LIVERMORE FALLS — Sunday, August 7 turned out to be blistering hot, even in the early morning. However, at the nine o’clock hour as people began to arrive to prepare the church for the 10:30 service, a collective sigh of relief could be heard upon entering the building. We realized the cooler temperature would keep us comfortable as we proceeded through the service, especially the sermon by Pastor Russ Thayer, truly, a spokesperson for God!
Maggie Houlihan played beautiful hymns on the pipe organ as the congregation entered the sanctuary. Promptly, at 10:30, Kay King Watson welcomed us and read the following announcements: In August, our contribution to the Food Cupboard will be peanut butter. In September, we will collect canned corn.
The American Baptist Women Summer Conference will take place at China Lake Camp on August 11 – 13. Kay will attend.
Pastor Russ is holding Disciple Classes on Sunday mornings from 9 – 10 a.m. The classes are being held for anyone who is interested in baptism, joining the church, or to grow in knowledge of the church and Christianity.
The next Soap ‘N More Store will be open on Saturday, August 27, 9 a.m. – noon.
Our next Hymnsing will take place on Sunday, August 28 at 7 p.m.
Pastor Russ offered Psalm 67 as the Call to Worship. Kay led the Congregation in praise songs as Maggie and Margaret accompanied on keyboards. Praise Songs were: “He Has Made Me Glad”, and “Blessed Be the Lord God Almighty”. Special Music was provided by a trio, Margaret Emery, Richard Poland, and Maggie Houlihan, who sang a Spiritual: “Down to the River to Pray”.
The Sermon was based on Matthew 6: 1, which cautions us to be careful how we pray and where we pray. We should not pray in front of others just to be seen and heard praying so that others will think of us as people of God. Pastor Russ is helping us to better understand The Lord’s Prayer and the true meaning of each word we say as we recite the Prayer. Last week we explored the beginning of the Prayer: Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name; in other words, this part of the Prayer is all about God. The second part of the Prayer was the Sermon on Sunday: It goes on: Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Pastor Russ tells us that we are asking for “Heaven on Earth”, to replace what we now have on earth. Is that true? He said: “be careful what you wish for”, because most of us want this to be true, only if it fits our morality, our behaviors, or our way of living our lives, not the ways of God. Heaven is God’s perfect resting place. The calamity of our behaviors has caused us to live in a chaotic world…..that’s not Heaven. So, “be careful what you wish for”. God’s will may not be your will. Next week we will continue to learn more about “The Lord’s Prayer”.
Our last Hymn was “In Remembrance”, after which we celebrated Communion. At the end of Communion, everyone joined hands in a circle around the Sanctuary and we sang, “Blest Be the Tie That Binds”.
Sunday Disciple Class at 9 a.m., Morning Service at 10:30. Please come and join us and rejoice in the love of God as He shines through Pastor Russ and the Disciples of the First Baptist Church.
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