Dear SRPC Family,

We have had some phenomenal worship weekends the last six weeks. Hunger Week, the week we anointed folks and prayed for healing during the Lord’s Supper, Easter and now Mother’s Day! Mother’s Day was remarkable . . . . Adam Jones’ sermon was some of the best stuff on parenting I’ve ever heard, his first point on parental humility should be published! Attendance was through the roof – over 900 on Sunday alone! The Mother’s Day video was the best ever. Even the awful seizure suffered by the young man in Sunday’s service was a chance to see God at work in the tender care offered by so many in our congregation. Pray for Tommy Hollis, he has seizures frequently and those of us who were there Sunday saw how awful they can be. Even on Mother’s Day (perhaps especially on Mother’s Day) we can’t escape the brokenness of our world and our deep need for healing in every regard.

• Jean Carland writes, “A little girl named Lily came to camp 3 years ago when she was 5. (The first year of camp). The family did not come to SRPC. At the time, Lily had a little brother who was 1. Right after camp, the family moved out of state. This week, the mom called and registered Lily for all 5 weeks of camp. She said that they were moving back to town and would be living in Pine Ridge. Lily was so excited because she would get to come to Camp Seven Rivers. Mom said she still wears her camp t-shirt every week. Mom also has registered the now 3 year old in SRCS preschool and is interested in MOPS. They are also planning to try out the church when they get here in June. Love Camp Seven Rivers!” Are your children and your neighbor children signed up for camp?

• Chad and Kristen Turner are moving! Chad has accepted the head football coaching position at a Christian School in Spartanburg, SC which is where Kristen is from. Chad has led Student Ministry at SRPC for four years and Kristen has led our Women’s Ministry (MOPS, Women’s Small Groups!) Needless to say, they have both been productive, fruitful and fun to have on our staff team. The SRPC community will miss these guys so much. The Turners will be here leading student ministry and the summer intern project until mid-July! Pray for us as we search for new leadership in such important positions.

• Do you know Nancy Kennedy has blessed our church and community with her writing for almost 20 years? Two decades ago after hearing me warn the Pastor’s Class about the evils of carrot cake (doesn’t mixing vegetables with dessert seem twisted to you) and the nefarious nature of cream soda, Nancy passionately penned this polemical rant, “Regarding predestination: If it’s true that some people are predestined to salvation, then couldn’t it also be possible that some people are predestined to eat carrot cake? And, if we’re to share the gospel to the unsaved because we don’t know who are chosen and who are not, then doesn’t it stand to reason that we who adhere to the “vegetables can be dessert” doctrine must also share with the uncarrot-caked? Who knows, even you might be one of the chosen. As for the subject of cream soda: My dad’s Jewish and I grew up in a quasi-kosher household. (Mom’s Catholic and took us to Mass.) My grandmother owned a kosher bakery in Los Angeles next door to a kosher deli. It was there that I got my Jewish training. We learned that good Jews never put mayonnaise on rye bread, make a yearly pilgrimage to Las Vegas every Yom Kippur, and drink cream soda with pastrami sandwiches. My dad also taught me how to make matzo ball soup, but that’s another story. The fact is, cream soda is an intrinsic part of the Judeo-Christian tradition. It might even be in the Bible. Right in there with “God helps those that help themselves.” You asked what keeps me coming to Seven Rivers. I’m going to remain until you’re converted and baptized by immersion into sweet potato pie or until the Lord returns. Until then, may God have mercy on your hard heart. PS – what’s your theological position on grits?”

• This weekend in worship we begin a new worship series entitled One Holy Passion. We’ll spend the summer doing the one thing that matters - getting to know our God. John 17:3 says, “This is eternal life, that we may know Thee, the only true God.” I’m excited and asking God to use this summer’s preaching to rekindle in us passion for our first love. Student Ministry is selling chicken dinners this weekend to support their mission’s trip to NOLA. Can’t wait to see you this weekend.


Love,

Ray