Thursday, November 30, 2023

FROM THE PASTOR

Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar

Advent begins on Sunday and our sermon series for this month will be "Songs of the Season." Each week I will preach on a different song from scripture: Zechariah's song in Luke 1:67-80:, Mary's song in Luke 1:39-56 , the angels' song in Luke 2:1-20, and Simeon's song in Luke 2:22-35. On Sunday, December 17, our choir will lead us in a Lessons and Carols service. With this focus on songs, I found myself taking a look at the history of some of our favorite songs of the Advent and Christmas season.

Advent is a season of preparation, and often we think about it as a preparation for Christmas since that is what we are doing. We spend the month shopping and baking and celebrating and getting ready. But liturgically, Advent is a time of preparing ourselves for Christ to come again, getting ready for a time when the world is how Christ always intended for it to be. Charles Wesley, a leader in the early Methodist movement and brother of John Wesley, the well-known theologian, was a great musician and prolific hymn writer. He wrote "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus" in 1744 as he considered the words of the Old Testament prophet, Haggai.

"Born Your people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, born to reign in us forever, now Your gracious kingdom bring. By Your own eternal Spirit, rule in all our hearts alone; by Your all sufficient merit, raise us to Your glorious throne. Amen." (Haggai 2:7)

He pondered on this verse as he considered the plight of orphans in Great Britain and on the deep class divide he witnessed at that time. The hymn was written as his scripture-inspired prayer which finds hope for Christ's return in the memory of Christ's birth. Perhaps this hymn could be our prayer for this week. What situation is on your heart that this prayer might address?

Advent blessings to you and yours. See you Sunday.

Grace and Peace,

Rebekah

GSPC News

Advent Wednesday Services: The midweek Advent Services will be held on Wednesdays at noon in the Sanctuary, followed by lunch in Fellowship Hall at 12:30 p.m. These weekly services will continue through December 20.

Did you memorize last Sunday's Bible verse?

November 26:

The wolf shall live with the lamb,

the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the lion and the fatling together,

and a little child shall lead them. (Isaiah 11:6)

Remember to pick up a new memory verse on Sunday!

RIP Medical Debt Campaign: Churches in the Presbytery of South Alabama (PSA) are invited to participate in the "Jubilee Campaign" to end medical debt in our area. As you know, medical debt is something that plagues families all across the United States through no fault of their own. PSA is partnering with RIP Medical Debt to purchase bundled medical debt portfolios and then forgive that debt at pennies on the dollar. On average, $1 is leveraged to abolish $100 in medical debt!

Every donation through this page will be spent directly on abolishing medical debt in Alabama (with an emphasis on the counties where there is a PSA church located). When debt relief recipients open the yellow envelope from RIP, they are told that their debt has been bought by PSA churches and erased with no strings attached. They owe nothing on the debt and face no tax penalty. 

Let’s join together to help abolish debt and bring Jubilee to thousands of families across Alabama! Click here to donate. You may also send a check to the church office or place in the offering plate with the subject "RIP Medical Debt."

Diaconate and Session Gathering: The Diaconate and Session will have a joint dinner together on Tuesday, December 5, at 5:30 p.m. The Diaconate will have a brief meeting before the dinner at 5:30 p.m. in the Library.

Supper Club Luncheon: Members of the Supper Clubs will have a luncheon in Fellowship Hall after worship on Sunday, December 10. Everyone is invited to bring their favorite Christmas food.

Interfaith Bible Study: The next Interfaith Bible Study will be Thursday, January 18, 2024, at Spring Hill Avenue Temple at 5:30 p.m.



Parking Lot Update: Church members whose vehicles are booted in the GSPC Parking Lot after the church office is closed should call or text Meredith Johnston at 251-323-5954.

Additional News and Notes

Stewardship Season: Please remember to return your pledge cards. Pledges can be dropped in the offering plate, submitted to the church office, or emailed to Dawn Hearn, GSPC Bookkeeper. Sanctuary flowers: If you would like to place flowers in the Sanctuary in memory of or in honor of a loved one, please contact Ann Adams at Adams-marion@att.net or 251-591-8586.

Children's Choir rehearsals: The GSPC Children's Choir rehearses on Sundays from 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. in the office of Chris Nemec (2nd floor at the Jackson St. stairwell). The children will sing on December 24 at 10:30 a.m. To assure the children are well-prepared and effective leaders, each child must attend a minimum of three rehearsals in order to sing for Sunday worship. Questions? Contact Chris Nemec.   

Sanctuary Choir rehearsals: If you've ever wanted to learn to play handbells, or to lift a joyful voice in song, the Sanctuary and Handbell Choirs are eager to show you the ropes! Rehearsals are on Wednesday nights. The Handbell Choir rehearses from 5:15 to 5:45 p.m., and the Sanctuary Choir rehearses from 6 to 7:30 p.m. If you'd like to know more, contact Chris Nemec, Director of Music and Organist.

This Sunday in Worship

Join us on December 3 as the Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar begins an Advent Sermon Series, “Songs of the Season.” The series will begin with the song of Zechariah in Luke 1:67-80. Advent Choral music will include two settings of the Magnificat: “Song of Mary” from Celebrate Life by Buryl Red, and featuring mezzo soprano Meredith Wilson; and “Magnificat” from James Richens’ Christmas Cantata and featuring soprano Gabrielle Corlette. 

Sunday Assistants on December 3:

Toby Lorge

LeAnne Tamblyn

Bulletin for December 3:

Sunday, December 10

Join us on Sunday, December 10, as Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar continues her sermon series “Songs of the Season.” The sermon is titled “Song of Mary” with scripture from Isaiah 40:1-11 and Luke 1:39-56. Music will include John Ness Beck’s setting of both “Every Valley” (Isaiah 40:4, 5) and “He Shall Feed His Flock” (Isaiah 40:11), as well as familiar hymns for Advent.

Talking Heads

This Sunday School class is studying the "How Firm A Foundation" guide to the Old Testament.

Sunday Book Study

9:30 a.m. in the Church Library. The group is studying the Interpretation Bible Series "2nd Corinthians."

Sunday School for Children and Youth

All ages are welcome at 9:30 a.m. Wee Worship has resumed for children aged 3 years through kindergarten following the children's sermon.

Spring Hill Women Bible Study

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

Tuesdays at Ten Bible Study

The Tuesdays at Ten Bible Study meets at 10 a.m. at the church. The group is studying the "How Firm a Foundation" Old Testament study series. For details, contact Mary Elizabeth Perry.

Men's Bible Study

The Wednesday Night Men’s Bible Study meets at 6 p.m. in the library. Contact: Bo Perry.

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 three 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 by emailing it 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:

1. GSPC members park for free in the lot at all times.
2. If you have not registered, you may do so by emailing your license plate number to Barbara Williams in the church office.
3. If you receive a ticket, do not pay it. Please bring the ticket or send a picture of it to Barbara in the church office and she will take care of it. 

Baytreat: GSPC's bayfront property is available for rentals. Several of the rooms now have queen-size beds. For details, click here. For information, email Barbara Williams or call her at the church office (251-432-1749).