Dear Church,
We are preparing for the Year of the Bible in 2017. We are inviting our members to commit to reading four chapters of the Bible every day, such that we will read the entire Bible in a year. Why is reading the Bible important?
· The Bible is God's way of speaking to us today.
· The Bible contains ancient wisdom for daily life.
· Through the Bible we come to know Christ, and if we follow His teaching we will become better, kinder, more Christlike people.
· Many people, including many Christians, believe they know what the Bible says but have not studied it deeply.
· Studying the Bible is the most effective path to spiritual growth.
· There is always something new to discover in God's Word, even if you've read it many times.
Having a daily quiet time is the most effective way, for most people, to focus on Bible reading and prayer. If it's part of your routine, it's easier to do it every day. For me, I am currently taking about half an hour in the early morning while I snuggle with my son and he watches Thomas the Tank Engine! My mind definitely wanders away from my devotion at 6:30 in the morning, but I had a spiritual director once who told me "every time your mind wanders, it's an opportunity to return to God." That helps me not to be too hard on myself.
Here are a few simple questions that can help you focus your Bible study on almost any passage:
· What questions do I need to research about this passage?
· Where is the Good News in this passage? (I had a professor once who said, if the Good News isn't in the verse, it's in the chapter; if it's not in the chapter, it's in the book; if it's not in the book, it's in the Bible!)
· How could God be speaking to me/us today through these words?
· What can I learn/take away from this passage?
Beginning your day with a quiet time will help you count your blessings, focus on what God wants for you in the day ahead, and fix your eyes on Christ. For me, it's an opportunity to hear God's voice speaking through the Scriptures and in my heart. I follow the old model of prayer, A-C-T-S: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. I praise God, humble myself by admitting my faults, thank Him for all the good things in my life, and ask Him for those things that are on my heart and in the church's prayers. It's a very simple prayer, but it's enough for me to focus my heart and speak to the Divine.
I would love to hear about your spiritual disciplines. There are many ways to encounter the Lord. I believe artwork, knitting, woodcarving, walking, yoga can all be forms of prayer if done with the intention to connect with God. For some people, simply having a quiet, calm time, breathing deeply, watching a candle burn down, can help them to reconnect with God. Following a daily spiritual discipline of any type will help us live more intentional, thoughtful lives, as we try to live more and more by the Spirit as followers of Christ.
Peace and love,
Pastor Marianne
Seeds of Faith Capital Campaign·
Lounge Project: $4000·
Chapel Recarpeting: $2600·
Projection System: $3500·
Sanctuary Flooring: $8000·
Cross Façade reconstruction: $6000·
Faith Evangelism Program: $200·
Outreach Project: $3000·
Mission Project: $2700 (10%)
Total: $30,000
Serving in the Lord’s House October 2016
Thank-you to all who are assisting this month!
Liturgists:
October 2: Don Reinke
October 9: Andy LeCureaux
October 16: Janie Castle
October 23: Susie Regula
October 20: Andy LeCureaux
Please contact a member of Session if you are interested in serving as a Liturgist during our Sunday Morning Worship.
Greeters:
October 2: Velma Wills
October 9: Mandy Reinke
October 16: Jim & Charlotte Alex
October 23: Margaret Rossnagel
October 30: Mike Woodcox
See Margaret Rossnagel if you would like to be a greeter.
Sunday School Teachers:
October 2:
Linda Finn, Debbie Collins
October 9:
Linda Finn, Debbie Collins
October 16:
Sue Smith, Garry Smith
October 23:
Don Reinke, Becca Castle
October 30:
Sue Smith, Garry Smith
We are seeking an additional Sunday School teacher for:
1st Sunday of the month and 4th Sunday of the month
If you are interested in helping out, please contact Pastor Marianne at m.grano@yahoo.com or Linda Finn at lindafinn@yahoo.com. You do not have to have great Bible knowledge, only the desire to help our children!
October Birthdays
2 John Mays
4 Shari Alston
8 Velma Wills
14 Taryn Peoples
19 Shirley Albright
22 Fred Judd
25 Denise Angle
27 Drake Dixon
31 Susie Regula
October Anniversaries
24 Mark and Cindy Stamat
PRAYER PAGE
Please keep the following members and friends in your prayers:
· For our nation, world and leaders, especially during these times of tension and turmoil.
· For those who travel.
· For those who mourn.
· For those suffering/recovering from natural disasters.
· For our military members; those deployed; veterans; for military families; first responders/their families.
· For pastors, church leaders and those who serve tirelessly with mission work. We think especially of Steve & Marge Doty and Amy.
· For families that struggle or need patience.
· For all concerns not articulated or spoken, but on our hearts and minds.
· For persecuted Christians.
· For our shut-ins.
· For the medical concerns of: Dave, Dick, Gail, Harvey, Linda, Marion, Richard, Rosemary, Sally, Sarah and Graham, Scott, Peggy Beal, Rosemary Beauchamp, Wayne Bridgeland, Esther Chaney, Bill Gleason, Richard Horn, Betty Kingstrom, Robert Mertz, Michelle Nesbitt, Don Ols0n, Bev Schell and Lisa Somers.
· For our shut-ins.
· For those fighting cancer: Andy, Evonne, Ethan, Robin, Michelle, Steve, Carol Anderson, Gloria Farris, Christine Fetterhoff, Marian Johnson, Sheila Judd, Carol Kaiser, Dennis Kennedy, Zoe Marcus, Tom McCullough and Mark Stamat.
· For those experiencing personal struggles: Those needing comfort during transition and change; those seeking employment, the homeless; those who are losing their homes;
· families experiencing effects of natural disasters/bad weather.
· For those struggling with addictions and those recovering, that they may continue to heal.
Note: To add someone to the Prayer List, please contact the church office at (248) 288-3230 or via email: office@starrchurch.org.
Prayer Chain
If you have a concern that you would like us to put on the prayer chain, please contact Deb Collins at 248-649-3692 or Sandy Woodcox at 248-320-3182.
Starr Presbyterian Church Contacts
Session
Janie Castle 248/961-6565
email: janiecastle@aol.com
Ken Groh 248/585-6153
email: grohken@yahoo.com
Andy LeCureaux 248/225-7372
email: alecureaux@gmail.com
Linda Finn 248/221-7252
email: lindafinn@yahoo.com
Shari Alston 248/545-6157
email: sharbear641@sbcglogal.net
Michael Woodcox 248/320-3179
email: mikewmi26@aol.com
Mandy Reinke (Clerk of Session) 248/224-0067
email: mandyreinke@sbcglobal.net
Don Reinke 248/399-9053
Norm Rossnagel 248/585-7417
email: nmrossnagel@sbcglobal.net
Rick Crawford 248/548-4878
Office
Jennifer Taub, Administrative Assitant
email: office@starrchurch.org
Rev. Marianne Grano:
(home) 313/649-4040
(cell) 313/585-1211
email: m.grano@yahoo.com
Web Address: www.starrchurch.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starrpres
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