It was a special Sunday this past weekend. First, the children led us in another wonderful Children’s Sunday at the 10:30A service. The energy and joy of our bustling children’s ministry was on full display from start to finish as they led us in song, prayer, and proclaiming the Word! A special thank you to the many volunteers who show up each week to help care for and nurture the faith in these young saints. And thank you too to Frieda Warner (Children’s Ministry Director), Iris Ellis (Children’s Music Director), and Amy Bishop (Organist and Accompanist) for helping to lead it all. And extra kudos to Amy Bishop who pulled double duty on Sunday returning in the afternoon to perform a very special organ concert in the sanctuary. This was the first in a series of concerts being planned to mark SSPC’s 75th birthday – be on the lookout for more info soon on other similar upcoming concerts.
Looking ahead, I want to highlight three other upcoming opportunities:
-
First, we are so looking forward to a return of our Wednesday night dinners beginning on November 3 @ 6P. We will have three dinners during the month of November culminating with our Advent Festival on November 17. We hope this will be a good opportunity to get back in the swing of things in anticipation of resuming a “full season” of Wednesday night dinners starting in late-January 2022. The most important thing though is that if you plan to attend any of the dinners next month, please sign up by clicking here!
-
We also have another New Member Sunday coming up on Sunday, November 7. So far this calendar year we have welcomed over thirty new members into the life and faith of St. Simons Presbyterian, and we are thrilled to have another good group forming who will join on November 7. If you or someone you know are interested in and/or have questions about joining on that day, please email or call me anytime between now and next week. We would love to welcome you!
-
Finally, a reminder that stewardship season is right around the corner. Our stewardship committee has been hard at work helping to form a theme around “75-years of generosity.” In the coming weeks, you will be hearing more on Sundays as well as receiving information in the mail about the ongoing mission and ministry of the church and how you can help support it. You can also find more information and make your pledge for the 2022 generosity campaign on the church Web site at sspres.org/giving.
We continue to pray for all of those who are grieving and/or soliciting the prayers of their church family in these days. Our prayers are especially with Rhonda Hambright and her family this week. A funeral for Rhonda’s son and fellow church member, Ben Gossett, will happen this Saturday, October 30 at 11AM at Wages & Sons Funeral Home in Lawrenceville, Georgia. If you would like to attend the service but are unable to travel, please know that a livestream will be available on Saturday on the funeral home Web site at www.wagesandsons.com.
Blessings to you all and hope to see you at church this Sunday.
Peace,
|
|
Sunday Worship
October 24, 2021
|
|
Having been associated with this church for many years even before my employment in 2008 as Director of Music, it has been wonderful to watch the growth in ministry through the years. It has been steady and sure, member after member taking over when seasons of service are over for some. The seamless continuation of service through these 75 years is our legacy that we bring to All Saints’ Day.
Our family has been so appreciative of the calls, visits, meals, and special kindnesses these past two weeks. As I told Alan, I especially have felt held up by all the prayers and thoughts. I think it’s the only way some of us can go on – that we hold up each other. Hands and Heart Ministry, the Church Staff, Choir Members, and Congregational Care - thank you.
You can find a live stream of Ben’s service on the webpage for Wages and Sons in Lawrenceville. Here is the link.
I have already shared with the choir that I will be traveling to Italy with Harlan on November 2 and returning on the 16th. We have been planning this trip for some time. He will be doing a photography project in an Etruscan hill town – Civita di Bagnoregio. I will be there to assist and explore. We are so fortunate to have many talented people in our choir that can conduct and run a rehearsal. I am especially grateful to Ann Nermoe, Suzanne Morrison, and Amy Bishop for stepping in at the last minute. Mark Propst will be “me” while I am gone. The choir has been under his direction before and really enjoyed it. I just hope they behave!
A big thank you to Amy Bishop for opening our 75th Birthday Concert Series with an organ concert. Up next is the Coastal Brass on November 14th at 3:00 pm.
For Sunday, we give a nod to Reformation by opening the service with the great hymn of Martin Luther, A Mighty Fortress is Our God. The choir will sing Wilberg’s Come, Come, Ye Saints and our hymns will be 463 How Firm a Foundation and 326 For All the Saints. We will also have a tolling of the bell for those church members that have died since last November.
Lastly, I give thanks for the life of Al Ledingham. He was in the choir and community choirs for many years and was my voice student some years ago. I always tell people that Al knew just what to say. You would tell him something and he would say, “Is that so?” It certainly puts the ball in your court. I cherish that phrase from him. Always quiet, always a gentleman, a sense of humor, and a smile, he will be missed in the tenor section.
Love & Gratitude,
Rhonda
|
|
Sunday, October 31
8:30 am Early Worship - Sanctuary
9:30 am Sunday School - Various Locations
10:30 am Traditional Worship - Sanctuary
5:00 pm Youth Halloween Gathering - Annie's House
Monday, November 1
9:00 am Manna House - 1408 G Street
10:00 am Chancel Ensemble - Location Varies
3:00 pm Congregational Life Meeting - Upper Room
6:30 pm Al-Anon Meeting - John Law
7:00 pm Messiah Rehearsal - Sanctuary
Tuesday, November 2
7:00 am Youth Breakfast Devotion - Chick-fil-A
9:30 am Staff Meeting - Upper Room
10:00am PW Planning Committee Meeting - Britt Room
Wednesday, November 3
10:00 am Men's Bible Study - Upper Room
1:30 pm Hands and Heart Quilting Ministry - Music Attic
4:00 pm KidZ Crew - Veranda
6:00 pm Wednesday Night Dinner - Social Hall
6:30 pm Chancel Ringers - Sanctuary
7:30 pm Chancel Choir - Sanctuary
Thursday, November 4
10:00 am Ladies Bible Study - Upper Room
Friday, November 5
No Activities Planned for This Day
|
|
Weekly Gatherings
All Are Welcome!
|
|
A weekly thank you for all the people and ministries of St. Simons Presbyterian Church. Lovingly created by
Rev. Kate Buckley.
|
|
|
Sunday School
October 3 - November 21
|
|
Baseball as a Road to God
Seeing Beyond the Game
by John Sexton
9:15am / Library
Take me out to the ball game! Take me out to the crowd! Whether you love belting the verses of this song or looking forward to the World Series in late October or just love being a sports fan in general, John Sexton’s Baseball as a Road to God may be just the ticket for you.
For more than a decade, Sexton used baseball to illustrate the elements of a spiritual life in a wildly popular course as president of New York University. His book beautifully weaves the magic of baseball – its community of fans, its sacred places, its legends, its breathtaking moments of drama, its blessings and curses, its faith and doubt, its saints and sinners, its miracles – with the spiritual dimensions of life.
In the course of nine innings, fans experience a range of emotions from expectation and elation to frustration and despair. Sexton elegantly demonstrates that baseball is more than a game or even a national pastime… baseball can be a road to a deeper and more meaningful life.
|
|
Always A Guest
Speaking of Faith Far from Home
By Barbara Brown Taylor
9:15am / John Law Room
BBT’s collection of 30 sermons as a guest preacher … from graduation ceremonies to Sunday pulpits …will show you why she is one of the most beloved and renowned preachers of our time. On themes from anxiety to beauty, resurrection to doubt, wisdom and telling the truth, Taylor proclaims the gospel as she meets us in our messy humanity.
Full of observations on the Spirit and the state of the world along with her gentle wit, BBT will inspire you as she explores faith in all its beauty and complexity. As the reader, you will be a BBT guest at this gospel feast!
|
|
The Letter of Paul to the Philippians for Everyone Bible Study
By NT Wright
9:15am / Upper Room
We have lived through a year and a half of pandemic uncertainty. What an example of how things don't always go the way we intend. It's easy to feel discouraged because what we hope for is badly thwarted, or because people make life difficult. Paul, writing to the Philippians from prison, certainly knew what it was like to have plans interrupted. But he maintains robust confidence in God's overruling power, even when everything seems to be going wrong. In Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, we will learn from Paul the art of seeing God's purposes working out through problems and difficulties and will deepen our own confidence in God's power.
|
|
[912-638-2220] [ada@sspres.org] [sspres.org] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
