Greetings to all!
With all the clouds and rain the sun seemed a little slow in rising
this morning. Joyce Rupp reflects on the blessings of the daylight
via the Psalms, such as Psalm 90:14 or (my personal favorite) Psalm
118:24.
The ill or those unable to sleep at night are especially grateful at
the first hints of morning light. The dawning rays bring freedom from
the isolation of night's darkness and offer the promise of hope in the
fresh new day. The authors of the psalms understood the special
moment of dawn and were in touch with the human condition. Many
psalms refer to the morning as a time of blessing, an awakening to the
graciousness of God, a restoration of hope, and an opportunity to
realize again how blessed we are to have the gift of life. The
spiritual writer Anthony Bloom once wrote: "This day is blessed by
God, it is God's own and now let us go into it. You walk into this day
as God's own messenger; whoever you meet, you meet in God's own way.
You are there to be the presence of the Spirit..."
Whether we feel drowsy, grumpy, in pain, or energized and refreshed,
ready to begin anew, when we awake with the dawning of a new day, we
know that God is with us. The day that stretches before us is a day
in which God will be our companion. It is a day in which we can bear
the goodness of God to all we meet.
(from "Inviting God In")
The Scripture lessons for Sunday, October 18:
Job 38:1-7, 34-41
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45
LIVING THE QUESTIONS video discussion series continues this Sunday,
10am, in Trinity Hall. The topic for this Sunday is "Practicing
Resurrection." Feel free to join the conversation, enjoy a cup of
coffee, or just listen in.
ACE CLASS TRIP - As we have in recent years, again this year Walnut
Hill Church will be sponsoring students to participate in the Athens-
Chilesburg Elementary School Fifth Grade Class Trip to Washington,
DC. Fifteen students are in need of financial assistance to attend,
at a cost of approximately $550 per student. Your donations in any
amount are welcome. Make your check payable to Walnut Hill Church,
designated "ACE Trip." Feel free to contact Natalie Watt for more
information regarding the ACE Class Trip and/or other ways that you
can support the important work of education at Athens-Chilesburg
Elementary.
SUNDAY HOSPITALITY - A new sign-up sheet has been posted for Sunday
Hospitality. Look for it in the Sanctuary foyer. There are plenty of
opportunities throughout the fall season. We appreciate all those who
provide our refreshments from Sunday to Sunday.
IN THE COMMUNITY: The Kentucky Council of Churches will hold its 62nd
Annual Assembly on October 15 - 16 at Natural Bridge State Park. The
theme of this year's Assembly: "The Creation Waits With Eager
Longing." Keynote speaker will be Dr. Larry Rasmussen, Professor
Emeritus of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary, New York.
See the Council of Churches website (www.kycouncilofchurches.org) for
more information about the Assembly in particular and the Kentucky
Council of Churches in general. Mike Ward will be attending the
Annual Assembly as a member of the Council's Executive Board.
THANKS, NEWS, ETC:
*Thanks to...Marian Congleton, Barbara Nutini, and Maggie and Bill
Patterson for providing last Sunday's refreshments; Nell Horman and
Derek Vaughan for their work with the youth class; Gene Brockopp for
moderating our LTQ discussion; Stephen Trail for his service as
acolyte, and to Mark Horman for his service as acolyte coach; John
Ragland and Mark Horman for end of season vegetable garden
maintenance; Barbara Waldmann-Ward for recent flower bed maintenance;
David Sharrard for Sanctuary door repair; Ruth Sharrard for our Sunday
flowers; Martha DeReamer for her weekly work as Treasurer. We are
grateful to these persons and many others who by their service keep
things going at Walnut Hill.
*Congratulations to two couples on their recent marriages: Lee
Sturtevant and Tom Ward, Betsy Morley and Ben Bates.
*$116.00 has been received in special gifts, which will be forwarded
to Church World Service to assist in relief and recovery work in Somoa
and Indonesia.
Peace to all.
Mike Ward
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