Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-04-09

Thursday April 9th 2020
A Weekday Emailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois 

Dear Friends,
 
Today is the 5th day of Holy Week. 
 
It’s “Maundy* Thursday.” 
 
When I think of today, I think of the Jimmy Buffet song “Come Monday.” I used to think the word “Maundy” was a strange way to say Monday. As a kid I had no idea what Maundy Thursday (or, Monday Thursday) was. Except that it was a service of worship to which my family went. It was dark. It was mysterious. We had communion. The cross felt like an ominous presence, like it might fall over from that hill and crush us all. Every word was spoken with an edge of inevitability, drenched in the smell of burial spices. 
 
Tonight, come to our online service (go to FirstPres.Live for ways to find us. Or, Facebook). We’ll have communion, so bring a cracker and juice. I’ll be there. You’ll be there. Who knows, in these days of electronic connectivity, maybe even Jimmy Buffet will show up. All comers are welcome.
 
See you tonight.
 
Bless you all.
  
News:
 
Book loans! This note from Ginny Waaler:
 
Good Morning friends, I like Nancy’s idea of sharing books. Just recently, some of my college friends recommended Where the Crawdads Sing. Does anyone have it and would like to share it with me?
 
Jack has tons of books that he would be glad to share. Let us know. Jack’s lending library includes:
 
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Return to the Reich by Eric Lichtblau
Thank you for Being Late by Thomas L. Friedman
Herndon’s Lincoln,  Edited by Douglas Wilson and Rodney O. Davis
 
Stay well!  Ginny 
 
Good Friday is tomorrow. Join us for our on-line service at 7:00 p.m. Go to FirstPres.Live
  
Humor from Tanya Deckert: Still haven’t decided where to go for Easter—the Family Room or the Living Room. 
  
Good Word:
 
John 13:1-17; 34-35                           
13Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4got up from the table,* took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ 7Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ 8Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ 9Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ 10Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet,* but is entirely clean. And you* are clean, though not all of you.’ 11For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’
 
 12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? 13You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. 14So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16Very truly, I tell you, servants* are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 
 
 . . . 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.  
 
Let us pray
 
Write your blessed name, 
O Lord, upon my heart,
there to remain so indelibly 
engraven, that no prosperity, 
no adversity,
shall ever move me from your love.
Be to me a strong tower of defense,
a comforter in tribulation,
a deliverer in distress,
a very present help in trouble,
and a guide to heaven
through the many temptations and dangers of this life. 
 
                                                   [Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471)] 
 
 
Much love to you all. 
 
PEACE,
 
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
  
* “Maundy” means “mandate” from which we derive the word “command.” Tonight we remember Jesus’ new command to love one another. 


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