Faith Statement: Through the love and inspiration of Jesus Christ and each other we reach out beyond ourselves to support others, continue to grow in faith, praise God, and celebrate His gifts.

In-person worship service Downtown

802 Commercial Street, 10:45a.m.

Join us for Online Worship

Go to our EPC website:

www.emporiapresbyterianchurch.org

click on the Worship tab

or watch from our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/EmporiaPresbyterianChurch/

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

VBS at West

Thursday, July 4, 2024

Independence Day

Church Office Closed

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

VBS at West

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Session Sunday

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Fellowship Potluck at West

Let’s Go!

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” _{~Psalm 122}

We often call summer the “slow season” at church. The sentiment is surely tempting, as we settle into the rhythms of Ordinary Time, Easter and Pentecost are past, and Christmas is not yet looming (only 159 days until Advent!). And yet, the activity level of our church family only seems to have accelerated.

Have you seen the church garden at West Campus?! We planted a variety of veggies and herbs mid-May, and by mid-June the zucchini are plentiful, the jalapenos almost ready, and the squash look to be colonizing the courtyard well beyond their designated bed. Come by and share in the abundance!

Intergenerational Vacation Bible School is in full swing, as we share a meal, play games, craft crafts, and learn about ways to ensure all our neighbors – the world over – have access to healthy and sustainable food sources and farming practices.

Heartland Camp, our Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center in Parkville, MO, is bursting with record attendance, creative activities, and a theme of being Rooted in Christ. Through songs, swimming, horseback riding, bible study, days on the lake, night hikes, and games I do not understand (despite seeing the pictures and hearing the stories from our EPC campers), this year’s campers are exploring how being rooted and grounded in love strengthens us by God’s grace. 

Renovations Downtown continue apace, making for some noisy weekdays in the office, but the progress is evident thanks to the good guidance and diligence of our Property Committee and Renovation Task Force.

And, of course, we’re in worship every Sunday – gathering in body and spirit, offering songs and prayers, and hearing God’s Word. For the past month, we have been incredibly blessed by the generous leadership of all who stepped in to preach, offer the children’s moment, sing, play, and keep us on an even, spiritual keel while I was away on medical leave. On my first Sunday back, the words of Psalm 122 filled my heart, and I was truly glad to be back in the house of the Lord. 

We may be tempted in the summer to lament periodic “low Sundays,” but we know no matter the official head count, we are always bound together in Christ’s love. Member of our church family traveling to bucket-list destinations, braving the heat for youth sports, tending to their own needs (like I did when I was on leave), or taking much needed sabbath rest go with our blessing and are surrounded by our prayers.

This season isn’t slower, it’s summer! The rhythm is different, but the church remains. May we remain steadfast in our faith, wherever we find ourselves – in nature, on Wednesdays, off wandering, on Sundays, and all the days and places in between.

Back in May, We planted a plethora of squash, zucchini, jalapenos, and a variety of other herbs & veggies that are ready to be harvested. Please stop by the West Campus garden to help yourselves!

The Bible

The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Part I: The Book of Confessions

The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Part II: Book of Order

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

Knowing God by J. I. Packer

Simply Jesus by N. T. Wright

The Lord’s Prayer by Gerald O’Collins

Your God is Too Small by J. B. Phillips

Jesus: The God Who Knows Your Name by Max Lucado

John by Karoline M. Lewis

The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel

Sabbath as Resistance: Saying NO to the CULTURE OF NOW by Walter Brueggemann

Soul Tending: A Journey into the Heart of Sabbath by Anita Amstutz

The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr

God of the Oppressed by James H. Cone

Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott

Have a Little Faith and The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom (anything by Mitch Albom)

The Study Guides for all New Testament books by William Barclay

Francis of Assissi: A New Biography by Augustine Thompson

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibram

The Promises of God by R. C. Sproul

The Gospel According to Zen edited by Robert Sohl and Audrey Carr

Race and the Cosmos (2^nd ed) by Barbara A. Holmes

Brothers of the Desert: The Story of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert by Mari Grana

Educated by Tara Westover

When Church Stops Working by Andrew Root and Blair D. Bertrand

The Dame Frevisse series by Margaret Frazer

To Rescue the Constitution by Bret Baier

Basement update: The north side of the basement has drywall up on the walls and ceiling. The ceiling has been painted. The asbestos group has been here for the second time, and the floor is ready for the plumbers to start cutting the concrete for the sewer lines for the bathrooms and kitchen. The Session appointed a subcommittee for picking out cabinets, flooring, wall color, countertop, etc. They have met and are getting close to making those decisions.

Thanks to George Durler there is a new picnic table in the playground area. 

First Presbyterian Church of Manhattan [FPC-M] is rallying sister Presbyterians across the Presbytery of Northern Kansas to help Feed My Starving Children.

Through Feed My Starving Children’s MobilePack™ events, kids and adults of all ages can volunteer to help hand-pack nutritious MannaPack^® meals specifically designed to assist in reversing and preventing undernutrition. FPC-M is working to raise $30,000 in funds and sponsorships with a goal of packing 100,000 meals during the Flint Hill Praise Fest in Manhattan, September 20-21.  

They need our help!

You are invited to join a team from EPC to help pack meals with FPC-M and Feed My Starving Children.

The minimum age to participate is 5 years old with a parent/guardian. Time slots are 2 hours each, so kiddos (and adults) do need to be able to be on their feet for an extended period of time, though there are some limited seated jobs, generally reserved for our older volunteers for whom standing is difficult. Registration for time slots opens in mid-July.

If you are interested in being part of our team, let Pastor Phyl know, so we can carpool and serve together!

On June 26 the Durlers, Millers and Schrocks all traveled to the New Theater in Overland Park during a trip with the Emporia Recreation Center where they enjoyed the show Squabbles, staring Donny Most from Happy Days.