Summer has ended. The new school year has begun. Whatever happened to the idea that summer vacation began just after Memorial Day and didn’t end until after Labor Day? I guess it went the way of poodle skirts and spit curls. If you have no idea what that last sentence is talking about, you probably don’t remember school being out by the first of June and not resuming until the beginning of September.
With the start of the school year, things begin to change here at CPC as well.
At 6:00 PM on Sunday evenings, a service of preaching and teaching is held in the sanctuary, the middle school/high school youth meet with Chris & Reba in Schum Hall, and Mindy Horton leads the children’s music program on the second floor above Schum Hall.
This week I am participating in a two-day retreat for the faculty, administration and trustees of Covenant College. Pastor Mullinax will preach on Sunday morning, and Pastor Steere on Sunday evening. Pastor Steere leaves the end of next week to teach in Nigeria and Ghana for three weeks.
On Wednesday, August 26, fellowship suppers will resume. Please remember Heidie Armao and all the helpers in your prayers as she takes on the major responsibility of feeding more than 200 people. Renee Ray will continue to help in the kitchen as she awaits the birth of her baby in December.
In the Visitors’ classroom at 7:00 PM, Dr. Bill Higgins will teach church history. I eagerly look forward to being a student during this coming year, and sitting at the feet of this knowledgeable and gifted teacher (who sounds a little bit like Moses coming down from Mt Sinai).
I have not yet decided about the Thursday morning Ladies’ Bible Study. Our numbers have dwindled significantly. If you are willing to commit to attending a Ladies’ Bible Study on Thursday mornings, please let me know of your interest by emailing me at jcaines@covenant chattanooga.org.
Obviously, not being certain that this Thursday morning class will be held, I have not yet decided what its focus will be.
The last Sunday in September, Linda and I will attend services at Lookout Mountain PC. It will be my privilege to baptize Louisa Jackson Caines, David and Mary’s fourth child and our twenty-first grandchild.
The latter half of the first full week in October, I’ll be fulfilling some of my responsibilities as a trustee of Covenant College. Pastor Mullinax will fill the pulpit on Sunday morning, October 11. That afternoon the church picnic will be held at Camp Dixie as it was last year. Therefore, there will be no evening service at the church.
On the last Sunday evening in October, we will join with other PCA families at New City Fellowship for a time of combined worship. I’ve heard rumors about who will be preaching. I’ll confirm those rumors as soon as possible.
Because of the church picnic on the 11th and the combined evening service on the 25th, there will be no scheduled shepherding group meetings in October.
Okay. I think that’s enough information as we look forward a few weeks. Summer was fun while it lasted. But it sure didn’t last any three months!
Pastor Caines