The church IS NOT A BUILDING, the church is not a steeple.
The church is not a resting place, THE CHURCH IS A PEOPLE!
I am the church. You are the church. We are the church together.
All of God’s people, all around the world. Yes, we’re the church together.
(Avery and Marsh songbook)
Dear members and friends of Community Presbyterian Church of Brigantine, How many times have we sung this hymn together in church never imagining that one day we would be called to live out the reality that church is not a building, but a people? This week we are reading about being “living stones” that make up the “spiritual house” of God (I Peter 2:2-10). What interesting and challenging times we live in. Let us work together and challenge one another to be God’s own people in this time of such great spiritual need in our community.
Our “Concerns List” grows day by day. Ida Beraquit, ICU nurse in the VA system, tested positive for COVID-19. She is past the fever and recovering at home. Pray for her recovery and for the safety of her husband Tony and their entire extended family. Betty Dillon Breeden let me know that her daughter Melissa is quarantined after testing positive. She is recovering and anxious to get back to work as an ICU nurse at the Univ. of Cal. Medical Ctr in San Francisco. Please take note of our extended Concerns List and pray their names daily.
My heart goes out to the family of my colleague Rev. Grace Bowen, a Presbyterian Pastor in NYC who succumbed to complications due to the virus last week. You can read about the woman who exemplified her name, just google her! And please pray for my friend and mentor Rev. David Cockcroft who is in a nursing home in NYC! As God’s own people, we are called to weep with those who weep. We join so many of our friends and family that are mourning.
Closer to home, Debbie Enderlin, Sue Clark, Gina Herz and of course, Brenda and Liboria keep the True Spirit Coalition Pantry humming! Families got 5 to 7 bags of all kinds of groceries today as they pulled up to the pantry windows. Thanks too to all those in our community that have so generously supported the work of the True Spirit Coalition! What can you do? Refer families and individuals who are stretched by these tough times. Tell them to call the church office and talk to Brenda about getting on the list for the Pantry - (609) 266-7942.
Sue Clark did it again, despite the Virus Crisis - she pulled off a remarkable Mothers Day Flower Sale and distributed over $4,000 of beauty and joy to Island gardeners. Thanks to all the volunteers who pitched in..like Sue Ferguson, Jackie Sarner, Teri Gragg, Annie Scotland and everyone who patiently waited for hours for the truck to come on Monday!
Help from the CPA Lizzy! If you have not gotten your stimulus payment from Uncle Sam yet: On the internet, google “Irs.gov”. Go to this website and look for “economic impact payments” to enter your bank routing number (it's printed on the bottom of your checks - 2nd set of numbers usually 9 digits, for instance, TD banks routing number is 031201360) and your checking account number. Call me if you need further assistance. Lori at TD Bank has been a great help!
We are going to try to have Zoom Committee meetings in the next week. If you are on Admin. & Finance, Mission or Member Care Committee - look for an email from me to join a Zoom meeting. If you haven’t used Zoom yet, give me a call and I will try to help you connect.
WORSHIP has been well attended, congrats to everyone who has overcome fear of flying to get on the internet and join us live on Sunday Mornings at 10:00 am for singing (let us know your hymn requests and we will try our best to include them in worship!), and 10:15 am for worship. If you want to try to join us, use this link www.facebook.com/brigchurch.org. You don’t have to be on Facebook to join the worship. Bob Schilling is sending out the link on YouTube to see the worship later in the week - if you are not getting his email, call him at (609) 457-0728! Thanks again to Jeanie, Tony and Teri Gragg (projectionist) for making Sunday mornings work!
CHURCH WEBSITE IS www.brigchurch.org. Check it for updates, announcements and info. Don’t forget, you can reach me at brigchurch@aol.com or on my email at jrscotland@aol.com. My cell phone is (609) 457-2999 - feel free to call or text anytime when the banks are open!
If you are a Facebook member find us at “Brigantine Community Presbyterian Church” and “LIKE” us!
If you are alone, if you are reaching the end of your emotional energy, if you are getting overly anxious or stressed out - please reach out to one another. Stay connected by phone or text or through the internet. We have a long way to go and we must pay attention to our own physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. None of us were ever meant to tough it out alone! Please feel free to call me on my cell phone at (609) 457-2999! Call Jim Walker, chair of Member Care, at (609) 338-2252 - OR - call Mental Health HELPLINE at 1 (866) 202-5357!
Longing for shelter, many are homeless. Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others, walls made of living stone!
Christ be our light, shine in our hearts, shine through the darkenss.
Christ be our light! Shine in your church, gathered today. (hymn # 314, vs. 4)
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make the face of God shine upon you and be gracious unto you and
May the Lord lift up Gods’ countenance upon you and give you peace
- John
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