A Message from Trinity Christian UCC for Juy 22, 2021

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

I pray that everyone in our extended church family is doing well.  It is hard to believe we are already in the middle of the summer. I pray that you are all happy and healthy.

You no longer need to RSVP for our in-person worship service on Sunday morning at 10:15. Please join us! 

PASTOR AMELIE’S VACATION

Pastor Amelie will be away from July 23 to August 7.  If you or your loved one is hospitalized or needs pastoral care, please contact Rev. Leslie Mamas.  Her phone number is (484) 250-1941.

TRINITY’S HEALING SERVICE

On Sunday August 15 at 6 pm, we will have a healing service in our Sanctuary.  The healing service will be an opportunity for us to gather together to worship and praise God, invite the Holy Spirit to be more present in our lives, and have a time to invite healing through our prayers.  We are still coming to terms with the changes in our personal lives and in our collective lives as a consequence of the Pandemic, so this will be an opportunity for us all to gather and reflect. I hope everyone will join us.

BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS

CALLING ALL STUDENTS!! On Sunday, August 22, we will bless our students and their backpacks during our 10:15 worship service.  

AUGUST COMMUNION

Our August Holy Communion service will be on Sunday, August 8, a week later than normal.

THE PRAYER COURSE

On Tuesday, September 7, we will begin an 8 week session of The Prayer Course.  During the 8 weeks, we will journey through The Lord’s Prayer.  These sessions are designed to help us expand our prayer life and learn new prayer practices.  The course will be held on Tuesday evenings at 7 pm and will probably last about an hour and a half.  The course was created by 24-7 Prayer International. Learn more about their work at https://www.24-7prayer.com/ We will meet over Zoom.  Please let me know if you would like to participate.

REOPENING COMMITTEE

We are now singing hymns in worship!!

The decision was made to continue to wear masks during our in-person services, until the children have the opportunity to be vaccinated.. We’re still taking temps, distancing, and having sanitizer available. Thank you to everyone for their concern and diligence during this time.

Hopefully it won’t be much longer before all restrictions are lifted and everyone is vaccinated.

SUMMER HOURS???

Several people have asked me if we are changing our worship time for the summer.  This summer, we will continue worshipping at 10:15. 

LUNCH BUNCH MEETS WEEKLY!

Lunch Bunch is our Tuesday afternoon Bible Study.  Everyone is invited to join us on Tuesdays at 12 pm.  Please bring your own lunch. (In the past, we had a potluck lunch, but for now each person will bring their own food.)  Lunch Bunch typically studies the portion of the Bible that will be the focus of our worship service on the upcoming Sunday. 

NEED TECH-Y VOLUNTEERS

We are looking for volunteers who are willing to learn how to live-stream the worship services.  If you are willing, please let Bill Vogl or Pastor Amelie know and we will show you how to do it.  There are a few steps involved, but most computer users will be able to easily learn the process.

GIVING TO TRINITY

Although things are not fully back to normal, Trinity’s expenses have continued throughout the pandemic.  We know that everyone’s work-life has been disrupted during this time and we don’t expect everyone to be able to contribute to the church in the amount you were able to contribute in the past.  If you have the means to contribute to the church, you may drop off your offerings during the Sunday Morning service, at the church office, or you may mail it to our address: Trinity Christian UCC; 2009 Church Road, PO Box 538, Skippack, PA 19474

DAILY BREAD SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

We will be collecting school supplies and backpacks again this year for the children of our clients.

Our biggest needs this year include backpacks - small - packs with cartoon characters, Disney or similar are very popular, medium and especially large backpacks since even middle school children carry a large quantity of books, 24 count packs of crayons, Fiskar children's scissors, boxes of 24 colored pencils. plastic pencil boxes, pencil cases with 3 holes to go into binders for the older children, composition books for elementary age school children, red pens, packs of 3x5 index card, packs of dividers for binders, 1" three-ring binders, folders with prongs, three-ring loose leaf filler paper, black dry erase markers, packs of dry erase markers containing 4 different colors, highlighters of any color, mechanical pencils, Sharpie markers, small pencil sharpeners, packs of Post-It notes and flash drives.

We will be distributing backpacks and school supplies at the food pantry throughout the month of August and will gladly accept donations through mid-August.

All donations can be delivered to the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry. There is someone there to receive donations Monday through Friday from 9 A.M. until Noon. Since we distribute food to clients on Wednesday mornings from 9 to 11 A.M. you might want to avoid those times.

You can also drop off school supplies at any time in the beige bin near the garage doors on the side of the food pantry. This bin is checked each morning by our volunteers. Thank you so very much for your dedicated and generous support of this project! We sincerely appreciate it!

DON’T GIVE UP MOVEMENT

Our Outreach committee is inviting everyone in our congregation to join us in sharing messages from the “Don’t Give Up” movement.  This outreach was started to encourage people who are considering suicide to not give up.  We have yard signs, postcards, stickers, and business cards with messages that say things like “You are Enough” and “Your Mistakes Don’t Define You.” These messages are especially important right now as many people are struggling with their mental and emotional health after the many months of our pandemic.  Please pick up yard signs at church and other signs to promote this message of love for our neighbors.  Here is more about the movement:  https://www.dontgiveupsigns.com/

DAILY BREAD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

We continue to collect food and toiletry items for the Daily Bread Food Pantry.  They can be left at the doors of the church.

The Daily Bread's Current needs change every few weeks. This is their latest list of needs:

Personal Care: Laundry Detergent, Baby Shampo0, Baby Body Wash, Diaper Cream, Female Body Wash, Tissues *

Food: Juice canned or juice boxes

And any other items you wish to donate would greatly be appreciated!

*These items can’t be purchased with Food Stamps.

WORSHIP SERVICES

We now have in-person worship services in our sanctuary.  We are still checking temperatures, maintain social distance guidelines and wearing masks.

We are no longer offering a ZOOM worship service.

On Sunday mornings, you are also invited to join us on Facebook:

Join us for our Sunday morning hymn sing at 9:45 am live-streamed from the Trinity Christian UCC Skippack facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

10:15 Facebook livestream Worship.  You can find us at our "Trinity Christian UCC Skippack" facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

We have a Sunday morning Bible Study on ZOOM at 8:30 am.  This is a new meeting time. Here is the link to log in:

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Trinity's Wired Word Discussion Group
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76933813590?pwd=Nzc0MkthZFBkdmVNTGYycjVtRXkwUT09

Meeting ID: 769 3381 3590
Password: 7qLSWw

TRINITY BLOG

Trinity now has a blog where I am posting notes to the congregation and the text of my sermons.  If you would like to read these notes and messages, you can find them at: www.trinityskippack.blogspot.com

I will see you in worship on Sunday!

Many blessings!!

Pastor Amelie

Our photograph come from the Vanderbilt Lectionary Library. It is:

Title:	Coventry Cathedral - Fish
Date:	1956-1962
Artist:	Spence, Basil, Sir, 1907-1976
Building:	Coventry Cathedral
City/Town:	Coventry
Country:	United Kingdom

Wherever You Are -- A Message for July 18, 2021

 

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

*****

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there.

As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus.

They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.

And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Here ends this reading of the Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer for Understanding

Move among us with your Spirit, O God, and prepare our hearts and minds to receive your Word. Silence in us any voice but your own, that hearing you, we may obey your will and follow your ways in the example of Jesus Christ, the Living Word. Amen.

 “Wherever You Are”

            In a week, I will leave for my first vacation in a year. In my pre-Covid-19 life, I would try to visit my family once or twice a year.  Although a family visit is different than a “vacation,” it is good for my soul to visit my relatives, spend time relaxing in the comfort of my parent’s home, eat at favorite St. Louis restaurants, and pass as much time as I possibly can with my nieces and nephews. One of the favorite places we travel in Missouri is Shannondale.  Shannondale is a ministry of the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the UCC that is a local church, a camp, a retreat center, a tree farm, and an educational center nestled in one of Missouri’s Ozark mountain communities. Shannondale sits on 4000 tree covered acres and is next to the Mark Twain National Forest – it is literally out in the woods.  A few years ago, Shannondale started quoting Jesus’s words from Mark chapter 6 on their tee-shirts – Come apart and rest awhile.  Jesus had the right idea – sometimes we can only rest if we separate ourselves from the crowds, step out of our regular lives, and rest for a while.

            Although Jesus was an extraordinary person, and he called his Disciples to become extraordinary leaders, both Jesus and his Disciples had human needs. They needed nourishment though food and rest. They needed support and care from one another and the Holy Spirit. They needed sleep and to drink enough water. They needed time off. They needed a break after a seriously busy time.

            Our reading this morning comes just after Jesus sent out his Disciples in small groups to minister to new people.  As they were returning to meet up with Jesus, he learned that his cousin, the prophet and leader John the Baptist, was killed at the command of King Herod. Jesus was tired and sad. Both he and his disciples needed to take some time apart from the crowds to rest and regroup.  They had to go to their version of Camp Shannondale – they needed to go and be in nature, take a nap, have time to pray and rest.

            But, Jesus’ guidance to his friends to take a break came at a time in his life when news of his ministry was spreading like wildfire. People were seeking Jesus out….they wanted to witness his miracles. They wanted to be healed. They wanted to hear his words and his teachings.

            So, even though Jesus and his disciples went off in their boat to try to have a break from the crowds, Jesus saw a large crowd when they landed. And, Jesus had compassion on the people in the crowd because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So, Jesus extended his work. Jesus didn’t take a break. He preached and he healed. Jesus loved the people of the world with an indescribable sacrificial love. He couldn’t leave the crowds “hanging.” And, we know what happened later in Jesus’ life. He gave his life over to be hung on the cross so that humanity could be redeemed and forgiven.

            Each week, in addition to having a story from Jesus’ life to read in church, we are also assigned a reading from the book of Psalms. The Psalm for today is Psalm 23, the most familiar of all the Psalms.  Psalm 23 is perhaps the most memorized section of the Bible. The words of the Psalm remind us that we are not like sheep without a shepherd. Instead, God is our shepherd.  Let the words of Psalm 23 wash over you:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Although Jesus needed a rest, he couldn’t abandon the people who came to be near him. He was compelled to witness to them and remind them that God was with them. God is with us. When we are engulfed in sorrow…When we are burdened with illness…. When we are depressed and feel like we are in a black hole…When we feel like we have nowhere to turn, God is with us. Jesus is with us. The Holy Spirit is with us.

            God loves us like a good shepherd loves their sheep.  God keeps an eye out for us and doesn’t let us wander away. God looks for us when we are lost. God gives us our comfortable earth where we dwell. God makes sure there is more than enough food and water available on our planet for all of the people who live here. God forgives us when we fail. God shares God’s Holy Spirit with us to comfort us, heal us, and restore us. God shares God’s teachings with us through the words of the Holy Scripture found in the Bible.  God gives us confidence and comfort when we are afraid. God showers us with goodness and mercy and brings us home to be with God when our life on this earth has concluded.

            When Jesus saw the people who were hungry for healing and for teaching, Jesus’ didn’t turn away from them. He knew they needed a word and an embrace from the Messiah, the human embodiment of God on earth.

            Today’s reading reminds us that God is always available. No matter how we feel, how lonely or isolated or scared, we always have access to God. God the Creator listens to our prayers and answers them. Jesus’s words and teachings are available to remind us of God’s great love for us. The Holy Spirit of God is here among us now, and is always here among us, to care for and comfort us.

            This reading also reminds us that everyone needs a break. Even Jesus needed to rest. Sometimes, we are so aware of all of the things in our lives on our “to-do” lists that it is difficult for us to pause and allow ourselves to rest. Some days, we need to go to our “Shannondales” and reflect on the beauty of God’s earth found in the natural beauty of the world. Sometimes, we need to go off by ourselves to pray and rest. Sometimes, we even need to take a break from our families – to drop off our kids with a sitter, to tell mom that you aren’t answering the phone today, to allow dad to do that project without your help – we can be a lot more helpful to others when we aren’t exhausted. This was true for the Disciples 2000 years ago and this is true for us today.

            So friends, remember that God is always available for us. We are never like sheep without a shepherd. The Holy Spirit is always with us to support us, guide us and sustain us. And, also remember that is important for us to take breaks, to take time off, to pause and regroup. We all need respite our souls, and to come to a quiet place and rest for awhile.

            Let us do so and remember the love of God sustains us.

            Amen.

King James Bible Mark 6:31
And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

** Our Photo comes from the collection of the Vanderbuilt Divinity Library.**

Title:	Contemplative Christ
Date:	19th-20th centuries
Building:	Peksow Brzyzek cemetery
Object/Function:	Carving
City/Town:	Zakopane
Country:	Poland

Weekly Message to the Trinity Family

 

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

I pray that everyone in our extended church family is doing well.  It is hard to believe we are already in the middle of the summer. I pray that you are all happy and healthy.

You no longer need to RSVP for our in-person worship service on Sunday morning at 10:15. Please join us! 

PASTOR AMELIE’S VACATION

Pastor Amelie will be away from July 23 to August 7.  If you or your loved one is hospitalized or needs pastoral care, please contact Rev. Leslie Mamas.  Her phone number is (484) 250-1941.

TRINITY’S HEALING SERVICE

On Sunday August 15 at 6 pm, we will have a healing service in our Sanctuary.  The healing service will be an opportunity for us to gather together to worship and praise God, invite the Holy Spirit to be more present in our lives, and have a time to invite healing through our prayers.  We are still coming to terms with the changes in our personal lives and in our collective lives as a consequence of the Pandemic, so this will be an opportunity for us all to gather and reflect. I hope everyone will join us.

BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS

CALLING ALL STUDENTS!! On Sunday, August 22, we will bless our students and their backpacks during our 10:15 worship service.  

AUGUST COMMUNION

Our August Holy Communion service will be on Sunday, August 8, a week later than normal.

REOPENING COMMITTEE

We are now singing hymns in worship!!  (Although, this week, we are not because Ralien is on vacation 😊.)

The decision was made to continue to wear masks during our in-person services, at least until all the children are vaccinated. We’re still taking temps, distancing, and having sanitizer available. Thank you to everyone for their concern and diligence during this time.

Hopefully it won’t be much longer before all restrictions are lifted and everyone is vaccinated.

SUMMER HOURS???

Several people have asked me if we are changing our worship time for the summer.  This summer, we will continue worshipping at 10:15. 

LUNCH BUNCH MEETS WEEKLY!

Lunch Bunch is our Tuesday afternoon Bible Study.  Everyone is invited to join us on Tuesdays at 12 pm.  Please bring your own lunch. (In the past, we had a potluck lunch, but for now each person will bring their own food.)  Lunch Bunch typically studies the portion of the Bible that will be the focus of our worship service on the upcoming Sunday. 

NEED TECH-Y VOLUNTEERS

We are looking for volunteers who are willing to learn how to live-stream the worship services.  If you are willing, please let Bill Vogl or Pastor Amelie know and we will show you how to do it.  There are a few steps involved, but most computer users will be able to easily learn the process.

GIVING TO TRINITY

Although things are not fully back to normal, Trinity’s expenses have continued throughout the pandemic.  We know that everyone’s work-life has been disrupted during this time and we don’t expect everyone to be able to contribute to the church in the amount you were able to contribute in the past.  If you have the means to contribute to the church, you may drop off your offerings during the Sunday Morning service, at the church office, or you may mail it to our address: Trinity Christian UCC; 2009 Church Road, PO Box 538, Skippack, PA 19474

DAILY BREAD SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

We will be collecting school supplies and backpacks again this year for the children of our clients.

 Our biggest needs this year include backpacks - small - packs with cartoon characters, Disney or similar are very popular, medium and especially large backpacks since even middle school children carry a large quantity of books, 24 count packs of crayons, Fiskar children's scissors, boxes of 24 colored pencils. plastic pencil boxes, pencil cases with 3 holes to go into binders for the older children, composition books for elementary age school children, red pens, packs of 3x5 index card, packs of dividers for binders, 1" three-ring binders, folders with prongs, three-ring loose leaf filler paper, black dry erase markers, packs of dry erase markers containing 4 different colors, highlighters of any color, mechanical pencils, Sharpie markers, small pencil sharpeners, packs of Post-It notes and flash drives.

We will be distributing backpacks and school supplies at the food pantry throughout the month of August and will gladly accept donations through mid-August.

All donations can be delivered to the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry. There is someone there to receive donations Monday through Friday from 9 A.M. until Noon. Since we distribute food to clients on Wednesday mornings from 9 to 11 A.M. you might want to avoid those times.

You can also drop off school supplies at any time in the beige bin near the garage doors on the side of the food pantry. This bin is checked each morning by our volunteers. Thank you so very much for your dedicated and generous support of this project! We sincerely appreciate it!

DON’T GIVE UP MOVEMENT

Our Outreach committee is inviting everyone in our congregation to join us in sharing messages from the “Don’t Give Up” movement.  This outreach was started to encourage people who are considering suicide to not give up.  We have yard signs, postcards, stickers, and business cards with messages that say things like “You are Enough” and “Your Mistakes Don’t Define You.” These messages are especially important right now as many people are struggling with their mental and emotional health after the many months of our pandemic.  Please pick up yard signs at church and other signs to promote this message of love for our neighbors.  Here is more about the movement:  https://www.dontgiveupsigns.com/

DAILY BREAD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

We continue to collect food and toiletry items for the Daily Bread Food Pantry.  They can be left at the doors of the church.

The Daily Bread's Current needs change every few weeks. This is their latest list of needs:

Personal Care: Laundry Detergent, Baby Shampo0, Baby Body Wash, Diaper Cream, Female Body Wash, Tissues *

Food: Juice canned or juice boxes

And any other items you wish to donate would greatly be appreciated!

*These items can’t be purchased with Food Stamps.

WORSHIP SERVICES

We now have in-person worship services in our sanctuary.  We are still checking temperatures, maintain social distance guidelines and wearing masks.

We are no longer offering a ZOOM worship service.

On Sunday mornings, you are also invited to join us on Facebook:

Join us for our Sunday morning hymn sing at 9:45 am live-streamed from the Trinity Christian UCC Skippack facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

10:15 Facebook livestream Worship.  You can find us at our "Trinity Christian UCC Skippack" facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

We have a Sunday morning Bible Study on ZOOM at 8:30 am.  This is a new meeting time. Here is the link to log in:

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Trinity's Wired Word Discussion Group
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76933813590?pwd=Nzc0MkthZFBkdmVNTGYycjVtRXkwUT09

Meeting ID: 769 3381 3590
Password: 7qLSWw

TRINITY BLOG

Trinity now has a blog where I am posting notes to the congregation and the text of my sermons.  If you would like to read these notes and messages, you can find them at: www.trinityskippack.blogspot.com

I will see you in worship on Sunday!

Many blessings!!

Pastor Amelie

** Our photo is the Ceiling of the National Cathedral of Brazil.**

 

 

God-Inspired Joy -- A Message for July 11, 202

 

Scripture Reading                        Ephesians 1:3-14 (From the Message)

3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

7-10 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

11-12 It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

13-14 It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This down payment from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.

Here ends this reading of the Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

            The Letter to the churches in Ephesus was written to be passed around. During the days of the early church, each letter received by fledgling Christian communities was copied several times and then shared with other church communities. In the letters, individuals were greeted, local church conflicts were addressed, and more general teachings were shared that applied to all Christians.

            The letter we read from today was not written just for the churches at Ephesus, but was intended to be instructive for all of the newly minted Christian churches. In this letter, Paul writes about how all Christians (not just those who used to be Jewish or used to be Gentiles) are the benefactors of the blessings of God.

            The letters sent to the early churches were written to encourage new Christians who chose to follow Christ.  Many of these new Christians had to reject their prior faith, reject their family traditions, and reject their cultural traditions to follow God.  Christians were at risk of getting arrested or imprisoned at the whim of the government.  Many of the first churches were in areas controlled by the Roman Empire, a government that was threatened by unpredictable new faiths.  And, the Roman government was suspicious of their Jewish residents – they knew Christianity was an offshoot of Judaism, so Christians were suppressed at various times alongside their Jewish brothers and sisters.  

            In our letter this morning, we are called to recognize that our lives have been transformed by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We are transformed by our faith in how we understand ourselves and how we live our lives.  Through Jesus’ life and ministry, we have been brought spiritual blessings and forgiveness of sins.  All people who become Christians are adopted as God’s people.  And we are especially “marked” as God’s special people – in a version of the scripture we heard at Tuesday’s Bible study, we heard we are now “stamped’ with God’s mark.  All people of faith are God’s chosen people and we are stamped with a seal of approval by God’s Holy Spirit.

            I love this image. We are “stamped’ with a mark of the approval of God. And, we are all adopted as children of God. We don’t have to be born into a Christian family. We don’t have to be born on the right side of the tracks. We don’t have to be any particular ethnicity or racial group or sexual orientation. We don’t have to go do the right schools or have a zillion degrees or have the Bible memorized or pray eight times a day.  We are stamped with the mark of the approval of God. We are all adopted into the family of Christ. And, together with other Christians, we are working together to implement God’s purpose for the world.

            Even though the letters we read in our New Testament were written to offer hope to Christians who lived almost Two-thousand years ago, the words penned in this letter are good news for us today. 

            We are the beneficiaries of a special relationship with God. God loves us and forgives us when we fall short. God sent God’s son Jesus to teach us how to more closely follow God’s teachings. God shares God’s Holy Spirit with us here and now.  The Holy Spirit encourages us, supports us and sustains us when we need an extra nudge and when we are feeling afraid. Though our faith, we are guaranteed salvation after we live life on earth. God will welcome us home with open arms. People need to know that nothing we can do is so awful that God will not forgive us and love us. And, God’s Holy Spirit advocates for us and keeps us going when times are tough.

            We are stamped with God’s seal of approval.

            Let’s live like we believe it. Thanks be to God. Amen. 

** Our artwork comes from the "Adoption panel - Nob Hill, Grace Cathedral - Old Testament Children's Doors" The metal sculture was made by Bruce Moore and completed in 1964. **

A Message for July 4, 2021 -- Sent with Power

 

Scripture Reading                        Mark 6:1-13

Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 

When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 

Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 

He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 

He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 

Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 

Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 

Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 

And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

They went out and preached that people should repent. 

They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Here ends this reading of the Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer for Understanding

All-knowing God, we long to hear your speak a word for our times and our lives. By the power of your Spirit, open our ears to hear your Word this day. Give us insight into the good news we witness in Christ, your Living Word. Fill us with the desire to follow him in faithfulness. Amen.

            One of the lessons that every child learns is that everyone does not like them.  Everyone will not be your friend.  My puppy is having difficulty accepting this lesson, and it is even more difficult for kids.  Other kids may be jealous of you. Other kids may know your favorite superhero is Wonder Woman and they are into the Cheetah, so they don’t like you.  Other kids may want to rule the play-kitchen in the Kindergarten room, and you also want to play in there, and they may not like having you in “their” kitchen….I think my sister was chased out of a play kitchen with a rubber knife once.  One of the unfortunate life-lessons we have to learn and accept that everyone will not like us.

            In our reading this morning, Jesus went back to his home town and was rejected.  The people who knew Jesus his whole life – his childhood playmates, the families his sisters’ had been married into, people who turned to his father and brothers when they had carpentry jobs – these people could not accept that Jesus, Mary and Joseph’s son, was the Messiah. Jesus was so familiar to them, so regular, such a part of their community, that they couldn’t see him as more than a normal person. He was just Jesus, not the messiah.

            In response to the rejection of the people of Nazareth, Jesus sent his friends out two by two to spread the Good News – to preach and to heal – out in the world. Jesus said – no prophet is accepted in his home town.  So, the Disciples were sent out to new towns, to places they would not be rejected because they were already known in the area.

             Part of Jesus’ ministry was to delegate.  He did not hoard all of the work for himself….he expected his Disciples and followers to preach about God, to teach about God’s guidance and love, to heal, and to invite people to follow Jesus and follow the teachings that became Christianity.  Jesus told his disciples that he would not always live among them…he wasn’t going to stay on earth forever.

            But, the work of the Disciples, the work of being a disciple of Jesus, will always be here.  As followers of Jesus Christ, God calls us to serve God.  We are called to share the Good News of God’s love with others. We are called to tell others that through God’s grace and the sacrificial love of Jesus, our sins are forgiven. Nothing we can do is so awful that God will not forgive us and love us. People need to hear the Good News, and it is our job to share it.

            We are Jesus’ disciples here on earth today. And, today is a special day in our country, and there is going to be a parade down Skippack Pike in a few minutes, so I won’t go on and on. But, as you leave this building today, remember that you are special to God. You are loved by God. God forgives your sins. And, as Disciples, it is our job to share this Good News with others. We are called to treat everyone we encounter with love and compassion.  And, we are called to share the Good News at every opportunity. We are called to tell people that God and Jesus love them. We are called to tell people that God forgives their sins. We are called to tell people the Holy Spirit is here among us to guide us, support us, and advocate for us. There is Good News to share and it is our job to share it.

            Let us do so in love. Amen. 

** Our artwork is a 6th Century Mosaic Map of Jersusalem found in St. Geroge Church in Madaba, Jordan.***

Message to the Trinity Family for July 2, 2021

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

I pray that everyone in our extended church family is doing well.  We have had a warm week, and now may have a rainy weekend, but I hope everyone has stayed cool and dry. I also hope everyone has a wonderful July 4^th holiday! 

You no longer need to RSVP for our in-person worship service on Sunday morning at 10:15. Please join us! 

PATRIOTIC HYMN SING TONIGHT!!!

This evening, everyone is invited to join together to sing Patriotic songs at the Skippack First Friday.  We will gather after 5:30 at the Arbor next to Le Butler’s Pantry at 4033 West Skippack Pike. Ralien will lead us in singing old favorites.  Everyone is invited to join in the singing – our voices joined together will help us to prepare for the July 4^th holiday and make some joyful noise.

DAILY BREAD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY URGENT NEED

The food pantry desperately needs laundry detergent.  Detergent and soap, along with toothpaste and toilet paper and all non-food items, cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits (food stamps.) Therefore, the pantry’s guests rely on the food pantry to provide expensive laundry detergent. If you are able to donate, please drop off items for the Daily Bread at the church.

REOPENING COMMITTEE

We are now singing hymns in worship!!

The decision was made to continue to wear masks during our in-person services, at least until all the children are vaccinated. We’re still taking temps, distancing, and having sanitizer available. Thank you to everyone for their concern and diligence during this time.

Hopefully it won’t be much longer before all restrictions are lifted and everyone is vaccinated.

SUMMER HOURS???

Several people have asked me if we are changing our worship time for the summer.  This summer, we will continue worshipping at 10:15. 

LUNCH BUNCH RESUMES

Lunch Bunch is our Tuesday afternoon Bible Study.  Everyone is invited to join us on Tuesdays at 12 pm.  Please bring your own lunch. (In the past, we had a potluck lunch, but for now each person will bring their own food.)  Lunch Bunch typically studies the portion of the Bible that will be the focus of our worship service on the upcoming Sunday. 

CHICKEN BBQ

Trinity is having a delicious Chicken BBQ on Saturday, July 10! Volunteers are needed to prepare and serve the food.  It will be a drive-through dinner.  Please let Pastor Amelie or Harry know if you are able to help with the dinner.

Here is the link to order the food: https://form.123formbuilder.com/5628154/form

Each order will include ½ Barbecued Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Macaroni and Cheese, Stewed Tomatoes, Apple Sauce, Ice Cream Cup, Roll and Butter for only $12!

We strongly recommend that you preorder your meals.  If you have questions, please call the church: 610-584-4054.

NEED TECH-Y VOLUNTEERS

We are looking for volunteers who are willing to learn how to live-stream the worship services.  If you are willing, please let Bill Vogl or Pastor Amelie know and we will show you how to do it.  There are a few steps involved, but most computer users will be able to easily learn the process.

GIVING TO TRINITY

Although things are not fully back to normal, Trinity’s expenses have continued throughout the pandemic.  We know that everyone’s work-life has been disrupted during this time and we don’t expect everyone to be able to contribute to the church in the amount you were able to contribute in the past.  If you have the means to contribute to the church, you may drop off your offerings during the Sunday Morning service, at the church office, or you may mail it to our address: Trinity Christian UCC; 2009 Church Road, PO Box 538, Skippack, PA 19474

DAILY BREAD SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

We will be collecting school supplies and backpacks again this year for the children of our clients.

Our biggest needs this year include backpacks - small - packs with cartoon characters, Disney or similar are very popular, medium and especially large backpacks since even middle school children carry a large quantity of books, 24 count packs of crayons, Fiskar children's scissors, boxes of 24 colored pencils. plastic pencil boxes, pencil cases with 3 holes to go into binders for the older children, composition books for elementary age school children, red pens, packs of 3x5 index card, packs of dividers for binders, 1" three-ring binders, folders with prongs, three-ring loose leaf filler paper, black dry erase markers, packs of dry erase markers containing 4 different colors, highlighters of any color, mechanical pencils, Sharpie markers, small pencil sharpeners, packs of Post-It notes and flash drives.

We will be distributing backpacks and school supplies at the food pantry throughout the month of August and will gladly accept donations through mid-August.

All donations can be delivered to the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry. There is someone there to receive donations Monday through Friday from 9 A.M. until Noon. Since we distribute food to clients on Wednesday mornings from 9 to 11 A.M. you might want to avoid those times.

You can also drop off school supplies at any time in the beige bin near the garage doors on the side of the food pantry. This bin is checked each morning by our volunteers. Thank you so very much for your dedicated and generous support of this project! We sincerely appreciate it!

DON’T GIVE UP MOVEMENT

Our Outreach committee is inviting everyone in our congregation to join us in sharing messages from the “Don’t Give Up” movement.  This outreach was started to encourage people who are considering suicide to not give up.  We have yard signs, postcards, stickers, and business cards with messages that say things like “You are Enough” and “Your Mistakes Don’t Define You.” These messages are especially important right now as many people are struggling with their mental and emotional health after the many months of our pandemic.  Please pick up yard signs at church and other signs to promote this message of love for our neighbors.  Here is more about the movement:  https://www.dontgiveupsigns.com/

DAILY BREAD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

We continue to collect food and toiletry items for the Daily Bread Food Pantry.  They can be left at the doors of the church.

The Daily Bread's Current needs change every few weeks. This is their latest list of needs:

Personal Care: Laundry Detergent, Baby Shampo0, Baby Body Wash, Diaper Cream, Female Body Wash, Tissues *

Food: Juice canned or juice boxes

And any other items you wish to donate would greatly be appreciated!

*These items can’t be purchased with Food Stamps.

WORSHIP SERVICES

We now have in-person worship services in our sanctuary.  We are still checking temperatures, maintain social distance guidelines and wearing masks.

We are no longer offering a ZOOM worship service.

On Sunday mornings, you are also invited to join us on Facebook:

Join us for our Sunday morning hymn sing at 9:45 am live-streamed from the Trinity Christian UCC Skippack facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

10:15 Facebook livestream Worship.  You can find us at our "Trinity Christian UCC Skippack" facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

We have a Sunday morning Bible Study on ZOOM at 8:45 am.  Here is the link to log in:

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Trinity's Wired Word Discussion Group
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76933813590?pwd=Nzc0MkthZFBkdmVNTGYycjVtRXkwUT09

Meeting ID: 769 3381 3590
Password: 7qLSWw

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Southeast PA Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (SEPA VOAD) is partnering with UCC Disaster Ministries and Eastwick United to recruit volunteers to repair and rebuild homes in the Eastwick neighborhood of Philadelphia.

On August 4, 2020, during the pandemic, TS Isaias dumped seven inches of rain on parts of eastern Pennsylvania. Wind damage and tornadoes left hundreds of thousands without power and widespread severe flooding led to injuries as well as one storm-related fatality.

 Covid concerns have left significant unmet needs in the impacted areas and especially in the Eastwick section of Philadelphia which has the highest concentration of damage to both structures and mechanical systems.

We anticipate receiving our first teams in early May, 2021.

Along with following strict Covid guidelines on the worksites, the pandemic has also made it impossible for us to offer housing to volunteers. We are encouraging volunteers to commute from a radius of approximately 60 miles or to make their own housing arrangements in the area.

Project Focus: Repair and Rebuild; install heating systems and hot water heaters if licensed Contact: Judy Moore, Volunteer Coordinator 802-299-8290; IsaiasRecoveryVolunteers@gmail.com

Group Size: 2 to 5 team members

Minimum Age: 18

Group Leadership: Skilled team leader and semiskilled assistant

Accommodations: None (due to Covid)

Cost: Housing (if teams are not commuting), transportation, food

Tools: Please bring general carpentry tools and a substantial first aid kit

Donations are deductible and always welcome: It is estimated that $320,000 will be required to meet the needs of the Eastwick community. To date $48,500 has been committed from the following organizations: Eastwick Neighbors and Friends Coalition, The Salvation Army, UCC Disaster Ministries, Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern PA, and a local Go Fund Me effort.

Please earmark ‘Eastwick Recovery’ and send donations to: Eastwick Unmet Needs Roundtable St. Paul AME Church Ellwood 8398 Lindbergh Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19153

All necessary information supplied upon contact.

HYMNALS

If you would like to borrow a hymnal from the church, please let me know and I will arrange for you to receive one.

TRINITY BLOG

Trinity now has a blog where I am posting notes to the congregation and the text of my sermons.  If you would like to read these notes and messages, you can find them at: www.trinityskippack.blogspot.com

I will “see” you in worship on Sunday!

Many blessings!!

Pastor Amelie