SSPC Weekly Newsletter - August 8, 2024

August 8, 2024

Witnessing construction is something I always enjoy. It’s like watching my

vegetables grow, especially tomatoes. Every day, I have to take a moment

to see the progress made in our work to improve the parking areas around the church. Even before, it was a beautiful setting, though a bit bumpy. But that’s changing. To be honest, I’ve also wondered about the cost. It

couldn’t be cheap - all that heavy equipment, many workers, and multiple

materials. And you are making it possible with your regular, sacrificial

financial support. It’s not for nothing, either. It is a beautiful and serviceable place for worshipers to gather for worship, learning, growing, and witnessing. A great big thank you!

Now, a little promo here. Don’t forget this Sunday, 8/11, is the day for

distributing backpack materials for our school children. That costs too, but children are worth it—those little images of God.

Foot-stomping music? In a Presbyterian Church? You bet and all to the glory of God and the joy and nurture of his children. Bluegrass music in the mode of Christian worship and praise—that’s what it’s gonna be. I’m always excited about worship here; Sunday, August 18 is no exception. Thanks to Rhonda and our musicians, this is more than entertainment. It’s the engagement of the multiple varieties of music to the God of multiplied grace. Well, if you do stomp, please do it lightly, for we want to sing and hear the music.

Oh, and avoid the draft. Sign up to volunteer with youth and children’s ministry. Contact Frieda Warner for children and Eliza Ours for youth. Try it. You’ll like it. I promise.

A NOTE FROM PASTOR LAURIE

Hi, everyone. I want to thank you for your many notes and prayers since my recent surgery. There was not a moment that I did not feel your support, and I’m sure that your encouragement is hastening my recovery. God has blessed me – and our church – with an incredible network of deeply caring people. I am immensely grateful!

Spending the past 3 weeks in relative isolation and silence was a challenge for me. I confess to being easily distracted from the spiritual discipline of just “being” … alone and still before God. It took me many days to settle down and embrace the opportunity to focus on myself, my life, my priorities without the constant distraction of “somewhere else I ought to be” or “someone I want to call.”

As I waited out the time until I could jump back into my routine, I came across a list I wrote a while ago summarizing my faith and priorities. It helped tamp down my stir-craziness and center my thinking and praying. My words are deliberate and personal (for example, “family” includes all of you, not just my blood relatives). They remind me of God’s big picture beyond my momentary inconvenience.

My “daily resolve” is a prayer of gratitude, aspiration, and confession, honed over 70+ years of living. Your resolutions would, of course, be different. But I offer mine with thanks for the tremendous love and patience you have shown me (and so many others!) in the places where our spiritual journeys and opportunities to serve have met together.

My Daily Resolve

Today, I will embrace my life as God’s gift, with all its joys and sorrows, hopes and disappointments, pleasures and pains.

I will trust the Holy Spirit to create, define, and replenish my faith in the Universal Christ, to help me discern and follow God’s lead, and to remove anything that depletes or poisons my spirit.

I will honor and treasure my family.

I will be a good steward – including of myself.

I will live my core values: grace, gratitude, purpose, hope, humor, curiosity, generosity, creativity, serenity, and patient endurance.

I will begin and end this day with a peaceful heart.

The one thing I can say for certain is that we are in God’s hands – and there is no better place to be.

Laurie Bentley

Musical Notes

This morning, I was reminded of a poem I learned at Camp Glen Arden. After a soaking rain, this would be read at breakfast the next morning.

“I saw God wash the world last night with His sweet showers on high and then when morning came I saw Him hang it out to dry

He washed it each blade of grass and every trembling tree;

He flung His showers against the hills and swept the rolling sea

the white rose is a cleaner white the red, a richer red Since God washed every fragrant face and put them to bed

there’s not a bird, there’s not a bee that wings along the way

but is a cleaner bird or bee than it was yesterday

I saw God wash the world last night, ah would He wash me

as clean of all my dust and dirt as that old birch tree!”

― Dr. W. L. Stiger

Of course, there’s a lot of cleanup to do on the ground, but all of the loose branches are weeded out. Many haven’t fared so well that had damage to their homes and power outages. We just had limbs down and a couple of flickers. I hope everyone is okay!

Next week, Mark Lochstampfor, Tom Haughney, and Bud Longley will sing “Just a Little Talk With Jesus” for our anthem. If it works out, Harlan Hambright will play mandolin and I’ll play the piano for them. This is just a foretaste of what’s happening the next week. It’s finally Bluegrass Sunday! Peak Mountain Bluegrass will be back with us this year along with our regulars Drew Holland, Bud Longley, and Harlan Hambright. Get ready to tap your toes, clap along, and sing “I’ll Fly Away”!

The choir will be back in the loft on August 25th. If you’ve decided it’s time to join us, please let me know and we will have a music folder and a robe ready for you. Rehearsal is on August 21st in the sanctuary!

Love & Gratitude,

Rhonda