PASTOR'S MESSAGE
For the last three Sundays the sermons have focused on the Psalms. John Calvin said that in the Psalms you could find the whole faith of the whole person articulated. That the Psalms are an “anatomy of the soul,” fully articulating every facet of the cost and joy of life with God. For three millennia the Psalms have taught, shaped, and sustained the people of God. They are not only the ancient prayers of the Jewish people, they are the prayers of Jesus, and the prayers of the church. This prayer book that has united God’s people across the ages seems to be a solid, trustworthy place for us to begin our life together.
We used the “scheme” developed by the Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann to guide us. He has found that individual psalms can be organized around a common “Scheme” of orientation, disorientation, and new orientation. These three general themes reflect the flow of human life: seasons of well-being in which we express joy in God’s goodness and reliability; anguished seasons of hurt, alienation, suffering, and death; and turns of surprise when we are overwhelmed with the new gifts of God – when joy breaks through despair.
Several folks have asked for more information about which Psalms fit where. Below is a list of the three themes and where some, but not all of the Psalms would fit.
Psalms of Orientation: 33, 145, 104, 8, 1, 119, 15, 37, 14, 133, 131
Psalms of Disorientation: 88, 13, 86, 35, 74, 79, 137, 109, 50, 81, 32, 51, 143, 130, 49, 90,73
Psalms of New Orientation: 103, 30, 40, 138, 34, 65, 66, 124, 114, 29, 96, 93, 97, 98, 99, 47, 27, 23, 91, 117, 135, 113, 146, 147, 148, 100, 150
I hope these weeks in the Psalms has piqued your interest in this treasury of prayers so that they become a resource for your prayers in the many different seasons of life we each experience.
Grace and peace,
Michelle
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PLEASE JOIN US!
You are invited to Pastor Rob Hagen’s workshop on Culture of Generosity Saturday September 21st from 8:30-12:30. Lunch is provided. The Legacy Giving workshop will be after church on September 22nd 11:45-1:00. We look forward to seeing you at one or both!
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SAVE THE DATES
Pastor Michelle's installation will be September 29th at 4:00 pm with a reception to follow.
UPC's 150th year celebration will be November 9, 2019. More information to come!
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Under the Stars Movie & S’mores
Join us for fellowship fun on September 21st at 7:00 pm for s'mores and 8:00 pm for a movie in the North parking lot of the church. Bring a camp chair and blanket, if unable we will have extras. We will keep you posted on the movie that will be shown. See you on the 21st!!
If you would like to be on the committee to plan the activities for the church please contact the church office or a committee member. We would LOVE to have you!
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MISSION HIGHLIGHTS
· Gerald VanCampen and Nancy Lick participated in a Zoom session with members of the Wyoming Presbytery on August 12 to discuss the current status of the Syrian/Lebanon Project and where that Project is heading. A trip to the region is planned for May 18, 2020 (ending May 28) in conjunction with the Outreach Foundation. Mission is looking for an individual to work with Bob Gerrard and Steve Shive in planning this trip. Please contact Nancy Lick if this interests you. Meanwhile, Gerald is joining Steve at the Network Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia (September 17-19) where the over 10 church scattered throughout the nation working on the Lebanese/Syrian issue are meeting to coordinate and avoid duplication of their efforts. This group is also preparing a plan of action to be presented to the national church at the next meeting of the General Assembly. The Gerrards are also setting up a computer based information link so that our Presbytery can keep in closer communication with our contacts in Lebanon. Bob hopes that prayer concerns can be shared between Wyoming and Lebanon. Anyone interested in helping with this prayer chain, please contact Nancy L. For those of you who met the Tyre minister last fall, he is fully recovered from his heart attack and he and his wife are awaiting the birth of their second grandchild.
· Many thanks to Nancy Weidel for joining the UPC effort at the Downtown Clinic. She is watering their very healthy garden once a week. If you haven’t checked out the garden located behind the clinic with its murals on the surrounding walls, feel free to stop by.
· Mission members are working on three additional social justice workshops. One is scheduled for Sunday, October 27, on the environment with UPC’s Henry Haynes and the Rev. Peter Sawtell of the Eco-Justice Ministries presenting. A workshop on foster care as well as one on Presbyterian co-workers (think missionaries) are in the planning stages.
· The Peace and Global Witness special offering of the Presbyterian Church USA will be taken during September. 25% of this offering is retained by UPC and, in the past, has been donated to SAVE with last year’s going to Family Promise. A decision will be made at Mission’s September meeting for this year’s recipient.
· Heads up! The November Heifer Sale will be held during October this year. Please plan to do some early holiday shopping with critter purchases.
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We will kick off the year with a family cook out on September 4
th
at 5:30 in the north parking lot. Bring the entire family and catch up with other LOGOS families that you haven’t seen all summer.
LOGOS will start on September 11
th
. The theme will be Patriotic. Kindergarten through 5
th
grade will gather at 3:30 and wrap up at 6:15. Mid and Senior Highs will start at 5:30 and end at 7:00. This year’s registration form is open on UPC’s website. Please register your children today.
If you have any questions or would like to be apart of LOGOS please reach out to one of the following LOGOS board members:
Michelle Harris – 460-0275 – upckidmin@gmail.com
Jennifer Curran – 760-8670 – jcurran5198@gmail.com
Athena Dixon – 520-820-4518 – athenadixon@msn.com
Laura Killean – 761-0660 – fleebswife@gmail.com
Karri Waggoner – 532-6577
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MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE!
Please come check out what the Chancel is up to and join us Thursday, September 5, 2019 for a pot luck dinner in the North Lounge at 5:30pm. If you are not a member, please sup with us! We will begin weekly rehearsals, Thursday, September 12, 2019 in the Choir Room downstairs. We welcome all singers! Hope to see you! For further information, contact Lorinda O'Hashi,
LorindaO@aol.com
or 307-761-2687.
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HELLO & WELCOME ALL WOMEN!
We will be exploring ideas of adult Christian education, Bible studies & current issues for future studies. We need to expand our horizons & broaden our knowledge. Come join us & share ideas at a social tea gathering to get acquainted & discuss future plans. Come & enjoy the wonderful weather on Linda Haynes backyard deck at 1155 Escalera on Sunday, September 15th at 3:30 pm. Bring your ideas & a taste for savory & sweets. See you there & bring a friend.
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MARY MARTHA CIRCLE
The Mary Martha circle will begin the monthly third Wednesday 2019-2020 meetings at noon for lunch on September 18,2019. We are to study the Horizon Bible Study “Love Carved in Stone”. If you need more information to join the group and attain a study book, please contact Freda Dixon
742-0506. If you are planning to attend, please contact Isa Riley 745-5517.
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MANY THANKS
Thank you to the Rebekah Circle for cleaning and organizing the North Lounge kitchen. What an undertaking that was! There is a missing clear plastic 3 gallon beverage dispenser missing. If that has been borrowed please return to the kitchen. Much appreciated. Thank you again Rebekah Circle!
The Mission Committee wants to thank all of you who participated in the recent fundraiser for the Choir Trip. This includes the donors, the sorters, the pricers, the setting uppers, the sales assistants, the cashiers, and the buyers. Special thanks to Lorinda who arranged for donations from the Eppson Center and Nancy F who convinced the Alice Hardy Center that they needed $180 worth of the donated linens. You were all terrific. Our combined efforts resulted in $1500 with seven items still on consignment with a local antique store. A huge thank you to Nikki and her truck for carting the remnants to Goodwill and to those loyal few who spent the three days after the Sale in cleaning up. Anyone with comments on this effort, please relay them to members of the Mission Committee (Gerald, Nancy L, Nancy W, Nancy F, Vi, Linda, Patty, and Diane).
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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Sr High Youth Group
All Senior High Students are invited to join us on
September 8th from 4-7 in our north parking lot. We have invited several other churches in the Laramie community to see about forming 1 BIG community youth group. We will enjoy fun games, good food and friendship.
We plan to be meeting twice a month with both September dates to be held at UPC.
We hope to see all 9-12 graders there. Bring a friend!
Mid High Youth Group
As we kick off LOGOS, we are hoping to start a mid-high youth group. We are planning on meeting once a month starting in October. Watch for more information coming soon!
Needed Items
As we plan for a new year there are a couple of recycling items we will be needing.
Magazines
Empty soda fridge packs – the long 12 pack pop boxes.
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FOC & STEWARDSHIP UPDATE
How UPC stands financially at the end of July 2019:
Total Income $128,008.78 56.82%. Total Expenses $127,492.16 56.58%.
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EQUAL EXCHANGE
If you are in need of product from Equal Exchange, Lorinda O'Hashi will be ordering in the future. The future orders will benefit the New York choir trip. Please E-mail,
LorindaO@aol.com
or leave a message in the Church Office of your needs.
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CARNEGIE HALL, NEW YORK CITY
NOVEMBER 14-18, 2019
THE UPC CHOIR HAS BEEN INVITED TO SING IN THE NEW YORK PREMIER PERFORMANCE OF JOSEPH MARTIN’S AND HEATHER SORENSON’S CHRISTMAS DREAMS AT CARNEGIE HALL ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2019. YOU WILL JOIN OTHER CHORISTERS TO FORM THE DISTINGUISHD CINCERT SINGERS INTERNATIONAL AND CONDUCTOR AND COMPOSER JOSEPH MARTIN WILL LEAD THE PERFORMANCE. THERE ARE A FEW SPOTS STILL OPEN. CONSIDER COMING TO NYC TO HEAR THE PERFORMANCE EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT A CHORISTER.
PLEASE SEE LORINDA O’HASHI FOR THE DETAILS OF THE TRIP.
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Church Contact Info
To contact the church staff click on a name below.
Church Office or
Children's
Music
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Office Hours
The church office will be open Monday-Friday 8:00-3:00. Rev. Michelle Bacon will be in the church Monday-Thursday 9:00-5:00 on a regular basis.
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Reports & Session Minutes
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Calendar of Events at UPC
For a full calendar of events click on the calendar link.
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Make a Donation
UPC is please to offer online giving opportunities. For more information click on-line giving
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Give Now through
Presbyterian Mission Exchange
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