FROM THE PASTOR
Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar
When I attended Presbyterian College, the school still required all students to take two Bible survey classes in order to graduate. What I realized sitting in my Old Testament class during that first semester of my freshman year was that all those years of Sunday School had paid off. Many of my fellow students could not keep up with the complicated family histories and crazy story arcs of the Bible. They had never read the poetry of the Psalms, much less been paid $5 per psalm to memorize them by their aunt. While so many struggled in the class (not helped by the instructor who wanted to be there perhaps even less than the frustrated students), I found myself doing well. I knew these people, these places, these prophecies. They were familiar to me as were the books of the Bible that contained them.
What I didn't learn in that survey class was why these scriptures matter. Honestly, despite being taught by some incredibly faithful teachers, I am not sure I really learned that in Sunday School either---though perhaps the stage was set in those years. I never learned, until much later, how to wonder about scripture, how to analyze it and ask hard questions of it, how to hear more than someone else's rote, moral lesson from it.
Which is why I am enjoying our summer sermon series so much. Those stories that I learned all those years ago in Sunday School, I am getting to study, question, and wonder about in new ways. This week's passage from Numbers 22 includes a talking donkey and an invisible angel of the Lord, but it also involves a fearful king, a foreign seer, geo-political threats, and a God who is bigger than all of it. There are many questions to be raised, and, I pray, some wisdom to be found. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Grace and peace,
Rebekah
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Sunday Assistants
John Peebles
Ashley Oswalt
Click below to view the bulletin for Sunday, July 17:
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GSPC News
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New babies: Welcome to Matthew Koehler O'Malley, son of Michael and Sydney O'Malley and grandson of Duke and Shawn Walker, born July 7 (left); and to Elise Cravey Ogburn, daughter of Chandler and Megan Ogburn, granddaughter of Chandler and Brenda Ogburn and great-granddaughter of Hattie Ogburn, born July 13 (above).
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Suspicious emails: Several church members received suspicious emails from an email address similar to Pastor Rebekah's. If you receive an unusual email, please do not respond. You may report it as spam to your email provider. Please note: We will never ask you for money or gift cards through email. You may call the church office if you ever have questions.
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Sanctuary Flowers: If you would like to have flowers placed in the Sanctuary in honor or in memory of loved ones, please consider placing them during the summer months. We have plenty of open Sundays, and would love to have beautiful floral offerings throughout the summer. To place flowers, please email Ann Adams or call her at 251-591-8586.
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Come to "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" this Sunday!
Fred Rogers, the late host of the beloved children's TV show "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood," once said, “Listening is where love begins; listening to ourselves and then to our neighbors.” All Sunday School classes are invited to "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood," an intergenerational class led by the Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar. The class, "Peace in the Neighborhood," will meet at 9:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. Join us!
Talking Heads
This Sunday School class meets each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room
on the second floor.
Sunday Book Study
9:30 a.m. in the Church Library and on Zoom.
Spring Hill Women Bible Study
Tuesdays at 8 a.m. at the home of Ann Adams.
Tuesdays at Ten Bible Study
Tuesdays at 10 a.m. Contact: Mary Elizabeth Perry.
Sunday School for Children and Youth
Wee Worship and Sunday School for Children and Youth will resume on Sunday, September 11, for Rally Day.
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Baytreat Mission Camps
The final group of Baytreat Mission Campers is from Germantown Presbyterian Church from Germantown, TN. We wish them well during their busy week of mission work.
Baytreat Rentals
Ready to plan a stay-cation on the Bay? Baytreat is now listed online for rental. Click here to view available dates and to book the property.
All rental inquiries are now being handled by Shelley Springer, who can be reached at shelley@shelleyspringer.com. Please contact Shelley if you have questions that aren't addressed on the website.
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Opportunities for Service
Please remember the people our church is serving and those who work with them daily in your prayers.
Help for Ukraine
The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program is our denomination's means for helping in times of disaster and crisis. The PC(USA) is in touch with our partner churches in Ukraine, Russia, Poland and Hungary. While it is difficult to get funds into Ukraine, the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance workers are doing their best to meet needs. In addition, they are sending supplies to partners in Hungary and Poland to help with the mounting refugee crisis in those countries. If you would like to help, you may give online or by text. https://pda.pcusa.org/situation/ukraine/
PB&J for Meals on Wheels
Our 45 Meals on Wheels recipients receive a sack lunch each day, along with a hot meal. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are often on the menu, and donations of creamy peanut butter (no Jif, please, because of the recent recall) and grape jelly are needed to help fill the pantry. Our clients also receive an individually wrapped snack, and snack donations are needed: peanut butter/cheese crackers, chips, cookies, cereal bars, Cheez-its, etc. Please leave your Meals on Wheels donations in the donation box at the Jackson Street entrance.
McKemie Place
GSPC has agreed to provide lunch for up to 40 residents at McKemie Place on the second Friday of each month. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered for this mission over the last year. We are in need of volunteers to provide, prepare, and serve lunches on August 12 and September 9. If you can help with this mission on any of these dates, please contact Lisa deShazo at 251-591-1077.
In addition, the residents of McKemie Place are in need of luggage to carry their belongings when they are able to leave the shelter. Please bring your donations of gently used luggage (preferably on wheels) to the church office.
Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies
How Can You Support Barton Academy?
- Send monetary gifts to the church to provide assistance to families purchasing uniforms. Checks should have the memo "Uniform Assistance."
- Bring the following items to stock a Hygiene Closet for the school: Clorox wipes, Tissue, Deodorant, Black socks, Paper Towels, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste.
The Mobile Area Interfaith Conference (MAIC) is a non-profit agency that provides services for inmates in Metro Jail and released inmates returning to the community. This agency was formerly known as the Council of Downtown Churches, of which GSPC was a major participant. MAIC currently has an urgent need for white underwear (see details in the listing below) and used glasses. Below is a list of needed items:
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Personal hygiene products for men and women, including full size shampoo and conditioner (must be able to see through the containers), full size deodorant (no roller balls), full size soap, full size toothpaste, white cotton socks (no anklet style);
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Clothing, including men's white cotton briefs or boxers (no snaps), white cotton T-shirts with sleeves (men and women use these, so all sizes welcome), women's white cotton underpants (all sizes), women's white cotton bras (all sizes);
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Reading material, including Bibles (softbound only, large print editions especially needed), magazines with neutral content such as food, decorating, self-improvement, health, shopping, geography, history, etc., and books (soft bound only, with mild non-violent content, non-fiction also appreciated).
- Small containers of shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and soap are also welcome.
If you have any questions about any of these missions, please contact Lisa deShazo, Chair of the Urban Ministries Committee.
Habitat for Humanity SW Alabama here in Mobile is looking for volunteers to help out – just yourself, or a group. Our volunteers come out on Wednesday through Saturday. Hours are 7:45 a.m. to noon. What a great way to focus on team-building with your co-workers and friends!
Please email and let me know when you would like to be added to the Habitat calendar for 2022.
In Partnership,
Sue C. King
Habitat for Humanity SW Alabama
Development Coordinator
3712 Airport Blvd.
251-476-7171, Ext. 229
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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, you will need to pay $5 for 3 hours of parking.
The State of Alabama has begun issuing new tag plates with current year tag renewals. Please make sure that you update your new tag number as you receive them. You may submit new information at this link, or to the church office.
We began our agreement with Premium Parking in November and continue to anticipate a significant boost to the church income for 2022 as a result. As we have made the transition, we are aware that some members have experienced difficulties with getting their vehicles registered or with receiving tickets. Please remember to update us if you have a new tag and or vehicle.
Please remember:
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GSPC members park for free in the lot at all times.
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If you have not registered, you may do so at online at gspcmobile.org/parking
- If you have difficulty registering your vehicle online, please contact Heather or Barbara in the church office.
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If you receive a ticket, do not pay it. Please bring the ticket or send a picture of it to Heather or Barbara in the church office and they will take care of it.
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Blankets and more: A ministry of the GSPC Presbyterian Women
All are invited to donate items to be delivered to USA Children’s & Women’s Mother/Baby/At Risk department for full term babies of needy families (not the NICU) and to the Mostellar Clinic. Here are suggested items and sizes:
- Baby blankets (greatest need) approx. 28-36” square/rectangles 30-34”x40-46”
- A few hats and booties
- (USACW only): No-scratch mittens (must be fabric, not yarn)
Inexpensive items of any baby-appropriate washable fabric or yarn are appreciated. No large items, please: The babies we serve usually average 3-5 lbs. Store-bought or handmade items are welcomed. (Please do not donate unmade fabric.)
Donations may be left in the “Baby Box” at the Jackson St. entrance, or you may order from Amazon, etc., and request delivery to the church, marked “Blanket Ministry.”
For details, email Charlotte Naylor.
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