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Excerpts from The New Outlook Mid July 2007 “Experiencing God” Is VBS Theme Next
Week Schedule
Children’s Programs: “Experiencing God
through Spiritual Disciplines”
Adult programs (Choose one):
“Experiencing God: Lectio Divina” More Details:
We still need people to assist in children’s classes and to greet on Monday and Tuesdays. If you can help, contact Shari Nelson-Faulkner. Barbeque at the Rooks’ The museum at O’Fallon has an exhibit on John Mason Peck, who co-founded the church that became Second Baptist in 1818. (Read more about him in The Story of Second Baptist.) We can also see the farm land that he owned and the grave site of his wife, Sally. Please RSVP (and let us know if you’re coming for the Peck tour) to rrook@hep.hubbell.com or the church office. Let us know if you need directions. Bill and Becky Rook Second
Best Players Premiere “After the Whale” is the title of the reader’s theatre production. This creative and humorous story is taken from one of the Bible’s most creative and humorous stories, the book of Jonah. Instead of focusing on the great fish, or whale, however, this play shows us what happened next. The play is by Kenneth L. Gibble, a Church of the Brethren pastor and playwright, from his book of chancel dramas, That Your Days May Be Long. Gibble notes in his book’s introduction, “In most Christian churches, the primary means of proclaiming the gospel is that of the sermon. Despite the importance of the sermon in Christian worship, the fact remains that it is a monologue, one person speaking to many listeners. By contrast, the stories in the Bible give us the words of many people. Thus the presentation of a play as part of worship is more nearly in tune theologically with the scriptures than a sermon is.” “After the Whale” begins with an introduction to the story by the Stage Manager, played by Cindy Collins. Then the story continues in dialogue between the grumbling prophet (Michael Dixon) and a Ninevite who may be more than just a Ninevite (Mary Winter). Come and find out the surprising insights that Jonah begrudgingly receives into God’s nature. Michael Dixon says, “I’ve noticed several people that are great readers of scripture and who seem to have dramatic skills, so I thought that it would be fun to do a reader’s theatre together. Who knows? Maybe under the leadership of your new pastor, other opportunities may arise for others to be a part of Second Best Players. They might do plays during sermon time, children’s sermon-skits, or take on something ambitious like a play after a dinner. It’s a beginning.” Seeing Ourselves Transitions The next Sunday, August 19, we look to the future as we welcome our new pastor and his wife, Stephen and Jan Jones. We'll have a special coffee that day, too. Pastor Dixon Receives New Call News from the Joneses Our house on Beacon Hill sold the very first day it was listed. We purposely priced it so that it would move, and it did! The closing is at the end of July. My office is now almost fully boxed and packed and our house is 75% ready. The main topic of conversation between Jan and me these days is, "You packed that? How are we supposed to live the next two weeks?" Moving is fun, isn't it? We have now purchased a home in the LaSalle neighborhood of St. Louis city, three blocks from the Soulard market and likely seven blocks from Lafayette Park. It is a new townhouse, still under construction, 1611 S. 11th Street. You are welcome to drive by. It is fully constructed on the outside but the inside is now underway. This means that we will have to live temporarily until mid to late October. That isn’t the best situation, but we will make it work. The commute to the church will be easy since we are two blocks from the I-55 exchange. Our closure here at Seattle First Baptist Church is going very well. We have a wonderful relationship with so many people here and disengaging is never easy. There is a reception on July 22 in Jan’s honor at Gethsemane Lutheran Church where she works with homeless adults and a reception in our honor at Seattle First Baptist on our final Sunday, July 29. We load the truck on July 30 and hope to visit friends and family on our way across the Western United States. It feels such a blessing, as we close this door of ministry, to open a new one with you. I’m already thinking, praying and planning for my beginning Sundays with you. I know you also are in transition with your interim pastor, Mike Dixon, and I wish you the very best as you say goodbye to Sandy and Mike. We will be on vacation until August 14, when we
will arrive back in St. Louis. I’m excited to be joining the elected leaders in
a day retreat on Saturday, August 18 and to be leading you in worship for the
first time as your pastor on August 19. From the Interim Pastor It is frustrating, in a way, to become deeply involved in the life of a church for a year or so, dedicating infants, or welcoming new members, teaching a class, or officiating at a wedding, and to realize that you won’t be with these people for the long-term, that you won’t see the long-term results of your work. Yet we put our trust in God that what we plant as interim ministers will grow and flourish in the years ahead. Perhaps it’s an idea in a sermon that gives someone a different insight, and helps them get more excited about their faith, or leads them to participate in a mission project. Perhaps it’s helping a church council or committee see areas that need to be addressed, or to help them see what strengths the church has that it may build upon. Perhaps it’s in starting a new worship tradition. Perhaps it’s in encouraging someone who is down, or praying at a hospital bedside or a graveside. Perhaps it’s in participating in an ongoing fellowship or study group in the church’s life. In all these, I like to think of myself as planting seeds. The infant dedication on July 22nd, the new reader’s theatre group on July 29th, the Power Point presentation on August 5, all of our times of worship and service, planning and organizing, study and sharing, and fun and fellowship, all together give (and have given) opportunities for God’s Spirit to work quietly and subtly in the life of this congregation. Who knows what new life will take shape? And that’s a great joy of interim ministry, trusting God for that new life which is to come. Grace and peace,
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
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9030 Clayton Road (at McKnight Road, 3/10 mile west of the Galleria) St. Louis, MO 63117 (314) 991-3424 |