Friday, February 23, 2024

FROM THE PASTOR

Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar

My list of things I pushed until after Mardi Gras caught up to me this week. It seemed I went from one meeting to the next all week long. The meetings varied in content and setting, but through each of them I held the gospel story I will be preaching on Sunday. It is a story about faith that seemed to relate in some way to every meeting and conversation.

In Matthew 14:22-33, the disciples are on a boat in a storm when they see Jesus walking on the water toward them. In order to know for sure that it is Jesus, Peter gets out of the boat and walks on water for a short time until he notices the chaos around him and begins to sink. He is rescued by Jesus who then gets into the boat and calms the storm.

It is a story about faith, which is one of those words we use a lot at church and which has as many definitions as there are people. What is faith? Where does it come from and how do we hold onto it? It is easy to ignore these questions when life is going smoothly, but in the storms the questions get much louder.

Whether you are in a stormy or quiet part of your life, I hope you will join us on Sunday for worship to see what God has to say to the church through our time together.

See you Sunday.

Grace and Peace,

Rebekah

GSPC News

Tuesday Lunch and Learn: GSPC’s community lunch series continues weekly through April 30. Lunch is served at noon and the presentation begins at 12:30 p.m. Lunch is $12 and includes coffee, tea and dessert. Invite your friends and family to lunch! Here is the schedule of upcoming speakers:

Feb. 27: Keith Blackwood, Mobile District Attorney

March 5: Lucy Gafford, Executive Director, Mobile Arts Council

March 12: John Driscoll, Director and CEO, Alabama Port Authority

March 19: Alan Sealls, author and Chief Meteorologist at NBC-15

April 2: Champ Napier, client advocate, Mobile County Public Defender’s Office

April 9: Simone Eli, sports director and anchor, WKRG

April 16: Owen Bailey, CEO, USA Health

April 23: Jon Carfagno, Executive Director, Mobile Museum of Art

April 30: Elizabeth Stevens, President and CEO, Downtown Mobile Alliance

Congregational Meeting: There will be a congregational meeting at the end of the worship service on Sunday, February 25 for the purpose of receiving the annual report to the congregation, receiving the 2024 budget, approving the pastor's terms of call, and electing two deacons (David Ericson and John McLeod) to serve in two unfilled terms for the class of 2026.

Office volunteers needed: The church office is in need of volunteers on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers monitor the Jackson Street entrance, answer the phone, and assist Meredith Johnston with mailings and other duties. If you are able to volunteer, please email Stella Jackson.

Lent and Easter Series: The Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar has begun a Lenten sermon series using "Wandering Heart," produced by Sanctified Art, a team of artists in ministry who work to bring scripture and theological themes to life through visual art, poetry and liturgy. We will "figure out faith with Peter," as we consider stories from the disciple's faith journey with Jesus. The series uses phrases from the hymn "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing." A devotional booklet and a children's worship challenge are a part of the series. Devotional booklets may be picked up on Sunday. Children's worship challenges have been mailed to all elementary age children and are available in the sanctuary.

New Book Club: Beginning this month, Meredith Johnston will lead a book discussion/club meeting on the last Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. in the Church Library and via Zoom. The focus will be on books about church history and biography. On February 27, the group will discuss "From Preaching to Meddling: A White Minister in the Civil Rights Movement," by Francis Walter, a Mobile native. The Mobile Public Library has several copies available at their branches and the book is also available digitally to download from their site through Hoopla. For more information, please contact Meredith Johnston via email or at 251-323-5954. 

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.   

Interfaith Bible Study: The next Interfaith Bible study will be Thursday, March 21 at 5:30 PM at GSPC.

Sunday, February 25

On the second Sunday of Lent, we will continue our “Wandering Heart” worship series. The Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar will preach a sermon titled “Rescue Me” from Psalm 22: 23-31 and Matthew 14: 22-33. Choral worship music includes two Lenten favorites: Gilbert Martin’s “When I Survey” and David de Vidal’s “Surely He Bore Our Griefs.”

Our annual congregational meeting will be at the end of worship. We will receive the annual report and vote on terms of call for the Rev. Lamar. 



Bulletin for February 25:

Sunday, March 3

On Sunday, March 3, we will continue our “Wandering Heart” worship series. The Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar will preach a sermon titled “Praise the Mount” from Psalm 19 and Matthew 16:13-20, and the congregation will celebrate holy communion. Mobile Symphony violinist Dr. Silvia Suarez will join our worship as she plays Jules Massenet's beloved “Meditation” (Thais) and Edward Elgar's “Salut d'Amour,” and will join the Sanctuary Choir with a setting of “Peace I Give to You” and the “Lacrimosa” from W.A. Mozart's Requiem.

Talking Heads

This Sunday School class is meets on the second floor of the church each Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.

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. 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 lot, you will need to pay $5 for three hours of parking.

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

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.

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 a new vehicle tag to register, you may do so by emailing your license plate number to Meredith Johnston 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 or Meredith in the church office and she will take care of it.