Sunday, August 11: Church picnic & potluck following worship. Hot dogs, brats, buns and drinks provided. Bring a side or dessert to share. Family and friends invited to join the fellowship.
Bible Study Returns! (Beginning on Monday, August 12, 6 pm)Pastor Paul welcomes you to join him at 6 pm on Mondays for the first look at the Lectionary texts for the following Sunday. This is a time for questions and conversation in our lives of faith – and your participation greatly assists in creating a meaningful sermon on Sunday. Join us!
Grill’s On! Thursday Evenings 5:30 – ? at the ChurchGreat fun and great food! Last week was the first time we had more community members than church members! Join us for a time of feast and fellowship. Bring something to put on the grill, and a side to share – but if you don’t have anything, don’t worry, there is always more than enough!
History Team We’ve made great progress in going through our archives! For all the effort of sorting and labeling, there is also a lot of laughter and storytelling. Join us on Wednesday, August 14, at 10 am as we lift up our past and make sure our memories are well preserved. (Note: We’ve also received a donation to our History Team from the Morgan Park History Tours. Thanks to Bob Berg for offering your tours!)
Christian Education Children’s programming will be returning in September! Are you interested in being a part? (Or know of children and families that are interested?) Contact Pastor Paul 218-349-0143.
From Pastor Paul: Toward Sunday Well, as if you haven’t noticed, I love to share words with you, and I figure it was only a matter of time before I write or speak something that does not adequately reflect my intention and meaning. After re-reading my commentary for the August newsletter, I think that time has arrived…so let me offer a bit of editing here: Context: In our newsletter, I offered a quote in my commentary from a letter I wrote to a pastor in a congregation that finds itself in a time of conflict and divisiveness (this is nothing new in the history of Christianity – we have the gift of Paul’s letters to the churches he founded for perspective there – “circumcision? individualism? women prophets?” Oh my!). Here’s the quote that I think I messed up in writing: “I understand well what it feels like to share ministry and fellowship with people that do not espouse a uniform theology or morality, so while I cannot speak for the entire congregation, let me assure you that you have kinship, fellowship, and support with this pastor.”Yikes! Hello editors, we need some clarification here! So here’s what I should have written: “I come from a church with a long history of diversity in cultural opinions and differences in how we live into God’s presence in our lives. It is the tradition of the United Church of Christ to accept all people in love as Jesus taught us, and I am deeply proud of that tradition. When it comes to divisive issues of the day, we share our opinions, tell our stories, and accept our differences, centered in our love of God and each other – and I think that makes us a better community. Unlike some churches, we don’t simply obey a declaration from human beings of a higher rank or status than us. We question and challenge and (most importantly) listen to one another. So as a pastor, I do not claim to know how God is working in the hearts of my congregation any more than the humble bit of information God has given me to share from my studies and prayers…but from all I have learned in prayer and study, you have my kinship, fellowship, and support.”Or maybe I should’ve put it this way: “Look, I’m not in charge, and as a pastor yourself, neither are you! God is in charge, and I won’t pretend to believe I have a direct line to God or know what God wants from each person, and frankly, I’ve found that pastors that make such claims tend to have personal motives that extend beyond their service to God. All I have is what God gives me, week by week., So just keep loving God and loving your people, keep your disciplines, and know that I think you are doing the right thing.”With respect to our world views and values, we are a diverse group of people. And if growth is to happen, we will only increase in our diversity. I think this is a good thing. Will the opinions of other church members rub you the wrong way? Sure. Will acceptance of a different kind of Christian feel uncomfortable? You betcha. But listen for God in your conversations. I promise you, love is there.
Let’s Talk!
Pastor Paul