Dear Riversiders:
As you know, Jan Nicholas’ work is wide-ranging, spanning both our community missions and our church fellowship. Last week, the session approved an exciting plan to fill Jan’s position with an associate pastor for community outreach upon her retirement. Her fellowship duties will eventually be filled by a part-time community life coordinator. In seeking to hire an associate pastor to focus solely on mission, we will be able to further prioritize mission in the life of our church. The overarching goal is for all of us to think of mission less and less as a “department” and more and more as the beating heart behind everything the church does. As one important missional theologian puts it, “It isn’t that the Church of God has a mission in the world, it’s that the God of mission has a church in the world.” An associate pastor for community outreach will not only help us expand our mission relationships and activities, but will also help us incorporate missional thinking into everything we do as the church. “To whom are we sent?” is the question we must ask ourselves again and again as we plan for our future ministries. Can we afford two associate pastors? We are replacing Tatum and Bill with one person (the associate pastor for youth and families we are currently searching for). With Jan’s departure, we will hire a second associate pastor and a part time community life coordinator, taking us from three full time positions (and one associate pastor) to two full time positions (two associate pastors) and one part time position. Thus, little impact to the HR budget is anticipated. For more details, please take the time to read the “notes from your session” below. Each month, the session reports on our meetings to the congregation, and we hope you take the time to stay current with all that is happening here at Riverside. There is a lot to look forward to!
See you Sunday!
Brian
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News From Your Session
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RPC/RPDS Joint Capital Campaign
- Policy consideration: allowing alcohol for specific events on campus
- Staffing reconfiguration plans
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Sunday, September 26
Worship Information
Rev. Dr. Brian Lays
9:30-10:15 am
Sunday School
10:30 am Worship
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Sunday School Highlight
Matthew 25 Comes Alive....
Stories from the Front Line
Education Building: Thompson Parlor / Hybrid
On September 26, the class will review the short video Holy Post-Race in America. The class will then hear from Jim and Laura Crooks about their relationship with a young woman who was
imprisoned for close to 20 years.
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Did You Miss Sunday School?
You Can Watch 2 of the Classes Here
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Matthew 25 Class
Rev. Dr. Holly Ingles
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Exodus
Rev. John Ragsdale
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How Can You Help Haiti?
Last month, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck southern Haiti, killing 2,000 and leaving homes and businesses destroyed. Fonkoze was uniquely positioned to support thousands who lost homes and businesses.
Our support to Fonkoze through RPC will be matched on a one-to-one basis by a local foundation. To assure the match you can give to RPC through the website or by check. Be sure to check “Fonkoze: Hope for Haiti” in the online drop down menu, or write it on the memo line of your check.
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Still Spots to Fill on Meal Trains
Tripp and Jessica Means and Breanna Sooter and Stuart Poplin have spots open on their meal trains. We are providing meals to both of these families with newborns. Please sign up if you are able to help.
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Praying through COVID
In one of Brian’s recent letters to us, he reminded us of the important spiritual practice of “praying the headlines”. COVID continues to be in our headlines. In addition to praying for healing for those who are sick, let’s keep in our prayers our health care providers, first responders, teachers, and child care workers. All those who are on the front line with our sick and vulnerable. In these times, we rely on God’s steadfast presence and on each other.
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COVID Prevention at RPC
We know how serious our local COVID situation is and so, until our conditions in Duval County improve significantly, we ask that anytime you’re on the RPC campus that you wear a face mask and maintain social distancing. We will have masks available at the doors to the sanctuary and to the Education Building if you forget yours. We will also continue to have hand sanitizer available at the entrances.
All are welcome at RPC and all are asked to take these steps to protect each other including some of those most vulnerable - our kids.
In the full article: Guidelines for:
- small groups such as committee meetings and classes gathering in-person
- worship in the sanctuary
- fellowship activities
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COVID 19 Vaccine Information
All Florida residents are eligible to receive any COVID-19 vaccine as prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration. The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for persons age 12 and up. The Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are authorized for persons age 18 and up. The Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are all available in our area.
There are many locations administering the 1st and 2nd shots. Watch for information on booster shots being available soon.
Go to vaccines.gov to search by which vaccine you’d like to receive, where you may go to get that vaccine, and whether appointments are required and/or available.
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PRAYER AND CARE
Remember those needing our prayers:
Sympathy
To Art, Art IV, and Bo Small, family and friends on the death of Marjorie "Mike" Small, September 9, 2021.
To Diane, Isabelle, Doug, Isy, Dougie, Diane and Dick, Renee, Bowen, Brooks, Caroline and Dan, Liz, Dan, Sally and other family and friends on the death of Richard "Dick" Schwalbe, September 11, 2021.
Prayer & Care
Noah Althuis, Kay Armstrong, Sarah Bayley, Roberta Birch, William Boree, Liz Dean (friend of John Ragsdale), Jennifer Jones (Jennifer Branch's mother), The Busch Family (RPDS), Jack Calhoun, Sharon Cleland, Mary Cousar, Judy Davidson, Faith Erath, Robert Flynn, Brian Galbraith, Madelyne Gillis (Ken Mixon's mother-in-law), Tina Goedtke, Wade Hampton, John Hartman, Ginger Heard (Hilary Shipp's mother), Doug Hutchins (Denise Brennan's father), Robert Littell, Joe Lopez, Christine Rosenbloom Lyons, Joe Meux, Paul Morgan (brother of Phyllis Brinkley), Tony Morrow, John Ormand (Lisa Taylor's brother), Janell Palmer, Michael Perry, Mersida Porcic, Bill Schilling, Art Small, Carolyn Smith, Mildred Taylor, Suzanne Tomlinson, Don & Lois Ward
Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, Rehab or Long Term Care (at home or at a facility):
Shirley Ballowe, Margie de Bauernfeind, Jack Hazard, Betsy Langston, Myra Pattishall, Rev. Roland Perdue, Dannette Robinson, Ruth Wrenshall
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During this time, it is important for us to continue the ministries of the church. We hope you will be able to continue with your regular giving. You can give online through your Realm account, or by clicking the button above. You can also mail checks to:
Riverside Presbyterian Church, 849 Park Street, Jacksonville FL 32204
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