Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” Genesis 12:1-2
Friends,
This coming Sunday we will be thinking about what it means to be blessed as we seek blessings for ourselves and bless others. So what does that look like? What does it look like to be “blessed to be a blessing?” If we look at what God did for Abraham and Sarah, the original intent of blessing them was so that they would be a blessing to others. It follows then, that any blessing we receive is meant to inspire us on to actions that will bless others!
This is a foundational premise of most everything we do in the Church - we are called not to focus inward on ourselves, but our gathering together for worship, education, care, and fellowship (in body or in spirit and technology) is meant to turn us outward, toward the world so that we might bless our neighbors far and near. We see this play out in our focus on stewardship and mission - stewardship is our opportunity to put our understanding of God’s call on our communal life into concrete practice with dollars and cents as we make commitments to our members, our staff, and to our outreach partners in our community and worldwide. And mission, of course, is the way we seek to meet immediate needs of our neighbors - food, shelter, clean water.
This Sunday, I hope to see you drive through our Day of Blessings so that we can bless you, and you can bless others through food donations, if you have something to share. Mostly, I hope the blessings on our community will fill you up and break open your heart so that you might be a blessing in every conversation, every Zoom call, every time you smile with your eyes over your mask at the store, every prayer you express to God for the health and thriving of the world.
Peace, Pastor Katie
A Friendly Reminder
Our Guiding Principles and FAQs that were unanimously adopted by our Session in June and are accessible on our website under the “During COVID-19” tab remain in place. This unfortunately means that, though we had hoped to be looking at in-person gatherings at this time, our public health situation has not improved enough to move forward in that direction.
From our FAQs:
Q: If my PHPC group meets off-site, can we go ahead and begin meeting in-person again?
A: No matter where group gatherings are located, all PHPC meetings or events will follow the guidelines set forth in the Guiding Principles document. All small groups and church school classes will continue to meet virtually until the Session gives authorization to do otherwise.
We want desperately to meet together in person, and looking around at other folks gathering for parties and dinners out, we can begin to feel like it surely must be safe if everyone else is doing it. But the virus hasn’t gone anywhere just because we are lonely and restless and bored, and our hospitals are nearing capacity (some already overflowing into makeshift ICUs). Please stay home as much as possible, wear a mask when you can’t, Zoom or FaceTime with your friends, wash your hands, trust the science, and know that these small acts make a difference to our neighbors who cannot stay home - neighbors who are beloved spouses, parents, children, friends - neighbors we are called to love as we love ourselves.
Notice of Upcoming Special Events and other news:
Drive-Thru "Day of Blessings": Sunday, August 9
Celebrate a drive-thru “Day of Blessings” this Sunday, August 9 from 12:30-1:30 pm at PHPC. While a “blessing of the backpacks” isn’t quite what these times are calling for, your pastors will be present to offer a blessing for whatever you might need. Please be sure to write your name(s) on a sheet of paper for the driver's side dashboard and enter the rear parking lot from the Park Bluff Lane entrance.
STOP #1 (in rear courtyard): Pick-up your “Be Loved, Be Kind, Be You!” t-shirt if you ordered one. If you haven't yet paid for your t-shirt, the cost is $16 (cash or check), with proceeds going to Duluth Co-op. Pastor Jennie has ordered a few extra, so you may still purchase one. First come, first served.
STOP #2 (under the covered Sanctuary doors): Receive a blessing from your pastors. Here there will also be special back-to-school blessings and a surprise gift will be offered for all PHPC children and youth.
STOP #3 (by main office doors): Volunteers will pick up any donations you wish to contribute from your car without you having to leave your vehicle. Most needed items for the PHPC Lil' Pantry and for our local mission partners, Clifton Sanctuary Ministries and Duluth Co-op are listed here.
Come give and receive blessings, and wave at your PHPC friends! All blessings will be offered with masks on and from a safe distance. Can’t wait to see you!
PHPC Men's (Virtual) Breakfast: Friday, August 14
The Men's Group will have its monthly breakfast - but virtually - on Friday, August 14th. We'll meet via Zoom for some fellowship, a breakfast of your choice (since you'll be making it at home!), and a devotion. We'll start at 7:30 am and end between 8:30 and 9:00 am. Details for the Zoom video call:
Or 'One tap mobile': +13017158592,,85925454696#,,,,,,0#,,572210# US (Germantown) +13126266799,,85925454696#,,,,,,0#,,572210# US (Chicago)
Or dial in by your location: +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Meeting ID: 859 2545 4696Passcode: 572210 (Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbvhC1nzRN)
Virtual Book Club in August: Monday, August 17
The Virtual Book Club will take place on Monday,August 17 at 12:00 pm via Zoom conference call. The selected book is The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis. This, Davis’s third novel set in New York City, follows the lives of two very different women who work at Grand Central Terminal: Clara Darden, an aspiring artist living in the the late 1920s, and Virginia Clay, a newly divorced mother 50 years later. Join the book club discussion via Zoom using this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85909895885?pwd=MWtxaUY4KzJwcVB4L0dZN3ROVHBBZz09
Aug 17, 2020 12 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 859 0989 5885 Passcode: 326010 One tap mobile:
+13126266799,,85909895885#,,,,,,0#,,326010# US (Chicago)
+19292056099,,85909895885#,,,,,,0#,,326010# US (New York) Or dial by your location:
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 859 0989 5885 Passcode: 326010
(Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kgcfpVXwB)
Opportunity to "Meet" International Students in Atlanta
through AMIS organization: August 11 and 12
Many international students at colleges and universities in Metro Atlanta are eager to learn about American culture through relationships off-campus. Due to the limited in-person opportunities currently available, a local organization is creatively finding ways to offer friendship and hospitality to these students during the Covid-19 pandemic.
If you would like to know more about Atlanta Ministry with International Students (AMIS) and find out how you can connect with an international student, please join the AMIS "Volunteer Kick-Off" via Zoom on eitherTuesday, Aug. 11 at 7:30 pm or Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 10 am.
Please reply to office@amis-inc.org if you have any questions about the program or to receive the link to the one hour Zoom call. They would be happy to provide more details on how they plan to welcome the international students and connect them with local friends in Metro Atlanta this fall.
Need to come to the church building? Wear your mask!
For the safety of our staff who need to do essential work onsite at PHPC’s campus, please plan to wear a mask if you need to come inside the building while someone else is there. A sign is posted on the door to remind you, and there is a basket of disposable masks inside the lobby if you forgot your own. Thank you for your courtesy!
Friendship Pad
Just a reminder to please use the online Friendship Pad on our website to record your attendance at worship, no matter what time or day you watch the service. We'd love to know you are worshiping with us.
Schedule of PHPC events and connection opportunities this weekend and through next week:
SUNDAY, August 9 at 11:00 am: Virtual Worship Service
All are welcome to participate in our worship service at 11 am.
Join us virtually via the PHPC online worship page: https://www.pleasanthillpc.org/phpc-live/ (Please remember to sign the new online Friendship Pad before or after the service.)
SUNDAY, August 9 at 12:30 pm: Drive-Thru “Day of Blessings”
Celebrate a drive-thru “Day of Blessings” with this Sunday, August 9 from 12:30-1:30 pm at PHPC. Your pastors will be present to offer a blessing for whatever you might need. Please see full details in the "Day of Blessings Drive Through Parade" email from Rev. Jennie Sankey on Wednesday, August 5.
(You do not have to have a Facebook account to watch. Follow the link and find the post on the page. Please note you may need to refresh the page until the post shows up.)
