~ by the Pastor and guest writers ~
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Homemade Bread as Sacrament (November 10, 2004) I watched with great pleasure as the small hands, dusted with flour, touched, mashed, and kneaded the beginnings of what would be loaves of homemade bread. From the small offerings of egg, water, flour, sugar, and yeast would emerge “sacramental bread.” Watching people make bread never ceases to be curious and amazing. In a church kitchen, with plenty of bakeries all around, someone indulges in the luxury or toil of making bread! It is not a matter of dire physical need. The bread is not desperately needed to satisfy hunger. Bread-making is in the tradition of an ancient rite, stemming from a need that is far more basic than the need to satisfy one’s hunger. Primitive humans repeated certain acts, primordial acts that made them feel one with the beginning of things and the world. So it was in this case as I watched some of the youth of our church. Bread-making is the repetition of an act that is rich in human meaningfulness and goes far beyond any problem of immediate need. Today much of the bread is baked in commercial ovens, not in brick kilns as it once was. The bread I saw was kneaded slowly and lovingly by hand. It takes effort and energy to knead things. This bread would be shared with our brothers and sisters on Sunday morning. When I tasted it I knew it had a special quality that is not to be found in the anonymous bread, without any history, that can be bought at a neighborhood bakery or one of our huge supermarkets. This was “sacramental bread.” What was so special about this bread? It was made of flour and the other ingredients found in any loaf of bread, and yet it was different because it evoked another human reality. This bread was marked by something that is not bread—something that transcends the bread itself. “Sacramental bread” transcends all human barriers that divide. This bread gives life to all who take and eat. It is good for all who eat of it. It is the fruit of joy and sorrow, of brotherly and sisterly love, of a deep spiritual hunger satisfied. It is good for the heart. It nourishes the spirit more than the body because it is a sacrament. Because Communion is one of the two sacraments we observe in the Presbyterian Church we are reminded that in this bread is the infallible presence of grace. The sacrament becomes fully real only in a two-way encounter: God coming to the human being and the human being going to God. There is no other bread that can satisfy our deepest hunger. Thanks be to God!
 CONSECRATION SUNDAY IS COMING! (November 2, 2004) Congregations that approach financial stewardship from a biblical perspective do not view the money Christians give to their churches merely as a way to pay bills. Rather, such congregations see financial contributions as a way to help people grow spiritually in their relationship with god by supporting their church’s mission and ministry with a percentage of their incomes. FPC’s session has again selected the New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program as a way to teach the biblical and spiritual principles of generous giving in our stewardship education emphasis this year. New Consecration Sunday is based on the biblical philosophy of the need of the giver to give for his or her own spiritual development, rather than on the need of the church to receive. Instead of treating people like members of a social club who should pay dues, we will treat people like followers of Jesus Christ who want to give unselfishly as an act of discipleship. New Consecration Sunday encourages people toward proportionate and systematic giving in response to the question, “What percentage of my income is God calling me to give?” During morning worship on Consecration Sunday, we are asking our attendees and members to make their financial commitments to our church’s missionary, benevolent, and educational ministries in this community and around the world. Every attendee and member who completes an Estimate of Giving Pledge Card does so voluntarily by attending morning worship on Consecration Sunday. We urge people to attend who may feel opposed to completing a card. The procedure is done in such a way that no one experiences personal embarrassment if he or she chooses not to fill out a card. We will do no home solicitation to ask people to complete cards. During morning worship a guest leader will conduct a brief period of instruction and inspiration, climaxed by members making their commitments as a confidential act of worship. We will encourage participation in Consecration Sunday events through the Consecration Sunday team and session members. Since we will make no follow-up visits to ask people to complete their cards, we will make every effort to inform, inspire, and commit everyone to attend Consecration Sunday worship. Thanks in advance for your enthusiastic participation in Consecration Sunday events. Consecration Sunday Team Dana Friedman, John Graham, Frances Metcalf, Susie Miller, Walter Passmore, Sam Smith, Van Talbert
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