Preparing for Sunday

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. -Matthew 11:29

REFLECT: To what or whom are we yoked? We all harness our lives to something: another person, work, family, success, reputation, our country, our political party. Sometimes our yokes are more interior like fear, anxiety, anger, particular beliefs and opinions, the losses and tragedies of our lives. Regardless, they are the relationships and attachments that we depend on for meaning and, for better or worse, they give us our life’s direction.

If we are going to call ourselves Christians, we must fully yoke ourselves to Christ. That means we take seriously our life of discipleship. Our prayer is more about intimacy with God than getting what we want. We work for justice and the dignity of every human being. We care for the poor, feed the hungry, and defend the oppressed. We love our enemies. We offer forgiveness before it is asked for. Our faithfulness should be evident by how we live and speak. We live day by day praising God and giving thanks for his gifts and blessings. We let go of anger. We don’t live in fear and we trust that daily bread will be provided. To be yoked to anything or anyone other than Christ will only leave us weary and burdened. To take on the yoke of Jesus is to take on his life.

PRAY: Dear Jesus, let my heart love like your heart. Let my mind be filled with the same concerns as yours. Let my feet walk in step with yours. Let my hands touch the world like yours. Let my eyes see the Father like yours. Let me live and move in tandem with you so my soul may be at rest. Amen.

Adapted from: https://interruptingthesilence.com/2011/07/03/the-yoke-of-christ-a-sermon-on-matthew-1611-30-proper-9a/

This Week's Schedule

Thursday, July 2

2:00pm Bible Discussion- Zoom

Friday, July 3

Observance of July 4th Holiday - Office is closed.

Sunday, July 5

9:30am* Holy Eucharist-ONSITE & YouTube

Rev. David Laquintano, Celebrant @ SMC (onsite) and Rev. Dr. Karl Krueger @ CCI (online)

10:00am Summer Sunday School-ZOOM ( email Deb Parker for details)

Monday, July 6

Staff Meeting

Tuesday, July 7

6:30pm Yoga Class- ZOOM

Thursday, July 9

2:00pm Bible Study- ZOOM

*After 9:30am, the YouTube service is available for "anytime" viewing.

Happy Fourth of July!

As we celebrate our nation's freedom, we honor the courageous men and women dedicated to preserving it. Red is for victory. White is for purity. Blue is for loyalty. The strength of this nation lies in the hearts of its people. Have a fun and safe holiday!

God bless the USA!

Pray In-Person

Onsite worship continues this Sunday, July 5th. Guidelines for what to do and expect with the church reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic can be found by clicking here.

Details include service time, number of attendees, restriction of all children, attendance tracking, personal protection, social distancing, sanitizing stations, pew setups, worship protocols - offertory, communion, music, and fellowship limitations.

If you do not feel safe returning to church yet for any reason, you are encouraged to stay at home. The weekly recorded service will continue to be available for your viewing convenience premiering at 9:30 AM on Sundays.

Questions or concerns may be directed to Sandy Reinhardt, our Rector’s Warden, by phone (610-247-5954) or email ( sandyreinhardt@msn.com).

Summer Sundays-Bridge Building

On Sunday, June 28, we gathered and talked about God's creation, including the rainbows! God created everything. We know from science that rainbows are formed when there is sun, water, and light going through droplets to bend and separate what we see into colors. If you have a white piece of paper, a clear glass, and a flashlight you can try making a rainbow by putting the cup with water about 2/3 full on the paper (on a steady table), then shining the flashlight through at various angles until a bow of light shows up on the paper. Here is a short video showing when rainbows form ( https://youtu.be/GqbgJ3c3yhc). In the Bible, a rainbow in the sky is a symbol of a special promise God made connecting us with God. This special agreement is called a covenant. You can think of a rainbow as a kind of bridge, or connection, to God.

This coming Sunday we are going to be looking at all sorts of bridges. Some are small, some very large, some meant for cars, but many more for people, water, animals, and trains! We will talk about the wonderfully diverse world of bridges and then vote on our favorite one.

Adults and children of all ages are welcome to join in the Zooming fun!

Here are the Zoom details:

https://zoom.us/j/919360689

or Call: 646-558-8656

Meeting ID: 919 360 689

Committee Report

The Search Committee reports that the first candidate's visit this past weekend was a success. The second candidate's visit is scheduled for July 9-10. Click here for details and the most recent report. The final choice is expected to be submitted to the Vestries in time for the July 16th joint meeting. Please continue to keep the Committee in your prayers.

Thursday's Bible Discussion

We are moved by the Spirit and each Thursday invite adults to join members of St. Martin's and Christ Church as we talk about Bible passages, what they mean to us, and their connection to the world. We continue to use art to give us a visual image of how artists in the past created an understanding of a Bible passage. The Presiding Bishop's video messages are another source of inspiration that help spark conversation. Once again we will be on Zoom and if anyone would like to test the Zoom connection or talk more about this discussion group, please contact Deb Parker.

Here are the Zoom details:

https://zoom.us/j/93842826315

or Call: 646-558-8656

Meeting ID: 938 4282 6315

Cleaning and Hygiene Supplies

We continue to collect hygiene and cleaning supplies for our friends at Highland Homes. Bags should include: body soap (3 bars), shampoo (1 bottle), toothpaste (1 tube), sponges (2), paper towels (1 roll), all purpose cleaner (1 bottle), dish soap (1 bottle) and windex/glass cleaner (1 bottle). Other "extras" could include laundry detergent, toothbrushes, handiwipes/cleaning cloths, hand sanitizer and wipes. Bags can be delivered to church on Monday, Wednesday or Friday mornings or arrangements can be made for pickup by contacting Pam Faber. Thank you in advance for your support and generosity.

The New Norm

From social distancing, sanitizing, hand-washing, and staying-at-home, new "norms" are in full effect. Here is a St. Martin's summary:

Helping Others-

Weekly Giving-

Office Hours:

Sundays' Activities:

Weekday Activities:

Sunday's Readings can be found on the Worship page at St. Martin's website .

Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67

Psalm 45: 11-18

Romans 7:15-25a

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30