Weekly Witness

August 21, 2025

Sunday, August 24, 2025

11th Sunday After Pentecost


Sermon Text:  Luke 12: 49-56

Livestream. Bulletin.

Liturgist: Beth Psalmist: Cyndi

Longer version link for the livestream: https://youtube.com/live/GZ4-xnZ6l8o .

The Finance and Stewardship Committee

We have just completed the mid-year review of our operational budget. We are doing well with your donations supporting our budget, and we certainly appreciate your continued support.


Our per capita donations are low for this time of the year, and we encourage those who have not contributed to do so. We are assessed $37/member by the Presbytery for support of its mission; this amount has not increased for several years. The Presbytery office recently moved to the First Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque to reduce costs. Our Presbytery offers many supportive services to our churches by way of the Commission on Ministry which is a voluntary team. The total amount assessed for our church this year is $8,600, half of which is covered in our operational budget and half of which we ask our members to contribute.


Another area we want to bring to your attention is the increase in our property insurance. You may recall that last year this portion of our Church Mutual premium increased by 24%; this year it increased by 40%! We have been working with our CM representative concerning the reasons for this increase, and they vary from payments for various disasters around the country to the current challenges in the insurance industry. We will keep the congregation informed as we continue to research various possibilities concerning our property insurance.


Thank you and blessings,


Finance and Stewardship Committee

(Income vs. Expenses chart below and here.)

Church Women United (CWU) World Community Day Celebration in Two Weeks at Holy Cross Lutheran

CWU, an ecumenical Christian women’s fellowship, will gather for their World Community Day celebration on Friday, Sep 5th at Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 6901 Wyoming NE. The morning will begin at 9:30am with coffee fellowship, followed by the program at 10. Rev. Anne Morawski will be our featured speaker. She was the Lutheran Campus Pastor at UNM/CNM for 15 years.


Since Anne's retirement in 2017, she has been volunteering with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Budapest, Hungary. She is “home” now, but has plans to return to Hungary in November. She will share what it's like living in Hungary, being well aware of its being an authoritarian country, as well as the story of her journey, knowledge and experience around this and how it might relate to what’s happening in America today. In addition, CWU women will collect school supplies for those children needing them. For more information, call Shirley Nilsson at 505-463-3657.

Charlie Kirk's Visit to Legacy Church per John San Nicolas

Last Sunday John, one of Frank's students at UNM, came to our Adult CE class with his input on the Christian's relationship to the American government. John attended right-wing political activist, author, and media personality Charlie Kirk's recent visit to Legacy Church. Here is John's account of Charlie's visit.

Pastor-to-People

What a joy to gather with so many of you in our Adult Education classes on Sunday mornings! It is very heartening to see the interest you have in deepening your faith and understanding. Last week some of you mentioned that our August 31 class will be on Labor Day Weekend, when some of you will be gone.


So here is my proposal. How about on August 31 we focus on the Theology of Work and Vocation as well as the Theology of Retirement. Let's think together about the meaning of our work, how we use our talents to address the needs of the world. Then let's talk about the meaning of our retirement, how we are using our time and our talents. Often that means a shift from being paid to work to working because we find it meaningful. When I "retired" at age 66, I knew I was blessed with good health. So in retirement, I have found that my experience and gifts as a minister were still needed. So I served as an interim pastor at Las Vegas, NM; as Parish Associate at First Presbyterian in Albuquerque; bridge interim at La Mesa; and full time interim at Shepherd of the Valley.


Now I have been with you eleven months. I guess I am living out the old mantra: "Ministers don't retire, they just go out to pastor." And for that I am grateful.


And by the way, we will do our final class on the Christian and the American Government on Sep 7. That is when we will focus on the Social Creed for the 21st Century passed by the General Assembly in 2008. We will put the link to the Creed in the Witness again the first week of September.


So thank you for your continued interest in growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Peace,

Frank

CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) Volunteers Needed

There is a flyer posted on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall and here. CASA currently has 175 abused or neglected children in Valencia County, and there are only 16 volunteers to serve them.

Sunday Child Care Support Needed

Your church needs your help. We need someone 18 or older (per State law) to help out with child care to work with Kathy Hallquist on Sunday mornings in September. Our beloved Karen Williams has been working in the kitchen and with child care, but she will be on vacation during September. Your services would be needed from about 9:40 to 11:15 (if we have a child or children that day). Would you be willing to consider this short-term ministry for our children?

Thanks so much,

Frank

Christian Women's Fellowship Next Friday, Sep 5

Church Women United will gather for their World Community Day celebration on Friday, Sep 5th at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 6901 Wyoming NE. The morning will begin at 9:30 a.m. with coffee fellowship, followed by the program at 10:00. Rev. Anne Morawski will be our featured speaker. She was the Lutheran Campus Pastor at UNM/CNM for 15 years. Since her retirement in 2017, she has been volunteering with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Budapest, Hungary. She is “home” now, but has plans to return to Hungary in November. She will share what it's like living in Hungary, being well aware of it being an authoritarian country, as well as the story of her journey, knowledge and experience around this and how it might relate to what’s happening in America today. In addition, CWU women will collect school supplies. For more information, contact Shirley Nilsson at (505 463-3657.

The Lovely Ladies of Share Your Care -- Here at the Church for 25 Years!

l. to r.: Shawna, Joan, Jessica, Joyce, Jerilynn, and Lourdes. (Not shown: Eileen).

While these women haven't been here 25 years, Share Your Care has been in our building that long! This group works very hard every day caring for their clients. Their compassion and love for them and each other is very evident. A great team!

Happening This Weekend in Rio Rancho...

The grand opening of the new donation drop-off center for Greater ABQ Habitat for Humanity, 9-12, this Saturday, Aug 23, at 1525 Stephanie Rd SE, Unit 207. Food truck; balloons; store coupons. For acceptable donations, ReStore requests you call (505) 265-0057, option 4, for information.

Saturday, Aug 23

3 Presbyterian Women's Tea (registration closed Aug 17)


Sunday, Aug 24

10 Worship

11:15 Fellowship

11:30 Mission Committee


 Monday, Aug 25

Office will open by 11:00

7 AA



Tuesday, Aug 26

10 New Horizons Band rehearsal

10 Personnel Committee

1 Capital Campaign Committee


Wednesday, Aug 27

7 Al Anon


Thursday, Aug 28

10 Gentle Exercise

11:30 Yoga

6:25 Bells Rehearsal

7:30 Chancel Choir Rehearsal


Friday, Aug 29

7 AA


Saturday, August 30

Labor Day Weekend


Prayer Concerns

The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays. ― Soren Kierkegaard 


For DR Congo, Gaza, Iran, Israel, Sudan, and Ukraine.

For all victims of gun violence, war, and unrest.

 Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church

1004 24th Street, SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124

505.892.6664

Office Hours

Monday – Thursday | 9am–3pm