Dear Family,
· Summer Conference
starts this weekend. Summer Conference
is SRPC’s annual Bible palooza. After
weekend worship – we have four straight nights of God’s word and something good
happens in our souls when we camp in God’s word like that. Please don’t say, “I’ll try to make it on one
of those nights.” The point is, if at
all possible, to attend them all. It’s a
conference; it builds momentum each night, each night is vital!
o
What’s the
schedule?
SUN, July 8
—10:00 am: Weekend Worship (same as Sat night)
—5:00 pm: Worship & Teaching*
—6:30 pm: Dinner
$3 per person;
$12 per family
Email us to make your
dinner reservation
MON–WED, July 9-11
—6:30 pm: Worship & Teaching*
*Nursery for ages 0-3; Kid's Program: Grades K-5, Children's Wing
· Did you know
SRPC’s Children’s Ministry is providing the kids program for the Scallop Jam this Saturday in Crystal River? SRPC is going to be there to love, serve and
meet young families in our community. We
believe that families need Jesus and it’s too passive for us to just wait to
welcome them at weekend worship we want to go out and engage them where they
are. Pray for some great “engagement” to
happen this Saturday!
· Camp Seven Rivers
concludes its fourth summer program Friday! It was another stellar summer with over 500 campers
experiencing the love and delight that one can only find in Jesus with His family! Way to go camp team!
· Diane and I just
returned from a week in North Carolina.
Highlights included dinner with Chef Jerome at
the Old School Diner in Harris Neck Island, Georgia; a visit with Chad and
Kristen Turner and their über-cute boys (pic); a 5-hour hike up Mt. LeConte
(pic) to stay at the LeConte Lodge; and, a day spent shopping (Screen Door) and eating (Eating Asheville) in Asheville. At the tail end of our trip we drove to
Birmingham (to enjoy 105˚ temps), preached at Oak Mtn. Presbyterian Church, and
ate at Flip – a burger
boutique. The burnt marshmallow nutella
shake was to die for!
· Best thing I read
on my trip was this
article by Wesley Hill – a chapel talk he gave at Wheaton College. Here is an excerpt: If
you’re someone living with homosexual feelings, Jesus’ message to you this
morning is not primarily a “No” to your deepest self and your deepest hunger. I
do believe discipleship to him entails giving up gay sex and gay relationships.
And that may be more painful than you can imagine right now in your life as a
student. But, ultimately, Jesus is offering you the kingdom. He is offering you
eternal life. He is offering you Himself in the gospel. Sacrificing your sexual
freedom and sexual expression may seem like a high price to pay—it is a high
price to pay!—but He promises you a joy so stunningly great that if you felt
the full weight of it now, you would literally come undone.
· Weekend worship
attendance has been off the charts.
April-June attendance has averaged 100 people more per week than the
same time a year ago. God is up to
something at SRPC! This weekend we start
our Summer Conference with worship Saturday night and Sunday morning. Can’t wait to see what God has for us at this
year’s conference.
Love,
Ray
P.S. The new
projectors and screens are up in the sanctuary…what an improvement!