Weekly Witness for the Community

July 17, 2025

Sunday, July 20, 2025

6th Sunday After Pentecost

Dollars for Deacons

Sermon Text:  II Corinthians 4: 1-6

Livestream, or click https://youtube.com/live/lNJAt_QF3nE. Bulletin.

Liturgist: Nancy Psalmist: Dave

July's Dollars for Deacons Offering...

...will go to support the work of the Deacons and to Storehouse West. As you know, the Deacon's work is to support our members various needs as they may arise. On Storehouse, due to our Federal government's cuts and freezes to food programs, Storehouse West (SHW) needs your help now more than ever with money to buy their clients food! Envelopes will be at the door.

Worship Corner

A "Taping Party" After Church Next Sunday

The Worship Committee is asking for volunteers to help tape a copy of the sung Lord's Prayer in the back of the hymnals after fellowship Sunday, Jul 27th. This quick fix will save paper by ending the inclusion of the Lord’s Prayer hymn in Communion Sunday bulletins.

Pastor to People

Over the years I have taught different kinds of courses in ethics. At CNM, I taught Business Ethics. At Lewis University, I taught Philosophical Ethics. At St. Norbert College, I taught Christian Ethics. While teaching at St. Norbert, I had the great privilege of meeting Dr. James Gustafson, his son Karl making the introductions. At St. Norbert, I used Dr. Gustafson's excellent ethics book entitled Christ and the Moral Life. I love that book very much. So it was such a pleasure having Dr. Gustafson teach my class. I believe it was his last lecture. What an honor to meet him and hear him speak.

What a lovely man! And what a great scholar! Truly exceptional, a huge influence on both the academic world and the church as well. His calls for justice and mercy still resonate with us.

This Sunday it will be my honor to use one of his sermons during our worship service. Entitled "In the Face of Christ", it has been edited and shortened a bit, I am thrilled to share it with you all. During the Adult CE hour, Birgitta and Karl Gustafson and I will talk about the twelve books Jim authored. And his two children will share a bit about his life. His biography is below in the Witness today.

So, hope to see you all this Sunday for worship and CE as we continue to learn from Dr. James Gustafson.

Peace and hope,

Frank

James Gustafson's Bio

James M. Gustafson was born in Norway, MI, the son of Swedish immigrants, whose father was an ordained minister. Gustafson served in the US Army in WWII in Burma and India. He received a BS from Northwestern, a BD from Chicago Theological Seminary, and a second BD from the University of Chicago. He was ordained in the United Church of Christ, and then went on to complete a PhD in Christian Ethics and Theology at Yale University, studying under H. Richard Niebuhr. He served on the faculty of Yale Divinity School from 1955 to 1972. Then he joined the faculty of the University of Chicago Divinity School (1972-1988), and finished his career at Emory University (1988-1998). James Gustafson authored 12 books and countless articles over his career. He also taught a generation of Christian theologians and ethicists. As stated by one of his students, Douglas Ottati of Davidson College, “Gustafson did more than any other thinker of his generation in America to shape Christian ethics as a scholarly field that also never loses touch with the practical life of faith.”

2025 School Supply Drive

On July 20, the Mission Committee will begin accepting donations for the Cochiti School. The Cochiti administration has suggested the following items:

• boxes of Kleenex
• disinfectant wipes
• glue sticks
• personal water bottles (NOT bottled water)
• dry-erase markers
• wide-ruled single-subject notebooks

The final day to drop off donations at the church is August 3. You can leave them on the table under our display. Thanks so much for your commitment to education.

Frank's Schedule for July 21-28

Frank will be on study leave this week starting Monday and will return to the office the following Tuesday, the 29th. Rev. Dewey Johnson will be preaching next Sunday, Jul 27, and handling pastoral needs during Frank's absence.

Second Annual Ice Cream Social Supper

Join us on August 10th at 5pm for our second annual Ice Cream Supper to support the Capital Campaign. See flyer for details .

Finance Corner

The financial results for June.



Pastor Frank's Teaching at UNM Continuing Ed Next Month

All the Mondays in August, 10-11:30, Frank will be teaching a class on "Does God Exist?" More information.

Fundraiser - First Pres, Belen

First Presbyterian Church-Belen is hosting a fundraiser for Valencia County Services for Battered Women and Men. The fundraiser will be held at the church (85 Manzano Expressway, Belen) on Saturday, Aug 2 from 2- 4pm. Free desserts and refreshments will be provided. Music will be a country and western band, "Mustang Disposition". A donation of $10 is suggested. All proceeds go towards the Shelter.

For more information, please email or call the church at 505-864-4560.

Calendar

July 20 — July 25, 2025

Prayer Concerns

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough. ~Meister Eckhart

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