I'm back from a month's vacation feeling renewed and ready for
continued service with this congregation. I appreciate all those who
have "kept things going" and "held down the fort" while I was gone and
especially I appreciate the church staff and the elders on Session who
have continued their good work as usual. This congregation is blessed
with a competent and reliable staff and outstanding lay leadership and
I feel fortunate to be working alongside you in mission and ministry.
We are happy to welcome back our organist, Alina Klimaszewska, who
returns to us this Sunday after several months in Poland to be with
her family as her father and grandmother passed away. Alina is so
sweet and such a fine musician and we are happy to welcome her home
this Sunday.
Our Christian sympathy is with the family of Bonnie Poole who died on
Tuesday evening. Bonnie's family invites you her memorial service this
Tuesday, August 10, at 2 pm in the sanctuary and to the reception in
Fellowship Hall after the service. Bonnie was full of the light of
Christ and she has suffered through various cancer treatments for the
past couple of years. She has finally made the transition to the life
to come where there are no more tears, no more pain or suffering.
Also, while I was away, Eleanor Brown died and her memorial service
was held in our sanctuary. Eleanor loved St. John's so much. Every
time I visited her at Holly Hall she would ask me specific questions
about the church that let me know she was paying close attention to
our congregation even though she couldn't regularly attend. She was
able to attend the July 4 concert of patriotic music and the reception
and she was in fine form on that blessed day. All of us who were
blessed to know her realize Eleanor was a special kind of person whom
we will dearly miss.
New carpet is set to be installed in Building II next Wednesday,
August 11, so be aware that we will have to keep out of Building II on
that day and watch our step for the rest of next week as the carpet is
installed. This will be a significant and much needed upgrade to our
church facilities and we appreciate the memorial gifts from the family
of Abel DeSouza that made this possible.
On the last Sunday of this month, August 29, we will celebrate Rally
Day and the Blessing of the Backpacks. We will worship in Fellowship
Hall that day. This is a good opportunity to invite that friend that
you have been thinking about inviting to church. Such invitations are
the life blood of our church since most people who visit our church do
so because a church member invited the to attend.
I'll be back in the church library this Sunday at 9 am for another
discussion about current events. You are invited to join me there.
Anne Rice -- author of a popular series of vampire novels -- got our
attention a few years ago when she abandoned her atheism, became a
Christian and returned to the church of her youth. She got our
attention again last week when she announced she was leaving
Christianity -- finding the attitudes and teachings of some of its
members not to her liking -- but not leaving Christ.
Is such a thing possible? Can one be a Christian without also being a
part of Christianity and the church? Rice's announcement provides a
good opportunity to talk about the linkage between being a follower of
Jesus and being a part of the church -- warts and all. It also invites
us to consider what practices and prohibitions churches sometimes
promote that Jesus would not bless. So those will be the topics of
discussion this Sunday morning at 9 am in the library. If you are an
adult who is not in another church school class, I hope to see you
then. Otherwise, I hope to see you in worship at 10:30 am.
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon
--
St. John's Presbyterian Church
5020 West Bellfort / Houston, TX 77035
T. 713.723.6262 / F. 713.723-4015 / Email: office.sjpc@gmail.com
Worship Service: Sunday, 10:30 am / Sunday School: 9:00 am
