June 20, 2006

 Remember: Summer Evening Worship this Sunday!

• Worship continues this Sunday at 6pm instead of 9:30am.  This is "come as you are" summer worship, wearing the clothing of your afternoon adventures.  Our 9:30am worship will resume in August.
• Hospitality will be before worship at 5:30pm, with light refreshments and lemonade. 
• The Prayer Team will meet at 7pm following worship with an open invitation for all who desire to take part.

The Church as Martyr

First and foremost, Christians are called by Jesus to be witnesses "in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Luke 1:8).  It is interesting and sobering that the Greek word for "witness" is the same root as our word martyr.  Jesus has not called us to hunker down behind the barricades but rather to "Go...and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...teaching them" (Matthew 28:19).

Yet it is important for the Church as witness to have something to say that is more interesting than what the world says.  The world deserves some credit for ignoring us Christians these days, since often the Church doesn't say anything that can't be heard somewhere else.  When the Church becomes Rotary, the Church will lose...Rotary serves lunch and meets on a more convenient day and hour of the week!

We are called, even in one of the most exclusionary books of the New Testament, to live "honorably among the Gentiles...so that they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge" (1 Peter 2:12).  Our worry about the condition of today's Church is more than a concern for internal health or survival.  Our concern arises out of our commitment to be witnesses.  The Church exists, not for itself but to save the world, to "proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).  So the question is not whether we shall live as Christians in this world, for that is no option for us.  Rather, the question is, Now that God has entered this world as Jesus the Christ, how then shall we live?  

Excerpt adapted from: Stanley Hauerwas & William H. Willimon, Where Resident Aliens Live, 1996, pp. 101-102

Around Beloved...A warm welcome to Derek Elkins, a student at the Presbyterian School of Christian Education at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond (VA), who began his summer internship with Church of the Beloved on Sunday.  Derek's wife, Kathleen, is also doing an internship with (Roman) Catholic Social Services in the field of refugee resettlement.  Please watch for more details about how the Beloved community can welcome Derek and Kathleen throughout the summer months...By popular demand, Summer FaithQuest is being offered on Tuesday mornings for eleven weeks this summer.  Participants still have the vacation flexibility of choosing either six or nine weeks out of the remaining nine weeks.  Registration sheets are available at Beloved Garden or in the hospitality area after worship each Sunday...Beloved Band member (the drummer) Chris Allen and his band are finalists in an Oreo Cookie jingle contest.  In the spirit of American Idol, the winner will be determined by the total number of online votes received by July 20^th.  Listen to the jingle and vote as many times as you can for Chris' band by clicking here.  (The UPC code you need is 022172.)     

The 75^th General Convention...Bishops along with clergy and lay deputies from each diocese will pray and deliberate in this triennial gathering of the Episcopal Church from June 13-21 in Columbus, Ohio.  Please keep all involved in your daily prayers, both before and during this event.

Our own Deacon Deb Blackwood will be attending June 14-21 in a support role.   She will be working as a volunteer as well as participating in many of the daily worship services and helping write the prayers of the people for these worship services.  To read her daily blog, click here.

Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel at our General Convention for the renewal and mission of your holy Church.  Fill them with courage to pursue your truth and your peace.  Where the Church is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; that all may know and experience the love of the One who gave himself for us, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Serving at God's Altar this Sunday...Angel Army Team 5 (Captain: Steve Todd; Administrator: Frank Reid; Pastor: Mary Reid; Convener: Tom Friend); Acolytes: Cecilia Atwood, Paige Wilson, Morgan Wynn, Mackenzie Wynn; Reader: Tony Hodgson; Presenters: Frank Reid, Mary Reid, Nykeria Thomas; Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Mary Reid & Betsy Fox; Offertory Basket Passers: Joseph Duty, Hannah Friend, Benjamin Lamb, Jeremy Lamb; PowerPoint: Forrest Boylston.

In our Prayers...for Greg, Sherrill Lowder's brother, who has colon cancer...for Jacqui, niece of Deb and Dan Blackwood who has been diagnosed with cancer in both breasts...for Harriett, Kathy Raynor‘s mother who has cancer...for Richard, Ginger Leppert‘s father...for Jessie Powell and Janie Lownes...for those serving in Iraq, especially Scott, Dan Hood's brother...for Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter, Emily...for Jennifer Marsico who is expecting a baby this summer...for Dorothy, Mary Reid's sister who is fighting lung cancer...for Ruth, Shana Blake‘s cousin...for Ed and Jean, Dick Reif's parents who are in declining health in Oklahoma... for Bill, Lee Frickhoeffer's uncle who has terminal cancer...for Bucky, Sherrill Lowder's neighbor, who has lung cancer...for Cyteria Knight as she seeks employment...for Fr. Derek as he participates with his father and two sons on the waterfront at Camp Bud Schiele in Rutherford County (NC) this week....for Kara Snowman Wulff's husband, Mike, who is employed by Springs Industries...for Deb Blackwood at General Convention in Columbus, OH....for Derek Elkins and his wife, Kathleen who begin their internships this week.

Upcoming Calendar... click here