August 13, 2021
Dear Prairie Avenue Family,
Since 2017, Prairie Avenue Christian Church has been a Stephen Ministry congregation, permitting us to develop, train, and manage a Christian caregiving ministry to help our congregation and community when dealing with crises. Last Sunday marked a milestone in this journey as Amanda Butterick became the first (and many more!) commissioned Stephen Minister.
Several spoke positively about the event, both in-person and online. Some expressed interest or had questions about considering Stephen Ministry training. One common question was about age and eligibility. There is no age (other than no one under 18) eligibility or limitation. You can be 99 and still become an active and vital Stephen Minister! As Amanda has shared, many of the skills used for Stephen Ministry training are also helpful in just everyday emotional and spiritual life and living. I look forward to offering another session of Stephen Ministry training soon! Look for announcements for continued education and workshop opportunities dealing with death, grief, loss, and more.
It was an informative and powerful gathering at the Virtual Disciples Gathering held last Saturday. Whether Bible studies or workshops about Spiritual entrepreneurship development or building evaluation, or the concluding worship service with Office of General Minister and President Teresa Hord-Owens preaching, I was deeply impressed, spiritually led, and powerfully encouraged by what our small but mighty denomination, our little part of the greater body of Christ is doing, seeking, and developing. I will be hosting a watch party for the evaluating building use and purpose workshop soon. I hope you will join to participate and comment.
We seek the wisdom of instruction this weekend in worship. Each opportunity, whether in Stephen Ministry training, or studies and workshops hosted by the general ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), or the small group discussion on Seeking Shalmon in our charitable efforts, gives us information, thought, and consideration on how to live, move, and love a Christ-centered life. Experience helps us to respond to the challenges (and opportunities) of life. If we refuse to learn, we also refuse to eat of the richness that wisdom's table provides.
Worship This Weekend:
Soul Food: An Appetite for Instruction
We shift away this week from the gospel of John and into the Wisdom literature of Proverbs and Psalms. Proverbs set our scene, where Lady Wisdom (a figure that is surprisingly described as working often as a partner to bring about God's will and purpose) is preparing a fine meal of bread, meat, and wine, sending her servants to the highest points of town to announce the invitation. Step away from immaturity, and walk in the way of insight.
Rat Pack Crooner Dean Martin once quipped, "Good judgment comes from experience. And experience? Well, that comes from poor judgment."
Is it difficult to walk in the way of insight. Only when we choose not to. Often scripture is pleading with Israel to turn away from evil and sin. Evil and sin must have had Israel's attention first in order for prophets and God's messengers to declare a turnaround! At the heart of the walk in the way of insight is a surprisingly simple declaration: fear of the Lord.
Now fear here does not mean afraid, but respect, honor. Indeed, both "fear" and "awe" are spelled exactly the same in Hebrew! Only the context gives us a clue as to which usage is correct.
If we properly fear the majesty and holiness of God when worshipping this same God, then that has to carry over into our behavior and actions. Afterall, worship alone often irritates (and nauseated) God when people then turn around and go back to evil and sin. Lives that are shot through with injustice cannot be papered over in God's sight by sitting in a pew and doing a few acts of kindness.
We must be willing to learn, to also understand this fear, this respect. If you want life abundant, fear the Lord and then act accordingly every day. If you expect God to come through for you in times of distress, then display your gratitude for all that in your daily walking and talking and acting.
Then you will have peace. Peace not in the sense of an absence of conflict but rather shalom, that condition of living in which every person and every creature not only senses how connected he or she is to every other living person and creature but actively tries to enhance those relationships into mutually edifying relationships in which we are all striving to build one another up.
Seeking Shalom Masterclass
Sunday, August 15, 10:45 am Golden Circle Classroom
We continue to learn more about traditional charity and its limitations following Modern worship service in the Golden Circle Classroom. This invaluable resource provided by the Lupton Center, will draw our mission and vision for our neighborhood outreach efforts tentatively called Prairie Avenue Neighborhood Services (PANS).
Through Leaders Lab, I am also able to offer individual access to this coursework online. If you are interested in participating through this access, please email me. I will be glad to share the access point information and process.
Service Opportunities
It is time for more congregational participation in the order of service and providing hospitality on Sunday morning. We need worship leaders for each service, 8 am or 9:30 am. The script is usually completed by Wednesday mornings and can be picked up or sent via e-mail to you. We need greeters to open the door, secure it about ten minutes after worship begins, leave the sanctuary just after communion is shared to offer goodbye at the doorway.
We are still seeking nominations for board officers and trustees.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: ADOPT-A-STREET CLEAN-UP, Saturday, August 21, 10 AM
COVID-19 AND IN-PERSON WORSHIP
I want to encourage you, if you have not yet been vaccinated, to go get vaccinated. For worship gatherings, I will wear my mask until speaking from the sanctuary chancel area. We encourage but do not require, masks in worship for in-person participants. Attendance at the two services is about 75% of attendees prior to March 2020, with about 5% still joining us online.
Invite friends to join you for worship
this weekend, in person, online
In-person on Sunday mornings at 8 am (Traditional) or 9:30 am (Modern) Masks are encouraged regardless of vaccination status if social distancing cannot be kept.
See you this weekend online or in person,
Blessings to you all,
