What’s Going on at the Church
EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT
Yes, it’s TRUE. Your session took a bold step and approved the installation of air conditioning in Davis Hall. This is indeed a costly project that is being funded by the investment funds and will improve our summer worship services as well as enable us to rent the hall during the hot months. The (4) mini-split units and condensers have been installed. The next phase is the electrical assessment to determine the safest and best way to provide power to the units.
We welcome donations to offset the cost of this project with much appreciation.
“Weighing Truth and Life”
The last two steps are combined and sound familiar to Christian spirituality. The last steps say: to “seek, through prayer and meditation to deepen conscious contact with God, as one understands God and God’s will, and seeks the power to carry that out (step 11). The 12th step simply says that having had a spiritual awakening as a result of all the steps thus far, one commits to practicing them as an essential part of living. The following are Rohr’s additional insights about these last two steps.
“Prayer and meditation are an entirely different way of processing life. When one practices them, it moves us from an egocentric perspective to a soul-centered one. Another way to conceive it is one moves from a calculating mind to a contemplative one. These are two entirely different types of software, and since the first one is almost always in control, we have to be taught how to pray, “Lord teach us how to pray.” (Luke 11:1).
The first mind sees things through the lens of its own private needs, hurts, angers, and memories. It is too small to see truthfully, or wisely or deeply. Most spiritual traditions teach prayer in some form, but at its truest it is always an alternative processing system. It is a positive widening of our lens for a better picture, which is the whole point. It moves beyond inviting a major power to help us with our already determined solution, which is still self-centered, towards being helped to know what we really desire. It always takes time to widen the screen of life. It is learning that prayer is largely the work of emptying the mind and filling the heart. In short, prayer is not about changing God, but being willing to let God change us. It is switching minds – to the mind of Christ. That new mind knows, understands, accepts, and sees correctly, widely and wisely. Its prayers are always answered because they are, in fact, the prayers of God too.
Our willingness to find God in our own struggle with life and let it change us is our deepest and truest obedience to God’s eternal will. Good spirituality achieves two huge things simultaneously: It keeps God absolutely free, not bound by any of our formulas, and it keeps us utterly free ourselves and not constrained by any circumstances whatsoever, even human laws, sin, limitations, failure, or tragedy. Like two super magnets, when the two are achieved simultaneously – even for a millisecond – they grab onto one another and an explosion always results. It is the change that changes everything. It is both divine lovemaking and human ecstasy. The point is that what delivers us from this ”body of death” (Rom. 7:24) is a love that is greater that absorbs all the negativity with life and ourselves. We can know that we belong – that we are held by a larger force, and for some illogical reason, life feels ok, and even good and right.”
Blessing and Peace, Ed
Looking to donate to our thrift sales?
If you have any furniture to donate, please take a photo of what you have and send the photos to office@1stpresrahway.org. At this time, we’re not accepting clothes or shoes.
Members usually work on Wednesday’s for our sales from 10:30 am -1:30 pm. If that’s not a convenient time for you to drop off donations, other arrangements can be made. Please email the church office and your request will be forwarded to the “sales crew” so they can respond to your inquiry.
As always, thank you to all who donate. Our sales have been a great success this year because of you!
Important Message from the USRC Board of Directors:
Please read these guidelines about Squier Hall and the formation of the USRC Board of Directors, who will be overseeing the groups meeting in Squier.
As part of the guidelines, please use this form if you have any concerns so that they can be addressed.
Interested in Getting Involved?
We have a lot of different ways for you to get involved – short-term projects, one-time opportunities, working with our livestream technology on Sundays, plus much more. Click on the button below to see what we have on our ‘volunteer wish list’. As more opportunities become available, we will be sure to update our listings.