What a beautiful week it has been in northeast Ohio. Lots of sunshine and that Fall crispness is starting to show up especially in the evenings. School is back in session, football games are on Friday night, and many families are getting back into regular routines after the summer break. Please pray for all the teachers and staff in our local districts as they receive the kids. Please pray for the students, too, as they begin another year navigating both their academic and social activities! 

Wednesday Activities

We had a wonderful start to our Wednesday bible study and Life Study which began this week. Our Dwelling in the Word study had 7 people and we eagerly explored a thought-provoking passage in Isaiah 60. There was lots of reflection on its connection with the Garden of Eden story and wisdom shared about how we might live in the midst of any darkness in the world. Please join us if you have time on Wednesday afternoons. In the evening we started a Life Study led by Rick Painley exploring a book about why people believe the way they do about their own ideas, morals, and beliefs. The first session took us back to school a bit about how some philosophers and early education thinkers grappled with these issues. Rick presented five different scenarios for us to think about and it was extremely interesting to discuss them with everyone there. I’m super excited for next Wednesday and really hope you will join us if you are thinking about it. We are blessed with wonderful Life Study leaders! 

Open & Affirming Update

Our congregation overwhelmingly passed our Welcoming Statement several months ago which included a sentence indicating our congregation to be an Open & Affirming church in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The support was strong for the O&A statement and, if anything, there was more discussion about the other parts of the Welcoming Statement. Those parts of the statement (of course!) can be revisited over time. We hope, however, to maintain our Open & Affirming status and remaining open to the LGBTQ+ community as part of the ongoing hospitality of our church. This vote has made a great difference to many within our congregation already and will be a blessing to more in the future. There are still some more steps with the denomination to make it “official”, but thanks to our Welcoming Team that will be concluded soon. Stay Tuned! 

Worship

This Sunday we will continue our Purple Chalice theme and reflect on what it means to have the same mind and love. How do we work together as the church in a way that reflects the living and moving Spirit of God? Our passage in Philippians 2 will guide us as we look further into what it means to be a people of unity in a time of division. Let’s continue to love and support each other in our walk with Christ.  

God’s grace and peace be with you and hope to see you this Sunday in worship!

In Christ,

Chad