September 16, 2021
A Note From Pastor Dave
Tell me when you’ve grown the most in your faith. Do you have a story? When did you feel most alive and engaged in your faith journey? How did you grow, change, deepen in your walk with Christ? We’ve been talking about Appreciative Inquiry, a process of getting at the positive core of an organization and dreaming and reorganizing around that positive Core. We began this officially on August 31, when seventeen of us gathered, sharing a meal, and telling stories. We attempted to get at who Providence is, not by labels, generalities, or a list of characteristics, but through the stories of your experiences. I asked everyone to tell us a story that illustrates why Providence is your church, or illustrates why we need the church at all. It was a lovely exchange of sharing those positive moments that remind us what is important here. I continue to invite those stories of what inspires your involvement. And I want to add the question posed above. When did you grow most in your faith here? When did you faith feel most alive to you? Tell us a story. The focus of my sermons the next several weeks will be on the core. Just as we tell stories to get at the positive core of Providence, we’ll be reading our scriptures with an eye to what is at the core of our faith journey. A lot could change or be stripped away, but what is at the core that must be revived and protected? I’m thankful for those who have participated so far, and I look forward to hearing the stories of all of you.
This Sunday:
A/V Volunteers Wanted: Do you enjoy working with Audio/Video? Want to learn? It’s easier than you think. Signup to be a volunteer to help run the A/V system for Sunday Services. If interested, please contact Rob Krause @ 303-766-5887 or rob@thehouseofkrause.com.
Collection for the Parker Task Force: Due to the Parker Task Force return to doing food collections at local grocery stores on Saturdays, Providence will now be doing collections once a month on the 3rd Sunday of the month. Our next collection for the Task Force is TODAY Sunday, September 19th. If you are participating in the service via ZOOM, donations can be brought in after the service between 10:30 and 11:30am. If you have any questions, please contact Steve Heald at 303-730-5759. Thank you to everyone who has supported our food collections for the PTF!
Upcoming Sundays:
Adult Education: Our next Adult Sunday School class will be Sunday September 26th, after church. The class will start approximately 15 minutes after the church service in the sanctuary. Our overall topic will be on Bible Prophecy but before we do that we must answer all our doubts about the Bible, which we will attempt to do as long as it takes. Bring your Bibles and questions with you Please join us as we always have a great discussion and a lot of fun. This is your class.
Celebrating Dana Pease: We will celebrate Dana in and after worship on Sunday October 3rd. This will mark the official end of Dana’s time as Director of Music, though she may fill in and assist with our transition. Please plan to attend and help us remember, celebrate, and express our affirmation and appreciation. The worship committee, along with Pastor Dave and Tara Strom, are working to find a new director of Music. They have 6 interviews lined up on September 19th. We will keep you informed as we progress.
Would You Like to Be a Member? If you are interested in joining Providence as a formal member, I invite you to join us on October 10th after worship for a membership class. Plan on an hour. We will talk about what’s important about being Presbyterian, and what may be important to life at Providence, and we will entertain your questions and concerns. The formal steps to join will be 1) membership class, 2) meet the Session, 3) being welcomed as a member in a service of worship. Let me know if you have any questions, or if you want to participate but October 10th won’t work for you.
Upcoming Events & Announcements:
Mark your calendars! The next potluck and Appreciative Inquiry Conversation will be October 5th at 6pm at the church! I am grateful for the 17 of us that gathered on August 31st to share a meal and tell stories of our draw to the Church, and to Providence church. We will continue that conversation on October 5th, and we hope you will join us!
Parker Food Drive Volunteers Needed: Please mark your calendars for Saturday October 16th to participate in the Parker Task Force Food Drive! We as a church team have made a commitment to cover a shift at the Parker Safeway from 8 to 10am. If you want to help out, please see the signup sheet in the narthex. Questions? Contact Chris Hudson.
PPC Choir: Announcing the CELEBRATORY RETURN of our very missed CHOIR!! Rehearsals are Wednesdays, from 6:30-8:00pm. We are still looking for new members (and hoping for a few more returning members). Feel free to come join us for fun, fellowship and music! Contact Tara Strohm if you have any questions at tlstrohm@strohms.com, 303-512-3272.
The next Coffee and Conversation will be held on 9/21/21 at Providence Presbyterian Church at 9am. We enjoy fellowship, and we continue conversation around the sermon, related scriptures or a poem. It is a chance to get to know each other more, and to grow together. Are you free on Tuesday morning at 9am? Then, come join the fellowship and conversation!
Ruminations: Next Ruminations will be September 20th at 7pm. Ruminations is when we read upcoming scriptures, discuss, ruminate, read along with selected poems, and such. It’s a time for engagement and conversation, sharing, and questioning. These conversations seed themes and ideas for upcoming services. We will meet in person and on Zoom. Would love to have you participate!
Clerk of Session: Lynn Hoy has served as our Clerk of Session, and we are extremely grateful for her diligence and proactive-ness. She has relocated, however, back to Florida. She is going to finish her term, continuing to the end of the year virtually. We will, in the meantime, need to identify a new Clerk of Session. If you are interested or willing, please let us know. You can contact Lynn, Pastor Dave, or a member of Session for more information.
Coins for Christ is a program that was started several years ago to help fund Providence’s capital campaign. It encourages members to collect loose change and bring it in once a month to donate. After discussion, Session has decided that moving forward it better fits the current financial needs of Providence to have the money from Coins for Christ go towards the operating fund to help cover shortfalls in the budget exacerbated by COVID-19. The Coins for Christ donation will occur on the last Sunday of each month. On that Sunday we encourage members to bring their loose change to donate towards Providence’s operating fund. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of Session or Pastor Dave.
Update on Office Hours
Alaina, our office admin, broke her right foot and is currently unable to drive. As a result, she will be working from home and her normal office hours will be suspended until further notice. If you need to reach her please email church@providencepcusa.org or call the office at 720-851-6881 and leave a message and she will return your call. You can also contact Pastor Dave at davepettit@providencepcusa.org or 914-466-0162. Pastor Dave will continue to be in the office on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. We will update you along the way as we make adjustments. Thank you for your patience and flexibility during this time.
September Greeter & Usher Schedule
September 5th
Greeters: Neal and Tamera
Ushers: Linda and John
*Communion and Deacon Sunday
September 12th
Greeters: Evan and Neal
Ushers: Liz and Janell
*Grandparents Day
September 19th
Greeters: Linda and Liz
Ushers: John and Bonnie
*Parker Task Force collections
September 26th
Greeters: Tamera and Chris
Ushers: Liz and Janell
*Coins for Christ” collection
Prayers
This week at Providence please keep the following people in your prayers:
Tara Strohm, Jim and Judy Nash, Laurie Schmidt, Paul White, Betty Holum, Ken Stabler, Phyllis Christensen, Pat Schwartz, Renee Mastriona, Gary Scott, Joyce Kessler, Lea Marot, Evan & Janell Totten, Shari Reese-Wilson, Donna Hoyt, Erin Lamm, ReneeGreico, Robert McCown, Harold Reese and Family, Catherine Buzby, Betty Lutz, Vanessa Pierce, Sherry Flohr, Dalton Kohl, Andy Hankins and Renee. We would also ask you to keep those suffering from COVID-19 in your prayers. Thank you for your prayers.
Phone: 720-851-6881
MidWeek Update Deadline:
NOON on Tuesday
ppcmwu@providencepcusa.org
Hearing Loop is available in our Sanctuary
MidWeek Scripture Reflection
Deuteronomy 24:17-22
17 You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow’s garment in pledge. 18 Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this. 19 When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings. 20 When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. 22 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this.
Mark 9:14-28
14 When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. 15 When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. 16 He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; 18 and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” 19 He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you are able!—All things can be done for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” 26 After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. 28 When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
