its adherents, and is generally not suitable for those who are timid or shy, or who have been carefully kept. But then, if it were easy to be a Presbyterian, there would be more of us.” It is precisely this openness to the world, this willingness to ask questions and explore, that makes it challenging—and also liberating—to be a Presbyterian. In that spirit, starting on September 10th I will lead an adult discussion group in fellowship hall focused on “the Heart of Christianity.” We will take as our inspiration Marcus Borg’s excellent book by the same title. For twelve weeks, we will delve into topics such as the Bible, God, Jesus, and prayer, all with an eye toward living faithfully (and honestly) in the contemporary world. You are welcome to get a copy of Borg’s book and read it through. You are also welcome to participate without reading the book. I think this will be a challenging experience for all of us. We may find that some of the ideas we’ve been holding on to since our Sunday school days no longer serve us very well. We may also find that there are new and surprising ways to think about our faith that are not only faithful to our tradition but also make sense of the world we live in. I hope you’ll join us as we explore the heart of Christianity together. -Richard |
A reminder that during the month of September we will celebrate the “Season of Creation.” September 1-2 (Creation 1) Genesis 1:1-25 The Glory of the Earth September 8-9 (Creation 2) Psalm 8 The Glory of Being Human September 15-16 (Creation 3) Psalm 19:1-6 The Glory of the Skies September 22-23 (Creation 4) Isaiah 65:17-25 The Glory of the New Creation September 30-October 1 (Creation 5) Matthew 25:31-46 World Communion
Our music programs kick-off in September, beginning Wednesday, September 6. All are welcome! LITTLE LAMBS (Preschool through Kindergarten) Wednesdays, 5:15 - 5:45 pm Emily Floyd, director SOUNDS of JOY (1st grade through 5th grade) Wednesdays, 6:00 - 6:55 pm Emily Floyd, director JUBILATION (6th grade through 12th grade) begins Sunday, September 10, 12:00 - 1:00 pm Sherri Dees, director ADULT CHOIR, Wednesdays, 7:30 - 9:00 pm Sherri Dees, director MEN'S CHOIR There is another men's choir opportunity on Sunday, September, 3, during 9:00 am worship. Practice is Sunday, Aug. 27, 10:15-11:30 am, and Wednesday, August 30, 7:30-9:00 pm. Jim Iddings and Stephen Neilson lead the group. Please join us. First time? Don't be shy. | ||||||||
Anyone interested in practicing the month of September with the goal of playing in worship, October 8, please sign up on the sign outside the music room. We will be working on "Largo", from "Winter", from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons". RECORDER ENSEMBLE OPPORTUNITY A recorder ensemble is being formed to play in worship during the advent season. If you play and would like to participate, there will be a sign up sheet posted outside the music room. Kathy Manchester will lead the group. | |||||||||
The “State Fair” date has been changed to Sunday, Sept. 3rd at 4pm at Dorothy Vick’s home. Please sign up in the Connecting Link if you are planning to attend, or call Jodie LeFevre at 815-459-7683. Please mark your calendars. All are welcome! FAMILY MINI GOLF OUTING and BALLOON LAUNCH Come one, come all - Saturday, Sept. 9 at the Lippold Family Golf Center on Rt. 176 in Crystal Lake. We will meet at 6 pm for dinner, bring your own or food is available there, and play some mini golf, $4 for 18 holes. To add to the excitement we will have a balloon launch. So everybody plan to come and pray for good weather. See you there! For more information, contact Joyce Berube.
| |||||||||
| |||||||||