Tuesday April 28^th 2020
A Weekday Emailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
 
Dear Friends,
 
Rev. Cindy Shepherd prayed this “Climate Prayer” for us on our Sunday celebration of Earth Day. (Send me one of your favorite prayers.)
 
We Hold the Earth. 
We hold siblings who 
suffer from storms and droughts 
intensified by climate change. 
 
We hold all species that suffer. 
 
We hold world leaders delegated 
to make decisions for life. 
 
We pray that the web of life 
may be mended through 
courageous actions to limit 
carbon emissions.
 
We pray for right actions 
for adaptation and mitigation 
to help our already suffering 
earth community. 
 
We pray that love and wisdom 
might inspire my actions and 
our actions as communities. . . 
so that we may, with integrity, 
look into the eyes of siblings 
and all beings and truthfully say, 
we are doing our part to care for 
them and the future of the children. 
 
May love transform us and 
our world with new steps 
toward life. AMEN.
 
News:

Keep up with Mission: Check here https://www.firstpres.church/HoM20200428
 
Wednesday Dessert!  Join us for a Zoom gathering on Wednesday April 29^th at 7:00 p.m. We’ll meet online to catch up, chat, visit, show off our flower gardens. Bring some dessert “to share.” We’ll practice having an online conversation with each other. Think of it as the Sunday morning coffee break after morning worship. Technology makes these gatherings over distance possible—but it might not be easy. We’ll have to figure out how to talk without talking over one another. We’ll get the hang of it. So, help us experiment. Nothing beats face to face gatherings, but in the absence of that we’re trying this. “See” you there. Email info@firstpres.church for the link.
 
Prayer Concern: Miranda Rowland asks that we remember all the teachers out there teaching online, student-teachers, their students, and their families. This is a stressful time for these saints.
 
Your Staff meeting this morning. Pray for us!
 
Tithes and Pledges . . . Thank you for keeping your pledges up to date. If you know of anyone experiencing food insecurity, please let me know. Because of your generosity, I have grocery gifts cards. Thank you. Thanks be to God.
 
Graveyard Walks: I’ve seen some of your family names on the silent stones of Mount Hope/Roselawn cemeteries. I walk there regularly because it’s quiet and green.
 
Humor: When being chased by a bear, remember, you don’t need to outrun the bear, only the person you’re with. 
  
Good Word:
 
Psalm 100 
 
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come into his presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he that made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him, bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.
 
Let us pray:
 
Almighty God, your word of creation 
caused the water to be filled
with many kinds of living beings
and the air to be filled with birds. 
We rejoice in the richness of your creation,
and we pray for your wisdom
for all who live on this earth,
that we may wisely manage and 
not destroy what you have made 
for us and for our descendants. 
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 
 
(A Samoan Prayer)
 
Much love to you all.
 
PEACE,
 
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church