Dear thriving people of God,
This is a big weekend for college football as Florida visits Texas A&M in their inaugural game in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). ESPN's College GameDay crew will be hanging out in College Station this Saturday in anticipation of this game. I grew up around SEC football with Mississippi State and Ole Miss being the preferred teams (in that order) so I am thrilled to have A&M coming into the SEC this year. I wish the Aggies best of luck this Saturday when they play and even more so when they play Alabama later this year. It's also good to see Missouri coming into the SEC since I spent the first five years of my pastoral ministry in Missouri and both of my children were born there. Now, if we could just get Virginia into the SEC then all my previous states of residence would be in the same conference. All of this to say thank goodness football season has started. For one thing, it foreshadows the coming of cooler weather which indeed we anticipate having here in Houston this weekend.
This is also the season of political conventions in this election season. Once again people on both sides of the aisle are energized about the possibility of their candidate winning the election this fall. In all of these proceeding, we pray for God's wisdom and guidance and for the health and vitality of the political process of our nation. May God's peace, courage and strength be with all the candidates during this election season.
The sermon text this Sunday is Mark 7:24-37 and the title is Dog Food and Clean People. It is interesting to note how the anthropology of Jesus changes before our very eyes when he comes face to face with what people in his culture would have considered a female dog in the form of a Syrophoenician woman. If Jesus can change his mind, then so can we. This is part of the freedom we have in Christ. Such freedom is on the inside of us at the level of the soul. It goes that deep. It also extends into our brain and the ability to use our reason and intellect as well as our emotions.
I will teach an Inquirer's Class this Sunday from 4-7 pm in my office at the church. This class is for whomever wants to learn more about faith in Christ as expressed and lived out through the congregation of St. John's Presbyterian Church. Attendance of the class does not mean you are expected to join the church but if you wish to become a member here you are certainly welcome to do so if you feel the Spirit leading you in our direction.
Your highly anticipatory of God's work in our midst pastor,
JON BURNHAM
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Rev. Dr. Jonathan L. Burnham (Jon's Blog, Facebook, Twitter) Phone church office 713-723-6262; Email church office Sunday Schedule: Church School for all ages: 9:00 am; Worship 10:30 am; Youth Fellowship 5 pm
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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
St. John's Epistle for September 6, 2012
