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COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

October 27, 2022

by Sarah Yates

🙏  SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

Join us on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. as our church family gathers for worship, music, prayers and a Bible-based sermon.  Part of Christian life is the life of community – the best place to be is together. Each Sunday, there is a children’s sermon, then the children leave for Sunday school or nursery.

If you cannot attend, here is the link for the live-recorded services on our Community Presbyterian YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnd4Ceiw1Eo_TcIEaNuMGbw

We gather for light refreshments and conversation in Gillespie Hall following the worship service each Sunday.  Everyone is invited to enjoy this time of catching up and getting better acquainted.

🚸 SUNDAY SCHOOL 

This year’s Sunday School theme is Route 66, a journey through the 66 books of the Bible.  Children remain in the worship service until the children’s sermon, then go to Gillespie Hall to learn Bible stories and enjoy crafts that help teach those lessons. 

☕️ HANK’S HOUR – COFFEE KLATCH

All are welcome as we gather on the first Tuesday at 10 a.m. at BuzzBru to enjoy an informal time of conversation over coffee or your favorite beverage.

📖 HOW TO READ THE BIBLE – Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.

Starting Tuesday, November 15, at 6:30 p.m. Pastor Laura will lead a weekly study titled “How to Read the Bible.”  We will explore how the Bible has been studied and interpreted by various groups of people historically , and how we might read it for greater wisdom and devotion,  Plan to join us.

📘 PW BIBLE STUDY

Presbyterian Women hold their Circle/Bible study and fellowship on the third Monday of each month at 2 p.m. in Gillespie Hall.  All women are invited to participate as we gather on Monday, November 21.

🥗 LUNCH BUNCH

Lunch Bunch will be held on the last Tuesday of the month, November 29, at 12 noon in Gillespie Hall.  It’s going to be a time for hot soup and breads. If you plan to attend, let Edna Munson or Sarah Yates know. 

🏠 THRIFTY YARD SALE

The Thrifty Yard sale in the little house at 320 South 200 East is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the fall season.  Donations are welcome on the front porch, but please not on Fridays or Saturdays.

🍵  ACTS SIX SOUP KITCHEN

Thanks to all who volunteered at Acts Six Soup Kitchen on October 20. 
We served 390+ meals that night!!!

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Tuesday, November 1 – Hank’s Hour at BuzzBru, 10 a.m.
Saturday, November 5 – Presbytery of Utah, in St. George.
Tuesday, November 15 – How to Read the Bible, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, November 21 – Women’s Bible study, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, November 22 – How to Read the Bible, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 16- Session meeting, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, November 29 – Lunch Bunch, 12 noon in Gillespie.
Tuesday, November 29 – How to Read the Bible, 6:30 p.m.

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COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

July 15, 2022

by Sarah Yates

🙏   SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

Join us on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. as our church family gathers for music, prayers and a Bible-based sermon.  This Sunday, July 17, is Noisy Bucket Day when the children collect your loose change for the Community Pantry. 

If you have missed our weekly services, we have also missed worshiping with you … the best place to be is together!  Children are welcomed as part of our regular worship time, including a children’s sermon, and there is a nursery.

We gather for light refreshments and conversation in Gillespie Hall following the worship service each Sunday.  Everyone is invited to enjoy this time of catching up and getting better acquainted..

 If you cannot attend, here is the link for the live recorded service on the Community Presbyterian YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnd4Ceiw1Eo_TcIEaNuMGbw

TO WATCH SERVICES FROM HOME, SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL!!!

Services are live-streamed, then made available on-demand on our YouTube Channel thanks to the hard work and tireless efforts of Casey Turner.

🌺 WOMEN’S SUMMER SOCIAL

Presbyterian Women will host our annual Summer Social for women of the community on Thursday, July 21, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Gillespie Hall.   Women of our church are encouraged to provide plates of finger foods.  This  tradition goes back 60 years. We will set up the previous afternoon at 3 p.m. and also accept food for refrigeration.  Many hands make light work!

🍔 LUNCH BUNCH 

 Our next Lunch Bunch will be on Tuesday, July 26, at 12:00pm (noon) in Gillespie Hall – menu to be announced. 

🌳 CHURCH IN THE PARK

Sunday, August 7, will be our annual Church in the Park at the Bowery in John Adams Park at 10:30 a.m.  We will have a joyous outdoor worship and communion service, followed by hot dogs and chips, etc..

🌲 CHRISTMAS IN SEPTEMBER

The Thrifty Yard Sale will hold its annual Christmas in September sale on Saturday, September 17, in Gillespie Hall.  Presbyterian Women will serve Sloppy Joes and homemade pie downstairs.  Christmas items are being accepted at the little house …front porch, please.

🏠 THRIFTY YARD SALE

Our “yard sale” is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers help weekday mornings, as well as with set-up up Saturdays at 8 a.m.  If you would like to volunteer, or for more information, contact Marilyn Scanlan through our Church Office.

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COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

July 1, 2022

by Sarah Yates

🙏  SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

Join us on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. as our church family gathers for music, prayers, and a Bible-based sermon.  This Sunday, July 3, we will celebrate Holy Communion. If you have missed our weekly services, we have also missed worshiping with you … the best place to be is together!  

Children are a welcome part of our regular worship time, including a children’s sermon. There is a nursery provided after the children’s sermon.

We gather for light refreshments and conversation in Gillespie Hall following the worship service each Sunday.  Everyone is invited to enjoy this time of catching up and getting better acquainted.

TO WATCH SERVICES FROM HOME, SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnd4Ceiw1Eo_TcIEaNuMGbw

Services are live-streamed, but are also available on-demand once the live-stream has concluded. Special thanks to Casey Turner!

☕️ HANK’S HOUR

Everyone is invited to come and enjoy fellowship over BuzzBru’s choice of beverages and goodies every first Tuesday at 10 a.m.  Our next meeting is July 5 (next week); we would love to welcome you to this social time which was initiated by our late friend Hank Hunnel.

🌺 WOMEN’S SUMMER SOCIAL

Presbyterian Women will host our annual Summer Social for women of the community on Thursday, July 21, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Gillespie Hall.   Invitations are being sent to local women’s organizations and through the newspaper.  Invite your friends.  Women of our church are encouraged to provide plates of finger foods.  We will set up for the event on the previous afternoon at 3 p.m. and will also accept food for refrigeration.

🍔 LUNCH BUNCH 

Our next Lunch Bunch will be on Tuesday, July 26, at noon in Gillespie Hall – menu to be announced.  Many thanks to Ben & Amy Adams who served their famous pulled pork and coleslaw, Ray Stender for his traditional beans, and to all who contributed to our June lunch.

🌳 CHURCH IN THE PARK

Sunday, August 7, will be our annual Church in the Park at the Bowery in John Adams Park.  We will have a joyous outdoor worship and communion service, followed by lunch: burgers, hotdogs, sides, and desserts.

🌲   CHRISTMAS IN SEPTEMBER

Our Thrifty Yard Sale will hold its annual Christmas in September rummage sale on Saturday, September 17, in Gillespie Hall.  Presbyterian Women will serve Sloppy Joes and homemade pie downstairs. 

NOTE: Christmas items are being accepted at the little house. Please place ALL DONATIONS on the front porch of the little house, please.

🏠 THRIFTY YARD SALE

Thrift Yard Sale is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers help weekday mornings and assist with set-up on Saturdays from 8 a.m.  If you would like to volunteer, or for more information, contact Marilyn Scanlan.

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COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

June 16, 2022

by Sarah Yates

🙏  SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

Join us on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. as our church family gathers for music, prayers, and a Bible-based sermon.  If you’ve missed our weekly services, we have also missed worshiping with you. There will be a nursery for tiny ones, but we will not hold weekly Sunday School during the summer months, when our children are welcomed as part of our regular worship time, including a children’s sermon.

If you cannot attend, here is the link for the live recorded service on Community Presbyterian YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnd4Ceiw1Eo_TcIEaNuMGbw

We gather for light refreshments and conversation in Gillespie Hall following the worship service each Sunday.  Everyone is invited to enjoy this time of catching up and getting better acquainted.

🍧 WOMEN’S TIME TOGETHER

All women of the church are invited to an Ice Cream Social on Monday, June 20, at 6 p.m. in Gillespie Hall.  Create your own sundae, laugh and visit with one another, and help plan our Summer Social for women of the community – which we will revive this summer on July 21 after a two-year hiatus. Sign up with Sarah Yates or Pastor Laura so we know how much ice cream to buy.

🥣 ACTS SIX SOUP KITCHEN

Our turn for hands-on mission at Acts Six Soup Kitchen is on Thursday, June 23.  Food prep starts at 11 a.m. and stops when all is ready.  An average of 350 meals are given out on a drive-through basis.  We need “runners” starting at 4:30 p.m. and volunteers to assist with cleanup.  Let Sarah Yates know if you can assist.

🥗 LUNCH BUNCH 

Our next Lunch Bunch will be on Tuesday, June 28, at 12 noon in Gillespie Hall.  Ben & Amy Adams will be serving their famous pulled pork and coleslaw, with Ray Stender adding his traditional beans – so sign up for good food and fellowship. Call or email Sarah Yates.

🎈 WEEKLY WEDNESDAY CHAT

We hold a weekly Zoom Chat each Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., hosted by Pastor Laura.  Everyone is invited to join in to chat about whatever comes up in conversation.  If you would like to receive the weekly link, please let Pastor Laura know at 801-540-6602 or pastorlaura@comcast.net. 

🏠 THRIFTY YARD SALE

Thrifty Yard Sale is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers help weekday mornings, as well as with set-up up Saturdays at 8 a.m.  If you would like to volunteer, or for more information, contact Marilyn Scanlan.

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Meeting of the Presbytery

On Saturday May 4, our congregation hosted the Spring meeting of the Presbytery of Utah.  We welcomed pastors and elders from more than 20 congregations across Utah (and Preston, Idaho) on a beautiful sunny morning.  Those who attended were greeted with an amazing continental breakfast at registration time.

The meeting opened with introductions of first-time attendees, and moved right into a time of praise and worship.  Rev. Derek Forbes from First Presbyterian Church in Logan preached from John 21—a fish breakfast on the shore with the risen Jesus—and we shared our Lord’s Supper together.

Our education time was facilitated by our moderator this year, Lloyda Kyremes.  She shared how the Presbyterian Church, USA has been responding to the Doctrine of Discovery, a decree from the Roman Catholic Church in response to Columbus’ journey to the Americas, which stated that any non-Christian peoples discovered in these lands would have no right to hold property.  This doctrine, sadly, informed much of the often damaging interaction between white settlers and Native American peoples, including the Presbyterian Church’s attempts to convert and educate Native peoples in the land that is now known as the United States. 

As a way to hear more fully how this Doctrine of Discovery had an impact on Native peoples, Pat Laramee shared with us a bit of her family’s history—from her grandparents’ land being taken from them, to her parents’ experiences with education and church, to her own experiences in both the public education system and the Intermountain Indian School.  Pat spoke eloquently for about fifteen minutes, and completely captured the attention of all who heard her story.  Thank you, Pat.  Beautifully done!

Lunch was hot sandwiches, salads, chips and desserts.  You will not be surprised to know that people thoroughly enjoyed the bountiful spread.  Pastor Laura heard many comments about the great food and amazing hospitality. 

During the business meeting we moved Rev. Mike Imperiale (from First Pres. Salt Lake City) to Honorably Retired status.  Mike has been here in Utah for 18 years, and serving as a pastor for 35 years.  Well done, good and faithful servant!

Thanks so very much to all who helped us host this meeting of our friends and colleagues in ministry.  From those who made sure our facilities were in tip-top shape, to those who assisted with music and the sound system, to those who helped folks register, those who prepared and served the food, and finally, to those who helped to clean up after the big event, your service was a beautiful expression of welcome!

Thank you!

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Beth Gurrister (In Memoriam)

Beth Gurrister: 1926-2019

Gary van Leeuwen shared these photos from Beth Gurrister’s Memorial Service, a celebration of her life, held on January 19, 2019 at Community Presbyterian Church.

If you were unable to attend her service, then take a moment to search for her thoughtfully written obituary in the Box Elder Journal, which reveals the life of a true pioneer and the heart of a godly woman. Mrs. Gurrister was a role model to everyone in the community, and a light whose brightness illuminated so many who knew her.

Read her obituary from the Salt Lake Tribune by clicking here.

In lieu of flowers, her family asked that donations be given to Community Presbyterian Church, the congregation that had sustained her for nearly 60 years.

Beth Gurrister: 1926-2019
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Presbyterian Seal

Have you ever wondered about the symbolism within the seal of the Presbyterian Church?

The seal of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a registered trademark, registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on the principal register. In addition, the seal is registered with the United States Copyright Office. The seal is comprised of the symbol, the basic components of which are the cross, Scripture, a descending dove at the upper part of the cross and flames on either side of the lower part of the cross, and the name of the denomination, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), encircles the symbol.

The seal was approved by the 197th General Assembly (1985). Each congregation and governing body may use the seal without receiving prior permission. Congregations and governing bodies may not, however, license use of the seal to any one else. All other organizations, groups and members must receive prior written permission to use the seal.

Click here to learn more about our church seal (Office of the General Assembly website).

– Shaphan

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Everybody

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
Luke 2:8

Today we talked about the shepherds that the angels visited, and discussed why God chose to tell the rich (kings from afar) and the poor (shepherds) about the coming Savior.

Two men in our weekly Children’s Church comic felt left out and thought, “God should have told us about the Messiah, for we are important,” and I immediately thought “but, God loves everyone, big and small, young and old, sick and healthy, everybody and everyone belongs in Christ!”

I enjoy puzzle games where the question is “which (blank) does not belong here?”
If this puzzle was asked about human beings, God’s children…there would be no answer.

– Justice, Children’s Church Blogger

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Epiphany

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
Isaiah 60:1

Today, we learned about the wise men who followed a star to the Christ child. For them, this was the ultimate “epiphany.”

An epiphany is like having a light turn on in your head. For example, you may have a realization that helped you understand something difficult. This must have been what it felt like for the wise men who followed that star and found Jesus Christ, the answer to all of life’s most difficult questions. That was a perfect moment of epiphany.

Are you ready for your next epiphany? Open your heart to God and get ready for Him to show you something amazing!

– Justice, Children’s Church Blogger