October 21, 2022
Dear Peace members and friends,
It’s an exciting time at Peace and there is a lot of news to pass on to you today.
First of all, I wish all of you students and parents a good MEA break. And for those of you who are teachers, I hope you get a bit of a break, too!
If you are in town, I hope you will be in worship (9:30am) followed by the Education Hour (10:45am). In worship, we continue with our sermon series, “Great Stories of the Bible” with a story—sort of. It’s the New Testament Philippians’ reference to two women in the early church; Euodia and Syntyche. And—in what might be a surprise for us—Paul (the writer of Philippians) acknowledges that there is division and disagreement between these two women and in the congregation. About what (and that’s the “sort of” part) we’re not sure. But clearly there is a difference of opinion.
How does Paul respond? He tells these two women to get it worked out and then says—oddly—“Rejoice!” Dissension. Friction. What’s there to rejoice in those? In these days of division in so many areas of life, Paul has a word for us all. I’ll say more in a message entitled, “Arguing in Church: Euodia and Syntyche.” We’ll celebrate Holy Communion and we’ll have a Children’s Message.
In the Adult Education Hour, I’ll have some Observations of a Cross-Cultural Wedding. This last weekend, my niece, Sarah, got married to Kiran. It was a grand event; two events actually. There was both a Hindu wedding ceremony, presided over by a Hindu priest, and a Christian wedding at which I officiated. Together, it was a fun and fascinating occasion. On Sunday, I’ll have some observations about culture, religion, and weddings. Join us!
A reminder of next Sunday (October 30th) Adult Education Hour: We welcome back Catherine Duncan. You may remember her and her talk on resilience in September. Next week, she will speak on “Learning to Live: 5 Practices for Feeling More Alive.” Mark it on your calendar!
As we look ahead on the calendar, I want to call your attention to a new opportunity and some other events coming up:
- A new group for adults aged 40+. They will meet tomorrow, Saturday, October 22nd at 10:00am at church.
- The now annual Trunk or Treat event is Saturday, October 29th from 3:30-4:30pm. Host a trunk and give out candy, pencils, or stickers. And parents and kids, mark this one on your calendar to attend!
- For all adults, test your music memories on the Name That Tune Trivia Night, Saturday, November 5th beginning at 6:30pm in the Parish Hall. Bring an hors d’oeuvre to share and your own beverage. A fun night for all!
- This year’s Harvest Pack when we gather to pack food for local organizations serving the hungry is on Sunday, November 13th immediately following worship. It’s always—always—a great morning of ministry together!
See you Sunday!
Mark