Greetings,

Hope you have had a great summer – and yeah it has been hot! Thought I would use this month’s article for miscellaneous topics – keeping things simple in the “Dog Days”:

· The Tuesday meals have been around since the beginning of the pandemic. The purpose initially was to keep us connected (through a meal) when we were not meeting for in person worship. And off the bat, the meal program was a success! We started off serving about 30-40 meals per week, with a very limited menu. Then the numbers began to rise, gradually at first, but then to weekly numbers of about 100/week. With that increase the team became more creative and put more variety in place on the menu. Did you know that weekly we serve about as many people outside the church as within the church? 1 Peter 4:10: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. Serving others is a gift that is being shared throughout.

· Habitat for Humanity of Evansville is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. Area UMC churches have another home that was dedicated on July 27^th and is located at 304 E. Virginia Street. We have faithfully given to support our local builds. We are currently collecting for Habitat – please place donations in the offering basket at church. In this way we live out Philippians 2:4: not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

· God’s Kids ended their very successful summer session on July 29^th. Our entire staff is exceptional! The recent ruling by the Supreme Court that begins to place limitations on ending unborn life (and that is what it is) through abortion, indicates to me that children matter and we as a church must make sure that we are there for children. This includes continuing our vital support of pre-school, the Youth Home, and our children in Haiti. And moving forward, we will need to encourage and support Foster Care. Jeremiah 1:5: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

· There is nothing new on our church disaffiliation from the UMC. We still continue to plan upon leaving the UMC on January 1, 2023. Might we subscribe to Isaiah 40:31 in moving forward? but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

· The current sermon series is from the book of Colossians. My prayer for you from Colossians 1:9: So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.

In Christ,

Pastor Greg