Church guide

DW is committed to work toward the end of human trafficking. Hearing people's stories is an important part of understanding what human trafficking is and how it damages all of us.

Hey women of all ages! We're headed to Tawakoni for the mid-week Kansas Disciples Women Fall Retreat! Girard's DW group pays half of the early bird fees, so get your forms filled out and your half of the registration fee ($42.50) to Fleta by Aug 25. More info and forms are at ... https://kansasdisciples.org/register-for-kdw-retreat/

For our last Sermon Connect of the the summer - we are looking at discipleship as an essential of faith. The text can be found at Colossians 3:1-17 - and there is some explicit language for what discipleship looks like. Let us come together and discuss! This is our last summer Sermon Connect - we will take all of Aug off and begin again on Sep 3 (right after Labor Day weekend).

As we prepare for our congregational mini-Sabbath during August and as we prepare for our formal consecration service and open house on Sept 8 – I have some questions for all of us to consider. I shared these Sunday during the sermon on stewardship – one of our faith essentials. • What are our specific God-given purposes? • What are we to give that God gave us to give? • How do we manage our God-given resources for sustainability? • What specific tasks lie before us to achieve our God-given purposes? • How and when do we step aside to let others step up? • Where are our partners to whom we might turn for assistance? Let us ponder these questions as individuals *and* as a congregation – and listen for the Spirit to direct our efforts. The building is built. Now – we who have ears must listen for what is next. Much love, Cristine (Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash)

Sunday's sermon on stewardship might make us clench our teeth a bit ... talking about resources (ahem money is just one) seems to do that. Here is a prayer for the end of the sermon - as we learn and wrestle with another essential of faith. In Your power Lord Teach us our holy purpose Light fires of holy desire As our dreams align with yours In Your power Lord Reveal your resources Grant us wisdom in their use As our fingers loosen their claim In Your power Lord Guide our thinking and planning Guard our usage and sabbaths As our wisdom surrenders to yours - words by Cristine Warring, inspired by Acts 4:32-35 -photo by Zdeněk Macháček on Unsplash

We bend our heads Before You O Creator who lovingly crafted us Before You O Redeemer who lovingly rescued us Before You O Sustainer who lovingly guides us We hold up our needs To You O God of wisdom To You O Jesus of affection To You O Spirit of grace We extend our hands As You O Lover of creation As You O Savior of people As You O Companion of the Way Join us in prayer no matter where you are today at 9 am - lifting all of our joys, concerns, irritations, and praises to the One who loves us beyond measure. words by Cristine Warring – July 18, 2019 – inspired by “Rune before prayer” p35 of Carmina Gaedelica photo by Yan Ming on Unsplash - Cristine chose a clover as the ancient Irish representation of the Trinity

What *is* stewardship? Is it just about money or something more? Come discuss - starting with Acts 4:32-35 and let's find out together! (Remember Sermon Connect will take a break for the month of August. We will start back up Sep 3rd!)

UPDATED Upcoming Dates (Mark your calendars!): ----------------------------------------------------- Sermon Connect takes August off. See you again Sep 3. Aug 9-10: Rummage sale Aug 10: #DisciplesConnectEquip regional event at Tawakoni Aug 10-24: Cristine on vacation Aug 14: Board & Committee meetings Aug 25: Fellowship Dinner after church Aug 27: Elders BBQ get together at Terry J's Sep 9: Tillery & Prayer Partners meet Sep 10: Loyal Berean's quarterly lunch Sep 14: Harrigan's Barn Sep 22: Annual Chicken Noodle Dinner Oct 2-4: KS Disciples Women mid-week retreat at Tawakoni Oct ?: Fall Block Party w The Goulds (TBA) Nov 2 or 9: Fall Feast at the park (TBA) March 12-14 2020: Spiritual retreat in Great Bend, Cristine is keynoting

Here's the main page for all the streamed services for 2019's General Assembly - especially check out last night's opening worship, where multiple languages, cultures, and peoples celebrated abiding together - and our General Minster and President Terri Hord Owens had a word from the Lord.

Sunday's topic is prayer - a huge topic of which we will barely scratch the surface. Here is a re-imagining of the framework Jesus taught his disciples that we will hear Sunday ... Holy One up above, who knows each of us who cares for each of us who created each of us with love, excitement, pride, and joy You are more than holy You are wise, compassionate, just Loving, light and full of grace We want your kingdom here As it is up there with you Let it be here May we know our part in Making your ways, your desires, your rules Happen here and now We don’t ask for more than we need Only for enough Only for today Only so everyone has what they need And hunger and thirst are no more Please forgive us when we mess up Treating each other as less than human Lifting ourselves up above you in our minds Destroying your creation Help us to forgive each other Knowing forgiveness comes full circle As we choose to give it Temptation is not where we want to go But if we face it, hold us steady Give us strength to stand May our words be yours Deliver us from evil As you delivered your children from Egypt Protect us from all the evils Seducing us away from you For our lives are not about us Only You Forever Amen. - words by Cristine Warring - photo by Mike Labrum on Unsplash

God of welcome Thank you for teaching us Thank you for gathering us Thank you for crafting us To be the body of Christ God of justice Thank you for correcting us Thank you for guiding us Thank you for healing us To be the body of Christ God of grace Thank you for holding us Thank you for forgiving us Thank you for believing in us To be the body of Christ Please join us at 9 am as we lift up our joys and concerns to our loving God. - prayer by Cristine Warring - photo by Jasper Boer on Unsplash

In lieu of sermon connect ... thoughts on prayer (Sundays text is Matt 6:5-15) ...

Reminder - NO sermon connect tonight so we can host VBS. See you next Tues at 5:30!

VBS starts at 530 tonight!! 119 N Summit ... in our new building! Kids going in to kindergarten through 5th grade are welcome! We wrap up at 8 pm.

Where we limit You expand O God Where we exclude You welcome Where we see dead-ends You clear paths Where we give up You push through Where we create pecking orders You overturn hierarchies Where we say me, me, me You call we, we, we Join us in lifting up our lives - joys and sorrows and everything in between - at 9 am. No matter where you are, take a moment to share your hearts with God. (prayer by Cristine Warring) (photo by Giovanni Ribeiro on Unsplash

NO Farmer's Market this week. Our cooks are enjoying the holiday week with their families. See you July 10 at 4 pm!

The Bible is used for so many different things and interpreted in so many different ways ... some life-giving and some death-dealing. Come join us as we discuss Scripture as an essential of our faith. Psalm 119:97-105 will set our foundation ... see you at 5:30 (119 N Summit from now on!)

Calling all folks to save empty paper towel tubes and empty cube tissue boxes for Vacation Bible School ... please bring to Carolyn on Sunday if you can.

Ahem. I have an announcement, on behalf of our worship committee! This coming Sunday, July 7, we will have our transition service of moving into our new sanctuary for good. Our 10:45 worship service will start at the First Presbyterian building. After my sermon, we will gather our communion elements and the table (and hymnals and maybe a few other things) and we will walk together across the street and enter into our new life together in our new space – finishing our service at 119 N Summit. This is it, y’all. Whatever we call it – a transition, a transformation, a resurrection, rising from the waters of baptism – we are taking the final steps of faith begun so long ago with our building project. A more formal consecration service is planned for Sept 8, where regional minister Steve Martin might be with us. Later that day, we are crafting plans for a community open house to welcome Girard to celebrate with us. Let’s keep putting one foot in front of the other as we listen for the Spirit to blow like a mighty rushing wind next Sunday - Much love, Cristine (Photo by Brent Wiescamp)

What is the Table all about? Whether we say communion or Eucharist or the table - why do we gather for bread and wine each Sunday? Paul had something to say in 1 Corinthians 11:23-28 ... come discuss tonight!

How can we tell the story of Christ in our culture today - as the ancient Celtic author did with The Dream of the Rood?

A conversation with the Rood (the cross) - what did *it* think about Christ as the hero?

How are you preparing to observe and engage Holy Week?

What does the cross represent for you?

What do you understand about the blood of Christ - represented by wine in the cup at communion?

Super cool way to share the bread at the Table - from 8th century Celtic Christians!

What are your sins - of word, thought, and deed?

What does the liturgy of the Table mean to you? How does it help or hinder your engagement with the mystery of communion?

What do you believe about the deepest part of who you are?

Patrick and Slane and Laeghaire and Tara - a display of God's power! Do we understand the power of the risen Christ?