Last weekend's worship was powerful. It was like a grand drama-the visual acting out of the gospel. People streaming forward to receive grace from God's table and healing from His hand. Something mystical and monumental happens when God's children gather for worship and God, by His Holy Spirit, meets with them. You never know what will happen, and yet you always know God is there and at work making all things new.
• Wednesday night, we kicked off the planning for our upcoming Vision/Capital Stewardship Program. Our campaign's theme is MORE: Gospel • Family • Mission. Our theme verse is Ephesians 3.20-21-"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably MORE than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!" Special emphasis could be put on the words, "To him be glory in the church...throughout all generations." Our aim is to bless families, bless children-to reach the next generation with the gospel. Our campaign objective is to build a preschool (replacing the "temporary" portables we've had for 24 years) to aid in funneling young families to Jesus and his church for years to come. Our campaign team is led by Shaun & Anne Saint and Jon & Jenny Gill. The rest of the leadership team includes Lisa Andes, George & Diane Marks, Tom & Boots Loughridge, Rob & Dana Holmberg, Terra & HR Ross, Scott & Earline Stephens, and Mike & Karen Bennett. In the weeks and months to come, hundreds at SRPC will be asked to participate in this initiative. It will be fun to watch God do more than we can ever ask or imagine!
• Can't believe Thanksgiving is less than a week away. (I saw a recipe for a black bottom pumpkin pie in Southern Living that has occupied my thoughts lately in a clearly sinful way!) I love this story told by Frank Lloyd Wright of an incident in his childhood: "The winter Wright was nine-years-old, he went walking across a snow-covered field with his reserved, no-nonsense uncle. As the two of them reached the far end of the field, his uncle stopped him and pointed out his own tracks in the snow, straight and true as an arrow flight. He then pointed out young Frank's tracks, which meandered all over the field. "Notice how your tracks wander aimlessly from the fence to the cattle to the woods and back again," his uncle said. "And see how my tracks aim directly to my goal. There is an important lesson in that." Years later, Wright liked to tell how this experience greatly contributed to his philosophy of life. "I determined right then," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "not to miss most things in life, as my uncle had." Perhaps Thanksgiving week would be a good time to slow down, live in the moment and be filled with wonder over how glorious God's world is and how good He has been to you.
• Thanksgiving through Christmas is a time many make charitable gifts. Can I make a suggestion? Our greatest need at SRPC right now is the Seven Rivers Christian School Annual Fund. SRCS only charges a fraction of what it costs to disciple 325 children for a life of kingdom fruitfulness. A gift to SRCS will really be impactful. Please don't forget the Deacons Fund either. The Deacons Fund is the fund out of which we help struggling members. Needless to say, we have struggling members to help!
Love,
Ray
