Somewhere to Go and Someone to Love

Remember to “fall back” for Daylight Savings time!

November 2nd, we observe ALL-SAINTS Sunday.  This worship will be a time for us to remember and celebrate those who have trod a path for us and moved on from struggle to reward.

We will experience an invocation by Carla Crompton and Diane Wogaman will join me in the Communion Liturgy as we welcome you to the Table.

Our worship services will include “A Moment for Stewardship” by Jo-Anne Fournier who will share why she appreciates Greenbelt Community Church and has chosen to generously pledge and financially sustain this compassionate community.

We will have the blessing of an anthem, “Christ Comes to Us” by H. Frombach and S. Pethel, from our Greenbelt Community Church Choir, under the direction of Dr. Wei-Der Huang. The Choir will lead us in congregational singing of hymns: “Holy Spirit, Truth Divine” #63 NCH; “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” #546 NCH; and “Hush, Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name” #604 NCH.

I will offer a homily as the seventh message in our series of “God, Self, and Neighbor”, entitled “Grant Us Understanding” drawing on Psalm 119:144.

Jo-Anne Fournier will share her thoughts on 2 Thessalonians 1:3, “Faith and Love Amid Adversity”.

We will gather around the Communion Table to remember the One who teaches us daily to walk the sacred path faith and love, Jesus, the Christ.

Last Sunday, we ran out of bulletins and inserts. Be not discouraged, People of God.  This means our worship is growing in number. And for this, we give thanks and praise.

One day, soon, we will sing again “Just A Closer Walk With Thee” from the AME hymnal Lift Every Voice and Sing.

We continue our prayers for: Butch and Beth N.; Thyra P.; Kenny P.; Rhonda (who is in rehab; Christine S.; Marty F.; Ken C.; Gil L.; Anne G.; Jim T.; Gwen V.; Joyce P.; Larry V.; William and Phyllis S.; Sue N. (post stroke symptoms).

The thousands who have lost their federal employment; women and children who have been made homeless due to intimate partner violence. The starving people of Gaza who are returning to their war-torn homeland; All the young persons who have been made homeless due to gender identity and gender expression; We pray, O God, for our mental health warriors (those struggling and those helping). Prayers for our veterans who return from their service with no place to call home and no circle of love; For the formerly incarcerated experiencing re-entry obstacles and who cannot find work; For all people around the world dying of starvation and AIDs due to the closure of USAID; For the suffering people of Ukraine. We ask protection for all whose freedoms are being taken by the government; We pray for the healing of our nation and a reign of domestic peace and civility. We pray for the Seventh Day Adventist congregation that shares our space at Greenbelt Community Church.  God, in your tender mercies, here our prayer.

I pray that you are feeling blessed and well as you notice the stairwell blessing ascending from the church parking lot to the Church Office.

Acknowledging that even home and family can be places of despair and strife, we earnestly hope that Greenbelt Community Church is offering a community with the spirit of a healthy home and loving family to everyone who comes through our doors.

Inside these doors is “somewhere to go” and “someone to love”. Having both is a blessing!

See you on Sunday, in person or online.

Beloved,

Pastor Aubra