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"Trusting God begins when you give up what you want, for what you know God wants." -Anonymous
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." -Steve Prefontaine
Dear FPC Members and Friends,
It's hot out there, and only getting hotter! I'm not just talking about the weather - we are currently following the lectionary through Matthew 10, and this is a chapter that has been called "too hot to handle". Readings from Matthew 10 challenge us in ways that are uncomfortable, unsettling, and at times downright terrifying. This week we will continue along that trajectory, encountering God's challenging word to us in Jeremiah 28:5-9 and Matthew 10:38-42. I hope that you'll spend some time studying these texts in advance and consider themes that might be common between the two. What do these passages teach us about God? What do they teach us about ourselves? How would the Christian faith be different if these teachings were omitted? If you started your day with a meditation on this Matthew text, what shape would the rest of the day take?
I also encourage you to pray for those in our church family who are traveling. Pray for our second mission team, who will travel to Guatemala this weekend. Pray for Harrison Tullar, who will attend the upcoming PC(USA) General Assembly as a Youth Advisory Delegate. Pray for all who will travel to Milwaukee for the General Assembly, that the gathering and discussion will be guided by God's Holy Spirit above all else. Pray for our local church Session and Renewal Team as well, as they discern a vision for our congregation. Pray for all who are struggling due to declining health or loss of a loved one.
As you travel, serve, and pray, may God's blessings of grace and peace find you wherever you may be!
Grace and Peace,
Lee
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