This Sunday the worship scheduled has changed. I was scheduled to lead the worship but I had to change that due to business travel. Jackie will be leading the service this Sunday(thank you Jackie) and the PCF praise team will be providing the music.
Today I read a scripture from the New Testament that I think is so very important to grasp and understand especially when it comes to the future of the church. And by church I am talking about all denominations of believers. Our society is changing! And it has been since the garden of Eden. Change is necessary for growth and when it comes to some institutions like the church, change is usually not readily accepted. And that is a shame because change is necessary to grow and thrive.
When you and I were born we were fed milk but as our body grew we required more than just milk, we required a variety of foods. When we started school as a kindergartner we played and took naps and ate graham crackers and milk but as we grew, our schooling changed so that we too would grow in knowledge. Things in this world were not meant to stay the same, and I believe that includes how we worship and work with God.
Jesus taught about this very thing in:
Mark 2:21-22New International Version (NIV)
21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”
The New wine that Jesus was talking about was the New Covenant that His sacrifice was going to provide. He was using a metaphor of how the Jewish people were stuck in the Law and were not accepting of His teaching of Grace. Unfortunately, too many people have left the church for similar reasons today. I am not against tradition, but if people aren't interested in our method of delivering the Gospel, then maybe we need to re-examine the church experience.
In the early 90's, a new pastor decided to try something new at the traditional church where I used to attend. We developed a service around contemporary music which meant drums, electric guitars, keyboards and a new style of music. I was in on it from the very beginning. Even though there were many of us who were super excited, we quickly learned that there were also those who thought such a service was a disgrace. The new contemporary service was trying to put new wine into old wineskins. Eventually that service grew to be the most attended service the church ever offered. But, things change. Now we are entering a new era where contemporary music is not all that and a bag of chips. As a matter of fact, almost everyone is doing it in some shape or form and in my opinion, it's time too has also come and to an end. So what is next? I don't know but I can tell you this, it is going to require change because the young people today want the new wine. We cannot expect the old wineskins to hold the new wine. We must bring new wineskins which is a metaphor for change. Jesus is alive and well. His life changing power has not changed, but unless we find a way to get His life changing power into the ears, hearts and minds of the new wine skins, they too will dry out and become brittle becoming useless to Gods Kingdom.
My suggestion is prayer. Pray with me for wisdom as we move forward. Let's explore and seek God's guidance so we can remain relevant and affective. We are called to be the light and the salt of the world.
Prayers for:
Cathy Watson going through chemo therapy for breast cancer.
Bonni Rutkowski will be having aneurism surgery this Friday at Barnes hospital.
Emily Norris, Donna and Will Bowers Daughter, has just been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Faye Heuchert will be having tests for pinched nerves in her back causing leg pain and weakness.
Stan Rutkowski continues to battle pressure wounds.
Mary Knapp seeking diagnosis for dizzy spells.
John Shear, pastor Jackie's husband is in the hospital for complications of diabetes.
Brad Fultz, Faye Heucherts nephew in ICU.
Announcements:
Office Help Needed
Our secretary Anita will be on vacation the last week of July. We are still in need of volunteers to come in to answer phones from 8 am until 12 pm Tuesday through Friday. If you can help, please give her a call at 618-656-4648. Thank you!
Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School begins next week, July 24 – 28 from 6 – 8:30 pm, with an optional free meal being offered at 5:30 pm each day. We are very excited to bring you Maker Fun VBS, where children age 3 through those just finishing 5th grade will learn that they were made by God for a purpose. If you have not preregistered, feel free to show up and register at the door. Bring your friends! Everyone is welcome.
VBS Helpers Needed
Interested in helping but can’t commit to every night? Here are a couple of ways you can help!
- KITCHEN HELP
Consider volunteering one or more evenings to help prepare, serve and clean up dinner. We’d need you from 4:30 until about 6:30 pm.
- DINNER SPONSOR
Create your own menu or ask us for suggestions and then purchase the ingredients and prepare meals, if possible.
- ONE-DAY SUB
Fill in when one of our regular volunteers can’t make it. Right now, we know we have a particular need for subs on Monday.
- COOKIE MAKER
We will serve cookies at a VBS Open House, Sunday, July 30, following the 10:00 am worship service.
Contact Kiffon Lewis at 618-210-9628 or Jill Winte at 314-422-6734 if you are able to fill any of these roles.
Wednesday Evening Contemplative Worship
Don’t forget that we have a new worship service on Wednesday evenings beginning at 8:00 pm. Jordan Grammer will lead the worship this week. The service is geared to people with busy schedules and hectic lives who are looking for a place of quiet reflection and who desire a closer connection with God. Come listen for the still, quiet voice of God for 30 minutes tomorrow evening, and find peace for your soul.
Glen-Ed Pantry School Supplies for Gals and Guys
We have only one more week to make a big difference in the lives of students in our community. School supplies are needed for distribution by the Pantry during the beginning of August. This Sunday is the last day of our school supply push. Items needed are backpacks, glue sticks and bottles, graph paper, combination locks, washable markers, 3-ring binders, highlighters, protractors, index cards, filler paper (wide/college rule), dry erase markers, rulers, colored pencils, erasers, mechanical pencils, pens, yellow #2 pencils, ear buds, supply boxes, folders and notebooks (wide/college rule)!
Beginning Sunday, July 30, our push for the Glen Ed pantry will be “All Things Bright and Beautiful!” - donations of dish washing soap and washing detergent.
Bible Sunday
On Sunday, August 13, we will be giving children who are going into 3rd grade engraved Bibles. If you have a child going into the 3rd grade, please phone the church office or reply to this e-mail. We would like to have the child’s full name for the engraving. Thank you!
Sunday, July 30 – ONE SERVICE
July 30 will be a fifth Sunday, so we will have just one blended worship service which will be held at 10:00 am. Sunday School and Adult Education classes will begin at 9:00 am.
With love, pastor kent
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