Weekly Witness for the Community

July 3, 2025

Sunday, July 6, 2025

4th Sunday After Pentecost

Sermon Text: Galatians 6: 1-10

Livestream worship. Bulletin.

Liturgist: Bill Shanklin Psalmist: Linda Hood

Kathy Mitchell Was Here

Kathy is a resident of the Navajo Nation and living in Chinle, AZ. She is part of Chinle Planting Hope, a grassroots non-profit that inspires community solutions and action. We were blessed to have her with us for worship to deliver a message and after worship last Sunday as a presenter in our Fifth Sundays forum. She brought along a lot of books from the R.E.A.D. in Beauty bookmobile operated by the organization. She received a check from the Mission Committee for the project. Kathy is sister of Ona and Crystal Mitchell and daughter of Ruthie Mitchell.

Pastor-to-People

The July Fourth weekend is a good time for us to consider our relationship with the American government. So this Sunday, July 6 during the Adult CE hour I would like us to compare and contrast Romans 13 and Revelation 13. In the late 50's CE, Paul wrote Letter to the Romans addressing the few Christians who were living in the capital of the Roman Empire, a vast expanse stretching from northern Europe across the Mediterranean Sea. 

Paul wanted Christians to be seen as innocent of sedition, despite the fact the Roman Empire was a pagan government that was often hostile to the Christian movement. Since Christians were such a tiny minority, they were actually no threat to the "grandeur that was Rome." Paul writes the letter to the Romans before he himself is arrested and transported to Rome for trial. And it was written before widespread Roman persecution began against the church. Tradition says that Paul himself was martyred in Rome under Nero in 64 CE.

The book of Revelation was written by John the Seer probably in the 90's CE when the Roman Empire, especially in western Turkey, had begun to persecute the church. John himself was imprisoned in a penal colony on the Island of Patmos for his preaching the Good News of Jesus. John has a very different opinion of the Roman Empire. He depicts it as a "beast" that would devour the church. For John, Rome has become demonic in its rage against the people of God. And remember John wrote after the Roman Legions had destroyed Jerusalem in 70 CE. What Rome did to Jerusalem, John fears it will do to the church. 

So the New Testament gives us two strikingly different portraits of Rome. One, in Romans 13, is a government to be subject to. The other, in Revelation 13, is a government that has become demonic and thus must be resisted, even to the point of death. So let's come together on Sunday and see what we can make of these very different pictures of government, both for the First Century and for ours.

Peace and hope,

Frank

Thank You From Xavier Lopez

Xavier graduated from Cibola High School in May. If you thumb through a copy of the Playbill that is up on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall and in the narthex, you will see he has also written, acted, and directed in several productions over the past two years. His debut in writing and directing was in 2023, with "A Man with his Music", and his most recent was this spring's "After Party". He played Nathan Detroit in "Guys and Dolls" in May.

Sounds like someday we'll be saying, "We knew him when"!

Scholarships Corner

Last Sunday, June 29th, the Scholarships Committee distributed the 2025 Scholarships of GRACE. Our scholarship program started in 2013, and the first scholarships were awarded in 2014. So, 2025 marks the 12th consecutive year we have awarded scholarships. 

Thanks to your support of our fundraisers throughout the past year and your generous donations, we are able to increase the scholarships this year to $700 each. Over the life of our scholarship program we will have distributed $62,100 in scholarships. Thank you for your fantastic support.

Calendar

July 6 — July 11, 2025

Rev. Frank Yates Will be Speaking on "Peaks and Valleys of Scripture", at Oasis of Albuquerque, Friday, July 11, 10am

This lecture explores the highs in scripture as well as the lows; those aspects of scripture that give us pause, and those aspects that give us delight. Using Rachel Held Evans’ book, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water and Loving the Bible Again, Frank will offer new ways to interpret scripture so that the highs are emphasized and the lows are relegated to the back burner. This class is for anyone who has been delighted, or disgusted, with what they find in Scripture. Oasis is located at 3301 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107. More information.

Prayer Concerns

Prayer makes your heart bigger, until it is capable of containing the gift of God himself. Prayer begets faith, faith begets love, and love begets service on behalf of the poor. ~Saint Mother Teresa

For the Kootenai County and Coeur d’Alene, ID fire departments and community. After responding to a call, two firefighters were killed and one injured in an ambush this past Sunday.

For DR Congo, 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