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TODAY, Wednesday, February 17th is Ash Wednesday.

We will have a Ash Wednesday worship service tonight on Zoom at 7:00pm.  The Zoom Link will be:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86268313477?pwd=eUVuV0RlbWlmL0M2bE8zMWNGbjAyUT09

The bulletin for the service may be found here:
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VYi-yzuN4T9Yh_K-XMSiqNsVSU_rbevG/view?usp=sharing

Also, Rachel and Emile will be in the parking lot of the church from 12:15 to 2:30pm on Wednesday.  Stop by any time during that block for a very brief moment of worship including the imposition of ashes.  (Some churches are calling this sort of thing Ashes, to go...)

Come this afternoon (Wednesday) from 12:15pm to 2:30pm and receive ashes - a reminder of our need and God's amazing grace!
Devotion for Wednesday

Run this Race

A Reading from Today's Daily Lectionary Readings:   Hebrews 12:1-14

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

3Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. 4In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children —
     “My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
          or lose heart when you are punished by him;
6   for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves,
          and chastises every child whom he accepts.”
7Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? 8If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. 9Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. 11Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

12Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

14Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Dear Friends,

"Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses... let us run with perseverance the race that it set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith."

These words from the first verse of Hebrews 12 were central to our Centennial Celebration at Winter Park Presbyterian Church back in 2013.

The verse was on our t-shirt.  It was the subject of the Centennial hymn written by Marty Aden.  (And please keep Marty and her family in your prayers today.  Her surgery yesterday did not accomplish what was needed and must be re-attempted.  Please keep her in prayer.)
Video of "A Great Cloud of Witnesses" and "We're Gonna Have Church"
November 2013
Winter Park Presbyterian Church

Friends, I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am for the Great Cloud of Witnesses that is the church family hear at WPPC.  

I reflect upon and remember with thanksgiving those who have gone before.   So many saints of God's church have touched so many lives, and I (and all of us) bear witness to the grace of God that we have known in the love, kindness, teaching, courage, and faith shown in and through those who have gone before us.

There are times when I do mourn those who we have lost.  So many have become good friends and mentors in faith along the way.   And I stop.  And I remember their faces, their smiles, the stories that they would tell, singing hymns with them, bus trips, discussions at the Bible study table, meals shared at Young at Hearts...  and I pause and I mourn and smile and give thanks to God all at the same time.

I know you do as well... maybe with different stories and different memories, but with the same thanksgiving.

And I continue to reflect, and I know that there are so many whose stories I don't personally know but have heard bits and pieces of.  

A Great Cloud of Witnesses - here at WPPC and beyond through all God's church - continues to give witness to us. 

And I am reminded of the many challenges that have been faced over the 108 years of the life of this church:   two World Wars, the 1918 pandemic, the stock market crash of '29 and the Great Depression, hurricanes a plenty, and more.   The challenges of this hour may seem significant, but other challenges have been faced and have been overcome - in part through the faith and Christian witness of those who have gone before us and who - as they live in and with Christ - still witness to us today.

They have run the race in faith.

Even in hardship.  They have run the race in faith.  They have run with each other.  They have run for each other.

It has been pointed out to me recently that Paul and the writer of Hebrews used the running of races as a metaphor for the living out of faith.  Life in faith takes effort, practice, discipline, fidelity.  Athletics are are good metaphor.  However, were Paul and the writer of Hebrews writing today, they might have a richer metaphor to draw upon.  Team sports did not really exist in the ancient world.  The ancients knew all about individual competition such as foot races, but team sports (such as basketball, football, soccer, hockey, etc.) are really an innovation of the 19th century.  Paul and the writer of Hebrews would have probably loved to expand their metaphor to take into account the "team" that is the church family and the practice that we do together as church family.

We run, play, service, witness, teach, give, and love together.   My faith is stronger because of the gift I have had of striving as part of a team than it ever would have been alone.

I imagine yours is as well.

We run the race, together.  Cheering each other on.

Friends, as we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us run with hope, faith, and perseverance the race that is set before us...  looking to Jesus, walking with Jesus, running with Jesus.

Grace and Peace,

Emile
"Guide My Feet"
Trenton Children's Choir
"God Be With Your Till We Meet Again"  WPPC Virtual Ukulele Choir Project


You don't have to be a member of our Ukulele Choir or Chancel Choir to participate!  Just record yourself singing!  All are welcome!

How to participate (do it yourself directions):

1.  Watch and listen to this video of Ed signing:
"God Be You Till We Meet Again"
Practice Track for Virtual Ukulele Choir Project
Due Wednesday, March 3rd
2.   Download the music:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/11kijT8w7DP294CriFCt83Y42b7mRSUKP/view?usp=sharing

3.  Make a recording of you singing this song in sync with Ed


To record in sync with Ed you will need two devices:
  1. One phone, tablet, or computer to listen to the song video as you play along
  2. and a second camera/phone/tablet to record the video of you singing.
(PLEASE wear headphones while recording.  This makes it much more likely that you will be in sync and makes the editing process easier.)

4.  Then share the file with Emile by Google Drive, Drop Box or another file-sharing service.  (The video will be too large to text or e-mail.  If you need help, please ask!)  

The deadline to send me a video will be Wednesday March 3rd at 5pm.   After that I will begin editing the video together - and it is really difficult add a late video after I've begun work.

5.  Call or text Emile to make sure I got the video.  (Sometimes file transfers don't work the first time - especially if you've not sent a file to me before.  I REALLY don't want to accidentally leave out someone who recorded a song!)


If you need help with any part of this process, please contact me - I would love for you to be involved!


Thank you all!  The more voices the better!
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Our mailing address is:
4501 Wrightsville Avenue, Wilmington, NC

Contact Us by Email:

Emile: emile@winterparkpres.org
Rachel:  rachel@winterparkpres.org
Aaron: aaron@winterparkpres.org
Sharon:  sharon@winterparkpres.org
Dorothy: dorothy@winterparkpres.org
Ruth: ruth@winterparkpres.org

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