Dear Hope Members and Friends,
I am very sorry to report that the Sunday School and Worship service will be cancelled tomorrow, February 7, 2010 due to the snowstorm. The newscasts are reporting that the State Highway Administration is asking people to stay off the roads this evening and tomorrow so that road crews can begin clearing the major roads. Please be safe in your efforts to dig out from the storm.
It is difficult when the faith community is unable to come together for worship, but I would suggest the following. If you have a church directory, go through the directory and pray for the members of the congregation. See how many people you know in the directory; those you would recognize when you saw them. For those you do not know, make it a point to pray especially for them and seek them out and get to know
them the next time we are together.
The scripture texts for Sunday, February 7, 2010 are Isaiah 6:1-8 and Luke 5: 1-11. In these scriptures, God is calling Isaiah to be a prophet of the Lord and Jesus is calling the first disciples. Neither Isaiah nor Simon Peter think they are worthy to be called by God. God thinks differently. But this calling from God is disruptive to the lives of Isaiah and the fishermen in their boats on the Sea of Galilee. God is willing to disrupt our lives to fulfill God's purposes.God will change our plans, change our schedules, change what we have in mind for our days, for our life. The disciples left everything and followed Jesus. Think about it. As Luke tells the story, for the disciples Jesus was first, no "ifs, ands or buts." As you read these passages tomorrow morning alone or together with your family, may the Holy Spirit give you open ears and hearts so that you might hear with joy what God is saying to you.
Please keep members and friends of Hope in your prayers. Pray also for those hosting Warm Nights and Safe Haven and pray that all might find shelter, food and warmth in these winter days. Continue to pray for the rescue and relief efforts in Haiti and please consider making a contribution which will go to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance who has an active presence in Haiti coordinating relief efforts with other organizations. Checks can be made out to Hope Presbyterian Church and earmarked for Haiti Relief.
Please also remember to honor your pledges given in the weekly offering. When we are not able to gather for worship that can easily impact our ability to cover our expenses.
I am available by phone if there are any pastoral needs whatsoever. Feel free to call my home phone which is listed in the church directory.
I end with the following prayer
We give you thanks, generous God for the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of this winter season, for the snow falling and the quiet peacefulness outside our windows. We thank you for these blessings. We pray for those who do not feel the peace of a winter storm, who are uncertain of where they will lay their head tonight. By the power of your Spirit, lead them to warmth and shelter. We pray for all those who are hard at work, clearing roads, fixing power lines, serving meals, shoveling walkways. We pray for all those who are watchful tonight, making a phone call, knocking on a neighbor's door, making sure that no one feels that they are alone.
We praise you for the gifts you place before us and pray that we may safeguard these gifts for future generations. Grant that we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation, always to the glory and honor of your name. In Jesus name, we pray Amen!
God's blessings be with you! See you SOON!!! YES!!
Pastor Dottie