Top 5 @ SPUMC

#1 ON EARTH AS IN HEAVEN
We continued our worship series called Praying with Jesus with an exploration of the phrase “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Rev. Ron encouraged us to think of the will of God both as a frame for all of our prayers (we pray that our lives and all of life might be brought more in line with the will of God) and an invitation to participate in the Kingdom of God which Jesus says is “in your midst.” (Luke 17:21). This is not a passive prayer at all but an act of commitment to be part of God’s purposes, love and justice in the world. This coming Sunday, Rev. Carissa will move us on to the next part of the prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Please come join us and remember the challenge to pray the Lord’s Prayer daily over these five weeks of the series.

#2 FIND A CLASS THIS FALL
We are offering a wide array of spiritual growth opportunities this fall, including from DISCIPLE Bible Study (a marvelous overview of the whole Bible) taught by Rev. Lee & Dave McKinney, a book study on Adam Hamilton’s Why? led by Chip Linehan, an Voices of Wisdom in the Bible with Rev. Byron and In the Name of Love: A U2 Bible Study with Rev. Ron to name a few. Sign up in the Fellowship Hall and/or check out all the options online for you to take a next step in your faith journey.

SAY YES! MINISTRY FAIR

We held a SAY YES! Ministry Fair this past Sunday, in Fellowship Hall during the Coffee Break time and there was a buzz in the air as people visited displays and were able to learn more about upcoming missions, spiritual formation, leadership and music opportunities. Our encouragement to everyone this fall is that you find at least one thing (hopefully more) that you can say YES to. Contact Erica Benjamin for more info about children’s ministry, Rev. Carissa for more info about Missions projects or reach out to Chris Dillard to learn more about our music team.

#4 GET CONNECTED AT SPUMC!
On the heels of the Say Yes! Ministry Fair that took place last weekend, we’re also offering a Connections Class this Sunday, September 22 at 11am. Rev. Ron will be sharing information about our core values and ministries and leading a discussion about how to deepen your own spiritual journey. Connections is designed for the curious, the almost-committed and anyone who thinks they might want to join our church or simply know more. RSVP to Beth Frank if you think you’ll attend so we can prepare materials for you or just show up. Childcare is provided.

#5 HELP US REVERSE THE SUMMER SLUMP
It has been fabulous seeing so many people return to church and children refill our Sunday School classes (we went from 30-150 in a week!). Summer slumps are sort of normal in churches with people away on vacations and busier than ever and we certainly experienced that here in the months of July and August. Unfortunately, the dip in offerings was deeper than normal, too, so we are proactively seeking to recover now rather than trying to make all of that up at the end of the year. If you’d like to catch up with your pledge or giving to our church, it’s easy: click on the link here and make a contribution today or an electronic gift at the Welcome Desk any Sunday in September. Many thanks for your ongoing faithfulness and support!