The Messenger - September 9, 2011 - A Red Letter Day
A "Red Letter" Day
Do any of you remember using good, old-fashioned worship books where important rubrics (i.e., instructions) were printed in red? These instructions might tell you to sit or stand or pray silently during some part of the service. The "Northern Branch" of our denomination used such a book for decades, and similar books have been used by a variety of Christian denominations for centuries. In addition to these "red letter" instructions used during worship, most books also included a calendar, and the most important dates on that calendar were printed in red. These included some well-known dates (like Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost), along with some less well-known observances (like Saint Andrew's Day), but all of them were important to the church. Hence, the term "red letter day" was born.
This Sunday, September 11, will be a red letter day for all of us here at First Presbyterian Church. After 6 months of construction and almost 3 years of “brain storming”, the newly renovated sanctuary of our church will be ready for our use. The beautiful new woodwork, the attractive, refinished pews, and the soft, warm colors will soon convey a sense of welcome that mere words cannot express. The flexibility of these furnishings in the chancel will enable us to sponsor a huge variety of special programs in that space, and the new equipment we have purchased will allow us to incorporate very creative lighting, clear video projection, and wonderful acoustics into our worship, too. Given all the new equipment this change involves, I'm sure there will be some “glitches” along the way, but I'm also sure that our staff and volunteers will gradually solve these little problems and use this new technology to reach those generations for whom the use of “high tech” gadgets comes almost as naturally as breathing. What a great day that will be!
Of course, September
11 is not just a big day for our church; it's a
big day for our country, too. As we gather to
remember both the heroes and the victims of ten years ago, I
hope we will also remember those who have worked so diligently since
that tragic time to counter the threat of terrorism throughout
the world. Then, I hope we will commit ourselves again to live
by faith—not fear—so that the love of Jesus
Christ might be revealed afresh in our church, our country, and
our world. In order to help us renew that commitment,
I'll be preaching on 1 Peter 5:7, and my topic will be “Freedom
From Fear.”
I'll see you in
church!
Neal
September 11 Service at St. Peter's By The Sea
St. Peter's By The Sea Presbyterian Church will be having a special musical service, this Sunday at 3pm. There will be over 100 voices and 30 instruments performing Brahms' Requiem in honor of September 11th. Attendance is free and child care is available by reservation. Please see the following link for further information. http://www.stpeterspres.org/images/Image/user/finalwords.jpg
Women's Bible Study News
Bible scholars discussing the book of Romans. Instead of studying one book of the Bible for the whole year, we will spend 8
weeks on the book of Romans, beginning Monday, September 19 at 7:00pm or Wednesday September 21 at 1:00pm in the
McCormick Room. If you've been reluctant to join because of the length of the commitment, this is your chance - just 8 weeks to learn about what Martin Luther called "the most important book of the Bible!" Please call Kim Neuenschwander at
310-831-6771 to reserve a study guide (cost is $10.00) and/or sign up in the McCormick Room after church in early September.
We look forward to you joining us this year!
Calendar
Fri, Sep 9
7:00 pm - Youth Hangout
Sat, Sep 10
9:00 am - Good News Brunch
Sun, Sep 11
8:30 am - Adult Sunday School
9:30 am - Children's Sunday School Begins
9:30 am - Worship
5:00 pm - Chancel Choir Beach Party
Mon, Sep 12
7:00 pm - Stewardship meeting
Tue, Sep 13
7:30 pm - Student Ministries Meeting
Wed, Sep 14
7:00 am - Bible Study at Carrow's
4:00 pm - Homework Hangout
4:00 pm - Angel Choir Rehearsal
4:00 pm - Parent Hangout
4:30 pm - Cherub Choir Rehearsal
5:00 pm - Gospel Gang Choir Rehearsal
5:45 pm - Dinner for Jr. and Sr. High Schoolers
6:15 pm - King's Chorus Choir Rehearsal
7:00 pm - Prayer Group
7:15 pm - SonLight Singers Choir Rehearsal
Thu, Sep 15
7:30 pm - Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Fri, Sep 16
12:00 pm - Family Camp
7:00 pm - Youth Hangout
8:30 am - Adult Sunday School
9:30 am - Worship
Amy Hubbard is the new editor of the Messenger.
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