Community Weekly Witness

September 4, 2025

Sunday, Sep 7, 2025

13th Sunday After Pentecost

2¢-a-Meal Redux

Sermon Text:  Luke 14: 25-33

Livestream. Bulletin.

Liturgist: Marie Psalmist: Thom

Communion Servers: Betty and Russ, Birgitta, Linda and John Hood, and Ginger Wall

Ushers: Ginger, Paige, Crystal, Michael

Long version link for the livestream: https://youtube.com/live/H-XyClx5qBk

Frank's August Sermons


8.03 - Strange Bedfellows

8.10 - See You in Court

8.17 - The Eye of the Storm

8.24 - Freed and Healed

8.31 - The Lord Opens Doors


All five in August 2025

From Karen P: A Moment of 'Personal Privilege'

I will be ending my time as your office manager and newsletter 'compiler' effective Sep 30.


I want to thank all of you for making this such a wonderful place to work; you have provided such good memories to take with me to the next chapter.

Mission Corner

A Visit from the Fujiis

Leith and Carol Fujii, our Mission co-workers from Thailand, are coming to New Mexico Sep 13th through the 22nd. We will have an opportunity to share dinner with them at The Neighborhood on Monday, Sep. 22nd. There is no charge for the dinner. If you would like to attend, please let Liz know. The Fujiis will not give a formal presentation, but will answer questions about their work. We would also like to provide for some of their travel expenses. A donation jar will be available in the narthex beginning this Sunday, Sep 7th.


2-Cents-a-Meal

We will take a second offering for 2 cents-a-meal this Sunday, since a lot of people travel on the Labor Day holiday and we wanted to give everyone an opportunity to participate. 

From the Worship Committee

We are in great need of new teams of communion preppers! This is a pretty straightforward task that involves cutting up bread and pouring grape juice into small cups on the Saturday before Communion Sunday, putting the trays on the sanctuary table Sunday morning before worship, and cleaning them after worship. We would love to have 4 teams of 2 people each. Then each team would only have to prep 3 times a year!

Men's Breakfast - This Saturday, Sep 6, 8am

 Do join us for a hearty breakfast prepared by Bill Wehner, fellowship,

 and meet our new member, Len Kulk, to hear some of his story. A great way to begin your weekend!

2025 Church Directories Are Available!

They will be distributed (a limited number so one per household) in the church office after worship Sunday. Please bring old directories in for shredding if you have no shredder at home.

Pastor-to-People

This summer we have gathered in the Adult Christian Education class after worship to consider the Christian's relationship to the state. We have looked at prophets and kings in the Hebrew Scriptures, and the relationship of Jesus, Paul, and John of Patmos (the Book of Revelation) to the Roman state.


We also heard from Birgitta and Karl talk about their father Jim Gustafson who wrote many books on Christian ethics. Finally we studied the Barmen and Belhar Confessions as they addressed the state in the 20th Century. In all our discussions we sought wisdom from the past for our current situation. In our final class this Sunday we will study The Social Creed of the 21st Century (go to pp. 8, 9 in this document for a summary) adopted by the General Assembly in 2008. You will find it at the link above with some background material as well. Let's try to think through our relationship to the state and what our discipleship to Christ means for us in a representative democracy. I hope to see you Sunday morning.

Grace and Peace,

Frank

Guest Column - Loretta Downs

End-of-Life Inspirations


When my first friend died of AIDS in 1985, we were both 36 years old. By the time I was 40, more than a dozen of my friends and business associates had died. In order to understand their end-of-life experiences, I became a volunteer on an acclaimed AIDS unit in a large hospital in Chicago where I would later spend 17 years on the Ethics Committee.

Many of our patients died in the ICU after receiving aggressive, futile treatment. Others accepted hospice care, which was a new medical benefit and mostly provided by volunteer organizations. Those patients died at home surrounded by loved ones. When the AIDS unit closed in 2001, I became a hospice volunteer and began to speak publicly about hospice services.


The same year, I retired from my career in sales and my mother moved into a nursing home. I don’t cook and the food at the Fairmont was pretty good, so I would have dinner with mom five nights a week. I made friends with other family visitors and many of the 160 residents.


I quickly realized that residents were not admitted to hospice at the end of life; instead they were being sent to a hospital to die. Instead of being in their own room, in what had become their home, they just disappeared from the community. I reacted by creating the Chrysalis Room concept after the extraordinary metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a chrysalis to a butterfly. The room is beautiful, tranquil, and private. It is a sacred space where a hospice patient can spend the last days of life. Residents and loved ones can keep vigil, perform meaningful rituals, play music, hold hands, pray, mourn, and celebrate a good ending. For years, I presented the concept at conferences. The Chrysalis Room won awards and expanded to other nursing homes and even hospitals. It has been mentioned in articles and books.


After my mother died in 2006, I became President of the 600-member Chicago End-of-Life Care Coalition whose mission was to promote hospice care and advocate for advance care planning. I became a death doula to serve at the bedside.


I continue to receive invitations to speak at conferences, churches, senior housing, and community events. It is a privilege to guide and support people and their loved ones through the miracle of transformation. endoflifeinspirations.com.


I will be with you at RRPC on Saturday, Sep 27 to facilitate meaningful conversation and help you create a good ending for yourself and your loved ones.


Please register for ONE or BOTH programs by Wednesday, Sep 24 here: Event Registration - [RRPC]


• Making Friends with Death: A Conversation About What Matters Most to You

• Advanced Care Planning: What is it? Why Bother? How Can I Begin?


You can also sign up in the narthex.


I am looking forward to being with you in a few weeks.

Healing Music

Does the phrase ‘healing music’ ring a bell?


Our handbells need some TLC (tender loving care). Many of our bells are 30 years old and they are showing their age. Their joints aren’t as limber as they were and, from time to time, their springs break. We have purchased additional bells over the last 30 years (BIG ONES and small ones). We’ve noticed a slight dissonance between the new and old bell when they play the same note (say a ‘C’) and, all of the bells, new and old, need a professional cleaning. Refurbishing our bells will cost $7,500 (including shipping).


There will be a benefit concert at the church Sunday Sep 21 at 3pm to raise money for the refurbishment. Our handbell choir will play as well as some small groups and soloists.


Please 'come with bells on' to support the handbells.

From Presbyterian Women

Our fall Women's Bible Study is about to kick off for the season. Our guide this year is "Finding Resilience, Joy, and Our Identity in Jesus Christ".


Our first meeting is next Tuesday, Sep. 9, 10-11:30am. After that, meetings happen on the 2nd Tuesday each month. Please join us, all women welcome! Hope to see you there.

Is This Yours?


The New Horizons band found this container Tuesday morning after their practice. It's on the office table if you care to claim it.

Book Club Meets Sep 23, 2 pm

September is the only month this year that the club is meeting at Liz's. For the rest of the year's meetings (always on 4th Tuesdays), Nancy Henriksen will host.


The book for September is The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson.

Church Calendar Sep 7 - Sep 13, 2025

Saturday, Sep 6

8 Men's Breakfast

All rooms in use 1-6, Healing Harmonies


Sunday, Sep 7

10 Worship with Communion

11:15 Fellowship

11:15 Pick up church directory in office

11:30 Frank's Adult CE Class


 Monday, Sep 8

7 AA



Tuesday, Sep 9

9 Building and Grounds Committee, Classroom C

10 New Horizons Band rehearsal

10 Women's Bible Study


Wednesday, Sep 10

1 Finance

7 Al Anon


Thursday, Sep 11

10 Gentle Exercise

11:30 Yoga

6:25 Bells Rehearsal

7:30 Choir Rehearsal


Friday, Sep 12

7 AA


Saturday, Sep 13

5 Pizza and Puzzles

Prayer Concerns

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