The Belltower A Monthly Publication of Dunnellon Presbyterian Church

Transcription

1 The Belltower A Monthly Publication of Dunnellon Presbyterian Church June - July 2015 Thoughts & Writings From Our Pastor Dear Members and Other Friends: Three things I wanted to share with you this month: ONE: Thank you for all the loving support that has been offered to my family and me during this time of crisis with my mom. With a progressive/degenerative illness you never know what may happen next. My mother has had Parkinson s for over 18 years. Its debilitating process has been slow, sometimes not moving forward in a linear fashion for months at a time and then suddenly worsening rapidly. As most of you know, her disease has greatly worsened over the last month with the disease progressing into the part of her brain that sends signals for basic organ function. The specialists now say her prognosis is poor, necessitating a move to Legacy House, one of the homelike settings operated by Hospice of Marion County. The care she has received has been superb and we are thankful that Legacy may be her last home. Your support for her and for our family is deeply appreciated, as are the prayers we feel that bolster both she and her family. Thank you. TWO: It was with great regret that I had to ask the Session to reconsider the worship times and structure for the summer months. The uncertainty of my mother s condition and my legal responsibilities associated with her, paired with several other summer commitments that will take me out of town, may necessitate me being absent more often than expected this summer. While I welcomed the challenge of designing and leading two worship services with varying worship/communication styles, placing such a burden on a supply preacher to do so would be too great. So we will worship at 8:30 and 11:00 this summer, both services being held in the sanctuary with the 11 o clock service being a little less traditional than 8:30. I would be remiss if I did not say I was a bit surprised by how proprietary some felt about their particular worship service time and service. Some attitudes expressed by congregation members did disappoint me. I thought we had come further together as a faith community than perhaps we have. THREE: One of our members posted the following quote on her Facebook page. It is a quote attributed to Ron Smith. A Google search did not reveal more information about the one to whom the quote is attributed, but did help me to learn that Ron Smith is a very common name! So here s the quote: THERE WAS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE WENT TO CHURCH HEARD THE TRUTH, AND WEPT OVER THEIR SINS. TODAY PEOPLE GO TO CHURCH, HEAR A MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH, AND IGNORE THEIR SINS.

2 I reacted strongly to the quote. I would love to know what you think. During one of our summer Sunday worship services; we will be talking about the quote. Copy it down and put it in a place that will stimulate you to think about it in the midst of your common and uncommon days. I very much look forward to hearing how you react to this provocative statement. They say good things come in threes (Or is it bad things?), either way I will stop at three wishing you a blessed summer, reminding you that God takes no vacations from you so you shouldn t take any vacations from the worship of God and the participation of life in God s Kingdom through your time, talent and contributions of your financial wealth. God matters- you matter. Summer Blessings, Jeff Weekly Readings From The Revised Common Lectionary June July The week of June 7, nd Sunday after Pentecost 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15) Psalm Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35 The week of June 14, rd Sunday after Pentecost 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13; Psalm 20 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), Mark 4:26-34 The week of June 21, th Sunday after Pentecost 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), Psalm 9:9-20 or 1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 18:10-16 Psalm Corinthians 6:1-13; Mark 4:35-41 Father s Day The week of July 5, th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10; Psalm 48 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13 The week of July 12, th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19; Psalm 24 Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:14-29 The week of July 19, th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 7:1-14a; Psalm 89:20-37 Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-34, The week of July 26, th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 11:1-15; Psalm 14 Ephesians 3:14-21; John 6:1-21 The week of June 28, th Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27; Psalm Corinthians 8:7-15; Mark 5:21-43

3 Presbyterian Men s Club JUNE AND JULY MEN S BREAKFAST The summer meetings of the Presbyterian Men s Club will be at 8:00 am Thursday, June 18 th and Thursday, July 16 th at the Purple Sage Restaurant, E. Pennsylvania Ave, Dunnellon. We will continue to receive donations for the Campership Fund in Dick Fuller s name; and the Dunnellon Food-4-Kids, Inc. backpack food program for the needy children in our local schools. Please call DPC OFFICE at on the Monday before the Breakfast Date to let him know you will be attending. Presbyterian Women The Presbyterian Women's Nominating Committee will be looking for 2016 officers during the summer. If asked to serve, please prayerfully consider doing so. After having the summer off, PW Circles will begin again on September 2. Please join us for bible study and fellowship. Jean K., PW Moderator QUILT CIRCLE After almost 6 years, the Quilt Circle is taking a break for the summer. Many of you, including the children, have received lap quilts made by us. By making these, we have become better quilters. Many of the women were new to quilting when they joined us; some were experienced. All have learned new techniques and improved their workmanship. PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN CIRCLES Save the date Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at 6:30 pm Coming Soon to a congregation near you: Sponsored by the Presbyterian Women who invite you to enjoy dessert and a preview of our next Bible Study, Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs. Christian Education Thank you, again, to everyone for your support of the youth summer camperships. Our bake sale and jewelry auction results were not available at press time. The jewelry auction results and bake sale totals will be posted in the bulletin. Winners of the jewelry auction will also be notified by phone. A list of the winners will also be available in the office. Have a great summer! I know some young people who will be having a wonderful summer thanks to the members of Dunnellon Presbyterian Church. God bless, Bette N. If you have any suggestions for future Christian education activities or wish to serve in this area, please contact Bette N.

4 Family Night Supper There will be NO Family Night Supper in June. Wednesday, July 1st at 6:30 pm The Annual DPC Cookout Featuring Hamburgers and HotDogs hot off the grill and all the fixin s of a wonderful meal together! More details to come in the Sunday Bulletin! Music Chancel Choir Summer has arrived and the Chancel Choir has decided to take the summer off this year and there will be no summer volunteer choir. As a result, we are hopeful some of you (of all ages) may want to share your talents with us and volunteer to play an instrument, or sing a solo or duet. Individual choir members will be singing or playing but we need others to fill out the summer weeks with additional music. We have a sign-up sheet already for you! Please consider this opportunity to make a joyful noise unto the Lord (and maybe consider joining the choir in the Fall???) Sue Koppler, Director of Music Ministry ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ushers Needed Please call the office at to sign up! Church Community Activities MOVIES WITH MEANING The summer Movies with Meaning will be Academy Award "Best Pictures." Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 2:00 pm The June 6 th movie at 2 p.m. will be "12 Years a Slave", a true story based on the 19th-century memoir by Solomon Northrup, a free New Yorkborn African-American man, who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in It is an R-rated movie starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Lupita Nyong'o, and Brad Pitt. The July movie date is to be announced. Please see your Sunday Bulletin announcements page. Volunteer Positions Available Volunteers are needed to assist Session Committee Leadership. All hearts and hands are welcome! Areas needing assistance are Worship: Greeters and Ushers Building and Grounds: General Maintenance like changing light bulbs; checking A/C filters monthly; spraying for ants and other pests; fixing and maintaining leaky faucets and toilets; maintain the grounds appearance; cleaning the exterior of the buildings to remove spider webs; etc. If you are able-bodied and knowledgeable or able-bodied and willing to learn, you are needed! If you are a great supervisor/teacher (because you have done your time maintaining the buildings over the years) and desire to teach someone who is able-bodied to do any of these tasks, you are needed! This is a great opportunity for the younger generation to learn from the more experienced generation. Let s pass on our knowledge and skills and care for the buildings and grounds!

5 Thank you Notes And News May 3 rd A wonderful surprise happened to me last Sunday, April 26th at the 11:00 service when I was given the Presbyterian Women Honorary Life Membership. I am totally humbled and honored to be this year's recipient and I thank the PW Board for this honor. In Christian Love, Helen G. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May 10 th To all my friends, I want to take this time to thank you for your prayers, cards and phone calls. It meant a lot to me during my recent illness. I want to especially thank Pastor Jeff, the Deacons and the Choir. This church means so much to me, because of all the caring and loving you give. Thank you again. In God s Love, Beverly K. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May 15 th Dear Presbyterian Congregation and Rev. Welch: Rolf, Diana, and I wish to thank you for all the caring and support you have given our Mother, Joan A. After the death of our father, Mom found great fulfillment and meaning when she became a member of your congregation. She was able to renew her faith being part of your community. We want to thank all of you who have supported and helped her during her illness. She was at peace with her decision to enter hospice and cherished all the visitors she has had and the chance to say goodbye. Again, thank you for being there and helping her through this difficult time. Sincerely, Jim, Diana, and Rolf A. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May 11 th Was wonderful to see my FL church family. I made it to North New York safely, Mom had failed a lot while I was gone. We pray she will be with us so we can celebrate her 100 th birthday on June 4 th. Have a Safe and Happy Summer! Love in Christ, Luann (C.)

6 See Lectionary Reading of June 21 st 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, Let us go across to the other side. 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace! Be still! Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith? 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? Mark 4:35-41 NRSV