Awesome and Amazing God,
You have blessed our hearts and lives in manifold ways. Your peace upholds us. Your comforting Presence sustains us. Forgive us, we pray, when we walk away from You seeking to please ourselves and impress others. Such actions lead to emptiness and despair. Help us to be Great Commandment Christians, those who love You and love their neighbor. The actions of the Christian faith are simple and yet we choose to complicate them. Simplify our understandings, O God. May we seek to live life following the basic element of Jesus teaching. . .loving You and loving others. We pray this prayer in Jesus name, AMEN.
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The Talent Show last night was a great success. Thanks to organizers Carolyn and Laurie and, certainly, to all those who shared their talents. There was great variety and it was all FUN!
A reminder to all the new and incoming Elders. We will meet this Sunday evening at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Please plan to attend.
SPECIAL NOTICE: Moderator David Dell has called a Special Board Meeting (of the existing Board) for next Wednesday, June 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The only topic will be Kids Central. It is crucial that we have a quorum. Please attend. (Please note: the New Board does not officially take office until July 1).
The scripture for today is Nehemiah 7:73b-8:12:
So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns. When the seventh month came—the people of Israel being settled in their towns—
all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.”And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Grace and peace,
John McLemore
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