Dear Family,
Thirty-five from SRPC returned Saturday night from 10 days tromping through Europe in search of church history and croissants! We began in Paris, stopped in Normandy,
made a very rough crossing of the English Channel, explored London, visited Stonehenge, Bath, Salisbury, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, made our way to Edinburgh, and finished on the 18th fairway of the Old Course at St. Andrews. We stood at the site of John Wesley’s grave, William Wallace’s trial, John Knox’s preaching, William Shakespeare’s writing and most importantly William and Kate’s wedding! It was a grand time and it was surely enhanced by doing it all together!
• This summer is filled with Student Ministry opportunities – Get your middle & high schoolers to camp! Students get Jesus at camp! Get all the details here.
• Camp Seven Rivers starts on June 2. Camp Seven Rivers has an all-star team of counselors and staff. It is a can't-miss for children entering Kindergarten to 5th grade. Get your little ones to camp! Registration and details here.
• The preschool is almost finished – just two more weeks! Preschool playground construction will be on Saturday, June 28! Can you help? Contact Blair Commons.
• The highlight event of the summer at SRPC is our Bible Conference. This year’s conference will begin with our serving our community at Project Beautiful on Saturday, July 12. Project Beautiful 2014 will focus on making our community a better place to live by encouraging and supporting the many business owners among us and their businesses. From auto shops to pharmacies to restaurants, Citrus County is served every day of the week by members of Seven Rivers who are seeking to glorify Christ and be a blessing to everyone with whom they come in contact. In the coming weeks we’ll ask you to sign up for a business site where you’ll do a half-day’s worth of cleaning, landscaping, painting, or other needed tasks. Everyone will then gather together at the church for a free lunch and fellowship. Save the date now - more details coming soon.
The conference continues with regular weekend worship and then evening meetings July 13-16. Our guest speaker is Rev. George Robertson, the Sr. Pastor of the historic First Presbyterian Church in Augusta, Georgia. (Woodrow Wilson’s father was the pastor there!) George is a terrific preacher – please drop everything and join the SRPC family in feasting on the Bible in July.
• “A Life Beyond ‘Do What You Love’” is an article worth reading. It debunks the do-what-you-love, pursue-your-dreams philosophy of modern culture. Read it here.
• Here’s a powerful quote from Kara Tippetts, a young mother of four who is facing her imminent death from cancer and trusting God to take her home when He sees fit:
“In it all there is a longing—a deep longing for the grace to receive what is coming. My quiet longing is to remain—remain and look upon the developing story of my people. Some days the words are hard to pray. I struggle looking upon my history to embrace hope for the future. But I hear my little girl voice whispering to my good Father, “Can’t I play just a minute longer?” I haven’t heard His answer yet, but I know His countenance is a smiling one of a Father that loves, Loves, LOVES. And today—that is enough. I am comforted that He knows my longing. A Daddy that tells a sad child that it’s time to leave the party does it with a gentle heart knowing the joy the party grew in the child. But the loving Father knows exactly when it’s time to go. I trust my Good Daddy in heaven. I may want to throw a fit in going, but I trust him. I trust him. I trust him.”
• This week we’ll conclude the Bruised Reed sermon series with a sermon on Pornography. This series has provoked more response than any we’ve done in a long time. If you’ve missed one – be sure to catch up and listen online (I have Brandon’s Mother’s Day sermon on my iPod to do just that). The following weekend we’ll begin a series titled #doctrine – What Christians Believe. In this series, we’ll explore what the Bible says about itself, God, creation, sin, salvation and heaven and hell. This is the most needful material for today. If we don’t build our lives on strong biblical theology, our “houses” will not withstand the storms of life. Don’t miss #doctrine this summer.
• Seven Rivers Christian School’s 14th Graduation is tonight at 7:00 in our sanctuary. Ken Wackes is the speaker. You’ve invited…after all it’s your school and these are your kids! I’ll see you this weekend.
Love,
Ray
