"If your brother sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that brother. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Matthew 18:15-18

We ask that you continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Kaduna State, Nigeria; Pastor Nehemiah Kim Maji and his family; the Spurgeon Hope Ministry; and all affected by the ongoing persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters there as they also suffer the economic effects of the pandemic. We were so delighted to receive a great deal of reporting about ongoing efforts there through the Spurgeon Hope Ministry, and we give thanks to God that we were able to share our resources with them to bring aid to those who are suffering. Here are a few pictures from a relief event they put on, funded by donations from First Presbyterian of Bristol and the Missionary Emergency Fund. Pray, pray, pray for our brothers and sisters there. If you are led, also consider giving to their ongoing relief efforts. You can do so by giving to the church and specifying "Spurgeon Hope Ministry" in your gift. /Pastor Sam

Parents of children and students! We need your feedback as we try to plan the next couple of months. Please take a moment to fill out the survey you will find here by Monday, August 10. We greatly appreciate your help as we navigate the best way to minister to your families in this season! /Katie Arnold

This season has required us to get a little more techy, which has given us more opportunities to serve during our worship services! If you are interested in serving with our audiovisual team, we would love to hear from you! No experience necessary. Want to learn how to control the cameras, control the sound, or run the videos and graphics? The AV team will train you for the role. Contact the church office! /Katie Arnold

The days are a bit shorter, the weather is much wetter, the temperatures are sliding up and down the scale. Ron Fox (August 5-8) faces the challenge of the clouds ripping their masks off and showering him with droplets, if he doesn't time his mowing of the church lawn just right. Only NOAA knows how the arc will bend for Larry Connolly (August 12-15) when his turn comes round next week. Maybe while we're waiting for the rainbow, it would be a good idea to think about building the other kind of ark.

Memorials and honoraria are published in the newsletter only after the family has been personally notified by our business office. Today we gratefully acknowledge gifts in memory of:

Logan "Joe" Brown: to the Music Ministries Fund from Carl & Reveley Gray McGrady

Dianne Glymph (mother of Mary Ellis Rice): to the Music Ministries Fund from Ernie & Karen Pennington

Virginia Long (mother of Lilly Osborne): to the Children's Ministries Fund from Barb Thompson

Virginia Rutherford: to the Minister's Discretionary Fund from Chuck & Suzee Bolick, from Linda Darnell, from Diane Harrison, from William Latham

Laura Ann Warner: to the Memorial Fund from Frances Rowell; to the Music Ministries Fund from Dotty Royston, from Barb Thompson

Bill Whitesides (brother of Dave): for technology and music for 9:00 service from Dave & Dottie Whitesides

	Christ on the Via Dolorosa

The very first composition I ever put down on paper, at age 10, was a rather haunting dirge. That early piece, heard exactly as I wrote it, is the theme for "Christ" (Sunday's prelude), the last in a set of 12 pieces from The Apostles: Twelve Sketches for Organ. Each piece is a musical reflection on one of twelve lithographs by the Spanish Surrealist artist Salvador Dali (1904-1989). I composed the work in 2008 for an FPC Arts Series program called Artistic Reflections, for which local composers had been invited to compose pieces inspired by works of art housed at King College. Images of each piece of art were projected on a screen during the performances, and at the reception afterwards the audience could see the original artwork on display. It is interesting that Dali chose to include Christ as an apostle. Dali's lithograph shows Christ carrying his cross to his crucifixion.

	Creatureliness: Salvador Dali with pet ocelot

The genesis for "Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow" goes back to the summer I codirected a Junior High Music Camp at Camp Whitman, a Christian summer camp on the shore of Seneca Lake in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region of Western New York. The weeklong camp culminated in the children leading worship on Sunday morning at a local church. I wrote a couple of pieces of music for them, one of which was a contemporary setting of the Doxology. The children sang each phrase, with the congregation repeating after them. Years later I wrote "Chorale Prelude on Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow." It reflects on something my sister did in church when we were kids. We were singing the traditional Doxology. When we came to the line, "Praise Him, all creatures here below," she made antlers with her fingers on her head! With that image in mind, I tried to bring out all the creatureliness I could.

I recently composed "Trumpet Tune in D Major" for my musical friends David and Laura Champouillon, of Johnson City. I intentionally wrote it in the style of David N. Johnson (famous for his trumpet tunes), hence the subtitle "hommage à David N. Johnson."

You can watch the video of last Sunday's 11:00 worship service here.