From the Pastor
Dear friends,
Happy Summer! This month’s edition of Peace’s newsletter is a bit abbreviated as we close out summer and look to busier months ahead in the fall. There are some prayer concerns on my mind that I thought I’d share. Join me in uplifting these concerns and opportunities.
Musicians at Peace. In case you haven’t heard, Peace has had some injuries this summer to our wonderful musicians. Colleen is healing up from a broken upper arm and Karyn is recovering from surgery on her broken elbow. What a blessing Colleen and Karyn are for us! And what a blessing the Praise Team has been through the summer leading us in song many Sundays. Certainly, uplift our music in prayer and consider joining the Choir, Praise Team and/or sharing your musical talents as an Offering to the Lord and congregation in worship.
National Youth Gathering in New Orleans, LA next July. I know what you’re thinking, “That is one year away—why focus on that now!?!” The truth is that next July will be here faster than you know it and we will need to finalize participants by November 1. Peace has the potential of sending 7 youth plus chaperones—maybe even more!
Ladies Guild Bazaar. Believe it or not, the Ladies Guild Bazaar is right around the corner. The Bazaar will be on Saturday, October 26. Now is the time to find out more and discover how you can participate and help. This is all about fun and supporting local non-profits. Kay Glathar is the one to connect with if you have interest.
College Life. Peace had five High School graduates this past year and many of them are transitioning now to new adventures. Consider them in your prayers. Speaking of college, I received an email from Pastor Hallie from Luther House in Corvallis this month. She asked if a group from Peace would be interested in painting an interior section of Luther House in preparation for their start of the semester. I said, “Sure.” I am going to help—if you would like to come with me and paint inside for a couple of hours let me know! Luther House exists to assist Oregon State college students develop their faith. Let me know if you’d like to come with me! I am thankful for these opportunities right around the corner. God is always up to something in the lives of His people.
In His Joy, Pastor J
Peace by the Numbers
Plan for Worship
August 4 – 10:00am Worship service with Communion. Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost.
August 11 – 10:00am Worship service. Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost.
August 18 – 10:00am Worship service with Communion outside on the patio. Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost.
August 25 – 10:00am Worship service. Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost.
Mark Your Calendar for the Fall Picnic
The fall picnic and BBQ will be held on September 8 right after worship service. It should be lots of fun for everyone and we will have a firehouse bouncy structure for the kids. Invite your friends and neighbors. More information will be provided in the September newsletter.
Harlow Smith’s Faith Statement
When I think about having faith, I think of what it means to believe. When you believe in something or someone, you have to be willing to trust. God has always played a big part in my life, therefore, I’ve had to trust that the Lord
doesn’t do things unintentionally. I believe God always has a plan, and he needs to teach people lessons along the way, so that we can learn from our mistakes. In this case, I didn’t get to choose my religion. I was born, and
baptized into God‘s kingdom as a Christian. So I never second-guess or even thought to question my faith. Now that I’m old enough to choose for myself, I’m proud to be a Christian.
This past year really took a toll on my mental health. But it wasn’t till later that I realized, all these experiences have brought me closer to God. With the pressures from school, and anxiety of friend drama, I was starting to feel
alone. The lowest point for me was when I started to lose myself. When I was happy, it was short-lived. I never felt like talking in general anymore. But then the Lord opened my eyes. I started talking to him more, and it felt like a
comforting shoulder I could cry on. Most importantly, I felt seen.
If this past year has taught me anything, it’s that no matter what, God will listen. With that being said, I have chosen 2nd kings, chapter 20 verse five as the passage I want to refer to all throughout my life – “I have heard your
prayers and seen your tears: I will heal you“. When most people think of the word vulnerable, they think of weak, or it being a bad thing. But I think vulnerability is a great thing. For Superman, it’s kryptonite, for me, it’s the
Lord. Doesn’t matter what I talk to him about, I always end up in tears. As a teenager, my emotions are heightened, so when I feel, I feel.
With all the sadness that came along with this year, it was God‘s plan to use that sadness and bring me closer to him. I’ve never talked to the Lord the way I do now before. As a human, I’m going to sin, and make mistakes. But the bigger picture here, is that’s God‘s way of strengthening our relationship. There will be ups and downs to my life, but it’s nice to know I can trust that the Lord will be there to listen to my prayers, see my tears, and eventually come to heal me.
Rotary Club Presentations This Month
Do you wonder what is happening around Philomath? How do you feel about the road construction through town? Would you like to hear the latest on what is planned and have the opportunity to ask questions? Then come to the Rotary Club meeting on August 13th and we will be hearing from our Mayor, Mr. Chaz Jones, and the City Manager, Mr. Chris Workman. They will be giving a short presentation and then opening for your questions.
How many scam calls did you receive just this past week? There are crooks who are continually bombarding us with solicitations and requests to get our personal information, including credit card or bank account numbers. Their methods are always changing, and many are becoming quite sophisticated in their tactics. The Philomath Rotary Club has rescheduled Ms. Shannon Romero, the Oregon Consumer Education & Engagement Coordinator. Her presentation is titled “Scam & Fraud Prevention” and will be on August 20th at noon in the Fellowship Hall This is a great opportunity to learn some ways to protect our information and our bank accounts.
Lunch will be provided by the Rotary Club for both presentations so please let Lindy know if you will be attending so we can plan the number of meals accordingly.
Update from JP Cima – Our Missionary in Cambodia
