Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-07-16
Thursday July 16, 2020
A daily e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
In my Sunday sermon I make a passing reference to Lamar Williamson one of our esteemed professors at Union Theological Seminary and, across the road, at the Presbyterian School of Christian Education. His brilliance was matched by his tender love of people. Lamar made me feel like I really mattered. What a sweet man.
He began his teaching career in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Many of our local Presbyterian African friends have families whose lives were touched by Lamar and Ruthmary and their work training pastors in Africa.
It’s a small world. And, no, the circle will not be broken.
Here’s Brian Blount’s remembrance of Lamar. This is one story of one Christian life lived in community with God’s wide, wide family.
https://mailchi.mp/upsem.edu/
Take on Race:
For your library: White Fragility 2018 by Robin DiAngelo. It should be in stock on Amazon on July1 priced at $9.39 paperback and also available in digital form. For those of you who have read this book, what stuck out for you?
* * *
The words “change” and “chance” differ by only one letter, but their relationship intrigues me.
News:
Your Session meets tonight. Prayer for them.
Friday:
Men’s Prayer Group 8:30 am
Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.
Friday Night Lights 7:30 pm
Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.
* * *
If you missed this, try again. Todd Ledbetter funeral highlights. (Thanks Ian Evensen.)
https://www.facebook.com/
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Join your church friends for pickleball on Wednesdays at 1:00 at the courts of Hessel Park. Bring your paddle.
* * *
Our Wednesday night Zoom was a delight last night. Don’t miss out. Join us next week.
Humor: (Serious times call for re-creation, joy, and humor.)
Please send me some jokes. I’ve only got 4th grade groaners:
- Where did the spaghetti and sauce go to dance? (The Meat Ball.)
- What does the corn say when it’s frustrated? (Aw, shucks.)
- What kind of tree has the best bark? (Tune in tomorrow for the answer, and PLEASE send some jokes!)
GOOD WORD:
Ephesians 2:19
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God . . .
Let us pray:
A Charge from John Wesley:
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as you ever can.
A prayer:
LORD, help us.
AMEN
PEACE to you all,
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
