September is fast approaching and that means it’s time for our circles to start meeting again.  I encourage each of you, especially if you were not able to attend regularly during the last year, to start the fall out by coming back to circle.  For any newer members, we have a night circle that meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m.  We meet in the home of a circle member.  The morning circle meets on the second Tuesday of the month in the conference room in the Pemberton building at 10:00 a.m.  This is a wonderful way to get acquainted with our women in smaller groups. 

This year we will be studying the gospel of Luke.  An article written by Pastor Rosalind Banbury of First Church in Richmond, VA in “Horizons” for 2008-2009 study said that recently she asked a small group to list words with which to describe Jesus and people responded by saying kind, powerful, teacher, full of loving-kindness, and compassionate.  To be sure, Jesus is described by those words.  No one listed confrontational, or challenging or disturbing our assumptions and prejudices.  She further indicates that if we read more than tiny bits of Luke, we might reconsider the all-around-nice-guy notions of Jesus.  The Jesus of Luke’s gospel is more radical and startling than our conventional images.  Jesus disturbs not only first-century Judaism, but also us, if we let Him.  Luke’s Jesus challenges us to consider the “unacceptable” people of our towns and world as worthy of God’s gracious mercy.  Luke’s Jesus inverts our culture’s values.  Luke’s Jesus offers the world an all-encompassing love, which, thanks be to God, embraces us as well.

Some of the best-known stories in the Bible are found in the gospel of Luke, so why not join one of the circles in September and together let’s study this unconventional Jesus from the gospel of Luke.  I promise you won’t be disappointed and you will have a lot of fun and fellowship.  If you need a ride, all the church office 446-5226 or Ann Martin 985-1235 or 459-1563

Ann Martin, Moderator

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SAVE THE DATE!

Women’s Retreat
October 10-12
Nelson’s Cottage on Figure Eight Island