News from Marietta FUMC for July 28, 2015

The Power of Blessing

Before a meal. At the close of worship. To begin a meeting. When a baby is born. At the start of a new school year. Blessings are a helpful reminder that God loves us ElaineWilder and God remains with us wherever we go and whatever we do. When we bless a person or a gathering, we call upon the life-giving power of God. In a world where so much is in flux, a blessing is a welcome reminder that God is present and God is in charge.

Some blessings are formal and use language found in Scripture. "The Lord bless you and keep you: The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace (Num. 6:24-26)." Or, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be and remain with you (2 Cor. 13:14)." Other blessings are much shorter and more informal. "God bless you." "God's peace be with you." Even "good-bye" becomes a blessing when we understand it as a contracted form of "God be with you."

Formal or Informal, short or long, we would do well to offer more blessings. We need to be reminded of our belovedness and we need to remind others of theirs. We need to call upon God's power and presence in our relationships and our daily activities. There is power in words, and when we offer a blessing, we speak God's loving presence into any situation.

This week, we have our annual "blessing of the backpacks" during worship. We will pray over our children and their backpacks. We will ask God to remain close to these young people and their teachers. We will give each child a medallion. It is our hope that each child will realize and remember that they have the loving support of God and our entire church family as they begin a new school year. Come be a part of the blessing!

God is present and God is in charge. All the time. But we are human and we need to be reminded of this truth each and every day. As we take the time to offer blessings over one another, we make a bold statement of faith. God cares about us, and God cares about our everyday life. Thanks be to God!

News

One Faith, Many Voices celebrates four musical traditions in worship: Campmeeting (August 9), Classical (August 16), African-American (August 23) and Bluegrass (August 30). Adult Choir rehearsals begin Wednesday, August 5 at 7 p.m. in Room 263. (Bryan Black, ext. 7815)

Join the Senior Adults for a tour of the stained glass windows of St Luke's Episcopal Church, 435 Peachtree Street, Atlanta on Tuesday, September 1. We will be introduced to the artistic and historical significance of these windows over formal coffee and refreshments in the parish's reception hall, followed by an organ concert with Charles Briggs. After the tour, the group will have lunch at The Varsity before returning to the church. We will depart from the Polk Street parking lot at 9 a.m. and return approximately 1:30 p.m. The cost of the trip is $2 per person plus lunch. (Rev. Lori Ethridge, ext. 7835)

On August 9, the Youth Ministry will host our annual Low Country Boil/Parent Meeting in the Reception Hall at 5:30 p.m. We will go over the Fall calendar, Sharptop Giveaway and forms that need to be filled out. Ken Cross will be speaking about the importance of parents in Youth Ministry. We are asking for families whose last names start with A-M to bring a side dish and N-Z to bring a dessert. (Josh Sweeney, ext. 7808)

Our Senior Adult Ministry will host an AARP Safe Driving Course from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 10. The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. (Rev. Lori Ethridge, ext. 7835)

Fuse Sports. Registration is open for Fuse lacrosse! Practice/games will be on August 9, 16, 23, 30 and September 13 and 27 from 2-3 p.m. Flag football and cheerleading begin October 4 and registration begins August 12. Fuse Sports are open to ages 3 (by 9/1/15) through 5th grade. Click here for more information or to register. (Kelly Duncan, ext. 7812)

Join our senior adults for an overnight trip to Rome, GA on August 21-22 to see the play, Drinking Habits, about a group of industrious nuns who try to save their convent by bootlegging the communion wine! On that Saturday, we will take a boat trip on The Roman Holiday to learn about the history and unique ecology of the Coosa and Etowah Rivers. The cost of the trip is $30 plus meals and lodging. The deadline for signing up for this trip is August 9. (Rev. Lori Ethridge, ext. 7835)

Save the Date: Lil' Lambs Consignment Sale. Shop earlier this year with our new August dates! Mark your calendars for August 21 and 22. Consignor registration is now open at www.lil-lambs.org. (Georgia Rambo, ext. 7805)

Senior Adult Ministry Catered Luncheons resume on September 16 and continue through May 2016 on the third Wednesday of each month in the Wesley Dining Room (Room 104). The dates and speakers are:

September 16: Reverend Kent Burel on "Theology in The Wizard of Oz"
October 21: Mrs. Phyllis Wright, Professor of Nursing at Emory University on healthy aging
November 18: Mrs. Susan McDonald sharing her faith story in song

Restore to Glory!

Want more information about Restore To Glory! and its progress? Visit its Website, which includes the latest news about projects with photos to show our progress. There, you will also find information about how to donate or make your pledge.

This Week

Blessing of the Backpacks. This Sunday, August 2, children are invited to bring their backpacks to church and receive a special blessing for the school year during Children's Time. All children will receive a special medallion for their backpacks to remind them of God's love! (Georgia Rambo, ext. 7805)

Learn about upcoming mission trips at the following information sessions: Ecuador (for travel November 9-16): this Sunday, August 2 at 12:30 p.m. in the Reception Hall. A light lunch will be served. Peru (for travel October 11-18): next Tuesday, August 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the Library (room 220). (Forrest Cate, ext. 7806)

Registration for Weekday Preschool and Kindergarten 2015-16 is underway. For more information, click here. (Nancy Tatnall, ext. 7842)

Connect Through Table Fellowship

Church Family Supper takes a vacation during
the summer and will return Wednesday, August 26.

We hope to see you then!

Save the Date

Thursday, July 30

MUST Summer Lunch packing concludes

Sunday, August 2

Ecuador Mission Trip

Information Session

Tuesday, August 4

Peru Mission Trip