Weekly Newsletter            Sunday April 24,2022

April 24 is GEMS Sunday! GEMS is a ministry devoted to bringing the Good News of Jesus to girls around the world. The mission of GEMS Girls’ Clubs is to help bring girls into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.

SUNDAY’S REFLECTION

Listening to God Together

Dear people of God,

You are again invited to read and to personally reflect on the Scripture passage for this coming Sunday. The message this week is based on John 20:24-31. We will try to more fully understand Thomas when he stated his demands in order for him to believe in the resurrection of the Lord. There is a lot more to him then the often used caricature, “Doubting Thomas” to describe him. We will discover the “embarrassment” of our Lord’s grace for him and how that gracious encounter led to him to express the heartfelt confession, “My Lord and my God!” This confession in a profound sense becomes a climax for John in his Gospel. Finally, we will be challenged by our Lord to believe without seeing in our time.

Members/current attendees can access the prayer wall through the button/link below or easily access it on our church phone/tablet App.  As a community, we can check the prayer wall regularly to see how we can pray for each other. Psalm 100:4 "Give thanks to Him and praise His name. Galatians 6:2 "Carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ".

Follow up on these prayer requests, contacting those who post something by email, phone call or texts are a great way to let them know you are praying for them!

The Times They are a-Changin’—Calling All Members of Our Church Community! We know that the world is changing around us. What doesn’t change is God’s call for us to be a congregation committed to ministry and mission. Changing times, however, mean that we need to nurture a holy imagination to see our God-given, hope-filled future. To stimulate that holy imagination that leads us into God’s future, we need you! If you haven’t already taken the survey, please click here to access Vibrant Voices. Vibrant Voices asks you to speak into our future by reflecting on your spiritual journey and where we as a community are in ministry and mission. Please take the time to invest in Vibrant Voices—without your voice, we can’t step wisely into these changing times. Everyone 6th grade and up is invited to take the survey.

Invitation to Discernment Weekend – LAST DAY TO SIGN UP (link to Intro sheet & sign up below) Do you hear what I hear? We are embarking on a journey to step into Life in Christ’s God-given, hope-filled future. Together we want to listen to the voice of God, the voice of the congregation, and gather insights from leadership and congregation members. Please be part of this journey by joining our discernment weekend, 7:00-9:30 pm Friday, May 6, and 8:30-12:00, Saturday morning May 7. Our journey will be led by Larry Doornbos Director of Vibrant Congregations. Vibrant Congregations walks with churches and helps them discern their next steps and who can help them take those steps. You can learn more about Vibrant Congregations at VibrantCongregations.org. If you’d like to participate sign up using the below button and download your prayer journey packet below or contact an elder and they will explain more about the weekend and connect you. Plan to begin your prayer journey by April 21 or earlier. We are looking forward to being on this journey together.

• May 6-7: Save the date! Vibrant Congregations is an organization that comes alongside local churches to discern the best path to their God-given, hope-filled future. Larry Doornbos, director of Vibrant Congregations, will guide us through their vibrancy pathway process on Friday evening and Saturday morning, May 6-7. The process invites the entire congregation to take a survey in weeks leading up to his time with us, and those who would like to participate in weekend events to engage in a process of prayer and reflection prior to the meeting. This effort will help us understand where we are in the lifecycle of our church and provide direction in how best to proceed. Plan now to participate!

• New City Salt Lake to Worship on Our Campus: Thank you for the positive feedback about sharing space with the New City congregation. After a combined worship service on Easter, beginning April 24 we will move our worship service to 11:00 am, to accommodate their service from 9:00-10:15. Shared fellowship time is available between services in the basement or outside.

• Church and COVID-19: The Council continues to monitor guidance about responding to COVID in our community. As the weather warms, let’s take conversations outside when we can.

• I Need Help…Who Do I Call?: The council is committed to your care and support. Please be in touch with your elder as needs arise. We here to listen, pray, or help in material ways.

Each month your council also spends considerable time in prayer for individuals in our church and community, as well as for our congregation as a whole. Please be in touch with an elder or a deacon if you have specific prayer requests.

Members & current attendees can contact your elder according to your last name below. If you have questions/concerns or just need to speak with someone. Click on your elder picture below to contact them.