Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-23
Friday 23 October 2020
Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
The Westminster Shorter and Longer catechisms ask what’s our purpose in life. I find the answer so wonderful: to glorify and enjoy God forever. I need God. I try to serve God. I am often acutely aware of God’s presence with me. I argue with God. I thank God. I pray to God. I talk about God with others, and every now and then I actually pretend to be God. All of that comes naturally.
Enjoying God, however, takes some work. But not only does the catechism suggest I should enjoy and glorify God, it says that it should be at the very top of my list. Numero uno. The big kahuna.
My friend Gordon wrote us a Christmas card every year. On the Christmas before he was killed at Adams field in Little Rock, he wrote that Rachel and I should “enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.” He underlined each word twice. He really meant what he said. Enjoy each other. Enjoy the kids. Enjoy our work. Enjoy life. Enjoy God. The Apostle Paul puts it like this: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.”
Enjoying God in a world that is so tense and unstable and violent seems crazy. Maybe that’s all the more reason to do it. If we don’t, the pressure might crack us like an egg.
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See you on Sunday. Eric is preaching.
The Session has called a meeting of the Congregation on Sunday October 25 at 10:15 a.m. via ZOOM for the purpose of hearing and acting upon a report from the Congregational Nominating Committee. If the way be clear, we will elect a slate of church members to the office of Elder and Deacon. Please plan on attending that important ZOOM meeting. The link is: FirstPres.church/meeting
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Pay attention to God’s activity in the world around you. (It’s there.)
Be amazed.
Tell somebody.
PEACE,
Matt Matthews
864.386.9138
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Sunday in the park is THIS Sunday. See you at Hessel at 11:00. And, yes, it might be chilly.
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PHOTO Challenge!
From your Nurture Team — Only two guesses were received last week, but the first one, from Pam Grubb, was right! Last Friday’s photo was of Beth Hutchens!
Here’s this week’s photo.
Visit http://fb.com/groups/
Please join in the fun! We would like you to select a photo from your younger years (grade school, high school or early adulthood). Photos need not be professional. Candid shots are welcome. Please send your photos to photos@
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Johnny Nash (ask me about his guitarist)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Jimi!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
