Prayer; Blessing of the Backpacks; Events & Volunteer Opportunities; Photos & More

TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2025

You Created the Night

Gracious God,

We confess that we often fear the dark—both the darkness around us and the unknown in our lives.

We crave constant light, busy days, and endless noise, yet we forget that you created the night just as you created the day.

In the darkness, stars shine, reminding us of your vastness....yet, we confess we resist slowing down for the gifts darkness brings: rest for our bodies, space for dreams, and quiet to hear your still, small voice. Forgive us for missing the good things you offer in the dark— wonder.

Help us to welcome the darkness as a sacred space where we can see what is often hidden: your presence in the quiet, and your promise to be with us, even when we cannot see the way.

Guide us to adjust our eyes and hearts to embrace the mystery of the dark, knowing you are always there, working for good.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

-Brittany and Trip Porch

worship resource for 2025 Montreat Youth Conference

40/50's Brainstorming Session

Are you in your 40's or 50's and want to connect with others? The 40/50's group offers spiritual, social, cultural, and service events for us to enjoy each other’s company and help others. Interested in helping to organize our calendar of events? Join us for a Brainstorming Session this Thursday, July 31, at 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. Visit scapc.org/40-50 or the SCAPC app events tab for the link.

Our next ‘Worship Short’ will be a Blessing of the Backpacks this Sunday, August 3, at 6 p.m. at Okra Abbey Community Garden on the corner of Hickory and Eagle Streets. Join us for family games and activities, dinner, and worship that includes a back-to-school backpack blessing for students. If you would like to help cook dinner, lead games, and give out school supplies to our friends and neighbors in the Carrollton Community, sign up on our volunteer webpage!

Craft Project for Katrina Service

As part of our preparations for the Katrina Memorial service on August 29, the Worship and Music committee is creating messages of hope in a simple craft activity suitable for all ages. We will meet following worship on Sundays, August 3 and 10. Please join us in the Land Building Riverside Room at 10:30 a.m. if you would like to help.

Needle Arts Community Group

If you like needle arts (crochet, knit, sew, cross stitch, etc.), join us on Sunday, August 10, 4-6 p.m. in the Land Building. Bring a work-in-progress, snack or drink to share, and make new friends. This group grew out of a desire for community and deeper friendship when two old friends reconnected over crochet, and is open to folks in and outside of our church.

Final Call for Confirmands!

This is the final call for Confirmation, consisting of six classes and a retreat, starting August 17! In the classes, youth will learn the significance of Jesus, what God as Trinity means, the prayers and traditions that ground the PCUSA tradition, what being a disciple of God means in today’s world, and, perhaps most importantly, the unique ways THEY see God and will want to respond to God’s love in their lives. This process is about youth making faith their own while learning about the church and foundations that will always be there to support them as they chart their spiritual paths forward.

Class times will be every Sunday between 8:30 and 10:30 services from August 17 until September 21, and will conclude with an overnight retreat on September 26-28. Confirmands will write their faith journeys in October, present them to Session on Monday, October 27, and then be presented to the congregation on Confirmation Sunday, November 9. Please email Chris Hazlaris to sign up.

This Child Here: Ukraine Ministry

One of our global ministry partners is "This Child Here" in Ukraine, a program for families displaced by war. This Child Here is a Validated Ministry in the Presbyterian Church. Thousands of people have fled cities in the east and arrived in Izmail, Ukraine in the west. As many fathers are in the military or still residing in places now dangerous, these families often consist of mothers and children. This Child Here provides products from grocery stores as well as activity centers for youth and children's activities, including sports, music, art, and programs led by psychologists. Through these activities, summer camps, and the supportive community they have built, the program offers therapy for the trauma and shock suffered by these families.

SCAPC's Ukraine Ministry page

YAF Pop-Up Events/GroupMe

Young Adults & Families: Are you on the YAF GroupMe? Don't miss out on our impromptu gatherings, recommendations, and chit chat with each other! YAF also uses the GroupMe to send out last minute changes to events and share exciting news from our members like births, engagements, and job successes. Download the GroupMe app to your phone and email Caitlin, caitlin@scapc.org to have her add your cell number! You'll be connected to all things YAF from there! Pictured here is an impromptu YAF gathering at the Fly last Sunday evening.

Montreat Youth Conference

What an amazing week for our youth! Twenty of our high schoolers and five adult chaperones participated in the Montreat Youth Conference last week in the mountains of North Carolina. The mission of this conference is to affirm youth in their calling to be and to shape the church of Jesus Christ. This year's theme was "Light Your Path" and involved worship services, lively music, small group discussions, home group activities, and lots of fun fellowship time. Our group enjoyed a zip lining adventure as well. The week culminated in a cande-lit service around Lake Susan. Participating were Corinne Currie, Harrison Currie, Sophia DeFraites, Jack Egan, Liam Egan, Regan England, Gigi Frankowski, Oscar Grabill, Vivian Kane, Charlie Kehlenbach, Mills Kehlenbach, Kate Knight, Eliza Lloyd, Turner Mazzanti, Mason McCabe, Parker Pugh, Laeryd Rich, Delanie Sundmaker, Arden Weiser, Savannah Weiser and Nicholas White. Chaperones were Loretta Credo, Chris Hazlaris, Michele Murphy, James Murphy, and James Warren.

More Montreat Photos

PW Synod of the Sun Gathering

SCAPC members Kathy Randall, April Weiser, and Emily Fleshman, as representatives of various Presbyterian Women's roles for SCAPC and our Synod, attended the Synod of the Sun’s Triennial Presbyterian Women’s Gathering in Fayetteville, Arkansas last week. They enjoyed numerous educational workshops and worship services as well as fellowship while networking with other faithful women leaders throughout our Synod’s region.

Aden Program for Elder Care

Aden folk sure know how to party! Last week, they celebrated Christmas in July with decked halls and delicious frozen hot chocolate. On Thursday they dressed as cowboys and cowgirls and went to the races for National Cowboy Day!

This Week's Prayer List

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