Hope Travels in Story

Leith Lecturer MaryAnn McKibben Dana devotes a portion of Hope: A User’s Manual to the importance of stories in our lives.

A teenager was preparing to go through the confirmation process, the Christian rite of passage in which young people claim their faith as their own, independent of their parents. She went to her father, who happened to be the pastor, and said she wasn’t sure she believed everything she was supposed to believe. She still had lots of questions and doubts.

Her father said, “What you promise when you are confirmed is not that you will believe this forever. What you promise when you are confirmed is that this is the story you will wrestle with forever.”

In one section of “Hope Travels in Story,” she differentiates between two kinds of stories.

Stories give our lives meaning and shape, but some convey hope more effectively than others. Science-fiction author Ted Chiang has explored the difference between what he calls conservative and progressive stories. (In this context, conservative and progressive aren’t partisan/political distinctions but reflect how stories are constructed and how they resolve.)

Conservative stories follow this format:

The world starts out as a good place.

Evil intrudes.

Good defeats evil.

The world goes back to being a good place.

Progressive stories, by contrast, follow this pattern:

The world starts out as a familiar place.

A new discovery or invention disrupts everything.

The world is forever changed.

On a superficial level, a lot of Christian dogma appears to follow the conservative structure. We are burdened by sin, and by accepting Christ as our savior, we can be guaranteed a place in heaven, the ultimate “good place.” Even Chistian churches that de-emphasize personal salvation have conservative stories that creep into everyday practice. I’ve worked with churches that tell certain stories in a loop: tales of their vibrant past when the pews were full and the Sunday School classes overflowing. Intellectually, they know that story is over, but in their hearts , they yearn to go back to that “good place” of the past, and the conservative framing of the story keeps them stuck.

The Christian story, by contrast, is deeply progressive. It begins in a garden populated by two people and concludes in a city teeming with folks from north and south, east and west. Along the way there are disruptions: enslavement, plague, exodus, conquest, scandal, exile, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, more ministry, persecution, conversion, mission.

And the world is never the same.

Jesus’s death and resurrection don’t restore creation to a static condition. Those who follow the way of Christ are called to a new way of life in service to others, an expansive ministry of grace. The resurrection, in other words, isn’t the solution to a problem but the introduction of a whole new set of problems: how do we live in a world that is forever changed? (pp. 95-96)

--Terry Ley

Punch Volunteers Needed!

If you and yours have enjoyed the punch-on-the-lawn gatherings this spring and summer, but have not yet had a chance to host, there are still five opportunities remaining. Dates not yet claimed include August 25, September 1, 15, 22, and 29. If you are willing to help out any of these Sundays so that we can continue our time of fellowship into the fall, please call or text Elizabeth White at 334-524-8610. Thank you!

Food with Friends 

It’s time to sign up for this year’s Food with Friends Groups for the 2024-25 school year. This is a wonderful opportunity for members to participate in small groups outside of Sunday worship. We encourage you to sign up again for this upcoming year. Groups will be reassigned so everyone can get to know more members of our church family. Please mark any group that you would like to be involved in. You can sign up at THIS LINK or in the narthex on Sunday mornings. Sign-ups need to be completed by August 25. Call or email Julie Price (334) 332-8643 if you have questions.

Fall Lay Readers

God's children of all ages are invited to sign up to serve as a lay reader for our 11am worship service this fall. You will be provided with the readings and prayers for the Sunday on which you serve. We love having a diversity of voices in worship leadership - families are welcome to sign up to serve together!

PCM Assists 89 Families During Second Quarter

The Presbyterian Community Ministry (PCM) provided financial and home repair and renovation assistance to 89 Lee County families during the second quarter of this year.

Total income for the quarter was $55,854; expenses were $32,195. Income included $41,186 from gifts, $7,250 from membership dues, and $6,500 from our church’s Missions Committee. Expenses included about $20,000 for utilities payments and $1400 for home renovations. 

Dianne, a single mother of three, was among those whom PCM helped. After losing her job, unable to pay for childcare, she sold her plasma, but she was still unable to pay her rent and utilities, and her power was disconnected. PCM helped to get her power reconnected and to refer her to agencies that might help her with other issues.

PCM helped Marcus, too. Although he had a good job, he was unable to work after being diagnosed with severe diabetes. PCM helped him with his utilities as he went through the process of applying for disability.

One of Jakena’s two children is severely autistic. Although she has tried to work, she lost several jobs when she had to pick up her son from school or daycare. She receives SSI, but that is insufficient to pay rent and utilities. PCM helped her pay her bills.

Donations of any amount from our church members are always welcome. Those who wish to make a gift to PCM should send their checks to PCM, 143 East Thach Avenue, Auburn, AL 36830. Those wishing to become individual annual members ($250) or family members ($300) should send their checks to the same address.

This Week at FPC

Aug. 18-24, 2024

Sunday

9:00 a.m. - Worship Service with Weekly Communion (Chapel)

9:30 AM - Coffee and Fellowship (Baird)

9:45 AM - Sunday School for all ages

10:00 AM - Leith Lecture Q&A Session

11:00 AM - Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Bulletin for August 18 worship

Sunday Parking Map

5:00 PM - Youth & Children Fall Kickoff

Children and Youth News

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

• Parents of 3rd through 5th graders! Click this link to sign your child up to be an acolyte. Acolyte training will be after the 11:00 worship service on August 25th from 12 - 12:15. 
• Worship bags are available for all children during worship.
• Children's Church: After the Word to Grow By (at 11 a.m. worship), children ages 4 to 2nd grade will go to the Godly Play room for the remainder of the worship service.
• Worship Readiness: Attention 3rd graders!!! Worship Readiness begins September 8 and class will continue for six weeks. The children will be recognized in worship October 20.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• AU Gameday Parking Sign-up: Jr. and Sr. High Parents, please click this link to sign up for your day to help with gameday parking. If your child will be participating in summer retreats/conferences, please plan to volunteer as this money will help offset the cost of these trips.

Birthdays 

Aug. 19 - Shirley Helmke

Aug. 21 - Carolyn Tamblyn

Aug. 23 - Madison Dimick, Dan Schwartz

Anniversaries



Aug. 19 - Robbie and Jessica Barnes

Aug. 20 - Jan and Shirley Bartels

Aug. 24 - Rodney and Chris Greer

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

• Our prayers continue to be with Callie Leaver and Kate Grisham as they grieve the sudden death of Cheryl Grisham. Cheryl was a regular visitor and devoted Friend of FPC, and her family invites members of our church to her Memorial Service:

Auburn United Methodist Church

Saturday, August 17 at 10am

• Prayers for Karen Delano’s mother, Josephine Teague, who is 94 and is in EAMC with severe kidney issues. Prayers for peace, comfort, and healing.

• Continued prayers of healing, rest, and comfort for Donna Yeager’s mother, Patsy Yeager, as she navigates health issues at home. Prayers for Donna and her siblings as they care for her mother in Texas.

• Continued prayers of healing for Henry Helmke as he navigates health issues at home. 

• Prayers of healing for Joyce Bravaldo as she navigates health issues at home. 

• Continued prayers of healing for Nathan Hall as he recovers at home after receiving care at EAMC.

• Prayers of healing for Debbie Duin as she recovers at home after successful knee surgery.

• Prayers of healing for Dorothy Hinkle-Uhlig as she navigates health issues.

• Prayers of healing for Dorothy Bock as she gets stronger each day as she recovers from health issues.

• Prayers of healing for Olyne Fischer’s daughter-in-law Chell Fischer. Chell has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and will have surgery in a few weeks. Prayers for Olyne as she cares for Chell and her son Gary from afar. 

• Prayers of healing for Denise Salo’s brother Tom Garrick as he begins treatment for cancer diagnosis. Prayers for Denise as she cares for her brother from afar.

• Please continue to pray for many members of our church who are recovering from successful surgery, dealing with significant health issues, surrounded by grief and difficult circumstances but at this time do not wish to be mentioned by name. Prayers of healing, wholeness, and comfort for many in our congregation.

• Prayers healing and comfort for Sarah Wolak’s brother Chris French. Chris has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome and is receiving treatment for his symptoms. Continued prayers of healing and comfort for Sarah’s mother, Susan French, as she also navigates health issues.  

• Prayers of healing for Joan Foil’s granddaughter Kate Mouchet as she recovers from surgery.

• Prayers of healing for Amanda Covington Anderson as she continues treatment for her recent cancer diagnosis. Prayers for Frank and Carole and all of Amanda’s family as they care for her. 

• Prayers of healing for Karen and Bob Cochran’s friend Randy Tucker as he undergoes a stem cell study for his cancer treatment.

• Continued prayers of healing for Henry Helmke as he navigates health issues at home. 

• Prayers of healing for Don Ball’s son, Kelly, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for recurrence of cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Daniel and Amanda Johnson’s nephew James Ivey as he receives critical care. Prayers for the doctors and caregivers who are caring for him, especially his parents and family..

• Prayers for former Ukirk student Shannon Smith as she recovers at home after having a stroke.

• Prayers of healing and wholeness for Becky Buchanan’s family friend Hughes Allen who has been diagnosed with cancer.

• Prayers for Amy Kilner (daughter-in-law of Dorothy Moran) as she recovers from a kidney transplant.

• Prayers for Jim Foil and his family as they continue to manage Jim’s health.

• Prayers for Catherine Wolfe Riley’s father, Ned. Ned has a recurrence of cancer and will be undergoing treatment over the next few months. Prayers for Catherine as she cares for her father.

• Continued prayers of healing for Chris Greer. We especially pray for good healing and rest as Chris recovers from successful treatments. We continue to rejoice with Chris because the latest scans show no sign of cancer. We are so grateful the chemotherapy treatments have been successful. Chris will continue a plan of treatment for the upcoming months. 

• Prayers for Brooke Myers as she cares for her father, Charlie Myers. Charlie is recovering from a fall and has moved to Morningside.

• Prayers of healing for Debbie Duin’s friend Ann Suttles who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.