PASTOR'S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ARTICLE Update: Pastor Jeff is back in the pulpit. Come hear him. Pastor Jeff, we are so glad that you are doing so well, feeling better and that you are back with us again.
September 2023
Dear Church Family,
As we go to press with
the September Newsletter, summer is drawing to a close and the cool winds and
rain of autumn will soon be here. As I mentioned in the August Newsletter, as
we turn our hearts and minds towards our Fall programming and missions work.
May we do so with a renewed sense of “calling and clarity” in our giving, outreach,
and mission endeavors.
Our
primary Gospel reading for September 3rd seeks to ever remind us
that just like Christ’s original disciples, we are called to “walk our talk”
and to “pick up our Crosses”, as Jesus tells
us in Matthew 16:24. Jesus said: “If any man or person would come after me, let
them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”. Close quote.
This
scripture reading is part of a longer reading; Matthew 16;21-28. It calls and
commands us to put our faith into action! As I write this article, two vital
mission endeavors are calling us to love and action. The first is our annual
Back to School Supply Drive for the Union Gospel Mission’s “Hope Place”. Breaking news: Due to an extravagant
donation, UGM does not need our donations this year. So, we can simply give the
school supplies to another nonprofit. Rather than UGM, we have given this
year’s school supplies to the new Family Works Resource Center, which offers
families resources and tools to improve their lives. The Resource Center moved
from Wallingford to its brand-new building with housing, located on Roosevelt
Avenue N. E.
The other mission outreach effort is to
recruit people from our congregation and community to “lift up their sleeves”
and donate blood to Bloodworks Northwest. The need is always great. We are
required to secure 45 signatures of “interest” to qualify to bring the
Bloodworks Mobile unit to our parking lot for a day. After submitting the
signatures, Bloodworks NW will contact the church to coordinate the date, and
then call each person to see that they are still able to donate on the date
chosen and then set an appointment for each one. If there are enough, roughly
35-37 secured, they will schedule the date. We will set up a table outside on a
Sunday to collect signatures as we interact with people in the neighborhood
walking by. Will you help collect signatures and speak to our neighbors?
Truly
my people, as we shift from Summer to Fall, let us “Pick up our crosses” and
continue the love and legacy of our church’s commitment to faithfully serve and
feed people in the Fremont community. In
closing, please read on your own our Gospel lesson for Sept 3, 2023. After
which, may we all “recommit” to picking up our crosses and following Jesus. See
Matthew 16;21-28.
