Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Walnut Hill Church Weekly Letter

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Greetings to all!

Exploring Our Spirituality Through Prayer is our focus for this weekend, October 
15 - 16, at Walnut Hill Church (see details below).  Perhaps we can do some 
advance work by considering the question, "What do we mean by prayer?"  Each 
of us would likely offer a different response to that question.  Consider one 
response from the spiritual teacher, Evelyn Underhill.

In the first place, what do we mean by prayer?  Surely just this:  that part of our 
conscious life which is deliberately oriented towards, and exclusively responds to, 
spiritual reality.  God is that spiritual reality, and we believe God to be immanent 
in all things. "[God] is not far from each one of us: for in [God] we live and move 
and have our being." … [Prayer] entails, then, a going up or out from our ordinary 
circle of earthly interests.  Prayer stretches out the tentacles of our consciousness 
not so much towards that Divine Life which is felt to be enshrined within the striving, 
changeful world of things; but rather to that "Eternal truth, true love, and loved
Eternity" wherein the world is felt to be enshrined.

EXPLORING OUR SPIRITUALITY THROUGH PRAYER
Sat, Oct 15, 8:30am - 3:00pm - Day retreat featuring presentations, discussion, 
practice, and quiet reflection.  Leadership provided by Dr. Sharon Grant and 
Mr. George Aboud.  Box lunch included. Suggested donation $20. Use reply email
or call the church office (263-5304) to register.
Sun, Oct 16 , 10am - Sunday Conversation - continuing the exploration sharing 
our Saturday experience and asking new questions.
Sun, Oct 16, 11am - Morning Worship - celebrating prayer as a path to nurture
and express our faith.

The Children's Focus for this Sunday, October 16, will be the "Parable of the
Persistent Widow" (Luke 18:1-8) as we continue to celebrate Jesus' message,
as found in the Gospel of Luke, that the Kingdom of God is for all.

The "Boone Creek Safari" annual youth and family outing to the Vaughan cabin
is scheduled for Sun, Oct 23.  This is always a special occasion for youth and
their families.  Watch for more details.

The Children's Choir for children through elementary age resumes on Sunday,
October 23, 10am, in Trinity Hall as they prepare for a presentation during the
Christmas season.

Hurricane Matthew Relief - Persons wanting to support relief efforts in the wake 
of Hurricane Matthew will have opportunity to do so this Sunday, October 16
Cash and checks payable to Walnut Hill Church (designated "Hurricane") are
welcome.  We will be dividing our support between Haiti and the southeast U.S.

Opportunities to host our after worship refreshments are available for Sundays
in later October through December.  Visit the  online sign-up sheet  or check out
the traditional sign up sheet in the Sanctuary foyer to host a Sunday upcoming.

Peace to all.

Mike Ward




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