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Springdale News for Sunday, September 11th
This Sunday, our sermon will be based on Luke 15:1-3, 11-32: Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on.He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”(NRSV) Historically, this has been called The Parable of the Prodigal Son, although in more recent times it's also become known as The Parable of the Man with Two Sons, or The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother. Whatever you call it, it's certainly one of the most well-known of Jesus' parables, as well as one of the most depicted in art throughout the centuries (and for the record, yes, church nerds out there, I know I'm playing a little fast and loose with the Revised Common Lectionary here). Stories from scripture often yield different flavors and outlooks when viewed and experienced through the eyes of different characters in the story, and this parable is no exception. What relevant issues come through when looking through the eyes of the younger son? The father? The older son? I've also heard sermons inspired by the hypothetical thoughts of the mother, who is never actually mentioned in the text. But in addition to hearing and seeing the story - especially a parable - from the vantage point of the various characters, there are other things that color how we understand it. Our minds fill in missing details that aren't actually there. As you read this parable, I invite you to do it slowly, as if it's the first time you've ever heard it. Are there details about the story that you'd assumed were in the text but actually aren't? What "brushstrokes" of your own have you added to this word-painting, maybe without even thinking about it? And parables are meant to be allegorical or metaphorical - the characters and situations actually represent something broader than the literal expression of the story. So a big part of the message we get out of a parable hinges on who, or what, we assume each of the characters and situations in the story represent. For example, almost any time Jesus tells a parable that includes a father figure, we've been trained to assume that the father figure represents God, and other character assignments start to flow from that assumption. But how might the meaning or message of the parable change if we chose to use a different color, or brush, for those "brush strokes" that we use to fill in the missing elements? And how might the meaning change if we assume that the characters in the story represent someone or something other than our default assumptions? This Sunday's sermon will play with that idea a little bit. Intrigued? I hope so - and I hope to see you Sunday, to see how that all plays out. Music This Week: (please follow the links provided to hear these if you aren't familiar with them) 9:00 Service Gathering Music - Mighty to Save Opening Song He Reigns Sermon Hymn #749 Come! Live in the Light! Offering Music - Come As You Are Communion Hymn #518 Your Only Son (Lamb of God) Sending Song - Revelation Song 11:00 Service Gathering Hymn #634 To God Be the Glory - Here's a link to an incredible mass-singing of this classic hymn, with orchestral accompaniment, at Royal Albert Hall in London. Our version this Sunday will likely be somewhat more subdued. Opening Hymn #409 God Is Here! Response Hymn #628 Praise, I Will Praise You Lord - This simple yet beautiful song is a new one in our Glory to God hymnal. if you aren't familiar with it, be sure to watch this video, in which a young man teaches it step-by-step (really, it's very simple). You can also follow this link to hear this song sung as a choral arrangement - it's being sung in German, but I think you'll still enjoy the beauty of the music. Sermon Hymn #749 Come! Live in the Light! Offering Music (Adult Choir) - God with Me Doxology #643 Now Thank We All Our God - The First Plymouth Church in Lincoln, Nebraska has a world-class music ministry; I'll share their videos in these weekly emails often. Here, they offer a stirring, well-orchestrated rendition of this favorite hymn standard, composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. As an aside, did you know that JSB was a firm believer in reincarnation? In fact, on his deathbed, his last words, uttered in his thick German accent, were, "I'll be Bach..." ;) Sending Hymn #649 Amazing Grace - Is this the most well-known hymn in all of Christianity? Its simple tune and deeply moving lyrics have touched the hearts of so many people, in times of both joy and sorrow. And is there any musician who hasn't recorded a version of it? Here it is being sung by Willie Nelson. Postlude - Amazing Grace - a special arrangement by Denise! Assisting in Worship This Week: Liturgists Sarah Locke (9:00) Eddie Riddle (11:00) Welcome Desk Cathy Hagan (9:00) Carol Hyatt (11:00) Greeters Mark & Lisa Hebert (9:00) Ainsley & Megan Jones (11:00) Ushers Colleen Ehrig, Stacy Webb (9:00) Peggy Murphy, Milt Tyree, Hester Haick, Dennis McNulty (11:00) Audio Trent Browne (9:00) Loren Hincker (11:00) Video Larry Weishaar (9:00) Communion Prep Mark & Lisa Hebert (9:00) Coffee Hosts Dan & Ann Botula Announcements Spiritual Nurture This Sunday (and beyond)
PYC Walk for Hunger Please help support our PYC as they participate in the 2016 Hunger Walk, to benefit the Dare to Care Food Bank. We have a great group of youth, and we should all be proud that they're committing to be part of this important part of eliminating hunger and food insecurity in Louisville. One in six families here in Kentuckiana struggle for the food they need to be healthy, and all of you can help make a difference. Let's all give the PYC our moral support and encouragement. But let's also remember that you can't write a check on moral support. Please, if you're financially able to do so, go to the team page, by clicking here , and make a financial contribution to help them meet their goal of raising $500 for the food bank. And it would also be a great idea to mark your calendars for September 25th, Tom Sawyer Park, 2:30 - come on, put on your Springdale T shirts and join the youth in the walk! Murder under the Big Top - Coming (Very) Soon! Our second annual Murder Mystery Party is Friday, November 11, from 7-11pm. As with last year, proceeds will benefit the PYC. The cost is a bargain - a mere $15 per person for a full evening of fun, entertainment, mystery, and.... murder. :) Childcare will be provided that night as well. The theme is the circus - Murder Under the Big Top! Please RSVP yes if you're free to come that night (and invite your friends!) We need to get an idea of how many are coming by late September to send out parts for the night of! If you can't come or don't want to play along, we will need help with setup, cleanup, decorations and food, so please contact Laura Hagan at [email protected] Informational Confirmation Brunch Planned ATTENTION PARENTS OF 5TH, 6TH, 7TH, 8TH and 9th GRADE STUDENTS and CONFIRMATION MENTORS and ENCOURAGERS! Please plan to come with your students to our simple brunch gathering this Sunday at 10 a.m. It’s all about inFORMATION, our new confirmation class for students in grades 7, 8 and 9 who have not yet participated in a confirmation class, and CONNECTion, a new transitional group for 5th and 6th graders. Parents, grandparents, guardians, students, confirmation mentors and leaders are invited to fellowship for an introduction to this year’s confirmation experience: inFORMATION and for a brief introduction to the new CONNECTion for tweens. We’ll hand out schedules and material for the year, introduce coordinators, facilitators and leaders, and talk about the role of mentors in the confirmation process. If you are an adult and plan to participate in the adult spiritual nurture offering in Klein Chapel, please stop by Fellowship Hall first to pick up some information (and maybe a muffin and fruit.) Contact MB if you have questions and to let her know whether or not you will be there: [email protected]. Habitat for Humanity Work Day Springdale has begged for another Saturday work day at the Presbyterian Habitat House, and now we have one - Saturday, September 17th. The home is located at 1023 S. Hancock Street. Painting and finishing the siding will likely be two of the main chores for our work day, but we need volunteers, both to work on the house and to provide lunch! If you'd like to be part of this fantastic form of service to others in Christ's name, contact Andy Martin ([email protected]) or Mark Hebert ([email protected]) Pastor Meet & Greets Want some face time with the new pastor the old-fashioned way - with people actually sitting together and talking instead of gazing at Facebook or Twitter? Great! Sign-up in the gathering area for one of the Meet-n-Greets scheduled in the homes of church members on Sunday afternoons this Fall from 2:00-3:30. The groups will be small - no more than 12 people - and will be a wonderful opportunity to chat, laugh, and share our stories together. If/when the slots are all filled, we WILL arrange more opportunities to meet the demand. New Pastor Installation Service Please mark your calendars and plan to attend a special Installation service, when I (Dwain) will be officially "installed" as our new pastor. This will take place on Sunday, September 18th, at 2:00. Please note the revised date! Follies Will Be Here Soon This year, Follies is scheduled for Sunday, October 9 at 7pm - and we need your help! This year's theme is "Through the Decades at Springdale". Everyone, young, old, and in-between, is invited to be part of this fun annual variety show. Suggestions for acts would be skits, songs, or funny stories from Springdale or the broader Louisville community - use your imagination! Important dates to note: Thursday-9/22 at 12 p.m. Deadline for entries - see below Sunday-9/25 at 12:15 p.m.: Planning meeting for Follies-put the program together! Saturday-10/8 from 10 a.m. to Noon: Follies rehearsal Sunday-10/9 at 7 p.m.: Follies - Yay!!! Come on, Springdale, let's see your talent, whatever that might be! The deadline for signing up is Thursday-9/22 at 12 p.m. Please contact Denise Whittington at [email protected] to sign up. Online, Direct Deposit, and Online/Mobile Giving Options for financially supporting the church other than dropping something into the traditional offering plate are quickly becoming the norm for many people. In order to make your stewardship efforts as easy as possible, Springdale offers online giving on our website and automatic transfer of funds. For an authorization form or information, contact the church office - 425-1760. An even easier option is to simply set up a regularly scheduled automatic payment to the church, as you might do for your cable/internet service or other recurring charges, through your bank's online/mobile banking feature. Food Pantry Donations Springdale is glad to be a supporter of the Portland Avenue Presbyterian Church's Food Pantry. Look for the shopping cart in our Gathering Space, which is where we collect items to contribute. Currently, there is a need for: canned fruit/vegetables, peanut butter, tuna, cereal, rice, or macaroni and cheese; and personal items such as shampoo, toothpaste, dish soap, deodorant, laundry soap, DIAPERS, etc. Also needed: clothing for children and men, and especially linens and bath towels. We hope you'll be a part of this important part of our mission efforts. Blood Drive Rescheduled Please note the new time and date of the American Red Cross Blood Drive. If you are age 17 or older, 110 lbs. in good health, and meet several other guidelines, please plan to give blood on Sunday, September 25, from 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Food Truck Fridays! What a neat idea! Our friends at Harvey Brown Presbyterian, 311 Brown's Lane, are currently holding monthly events called Food Truck Fridays. The final two for the year will be September 16 and October 21. Food from six or more food trucks, beer, soft drinks, and live music are available from 6-9pm. If you've got some spare time on those dates, you might want to swing by and check it out. Springdale Calendar This Week Saturday, September 10 *1:30-2:30 Martiny Visitation *2:30 Martiny Military Honors *3:00 Martiny Memorial Service Sunday, September 11 *9:00 Worship * 10:00 a.m. Spiritual Nurture * 11:00 a.m. Worship *12:15 PYC Monday, September 12 * 1:30 p.m. Creation Care * 5:30 p.m. PW Evening Circle * 7:00 p.m. Belles & Beaux hand bells Tuesday, September 13 * 7:00 p.m. Praise Team Wednesday, September 14 * 7:00 p.m. Adult choir Thursday, September 15 * 6:30 p.m. Finance * 7:00 p.m. Personnel Friday, September 16 PYC - Lake Retreat * 6:30 p.m. Bridge group Saturday, September 17 * 8:30 a.m. Presbyterian Habitat House Sunday, September 18 * 9:00 a.m. Worship * 10:00 a.m. Spiritual Nurture * 11:00 a.m. Worship * 12:15 p.m. PYC * 2:00 p.m. Installation service Copyright © 2016 Springdale Presbyterian Church, All rights reserved. We send this weekly email to members, friends, and mission partners of Springdale, as well as others who may be interested in what our church is up to. We hope that this information is interesting and helpful to you. Our mailing address is: Springdale Presbyterian Church 7812 Brownsboro Road Louisville, Ky 40241
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