June 25, 2023 10am Worship Service
June 18, 2023 10am Worship Service Matthew 10:24-39 , Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17 I hope that everyone has recovered from the work, fun and fellowship of last weekend’s Strawberry Festival! This week in worship, we take a pause from the “Bumper Sticker Theology” series and welcome St. Peter’s Grace Episcopal Church and their Rector, Rev. Derek Stefanowsky, to the pulpit for a preacher exchange. Jesus’ language in Sunday’s reading from the Revised Common Lectionary is terse and provocative. He states emphatically and upfront that he did not come to this earth to bring a political rebellion against Rome, or to settle inner individual struggles in people. His work is deeper and broader. It is quite possible that Matthew’s community had experienced family divisions and that some followers had even been turned away for following Jesus’ teachings. That’s relatable, because our modern society holds many divisions too: political, economic, social, racial, ethnic and gender included. I’ve heard of some families who no longer celebrate holidays together because of the ideologies that rend them apart. Some of this is generational, young people may clash with parents on matters of faith when their generation just sees things differently. Trying to follow Christ and live faithfully around these complicated societal issues can cause tensions and uncertainties among loved ones. Some think the divisions are little more than a family squabble, while others see in them a struggle against the cosmic powers of this present darkness (Ephesians 6:12). The Christ whom God has sent among us ushers in an era of engagement and challenge where convictions will be tested and decisions made about the things that matter in this life. The struggle is not an easy burden to bear. Did you miss the opportunity to buy Strawberry Festival jam recently? You will get that chance on most Sundays during the summer starting on June 25th at coffee hour. Flavors that are available are: strawberry, blueberry, pineapple and cherry at $5/jar. See either Susie or Frank to get your delicious, handmade jam that you can put on toast, add it to your smoothies, make a glaze for pork or chicken, add it with cream cheese and crackers to make a yummy appetizer, top it on ice cream, pancakes or waffles and even spread it between layers of cake. There're so many things you can use the jam for. Get some and enjoy!! You can even get vintage 2022 strawberry jam for FREE (while supplies last)! Please remember that the Monroe Summer Day Camp will be renting our MCC campus again this summer. If you need to enter the building between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday please stop into the office and ask Diane to notify the camp director. If the office is closed, please use the walkie-talkie provided to notify the camp director, Karen, of your presence. Thank you! We are grateful to Jack Campbell for his musical offerings this Sunday. He is currently a cello major at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. Jack will be playing J.S.Bach. J.S. Bach composed six cello suites between 1717 and 1723. By the early 1700s, traditional renaissance baroque era dances such as the allemande, sarabande, minuet, and bourre gradually developed into purely instrumental forms, elevating them to into the highest level of musical elcellence and artistry. Jack will be playing the first and third suites for solo cello. See you at church, in person or online!
