Dear parishioners,
Happy Wednesday! Two reminders of upcoming ministries that will be ramping up on Zoom that you may want to take advantage of.
On Saturday, May 16th at 10:00 AM, Mike Patrone and Mary Snyder, Co-Chairs of our New Member Ministry, will be holding their first ever “Zoom meet-up.” The New Member Ministry was a fantastic revitalized ministry that came from several Adult Forum sessions that covered this very topic, last fall. The ministry’s mission statement is: “Our culture as a community of faith makes us all part of God’s children and we welcome everyone to become part of our church family.” The group would welcome anyone to attend the Zoom meeting to share ideas and learn more about this very important ministry of authentic welcoming and hospitality. It’s funny, if you scroll down and read the meditation for today, where they speak of “The Art of Neighboring” this seems like the perfect ministry to engage with! Join us!
Here are the details:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83781865179?pwd=aVkxL0pNaHlxeEFaYWRPeHA5bm9BUT09
Join Code: 837 8186 5179
Pass Code: 170862
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Consider joining our upcoming new session of Bible Study on Wednesday evenings, led by Bill & Yvonne Gasperetti. Here are the details:
The Wednesday evening Bible Study is progressing well, and we will soon finish our study of the book of James. The next session with new study material will begin Wednesday, May 20th, continuing at 6:30 in the evening. We will meet every other week, beginning May 20th, rather than weekly.
Have you been thinking about joining us? This would be a great time to come on board. We will be studying St. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians. The study guide is Blackaby’s Encounter With God series, Philippians, which is available on-line with Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Consider placing your order right away, since Amazon tells us it could be up to 3 weeks for delivery.
If you want to join, but don’t get your book quickly enough, just let us know. We will help to ensure you can join the sessions.
Until restrictions are lifted, we will continue to hold these sessions on-line by way of Zoom. Contact Bill at [email protected], or Yvonne at [email protected], for instructions.
We are looking forward to continuing our study, and hope you will join us.
God Bless,
Yvonne Gasperetti
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Today, we offer you a wonderful site to explore our American history. It is chock full of something for everyone and allows us to experience ‘History at Home.” It is filled with Live Webcasts, Video Libraries, Colonial Recipes, a History Happy Hour (!), Stories, Hands-On Demonstrations, and much more. Visit the Jamestown Settlement & American Revolution Museum at Yorktown! https://www.historyisfun.org/at-home/
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Today’s Meditation from Forward Day by Day:
WEDNESDAY, May 13 Frances Perkins
Leviticus 19:18b You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Although I am not a biblical literalist, I wonder if this is one passage we are meant to take quite literally.
I’ve been reading about the Art of Neighboring, an initiative that asks neighbors to move beyond platitude to authentic relationship. The program challenges people in the pews to fill out a sheet that looks a bit like a bingo card, with the free space being their own home. They add the names and contact information for their actual neighbors—next door and across the street and catty-corner.
For most people this requires a visit to their neighbors—an introduction and a conversation beyond a friendly wave. The process also takes a bit of courage, especially if you’ve lived in a place for a while without knowing your neighbors—at least, that’s my situation.
In the gospels, Jesus is clear that the commandment to love our neighbor is second only to loving God. He also tells us that our Lord knows us by name. The least we can do is know the names of our neighbors as well.
MOVING FORWARD: Invite a new neighbor to coffee.
PRAY for the Dioceses of Lahore (Pakistan), South Western Brazil, and Southeast Florida
Ps 72 * 119:73-96 | Leviticus 19:1-18 | 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 | Matthew 6:19-24
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We’ll end with a funny note from an email I was sent today from Curt and Mary Ann Franck with some “Church Ladies with Typewriters” of actual sentences that have appeared in church bulletins. We gotta love our “church ladies”!!
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
Pot-luck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM – prayer and medication to follow.
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM .. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
Michelle