Monday April 12^th 2021
A Weekday Emailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois

Dear Friends,
 
God, you print the name of Christ upon our spirit.
You lead our walk through hills and ocean sand.
You will each one of us a heritage of riches.
You hold all life inside a healing hand.
 
Help us to be your church. 
Equip us to follow,
to live into our high calling.
Guide our earnest steps and
catch us in our falling,

* * * 
 
News:
 
Sundays in the Park resume this week but this time at West Side Park.
Join us April 18th and 25th from 11:15-Noon.
Starting in May it will be the 2nd and 4th Sundays, same time. Masks will be required.
And yes, Westside park so in-person worshipers can just walk over and join us. 
 
* * *
Humor
 
Tom Gilmore writes: Why did the man name his dogs Timex and Rolex? Because they were watchdogs.
 
These are from Marilyn Shimkus:
 
I’ve finally told my suitcases there will be no holiday this year. Now
I’m dealing with the emotional baggage.

If you’re not supposed to eat at night, why is there a light bulb in
the refrigerator?

My dad died when we couldn’t remember his blood type. As he died, he
kept insisting “be positive,” but it’s hard without him.

Don’t let your worries get the best of you; remember, Moses started
out as a basket case.
 
 * * *

Good Word:
 
Psalm 22
 
 ¹ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
² O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
    and by night, but find no rest.
³ Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
⁴ In you our ancestors trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
⁵ To you they cried, and were saved;
    in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
⁶ But I am a worm, and not human;
    scorned by others, and despised by the people.
⁷ All who see me mock at me;
    they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
⁸ “Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
    let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
⁹ Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
    you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
¹⁰ On you I was cast from my birth,
    and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
¹¹ Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help.
¹² Many bulls encircle me,
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
¹³ they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.
¹⁴ I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
¹⁵ my mouth^[a] is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.
¹⁶ For dogs are all around me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me.
My hands and feet have shriveled;^[b]
17 I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me;
¹⁸ they divide my clothes among themselves,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.
¹⁹ But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
    O my help, come quickly to my aid!
²⁰ Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my life^[c] from the power of the dog!
²¹     Save me from the mouth of the lion!
 
From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued^[d] me.
²² I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;^[e]
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
²³ You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
    stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
²⁴ For he did not despise or abhor
    the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me,^[f]
    but heard when I^[g] cried to him.
²⁵ From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
²⁶ The poor^[h] shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
    May your hearts live forever!
²⁷ All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before him.^[i]
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations.
²⁹ To him,^[j] indeed, shall all who sleep in^[k] the earth bow down;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    and I shall live for him.^[l]
30 Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord,
³¹ and^[m] proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
    saying that he has done it.
 
Let us pray
 
Write your blessed name, 
O Lord, upon my heart,
there to remain so indelibly 
engraven, that no prosperity, 
no adversity,
shall ever move me from your love.
Be to me a strong tower of defense,
a comforter in tribulation,
a deliverer in distress,
a very present help in trouble,
and a guide to heaven
through the many temptations and dangers of this life. 
 
[Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471)] 
 
Much love to you all.
 
PEACE,
 
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church