I walked through the preschool today. It looks amazing…I haven’t missed the portables for one day! We are going to dedicate the preschool on the August 9/10 weekend with a post worship party!
• Here are two books for those who might want to think more about liberation from sexual addiction: Samson and the Pirate Monks – Calling Men to Authentic Brotherhood by Nate Larkin and Sex And Money: Pleasures That Leave You Empty and Grace that Satisfies by Paul Tripp.
• The highlight of SRCS graduation was the address written by Kevin Wackes. It was full of wisdom that will allow you and your faith to flourish no matter what life throws at you. Read it here.
• There is still time to sign up for Supper Clubs--Supper Clubs of 6, 8, or 10 people will meet three times over the summer for food and fellowship. This is a great opportunity to get to know someone new. Contact Caryn Poloske.
• For the third straight year SRPC will host The Global Leadership Summit from Willow Creek Church in Chicago. Speakers include Bill Hybels, Louie Giglio, Patrick Lencioni and other leaders of business, church, education and non profits. Why not come and bring your coworkers with you. The cost is $79; use password PV2014 to register. To get the best rate sign up by July 15. Registration and details
• Here’s a quote worth reading and heeding on taming the technology/smart phone addiction that is so ruinous in our culture. “Like any tool, technology is all about how you use it. We should take care in ensuring that it is not shaping us in ways we're not comfortable with. Do an inventory of your daily or weekly tech usage to ensure it's not consuming you and wrenching you from meaningful face-to-face engagement with others. Don't check texts or websites while you're connecting face-to-face with someone else. Limit your usage of digital communication, as a spiritual discipline. Folks with smartphones need to be smart about their use. Utilize them for meaningful connection with others, but consider adopting a few spiritual disciplines when using technology. Why always text someone when you can call? Sure, it takes a little longer to call, but engaging someone with your voice is step toward deeper connection than simply sending a text. Take regular sabbaticals from your phone. Develop a daily or weekly rhythm that frees you from the screen. For example, only check social media before lunch, or take Lenten fasts from technology or social media. Take screen-free Fridays (or whatever day suits you). And we need to model such discipline to our children, by developing rhythms that ensure we're using the medium, it's not using us. Using web-based tools is great, but so is walking your neighborhood, hosting dinner parties, volunteering at community gardens, sharing a table at a soup kitchen, playing with children, gardening, sports, games, and sex. You can't phone those things in.” Michael Frost – Incarnate: The Body of Christ In An Age of Disengagement
• Here’s a blog post worth reading on the importance of giving affirmation to your children especially when they are teenagers. Big Mama Love
• Do you know about the worst natural disaster in US History? It was the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 when the Mississippi River levee at Greenville, MS broke and unleashed a wave of water 100 ft high, over 330,000 were rescued from rooftops and trees, hundreds died, 27,000 sq. miles were flooded and water blanketed the land for over 4 months. I’d never heard of this until recently. I just read a wonderfully written novel The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly situated within this historical event.
• This weekend in Worship Dan Beilman will be giving a report on their mission labors in Vienna. We will also begin our new sermon series called #DOCTRINE – What Christians Believe. Each week you’ll be invited to text your questions about the sermon to 22333 (start your message with SRPC) and the following week we’ll answer one or two of your questions. I can’t stress enough how important this series is. Christianity in America has been described as miles wide and one-inch deep, in other words very shallow. As our culture drifts away from all Judeo/Christian anchors we need to be deeply rooted in biblical truth or we will be swept away as well.
Love,
Ray
