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August 28, 2020

Dear Prairie Avenue Family,

September begins next Tuesday. I believe March 2020 was 16 years ago. With the conclusion of both national party conventions, we enter another heated season of fear, blame, misinformation, distraction, manipulation, and exploitation known as a presidential election. Regardless of the partisanship and unethical behavior and practice, it is crucial for those who are eligible and registered to vote to exercise the franchise. COVID-19 continues to impact lives, whether employment, or social events and activities, or our day-to-day living.

I will conclude my lessons of 2020 series with an examination of the Love lessons of 2020. To help us, we will look at a gotcha moment encounter with Jesus, and his response with the parable of the "Good" Samaritan.

Worship This Weekend - Life Lessons of 2020
This weekend we will examine our response to the incidents of police brutality and the protests for systemic racial injustice. It seems this is a gotcha moment in time, as how you stand marks your character. Jesus encountered a gotcha moment about what lives matter. The lawyer (who was trying to trap Jesus) asked the question, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus responded to the question, as usual, with another question, "Who acted like a neighbor?" You show neighbor-love only by demonstrating compassion for those found helpless on the side of the world's road. No matter how many times I have looked, in countless translations, I have never found an asterisk next to the command, "love your neighbor." Justification comes not from reminding others your values. It comes from mercy demonstrated to those you cannot even call by name.

Join me this Saturday at 5 pm worship-online, or Sunday at 9 am.

Fall Studies, Classes, Activities Kick-Off
Our children (and some grandchildren, great-grandchildren) have resumed their educational instruction. I want to challenge you to find a way that you can go "back to school" in growing your faith through study with others. Our Lenten sermon series focused on five essential practices of the Christian life; worship, study, serving, giving, and sharing. These are the practices that Jesus taught and modeled as essential to growing our faith and becoming more deeply committed followers of Christ. We are still working on our virtual options and hosting, as well as offering limited in-person (and COVID-19 abiding) classes. Here are just a few of the groups:
  • Adult Discussion Class on "End Times" Theology, meeting on Wednesdays in the Parlor at 6 pm. To register, click here.
  • Youth group viewing The Chosen every other Wednesday at 5 pm.
  • Upcoming Stephen Ministry workshops/training.
  • Upcoming Alpha Online class.

Usually, music department groups, such as PACC Singers and Heavenly Melodies Handchimes, would resume their rehearsals just after Labor day. As ensembles, whether instrument or voice, are not recommended during the pandemic, they will not resume until such gatherings and rehearsals can be held safely.

Other News This Week
Solar Equipment Update Work is scheduled to begin on Monday, August 31!

Elevator Blues The Kone Elevator proposal was nearly 13% higher than Otis Elevator. In further discussion with Otis, we have been able to negotiate a 5% discount if we commit to the work by September 30. One of the large factors in cost is the required upgrades and code changes that have been added since our 1993 installation. There is also work which must be completed prior to their work. I will meet with Ameren Illinois next Tuesday to discuss some of this work.

Daycare Exploratory Committee If you would like to be part of the exploratory effort, please e-mail me or call the church office 428-3327.

See you in worship in the sanctuary on Sunday morning at 9 am or Saturday online at 5 pm this weekend!
Jason
As a church family, we care for and pray for one another.

As a matter of online privacy, we will only disclose public sympathy to a church friend or family member whose passing is also been publicly disclosed.

If you would like prayer, please submit your prayer request online, and Pastor Jason and prayer team members will pray for you.
Prairie Avenue Christian Church | Website