TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 2023

Pastoral Prayer

by Ashley Brown, SCAPC Pastoral Resident

We pray, Lord, that you may use our bodies to build peace in our communities:

Use our hands as your hands.

Use our feet as your feet.

Use our ears as your ears.

May we build with our hands safe homes for our families, and schools for our children.

May we dare to walk in uncomfortable spaces…to bravely face new paths in our lives, less trodden by our peers.

May we hear your voice in the stories of those different than our own.

In body and in soul, we are yours. Amen.

from Sunday, June 11 worship service

Summer Sunday Services

Please remember that on Sundays now through August 13, we have a single worship service at 9:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary and via livestream.

Adult Sunday School Class

Sundays in June | 8:30 a.m. | Phifer Library

In this class, we are examining the Book of James. Known in history as James the Just, the author of this biblical book was one of the most pivotal figures in the early church. As a devout Jew and Christ follower, James’ deep appreciation and empathy for the traditional Jewish customs and laws was balanced by his understanding of the needs found in non-Jewish believers.

Children's Activities During Worship

During the month of June, in the early part of each service, children in first grade and under are invited to Frampton Fellowship Hall for a lesson and fun activities.

A Prayer for Father's Day

by Chris Currie

O Lord our God, we give you thanks for parents and adopted parents and surrogate family in and through the church who have loved us when we were lost and unlovable and adrift in the life of faith.

In particular we thank you for fathers as we commemorate this Father’s Day together. We thank you for those unpretentious saints who confessed the faith, held our hands, cheered us on, and cared for us and this community in ways largely unseen. We thank you for big-hearted sinners who showed us the meaning of persistence, cheerfulness, and a love that will not quit. We lift them all to you this day, those related to us, those who sit next to us, those whom we have admired from afar.

Help the fathers among us, and all of us, O God, keep faith with our calling and keep faithfully at our labors, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Charge to Our Congregation

with thanks to Ted Wardlaw and Rev. Andrew Foster-Conners

What we as members of Christ’s body in this particular congregation are charged to do:

1. Find a way to worship regularly. It is the most important thing we do in the church where we have the opportunity, on a regular basis, to open the alabaster jar of praise until the scent wafts up to heaven. Even when you are traveling, find a place to worship.
2. Get involved. Take advantage of the opportunities to serve and participate in the life of this church…find a way, group, practice in which you can inhale the love of God and where you can exhale the love of God. Find a way to be enriched and filled and a way to give and serve.
3. Get involved in the spiritual formation and educational life of this congregation. Presbyterians love to learn and that should be happening in a myriad of ways here…theologian John Leith once said, ‘next to a life of love, the human mind in the service of God is the most wonderful thing in the world.’
4. Give generously, with your time and your energy and your participation, and your money. Faithful stewardship is about more than money, but it never means less than money.
5. Be evangelists. The gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be contained or kept privately. Live your faith and where appropriate, speak it too. Invite others to become a part of the life we share here. New members are our best evangelists. 

Youth Service Trip to Memphis

Last week an enthusiastic group of SCAPC youth dedicated seven days to service projects in Memphis, Tennessee, including the Mid-South Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, Project Transformation, Manna House, Idlewild Presbyterian Vacation Bible School, and the Civil Rights Museum. Pictured from left are Sage Scott (Memphis Mission Immersion Director), Parker Pugh, Vivian Kane, Laeryd Rich, Amelie Perschall, Blair Foss, Amy Mackenroth, Caroline Schmidt, Michele Murphy (SCAPC Director of Christian Education), Nicole Ray (SCAPC youth leader), Liam Egan, Turner Mazzanti, Jack Egan, Kate Knight, Chris Hazlaris (SCAPC Director of Youth & Young Adults), Allison Tarabour, and Emma Randels-LaRocca. Ground level from left are Chuck Mutz (SCAPC youth leader), Arden Weiser, and Savannah Weiser.

Virtual Class on the Hebrew Bible

This fall, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary will be offering an online class, "Introduction to the Hebrew Bible", that is available to anyone wishing to audit. The class is a study of the Hebrew Bible as shaped by the varied circumstances in which the faith and life of the believing communities found expression. The cost to audit the class is $150. For details, click here.

Summer Sunday Fun for Children

Last Sunday, Amelia Smith and Ann-Kempter and Lillian Wheeler joined Michele Murphy for some bubbly fun on the playground during morning worship.

Nursery School Seeking Part-Time Teachers

The SCAPC Nursery School is seeking experienced teachers to work with children ages 2-5 for the 2023-2024 school year, beginning in mid-August with possible summer camp opportunities. Work days are Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Please email Keflyn Fransen at scapcns@gmail.com for more information.