Dear Church,

This past Sunday, we celebrated the sacrament of baptism—a practice of the church which we Presbyterians emphasize is a “visible sign of an invisible grace.” That is, in the waters of baptism we clearly see God’s love that is with us and claims us before we can even ask for it.

There are a lot of other implications and ideas also attached to the sacrament of course—in no small part because baptism is not exclusively a Christian practice—many religious traditions have rituals of blessing and belonging. In fact, in the New Testament, baptism is introduced by a Jewish prophet, John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus.

Another reason there are multiple meanings and implications of baptism is because the practice itself is never confined to just one day last week—it is an ongoing practice that shows forth the possibility of hope, justice, renewal, and saving love. Each gospel makes this point by placing Jesus’ baptism at or near the beginning of their stories, the inaugural event in Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Don’t take just my word for it though! The link below will take you to a video produced by The Bible Project, a group of pastors whose aim is to illuminate all the different interconnected themes among biblical stories.

The video below covers Luke 3-9, and how his baptism sets the tone for all that is to come.

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/gospel-luke-2/

I hope you enjoy it and that it prompts further thoughts and questions for you about how God’s love and claim upon each of us in baptism calls us to keep moving as Jesus did, with a sense of mercy, care, and hope, through both the wilderness and wide, abundant places of our lives.

The Lord Bless and Keep You,
Ben

Announcements

*In-Person/Livestream Worship: Join us each Sunday at 11:00 am in person or online (via Facebook live) for worship!

Online participation via Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/firstpresbyterianchurchofgarner

See our service from April 30, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, below…

Facebook: https://fb.watch/kieNoMiIXs/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLlvPXBiEy4&t=608s

On Sunday, May 7, we continue  our series “Terms of Resurrection.” With all the “bad news” that so often permeates the airwaves and our lives, we will draw hope from the “Good News” of salvation that resurrection announces in Romans 1:1-17.

*Masks are welcome but optional during in-person worship as we continue to contend with COVID and a flu season. We also ask everyone to be still mindful of social distancing and respectful of the personal space of others even as we give thanks for being together.*

*Men of Church May Meeting: Men of the Church will gather on Sunday, May 7 from 8:45-9:30. Join us for breakfast and prayer!

*Walking Group: Join the Walking Group each Tuesday at 6 pm. We currently meet at Cadence Senior Living Center (200 Minglewood Dr.). Dress warmly! If you have any questions, contact the church office at 919-772-0727. In the event there is inclement weather, we’ll just gather the following week.

*Mission Opportunities: A Habitat for Humanity work group is shaping up for either May 13 or May 27. If you are interested in joining the work team, please contact the church office! in the narthex. Put your name down if you would be interested in helping in any way with the Spring Faith Build. We will pick a day and project that suits the skills, abilities, and time of those who would like to be involved.

*Youth Group Baseball Outing: Youth Group (5th grade and older) will be attending the Holly Springs Salamanders vs South Wake Sharks baseball game in Holly Springs on June 25 at 5:40pm. All youth 5th grade and older are invited to attend. Please RSVP by June 15 to Christy Turpin, Roxann Porter, or Stephanie at the office.

*2023 Vision Update: In January’s edition of the Spire, Rev. Acton wrote about church leaders (session, deacons, and staff) exploring an emerging vision for FPCoG, rooted in the idea of serving our “neighbors.” The Session continued this conversation at its February meeting and approved the following recommendations:
1. Appoint a group that can help develop a consensus among the congregation for a vision of FPCoG rooted in the image of being neighborly towards our local, regional, and global communities.

2. Complete a demographic study of our region to better know who our neighbors are and what their needs might be.

The next step will be identifying people to serve on the “Vision Team” described above and identifying resources to help us complete a demographic study in a helpful way. The Team will be composed of active members of the Session, the Deacons, as well as the congregation. If you might be interested in serving and helping clarify the call God is issuing to FPCoG for its ministry now and into the future, please contact Rev. Acton or Mike Koenig, the Clerk of Session.

*Share FPCoG with Each Other and Our Neighbors! FPCoG is an active church! To help others know this (and to stay up to date yourself), please consider following and asking others to follow us on Facebook or Instagram!
http://www.facebook.com/firstpresbyterianchurchofgarner
http://www.instagram.com/firstpresbyterianchurchgarner/