Greetings Everyone
Grace and peace to you all this week – and a Happy Fourth of July!
I’m really excited to invite you all to a concert at First Presbyterian on August 13th at 6:30 pm. Taylor Leonhardt is one of my favorite Christian singer-songwriters playing today. Visiting us from Nashville, she performs as part of the worship duo Mission House and as part of Porter’s Gate, an innovative and bluegrass-driven worship team. Their most recent album is actually a tribute album to Eugene Peterson that sets passages from the Message translation to song. Taylor has recently won awards for her solo work as well.
She will be passing through the area on a fly-fishing trip with her dog Luna. We are really fortunate to have someone of her talent agree to play a small show for us. The event will be free to the public, so please come and please bring friends.
August 13th. 6:30 pm. You can find samples of Taylor’s work online at taylorleonhardt.com or on youtube. (Kari and I particularly love her version of the Blessing of St. Patrick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc4-LYf8Y7k)
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This Sunday we will continue forward in our series on Philippians. The central point to this book is the deep connection between grace (charis in Greek) and joy (chara). Grace and joy: two sides of the same coin. Where one is given, the other is never far behind.
Maybe its my past life as a historian, but I always find it helpful to root the study and application of Scripture in the concrete past. The Bible is not rooted in myth or in disconnected stories, but in the real flesh-and-blood past of the people of God, people like you and me in real life situations and facing real challenges. Paul’s joy in this letter isn’t fanciful or pie-in-the-sky, but Paul’s joy is rooted in the firm knowledge of Christ and the rooted friendships that he gained in Philippi. That gives me hope that God can give me the same concrete joy in my current circumstances and struggles.
We will dive deeper into those themes on Sunday. In the meantime I did want to share this video of Philippi today, shot from a drone by Lineage Films to give people a sense of the physical landscape of the New Testament. (www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=XI5XdFuDS34)
News & Events
Thursday July 4th ~ Happy 94th Birthday Sid House!
Sunday, July 7th
9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study in the Chapel
10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service
Monday, July 8th
7:oo p.m. Choir Practice
Tuesday, July 9th
7:00 a.m. Men’s Bible Study and Breakfast
Sunday, July 14th
10:00 am Worship Service
Check out the Events Calendar for more upcoming events.
Summer Nursery Attendants Needed for Aug 18th & 25th
Duties include reading a Bible story provided, then supervising play in the preschool room. Ages Prek - KindergartenSunday School Update!
Our program has changed for the summer.
4th – 8th grade students: There is still a 9 a.m. Sunday morning class with Jim Ramlow. They are about finished with building their Dawn Treader ship. Stay tuned for exciting info on what comes next!
Pre-K and Kindergartners will still be dismissed to a classroom after Children’s Time, during the Sunday Worship Service. There they will do a fun activity, then enjoy the playroom.
All other school aged kids please remain in the sanctuary to enjoy, and be part of, the rest of the service.
Please note that the nursery room will be open for use, but unattended. Parents are welcome to use the nursery. There is t.v. in the nursery and streaming the service is available.
