Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-08-03

Monday August 3rd, 2020
A daily e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
 
Dear Friends,
 
Rev. Dr. Steve Montgomery died in a bicycle accident over the weekend. Last year, he retired from his post as pastor of Idlewild Presbyterian Church in Memphis. 
 
Upon his retirement last year, Montgomery wrote “Twelve Things I Have Learned In The Ministry” for the Daily Memphian. Among them:

  • Jesus never used the word “tolerate.” Tolerate one another? Tolerate your neighbor? Tolerate your enemy? Nope. “Love one another.” “Love your neighbor.” “Love your enemy.” There is all the difference in the world.
  • I have always grown the most spiritually, intellectually and emotionally from those who are different from me: women, members of the LGBTQ community, Central Americans, Jews, Muslims, African Americans, and yes, evangelicals.
  • Children are not the future of the church. Enough of that nonsense. They are the church now. And they need the church’s nurture and advocacy.
  • Being Presbyterian, I am all for doctrines and creeds, but it is bad religion to deify them. They are only to be used as signposts and not hitching posts. Doctrines, you remember, supported slavery and apartheid. Some still support the marginalization of women and members of the LGBTQ community. Love alone is the hitching post. Faith can divide, but compassion can unite.
  • Whenever you engage with the Bible, make sure others are a part of the conversation, or else we ended up baptizing our own prejudices.
  • It really is a joy to be with irrepressible people who are so precisely because they follow the One who said, “I have come that your joy might be full.” Or to be with people of any faith who decide not to be members of the Bystanders Association, but rather embrace life fully. As Bishop Irenaeus said early on: “The glory of God is a human being fully alive!” It is a joy to be loved. It is a joy to love others.

News:
 
HELPING HANDS: The Presbyterian Women at First Presbyterian has a committee called “Helping Hands”.  The committee’s goal is to check with people in the congregation that might need help with meals or errands for a period of time due to personal or other family events.   Examples might be:

  •       Meals needed after surgery or during an illness
  •       Help with meals while family is visiting for a funeral service.
  •       Assistance with grocery or pharmacy pick-ups.

One of our biggest challenges is knowing about those who might need our services.  Please help us out by passing on referrals to Marcia or Patty in the church office or to Clemmie Ackermann at 
coletta.ackermann@gmail.com or at 217-377-7901.  The other members of this committee are Lola Ruthmansdorfer,  Claudia Kirby and Marty Edwards.  
 
Tuesday’s Men’s Bible Study 8 am
Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.

 
Humor: (Serious times call for re-creation, joy, and humor.)
 
Why are elephants banned from swimming pools?
They can’t keep their trunks up.

Good Word:

Matthew 14:22-33              
22Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
28Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

LET US PRAY (AN ENCORE):
 
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. 

 
(Thomas Merton)
 
PEACE to you all,
 
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
 


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