View From the Manse 2.0 - July 2025

 

In a recent sermon I mentioned that you all are a generous group. I wasn’t just saying that. I have quite a few examples just from the recent month. We took up an offering in May for those affected by the tornados in Missouri and for the team going to Western North Carolina in the fall. That offering total was $1787.22 and was evenly divided between those causes. The deacons hosted the Hawaiian shirt day in mid-June for VBS Bibles and we raised $851.57. A woman’s Bible study had already donated $151.25 for Bibles; that’s a total of $1002.82 for Bibles. That would buy far more Bibles than we can use. So, after conferring, we decided to give half of the money to Young Life because bus expenses are high. The shirt sales with the Argyle logo raised $1068.91for Young Life, but more won’t hurt. And like I said, this is just the last month or so. I didn’t even mention the money raised at the CROP walk. Thank you again for your generosity. I am proud of you for these kindnesses.

          I always imagine that the summer will slow down and things will be moving at a lighter pace, but it flies by and there are more ideas and things to do than there is time to do them. Here are some things ahead of us this summer.

          We would like to try something of a Wednesday night fellowship dinner here at the church. On July 9 and July 30, at 6:15pm, we will host a dinner here at the church for anyone who would like to attend. You do not need to pay anything. You are welcome to invite someone to join you if you would like. There will be a sign up list so we have some idea of how many people to expect and there will be a list of things to sign up to bring if you want (not mandatory). After dinner, there will be a short lesson aimed at young people (similar to a children’s message). If you want to stay after dinner and play games, you are free to. If you want to eat and run; no one will take it personally.

          In August, we will begin our summer series on a Christian classic. This summer, we are reading, On the Incarnation, by Athanasius of Alexandria. This is a book written in AD 330 and is frequently read by Christians in the Advent season. Make no mistake; this is a substantive theological work and it is very old. But you can read this and we can grow in our knowledge and understanding of God together. C. S. Lewis wrote, “If [you] must read only the new [books] or only the old, I would advise [you] to read the old.” You can find a review of On the Incarnation at TGC here:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/on-incarnation/

          The books are available for purchase at church for $10. The copies at church include an introduction written by C.S. Lewis. If you want to join us for a discussion, you can do so on Thursday nights throughout August (beginning August 7) and into September at 7pm here at the church or via zoom. If you are able to purchase the book now and get a jump on it, that would probably make it easier. I look forward to reading this beautiful classic with you.

          Bryan Fitzgerald, Pastor (bryan@argylepresbyterian.org)

 

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