SSPC Happenings - January 12, 2022

January 12, 2022

This Sunday, we move into a small pocket of what’s called ordinary time in the liturgical calendar. Jesus Christ has been born into the world. The magi followed stars to see what God had done and Jesus crossed through the waters of baptism. And now we settle into a season after Epiphany where Sundays are marked with ordinal numbers until Lent begins: Ordinary Time. But ordinary doesn’t mean dull and it does not mean lackluster. Ordinary means an opportunity to experience God in the in-between. It is a time when we get to encounter God in between the big moments of Christmas and Easter as we hear the stories of God at work in the lives of God’s people. May the coming weeks be weeks when we encounter the big and small ways God is a work in our own lives!

This Sunday after the 10:30 worship service we will embark on one of those ordinary tasks as we gather for the annual congregational meeting to elect new church officers, elect a new nominating committee, and approve the pastor’s terms of call. Officer nominees can be found below.

Lastly, be sure to sign your little ones up for a night of fun at the annual Pajama Party happening next Friday January 21, and sign yourself up for the MAP Packing Day at the MAP warehouse also coming up soon! More information about these two events can be found below.

For now, enjoy your newsletter and see you all on Sunday!

Rev. Annie Franklin Arvin

Associate Pastor

Happenings & Events

Box Packing for MAP International

You are invited to join us on Tuesday, January 25th at their office in Brunswick to help pack boxes of basic medical supplies for MAP international to distribute around the globe. All are welcome!

What is MAP International: MAP International is a Christian organization providing medicine and health supplies to those in need around the world so they might experience life to the fullest. MAP serves all people regardless of religion, gender, race, nationality or ethnic background.

Learn more here

When: Tuesday, January 25

Where: 4700 Glynco Pkwy, Brunswick, GA 31525

Time: 10 AM

Please be sure to signup below to let us know you're coming!

Presbyterian Women

Sunday Worship

January 9, 2021

Sunday School

Musical Notes

As a young child, I attended Ousley Methodist Church (it became united in 1968) in Atlanta, GA. This was in the mid-to-late sixties when Atlanta was in the national spotlight because of a preacher at Ebenezer Baptist Church in the heart of the city. Because news wasn’t 24/7 and the TV wasn’t on during dinner, I didn’t know much about what was going on, but I did know that across Candler Road there was a church that had really great music. I remember going to the car after our service was over and hearing this wall of sound coming across the street that really woke me up. I confess to sneaking out of Sunday School and sitting on our front steps on occasion and listening. It was thrilling to hear voices raised and hands clapping. It wasn’t until much later in my life that I actually attended a service in a “black” church. Seeing it all happen and participating was even better. It brought me joy. In high school, we sang spirituals all of the time. Why? Because of the music value, text, and history.

Over the years in music ministry, I have had comments the range from very positive to negative about our predominantly white choir singing Negro or African American spirituals. I’ve been reading recent articles about that very subject and the thoughts about why we SHOULD sing spirituals. “There’s a nonprofit youth music program in Roxbury called Hamilton-Garrett Music and Arts. The organization is devoted to carrying on the tradition of the Negro spiritual by teaching these songs to the next generation. It’s important to call them “Negro” spirituals. Removing ‘Negroes’ from the title, I think it does an injustice to the people who created this art form, and yes, it’s uncomfortable. But the lyrics also reflect the uncomfortable times that they were living in.” said Gerami Groover-Flores, the group’s executive director. Another church had the idea of contributing to that organization every time they sang spirituals, like royalties for copyrighted songs.

I wasn’t able to attend the recent meeting after church with Rabbi Bregman, but I am told that a woman mentioned that the only thing that the enslaved people coming from Africa had in common was music, because they oftentimes spoke in different languages and had different dress and customs. Spirituals have a soothing or an exciting nature, depending on the subject. They are mostly derived from Old Testament stories or the hope of the kingdom to come. It is important for us to experience not only this music, but music from around the world so that we can share something in common but done in many different ways. Sunday brings us these titles: He is King of Kings, Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door, Steal Away, Ain’t Got Time to Die (Ain’a That Good News?), Every Time I Feel the Spirit, and the famous Amen chorus that you should definitely join in singing and clapping at the end of the service. May this week’s music bring you joy as we honor an important weekend in our country’s history.

Love & Gratitude,

Rhonda