27 September 2007

 

Drought

 

The Lord said to me concerning the drought, "Judah is in mourning; its cities are dying, its people lie on the ground in sorrow, and Jerusalem cries out for help.  The rich people send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; they come back with their jars empty. Discouraged and confused, they hide their faces.  Because there is no rain and the ground is dried up, the farmers are sick at heart; they hide their faces. In the field the mother deer abandons her newborn fawn because there is no grass.  The wild donkeys stand on the hilltops and pant for breath like jackals; their eyesight fails them because they have no food.”

 

My people cry out to me, "Even though our sins accuse us, help us, Lord, as you have promised. We have turned away from you many times; we have sinned against you.  None of the idols of the nations can send rain; the sky by itself cannot make showers fall. We have put our hope in you, O Lord our God, because you are the one who does these things.”    (Jeremiah 14:1-7,22)

 

 

Almighty God, we praise and thank you for the gift of water.  In it we die to sin and rise to new life in Jesus, your Son.  Through it your Holy Spirit sustains all of creation.  Now our community is dry and barren, thirsting for life-giving rain.  Forgive us for our incredible presumptions upon your generosity.  Send us, we beg you, such moderate rain and showers, that they may renew the face of the earth.  Strengthen us to use only the water we each need and empower us to give encouragement and care to all those whose livelihood depends on the produce of the land; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

 

7^th Annual Beloved Picnic

Cane Creek Park, Waxhaw, NC

 

This Sunday,

09.30.07, 2-7pm

 

Come for fellowship and family fun all afternoon

 

Dinner ready about 4:30pm

 

It’s not too late to sign up—click here!

Admission to the park is free to those who have signed up!

 

Around Beloved…Christian Formation for all ages will follow worship this Sunday.

Don’t miss the Parish Picnic this Sunday!  The weather, food and fellowship should be fabulous.  This is also the first youth event of this school year.  The church provides the entrée for dinner and the remaining is either by potluck or by making arrangements with the Picnic team.  Entrance paperwork for free admission into the park will be distributed at church on Sunday, September 30.

In our ongoing effort to achieve financial independence, Church of the Beloved will be one of the non-profit organizations participating in the fourth annual Simon Evening of Giving at SouthPark Mall on Sunday, November 18^th.  For every $10 ticket to this event we sell, our church keeps $7.  The remaining $3 will go to the Simon Youth Foundation, which provides support and resources for at-risk children.  Packets containing tickets and additional details for this event continue to be available to COB participants after worship or by clicking here.

 

The CROP Walk is coming!  If you’d like to walk with the Beloved group after church on October 14, please pick up a walker packet in the hospitality area on Sunday.  Please solicit sponsorship from your friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers to help alleviate world hunger.  Members of Beloved who are not walking, please make every effort to sponsor at least one person who will walk on your behalf.  Collection of financial commitments will be on Sunday, October 21.  Please make arrangements to honor your commitment if you won’t be in church that Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

The House of Bishops has completed their work in New Orleans and reported that they were much sustained by our prayers.  To read more, click here.

 

 

Beloved eNews publishes each Thursday.  News and calendar information should be submitted via email by the Monday preceding the publication date.

 

 

September 23…Attendance: 116; Worship Offering: not reported.  Income needed for ministry each week: $5,500 (fully funded) à $4,400 (requiring other funding sources i.e. fundraising events).  The financial goal of Church of the Beloved is to reach self-sufficiency (i.e. pay all expenses without income from outside sources) by 12/31/2008.

 

 

 

Scripture Readings for September 30…1 Timothy 6:6-19 & Luke 16:19-31

 

Serving at God’s Altar on September 30…Complete setup/complete teardown: New Angel Army Team #3; Acolytes: Cecilia Atwood, Trinity Atwood, Daniel Dygowski, Madelyn Ricket; Offering Basket Passers: Joseph Duty, Gabi Leinenkugel, Katie Sanniota, Sarah Shaughnessy; Presenters: Barb Johnston, Roey Southard; Altar Bread Baker: Kris Leinenkugel; Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Betsy Fox & Bud Moore; PowerPoint: Cyteria Knight; Reader: Lexi Leinenkugel

 

 

In our Prayers…Click here

 

Upcoming Calendar…Click here