Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-08-14
Friday 14 August 2020
Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
In a perfect world, I’d shake your hands after service this week and hug your necks. I’d be taking mental shorthand about your lives, about your last week’s highs and lows, about the trepidations you have for the coming week. There would begin my week’s prayer list.
I’d linger in the sanctuary after worship to hear the postlude. I’d applaud loudly when it was done. I’d go down stairs to Westminster Hall and eat three donut holes at once, get a cup of steaming hot water from the dispenser in the deacon’s kitchen, and drop in a tea bag. I’d get three more donut holes and place them daintily on a napkin and roam the room interrupting your conversations with each other.
All the while I’d discreetly write notes in the palm of my hand of things I should follow up on that week; I have a bad memory and a terrible memory on Sunday. Then, I’d say goodbye to our children from Sunday school and slip into worship with The Gathering, followed by a few donut holes and conversation with more of the flock.
I might make a quick visit to the hospital on the way home. If I were lucky, I’d fall asleep on the couch watching football, basketball, or the British Bake Off.
I used to love Sundays.
I love them now in a different way. I worship with Rachel and our dog. We never wear shoes. We sometimes worship while eating breakfast. In bed. I practice singing harmony as Joe leads our hymns. My dog looks up at me and my wrong notes wondering if I’m okay. Harmony is beautiful. Bad harmony sounds like a chest wound. We follow worship often with a warm walk around the park.
Pandemic has spelled changes in routine. But Sunday is still Sunday, the Lord’s day.
In all the changes, I’m grateful God doesn’t change. God isn’t a moving target. God grace is amazing and steady, reliable and trustworthy. From everlasting to everlasting, says the psalmist. Good News.
I’ll see you Sunday.
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PS: The Session has called a meeting of the Congregation to hear and act upon the report of the Congregation’s Officer Nominating Committee for this Sunday, 10 a.m. Sunday August 16th.
Please visit firstpres.church/meeting
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See you on Sunday. Invite a friend.
Pay attention to God’s activity in the world around you.
Be amazed.
PEACE,
Matt Matthews
864.386.9138
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PHOTO Challenge!
From your Nurture Team — Congrats to Patty Farthing for being the first to guess last Friday’s photo was of Ritchie Drennen!
Here’s this week’s photo.
Visit http://fb.com/groups/
Please join in the fun! We would like you to select a photo from your younger years (grade school, high school or early adulthood). Photos need not be professional. Candid shots are welcome. Please send your photos to photos@
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Join us on Sunday afternoon from 3:00 to 4:00 for a community service of prayer and discussion. Alan Cook, Ousmane, Sawadago, Michael Crosby, someone from B’hai community, and others will lead us in prayer, followed by discussion. This on-line event takes the place of the Interfaith Forum of Champaign County annual picnic. Find the event here:
https://www.facebook.com/
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From Marge Olson:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/
The King of Mello:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The King of Cool:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Encore:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
