Check-In For December 31, 2022
"On the other side of Christmas, we are called to be co-creators with God, to let our lives be the kind of praise that remakes the world in the image of God, who is with us, is one of us, and shows us how to live. … May we truly be followers of Jesus. Hallelujah!" -Heather Murray Elkins, Upper Room: Disciplines
"The kind of praise that remakes the world." Heather Murray Elkins explains that her understanding of praise is formed here by her reading of theologian Walter Brueggemann. Brueggemann, she explains, describes praise as more than a song; it is a way of being. In Brueggemann's words, "Praise is not a response to a world already fixed and settled, but it is a responsive and obedient participation in a world yet to be decreed and in the process of being decreed." Praise, then, is a way of accepting the invitation that God offers us to participate in the new creation.
This is a beautiful idea. When we worship we are doing far more than showing up and checking a box in our list of duties to complete. We are orienting ourselves to participate in God's work in the world.
On January 1, 2022 I set out to share each week in these "Weekly Updates" in a couple of ways. One was simply to use this platform as another space to share our prayer concerns and to provide information about events and activities coming up in the life of the church. The second was to share with you a thought each week that sprang from the devotional reading I do most days. I wondered if I made notes of the ideas I encountered in that reading if there would be something there that seemed timely and valuable to share with you. I think, almost without exception, something has met those criteria.
With the entries that I added from this morning's readings on December 31, I have a document of quotes from various sources that numbers 28,997 words. In the past I have always been an underliner - marking texts so I can remember by looking what seemed important to me. This has represented another step - taking those memorable quotes and typing them into their own document so all of them for the year are assembled together. Interestingly, the Weekly Check-In's for the year are also together in their own document. That document has 29,326 words. The one a starting point for my day, the other a culminating point for my week as I think about what to share with you.
It's the time of year when we think ahead to a new year and what we want to make of it. I pray that you will find something of value that you want to do for God and with God in the new year. And I hope that you will make praise a big part of what you do in the new year, keeping in mind the idea that praise is not just something we do to say thank you to God, it's something we do to keep ourselves oriented towards God as we respond to God's invitation to join in the new creation.
I close today with a prayer, also from Heather Murray Elkins…
"God of creation, remind us that we are made in your image. Through our praise, may we help to remake the world until all creation is filled with shalom. Amen."
***
Tomorrow, Sunday, January 1 we will gather for worship for the first time in 2023. As tomorrow is the Sunday prior to the Day of Epiphany (January 6) we will have our Star Words available for selection. Star Words are a fun and creative spiritual discipline that are intended to be a way of helping us to listen for God speaking to us throughout the year. Hope you'll be present tomorrow to pick up your Star Word.
We'll also, as we do most every first Sunday, celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. What a great way to begin a new year - gathered around the Lord's Table to receive what God has prepared.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For December 24, 2022 - Christmas Eve
[We have]… “an opportunity to…experience Christmas not as a historical memory, but as the grace of Christ’s living appearance in our own life.” -Patricia J. Callahan
This is one of the core truths of faith. It’s about what is happening in our lives now.
It is never simply looking back and remembering what has happened.
It is not a memorial to things past.
Faith is alive and dynamic and active and bursting with possibilities now.
Christmas is about Christ who came to us, but the most important piece of him coming to us is that he still journeys with us today. The Christ of Bethlehem is the Christ of this morning, this afternoon and this evening - each and every day of our lives.
This is the good news!
***
You have likely seen the emails related to Christmas Eve, but it was decided that the best course of action was to do a virtual Christmas Eve Service and not have a service that would bring folks out in the extreme cold at night.
You should also have received or be receiving an email announcing that we will go forward with Christmas Morning Worship at Hebron tomorrow. In this instance, daylight was the biggest factor in the decision. The parking lot is still covered in snow as are the sidewalks. This is likely a benefit as walking in the snow is probably better than walking on whatever surface we might have uncovered would have been, given that it would not have allowed salt to have much, if any, effect due to the temps never reaching even 20 degrees. For those who cannot make it in the morning or who have Christmas celebrations to attend, the service will be recorded as usual and posted as soon as possible after it is complete.
Wishing all of our Hebron family a blessed Christmas!
Celebrate Life and Celebrate Immanuel!
George
Check-In For December 17, 2022
"Dear Jesus, you love us, and that is good news. You are with us and that is good news. You lived to show us a new way to be human, and that is good news. You offer forgiveness and grace when we fall short, and that is good news. Today, I respond, "Yes and Amen." -Ohsheta Moore
The story of God, the story of our faith is good news. Gospel.
Christmas is the bursting on to the scene of God's good news in a way that was beyond our imagination. God comes near to us and our world is forever changed.
There are several worship services left between us and Christmas - and this year one on Christmas Day, as Christmas falls on a Sunday! We also have our Live Nativity and along with it tomorrow on Sunday evening a dinner with our church family. These are all opportunities to experience and participate in God's great good news!
Tomorrow we light the Love candle on the fourth Sunday of Advent. The children will be singing and Regan will be playing piano with them. The dinner and the Live Nativity is tomorrow (Sunday night) followed by a second night of Live Nativity on Monday. We'll have our Blue Christmas/Longest Night service on Wednesday, a powerful service of naming places where we may be hurting or know of people who are hurting in this season of joy. Christmas Eve and it's service of candle lighting beckons next Saturday - always a blessing to worship as we experience the nearness of God. Finally, if you are able to be in worship on Christmas Day it offers an out of the ordinary opportunity to worship on the day itself. Unlike Easter, always on a Sunday, Christmas moves throughout the week, only settling on Sunday every so often.
Come.
Experience the good news of God's love.
Experience the good news of God with us.
Experience the good news of God's forgiveness and grace.
***
Live Nativity Tomorrow (Sunday) and Monday Night! Dinner Sunday Night!
On Sunday, December 18, there will be a meal at 5:45 p.m. We have food to share for the meal. If you would like to bring a salad or dessert you may, but it is not necessary – most important is to bring you. There will only be a meal on Sunday evening. Live Nativity each night will be from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday Prayer Group: Will meet Tuesday in the Activities Building at 11:00 a.m.
Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service on Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on December 24 at 11:00 p.m.
Christmas Day worship on Sunday December 25 at 11:00 a.m.
New Year's Day Worship: One week after we worship on Christmas Day we'll be back to worship on New Year's Day. The past several years we've had a new tradition of Star Words at the New Year. Star Words will be ready and waiting for you on Sunday morning January 1!
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For December 10, 2022
"Gather round ye children come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the power of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man"
-Andrew Peterson, "Gather Round Ye Children Come"
from "Behold The Lamb Of God, The True Tall Tale Of The Coming Of Christ"
These are the first words of the first song of Andrew Peterson's masterpiece Christmas recording, "Behold The Lamb Of God." In the course of its twelve songs Peterson begins at the time of the Exodus, makes his way through the rise and fall of Israel, the exile and ultimately Mary and Joseph's journey, shepherds visited and Christ coming to us as that "infant born of glory." It's a brilliant piece of work.
Every year Peterson goes out on the road and tours in December, performing "Behold The Lamb Of God." Julie and I have traveled to Nashville and seen it a couple of times at the Ryman. This year it's coming a little closer to home with tickets at about half the price. Next Thursday, December 15 Peterson will bring "Behold The Lamb Of God" to Louisville - the show will be at Highview Baptist Church. After fees, tickets are around $33. I'll include a couple of links.
The first is a taste of what the show is like. Usually the first half of the show is sort of a variety show with the various talented folks who travel with him presenting a song or two each. There is an intermission. After the intermission "Behold The Lamb Of God" is performed beginning to end - which is probably about 45 minutes. This clip is a song from BTLOG.
The second link is to where one can buy tickets. It will say that tickets are $28 - $70. I think the $70 tickets were pretty limited for an area that reserved seating. The bulk of the seating is General Admission and is $28 before fees.
If you happen to decide to attend it would be great if you let me know so maybe we can find each other.
***
Stuff Coming Up…
Kids Club: Will be right after church tomorrow. We will be decorating Gingerbread houses.
Live Nativity on Sunday and Monday, December 18 and 19. On Sunday, December 18 there will be a meal at 5:45 p.m. Live Nativity each night will be from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service on Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on December 24 at 11:00 p.m.
Christmas Day Worship at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For November 26, 2022
"What is your hope quotient today? If it is low, how might your raise it? If it is high, how might you share it?" -L. Cecile Adams
I chose this quote from L. Cecile Adams for the Weekly Check-In this week because it focuses on hope and hope is the focus of the first Sunday of Advent, which is tomorrow. I received a message this week asking about the meaning of the Advent candles. We'll be exploring those meanings in worship throughout Advent, but wanted to give a quick overview here.
Advent, generally, is the first season of the liturgical year. It is the season that leads up to the celebration of Christmas. It is a time to reflect on the Christ who has come and who will come again. The word Advent points to the arrival or the coming of Christ. Again, Christians believe this is an event that has happened AND will happen again, albeit in different ways. Advent is a time of waiting and the candles point to qualities of that waiting.
Week one is the hope candle. In Christ's coming and promised return we have hope for the future. Week two is the peace candle. We look to a time when God's peace will settle upon the earth. Week three is the joy candle (the other three are blue, the joy candle is the pink one), and points us towards the joy of trusting in Christ's promises. Week four is the love candle; it is God's love that is best manifested for us in Christ who came and lived for us, died for us, rose for us, and will come again. The candle in the middle of the Advent wreath (the white candle) is the Christ candle. We light it on Christmas Eve at out candlelight service and then light every candle in the hands of those in worship with the light from that candle. God's love comes to us and in God working through us it is ever expanding and going forward.
I hope you will be able to join us for worship during the Advent season as we explore the themes of hope, peace, joy and love and together hold fast to and celebrate God's great gift of Jesus Christ.
***
Here are upcoming Advent/Christmas dates:
Cookie Making For the Christmas Bazaar on Monday and Tuesday, November 28 and 29.
Christmas Bazaar from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 3.
Kids Club Gingerbread House making after church on Sunday, December 11.
Live Nativity on Sunday and Monday, December 18 and 19. On Sunday December 18 there will be a meal at 5:45 p.m. Live Nativity each night will be from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service on Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on December 24 at 11:00 p.m.
Christmas Day worship on Sunday December 25 at 11:00 a.m.
Sermon schedule for Advent/Christmas.
November 27 - First Sunday of Advent
An Advent of Ascent, Climbing Towards Hope
Isaiah 2:1-5 and Psalm 122
December 4 - Second Sunday of Advent
An Advent of a Peaceable Tomorrow
Isaiah 11:1-10 and Romans 5:4-13
December 11 - Third Sunday of Advent
An Advent of Joy Beyond Joy
Isaiah 35:1-10 and Luke 1:46b-55
December 18 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
Romans 1:1-7 and Matthew 1:18-25
December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight
Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 1:18-25
December 25 - Christmas Day Sunday
"All I Want For Christmas Is Beautiful Feet"
Isaiah 52:7-10 and John 1:1-14
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For November 19, 2022
"Jesus reigns in us when we seek his kingdom first, that kingdom of light where darkness no longer rules." -Jill Duffield
A word about the liturgical year. The longer I'm in ministry the more I have come to love the rhythm of the liturgical calendar unfolding throughout the year. This Sunday, Christ the King Sunday (also called The Reign of Christ Sunday at times), is the final Sunday of the liturgical year. Next Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, we begin again into a brand new liturgical year. The term liturgical points to our practice of worship. The liturgical calendar guides us through a tour of various things that are important to our faith. For the past several years I've posted a helpful diagram that lays out some of the general idea of what the liturgical calendar is out to accomplish. I will run it with this check-in because I believe it's very helpful in describing the way the calendar unfolds.
Tomorrow is one of my favorite worship days of the year. It ends the year by proclaiming the Lordship of Christ and at the same time demanding that we pay attention to how wrong we often get the idea of Kingship and power. It's not done to make us feel bad, it's done to remind us that Christ is indeed King, that our King is not like any other King, and because of that it is very important for us to study and know our King so that we truly follow Jesus and not try to create and follow the kind of King we believe and our culture has told us should be king. Look forward to seeing you in worship tomorrow.
***
Tomorrow, Sunday, November 20 is a full day. The children will be singing, leading us in our opening hymn. You will be invited to make your stewardship commitment to the mission and ministry of the church for 2023. And we will be dedicating our Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes during worship. After worship will be the Hanging of the Greens (decorating the church for Christmas and Advent). Three Session members, Leigh Shader, Judy Morris and Betty Hogan will be bringing soup to share after our decorating work is done.
There will be a Community Thanksgiving Service this Tuesday, November 22 at 7:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Shepherdsville.
Here are other upcoming Advent/Christmas dates:
Cookie Making For the Christmas Bazaar on Monday and Tuesday, November 28 and 29.
Christmas Bazaar from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 3.
Kids Club Gingerbread House making after church on Sunday, December 11.
Live Nativity on Sunday and Monday, December 18 and 19. On Sunday December 18 there will be a meal at 5:45 p.m. Live Nativity each night will be from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service on Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on December 24 at 11:00 p.m.
Christmas Day worship on Sunday December 25 at 11:00 a.m.
Finally for this morning, here is the upcoming sermon schedule for Advent/Christmas.
November 27 - First Sunday of Advent
An Advent of Ascent, Climbing Towards Hope - Isaiah 2:1-5 and Psalm 122
December 4 - Second Sunday of Advent
An Advent of a Peaceable Tomorrow - Isaiah 11:1-10 and Romans 5:4-13
December 11 - Third Sunday of Advent
An Advent of Joy Beyond Joy - Isaiah 35:1-10 and Luke 1:46b-55
December 18 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
Romans 1:1-7 and Matthew 1:18-25
December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight
Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 1:18-25
December 25 - Christmas Day Sunday
"All I Want For Christmas Is Beautiful Feet" - Isaiah 52:7-10 and John 1:1-14
That's it for this time - see you in worship!
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For November 12, 2022
“The prophet Isaiah casts a glorious vision of a new paradise, a new reality where there is peace, safety, security, health, stability, and well being. I want to go there. I am tired of bad news.” -Dan R. Dick
The passage that Dan R. Dick is writing about from Isaiah is one of our two scriptures that we will be exploring in worship tomorrow. He’s focusing here on the glorious future the prophet foretells. I’m heading in a similar direction, as the sermon title is “The Creation Continues.” Life is a mixed bag. If we watch the news it is rarely uplifting and we are not typically encouraged and hopeful when it is over. Isaiah is giving us a different and better story.
The older I have gotten, the more hopeful I have gotten. The more time has passed the move convicted I have become of the truth of the good news of Jesus Christ. Love really does seem to be the one answer that transforms and changes things. Following Christ has been the best way for me to make sense of what I experience in the world. I hope that as we travel together and specifically as we consider the ongoing creation tomorrow that you will feel hopeful as well.
***
Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Dedication Sunday was moved to next Sunday, November 20. Shoe boxes can be brought tomorrow or next Sunday. Rebecca Rink and Nate have done a great job in leading our Shoe Box effort this year!
Tomorrow, Sunday, November 13, we will celebrate the sacrament of baptism with Regan Deinarowicz and will receive Shelly Brown as a member of Hebron.
The Hanging of the Greens, decorating the church for Advent and Christmas, will be Sunday, November 20 after morning worship. Everyone is invited to stay and help decorate. Three of our Session members, Betty Hogan, Leigh Shader and Judy Morris will be bringing soup to share after the work is complete!
Quick walk through Advent/Christmas dates that are coming up…
The first Sunday of Advent is November 27, with the Christmas Bazaar coming on December 3 (cookie baking will be Monday and Tuesday, November 28 and 29).
The Live Nativity is scheduled for December 18 and 19 in the evening. There will be a Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service on Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight will be December 24 at 11:00 p.m. and (I only share this because I have heard of places that are not doing it and I want to be clear) there will be worship on Christmas morning, Sunday, December 25.
Next Sunday, November 20, there will also be a time during worship when you will be invited to pledge your financial commitment to our congregation as we prepare to move into another year. You are welcome to include an amount that you believe you will be sharing or you may simply indicate your intention to be supportive in the year to come without indicating an amount.
Finally, thank you for your response to last week’s check-in. I think the imagery of the mountains calling us to renewal is one that must resonate with something deep in our beings.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For November 5, 2022
“The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly.” -John Muir
I had a moment alone on a mountain on the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park on Thursday of this week and prayed for you. Let me explain.
There are many reasons why being married to Julie is a blessing. One of those many is that her work takes her to a place in North Carolina called Lake Junaluska on a somewhat regular basis. It’s a longtime gathering spot for United Methodist meetings. Julie remains in her full-time call as President of the Kentucky Methodist Children’s Home, but she also serves her denomination at the jurisdictional level and they met this past week. When that happens, if I am able, I tag along. While my Methodist friends are busy with their meetings, I can enjoy the beauty of the surroundings, walk around Lake Junaluska, and make use of the time to plan out into the future for sermons and studies and this week also thinking about a developing writing project.
One of my favorite places is the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Lake Junaluska is about thirty miles from the Cherokee, North Carolina entrance to the park. From that entrance it’s another twenty miles or so to the beautiful vista of Newfound Gap, a spot where the Appalachian Trail passes through the park on its way from Maine to Georgia. On Thursday I woke up and the day was beautiful and the mountains were indeed calling. During Covid, and post-Covid, the most defining characteristic has been being tired in a way I’ve never been tired before - the drive and the hike on Thursday was a way of finding rest and renewal through walking and taking in nature’s glory.
We often hear the first part of the John Muir quote - “The mountains are calling and I must go.” Interestingly, there is more to it. He wrote those words in a letter to his sister when, as a young man, he had just finished some work in the mountains, was on a short break, and was preparing to return to more work in other mountains. Perhaps the mountains were a place of relaxation for him, but they were also a place where he accomplished the work that drove him throughout his life. I like that idea of the connectedness of the place that can offer renewal with the place that fires one’s life’s work.
The part of the Appalachian Trail I was on is an area where there is a lot of traffic. It’s not some remote part of the trail that only the serious through hikers are on, it’s a spot for day hikers like me to experience the glory of the AT. Even so, on this day, beautiful as it was, there weren’t many folks on the trail, which meant some wonderful solitary time in the woods with the occasional grand view. At one such vista I stopped and found a comfortable rock and that’s where the praying for you part happened.
We are at the front end of November. November through December can be a complete whirlwind. The holidays are upon us. The world seems to pick up its pace. Thanksgiving will arrive, then Advent for those of us in the church, and the Christmas season. At church we’ll be Hanging the Greens, making cookies, doing the Christmas Bazzaar and the Live Nativity, worshipping and more. There may be gatherings where we will enjoy family and friends. It can be great. But it can also be a lot. It can fly by without really having the time to consider what is happening or how we want to live in this moment. Even when we aren’t necessarily caught up in the day to day swirl of activity, this time of year can change-up the rhythm of our daily lives.
So as I found myself enjoying the view on an actual mountain top away from the everything that needs attention, from the truly important stuff to the stuff that just distracts, I thought about how even if I don’t get to an actual mountain top, I need to recognize the value of taking a moment on some sort of mountain top on regular basis to get perspective. The place in daily life that most often does that for me is my devotional time in the morning. My prayer for each of you - I pictured you in the sanctuary, or in Sunday School, or at an event in the Activity Building, letting my mind reach as deep into our Hebron family as I could summon up - is for that mountain top place or moment in your life as we enter this wonderful and hectic time of the year.
The world will continue to happen relentlessly all around us. I hope that you hear the call of your mountain, whether it’s an actual mountain or a chair in a sunny spot next to a window with your Bible, and that you respond.
***
Tomorrow, Sunday, November 6 is Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Dedication Sunday. If you have not already brought your shoe boxes please bring them tomorrow. Rebecca Rink and Nate have done a great job in leading our Shoe Box effort this year!
On Sunday, November 13 we will celebrate the sacrament of baptism with Regan Deinarowicz and will receive Shelly Brown as a member of Hebron.
The Hanging of the Greens, decorating the church for Advent and Christmas, will be Sunday, November 20 after morning worship. Everyone is invited to stay and help decorate. Three of our Session members, Betty Hogan, Leigh Shader and Judy Morris will be bringing soup to share after the work is complete!
Quick walk through Advent/Christmas dates that are coming up…
The first Sunday of Advent is November 27, with the Christmas Bazaar coming on December 3 (cookie baking will be Monday and Tuesday, November 28 and 29).
The Live Nativity is scheduled for December 18 and 19 in the evening. There will be a Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service on Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight will be December 24 at 11:00 p.m. and (I only share this because I have heard of places that are not doing it and I want to be clear) there will be worship on Christmas morning, Sunday, December 25.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For October 29, 2022
“In the poetry of Psalm 119, God is the teacher, and God’s people are the students. Creation is the classroom, and the lessons are the laws or teaching of God. Learning is our way of life.” -Lisa Schubert Nowling
This Sunday in worship we will hear from Psalm 119 (verses 137–144 - that’s right, it’s the longest book in the Bible, this is just a small passage within it). We’ll also hear the story of Zacchaeus, found in Luke 19:1-10. The message is an important one to our life of faith. Faith is a daily living out of our relationship with God. The Zacchaeus story is one of many stories in scripture that teach us an important characteristic of God: walk with God and God will surprise us. The impact of that lesson would seem to be that we need to be prepared for surprises and be prepared to be challenged in what we think and feel because we may not always be in love with the surprises. Hope to see you Sunday morning so we can explore this together.
***
Today, Saturday, October 29, is our final Adopt A Highway clean-up day for 2022. We will gather at the Activities Building at 9:00 a.m. The activity is scheduled to run from 9:00 a.m. - Noon. Come for all or part of it. Vests, grabbers and trash bags are provided.
We have rescheduled the reception of a new member and baptism for worship on November 13. Come and celebrate this joyous occasion!
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Dedication is Sunday, November 6. All shoeboxes need to be back on that day so that they can be taken to the area collection point in a timely fashion.
Hanging of the Greens is coming on Sunday, November 20. We’ll be decorating the church for Advent and Christmas.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For October 22, 2022
“That is what so much of Paul’s writing is about. Get the gospel right, and everything else will come right.” -N.T. Wright
As we’ve been reading regularly from Paul’s letters for the past few Sundays I thought I’d share this nugget from N.T. Wright. There is a basic, fundamental truth and challenge here: get the gospel right, and everything else will come right. We can overcomplicate both our lives and our faith journeys with that which is not essential. At the same time we can miss what is truly essential. It is important to engage God’s good news. To consider what God has done for us and to ask what God’s great gifts should inspire in us as response.
Spending a week with extra time for Covid and for my thoughts can lead to a lot of over-thinking. This thought - get the gospel right - was a welcome boiling down of what God desires from me and from all of us. Getting the gospel right is, as I understand it, seeking to find alignment with what God and God’s will for our world and my life as a result of my understanding of God’s great mercy, love and compassion.
This is why we worship, why we pray, why we gather in community, why we strive to look beyond ourselves, why we have hope. In the pulpit of the church in Missouri where I began my ministry was a quote the Senior Pastor of the church had received from a mentor. On a small card it said, “Give them the gospel, pure and simple.” It was the best kind of grounding and instruction with which to approach worship each Sunday. It still is. And modified it’s a grand call for each of us - live out the gospel, pure and simple.
***
Kids Club meets tomorrow, Sunday, October 23, after church to paint pumpkins. There will be a light lunch as well. Hope to have a great group for this annual activity.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For October 15, 2022
“When you help somebody, it helps them, but it can help you more. That’s what we should do as human beings. I never quite understood why we have to let religion and politics and things like that stand in the way of just being good human beings. I think it’s important from that standpoint just to feel like you’re doing your part, doing something decent and good and right.” -Dolly Parton
I was reminded of this quote from Dolly Parton by Charlie Hartley this week. It’s a good and strong idea - help one another out when we have the opportunity. Dolly’s a woman of strong faith so when she talks about the ways in which religion is sometimes used as a wedge to divide rather than draw people together I think she’s on to a fundamental truth for Christians - God’s heart is made happy when we are living kindness and love in our daily lives. This is the most winsome approach to faith and sharing the good news.
I have experienced the kindness of many in the past couple of days. After a day of primarily sore throat and being a kind of tired I wasn’t really familiar with I took a Covid test on Thursday morning and was positive. Julie is having much the same symptoms I have been having and tested positive today (Saturday). We both feel not great, but not awful either, for which we are thankful. I am also thankful for that kindness I have experienced from many folks. To begin with Rev. Mary Davis. I called her within an hour of testing positive to see if she could come to Hebron on Sunday and lead worship and she did not hesitate, but said yes immediately. That was such a blessing. Please extend your usual gracious welcome and an extra bit of thankfulness to Mary for her steadfast commitment to our congregation - she is indeed a blessing.
***
The church picnic at Cedar Ridge is tomorrow afternoon (Sunday, October 16). Cedar Ridge is available to us starting at 2:00 p.m. We will have access to the canoes from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. We will eat around 5:00 p.m. I hope you will be able to go and enjoy this event - I think my whole year timetable may get thrown off from not spending a fall afternoon with y’all at Cedar Ridge. I will miss the fun, but hope that you are able to come and enjoy!
Also we will be moving receiving Shelly Brown as a member and baptizing Regan Deinarowicz back for a week or two, so that will not be a part of the worship service tomorrow.
Stay well as you are able and do like Dolly suggests and be a help to each other.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For October 8, 2022
“Religious faith is an embodied journey, not a protected cocoon of beliefs. It’s a pilgrimage.” -Wesley Granberg-Michaelson
I am fascinated with the concept of pilgrimage. Leaving one place to journey to another. It is the story of faith. In Genesis 12 Abraham (then Abram) receives the call to leave his home to go to the place that God will show him. The Bible is full of people who respond to God’s call by leaving the familiar and journeying into the unknown. The trust for the journey is that God will be with us and in some ways is already in front of us pulling us along.
The beautiful thing about faith and pilgrimage is that while it can be geographic, it can also be a spiritual pilgrimage from one place to another. When we find ourselves struggling for any of a number of reasons we know that that moment is not our home. God is in going before us and sometimes that awareness can make the difference between deciding to give up or go forward. Faith and pilgrimage are about going forward with God, believing that God has a beautiful future in store for us.
***
Reminders of what’s coming this month…
October 9 (tomorrow) - Rebecca Rink will be sharing with us during worship about Operation Christmas Child. Rebecca has picked up leadership for this annual mission activity and will let us know when the shoe boxes are due and share other information.
October 15 - Our Presbyterian Women’s Fall Craft Fair, from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Your help is appreciated. Some space for vendors is still available.
October 16 - Our Church Picnic at Cedar Ridge. We can begin arriving and enjoying the grounds at Cedar Ridge at 2:00 p.m. We will have a vespers worship at around 4:45 p.m. which will be followed by our picnic. It would be great to have a good group show up for this event and take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the day at Cedar Ridge.
October 16 - Bring items for the food pantry with you to worship.
October 29 - our last Adopt-A-Highway clean-up for 2022! Thanks to Ray Baker for his leadership in providing this way way to make a visible difference in our community. We will work from 9 a.m. till noon. Sign up sheets will be in the entryway so we will know how much help to anticipate.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For October 1, 2022
“Paul reminds Timothy that the faithful are not exempt from life’s trials; but when we travel in God’s presence and calling, we carry hope that gives us the strength and motivation to take just one more step, to breathe one more breath, to try just once more.” -Wessel Bentley
It is such a gift to not be alone in this world. It is a gift to “travel in God’s presence and calling.” It is a gift to share the ride with other people. I’m still, as I always do, processing what exactly happens at our Yard Sales. If you want to know where your Holy Spirit meter needs to be on high alert, I’m always going to point to the Yard Sales. There are so many places where our lives intersect with others. Not always in wonderful ways. Sometimes it’s hard - a real challenge, even debilitating. But so often people come along at just the right moment to lift us up and help to carry us forward. To go that one more step, one more breath, to try just once more. When that happens we can know that God’s hand is in it.
***
Prayers continue for all the people whose lives have been devastated by Hurricane Ian. Another case of images of destruction that are beyond imagination. We pray that those affected will experience the power of people lifting people up as they go through this awful event.
***
Tomorrow is World Communion Sunday! We’ve got two great scriptures that will be speaking to us in worship tomorrow - 2 Timothy 2:1-14 and Luke 17:5-10. The sermon is “Leaning Into Our Faith.” We’ll be exploring the richness of our faith and experiencing it at the Lord’s Table. Look forward to seeing you tomorrow!
The Presbyterian Women’s Fall Craft Fair is coming on Saturday, October 16. If you have items to donate for the white elephant portion of this event, or if you would like to be a vendor or know a prospective vendor please see Betty Hogan. The Craft Fair runs from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
I have two new book projects that are complete.
One is “An Advent Journey Through The Holy Land With A Friend” featuring devotionals for the first Sunday of Advent through the day after Christmas. It contains many pictures from travels in the Holy Land.
The second is “Through The Bible In 365 Days” which offers a plan for reading through the Bible in 365 Days along with reflections on some aspect of each day's readings. This project is at the heart of what my writing has been about - inviting people to engage the Biblical text. This one was a long time in the coming together and I couldn’t be happier with how it has come out.
Each of these, along with Psalms With A Friend, will be available at the Fall Crafts Fair.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For September 24, 2022
What in your life right now feels like the end of the story but perhaps is not?” -Amy Oden
I find myself nearly always drawn to the positive piece of messages. Where is the hope? Where is the promise for the future? How can the next thing be a step forward? This naturally drew me to this Amy Oden quote in a very rich week of devotionals in Upper Room: Disciplines. Life brings many moments that feel like endings and often are endings. And it can be entirely possible to get stuck in that place. Oden is suggesting what I believe is a fundamental truth of Christian faith: we are moving towards God’s future and that can only be a good thing. What is beginning? What is the next thing that this ending is preparing us for. I’m not suggesting that this is an easy process or that we should put a happy face on when we are hurting. I am holding out and holding on to hope that God is always ahead and always has something better for all of creation.
***
The scripture passages for tomorrow are
1 Timothy 6:6-19 and Luke 16:9-31
The message is “The Life That Really Is Life”.
I look forward to worshipping together, experiencing God’s Spirit moving amongst us and listening for God’s word to us and for us.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For September 17, 2022
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone.” -1 Timothy 2:1-7
What an exciting week!
Around a year ago the Session voted to get the parking lot sealed. The company was found to do the work and then it came down to weather and waiting for the right opportunity. That happened this Wednesday and Thursday. The lot was sealed on Wednesday and striped on Thursday. It’s important maintenance for the parking lot and what a visual difference when the church comes into view.
Our Fall Yard Sale began yesterday with a great first day. So many treasures were donated - a wide variety of stuff! And a steady stream of folks throughout the day. The volunteers were really working yesterday morning and everyone seemed to be energized by great weather and great turnout. At the end of the day Steve Adams brought Hilda by and that was wonderful. Again spirits were lifted, it meant a lot to Hilda to be on the church grounds and it meant a lot to us to see here there. She looked great and when she was sitting at the table with friends talking it looked just right.
Tomorrow in worship we’ll be looking at another combination of passages. Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 and 1 Timothy 2:1-7. If you have time, take a read through them and see how they speak to one another as you read them.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For September 10, 2022
“In God’s economy, no one is lost or forgotten.” -Beth Ludlum
This is a wonderful expression of God’s good news. This same thought is the personal meditation in the bulletin this weekend and you will hear it again in the sermon. Beth Ludlum wrote it as a reflection on the story we will be reading in Luke 15:1-10. I would encourage you to read through both of the texts for Sunday morning if you have time. The other is 1 Timothy 1:12-17. The message this week is called, “Amazing, Creative, Ultimate Grace.” And yes, we will be singing “Amazing Grace.”
God’s love is vast. God is great beyond our imagination. How stunning to hear the way God cares deeply for each one of us. Look forward to seeing you Sunday morning.
***
The Yard Sale was pushed back a week, so rather than beginning this weekend it will begin next weekend. This means it will be open September 16-17 and 24-25 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. each day. There is already a lot in place - and a week to receive more if you have something to donate. Once again a reminder that the Presbyterian Women support many great causes with their receipts from their yard sales. They give generously to the mission of our church and to many fine organizations that do wonderful work in our community and around our state. Supporting the yard sale is supporting the mission of the church. The hard work that goes into preparing and holding the yard sales is a wonderful example of discipleship in action. Also, they are fun! The fellowship is the best. See you at the Yard Sale!
Just to get it on your calendar, our Church Picnic at Cedar Ridge will be on Sunday, October 16. The time is 2:00 p.m. through around 6 p.m. with dinner at 5:00 p.m. There is a vespers service prior to the evening meal. We also have time blocked out for canoeing. Plan to come to the Church Picnic and invite someone to come and enjoy the outside at Cedar Ridge.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For September 3, 2022
“We break bread and drink wine together, telling the story of Jesus and his death, because Jesus knew that this set of actions would explain the meaning of his death in a way that nothing else - no theories, no clever ideas, could ever do.” -N.T. Wright
I’ve shared before that Hebron is the first church that I have attended or worked in throughout my life that celebrates the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of each month. I know that many churches do this - I had just not previously experienced it. I nearly immediately came to love the monthly practice. It’s wonderful to begin each month at the Lord’s table, to gather with the people of God and share in the feast Jesus prepared for us is to be renewed and reinvigorated for the month that is about to unfold.
The N.T. Wright quote above reminds us that communion moves us beyond words and intellectual explanations of what is happening when we experience communion. We can know what is going to happen - we will have communion during worship - but we still don’t know what will happen. What will the experience be like this time. How will I come to know something of God and/or something of myself from this encounter at the table? How will I experience God communicating with me about my deepest need? How will I be fed? How will this experience be unique because of the people with whom I will share the table? We’ll find out again tomorrow morning.
***
The Presbyterian Women will begin setting up for the Fall Yard Sale which will be held September 9-10 and 16-17 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. each day. They will be setting up from September 5-9 starting at 9:00 a.m. We hope you can join us.
COVID has clearly not left us. It does seem many cases are manageable; it’s not as frequently as harsh as it was early on (although it still has that capacity for certain); but it still is impacting people and disrupting lives. I mention this to share that I, personally, will be returning to masking for at least the next couple of Sunday mornings except for when I am leading worship and some distance away from everyone.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For August 27, 2022
“God of our past, our present, and our hope for the future, thank you for coming to us when we neglect to come to you. Amen.” - Kathryn Haueisen
Another prayer to share with you this week. Thematically it’s another prayer that emphasizes the glory of God’s grace and mercy. God comes to us even when we neglect to come to God. And in acknowledging that it not only makes a confession to God, but also encourages us to do better by reminding us to carve out the time to come to God as a regular part of our everyday lives.
We have been enjoying some pretty spectacular weather this last little stretch. Still getting towards hot some days, but much of the time very comfortable and we’ve been seeing a good bit of the sun. Fall has been in the air, and those days when you can feel hints of fall are some of my favorite days of the year. As the season changes we are changing Sunday School books - we start into the new book on September 1. They are available in the Sunday School room. It’s a good time to jump in and try Sunday School if you have an interest. And Sunday School is one of the ways that you can intentionally remind yourself to come to God. If you can’t make Sunday School, but maybe watch the Wednesday Prayer videos that are posted each week, you might want to pick up a Sunday School book simply to read at home in conjunction with what is shared on Wednesdays.
***
Our sermon series one faith, drawn from the book of Hebrews reaches its conclusion this week.
Sermon: Faith: Eyes On Jesus
Text: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
We’ll also be singing a great hymn that I always look forward to called “Marching To Zion” and it’s a Children’s Church Sunday - Monica and Shelly will be providing leadership this week.
Beyond this Sunday here’s a look at what the first Sunday of September holds…
September 4
Text: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Sermon: Why Is This Such A Hard Choice?
And, of course, we will also celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of September as we do on every first Sunday of the month.
The Fall Presbyterian Women’s Yard Sale Is Coming: The Yard Sale will be September 9, 10 and 16, 17. The time will be 8-2 each day. You are invited to be gathering up items you may wish to donate to the Yard Sale and be ready to bring them to the Activities Building beginning on Sunday, September 4.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For August 20, 2022
“On our journey of faith, we travel with an unshakable God who leads us to an unshakable kingdom - both here and in heaven.” -Cory Driver
The idea of faith as a journey is one that has become so basic to me over the years that I find it really hard to talk about faith without using the word journey. We go on the road with Jesus. We strive to follow. We begin in one place and we follow, as best as we are able and relying fully on God’s grace, to a place we believe God is preparing for us.
One of the characteristics of the journey is change. We change. We grow and we learn and we age. We repeat things annually, but it’s also new every time we get there because we are different. The school year is a great example. Social media allows us to see many of our friends and families' children heading off to their first days of school. It is a familiar ritual, but it’s also brand new. This group of kids is heading into a brand new year that has yet to unfold! This is also a reminder that prayer is constantly an important part of the journey. Today is a great day to lift up students, teachers, administrators and all support staff in all aspects of our educational system. Let’s pray for a great year of learning as they journey into the new school year. And let’s continue to pray for God’s guidance in our own journeys each day as we follow our unshakable God to God’s unshakable heaven.
***
The Fall Presbyterian Women’s Yard Sale Is Coming: The Yard Sale will be September 9, 10 and 16, 17. The time will be 8-2 each day. You are invited to be gathering up items you may wish to donate to the Yard Sale and be ready to bring them to the Activities Building beginning on Sunday, September 4.
This is the 3rd Sunday of the month so we will be collecting items for the food pantry. Please remember that we are still having "warm" days, so items will need to be able to withstand the weather. There is lots of room in the pantry, so items are needed. This is another service we offer our community.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For August 13, 2022
“Holy God, I am not yet as I hope to one day be. Grant me your grace, and lead me into abundant life in Jesus’ name. Amen.” -Ben Ingebretson
This Sunday we’ll continue with our second of four weeks in the book of Hebrews, and our exploration of what we mean when we talk about faith. Last week we examined the idea of conviction - believing strongly in the truth of something that has yet to be realized fully in our lives or in our world. This week we’ll spend some time with a very important characteristic - perseverance.
You can begin to see how these different pieces fall together. If we are going to remain true to our convictions - keep traveling, for example, towards a destination that we don’t seem to be near yet - it will require us to have perseverance. We will be in situations where we will need to stay with God and where God is leading us even though it is a challenge. As Ben Ingebretson’s prayer above begins, “Holy God, I am not yet as I hope to be.” I find that to be both succinct and true. Faith is about trusting that in following after God we can become something even better than what we want to be - we can become what God created us to be.
***
Flood Relief: Thanks to those who brought items for flood relief in eastern Kentucky last week. These items will be delivered to Steven Adams who is taking a truck to eastern Kentucky for distribution. Thanks also to those who gave offering for flood relief. You gave $1000 last week to help those who are suffering. This money will be sent to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to a fund set-up specifically for this purpose.
You may still bring items this Sunday and the Flood Relief jar - a wonderful creation of Allie Morris - will be in the entry way to receive gifts to go to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance fund.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For August 6, 2022
“‘And earth and heaven be one;’ that is the note that should sound like a clear, sweet bell through all Christian living, summoning us to live in the present as people called to that future, people called to live in the present in the light of that future.” -N.T. Wright
We will be reading from the book of Hebrews in worship for the next four Sundays and digging into the very fundamental idea of what is faith? N.T. Wright’s words above are a great beginning point for that exploration. Faith is all about the reality that we have a future hope that we believe to be true that determines how we live our lives today in the present. How we view the world around us. How we make decisions about what we will do and what we will not do. How we interact with the people with who we interact each day. Our faith speaks to all of that. I hope you’ll be there on Sunday mornings throughout August and join in diving into faith together.
August 7
Faith: Conviction
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
August 14
Faith: Perseverance
Hebrews 11:29-12:2
August 21
Faith: Reverence And Awe
Hebrews 12:18-29
August 28
Faith: Eyes On Jesus
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
***
After several Sundays away I am looking forward to being back this Sunday. This will be the first Sunday of my 18th year as the pastor at Hebron. Cameron was in sixth grade when we arrived and Eliza was in second grade. That seems like it was just yesterday and also a very long time ago depending on the day. Looking forward to sharing the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, as we do each first Sunday at Hebron, and continuing the journey with you.
***
Finally, a reminder that this Sunday there are a couple of opportunities to help with flood relief. First, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has established an account which will be used specifically for relief related to the flooding in Eastern Kentucky. If you would like to give in this way there will be a place to leave your checks (made out to the church) which we will combine to send to this account.
Second, Steven Adams, one of Hilda’s sons, has shared that he is planning to take a a truckload of supplies to an eastern Kentucky distribution site. Having myself visited and volunteered at one of these sites this past Thursday, I can tell you that the need is great and people are indeed accessing these items as they work to get through this difficult time. Steven sent this list of items. You are invited to bring any of these things to church and we will see that they get to Steven for delivery.
water, toiletries, bleach wipes, spray sanitizers, shampoo, toothpaste, soaps and deodorant
See you Sunday!
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For July 30, 2022
"I bet most people talk to themselves. I have extensive conversations in my head, mulling over the day and any challenging situations and interactions I have had. Sometimes these internal dialogues are not healthy; they can become a vortex for negativity, a place of habit where I'm trapped in old patterns of thought. But sometimes they permit healthy processing that leads to life-giving action or that reorients my heart and mind in a helpful direction." -Daniel Wolpert
My heart is full this Friday morning. Full of so many things. I have been having those extensive conversations in my head that Daniel Wolpert talks about above. This time away has largely been quiet time. Lots of time to read. Lots of time to think. To think about everything from the grandeur and beauty of God's creation to how quickly time moves by and how small we can feel in the midst of all that God is doing.
We were blessed to have Cameron come from Atlanta and spend a couple of days with us. We ate some good food and played Bananagrams and talked about this and that and generally got to enjoy the gift that is getting to spend time in a living space with one of your adult children. When they are growing up it feels as though it will always be that way, and then when they make their way in the world you treasure, as much as anything I can think of, those times you are together. We will be coming home by way of Durham to see Eliza so we will get to spend some time with her as she prepares to finish up her last week of her summer work doing Clinical Pastoral Education.
Our hearts have been broken by the news and images coming out of the flooding in Eastern Kentucky. So much tragedy, so much destruction, so much loss. Our prayers ascend for all of the people impacted by what is unfolding in this natural disaster. I am certain that our denomination will offer avenues for giving to help alleviate the suffering in Eastern Kentucky. We will keep you apprised of ways you may have an opportunity to help.
One more thing…
August 1, 2005 was officially my first day as pastor at Hebron. That means when August 1 gets here in a couple of days I'll be starting year 18 in the journey with you. I have loved it and am grateful for all of you. So many memories. Being the sentimental sort, I undoubtedly will mention that in the weeks ahead, beginning with my first Sunday back in the pulpit on August 7. For now, thanks to all of you for the gift of being your pastor.
Here's a look at the upcoming August Sermon Series built out of the book of Hebrews and digging into what we mean when we talk about faith.
August 7
Faith: Conviction
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
August 14
Faith: Perseverance
Hebrews 11:29-12:2
August 21
Faith: Reverence And Awe
Hebrews 12:18-29
August 28
Faith: Eyes On Jesus
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
This Sunday, we welcome Mary Davis to Hebron. Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For July 23, 2022
"O God, you know the truths I cannot speak even to myself. But I believe in your love and mercy, and I believe that you have made away for me even through the wilderness of my own heart. You have created a sanctuary and spring within me, so that I can be whole. Amen." - Jeannie Alexander
This powerful prayer was in a devotional I use (Upper Room: Disciplines) this past Wednesday. There's a lot to consider in this prayer. God knows the truths that we cannot speak to ourselves. Sometimes we may think that there is something we'd rather not talk to God about. Maybe it doesn't seem important. Maybe we are embarrassed by an action we've taken or a word we've spoken. This points past that. This isn't about what we would keep from God. This is about the reality that God knows truths about us that we are not able to see. The good news is God is already there. We aren't breaking news to God. We are conversation partners with our loving Creator who desires to lead us to growth, redemption and newness of life. Thanks be to God.
***
Julie and I will be gone for one more week. We have enjoyed relaxing and really not keeping a schedule or having a lot of expectation for accomplishing anything. I have been reading several books, one purely escapist fun by Steve Berry, the other two which you will likely be hearing ideas from in the next few weeks/months - Ruth Haley Barton's Invitation To Solitude and Silence and William Willimon's Preacher's Dare. I'm looking ahead to the lectionary through the end of the liturgical year (November 20). Looking to see what the texts suggest and if any common themes suggest possible series for sermons.
There is both a Methodist and Presbyterian church on Jekyll Island. Both smaller congregations and both served by retired pastors. Last weekend the Presbyterian Church here cancelled worship as the pastor was diagnosed with COVID. We attended the Methodist Church and heard a wonderful sermon by the Rev. Marcia Cochran. Her sermon was excellent and her announcements might have been even better. She told a story about being in church when she was a little girl and some instructions her mother would give her as regards her squirming. I look forward to passing that story along.
Praying that you all will have a great worship this weekend as you welcome our General Presbyter, John Odom to our pulpit.
Celebrate Life!
George
Link to the article about Rev. Cochran.
Check-In For July 16, 2022
“God’s coming in Jesus shows us that God is willing to enter into our messiness, into our suffering, alienation, and pain in order to restore, renew, and reconcile us. Though God has not caused our suffering, God redeems it, transforms it, and recreates it so that we can become more like Jesus - more filled with hope, more able to be agents of God’s reconciling power, no matter what season we are in, no matter what season the world is in.“ -Juan Carlos Huertas
This is such a wonderful description of the Incarnation. God coming to us in Jesus is God willing to step into our messiness. In Christ we experience redemption, transformation and each day offers us the possibility of new beginnings. We are a people who have hope.
The word messiness caught my imagination and led me to thinking of the Adopt-A-Highway gathering today (Saturday, July 16 starting at 8:00 a.m. at the church) and of the work we did last time. I knew there would be litter on the side of the road when we went to pick it up - still, I was surprised how much there was - I forget the exact number but I believe it was around thirty bags by the time we were all finished. When you drive by you see the occasional trash, but may not see ALL of it. But step into the middle of it, walk around in the messiness and much is revealed.
First, it’s a wonderful service to the community to do this ministry and chip away at the litter on the stretch of road behind the church on Preston Highway. Second, perhaps it’s a window into what God has done for us. God did not remain at a distance. God stepped into our messiness and knows the pain and suffering that exist in the world. Because Christ came we do indeed have hope because we know that God is at work in our world and invites us to share in that work.
We welcome Rev. Mary Davis to our pulpit this Sunday morning. She will be sharing the message “Core Tending” from Matthew 6:25-34 and Luke 10:38-42.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For July 9, 2022
"The cruelest paradox of life is that an inordinate pursuit of happiness leads to misery." -Marc Foley
This Sunday morning we'll be reading Jesus' teaching about the Good Samaritan. It's a fantastic parable that is so full of meaning at so many levels that we can return to it again and again throughout our lives and it will consistently reward us with new truth. Perhaps one of the truths we might found is direction on what leads to fulfillment in life. It turns out Marc Foley is right, making happiness our one and only objective in life is likely a path to being neither happy or fulfilled.
Living for our own happiness as our highest goal is likely to be as good for us as a steady diet of nothing but sugar would be for our teeth. There is nothing wrong with happiness, but living only to chase happiness is not the way to be happy. Perhaps happiness in life comes from fulfillment and the parable of the Good Samaritan has a good bit to say to us about fulfillment.
To begin with, fulfillment, Jesus suggests, is found in watching out not for our happiness, but for the welfare of others. When we look beyond ourselves we find ways to serve, to participate in community and to reach out to those around us, helping them on their journey to happiness and fulfillment along the way.
Look forward to sharing more on this great story from Luke's gospel on Sunday morning.
***
The Session met this past Thursday evening (July 7) at the Church. It was the first meeting for our newly installed elders, Leigh Shader and Joyce Jaco. The thing I most want to communicate with you is that our work on selling the manse continues. It will likely not be happening immediately, but the process is underway, it just takes time to get things in motion. We will continue to share with you as events unfold.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For July 2, 2022
For the past several years my planning calendars have come from a company called Sacred Ordinary Days. The calendars are handy because they include the lectionary readings (both the weekly for worship and the daily for devotional purposes) as well as special mention of most religious holy days/observations and there are templates provided occasionally for doing the Examen (a devotional practice) as well as inspirational or thought provoking quotes everyday. So, it’s a good planner.
They also send out regular emails with devotionals and links to podcasts and other opportunities they are offering. One such email arrived Friday morning and I pulled the following prayer from that email to share with you today. It is a prayer for entering the Sabbath. Sabbath for you may be Sunday, but it can also be any day or period of time you rope off in your life for intentional time away from the distractions of everything and for intentional time with God. I share this prayer for entering Sabbath with you and hope that it will be the gift for you that it was for me to consider the great and wonderful gift of being called to Sabbath by God.
Lord of the Sabbath
We enter this day
Mindful that you alone give true rest
You alone are our true rest.
You look at all you have made
And you say it is good
And you rest.
We too look at all the works of our hands
And we say that it is good
And it is enough
So we rest.
Today we make room
In our hearts, for more love
In our homes, for more joy
In our hands, for more peace
In our hurry, for more patience.
We make room
In our schedules, to show kindness
Around our tables, to share goodness
In our worship, to sing faithfully
With our words, to speak gently.
Guide us, this sacred day,
To reflect on your compassion
To revel in your creation
To remember your redemption
To receive your restoration.
This Sabbath day,
We draw near to your presence with us
We delight in your protection over us
We dance for your joy in us
We dwell in your love for us.
And we trust
That this rest
Is your best gift to us.
By Sarah Bourne Crosby
***
Adopt-A-Highway clean up is scheduled for Saturday, July 16, with rain date of July 30. Due to extreme weather conditions recently, we will start at 8:00 a.m. We will be taking additional water breaks and cool off periods in activity building. There will be a sign-up sheet in the vestibule. Talk with Ray for more information.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For June 25, 2022
I believe living joyfully is a calling - not to happiness that is ready-made or store-bought, but to the kind of joy that is birthed only after (or only when) we have touched and known deep pain. -Lydia Wiley-Kellerman
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” -Galatians 5:22
Sunday morning we'll be hearing a passage from Galatians that lists the fruits of the Spirit and we'll explore them together. One of those fruits is joy. Joy is not a shallow happiness that runs away and hides as quickly as it came at the first sign of trouble. Joy is deep. It is to the core. It is a miracle of our faith that joy manages to grow stronger when circumstances are more difficult. That's the power of the joy that we will be talking about this Sunday morning.
***
This is the 26th Weekly Check-In of 2022 - halfway through the year! When I began doing them at the beginning of January I wondered how long they would continue. So far we have not missed a week. I am hoping they are a valuable form of communication to provide a thought or word of inspiration, to update prayer concerns, and to pass on current news of upcoming activities.
Adopt-A-Highway clean-up is scheduled for Saturday, July 16, with rain date of July 30. Due to extreme weather conditions recently, we will start at 8:00 a.m. We will be taking additional water breaks and cool off periods in activity building. There will be a sign-up sheet in the vestibule. Talk with Ray for more information.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For June 18, 2022
“Harmony is the cooperative union of different voices. The various vocal parts must maintain their distinctiveness, even as they unite, if harmony is to exist.” -Brad R. Braxton
I can be taught to sing a part that is not the melody, but it doesn’t come easily for me. I admire people who have this supernatural talent for immediately enhancing music by coming in with a harmony part. It’s as though they are hearing a bit of the song that is hidden from me until they bring it into view and at that point you can’t imagine the song without it.
This is true also of the body of Christ. There are parts of congregational life that may come easy for any one of us, but there are also parts that require the gifts of someone else. As we look around at our congregation we can see so many instances of people with unique gifts and talents that they willingly share with all of us. What a blessing that we have the variety of gifts, but that together we can make such a joyful noise.
***
A reminder in worship tomorrow we will...
Ordain and Install our new elders for the class of 2024. We will be installing Leigh Shader who was previously ordained as a Ruling Elder and ordaining and installing Joyce Jaco. Thank you again to Debra Lentz and Jason Shockley as they end their terms on Session and welcome to our new Elders!
We will also be recognizing our 2022 graduates from all levels of school with gifts for our high school graduates.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For June 11, 2022
“Notice one sign of God’s love in your surroundings, and concentrate on that for a long moment. Give thanks for every sign of hope and love that appears to you.” -Pamela D. Couture
I’ve seen many signs of God’s love this week.
At the memorial service for DuWayne Wilkins on Monday. Many great stories shared. Love, shared and demonstrated in so many ways. Today, Saturday, June 11, at 1:00 p.m. we will gather again in the sanctuary to remember Cles Milby and will follow that with a time of fellowship and a meal in the Activities Building. Another time to remember, to celebrate, and to share in ways that tell of God’s love for us and the love God inspires us to have for each other.
Our Session met on Tuesday evening to do the work of the church and I am always impressed by the deep care and the love of our Elders for our congregation. We look forward to welcoming our two new elders, Joyce Jaco and Leigh Shader, who will be ordained and installed on June 19 during worship. We say thank you to the two elders rotating off of the Session - Debra Lentz and Jason Shockley. As an example of the commitment of these folks, as we were wrapping up the meeting Jason said to us (I’m working from memory), “Just because I’m going off the Session don’t forget about me. If you need something done, let me know.”
Keep on the look-out for God’s love all around you and take a moment to be grateful and meditate on how you can share that love.
***
I will print the complete list of graduates next week in the Weekly Check-In and in the bulletin. We will acknowledge graduates during worship on June 19 and will have gifts for our high school graduates. If any of the high school graduates are unable to be there we will be sure to get the gifts to them.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For June 4, 2022
“Surrounded by the community of faith, we are charged with loving our neighbors as ourselves and with proclaiming the good news of God in Christ with our words and with our lives. As the cloud of witnesses between the disciples and our generation would attest, without the Spirit such a mission is unattainable. But with the Spirit, nothing is impossible.” -Elaine Eberhart
It is a blessing to be a part of a caring Christian community. We share the journey of life together. We celebrate birthdays, graduations, weddings and many other life events together. We support and encourage one another in difficult times. And we comfort one another in times of loss and transition.
This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost is a big red (red for the tongues of fire atop the disciples’ heads in the 2nd chapter of Acts) reminder of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. In all of our joys and sorrow, our setback and accomplishments, times of celebration and times of heavy hearts, the Spirit moves among us.
This coming week on Monday, June 6, we will remember and give thanks for the life of DuWayne Wilkins. The service will be at 2:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. There is a time of visitation and fellowship prior to the service from noon to 2:00 and after the service as well, in the Activities Building. Betty Hogan is a good contact person if you would like to help with the hospitality/visitation/fellowship time.
On Saturday, June 11 we will remember the life of Cleston Milby. That service will be at 1:00 p.m. and is followed by a dinner in the Activities Building. Again if you can assist in this bereavement meal please be in touch with Betty Hogan.
Let us celebrate the impactful lives of DuWayne and Cles and be guided by God’s Holy Spirit as we make our way together into each new day, forever grateful for the Great Cloud of Witnesses who travel with us.
***
Sunday June 5 is Pentecost Sunday. You are invited to wear red, the liturgical color for the day of Pentecost, reminding us of the tongues of fire that alighted on the disciples heads on the Day of Pentecost (you can find that story in Acts 2).
***
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For May 29, 2022
I wrote this prayer and shared it on Wednesday Evening Prayer. As we prepare for worship this weekend it is still the prayer that is expressing my thoughts about what has gone on in the past several weeks and most emphatically this week in Uvalde, Texas.
Holy God,
We are broken.
Spirits,
hearts,
capacity for action,
responsibility to our children,
responsibility to those who instruct and care for our children,
compassion,
beautiful families,
beautiful children,
towns,
cities,
leadership,
citizenry,
grocery stores,
churches,
schools,
will to change.
Broken.
Comfort those who are suffering beyond my ability to understand.
Turn to us in our brokenness,
and please help us not to stumble in our brokenness
- as though it is inevitable -
towards the next horrific disaster wrought of our brokenness.
Amen.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. -Romans 8:26
***
Tuesday Prayer Group will meet this Tuesday, May 31 at 11:00 a.m. in the Activities Building. We will have a guest speaker this week at Prayer Group. Rev. Tony Roberts will be sharing about mental health, his personal struggles with brain illness, and the ministry that he carries on now to those with mental illness and families and friends who stand with them. Tony is the author of two books, Delight In Disorder: Ministry, Madness, Mission and more recently When Despair Meets Delight: Stories To Cultivate Hope For Those Battling Mental Illness.Tony and George were classmates at Louisville Seminary and have remained friends over the years. Tony resides with his wife Susan in Columbus, Indiana.
***
We have two memorial services coming up in June and I will continue to put reminders in as it's always possible someone has not yet seen this information.
On Monday, June 6, on what would have been his 75th birthday we will have a service celebrating the gift of Duwayne’s life at the church. Carolyn is anticipating having a time for visiting beginning around noon in the Activities Building with the service at 2:00 and followed by additional time for fellowship following the service.
On Saturday, June 11 we will have a service celebrating the life of Cleston Milby at the church at 1:00 p.m.
Both services will be followed by a time of gathering for food, fellowship, and the sharing of memories in the Activities Building.
***
The Congregation of Hebron Presbyterian Church met last Sunday, May 22. Joyce Jaco and Leigh Shader were elected to serve as Elders for the class of 2024. The congregation voted to concur with the recommendation of the Session that the church manse and the property it is on be sold.
Our new Sunday evening Zoom study “A Hop, Skip, And A Jump Through The Bible” will begin this Sunday evening, May 29, at 7:00 p.m. You are welcome to drop in whether or not you have the book. The study will run most Sunday evenings (with a few exceptions) through the end of August. This Sunday evening will be an overview of the Bible and how it came together. The Zoom link is included in the email version of the Weekly Check-In. If you are reading this on Facebook or on our website and would like the Zoom link please email George Love at hebronpcusa@gmail.com before Sunday evening.
Sunday, June 5, is Pentecost Sunday. You are invited to wear red, the liturgical color for the day of Pentecost, reminding us of the tongues of fire that alighted on the heads of the disciples on the Day of Pentecost (you can find that story in Acts 2).
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For May 22, 2022
“Like craftsmen working on a great cathedral, we have each ben given instructions about the particular stone we are to spend our lives carving, without knowing or being able to guess where it will take its place within the grand design.” -N.T. Wright
“You yourselves are being built like living stones into a spiritual temple. You are being made into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” -1 Peter 2:5
We are living stones. God is using us to build every day and at the same time using us to build tomorrow and all of God’s future. Our greatest joy is to participate in what God is doing and creating. Much of the anxiety of life comes from our worry about what is going to happen next. Will we have what we need? Will we have the necessary resources? Will we fail?
We are the resources. We are God’s resources. We are the building blocks that God is relying on and will use in ways that will amaze us. Anxiety we will always have with us, but we can alleviate some of our concerns and begin to experience more and more of God’s goodness when we are able to trust that we are really God’s living stones and that God is at work in our lives all the time.
***
The Session has called a meeting of the congregation for this Sunday, May 22, 2022, following morning worship for two purposes. The first is two elect officers for the Elder class of 2024. The nominees are Joyce Jaco and Leigh Shader. The second purpose if to act on a recommendation of the Session that the church sell the manse.
***
Coming Soon On Sunday Evenings…
A New Zoom Gathering and You Are Invited
“A Hop, Skip, And A Jump Through The Bible”
Sunday, May 29 – Sunday, August 28
The study will work its way through the book “A Hop, Skip, And A Jump Through The Bible” by J. Ellsworth Kalas. It is a short book that will give us a quick overview of every book in the Bible. We will gather by Zoom each of the Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and meet for around an hour.
You will get more out of the class with the book, but you are more than welcome to drop in and participate without it. It will be very easy to opt in. You don’t need to sign up (although letting me know in advance would be welcome). I will be sending out the Zoom link each week in the Weekly Check-In Email so if you are getting that email you will be able to look for it there. If you are not getting that email, we hope you will get your email to myself (George) or Judy Morris so you be receiving weekly updates on church happenings and prayer concerns.
If you have questions about the study or questions about picking up a copy of the book speak to me.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For May 15, 2022
“The canon (Scripture) is replete with divine visions, and the spiritual health of God’s people is a direct result of how they attend to those visions from God…” -Gary W. Charles
The Bible is indeed full of visions given to the people of God by our Creator. On Sunday we will be reading the story (Acts 11:1-18) of one such vision received by the Apostle Peter while in the city of Joppa. We’ll also be reading a short passage from John’s gospel (John 13:31-35) where Jesus emphatically says that our vision of all of life should be primarily focused on one thing - love.
I look forward to exploring the biblical vision of Peter and to unpacking what Gary Charles says above - our spiritual health is a direct result of how we attend to the visions God places before us. See you Sunday.
***
The Session has called a meeting of the congregation on Sunday, May 22 following morning worship for two purposes. The first is two elect officers for the Elder class of 2024. The nominees are Joyce Jaco and Leigh Shader. The second purpose if to act on a recommendation of the Session that the church sell the manse.
***
Coming Soon On Sunday Evenings…
A New Zoom Gathering and You Are Invited
“A Hop, Skip, And A Jump Through The Bible”
Sunday, May 29 – Sunday, August 28
The study will work its way through the book A Hop, Skip, And A Jump Through The Bible by J. Ellsworth Kalas. It is a short book that will give us a quick overview of every book in the Bible. We will gather by Zoom each of the Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and meet for around an hour. This study follows the completion of another Zoom study. The Zoom format is a nice alternative to offer and is not intended to replace in person gatherings - it is its own thing.
You will get more out of the class with the book, but you are more than welcome to drop in and participate without it. It will be very easy to opt in. You don’t need to sign up (although letting me know in advance would be welcome). I will be sending out the Zoom link each week in the Weekly Check-In Email so if you are getting that email you will be able to look for it there. If you are not getting that email, we hope you will email me (George) or Judy Morris so you can begin receiving weekly updates on church happenings and prayer concerns.
If you have questions about the study or questions about picking up a copy of the book speak to me.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For May 7, 2022
“Pastor God, lead me to those places that nourish my soul. Amen.” -Nicola Vidamour
The prayer above came at the end of a devotional built around the 23rd Psalm. This coming Sunday is often called Good Shepherd Sunday, because the lectionary - the suggested scriptures for the day - feature shepherd images in three of the four readings. Here the prayer asks our Good Shepherd to lead us to places that nourish our soul. What nourishes your soul? If you know the answer to that question are you able to find time in your life to do the thing that feeds your soul? If you aren’t sure what feeds your soul, is it time to spend time in prayer with our Good Shepherd asking for guidance on where you might turns for renewal and restoration?
Join us on Sunday as we explore Psalm 23 and Acts 9:36-43. We’ll reflect on the image of the Lord as our Shepherd and we’ll take a close look at a woman who meant a lot to the New Testament church in Joppa, a woman known as Tabitha and also as Dorcas. Let’s gather on Sunday and seek to nourish our souls together.
***
I participated in the community National Day of Prayer Service in Shepherdsville on Thursday at noon. A group of local pastors under the coordination and leadership of Donna Bradshaw gathered to pray for schools, businesses, government, and for God to be active in our individual lives, and in our communities, states, nationally and in our world.
Here is some awesome news. We presently have five children who plan to participate in summer camp in July at Cedar Ridge. Several are going back after having enjoyed it last year. At least one is a new camper this year. It’s exciting to have these great kids heading to camp, but that is only part of the story. Once again this year the Presbyterian Women are providing half of the fee for each child and Ray and Pat Baker are providing the other half. This just flat out lifts my spirits. This is a great experience for these children right now and its an investment in a faith that will sustain them into the future.
The Session met this past Tuesday and there is a lot to report.
We have a slate of Elders to nominate to serve as the class of 2024. They are Joyce Jaco and Leigh Shader. The Session will be calling a meeting of the congregation to elect officers following worship on May 22.
Also at that same meeting we will be presenting for congregational approval a motion from the Session to sell the manse. You are invited to talk with Session members or with me in advance of the meeting on the 22nd and there will be time for questions that day as well. The basic thinking is this. Our primary relationship to the manse for at least the past 20 years has been as landlords. The property is valuable to us as a source of rental income, but is also a source of regular expenses. Given the current market the property is likely as valuable and as attractive as it is going to be. It has been appraised and at the amount it has been appraised it is likely we can invest the money with the Presbyterian Foundation and come close - in most years - to having the same sort of income from it we presently receive without having to do maintenance on an aging building. Again, the Session has voted to present the idea of selling the manse for congregational approval at the meeting following worship on May 22.
The Session also voted to do some work outside around the bench that honors the memory of Sandy Clayton on the side of the church. The bench is in a good location, but gets a lot of sun. The Session approved the addition of a pergola that will provide shade and make the bench a more comfortable place to rest a few minutes on a beautiful day. I did not know what a pergola was when I first heard the word, but you can do a quick Google search to get the idea if you also don’t know and can talk to Judy Morris who is leading the way on this project.
We received an excellent financial report from Lisa Streible. The report shows our expenses are ahead of income through the first three months, but Lisa also put a year against year report together for us that showed last year at the same time our deficit at this point was about double what it is this year. There are several expenses, a primary one is our per capita which we pay to the Presbytery, which are kind of front loaded in the year. Our recent history shows that through your generous support of our church we find our way back to positive territory as the year progresses. From 2015 through the end of 2021 we have wound up the year with a positive balance 5 of 7 times. One of the misses (2016) was very close (within $1200) and one (2017) was the year when the manse was empty for most of the year and a large amount of money beyond the normal was put into the renovation of the manse (and again it’s important to emphasize that even there our stewardship was excellent as we did spend money on materials but several individuals gave freely of their time and talents which saved us a lot as well). The other five years all showed income ahead of expenses, a wonderful gift for our church and especially a blessing as those positive years include the pandemic from spring of 2020 through the present. All of which is to say, thank you again for your faithful support of the church.
Finally, we heard a report from Beverly Caple and Ray Baker about a meeting they had with a representative of Bullitt County Schools related to how we - our congregation - might build relationships with our schools and make a real practical difference in the lives of children in need - particularly in the area of homelessness in the student population. There are some heartbreaking numbers related to the number of students who are impacted by housing insecurity, in the coming weeks and months we look forward to sharing more about what we can do to make a difference. In the next few weeks we’ll be hearing about the Pentecost offering of our denomination, another special offering which we will receive on Pentecost Sunday. This offering is intended to help at-risk children and young people. This is a denomination offering with a twist - forty percent of the offering stays with our church. The Session voted to utilize the forty percent that stays with us as seed money for this new outreach with the schools. Again, listen for more about this in the weeks and months ahead.
That’s a lot. Thankful for our great Session and the leadership they provide and for so many folks who do so much for our church and for each one of you who supports us with your time, talents and treasures.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For April 30, 2022
“The message of Easter is that God’s new world has been unveiled in Jesus Christ and that you’re now invited to belong to it.” -N.T. Wright
We are in the season of Easter. It begins on the day of Easter and continues to the Day of Pentecost. As Lent is a time to reflect and to consider life in the wilderness, Easter is a time to access the joy of the resurrection and the possibilities that life in Christ offer, possibilities that bring meaning to life.
The reality, of course, is that we can experience joy in life in Lent and we can experience the wilderness in the days after Easter. Our lives are not governed by a pre-set liturgical calendar. However, Easter is annually a glorious reminder of the truth that we do have cause for celebration in the empty tomb. This Sunday we will gather around the Lord’s Table for the first time this Easter season and partake of the joyful feast of the people of God that Christ has prepared for us. See you Sunday!
***
Continuing to collect names of graduates from all levels of school who have ties with our congregation. You can tell me (George) or send them to me at hebronpcusa@gmail.com.
The Session will meet this Tuesday evening, May 3 at 7:00 p.m. at the church.
For the past 15 months we’ve had a group of folks that have been doing a weekly Zoom using a spiritual growth resource called The Reservoir. We began with around twenty people and wound up with three of us participating. It was great. It would have been awesome to have a larger group all the way through, but it was a really good experience. This coming Sunday it comes to a conclusion.
What I’m casting out feelers for now is if anyone would be interested in joining in a new Sunday evening Zoom group that would likely begin sometime the second half of May and go for thirteen weeks (a much shorter time period than the Reservoir’s 15 months).
I’m looking at a book called “A Hop, Skip, And A Jump Through The Bible” by J. Ellsworth Kalas as our resource material. It’s a quick, thirteen chapter, overview of the entire Bible. It’s a nice tool for getting basic walking around information for all of scripture. The thirteen chapters all fit within one hundred and twenty-eight pages so it’s not a big lift reading wise. We’d mostly weekly - with a few Sundays off here and there and likely be done towards the end of August, beginning of September.
This is all casting bread on the water, seeing who might be interested at this point. Let me know if you would be interested in being a part of this by commenting below, speaking to me, emailing me (hebronpcusa@gmail.com) or I guess carrier pigeon if you have the capability to do that sort of thing. Thanks!
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For April 23, 2022
“We might wish that Jesus’ resurrection would erase the troubles of our past and catapult us into a wholly new future. ….Instead, we look more like the disciples, our lives a mixture of fear and joy, doubt and faith.” -Amy Platinga Pauw
Is Easter beautiful and good beyond our wildest imaginings? Yes. Is life in our present moment still full of challenges today, almost a week after our annual celebration of Easter? Also, yes. Christians believe that Easter fundamentally changed everything forever. That Jesus won the victory over sin and death through the cross and the empty tomb, yet sin and death still seem to hang around. What gives?
That’s what we’ll be exploring this Sunday morning in church. The text will be John 20:19-31 if you would like to have a look ahead. The message is “Life: The Easy Part”. Looking forward to digging in to this together.
***
All the Easter flurry is past so the announcements are a bit shorter.
Your total gifts for One Great Hour Of Sharing were $709.55. This included $90 in the fish banks!
Our first Adopt A Highway clean-up will be TODAY Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m. till noon. Meet in the Activities Building. Recommended close toed shoes and gloves. Safety vests, pick up sticks and trash bags will be provided. Looking forward to this activity which extends us into our community!
Also today, Saturday, April 23…
Rebecca Rink invites you to a birthday party for Rick Bean on Saturday, April 23 at 3:00 p.m. Covid forced the cancellation of the big 70th party, so let's celebrate now! There will be Bootleg BBQ for dinner with cupcakes and ice cream floats, and good company. The party will be outdoors at 110 Bates Lane. Contact Rebecca to RSVP.
Tomorrow - Sunday, April 24 - is the fourth Sunday of April. Our fourth Sunday Children’s Church leaders are Joe and Lauren Dessart.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For April 16, 2022
“Jesus looks at us this very day in the same way he looked at every human being that he encountered during his earthly life; with infinite sadness for our predicament, yet with unquenchable love and with unflinching resolve to rescue us from certain condemnation and death, whatever it took, wherever it led, whatever the price.” -Fleming Rutledge
Infinite sadness. Unquenchable love. Unflinching resolve.
This is a beautiful description of Christ’s love for us. For each of us and for our world, God’s world. Whatever and wherever led to a cross on Golgotha. But even on this Holy Saturday, we know that it leads beyond that to an empty tomb. We have journeyed through the wilderness. We have walked the steps of Holy Week. We have been to the upper room and remembered the last supper and have walked to the cross and to the grave.
Always remember though, we are an Easter people. All of those things I just mentioned are true and they are hard, but they are not ultimately defining. Easter is ultimately defining. Tomorrow, again, we rejoice.
Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed!
***
Easter Egg Hunt at the church today, Saturday, April 16 at 11:00 a.m.
Easter Sunday worship, tomorrow, Sunday, April 17 at 11:00 a.m. Invite a friend to come and celebrate the resurrection.
We receive the One Great Hour Of Sharing Special Offering tomorrow, Easter Sunday. If you have Fish Banks to bring back, remember to bring them tomorrow. Envelopes will be in the bulletin specifically for One Great Hour of Sharing Gifts. Thanks to Helen Sarver for spotlighting the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering for us this Lenten season.
Our first Adopt A Highway clean-up will be Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m. till noon. Meet in the Activities Building. Recommended close toed shoes and gloves. Safety vests, pick up sticks and trash bags will be provided. If you have questions speak to Ray Baker.
Thank you to a couple of our folks who regularly are blessing us with their time and talent. Joyce Jaco shares her musical gifts with us on Sundays and also played both Maundy Thursday and Good Friday for us this past week. Rick Caple was at the church this week I believe on Thursday, cutting the grass and getting our grounds looking great for this Easter weekend. Thanks Joyce and Rick.
I also want to thank our regular Children’s Church rotation folks: Rebecca Rink, Joe and Lauren Dessart, Twila Hartmans-Carlton, Monica Shockley and Shelly Brown. Bev Caple has also stepped in to help and Judy Morris was key in preparing the kids to sing and getting their costumes ready for Palm Sunday. Thanks to all of you. You bless us as you bless our children.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For April 9, 2022
“Only by looking at the cross of Christ do we learn the magnitude of the forces that held us in bondage.” -Fleming Rutledge
Looking at the cross of Christ is what we will do with closer proximity as we journey from Palm Sunday to Good Friday. We can think of the events of Good Friday in a very general historical way. Jesus went to the cross for everyone across all of history. For all of humanity sin and death met their defeat at Calvary. We can also think of the events of Good Friday in a very personal way. Christ went to the cross from the deep love he felt for each one of us. For me. For you. For each of us because we are each of us loved.
The point of this reflection on the cross is to focus us on the all encompassing nature of God’s love for us. At the moments in life when we feel the deepest despair we can turn our eyes to the cross of Christ and know that Christ reaches out to us in hope speaking words of life. Let God speak to you this Holy Week - words of a love that holds nothing back and invites us to abundant and everlasting life.
***
Adopt A Highway: Our first Adopt A Highway clean-up will be Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m. till noon. Meet in the Activities Building. Recommended close toed shoes and gloves. Safety vests, pick up sticks and trash bags will be provided. If you have questions speak to Ray Baker.
Three Children’s Church Sundays In April: This Sunday, April 10 is Palm Sunday. The Children will be singing as part of worship. Also, it is the second Sunday so Children’s Church will follow the Children’s Moment. Additionally on Easter Sunday, April 17 there will also be Children’s Church available as there may be more children in worship because of the special day. We will also have Children’s Church on the fourth Sunday, April 24 so in all we will have three Sundays with Children’s church in April.
Community Holy Week Services are back. With a new twist. This year they will be hosted by the Shepherdsville Christian Church (337 Lees Valley Rd, Shepherdsville, KY 40165). These services will take place during Holy Week - Monday, April 11 - Friday, April 15. The services will be from noon till 12:30 p.m. each day and are followed by a light lunch provided by the church of the speaker for the day. George will be be speaking on Tuesday, April 12. Our Presbyterian Women will be organizing the lunch to share. Offerings each day will go entirely to help the Fellowship of Concern which provides for people in need in our community.
Holy Week Services and activities at Hebron:
Maundy Thursday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m. A remembrance of and observance of the Last Supper is part of this service.
Good Friday Tenebrae Service, April 15 at 7:00 p.m. A service of light and darkness that remembers the love Christ demonstrated for us on the cross.
Easter Egg Hunt will be back on Saturday, April 16 at 11:00 a.m. If there are children in your life we invite you to bring them to enjoy this event. Also we need folks to begin to bring plastic eggs filled with wrapped candy or stickers for our children to hunt.
Easter Sunday Worship on Sunday, April 17 at 11:00 a.m. - Invite a friend to join us in celebrating the resurrection
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For April 2, 2022
“We can’t breathe without oxygen from outside of ourselves. Similarly, the soul can’t live without God.” -Evan Moffic
The soul cannot live without God. The operative word here is live. It may be able to survive from day to day for a period of time, but I think live refers to something more than continuing to exist. To live is to learn, to grow, to experience joy as our Creator intended. Living is more than putting in another day. Living is finding meaning in the living of the day. This is why we cannot do it without God.
People throughout history have found their way into trouble by trying to find meaning in life in things that are not God. The people that I have encountered throughout my life who seem the most fulfilled and the most joyful - regardless of circumstances - are the people who place the highest value on their relationship with God.
The call to us is to feed our soul by feeding our relationship with God.The goal of growing that relationship is to live that life that truly is life.
***
Thanks to everyone who helped with the Presbyterian Women’s Yard Sale last weekend and this weekend. Many folks came through our doors, much stuff left the building and a great deal of fellowship was enjoyed.
Children’s Church is usually the second and fourth Sunday of the month, but we have an extra gathering this weekend, April 3. Judy Morris and Twila Hartmans Carlton will be working with the children following the Children’s Moment this Sunday to prepare a song they will share on Sunday, April 10 - Palm Sunday!
These last few announcements are repeats from last week, but still timely as Holy Week and Easter draw near…
Community Holy Week Services are back. With a new twist. This year they will be hosted by the Shepherdsville Christian Church (337 Lees Valley Rd, Shepherdsville, KY 40165). These services will take place during Holy Week - Monday, April 11 - Friday, April 15. The services will be from noon till 12:30 p.m. each day and are followed by a light lunch provided by the church of the speaker for the day. I will be be speaking on Tuesday, April 12. Are Presbyterian Women will be organizing the lunch to share. Offerings each day will go entirely to help the Fellowship of Concern which provides for people in need in our community.
Our Holy Week Services and activities at Hebron will be as follows:
Maundy Thursday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m. A remembrance of and observance of the Last Supper is part of this service.
Good Friday Tenebrae Service, April 15 at 7:00 p.m. A service of light and darkness that remembers the love Christ demonstrated for us on the cross.
Easter Egg Hunt will be back on Saturday, April 16 at 11:00 a.m. If there are children in your life we invite you to bring them to enjoy this event. Also we need folks to begin to bring plastic eggs filled with wrapped candy or stickers for our children to hunt.
Easter Sunday Worship on Sunday, April 17 at 11:00 a.m. - Invite a friend to join us in celebrating the resurrection!
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For March 19, 2022
“…We may think we are a community or assume we are a family but if we do not serve one another we are, at best, a collection of people who live alone together.” -Joan Chittister
“…the spiritual life is not simply what we think about; it is what we do because of what we think. It is possible, in fact, to spend our whole lives thinking about the spiritual life and never develop one.” - Joan Chittister
A life of faith is always two things at once: contemplation and action. A wise elder in the Prestonsburg church used to repeat this proverb - we can be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Walking around with our heads so far in the clouds that we easily glide past those who are hurting and suffering in the world is never the outcome God desires.
We are called to be in a healthy, active relationship with God so that we can best prepare ourselves to live in ways that serve and carry-out God’s will. This means being attentive to both God and to one another. God did not create us to “live alone together.” God made us to share the road, walking and growing, living and loving together.
***
As Lent winds its way forward we will have our fourth Sunday of our six week “Reading The Old Testament Through Jewish Eyes” this Sunday morning, March 20 at 9:30 a.m. for fellowship and 9:40 a.m. to start class. All are invited and welcome to come and join us in the Activities Building.
The next two Wednesdays, March 23 and 30 we will gather in the Activities Building at 6:30 p.m. for a meal, provided by the Presbyterian Women, and a program. The program will be Jesus and the Galilee on March 23 and Jesus and Jerusalem on March 30. We’ll look at pictures of sights connected to stories from the Gospels that were taken during past trips to the Holy Land.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For March 12, 2022
“God of all time and space, I rest in trust that your promises for our world are bigger and more beautiful than I can imagine.” -Molly Vetter
“Every choice is an end point from which we depart. … To embark means to depart; to go ahead is to leave behind.” -Marc Foley
We make a lot of choices every day. Some small, some large. Many we can’t tell at the time if they are small or large. The impact doesn’t reveal itself until the choice is made and we are committed to the path on which the choice has placed us. As Marc Foley suggests, each choice is a new beginning. The purpose in pointing that out is not to overwhelm us with anxiety surrounding our choices, but to fill us with hope and expectation for the direction each new choice creates. As Christians we believe that God’s Holy Spirit is working with us to help us find our path. It is important for us to remember as we make our choices to also continue to engage scripture and pray without ceasing that we may be always inviting God’s Spirit to walk with us all of our days.
The reason is abundantly clear. As Molly Vetter reminds us, God’s “promises for our world are bigger and more beautiful” than we can imagine. The only way to get to such promises is to be available to the guidance of the One who dreams such dreams.
***
Week Two of our “Reading The Old Testament Through Jewish Eyes” built on and expanded the momentum of Week One. More great conversation and sharing took place this past Sunday and I look forward to more this Sunday morning, March 13 in the Activities Building at 9:30 a.m. for fellowship with class beginning at 9:40 a.m.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For March 5, 2022
“The combination of uttermost penitence and unconquerable confidence lies at the dry heart of the knowledge of who we are before God and what he intends for us. This is Ash Wednesday.” -Fleming Rutledge
“On Ash Wednesday the church makes us admit our mortality, finitude and sin.” -William Willimon
Ash Wednesday has come and gone and Lent is underway. On Wednesday evening I said that Ash Wednesday is our gateway into this journey of forty days, not including Sundays, until we arrive at the glory of Easter.
As William Willimon suggests this is a season that asks us to take a hard look at the reality of our own mortality. We are dust and to dust we shall return. These were the words that were said as the ashes were imposed Wednesday evening. The goal though is not for us to become depressed and morose. The goal is to see this truth and lean ever more fully into the promises of God.
Fleming Rutledge sets the phrases “uttermost penitence” and “unconquerable. confidence” up against one another. Both are needed. Our recognition of our need for forgiveness is what prepares us to receive that gift of forgiveness and God’s amazing grace that answers that deep need in each one of us. Being fully honest about the ways in which we miss the mark when we rely on our own efforts enables us to see how stunning the generosity of God is in doling out to us grace upon grace.
***
We had a great group for the first week of our Sunday School Class, “Reading The Old Testament Through Jewish Eyes” this past Sunday morning. The class continues and you are invited to join us on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Activities Building. We fellowship for ten minutes or so and try to begin on time at 9:40 a.m. This week we’ll be looking at stories and themes in the book of Genesis, the first book of the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament).
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For February 26, 2022
"We love God not so God will love us, but because God already loves us."
"An ache in our heart is an invitation from God to take a step to transform the world." -Robert Logan and Ralph Plumb, An Undivided Heart: Living and Loving Like Jesus
Robert Logan is the author of the book, The Discipleship Difference. You may remember it from two sermon series I've preached in the past few years which have elaborated on his themes by unpacking their biblical foundation. His congregational/personal model for discipleship is based on a tree with a strong root system and grows in the following ways:
EXPERIENCING GOD: Intentionally and consistently engaging with God in such a way that you open yourself to a deeper understanding of him and deeper relationship with him.
SPIRITUAL RESPONSIVENESS: Actively listening to the Holy Spirit and taking action according to what you are hearing.
SACRIFICIAL SERVICE: Doing good works even when it's costly, inconvenient or challenging.
GENEROUS LIVING: Faithfully stewarding what God has given you so you can contribute toward the advancement of the Kingdom.
DISCIPLE-MAKING: Living in obedience to the great commission given by Jesus, which entails making more and better followers of Christ.
PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION: Changing your attitudes and behaviors in positive ways as a result of your relationship with God and others.
AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS: Engaging with other people in ways that reflect the heart of God toward them.
COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION: Personal involvement with others to facilitate positive change where you live and beyond
I've begun a more recent book of his that continues to dig into layers of discipleship - An Undivided Heart. I look forward to sharing ideas from this book sometime in the future, but for now the two thoughts at the top of the page are both good ones to dedicate some time to giving some thought. God's love for us is there always. Before we realized it, God was loving us. How do we respond to God's love? One way may be, as the second quote suggests, to listen to what makes our heart ache and ask what we can do to address that ache. Perhaps that is how God is calling us to live out God's love in our lives.
***
Our new Sunday School Class, Reading the Old Testament Through Jewish Eyes: A Study of the Scriptures Jesus Read begins this Sunday, February 27 at 9:40 a.m. in the Activities Building. Begins at 9:40. There will be bagels and coffee available also - it would be good to plan to arrive by 9:30 if you would like time for some fellowship and to get a bagel and/or some coffee before we start.
Ash Wednesday is next Wednesday, March 2. This marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Our Ash Wednesday Service will be at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For February 19, 2022
“But I say to you who are willing to hear:
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.” -Luke 6:27
This passage is a part of our text for Sunday morning worship. The complete text is Luke 6:27-38. Verse 27 advises us to love our enemies. Enemies. Hate. These may seem like strong words to you. Perhaps you struggle to think of anyone you might consider an enemy or anyone you might hate. Perhaps if we replace these words with concepts like irritate and annoy we might begin to think of relationships where we know things are not optimal. I was reading a commentary on this passage this week and it suggested a spiritual practice for the week that could help in problematic relationships. It’s practical and it helps both the other person and us.
A Spiritual Practice For This Week…
Choose an enemy to pray for this week. Write their name on a piece of paper and place it somewhere you will see it regularly. You might use this prayer: ‘May they have enough. May they love and be loved. May they know and be known by God.”
***
There are prayer concerns that are shared in the email version of the Weekly Check-In which goes out to folks who have shared their email with us. If you would like to receive this weekly Check-In by email let us know at hebronpcusa@gmail.com
Remember our six week Sunday School Class on “Reading The Old Testament Through Jewish Eyes” begins on Sunday, February 27 and continues through Sunday, April 3. It will begin each Sunday morning at 9:40 a.m. in the Activities Building. Everyone is invited. We will explore each of the five books of the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament) - scripture that Jesus would have studied and known well in his lifetime on earth.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For February 12, 2022
"Too many of us have been conditioned to feel as if God's commands (or the commands of anyone) are to keep us from doing what we want to do. The truth is, however that the principles and lessons of scripture are intended to guide us on the path of abundant life."
"This is the high calling we choose when we decide to follow Jesus: to be a people whose very energy and presence bring healing and grace to broken places." -Brandon Robertson
Last Sunday in worship we read Luke 5:1-11 which told Luke's story of how Jesus called Peter, James and John. We focused on Jesus's call for the would-be disciples to put out into the deep water. As a result of being in that scripture I've been thinking a lot about call. These two quotes from the daily devotional Upper Room: Disciplines 2022 both crystallized aspects of what it means to respond to Christ's call.
The first one pushes back on the idea that to follow Jesus is to somehow intended to keep us from doing what we want to do. In fact, to follow Jesus is to be opened up to exactly who we were made to be and to be the best version of ourselves. Faith isn't out to remove all that is enjoyable and fulfilling in life, it truly is the path to the most meaningful life we can possibly live.
The second quote lays out for us what that meaningful life can look like. We can find meaning and purpose in being "a people whose very energy and presence bring healing and grace to broken places." I had the opportunity to watch health care professionals go above and beyond their job descriptions to make a positive impact in the lives of people in their care. It gave them more work to do. They didn't have to do it. They could have done their jobs well and fully while doing far less than what they did. But they saw an opportunity. They responded to it joyfully and as a group made a huge difference. They were a blessing. And I believe they were blessed by their actions as well. I believe that in bringing joy they experienced joy. That's what discipleship, what following Jesus is all about.
***
This reminder from Ray Baker…
We are participating in the Adopt A Highway program to pick up trash along a 2 mile stretch of Preston Highway. We will do this 4 times a year. If you would like more information about this program, there is a sign up seen in the vestibule. Ray Baker will provide a detailed description of the program, as well as answering any questions you might have.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For February 5, 2022
“God does not come on hoof beats of mercury through streets of gold.
God is in the dregs of our lives.” -Joan Chittester
“Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
But only he who see takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round and pluck blackberries.”
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning
God is everywhere, all around us, at work in ways great and small. I’m not sure even that great and small are categories that God is interested in - those are our categories. I suspect that for God it is all significant, all important. I have been taken this week with this sentence from Joan Chittester about God not coming on hoof beats of mercury through streets of gold. I’m not even sure exactly what hoof beats of mercury are, but I take her point. If we are waiting for God to make a grand entrance, we may be missing a lot of the entrances God makes into our lives each day. Elizabeth Barrett Browning has it right - earth is indeed crammed with heaven. Will we have the good sense to take off our shoes and have a look?
*****
Remember we have two big weeks of food collection coming up. On Sunday, February 13 (that is not this Sunday, but a week from Sunday) it’s the Souper Bowl of Caring. The Bengals made it to the big game and I could not be happier with that result - Who Dey! Our regular food collection day is the third Sunday, which will be February 20. We can bulk up our food pantry supply by bringing non-perishable food items on both of those Sundays!
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For January 29, 2022
“When we make loving our neighbor an abstract ideal, we make loving them difficult.” -John Gooch
“We are capable of choosing for God in life. We are not trapped by an essential weakness that makes God knowable but not possible.” -Joan Chittester
These two thoughts seem to be connected in my imagination. God doesn’t have a standard for us that is impossible for us to meet. God doesn’t ask us to love and at the same time make it beyond our capacity to do so. We will not be perfect, but we are more than capable of love, and God does very much want to be in relationship with us.
Sunday morning our scripture is 1 Corinthians 13. There will be plenty to say about love, but for now I’ll begin by reassuring all of us that it’s in our skill set to be loving. All of us. We can do this. One loving action at a time.
*****
Some new dates to be aware of (okay, actually the dates have always been there, it’s the activities scheduled for them that are new, but I digress)…
Sunday, February 27 through Sunday, April 3 (6 weeks)
On these Sundays we will be setting aside our normal Sunday School curriculum to engage a limited time study titled "Reading The Old Testament Through Jewish Eyes: A Study Of The Scriptures Jesus Read." This study will take place during Sunday School prior to worship each of the six Sundays. Everyone is invited to participate. As the title indicates it is a look at the first five books of the Old Testament - The Torah - the scripture that Jesus would have been familiar with as a Jew living in the first century A.D. The past four years we have read through each of the four gospels during the season of Lent. This year I will be creating a reading chart with selections from the first five books of the Old Testament which will correspond to both what we will be doing in Sunday School and to what I will be preaching on in worship. There is a book of the same name as the study by Rabbi Evan Moffic, who is a gifted communicator of the Jewish faith to Christian audiences. The book is not necessary to be a part of the Sunday School class. If you would like a copy you may obtain one for yourself, or if you would like me to get one for you, please let me know.
Lenten Wednesday Evenings
We will be back on Wednesday evening for two gatherings in March (March 23 and 30). Details are still in the works. The Presbyterian Women will provide meals for us each of these evenings.
Lent, of course, doesn’t begin officially until Ash Wednesday, which this year is March 2. So we have some time between now and then to enjoy the cold and the snow, but these things are coming and will likely be here before we know it.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For January 22, 2022
"Grace and goodness come from God…. We are not the sole authors of our own story." -Joan Chittester, Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality For the 21st Century
"Ubuntu - 'I am because we are' - is a South African philosophy that speaks to our interconnectedness, interdependence, and interrelatedness as humans. Our humanity is only fully actualized in relationship with others." -Marilyn Pagan-Banks, Upper Room Disciplines
A nice feature of Facebook is what happens when it's your birthday. The well wishes roll in. From high school friends, college friends, seminary friends, folks from the two churches I served prior to coming to Hebron, Hebron folks, the Methodist friends I've picked up through Julie, family and extended family and other folks I am not remembering each offering a "Happy Birthday." I enjoy seeing the names and pausing with each one for a moment to recall how our paths have crossed and to say a prayer of blessing for the connection.
These two passages from my readings this past week both point to how important it is for us to understand how we are connected, both to God and to each other. As Joan Chittester puts it, "we are not the authors of our own story." Yes, we surely have an important role to play, but it's a collaborative effort and we can avoid some major miscalculations by beginning with the awareness that we aren't doing much of anything by ourselves.
Marilyn Pagan-Banks lifts up the South African idea of Ubuntu and reinforces that "our humanity is only fully actualized in relationship with others." It's instructive to remember that Jesus didn't decide to go it alone in his public ministry. One of the very first actions he takes is to go and find some folks to share the journey with him. If Jesus thinks companions are valuable, how much more so are they for you and me.
***
The Super Bowl game is coming on February 13. That means you will be invited to bring non-perishable food items on that Sunday for the Souper Bowl of Caring offering as well as on February 20 which will be the third Sunday of February. It will give us a chance to boost our pantry twice in February. Yes, it's not February yet, but for those of you who write things on calendars these are a couple of dates to remember. The Bengals have another hurdle to clear Saturday afternoon, but it's still possible they could be playing in that Super Bowl game. Maybe not, but a pastor can dream can't he?
Reminder that this Sunday, January 23 there is a called meeting of the congregation to act on the Session's compensation recommendation for the pastor for the year 2022. The recommendation is a four percent increase. This meeting will happen directly after morning worship.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For January 15, 2022
“The Pharisees went out and met in order to find a way to destroy Jesus. Jesus knew what they intended to do, so he went away from there.” -Matthew 12:15
“Right then, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowds.” Matthew 14:22
“If it pleases the king, and if your servant found favor with you, please send me to Judah to the city of my family’s graves so that I may rebuild it.” -Nehemiah 2:5
“Bloom where you are planted.” This is a saying I’ve heard over the years that encourages us to know that wherever we are can be a place to serve God. I fully believe that this is true. It is important to know that we don’t have to wait until we get to some future time when everything is perfect to serve God. We can do it right now, wherever we happen to be planted at the moment.
On the other hand…
Each of these verses from my reading this week tells us about people physically moving from one place to another.
* The Pharisees are plotting against Jesus, so Jesus leaves that place and goes to another place. A safer place.
* The disciples and Jesus have been ministering in one location, Jesus decides to send the disciples on to another place, across the Sea of Galilee. This story continues with the disciples winding up in a storm and Jesus walking on the water to meet them.
* In the Nehemiah passage, Nehemiah is asking if he may return from exile to work on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
Sometimes, we need to bloom somewhere else. Sometimes we need to move in order to bloom. This points us to a practical strategy for daily life. If we feel stuck, maybe a move might help. A move doesn’t need to mean going to another country or even across a lake. It may just mean we change up our routine. Make a choice to do something or try something that is outside of our comfort zone. Perhaps changing the scenery in some way shakes some things loose, frees up our creativity, helps us get unstuck and moving forward again!
***
The Presbyterian Women will meet on Wednesday, January 19 at 10:00 a.m. - please note this is an hour earlier than usual start time. After the meeting the plan is to stay and do some cleaning in the Activities Building.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In For January 8, 2022
“Therefore, I say to you, don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, what you’ll wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes?” - Matthew 6:25
“Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life?” -Matthew 6:27
“Therefore stop worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” -Matthew 6:34
Matthew 5-7 which is the feast known as the Sermon on the Mount, is chock full of great verses to remember. These three are among my favorites. One of those things that has seemed more and more true with each passing year is that worry doesn’t really help much of anything. It’s super easy to do and it can be all consuming, but the return on investment is lousy.
Jesus goes further than telling us simply not to worry. He tells us why. When we worry we tend to worry about the wrong things - stuff rather than that which has lasting importance. When we worry we aren’t doing anything positive for our well being. When we worry we are bringing tomorrow’s potential troubles into today and making mountains out of what may turn out to be nothing when it finally gets here.
***
This Sunday in worship we’ll be reading Isaiah 43:1-7 and hearing how God will be with us when we pass through troubled waters in life. This has led me to finding water in so many scriptures I’ve read this week. One late addition to the line-up for Sunday morning…the story at the end of Matthew 7 about foundations and what makes for good ones and not so good ones - hint: they need to be able to withstand water damage.
***
COVID just keeps on reasserting itself. Many requests for prayers related to friends and family members of Hebron folks who are dealing with COVID in some way. Let’s keep our prayers going for all who are impacted and also for all who provide care.
***
Finally, we have results on our Special Offerings from December…
Tornado Relief $1400.00
Joy Gift Offering $610.00
Thanks to all for your generosity. See you Sunday.
Celebrate Life!
George
Check-In for January 1, 2022
“There was evening and there was morning: the first day.” Genesis 1:5
In Judaism, the new day begins at sundown - the day runs from sunset to sunset. For the first day of the new year then, we are well underway. We’ve had evening and it’s now morning. There is a new year before us - what will we do with it?
A great beginning will be to listen for God as well as we are able. A prayer I’ve shared before at church is one written by a former moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Rev. Joan Gray. She offers it in her book Sailboat Church (which is a great read if you have an interest). I share it with you again now.
“God I trust that your will is the best thing that can happen to me. Let your will be done in everything, no matter what it is. Make me a graceful presence wherever I go. In, around, through, and in spite of me, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.”