Dear First Presbyterian Church Family:

What a beautiful day it is! I hope you can get outside and enjoy the pleasant weather and be reminded of God’s love for us through the beauty of creation!

I have 5 important announcements to share:

1. WORSHIP IN THE PARK THIS SUNDAY 7/19! Join us in Alexander Park at 10:30am. Bring your own lawn chair and facemask please. Immediately following worship, we will have a food truck or two parked in our church parking lot, so plan so stay for lunch! If you can’t come in person, we will still broadcast on radio and Facebook Live and it will be on the TV the following week.

2. SUMMER SERMON SONG SERIES! We are bringing back the Summer Sermon Song Series for a 6 week run this summer, starting this Sunday 7/19 at Worship in the Park. I will preach a sermon on Neil Young’s Song “When God Made Me” which you can listen to here: https://youtu.be/zKbi6CaBZQc

3. BIBLE STUDY CHAT/MONDAY CHECK-IN: Every week, Pastor Damen and I do a short (15-20 minute) Bible Study Chat as a broadcast/podcast. We talk about the scripture for the upcoming week and share announcements and prayers. You can listen to the one for this week like a radio broadcast or download it as a podcast by clicking here: https://soundcloud.com/damen-heitmann/071520-monday-check-inIf you prefer to see our smiling faces, you can watch it on YouTube by clicking here: https://youtu.be/NWIpWTyzInw  

If you really enjoy these chats, you can access them and listen to our soothing voices and clever commentary. We have 15 of these BIBLE STUDY CHAT/MONDAY CHECK-INS available by clicking here: https://soundcloud.com/damen-heitmann/sets/monday-check-in

4. GILEAD GLEANINGS SUMMER BOOK CLUB: This summer, we invited the whole church to read the novel Gileadby Marilynne Robinson. It’s not too late to grab a copy and join us. We have recorded two delightful conversations about the book with me, Pastor Damen, and 3 really smart, insightful and clever English professors in our congregation. You can listen to those conversations here:

Gilead Talk 1: https://bit.ly/gileadg

Gilead Talk 2: https://bit.ly/gileadg2

You can join us for a book group chat on the novel tomorrow (Thursday 7/16) at 6:30pm by clicking on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85446060475

5. OPEN TABLE LUNCH PACKING: Normally every summer in the month of July, we pack sack lunches on Sundays after worship. Due to COVID-19 we aren’t able to do that. However, we are still going to pack lunches in small groups throughout the month of July. If you are interested in coming into the church to help pack lunches in July, please email Jeni Howard at howardjeni@gmail.comor call/text her at 402-469-1500

I think that is all the exciting news that is fit to print for now. I hope you can join us in the all of the vibrant activities, worship, learning, ministry, and mission that our church is engaging in this week!

Your Servant in Christ, Pastor Greg