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Thursday, February 2, 2023

FROM THE PASTOR

Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar

Over the last two Sundays, our first and second graders have been learning about communion in their "Children at the Lord's Table" workshops with Pastor Alexandra. As we celebrate communion this Sunday, perhaps our children are a good reminder for us to consider what the sacrament of the Lord's Supper means to us.

A sacrament is a ritual instituted by Jesus to connect his followers to himself in a special way....."an outward sign of an inward grace" as the early church father Augustine wrote. If you think of the Lord's Supper as a meal, you can imagine it as food for our journey of faith. We receive the bread and the cup regularly throughout our lives in the same way we eat and drink regularly in order to be healthy. Presbyterians do not believe that the bread becomes the body of Christ or the wine the blood of Christ, but we understand the meal to be more than symbolic. In the sacrament, we meet the risen Christ in some special and mysterious way. We receive communion in the context of worship with the gathered community because companions are also a necessary part of our spiritual walk. When churches did not gather during the early days of COVID, there was much theological debate among those who enjoy theological debates about whether it was appropriate to offer communion virtually. Ultimately, the consensus formed around the idea that the God who raised Jesus from death could probably meet us in virtual worship as well.

It is a gift to receive communion as a church family. Thank you to the volunteers who prepare and serve the elements each month. We are all blessed by their efforts and blessed by the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in more ways than we even know.

See you Sunday.

Grace and peace,

Rebekah

Sunday Assistants for February 5

Corinne Lorge

Harris Oswalt

Click below to view the bulletin for February 5:

GSPC News

Celebration of Life service for Wanda Lawrence: The congregation extends Christian sympathy to the family of Wanda Counts Lawrence, who died on January 23. A service in celebration of her life will be held at Spring Hill Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 4. Wanda and her husband, Ralph, were longtime members of GSPC. In addition to her husband, Wanda is survived by her children, Wendy (James), Scott (Laura), and Lewis (Laila), and seven grandchildren.

Sunday Assistants Needed: The Diaconate is seeking volunteers to help fill the Sunday Assistant slots each week. If you are willing to be added to a list of possible substitutes, please email Diaconate Chair Lisa Goodloe at lgoodloe@comcast.net. This list of substitutes will be a resource for the Deacons to use in the event of a scheduling conflict. Thank you!

Mardi Gras Parade: Families are invited to come to GSPC to watch the Neptune’s Daughters parade on February 12. Dinner in Fellowship Hall begins at 5:30 p.m., and the parade begins at 6:30 p.m. Please RSVP to the Rev. Alexandra Hutson.

Mardi Gras Reminders: Remember to get a dashboard pass that will allow you to pass through the police barricades on Sunday, February 19 (Joe Cain Day). The passes are available in the church office. The February 19 service will be at 9:30 a.m. and there will be no Sunday School on that date. Also, the church office will be closed on February 20-21 for the Mardi Gras holidays.

Family Nature Walk: The Family Nature Walk has been rescheduled to Sunday, February 26. Join us after worship for a visit to Village Point Park in Daphne. Walkers will meet in Fellowship Hall for lunch after worship, then drive to the park for our hike. Please RSVP to Sally Ericson at sallyericson23@gmail.com.

Talking Heads

This Sunday School class meets each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Heltzel Room on the second floor. The class is studying the book “Wholehearted Faith,” written by Rachel Held Evans with Jeff Chu.

Sunday Book Study

9:30 a.m. in the Church Library. The group is studying the Interpretation Bible Series "Romans."

Sunday School for Children and Youth

Sunday School for Children and Youth begins at 9:30 a.m. each week.

Spring Hill Women Bible Study

Tuesdays at 8 a.m. at the home of Ann Adams. The group is studying Genesis.

Tuesdays at Ten Bible Study

The Tuesdays at Ten Bible Study meets at 10 a.m. at the church. The group will continue its study of the Psalms and the sermon text for the following week. For details, contact Mary Elizabeth Perry.

Men's Bible Study

The Wednesday night Men’s Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in the church library and also via Zoom. Study of lectionary or sermon texts. Contact: Bo Perry.

Opportunities for Service

Please remember the people our church is serving and those who work with them daily in your prayers.

Help for Ukraine

The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program is our denomination's means for helping in times of disaster and crisis. The PC(USA) is in touch with our partner churches in Ukraine, Russia, Poland and Hungary. While it is difficult to get funds into Ukraine, the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance workers are doing their best to meet needs. In addition, they are sending supplies to partners in Hungary and Poland to help with the mounting refugee crisis in those countries. If you would like to help, you may give online or by text. https://pda.pcusa.org/situation/ukraine/

PB&J for Meals on Wheels

Our 45 Meals on Wheels recipients receive a sack lunch each day, along with a hot meal. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are often on the menu, and donations of creamy peanut butter and grape jelly are needed to help fill the pantry. Our clients also receive an individually wrapped snack, and snack donations are needed: peanut butter/cheese crackers, chips, cookies, cereal bars, Cheez-its, etc. Please leave your Meals on Wheels donations in the donation box at the Jackson Street entrance.

McKemie Place

GSPC has agreed to provide lunch for up to 45 residents at McKemie Place on the second Friday of each month. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered for this mission over the last year. We are in need of volunteers to provide, prepare, and serve lunches on February 10 and March 10, 2023. If you can help with this mission on any of these dates, please contact Lisa deShazo at 251-591-1077.

In addition, the residents of McKemie Place are in need of luggage to carry their belongings when they are able to leave the shelter. Please bring your donations of gently used luggage (preferably on wheels) to the church office.

Cold weather clothing donations

GSPC is collecting gently worn cold-weather clothing items for men, women and children, such as coats, sweaters, hats, gloves and scarves. Socks are a much-needed item for those in shelters. These items will be given to various agencies that help the needy. There is a box designated for these donations in the Jackson Street Foyer.

Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies

How Can You Support Barton Academy?

Send monetary gifts to the church to provide assistance to families purchasing uniforms. Checks should have the memo "Uniform Assistance."

Bring the following items to stock a Hygiene Closet for the school: Clorox wipes, Tissue, Deodorant, Black socks, Paper Towels, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste.

The Mobile Area Interfaith Conference (MAIC) is a non-profit agency that provides services for inmates in Metro Jail and released inmates returning to the community. This agency was formerly known as the Council of Downtown Churches, of which GSPC was a major participant. MAIC currently has an urgent need for white underwear (see details in the listing below) and used glasses. Below is a list of needed items:

Personal hygiene products for men and women, including full size shampoo and conditioner (must be able to see through the containers), full size deodorant (no roller balls), full size soap, full size toothpaste, white cotton socks (no anklet style);

Clothing, including men's white cotton briefs or boxers (no snaps), white cotton T-shirts with sleeves (men and women use these, so all sizes welcome), women's white cotton underpants (all sizes), women's white cotton bras (all sizes);

Reading material, including Bibles (softbound only, large print editions especially needed), magazines with neutral content such as food, decorating, self-improvement, health, shopping, geography, history, etc., and books (soft bound only, with mild non-violent content, non-fiction also appreciated).

Small containers of shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and soap are also welcome.

If you have any questions about any of these missions, please contact Lisa deShazo, Chair of the Urban Ministries Committee.

Habitat for Humanity SW Alabama here in Mobile is looking for volunteers to help out – just yourself, or a group. Our volunteers come out on Wednesday through Saturday. Hours are 7:45 a.m. to noon. What a great way to focus on team-building with your co-workers and friends!

Please email and let me know when you would like to be added to the Habitat calendar for 2022.

In Partnership,

Sue C. King

Habitat for Humanity SW Alabama

Development Coordinator

3712 Airport Blvd.

251-476-7171, Ext. 229

Parking lot

We suggest that all of our members park in the GSPC lot, double parking if necessary. If you wish to park in the lot next to GSPC's, you will need to pay $5 for 3 hours of parking.

The State of Alabama has begun issuing new tag plates with current year tag renewals. Please make sure that you update your new tag number as you receive them. You may submit new information at this link, or to the church office.

Premium Parking is handling our parking lot revenue. The company has added a service kiosk next to the Guesnard House patio entrance.

Please remember to update us if you have a new tag and or vehicle.

Please remember:

GSPC members park for free in the lot at all times.
If you have not registered, you may do so at online at gspcmobile.org/parking
If you have difficulty registering your vehicle online, please contact Heather or Barbara in the church office.
If you receive a ticket, do not pay it. Please bring the ticket or send a picture of it to Heather or Barbara in the church office and they will take care of it.

Blankets and more: A ministry of the GSPC Presbyterian Women

All are invited to donate items to be delivered to USA Children’s & Women’s Mother/Baby/At Risk department for full term babies of needy families (not the NICU) and to the Mostellar Clinic. Here are suggested items and sizes:

Baby blankets (greatest need) approximately 28-30” square or rectangles 30-34” by 40-46.” (These are only approximations.)
A few hats and booties.
USACW only: No-scratch mittens (must be fabric, not yarn).

Inexpensive items of any baby-appropriate washable fabric or yarn are appreciated. No large items, please: The babies we serve usually average 3-5 lbs. Store-bought or handmade items are welcomed. (Please do not donate unmade fabric.)

Donations may be left in the “Baby Box” at the Jackson St. entrance at any time, or you may order from Amazon, etc., and request delivery to the church, marked “Blanket Ministry.”

For details, email Charlotte Naylor or contact her at 251-473-6965.

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