September 18, 2020
520 Washington Avenue, Savannah, GA 31405
A SUNDAY OF STUDY AND WORSHIP
Plans For Sunday, September 20th
The denomination has designated this “Theological Education Sunday.” Did you know there are ten seminaries related to the Presbyterian Church USA, including the oldest seminary in the country? The Reformer John Calvin emphasized “the life of the mind in service to God,” and Presbyterians maintain
high academic requirements for ordination. For example, Presbyterians are the only Protestants that require ministers to have a working knowledge of biblical Greek and Hebrew.
A few years ago we encouraged one of our members, Kate Watkins Mauch, to attend Columbia Theological Seminary. She is now being called to serve as a hospice chaplain as well as a pastoral care associate in a congregation. Kate and her family live in her home town of Cincinnati and she will be
ordained this Sunday at 3:00 p.m. by the Presbytery of Cincinnati. If you want the link for the live streamed service or Kate’s mailing address, email [email protected].
The on-line service of worship will be found on First’s website. The sermon, “Mercy Wide as the Sea,” is based on the parable of the workers and their wages, Matthew 20:1-16. Jesus drives home the central point of the Christian life—all is grace. William Barclay comments: “We cannot earn what God gives us; we cannot deserve it; we cannot put God in our debt; what God gives to us is given out of the goodness of God’s heart, out of God’s grace; what God gives is not pay, but a gift; not a reward, but grace.” Laura Team Taylor will sing a solo and her mother, Lisa Team, will lead the morning prayers. Laura, a junior at Savannah Country Day School, is in rehearsals for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, which will be staged at SCDS on October 22, 23, and 24.
Sunday school begins at 9:00 a.m. for fellowship and 9:30 a.m. for study using Faith Lens curriculum that connects the Bible, faith and everyday life. Sunday’s lesson will be “Equity and Equality.” If you are not receiving the link by email each week, email [email protected] and you will be added to the database. Newcomers are always welcome! Later in the afternoon, the confirmation class and their elder-mentors will meet on-line where they will compare notes about their summer activities. First members involved in the newly formed “Savannah Area Interfaith Justice Ministry” will also have an orientation.