CPC HAPPENINGS

June 2020

Pastor's Thoughts

From Despair to Hope


Fear, despair and hopelessness fill our headlines. The Covid-19 pandemic, economic shutdown, the reality of racial disparity, and riots rooted in and ending in senseless deaths & destruction, have all contributed to a slide toward darkness and chaos in our nation and world. I don’t want to dive into the darkness, as many do on social media, but neither do I want to ignore the realities taking place around us. Ignoring the problems won’t make them go away. I would rather look for ways to be light in the darkness—light that drives away the darkness


The spread of the coronavirus has reminded us that we are not in control. The economic crisis has reminded us that security can not be found in bank accounts. The reality of prejudice and racism in our lives and world has reminds us that our “enlightened” and “educated” society is still broken in many ways. The destructiveness and violence of riots accent the brokenness with further injustice. None of this is new. It is just a new expression of the damage of sin on humanity and creation that we have seen through out history. 


So where do we find light in the midst of this darkness? If life is not in our control, if we can not find security in wealth, if prejudice pervades our relationships and social structures, if violence and force only further injustice, where do we find hope? 


The answer of our Christian faith is Jesus—not in better education, not in governments or political parties, not in investment strategies or new technologies. But also, not in Jesus as we want him to be, but Jesus as he is revealed in God’s Word, the Bible. Jesus who grew up in a poor family. Jesus who challenged the religious norms and prejudices of his day. Jesus who could heal the sick and raise the dead, but didn’t even speak out against the Roman occupiers in his nation. Jesus who was merciful to the woman caught in adultery and the Samaritan woman at the well, but who overturned tables in the the temple and drove the moneychangers out with a whip. Jesus who dined with sinners and confronted calloused religious leaders. Jesus who died on the cross as the ultimate act of love and mercy. Jesus who said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” Not only did he call us to live this way, he lived it out for us to see.


To bring light into the darkness of our day, we have to believe in this Jesus and trust that his way—the way he calls us to live is the path of life and light in the face of the death and darkness around us. Not only do we have to believe it, we have to live it. There are no easy solutions to the turmoil of our world, just the call to faithfully follow Jesus—not with judgment and condemnation—but with love and mercy. “Love your neighbors as yourself” Jesus says, but also, “Love your enemies” Our challenge is to take these commands and make them real life actions. Don’t sow fear and hate. Sow love. Love like Jesus. Love those the world would call unlovable and hope will begin to grow around you. 


ADVENTURES IN SPRING

West Yellowstone is known for having short seasons, but we can have snow 12 months out of a year. Spring was interrupted by snow in May. Don’t know how much West received, but Idaho Falls had 3 inches of snow. All of it was gone by evening. I personally enjoyed it while everyone else hated it. That’s life in West.


Birthdays


April 2 – Gabriel Lott

April 8 - Emily Everest

April 9 – Linda Eagle

               Karen Giogianni

                Dona Stewart

April 15 – Roxanne Beck

                  Maggie Tanner

April 23 – Bill Clark

April 25 – Ken Davis

                 Vee Doverspike

May 3 – Logan Lott

May 7 – Jamie Corliss

May 9 – Henry Freed

May 11 – Scott Newell

May 27 – Jan Peterson

June 3 - Jeanine Roberson

June 8 - Nancy Dick

June 22 - Dan Busse


Anniversaries


April 7 – Jean & Liz Page

April 12 – Ken & Mary Davis

May 18 – Jesse & Whitney Strangelove

May 27 – Bob & Angie Everest

June 7 – Dan & Lynn Busse

June 8 – Richard & Jackie Klatt

June 15 – Garth & Maggie Tanner


Church Wish List

Through the Covid-19 quarantine we have discovered we need a 

VIDEO CAMERA WITH A MIC INPUT

(We are still researching the best camera for our needs)

APPLE TV DEVICE

MICROWAVE for kitchen

Session Meeting Report

The session met last Tuesday, May 25th. 

The group was encouraged and helped to get onto the Faithlife program. We will be asking and helping all congregants to join in hope for better and easier communications. It only works if we all participate. 

Plans were discussed to prepare for the annual meeting set for June 28.

Next meeting set for June 8.


Upcoming Events

Download
Session Meeting
Monday, June 8th, 2020  •  5:30–6:30 pm (MDT)
Download
Worship Service with Communion
Sunday, June 21st, 2020  •  10–11 am (MDT)
Download
Worship Service
Sunday, June 28th, 2020  •  10–11 am (MDT)
Download
Annual Meeting
Sunday, June 28th, 2020  •  11:00–11:30 am (MDT)

Suggestions

If anyone including our summer residents have activities they would like to share with the rest of us, please send your information to Linda Todd at ltoddsoprano@ yahoo.com 

By Community Protestant Church
Community Protestant Church
Our address is: West Yellowstone, MT
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