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Friends-
Isn't it ironic that in a nation so flooded with material and other blessings, we set aside only one day a year to offer thanks for those blessings? How about a week? A month? A quarter? The whole year? It's even more ironic that most of us spend almost no time on that one day actually giving thanks. We spend it watching parades or sports, or stuffing our faces, or increasingly, rushing off to buy more stuff that we are also not thankful for. What if we were truly thankful every day? What if we didn't need a day to remind us? What if we were content and joyful with what we have? What if we recognized the loving hand of our dear Father in all the blessings we receive, without having to continually beg for more? Here's an idea (not mine, but I use it)- how about we start a written list of everything we are thankful for? And not just write them down but offer thanks as they come to mind. And then on Thanksgiving day, we could exchange lists, share them with each other, and explain why we are grateful for those things. Here are a few off of my list: a good nap with a cat; new friends; a walk at dusk through my neighborhood; children at play, and moonlight on snow... Maybe it would take more than a day. Maybe it would take a lifetime... Thankful for you in my life! Gary Calendar Wednesdays - Every Wednesday Bible Study via Zoom - 7 PM Thursdays - 11/3 - Church Board Meeting via Zoom - 7 PM 11/27 - Happy Thanksgiving! Saturdays - 11/5 - Daylight Savings Time ends! Don't forget to set your clocks back 1 hour tonight. Sundays - Every Sunday Worship Service - 10:30 am in person and via Zoom. 11/6 - Last class on God's Attributes as Displayed in Nature - 9:15 am - church basement. - Communion Sunday during worship. 11/20 - Thanksgiving Worship Service - Decorate the church for Advent/Christmas after the worship service. Treats to follow. 11/27 - First Sunday in Advent Contact Gary at bridmin@aol.com for Zoom links Other News - Communion Sunday - November 2 is communion Sunday. The elements will be provided if you are in attendance, otherwise, if you want to participate on Zoom, please have your own ready. Sunday Morning Class - There is only one class left on God's Attributes as Displayed in Nature Class. It will be held on Sunday, November 6 at 9:15 am in the basement. If you haven't come to any, you can still come to this last one. Each class is fascinating and Al Steely is incredibly knowledgeable. You will learn a lot! Thanks - Thanks to the trustees for all their work outside the church in preparation for the new steps. It looks so fresh and open! Thanks! Fellowship Time - Just a reminder that we have coffee every week after our worship service. There is usually something to go with that. We are always looking for more options, so feel free to bring something occasionally. It is a great time to talk and get to know each other. Offering - We continue to collect our offering at the back of the sanctuary. Otherwise please mail it to Nathalie Lyford. Thanks! Decorating for Advent/Christmas- We will decorate for Advent/Christmas after worship on Sunday, November 20. Please plan on staying to help. Treats will be served after the decorating! Looking Ahead - December - This month is usually full of wonderful events. Look for plans in the next newsletter. Maybe you have an idea? We will also be bringing our coins for benevolence on December 18th! Friends -
I am more convinced than ever that most of us have too much on our plates. I certainly did at the potluck on the 25th! But that is not what I'm talking about... I mean, of course, that we all tend towards busyness, towards doing more than we can handle, towards neglecting our own souls in the process. We tend not to listen to God as well as we should, if at all. In the struggle between being Mary or Martha, many of us end up being Martha, even if we don't want to. Life does that. We want to do our part. We want to make a difference. We want to help those we can. All noble thoughts, and all worth pursuing. Just not to the point that we have nothing left to give. Not until it makes us brittle or cranky. Not if it means neglecting Jesus. I can be so busy doing what I am convinced God wants me to do, that I can't hear him invite me to come and rest. He is inviting. And we do need the rest. I've already talked about this, so I'll stop. But please!! For your own well-being, and to make Jesus smile, start to build more stillness into your life. You will find you can do far more when you are rested than when you are not. And we all know how much there is to do. Love you all! Gary Calendar Sundays - Every Sunday - God's Attributes as Displayed in Nature class - 9:15 am - church basement. - Worship Service - 10:30 am in person and via Zoom. 10/2 - Communion Sunday Wednesdays - Every Wednesday Bible Study via Zoom - 7:30 PM - via Zoom Thursdays - 10/6 - Church Board for October via Zoom - 7:00 PM - via Zoom Contact Gary bridmin@aol.com for Zoom links Fridays - 10/14 - New Date! Third Annual Chili Cook-off and Dessert Bake-off Event - 5:30 PM - Details below. Other News - Communion - Communion will be on Sunday, October 2. If you are attending in person the elements will be provided. If you are on Zoom and want to participate, please have your own ready. Sunday Morning Class - There are still 6 sessions left of the series being offered on Sunday mornings at 9:15 am. Plan on attending God's Attributes as Displayed in Nature in the church basement. Al Steely, a science teacher at Christian Life and a photographer is leading the program. Everyone is welcome! Third Annual Chili Cook-off and New this year...Dessert Bake-Off - Please note the new date! It is time for some good food and fun competition! Make plans to come on Friday, October 14 at 5:30 PM outside at the church. There is a sign-up sheet for the chili and baking competition in the fellowship room. If you don't want to compete, there is plenty of other things you can sign up to bring. Bring your own lawn chair and your appetite! We will have a bonfire as well. If the weather doesn't cooperate we will move into the church basement. Thanks - Thank you to everyone who helped in some way while Gary and Jennifer were away in August and September, and there were a lot of you! We appreciate everyone who pitched in in some way. Special thanks for the wonderful potluck held on September 25th! It was a great way to be welcomed back. Garden - Hard to believe that summer is over and it is time to think about clearing out the garden area. If anyone is interested in helping do that towards the end of the month, please talk, text, or email Jennifer. |
AuthorGary Schwerin, pastor Archives
November 2022
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