worship themes for september voice of faith

Voice of Faith— September 2021

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Interactive Worship at 8:30 am in the Fellowship Hall Traditional Worship at 10:30 am in the sanctuary Both Services are live-streamed on the Faith Facebook page

September 5th - 10:00 Combined Worship Communion Sunday

“A Fast Food Faith or the Bread of Life?” Isaiah 55:1-2; John 6:25-35

September 12th “Stories of Trust”

Genesis 37:1-11; Matthew 14:22-23

Worship Themes for September

September 19th

“The Ugly Turn” Luke 19:1-10

Rev. Michael Bowe, Guest Preacher

September 16th “If You Ain’t First, You’re Last”

Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20; Galatians 15:1, 13-25 Rev. Michael Bowe, Guest Preacher

3rd Bob Nicholson 4th Steve Solley 4th Claire Whitmore 6th Peggy Schlemmer 8th Gay Triplett 11th Allyson Hofer 18th Jeannette Hollis 19th Fred Baier 19th Tiffany Myers 19th Karen Rass 20th Jimmy Hightower 20th Debbie Lott

21st Bob Captain 21st Robert Perry 24th Cathy Watson 28th Jessa Caldwell

September Birthdays September Anniversaries

23rd Joyce & Patrick Doolin 60th 25th Bob & Nancy Hamilton 50th 26th Don Wolfe & Sarah Curtis 25th

Our Annual Congregational BBQ is coming back!

Sunday, September 5th at 11:00am Boxed lunches (pork/chicken and sides)

prepared by Henry Norton’s crew, will be available for take out, courtyard or limited FH dining.

Please pre-order your BBQ Take Out box (pork, chicken and sides)

by calling the church office

(256-880-4811) or

emailing the church ([email protected])

Dear Friends,

Although the heat and humidity continue to remind us that we have not yet reached the end of the summer, as we turn the calendar from August to September, we can begin to see the light at the end of this climatological tunnel. In recent years, our journey into the month of September meant a return to a more “normal” way of life as we resumed our regular routines. That would certainly be welcome after the chaos and abnormality of the past eighteen months. Unfortunately, our return to “normal” has been derailed with the recent and rapid surge of the delta variant of the coronavirus which seems to be more contagious and dangerous than the original, and is spreading rapidly throughout our community.

Now I don’t know about you, but for me, I find living in such an environment more than a bit stressful, especially when it seemed as if we had finally gotten the upper hand on this pandemic. Of course, the stress of the COVID pandemic is not the only anxiety-producing aspect of our lives. We continue to live with all the other challenges which life casts our way, which are far too numerous to mention.

While we will never be able to avoid stress, we need to find a way to manage or deal with our stress as it can quickly and negatively impact our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Some of the ways we can positively approach stress include recognizing our stress-producers and limiting our engagement with them, getting regular exercise, and simply taking some time to relax and re-focus. Though he was not a mental health expert, the Apostle Paul offers us some wonderful advice in these words found in his Letter to the Philippians: “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse….Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” (Philippians 4:4-9)

In a world filled with anxiety-producing issues and events, let us not forget the greatest resource we have to cope with our stress, which is to turn our worries into prayers which will remind us that God is with us, no matter what, and will fill us with a peace that passes all understanding.

Grace & Peace,

Tom

A Newsletter of Faith Presbyterian Church Volume LXV Issue 9 September2021

Faith’s Leadership

Team

Tom Lovell Pastor

[email protected]

Krista Lovell Mission Coordinator [email protected]

Alana Acker Director of Music

Organist [email protected]

Cheryl Adams Preschool Director

[email protected]

Patty Grant Administrative

Assistant [email protected]

Published by: Faith Presbyterian

Church 5003 Whitesburg Dr Huntsville, AL 35802

Phone: 256-881-4811

Fax: 256-880-9355

Email: [email protected]

Website: presby.org

Find us on Face Book Instagram

Twitter YouTube

VOICE of FAITH


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The preschool is up and running! We are enjoying getting to see our preschool friends again and helping them learn and grow! Everyone is settling into a routine and getting used to being in school again. Special SHOUT OUT and THANKS to John Spears and Reece Adams for the many hours they spent working on our playgrounds, trimming the bushes, spraying Round Up, redistributing the pea gravel, and pressure washing the toys and equipment. Teachers and children alike are enjoying spending time outside!

We still have space available in our classes - please share our contact information with anyone you know looking for a preschool program for their child, interested parents can email for more information from [email protected]. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support of our preschool!

Cheryl Adams, Preschool Director

Faith Preschool September Fundraiser! September 9th from 1-8pm

Order and pick up a pizza from Papa Murphy’s on Whitesburg Drive and a percentage of your purchase will be donated to our preschool!

Our thoughts and prayers are with Jean Ennis on the passing of her partner, Paul Wachter.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Will Gaspard On the passing of his brother, James in Louisiana.

May the Spirit of God surround you both

with loving arms that bring peace and comfort.

September 5

Sunday Schedule

10:00 am

Combined Worship

In the Sanctuary

11:00 am

BBQ Lunch Take Out. Courtyard

& limited seating

In Fellowship Hall

CHURCH OFFICE

WILL BE CLOSED

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

FOR LABOR DAY

Voice of Faith—September 2021

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Pre-orders are being taken for Hymn Plaques!

$25 each to benefit our Living Waters for the World Water Team and their

first installation coming in 2022!

These 5” x 7” wooden plaques are hand painted and decoupaged with actual hymnal pages by Krista Lovell. YOU choose the hymn. YOU choose the color. Gift yourself. Gift a family member. Gift a friend. To place your order, email Krista at [email protected]

A morning featuring shopping, concessions and a Silent Auction

benefiting these Mission Partners: • CASA • Elderly Mission Project Food Boxes • Faith Preschool • Huntsville Assistance Program • Heifer International • Living Waters for the World • Medical Benevolence Foundation • Presbyterian Home for Children • PALS • Second Mile Development

Get ready to shop from these and other items handmade and curated for this year’s sale!

Get your bid ready for these and other items handmade or curated for this year’s Silent Auction!

Nativity Blocks Hymn coasters

Sea glass Ornaments

Nativity Sets


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Founded in 1993, Second Mile Development has continued to make a huge impact in the Terry Heights neighborhood through ministries and programs that seek to lift people out of poverty through job training, employment opportunities, and classes for parents and families.

Faith has been approached by the Second Mile Preschool to sponsor “Parent Bags” for one of their three preschool classes. These bags, costing $15-20 each, would be filled with books and supplies for families that serve as an enrichment to the monthly themes being explored in the classroom. Ten bags would be needed each month to fulfill the needs of one classroom and this would translate into a potential need of $200 per month. • Would you like to sponsor a family preschool bag for $20 per

month? • Would you be willing to procure the needed supplies and fill the

bags using the list provided by Second Mile Preschool? • Would you be willing to coordinate this new project for Faith

Mission Committee for the 2021-22 school year? • Contact Krista Lovell to learn more or participate in this project! [email protected]

Founded in 1963 by the PCUS, the Medical Benevolence Foundation works with doctors, nurses, clinics, and hospitals around the world to provide basic healthcare to “the least of these.” Through financial support and training, MBF enables communities to care for their own with preventative and restorative care. Thanks to your generous donations to our “Be The Light” Mother’s Day offering, Faith has been able to provide the necessary funds for both the Hospital St. Croix in Leogane, Haiti and the Mayamba Clinic in the DR Congo for the purchase of life-saving neonatal equipment! Thank you to Joel Robinson for spending the past two years researching the needed equipment and working with MBF and their medical teams to put together the “right materials” that will bring LIGHT to newborns in Haiti and the DR Congo.

Founded in 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock and training to communities around the world to enable them to lift themselves out of poverty and provide a self-sustaining lifestyle for their families and community. Thanks to the generosity of our congregation since 1976, Faith has been able to provide over $160,00 through the purchase of 32 “Arks” filled with animals for communities around the world! As a token of appreciation, a Heifer representative is coming on Saturday, October 16th to offer a “Honeybee” presentation featuring a tasting activity and information about how Heifer farmers are harnessing the power of bees for income and cross pollination of crops.


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Adult Sunday Bible Study

What if ……. the Ten Commandments were not just a set of ancient rules, but a guide to experiencing the good life today? Nearly everyone has heard of the Ten Commandments, the list of "thou-shalt-nots" found in the Bible. Jesus saw these commandments not

as onerous burdens, but as guideposts to help us experience a good and beautiful life. Join us at 9:30 am each Sunday morning in Room 109 for an exhilarating study of the Ten Commandments, guided by noted scholar and pastor, Dr. Adam Hamilton. This ten-week video series will help us to understand what the Ten Commandments meant to Moses and the people of Israel; what they meant to Jesus and his followers, and finally, what they can mean for us today. Here’s our schedule for September: Sept 12 ”I Swear to God” Sept 19 ”Rediscovering the Joy of the Sabbath” Sept 26 ”A Question of Honor” Join the Men’s Thursday Bible Study Group!

Come early for fellowship time, Stay for Bible study from 11:00-12:00,

Continue the fellowship with a group lunch at a local restaurant!

Confirmation 2021 continues and you are invited to join alongside our three confirmands, Nate Robinson, Ephraim Cobb, and Jackson Chapman, over the next two months in prayer for this step in their journey of faith.

Elders: Stan Cowan & Nancy Beason

September Offerings for Children & Youth

Nursery Care is available in room 120 with Cheryl Adams from 8:30-11:30 am. Elementary Children Sunday School meet in room 218 with Nancy Beason and Pam McElhaney from 9:30-10:15 am. Youth Sunday Mission meet with Krista Lovell in the Mission Center from 9:30-10:15.

Wednesday Night ZOOM Bible Study returns Sept 8th!

“The Mighty Acts of God:

From the Garden to the Hope of the Messiah”

Led by Pastor Tom, and guided by the timeless study of the Bible written by Dr. Arnold B. Rhodes entitled, The Mighty Acts of God, we will chronicle the story of the Bible from the creation of the world, through the wilderness wanderings, the settlement of the Promised Land, to the era of judges, kings, the exile in Babylon, to the hope of the Messiah proclaimed by God’s prophets. Sept 8 - The Creation of the World : Genesis 1-2 Sept 15 - The Fall and the Spread of Sin: Genesis 3-11 Sept 22 - God’s covenant people: Genesis 12-50 Sept 29 - The Exodus: Exodus

The ZOOM link will be in the Sunday bulletin and emailed each Monday so make sure your email

address is correct in our online church directory.


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PLEDGES & NON-PLEDGED

July Year-To-Date

ACTUAL $29,848 $249,715

BUDGET 36,167 253,167

$(6,319) $(3,452)

INCOME/EXPENSES

July Year-To-Date

INCOME $32,695 $272,093

EXPENSES 35,079 240,609

($2,384) $31,484

FINAN¢IALLY $PEAKING

Margaret Morrison, Treasurer

Session Synopsis The August stated Session meeting was held on August 8, 2021 with most of the Elders

present. The meeting began with a meditation based on Psalm 27 and Isaiah 40:31. Dr. Lovell encouraged the Session to 1) Rest in the midst of the restlessness of change as discernment takes time. And 2) Be faithful in our commitment to serve Christ and His kingdom. It was noted that we will be establishing a new nominating committee to recruit officers for the class of 2024. Please respond when you are called or let someone know of your willingness to serve. The new HVAC units has been installed, and a proposal to repair the roof in south hallway from Education Building to Sanctuary was approved. Sunday school classes for all ages have begun. Youth activities will be arranged on a quarterly basis. Due to the increase in the COVID virus, the start of the Wednesday night suppers will be delayed, but the Bible study will be done via Zoom beginning September 8th. All the committees are meeting, and many have new members from the congregation. Thank you so much for your willingness to support church activities. There was a proposal to allow the PALS program (The Positive Adult Learning Support) group to meet at the church for a daily educational and vocational class. The focus is to serve young adult, post high school, who need a level of support that is greater than is typically available in traditional workplaces and sheltered workshops. This program will be under the Mission Committee. Final details are being worked out and will be presented to the Session in September. The last portion of the meeting was led by Rev. Tom Lewis from the Presbytery Commission on Ministry. He is our current liaison with the Presbytery as we begin the upcoming transition in leadership. We discussed the various paths that are available in this process. It was decided that we would pursue an Interim Pastor. Three Elders were appointed to begin the necessary research and paperwork and report back to the Session at its September meeting. It was noted that this process will take time and will include congregational input. Please reach out to any Session members if you have questions or suggestions. Most importantly, keep our Session and our congregation in your prayers as we begin this transition process. Linda Rass, Clerk of Session


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SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 2 3 4 9:00 am

Preschool 6:30 pm Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal Rm 104 8:00 pm AA Mtg. Rm 209

9:00 am Preschool 11:00 am Men’s Bible Study – FH 5:30 am AA Mtg. Rm 209

9:00 am Preschool

8:00 pm AA Mtg. Rm 209

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 10:00 am

Combined Worship - SA

11:00 am BBQ Picnic - Take out/Courtyard/FH

5:00 pm

AA Mtg. Rm 209

LABOR DAY

OFFICE CLOSED

9:00 am Preschool

9:00 am Preschool 7:00 pm Wed ZOOM Bible Study 6:30 pm Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal Rm 104 8:00 pm AA Mtg. Rm 209


9:00 am Preschool

8:00 pm

AA Mtg. Rm 209

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 8:30 am Interactive Worship – FH

10:30 am Traditional Worship – SA

5:00 pm

Confirmation Class—FH


6:00 pm Session Mtg. – FH

9:00 am Preschool


9:00 am Preschool



9:00 am Preschool

8:00 pm

AA Mtg. Rm 209

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 8:30 am Interactive Worship – FH


5:00 pm

AA Mtg. Rm 209

9:00 am Preschool


9:00 am Preschool



9:00 am Preschool

8:00 pm

AA Mtg. Rm 209

26 27 28 29 30 8:30 am Interactive Worship – FH


5:00 pm

AA Mtg. Rm 209

9:00 am Preschool


9:00 am Preschool



worship themes for september voice of faith

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