Rev. Kathie S. Pownall
WEEK OF AUGUST 31, 2008
This past weekend I attended a high school reunion that also gave me an opportunity to worship with a different denomination than my own on Sunday morning [Bretheren]. I enjoyed the praise music and the message and was glad to have the chance to worship with believers that express their faith in Christ differently than that which I typically experience on Sunday morning.
I read this devotional this morning and thought it appropriate to share the ideas with you regarding The Sabbath -
"Do Your Best to Rest"
by Jon Walker
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest. Hebrews 4:9–11 (NIV)
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[Today’s guest devotional is provided by Jon Walker]
Most of us think of the Sabbath as a day of rest, originating from the day of rest God took after he created the universe, as recorded in Genesis. That view is correct; it’s the reason we should take a Sabbath, a day of rest, each week.
Yet the Sabbath has a larger sense: an invitation to rest in God’s healing grace, trusting in his power and his purpose for your life. We rest in our Father’s arms, knowing he goes before and behind, knowing that his plans for us are good and not evil (Jeremiah 29:11).
God wants us to focus our efforts toward entering this Sabbath-trust in God, a restful, radiant certainty that God’s got a handle on it all, and that he’s got our best interests in mind.
Ian Thomas illustrates this point by telling the story of a man walking down a dusty, rural road on a hot and humid day. The man is loaded down with a heavy backpack and carries a duffle bag in each hand. A pick-up truck comes along, and the driver lets the man hop in the back.
The driver heads on down the road, but when he looks in the rearview mirror he sees that his passenger is standing in the bed of the truck still holding both duffle bags, still wearing the over-packed backpack on his back.
Truth is: We stand in the truck of faith, still carrying our burdens, thinking they’re independent of our ride with God. We think God can carry us, but not our burdens. But God’s truck of faith is big enough to carry us and to carry all our burdens.
Sit down and rest in the ride of God, our Father, carrying us home to him.
Hope to see you soon on Sunday morning at 9:00 for worship at First Presbyterian of Chesapeake City, MD
Rev. Kathie
SENIOR CITIZENS PROGRAM
Beginning Wednesday,
September 10, 10:30 am -12:30
- PROGRAM: LOCAL HISTORIAN ROBERT HAZEL "HISTORY OF CHESAPEAKE CITY" IN WORDS AND PICTURES.
- BRING BAG LUNCH: BEVERAGE AND DESERT WILL BE PROVIDED
SPREAD THE WORD!
BIBLE STUDY/VIDEO/DISCUSSION GROUP
2nd and 4th Wednesdays
Beginning September 10
7:00 PM
SUBJECT: “THE PARABLES OF JESUS”
WORSHIP TEAM
If you are interested in helping to teach the congregation some new music please see Pastor Kathie for rehearsal times.
RECOMMENDED READING
THE SHACK
BY WILLIAM YOUNG
When the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-fertilize the result is a novel on the order of The Shack. This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress did for his. It’s that good! Eugene Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, BC
"Mack" Philips took his three children on a family camping trip while his wife visited her sister. Just as they were about to leave the campsite, the two older kids decided to take a last canoe ride before heading home. As their canoe overturned, and Mack went to help them, his back was turned and the unspeakable happened.
A known child predator abducted Mack’s youngest daughter, Missy.
After a massive search, evidence of Missy showed up at an abandoned cabin. Although they never found her body, everyone knew the worst had happened. For the next four years "a great sadness" fell over Mack and his family, until a note from God showed up in his mailbox. What happens next will move you to a greater understanding of God's unfailing love for us all.
Pastor Kathie is going to start a discussion group in September about thoughts of the “divine” presented in this novel. kpownall@aol.com
PRESBYTERIANS IN CAMEROON, AFRICA
On Sunday, June 29, Rev. John Paderson, St. Andrew's Presbyterian, Newark, DE, shared his recent trip to Cameroon, Africa, with the congregation. During worship he preached on Ephesians 4: 1-16 relating the text to his visit with the PCC [Presbyterian Church of Cameroon] .
During a coffee hour after the service he showed photos of his trip and shared information and concerns about Presbyterians in this part of the world. He encouraged us and other churches to establish relationships with churches "far away," just as St. Andrew's did for their 50 Anniversary. He requested that we pray for the PCC especially for the young people; there is high unemployment and political unrest in Cameroon. The clergy labor diligently and Rev. Paderson asked that we pray that a way may be made to provide these faith ministers rest and renewal to be able to continue their ministry.
RESPONSE: Invitation is given for our congregation to be in correspondence with PC Alabukam - one of the larger Presbyterian churches in the Presbyterian Church of Cameroon. Rev. Fon Henry has been the pastor. Those who heard the following presentation on June 29, are asked to write letters/notes to that congregation - words of information about First Presbyterian of Chesapeake City and also words of encouragment to their churches in the Cameroon. Letters will be mailed together by August 3.
CONSIDER THE LILIES, HOW THEY GROW...
SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY WAS NOT CLOTHED LIKE LONE OF THESE.
PRESBYTERY MODERATOR: REV. KATHLEEN BUSCH
Years ago, I learned this benediction written by Richard Halverson, a Presbyterian minister who was Chaplain of the U.S. Senate. I use it about once a month as one way to create a sense of ‘sentness’ in our folks. They just love it. I hear it coming back to me often, and I really believe that our folks at Covenant have begun to understand and truly embrace the fact that they are sent to their homes and neighborhoods and workplaces and schools with the good news of new life through Jesus. Here are Halverson’s words:
You go nowhere by accident.
Wherever you go, God is sending you.
Wherever you are, God has put you there,
He has a purpose in your being there.
Christ who dwells in you has something
He wants to do through you, where you are.
Powerful, isn’t it? We are sent, my friends. To whom is God sending you this summer?
- Kathi Busch
CHECK OUT New Castle Presbytery Web Page
PAST SERMONS:
Sermon preached at New Castle Presbytery Meeting, March 29, 2008
sermonpalmsunday,2008.htm
SermonJuly13,2008.doc
SermonAugust24,2008.doc
[Matthew 7:21–27 – "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?' Then I will announce to them, 'I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!' Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn't collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn't act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!" (HCSB)]
The answer is obviously a resounding "no!" Simply thinking about an activity, a state of mind, or a condition of life does not make it come about. We must act upon those thoughts. We must apply the principles learned in books or from tutors to our lives. That is how we become famous Spanish guitar players, martial artists, or influential speakers.
Some people, however, are not able to transfer this very basic principle to their walk with the Master. They believe that church attendance will make them tzaddikim (righteous people). Let me ask you: are all the people that attend a football game football players?
Others believe that reading the right authors will give them some magical knowledge that will transform their lives overnight and they will wake up miraculous, magical spiritual beings with the power to overcome sin and to call down fire from heaven. So they read Max Lucado, Beth Moore, Billy Graham, Dietrich Bonhoffer, or Saint Augustine. Personally, if there were such a human author—if there was some man or woman who had the power to magically transform us into tzaddikim—my vote would be for A.W. Tozer. Unfortunately, there is no such human. Reading cannot turn us into good people any more than it can turn us into great chefs.
DID YOU ENJOY CHURCH / BIBLICAL HUMOR?
Try http://www.larknews.com/march_2008/index.php
"CHURCH HUMOR" SUNDAY,
MARCH 30! 9:00 AM
Holy Humor Sunday
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN celebrated the Sunday after Easter, March 30, as Holy Humor Sunday. “Sunday Holy Humor ” or “Bright Sunday” was drawn to national attention by Harvey Cox in his book, “The Feast of Fools,” and popularized by Cal Samra through his newsletter, the “Joyful Noiseletter.” http://www.joyfulnoiseletter.com/
Did he wear a basket on his head, too?
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Jesus for President
Politics for Ordinary Radicals
By Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw
Don't miss the opportunity to own Shane Claiborne's widely anticipated release. Publisher's Weekly has claimed the book to be "the must-read election-year book for Christian Americans." To view Claiborne's book and read Publisher's Weekly review in its entirety, click here.
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ABOUT PREACHING: Sometimes, preaching is essentially wondering out loud about life in light of biblical texts, for example, maybe today it is wondering about the proverbial fork in the road [the subject in a poem by Robert Frost "The Road Not Taken". Life constantly presents us with two choices. We can follow one path - a life lived in fear, or another, which is a life, lived in trust in God.
Something to Ponder
In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. 
— Albert Camus
We are now in the invincible summer of the resurrection. Hallelujah! KSP
"
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