Look Inside from the Pastor’S Desk Rev
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July 2017 Vol 6, No 7 Look Inside From the Pastor’s Desk Rev. Kerri Hefner Director of Christian Ed 2 Recently Presbyterian crisis. Let us remember that in life and in Director of Music 3 Outlook published death we belong to God. Let us take time an article by Rev. to celebrate life and love, milestones and Mission 4 Ashley-Anne Masters memories. Let us recognize and grow Photos 5 on caring for those from our mistakes, but also let us replace dealing with cancer. It is titled, “Cancer guilt with gratitude and grace. Clerk of Session 5 Doesn’t Discriminate Between the Sinners Calendar 6 and the Saints” (published 6/13/17). Several of you have picked up the Care To read the article online, go to http:// Notes in the narthex over the past year or Worship Volunteers 7 so. I liked those leaflets because they gave pres-outlook.org/2017/06/cancer-doesnt- Historical Notes 8 discriminate-sinners-saints/ sincere encouragement and advice for a wide range of concerns, including illness. NHCCC 9 Masters takes a stand for religious faith in I hope those notes were a help to the midst of cancer, reminding us that we you. Unfortunately, the publisher has gone Pansy’s Corner 9 are never apart from God’s love. She out of business. So, perhaps in this Birthday / Anniversary 10 suggests we remember a quote from two newsletter or on the church website blog recent Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) section, I can pass along helpful articles Annual Summer Social 10 confessions: “In life and in death we and resources. To access the blog, visit Announcements 11 belong to God. And life is a gift to be newhopepresusa.org, hover your mouse received with gratitude and a task to be over “News,” and click on “Pastor’s Boy Scouts 11 pursued with courage.” Further, Blog – New Hopes.” Masters argues against using battle imagery for cancer. I’ve heard others say If you are dealing with a difficult situation the same thing recently. How, asks today, pursue with courage. Remember Masters, can we say that anyone who has God’s love which surrounds you. suffered from cancer is a “loser”? She Remember how Jesus treated each sick reminds us to approach our loved ones person he encountered with compassion who are sick with gratitude and not guilt. and respect. Remember that God’s Spirit is within you, the same Spirit Jesus gave I thought the wisdom in this article applies to his disciples with his breath (John to other terrifying situations we encounter: 20:22). In life and in death, we belong illness, breaking of relationships, financial to God. Upcoming Events Adult Fellowship Sunday July 9 12:00 pm Church Pool Party & Cookout at NHCCC Sunday July 23 1:00 pm (Meal at 5 PM) Director of Christian Education Mary Todd Peters Dear New Hope Friends, to get to meet other youth struggling to make sense out of faith, life and the world. In mid-July, two of New Hope’s youth, Zuling and Shi Li Quade will This year’s conference theme is “A Missing be in Montreat experiencing their first PEACE”. We will be staying in a house with a youth group from Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Montreat Youth Conference. It is a wonderful week filled with worship, church in Tucker, GA. Please keep Zuling, Shi Li, keynotes, drama, music, small and me in your prayers as we experience this groups, Bible study, recreation, free conference. We look forward to sharing our time (hike Lookout!), and a chance experiences with you when we get back! Flat Jesus on the MOVE this Summer! Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance Our families were given family faith folders with everywhere we go. activities to do during their travels this summer — Flood our souls with your spirit and life. and a Flat Jesus. They were encouraged to take their Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly, folder and “Flat Jesus” with them on their trips. When that our lives may only be a radiance of yours. they stop at a scenic place or are doing something fun Shine through us, and be so in us, they are to take pictures of “Flat Jesus” with their that every person we should come in contact with family. These pictures will be sent to Mary Todd for may feel your presence in our soul. an end of summer bulletin board — so we can see Let them look up and see no longer us, but only Jesus. where our families and Flat Jesus have traveled! See Stay with us, and then we shall begin to shine if you recognize where my flat Jesus is in these as you shine; pictures! If you would like to so to shine as to be a light to others; pick up a flat Jesus (and other the light, Jesus, will be all from you. activities) they will be out on None of it will be ours. the children’s table in the It will be you shining on others through us. narthex. Let us thus praise you in the way you love best, by shining on those around us. Let us preach you without preaching: not by words, but by our example, by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what we do, the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear for you. Amen. adapted - favorite prayer of Mother Teresa 2 Director of Music Allen Amos Summer choir is in full Homecoming Worship Service at New Hope on swing and is open to August 27. anyone who would like to sing this summer and/or on a year- Please mark your calendar for round basis. No weekday rehearsals the third and final organ concert are required – just show up at 10:15 am in our series celebrating 30 on Sunday morning in the choir room, years with the Brombaugh and we will put the anthem Organ on Sunday, September together. If you’ve ever wanted to try singing in 24 at 4 pm. Rev. Dr. Mark the choir, this is a great time to start! Regular choir Gorman, former New Hope and the handbell choir will resume weekly Director of Music, will be rehearsals on Tuesday, August 8, prior to the performing. Books for Youth/Adults Katherine Cheek Retires After Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul – a compilation of inspiring stories written by teens and adults 17 Years Service at New Hope Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves To New Hope Presbyterian Church of Life – by Richard Rohr With rare insight, Rohr takes us on a journey to give Fellowship: us an understanding of how the heartbreaks, disappointments, and first loves of life are actually Not “Goodbye”, but “Till we meet stepping stones to the spiritual joys that the second again”. My work and fellowship with half of life has in store for us. all of you has been one of the greatest experiences in my life. I Learning to Walk in the Dark – by Barbara Brown have learned so much from you and Taylor have shared in heartaches and joys Barbara Brown Taylor explores what we have come to with you. You will be missed but not forgotten. I have fear—the dark. Here she reflects on how our lives do been working since I was 12 years old and have not been not work only when everything is fully lit. We can’t without a part-time or full-time job since that time, so I always see the light. What we need is a spirituality am not sure what it will be like not to get up and go to that works in the nighttime. work, but I look forward to the adventure. God has been Velvet Elvis – by Rob Bell good. I have never had to look for a job. When I finished This book is for anyone who needs a fresh take on one, another was waiting for me. I came to you because Jesus and what it means to live the kind of life he of a call from your pastor, Harriet Isbell, looking for teaches us to live. Rob Bell is a pastor, blogger, and someone for Secretary/Bookkeeper. podcaster who is part of a community who have been As many of you know we discussed it and you were living, exploring, discussing, sharing and experiencing new understandings of the Christian faith. looking for someone who could set up your Quick Books. Harriet called me back and said you had found Honest to God: Psalms for Scribblers, Scrawlers and Sylvia Yawn and she had accepted the job. Soon Sylvia Sketchers – by James C. Schaap had to leave because her husband had been transferred, James Schaap invites you to take off on a riff the way so I came and worked with Sylvia for 4 months learning a blues saxophonist might. Even if you don’t have a what she had set up in the Quick Books and we became musical bone in your body, he wants you to pick up a great friends. Today, I continue what Sylvia set up and it pen or a pencil and respond to the melody these has worked well. I had no idea I would be with you for mediations bring to mind. Let loose. Let yourself go. 17 years, but as I leave maybe that was God’s plan, not Let yourself dream. ours. You will always claim a special place in my heart. The Wounded Healer – by Henri J. M. Nouwen May God continue to bless you and use you for his glory Nouwen inspires devoted men and women who want here at New Hope! to be of service in their church or community, but Katherine Cheek, Secretary/Bookkeeper have found the traditional ways of ministry alienating and ineffective.