First Church Family:
As I drove into the church early this morning, I was struck by the beauty of the Easter lilies that surround our buildings. They bloomed late this year, but they are beautiful! Ride around the church in the next couple of days and appreciate their beauty.
But don’t stop there. Let the lilies remind you that everyday is Easter for us, because God the Father raised Jesus the Son from the dead – and through the Resurrection we are gifted with eternal life.
We must remember that every day – not just at Easter.
I was so very proud of the way our youth led us in worship this past Sunday. Our prayers are with our graduating seniors, Cary Carpenter and Molly Triplett, who shared their stories with us. Please continue to have them and their families in your prayers as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their lives.
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday. Our focus will be the way we worship God in three persons.
The following Sunday, June 19, with clergy and lay delegates from every single United Methodist Church in western North Carolina, I will be at Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska. Our Lay Leader, Jim Sponenberg, will speak at both services. Jim is the son of a Methodist pastor and a wonderful teacher and disciple. Please make sure you are here on the 19th to hear his perspective on what it means to be an effective lay person.
In July, our Sunday morning worship schedule will change. We will have one combined service at 10:30am each Sunday during the month. Sunday School will precede worship at either 9:15am or 9:30am, depending on the decisions of the individual classes.
The July schedule will be as follows. On July 3, we will worship together in the Sanctuary. July 10, we will be in the CLC. July 17, we will worship in the Sanctuary, and then, enjoy a meal together in the CLC following the service. On July 24, we will worship in the CLC. And on the last Sunday in July, the 31st, we will be back in the Sanctuary.
Many churches alter their schedules in the summer. We are joining them this year. I’m excited about doing something new together in July.
May the warmth of God’s sunshine remind you of His loving presence with us.
Blessings and love,
Pastor Dave