Sermon: Keeping the Faith
Why is God so interested in forgiveness? In this story, a continuation of last week’s gospel lesson, we find another image of the relentlessness of God in defending the norm of reconciliation/forgiveness. As people of faith, do we realize how God has forgiven us (freed us may be a better term here)? Do we realize what it means to enact a culture of forgiveness with our neighbors?
Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35
Join us for worship on Sunday, September 14th at 10:30 a.m., and for coffee and fellowship after the service.
Welcome Back Sunday Potluck
Sunday, September 14th:: We want to welcome back everyone from their summer vacations, jobs, internships, and adventures! We will have several speakers for our program. Regina Baiden worked at the United Nations Women’s Peace and Security Unit in New York City this summer. A Ghanaian graduate student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, she is especially interested in policies related to the rights and economic empowerment of women and girls. Her internship focused on research and communication for several programs. Rev. Allen Fairfax attended a conference in June that covered Sabbath Economics and Watershed Discipleship. He’ll introduce both concepts, and then detail the Adult Education programs focused on them that will begin in October. After graduating from the College of Wooster in 2013, Catherine Gillette worked for a year as a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. In Texas, she did community organizing with low-income workers in the construction industry. Last month she moved to Boston to work as the Site Coordinator of the Boston Food Justice YAV program. We’ll hear more about the specific churches and groups for this year from Catherine. Mark Hoover, who is also a student at the Fletcher School, spent his summer in the West African nation of Burkina Faso. We’ll hear about his work there. For the potluck, please bring an appetizer, soup, salad, side dish, main dish, dessert or beverage to share. No nuts please, as we have folks with severe nut allergies. If you have questions, please contact Ellen. (ellends1313@gmail.com)
Work Day at Church
Church work day to collect and dispose of random items spread throughout the church. The work day is on Saturday, September 27th from 9:00 a.m.- noon. If you plan to attend or have any questions please contact Josh Herzig (joshua.herzig@gmail.com).
Ministry Circle
Sunday, September 28th: Ministry circle fair during coffee hour after the service. Last spring we put in place a new way to organize our ministry and operations in a way that will let us all thrive. Please come to the ministry circle fair to hear from the circle leaders about the exciting opportunities we have for you. You’ll get a chance to ask questions and find ways to engage in the work of the church.
Conversations on Eco-Justice:
Wednesday, October 1st: Introduction to Ched Myers’ Sabbath Economics
Wednesday, October 22nd: Introduction to the Watershed Discipleship Movement
Gatherings begin at 6:30,ending at 8:00 p.m. in the Green Room.
Public Welcome!! Booklets available at the meetings.
World Communion – Peacemaking Offering
Collected on Sunday, October 5th
Nave Gallery – Truth Telling: Art in Search of Social Justice
Special exhibit! The Nave Gallery, located in our building, will be holding a special show in October. Celebrating the gallery’s 10th anniversary, it’s called Truth Telling: Art in Search of Social Justice and will be curated by our former pastor, Karl Gustafson. Please note Sunday, October 5th, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. in your calendar, and plan to attend the opening! Karl will be visiting the area for a week, and will be at the opening.
Deacons Greeting Card Collection
The Deacons are collecting greeting cards to send to church members/friends in need. We can especially use sympathy cards, and friendly “thinking of you” cards. We would like to create a collection so we can respond to needs more immediately. Please bring in unused cards and leave them in the container in the copy room if you would like to donate.