Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Much has happened since we were last together! I am thankful for the PCA General Assembly and for the extended time with family over the past few weeks. I’m also very grateful for our elders, and for Ted and Doug’s faithful preaching of Scripture in my absence. I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July, celebrating the freedom we enjoy in our nation, and thanking God for his grace and goodness to our country.
In our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America, there are three governing courts. The first is the Session, which is made up of the ruling and teaching elders of each individual congregation. The second court is the Presbytery, which is the regional body of elders in our denomination. Our church is a part of the Chicago-Metro Presbytery, which gathers four times per year. The final court is called General Assembly. This is the annual national gathering of teaching and ruling elders in our denomination which meets in a different location each year. The General Assembly (also known as “GA”) is not a conference; rather, it is a court of church government primarily dedicated to deliberating and voting on important decisions regarding overtures (or recommended actions) which arise from presbyteries and sessions all over the country.
This was an important General Assembly. I had an excellent time meeting with other elders in our denomination and being refreshed through conversation with many of them. While a number of issues were discussed, the question of how best to address as a denomination the current cultural views on human sexuality was at the forefront. If you would like a full report on the discussions that took place at General Assembly, click here. I left General Assembly grateful for a denomination that consistently affirms the biblical teaching on this matter and desires to be faithful to the Scriptures instead of the shifting viewpoints of our modern culture.
This Sunday, we return to Acts with the Apostle Paul on Malta in Acts 28:1-10.
Click here to access the livestream of this Sunday’s service (9:30am).
Embracing Hope Gathering Tuesday, July 12
On Tuesday, July 12 from 12:00-2:00pm we will be having a Picnic by the Pool at Beth Wright’s home. Pack a lunch, enjoy fellowship, and make a splash! All ladies are invited.
West Chicago Neighborhood Food Pantry
Thank you for continuing to donate your items for the Food Pantry. Please place your donations in the box by the west coatroom. To volunteer at the Food Pantry, please call Nancy at 630-605-0887.
Prayer Requests
Care Worker for Quadriplegic Adult: Jackie Huggins cares for Lauren Chase, who is in need of another home care worker to help twice a week. Please pray God would provide the right person to support Lauren.
Karla and Gary Van Der Molen: Please pray for our sister Karla and her husband Gary as she manages her ALS.
Sharon Vaughn: Please lift Sharon in prayer as she prepares for back surgery.
Mollie Taylor: Please pray for relief and comfort for Mollie as she has a cracked cervical vertebrae.
Finally, please continue to pray for the entire Highland Park community as they grieve and process the violence which took place on July 4.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Rhett