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Friends-
Hope you have had a great summer. We have. As usual, I'm fighting to grab just a bit more of it. It's not that I don't love fall- I do! But summer will always be at the top of the charts for me. As we go from season to season, like when we go from one year to the next, it is a great time to do some reflection. I'd say, prayerful reflection: What will make life better? What is lacking right now in my life? What is God offering me or asking of me? What do I need to grow? What would I like to see change? What is needed for that to happen? Questions like these can open the door for the Spirit to move into our hearts and minds, and lives. I pray that we will give Him that opportunity as we move forward, both individually, and as a congregation. As we head into the fall, let's listen, and then act on what we hear. Love you all! Welcome to fall! Gary Calendar Thursdays - 8/5 - Church Board Meeting via Zoom - 7 PM. Sundays - Every Sunday - Worship Service - 10:30 am in person and via Zoom. Wednesdays - Every Wednesday Bible Study via Zoom - 7 PM. Other News - Zoom - For the Zoom Link email Gary @ [email protected] Bible Study - The Wednesday Bible study will start again on Zoom on September 11. Upper Room Devotionals - The September/October Upper Rooms are now available. Sunday Morning Fellowship - Coffee is available every Sunday. There are some packaged snacks as well. We still love it if anyone brings other treats to share. Last Sunday someone brought the most delicious pumpkin bread. At least one person would like the recipe, so let us know if you brought it! Friends-
A key to the peace that Jesus offers us, that goes beyond our understanding, is to let everything go and fully trust him with it all. Everything good and everything bad. If we cling to any of it, we will carry concerns, worries, and anxieties that we were never meant to bear. We must remember that God is our Abba, and he has everything under control, even- and especially- when it appears that he does not. You and I need fear no situation, because he is with us, and promises never to leave us. As summer is starting to wind down, the election frenzy continues to amp up, and the situation in the world continues to get crazier. I hope and pray that we will learn the peace that comes from letting things go to him. He is all we have and he gives us all we need. We will find the peace we seek first by going to prayer, and spending time with him. And then, by going with him into the world to transform it into what he longs it to be. Have a great August! Gary Calendar Thursdays - 8/1 - Church Board Meeting via Zoom - 7 PM - Zoom Sundays - Every Sunday - Worship Service - 10:30 a.m. in person or via Zoom. Zoom Link Below 8/4 - Worship and Communion Sunday 8/25 - Outdoor Worship - Coin Collection for Benevolence Wednesdays - the Wednesday Bible Study via Zoom has been postponed until September Other News - Zoom - Contact Gary at [email protected] for the Zoom link. Communion - Communion will be served on August 4. If you are on Zoom, please have your own ready if you wish to partake. Worship Under the Oaks - Weather permitting, we will worship outside on Sunday, August 25. There is a little more work involved outside, so any help before or afterward is welcomed. New Directories - The new directories are done! You can pick yours up at church. We opted for a simpler directory so it can be updated more frequently. Many thanks to those who put it together, especially Mike McGinnis. Sunday Morning Fellowship Time - We offer coffee every Sunday in the fellowship room. There are also some packaged snacks as well. We still welcome any other treats/snacks/baked goods that anyone would care to bring. I Thanks - Thanks to Jill and Mark Gray for opening their home and garden in July. Fourteen women enjoyed a great time of fellowship. Jill's garden was amazing! Free and Fill a Prayer - A couple of you asked for a copy of the prayer that I prayed at the end of the message on July 26. Here it is... Free me this day, O Lord From all regrets of the past From all anxiety about today From all fear about the future From all bitterness or resentment From cowardice in the face of danger From pride about myself From laziness in the face of work From doubt in the face of your evident love From failure before opportunity From all weakness when your power is at hand From all judgment and the need to correct others From temptations to sin against you and others From longing for your blessings more than for you But fill me With love that knows no barrier With empathy that reaches to all With peace that fills my thoughts With courage that can’t be shaken With patience to be still With faith strong enough for the darkness With whimsy and wonder as a child With strength sufficient for my tasks With humility about all I am and do With loyalty to you and your Kingdom With power to lift me to you. With wisdom to live my life With joy that is my strength With kindness for all Be with me for another day, and use me as you would. Amen. Friends-
The words of Jesus usually do one of three things to me. They bless me. They challenge me. They make me pause and think. Sometimes all three. That alone should tell me I need to be spending more time with the words of Jesus. How about you? The four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are the account of Jesus' life on earth. A steady reading of these accounts will begin to have a profound impact on our lives. They will challenge us, bless us, and make us pause and think. Just what they did to those who first heard him while he was on earth. And just what they were intended to do by those inspired by the Spirit to write them down. Why not add these 4 books to your summer reading list? You don't have a summer reading list? Then why not make these 4 the whole list? I do have a summer reading list. I am well into it and enjoying it. But I am really enjoying these 4 as I take time to savor the truth, the love, the power, and the insights that each page of each gospel holds for each of us. Sound boring? I assure you it's not. Done prayerfully, I assure you it will transform you... for the good. Start with a chapter or two a day. Ask God to help you understand. Then start to watch things happen in your world! Happy reading! Have a good month! Gary Calendar Sundays - Every Sunday - Worship Service - 10:30 a.m. in person or via Zoom. 7/7 - Worship Service and Communion 7/14 - Worship Service and Baptism of Mariana Josephine Cicero-Upton. 7/21 - Worship Service followed by a picnic - all outside under the oaks. 7/28 - Rain Date for outside worship. No picnic if moved to this date, because of Fire station chicken barbeque. Tuesdays - 7/9 - Church Board Meeting via Zoom - 7 PM - Zoom Link Below. Note the different date. Wednesdays - Every Wednesday Bible Study via Zoom - 7 PM - Zoom Link Below. 7/10 - Birthday Party for long-time member Dorothy Snuggs. Details below. 7/17 - Coffee and Conversation for Women at Jill Grays - 9:30 am - Details below. 7/24 - Rain date for Coffee and Conversation Other New and Details - Zoom - contact Gary at [email protected] for Zoom link Communion - Communion Sunday is July 7. We do offer a gluten-free option for those who want that. And our "wine" is grape juice. If you attend via Zoom, please have your elements ready if you want to participate. Outdoor Service and Picnic - On Sunday, July 21 we will worship outside under the oaks. After the service, we hope you can stay for a picnic. To keep it simple, we are asking everyone to bring a sandwich for themselves. Please bring a side dish to share with everyone. We did this last year at Ginny's and it worked well. Outdoor worship requires a little more work, so help is always appreciated before and after the service. If it rains and we need to move inside we will just have our picnic in the basement after worship. Coffee and Conversation - Want to tour a beautiful yard and enjoy coffee and conversation with other women from church? Then plan on coming Wednesday, July 17 at 9:30 a.m. to Jill Grays's home. She and Mark have a spectacular park-like yard. We will enjoy the beauty of the yard and enjoy coffee (iced tea and lemonade too) and conversation. There is a good chance there will be some food too! If you want to carpool, meet at the church at 9:00 am. Otherwise, just plan on arriving on your own. She has quite a bit of space for parking. Her address is 6528 Charles St in Rockford. Turn right on Charles St. off of South Perryville. This is just past the Menards by Cherryvale Mall. There is a long driveway and her house is the one on the left at the end of the driveway Please let Jennifer know if you plan on coming. Upper Room Devotionals - Be sure to pick up your July/August Upper Room Devotionals. There are always a few extras, so if you know someone who would benefit from it, please take an extra one. Sunday Morning Fellowship Time - We offer coffee every Sunday and now there are some packaged snacks as well. We still welcome any treats/baked goods anyone would care to bring! Firestation Chicken Barbeque - The North Boone Fire District #3 is having its annual Chicken Barbeque Dinner on Sunday, July 28 from 11-3. It will be a 2940 Charleston Ct. This is south on Caledonia Road. The cost is $12 and includes a half chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, beans, dinner roll, and chips. Congratulations to newlyweds Sara Akerlund and Gary Alfson. They were married in Minneapolis on Wednesday, June 19th. We pray God's blessings on them as they start their new life together! |
AuthorGary Schwerin, pastor Archives
September 2024
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