Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-04-08
Wednesday April 8th 2020
A Weekday Emailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
Remember, when you get an email from my personal account, it is from Matt@FirstPres.Church. If it comes from somewhere else, asking to be in touch with me immediately, or asking for money or gift cards, it is NOT me. Please forgive the solicitations which insist on coming from “Matt Matthews” or “Pastor Matthews” but are not me. Argh…
In better news, Nancy and Dave Whitford are back from Hilton Head. Nancy wrote with this idea:
I have an idea for another way to add to our sense of community. We could start a book exchange. Since the public library and bookstores are closed, why don’t we set up a book sharing program? Many of us do this informally anyway.
For example, I have a copy of The Dutch House, by Anne Patchett, and currently on the best seller list. I shared it with several people in Hilton Head and now it’s sitting on the shelf in my family room. If anyone would like to borrow it, they can call me and I’ll put it on my front porch for them to pick up. Or, if they can’t get out, I’ll put it on their front porch.
Members could provide a list of books they think others would enjoy, and the church facilitates this community by sharing the information via email. When Miriam Chenault called me last week to check on us, she mentioned that Ginnie Waaler’s book club had a Zoom meeting. As an example, members of that group could share the book they discussed.
Also, I enjoyed Kristi Corbin’s bread recipe, perhaps others could post favorite “shelter at home” comfort food recipes. In short, how about making the daily email more interactive?
Nancy has these books for immediate loan: The Dutch House, Devil in the White City, Being Mortal, and several of the Miss Julia Books. Her email is: nancy@whitfordconsultants.com
News:
Maundy Thursday Service of Worship, 7:00 p.m., tomorrow. Go to FirstPres.live for log-in instructions, or the Facebook page of First Presbyterian Church Champaign.
Good Friday Service of Worship (with Methodist friends), 7:00 p.m. Friday. Go to (where? you should have this committed to memory) FirstPres.live for log-in instructions, or the Facebook page of First Presbyterian Church Champaign.
“These Days” (April) a daily devotional available online:
https://mcusercontent.com/
Humor from Tanya Deckert: Hey creative community! Just a reminder that Shakespeare was quarantined for the plague when he wrote King Lear. No pressure!!!
Good Word:
Matthew 26:6-16
6 Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. 8 But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, “Why this waste? 9 For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.
Let us pray
Almighty and eternal God,
so draw our hearts to you,
so guide our minds,
so fill our imaginations,
so control our wills,
that we may be wholly yours,
utterly dedicated unto you;
and then use us, we pray, as you will,
but always to your glory
and the welfare of your people,
through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
[William Temple (1881–1944)]
Much love to you all.
PEACE,
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
