Life Among the Believers
Hello, Beloved Believer!
First, let us pray for our brothers and sisters in Hawaii who are under siege from the erupting volcano and numerous earthquakes. Lord, hear our prayer.
In one of our Life Among the Believers small group sharings, someone happened to mention the need to be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle. That quote is attributed to Plato, who lived in Athens 2,300 years ago. The need for kindness and compassion has been with us for a very long time. This morning I read a quote by Dr. Bernie Siegel, “Remember, we are all wounded. Be an angel and when someone is having trouble with their wings, lift them up. You will be uplifted, too.”
As we go along in our small group sharings, where I ask participants 3 questions, the last is, what keeps you coming back to FCCB, it has been heartwarming to hear, this is my home. And, because I have been given so much, I want to give back. While hard things are being said about our church (hard things are said about any church because they all have human beings in them!), one participant shared that their faith in God is stronger than the issues in the church. Amen. I imagine that’s a very common answer for why people remain in their church home. Glory to God in his highest heaven!
Mother’s Day is here! One part of Sunday’s Call to Worship will invite us to vocally lift up the names of women who have worked for justice and peace. Be prepared to call out a name! Some examples: Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Mother Theresa, Betty Friedan, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Gloria Steinem, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Madeline Albright, Margaret Thatcher, Harriet Tubman, Sandra Day O’Connor, Rosa Parks. Our scripture lesson is John 17:6-19 in which Jesus prays for his disciples, not unlike your mama prays for you. We’ll sing a wonderful hymn called Bring Many Names (strong mother God, warm father God, old aching God, young growing God, great living God). The message is titled Our Mother. The Sanctuary Choir will sing the warm and joyful _All Things Bright and Beautifu_l.
Looking ahead: Pentecost Sunday is May 20th WWWHHHOOOSSSHHH went the Holy Spirit! I’m counting on those Pentecost winds in Life Among the Believers! May 20th will also be our Music Sunday! Red is the color of Pentecost - if you have some red to wear, please do!
Life Among the Believers
(No Sign-Ups, Just Show Up! to one)
TONIGHT, May 10: 7pm Russel;
May 17: 10:00am, Russel
May 20: 11:30 am, Russel
~ Youth Welcome ~
Two congregational gatherings to share the results from the small groups:
June 3: 11:30am, Pilgrim; June 10: 11:30am, Pilgrim
Please try to commit to attend on June 3 and June 10!
(Childcare will be available May 20, June 3, June 10.)
Random helpful tip: If you have to make a decision, and you’re not clear about it, ask God that if you’re supposed to do this particular thing/to go this particular way, to increase your desire for it, and that if it’s not the way to go, to decrease your desire for it. It works!
See you believers at 8a and 10a this Sunday!
The only measure of your words and your deeds
Will be the love you leave behind when you're gone.
~ Fred Small, Everything Possible
Rev. Suz, Interim Senior Minister
Office Hours: T-Th 9am-3pm (or 1p-3p visits) if evening mtg., 3pm-9pm
revsuz@hotmail.com; church (203) 488-7201, ext. 107; cell (860) 304-1054
Mother’s Day
This is for mothers who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can’t be comforted. This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse. For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON’T. This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they’ll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes. This is for all those women who still long to be mothers. This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens. This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead. This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot. This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can’t find the words to reach them. For all the mothers of the victims of school shootings, and the mothers of those who do the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sit in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who comes home from school, safely. This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war. The emotions are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation…. and mature mothers learning to let go. For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers. Single mothers and married mothers. Mothers with money, mothers without. [For, women who mother through a variety of ways, and for fathers who mother, too.] This is for you all. For all of us. Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. And pray. ~ Author Unknown
