June 17, 2020
It seems I am waking up more and more with a song or a scripture on my heart. This day I awoke with both, a scripture from a book I don’t think of very often which led me to a song that I do think of often. Today, I awoke with the Lamentations 3 text on my mind and why wouldn’t I? What great reminders! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, there’s a cool breeze it is beautiful and what a beautiful reminder that “new every morning is God’s love for me” and for you, for us all. The chapter is actually titled “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and the verses 21 to 23 in the text (from the Common English Bible) say: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” New every morning as the sun comes up and we open our eyes, God’s love for us is fresh and new. No wonder one of my greatest mentor’s favorite hymns is “Great Is Thy Faithfulness!” What a promise, no matter what has happened, what the previous day has had for us or what the current day has instore we have the promise of God’s continuingly renewing love and grace, new every day! And that gives me strength to face a world of whatever is happening, if I can just pause, start my day with that thought and remember it in the day, I have hope. If that’s not a way to start the day, I’m not sure what is. So this day, I would encourage you to think about how the most wonderful love of God surrounds you, that no matter what you face or how you encounter the Holy that you remember you are loved and beloved and God’s love continually pours over you so that no matter what you face you can remember who and who’s you are. Peace be with you all. In grateful service, Pastor Tim In our prayers… Would you join me in continued prayers for both the Noll and the Zeyn families as they move through their grief. Prayers for Tom Lanks are asked for as well as Tom recovers from a Kidney transplant that occurred early Saturday morning. We give thanks to God for this ability and for the lives which were lost we remember the families. Also, please continue to keep Fred Greenawalt, who is now in Watsontown Rehabilitation Center, as well as Pat Bender and Mary Rose Knelly in your prayers who are both at home recuperating. Please pray for our Penn Central UCC Conference as the decision to close the Hartman Center Camp has been made and many are hurting over the loss of this space which is both sacred and sentimental to many. Please pray for one another as we seek to do what we can to love one another and show grace to all those we meet, in ways to intentionally make a difference in their lives. Continue to remember the families of all those impacted by the COVID-19 virus including our brothers and sisters at sister churches. Thank you for joining me in daily prayers for all those lifted up in our prayer list and for all those unspoken we hold in our hearts. Announcements: As we move forward, the Church is busy being the Church and planning and sharing in new and exciting ways to be Church. For our Youth Grades 4-8, we will gather once a month, date and time to be determined awaiting family feedback. For our Confirmands, they will spend some time this Summer in “active duty” as we invite them in to ways of being the church and helping serve the broader community. We will gather and serve beginning with Fresh Express on June 25. For all, we are planning an Intergenerational Vacation Bible / Summer Sunday School that will take place the last Sunday evening of June, July, August and September. We will gather at 6:30 p.m. in a local park setting with activities and lessons for the entire family, young and old. Stay tuned for more information. Please mark June 26, 6 p.m. on your calendar for our first gathering. Summer Fun events are also being planned include a Sunday evening hike, July 12 at Dale’s Ridge and an Outdoor Movie Night, Sunday, August 17, location TBD. Other Christian Education offerings this Summer will be Monday Morning Preacher Bible Study at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom where we will dig a little deeper into Sunday’s texts, and our Adult Sunday School class will continue to meet as well this Summer, at a new time (Sundays at 8 P.M) via Zoom and there’s room for everyone to join as they dig in to the book of Revelation starting this Sunday, June 14. ***New*** We are researching options for an outdoor church service. This will take place in a way to allow as many people to attend as possible and still social distance. The service will be held at a time other than 10:30 a.m. on Sunday as this time will continue to be reserved for our regular worship via Facebook LIVE. Lastly, for now (other opportunities and ways to gather are being considered), our Wednesday evening book study, Midweek Musings and Theology, Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., will continue through the Summer. We will complete the book “If Grace is True” during June and begin a new book in July, “Anxious to Talk About It: Helping White Christians Talk Faithfully about Racism”. Please join us for this read and discussion as we continue our journey together. Books have been ordered and will be available at the office for pick up. If you have not joined St. Paul’s Prayers and Love you are welcome to do so via Facebook and you may reach out to Jen Arnold to connect in this manner as well. This is a closed group where only members of the group may see your posts and prayer requests. Finally, just another reminder, if you or your family have not updated your information in the new Church Directory via “CTRN Online” you may link to the directory via the church website, www.spuccwm.org and request your login authorization and update any information. We would also love to have you upload your favorite picture. Please call the office if you have questions. (570) 568-1433. Please be good to yourself and kind to one another. Above all know you are loved and grace covered and filled Peace, Pastor Tim