A WORD FROM OUR PASTOR

On Good Friday, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for a nonviolent march that violated an injunction against parading without a permit. The next day, eight white clergy published an article criticizing King’s actions as “unwise and untimely.” Dr. King responded with a letter from a Birmingham Jail, which he wrote on pieces of toilet paper and margins of newspapers. Dr. King said, “You deplore the demonstrations that are presently taking place in Birmingham. But I am sorry that your statement did not express a similar concern for the conditions that brought the demonstrations into being.”

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Pastor Mark Batterson writes, “Unfortunately, those words are as relevant today as they were 57 years ago. Over the last few days, there has been a nationwide outpouring of anger and grief over the death of George Floyd. There have been peaceful demonstrations, with police and protestors kneeling or hugging. There has been rioting and looting, despite a plea from George Floyd’s brother, Terrance, to stop the violence. The killing of George Floyd represents far too many injustices over far too many years that were not caught on camera.

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How do we respond to all of this? What do we do? And will it make a difference?

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“There was a time,” said Dr. King, “when the church was very powerful, in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.”

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We are here for such a time as this. We are here for such a place as this. This is our moment to stand in the gap, to be the church—to be a house of prayer, to be a house of healing, to be a house of reconciliation for all people. Don’t react to the temperature of culture. Set the thermostat! How? With an extra measure of grace for everyone created in God’s image!

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Batterson continues, “After hearing about the tragic killing of Ahmaud Arbery, I picked up a book by Eric Mason titled Woke Church. The foreword is written by John Perkins who grew up in the Jim Crow era with separate theaters, separate waiting rooms, separate rest rooms. His brother was killed by the police. This paragraph is impacting me profoundly…

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“It wasn’t until I was badly beaten in a Brandon jail that I saw the absolute necessity for reconciliation. It was there that I saw the depths of racism. I wanted nothing to do with white people after that. But while I recovered in the hospital, white doctors and nurses cared for me, washing my wounds and loving me. We were healing each other. That’s when I prayed, ‘Lord, I want to preach a gospel that can reconcile, that brings blacks and whites together in one body.’” 

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I find myself praying that prayer over and over: “Lord, I want to preach a gospel that can reconcile, that brings blacks and whites together in one body.” I can’t answer every question. I can’t solve every problem. I’m reminded of what Jehoshaphat prayed in the middle of national crisis: “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Why do we look to God? Because reconciliation starts with right relationship with the God in whose image we’re created, all of us!

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We don’t always know what to do, but we won’t remain silent. We won’t remain dormant. There is a sin of silence. May the gospel of reconciliation break the yoke of racism, in Jesus name. Why? Because the church ought to be the most reconciled place on the planet. To that end we lament. To that end we repent. To that end we pray. To that end we worship. To that end we wash each other’s feet.” (Mark Batterson, Tomorrow Is Today, italics mine).

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“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today,” said Dr. King. “We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life there is such a thing as being too late.” Inaction is an action and indecision is a decision. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Don’t let what you cannot do keep you from doing what you can. Look for opportunities to be light, to be love, to be a minister of reconciliation to those who don’t look like you, think like you, and vote like you. Why? That’s the Great Commandment. Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no greater opportunity than the present.

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God of grace, do Your reconciling work in and through us.

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Pastor Chris

Worship includes music.

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Below are this week's worship music selections.

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Just click on the title to hear the music.

Select "Music Archives" for past weeks music.

Songs of Worship – 08/09/20 

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How Great Is Our God (Splendor of the King) Tomlin

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBD18rsVJHk

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Overcome – Jeremy Camp

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf2zzWQRnmE

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We Will Glorify – Twila Paris 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuJqXfUbOw8

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If you would like to give electronically, it's easy. We have partnered with the Presbyterian Foundation to provide this service.

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Simply click the "Give Now" button and you will be redirected to our donation page. The first time you go to the page you should create your profile. The next time you go to the page you will only need to login. Then just follow the directions.

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Here are a couple of documents that will give you more information and answer your questions.

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If you are uncomfortable giving on line you can always mail a check to:

Riverlawn Presbyterian Church

2008 Pennsylvania Ave.

St. Albans, WV 25177

Riverlawn Relaunch Team

Dear Riverlawn family and friends,

Your Riverlawn church leadership has taken very seriously how to best care for, safeguard, and nurture our community of faith throughout these unique days.  Much discussion and deliberation has gone into making the necessary preparations to promote safety and overall wellbeing.  

A Relaunch Team was appointed by the session to develop just that – a plan for relaunching corporate worship while staying informed, determining proper timing, and setting up the various dimensions involved in process.  While we will also need to determine other group aspects of our life of faith – such as Sunday school, small groups, and other programs – for now, the focus is responsibly restoring corporate worship.

After taking time to gather information, as well as input from our members, we have determined to resume corporate worship starting May 31 – but in a unique way – Drive-In Worship.  

Instead of meeting in the building, we will be worshiping from our vehicles in the church parking lot.  Sound strange?  Yes, but it also serves many purposes: it promotes social distancing as we take phasing steps; it not only promotes protection of those who may have health conditions, it also provides greater peace of mind and proper focus during worship; and it is a creative way to rejoice in the presence of our God as wait upon Him for what lies ahead.

We recognize that you likely have questions about Drive-In Worship.  The Relaunch Team has put together the following information to give a better sense of what this will look like:

•          Worship will resume on Sunday, May 31, at 10:30 AM in the Riverlawn parking lot. 

•          The service will last approximately 40 minutes.

•          No facilities will be available. Therefore, attendees are encouraged to use the restroom before coming to the service. 

•          The parking lot will be configured with a canopy near the gym door to cover the portable sound system that will be used. 

•          Ushers will be available to direct parking. Vehicles will be parked along the Cottage side of the lot and facing the Gym. Once those parking spaces are taken, the ushers will direct attendees to park along the Gym side of the parking lot. 

•          Attendees are asked to open the driver side windows (front and back) only. This will help to insure the safety of others. 

•          Ushers will be at the parking lot exits to receive offerings at the conclusion of the service.

•          In case of rain, we plan to have the service in the gym; ushers will direct attendees to chairs that will be set up to accommodate social distancing.  Masks are required, and if someone doesn’t have a mask one will be provided. 

•          We will advise our neighbors via a note in their mailbox that we will be having drive-in worship and that they are invited. 

A couple final notes: We will continue to offer online worship!  If for any reason you decide it is best to wait before returning for in-person worship, we support that decision and encourage you to continue to worship with us online, and to invite others who have decided the same.  

In addition to the recorded version that is provided via email blast, our website, and church Facebook page, we also plan to stream the worship service via Facebook Live, so viewing the Drive-In Worship live from your home would also be an option. 

Finally, you may be aware that May 31 is also a very important day in the life of the Church – Pentecost!  This is the day we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all believers – His powerful and personal presence coming to fill us, equip us, and speak through us the glory of our God, the wonders of His grace, and the enduring presence of Christ in our midst!

People from all the surrounding nations gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the festival of Pentecost.  And it was on that day that the Spirit of God came in power upon them.  With that same Spirit within us, let us gather in joy and faith to worship the God who makes us alive for His purposes!  

And whether we come together from our cars, or continue to meet from our homes, may we all put our trust in the Spirit of the Living God, praying that He would renew us, that He would set us apart for His purposes, that He would give us the grace to keep Him as the center of our focus, that we may seek His glory above all.

Peace be with you,

Pastor Chris, the Relaunch Team, and your Riverlawn Session

Riverlawn Presbyterian Church

2008 Pennsylvania Ave.

St. Albans, WV  25177

(304) 727-8872

rpc.pastor@suddenlink.net

www.RiverlawnChurch.org

Facebook: Riverlawn Church SA

Riverlawn Church SA

Riverlawn Presbyterian Church

has a gift for you!

Riverlawn family and friends -

I’m excited to share that our church has access to an extensive video library called RightNow Media! 

It’s like the "Netflix of Video Bible Studies" and has a HUGE library of faith-based videos that you can access whenever and wherever you want—on your phone, tablet, computer, or on your TV at home. You will have FREE access to thousands of video resources to help you with parenting, marriage, discipleship and more. It includes content for all ages and stages of life, and all of your family members are invited to set up their own accounts as well.

Now, let’s create your account! There are two simple steps:

1. Click on the "Get Started" button below to create your private account and start watching right away!

2. Download the RightNow Media app for smart phone, tablet, Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV. 

We hope you and your family enjoy this gift from all of us here at Riverlawn Presbyterian Church.

In the matchless love of our Savior,

Pastor Chris

Click on the logo above for more details.

Bluestone summer camp scholarships are available. Click here for details.

Please show your support and donate to Chris Davis and his team.

Learn more at: www.globallead.world

Dear Friends of the Open Arms Foundation,

I know that many of you, like me, often find that shopping on Amazon is convenient and affordable.  Now it can also benefit the Open Arms Foundation when you do so!  If you go to Amazon smile and click on the Open Arms Foundation in Cross Lanes, WV as your recipient, 0.5% of the price of whatever you order on Amazon will go toward our organization!  You still buy just as you always would but you give an extra gift to the children in Colombia!  Thanks for clicking one extra time on your computer when you next buy from Amazon!

God bless!

Open Arms Foundation

Please show your support and donate to Enoc & Cristina Hernandez.

Learn more at: www.openarmsfoundation.com