July 3, 2022
July is the seventh month and the second half of the year. We have completed 184 days, including today which is July 3rd. We have 181 days left to complete 2022.
We are having a Prayer Wheel during this month, praying for the challenges we are facing as a congregation. You can find a link below to join at a time you are willing to pray. You can also click here for the letter that was sent to our congregation with more information. Will you pray with us?
Monday, July 4, 2022 is Independence Day and is observed as the birth of our nation.
The nation was born out of a commitment to create a country based on the creed that "All people are created equal and entitled to certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," this is the way the Declaration of Independence says it. The challenges which occasioned the birth of America still require the determination and resolve to continue "to form a more perfect union," realizing that we are a work in progress.
This “democratic experiment” as it has been called by some is still a work in progress as you can see from the gridlock in the Congress of the United States. Practicing principles is always challenging as life is fluid, not stagnant, requiring constant engagement to achieve what you believe in faith. A variety of states have passed to suppress the vote, limiting the number of days for voting and voting places, changing who can certify the vote, coupled with the Supreme Court invalidating the heart of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This action has permitted nine states, mostly in the South, to change their voting laws and together with the most recent Supreme Court’s decision, dealt a new blow to voting rights while upholding restrictions in Arizona. The Supreme Court has become more political, using what they call interpreting the Constitution in light of the original design which did not include all people, but only white men, excluding women and other ethnicities.
Sunday, July 24, 2022 is being observed as Male Emphasis Day. Our men from the Men’s Breakfast Club will be leading in worship.
Sunday, July 24, 2022 Mid-Year Church Meeting has been scheduled at 12:00 pm. A link will be provided for church members in an E-blast. The agenda will include prayer, verification of quorum, minutes from the annual meeting in January 2022 by the Church Clerk, Pastor’s reflections, Diaconate reflections, Trustee's reflections (including a report on the structural damage and the investment committee), presentation of the six-month budget, July – December 2022 by Budget and Finance Commission, Nominating Committee report, calendar for the remaining portion of the year, announcements, closing, and benediction.
Sunday, July 31, 2022 is Missions Emphasis Sunday.
Thank you for your continued commitment to this fellowship of faith.
With every good wish, I am,
Yours in Celebration of God's Love,
-Pastor
Dr. William S. Epps, Senior Pastor
