Hi First Presbyterian Church,
It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! It was so great to see so many of you at the outdoor blessing of the animals service on Sunday. It was – of course – just as great to see so many of your household pets at the service. There many dogs. I think I saw a cat. There was even a cockatoo! The weather was nice and comfortable, and all the animals were so well-behaved. What a remarkable and blessed time! I pray all in attendance will have left will a renewed love for all of God’s creation and a commitment to live in a more intentional relationship to it.
This Sunday concludes our Homecoming series with our much-anticipated hymn sing. We asked you send in your favorite hymns, and over 40 different hymns were submitted! If we don’t sing the hymn you submitted this Sunday, don’t worry! We’ll be including your favorites into our worship over the coming weeks and months. So – you won’t want to miss a Sunday!
The service on Sunday will be structured differently than our traditional order of worship. There won’t be a sermon, but Pastor Erin and I will be offering brief theological reflections throughout the service. There will be more scripture lessons. And – of course – the highlight of the service will be all the singing! The chancel choir will be singing. The children’s choir will be singing. And you will be singing many of your favorite hymns throughout the service. I am so excited for worship, and I hope you’ll be there to experience it.
If you haven’t “come home” to see your church family during our Homecoming series, I hope you’ll decide to do that this week. Two weeks ago, we had our annual church picnic and were reminded that families have fun together. Last week, we had our blessing of the animals service and were reminded (with some help from Francis of Assisi) that our church family includes our animals. On Sunday, we’ll be reminded that our family sings together. Singing together is one of the most distinctive aspects of Christian worship. Traditions of worship have changed and evolved over the past 2,000 years, but one thing has remained true throughout that time – the family of God sings together.
Come to worship on Sunday and be renewed by your faith and your family.
Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron