This Week Old South Haven Church

Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,

First, I want to let you know that several Session members met with the Committee on Ministry at the Presbytery on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.  These members were presenting a plan for filling the pulpit on a more permanent basis.  Unfortunately and  also disappointing, the Committee on Ministry did not approve our plan.  Session will be meeting in two weeks to discuss this situation and work on a new plan.  Thank you for your patience.  But, in the meantime, we are blessed with Pastor Ralph Wright filling our pulpit each week with an occasional assist from Jason Neal.

Second, at the upcoming Session meeting, Session members will also be discussing ways to open the church while also continuing on-line services for those who cannot physically come to church.

And, third, this coming Sunday, June 7th, Trinity Sunday, we will again be meeting by Zoom.  The details for the service are below.

If you have any question or concerns, please reach out to our Session members,

God Bless,

Linda

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You are invited to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic:Trinity Sunday Church Service

Time: Jun 7, 2020 09:45 AM (Service starts 10 AM)

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Meeting ID: 242 554 4200

Password: 092003

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A banner is being prepared for the church lawn based on this design

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From Pastor Wright

Trinity Sunday…a time to pray for our country

June 3, 2020

Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Presbyterian Church,

  

People are hurting all over our nation.  If it's not from the pain of the Corona Virus, it's the fear of contracting the virus, or it is from mourning a loved one who was taken by the virus.  Then, as we began to come down from the extreme lockdown, there is a senseless killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police, which turned the hurting into outrage, not only in Minnesota, but across our nation and the world.  Add in some extremists, plus a criminal element, and one has the destruction of police stations, businesses, and the neighborhoods in which law abiding citizen live.  Heavy handed responses from our government then leads to not only curfews, but the use of tear gas and rubber bullets and the wounding of peaceful citizens who are standing up for justice in a land that prides itself in being a democracy.     

Where is God in all this?  We cry out and it appears we don't get any help.  But God has not left us.  Our leadership and our own insensitivity to the needs of our neighbors, has blinded us to God's love and support.  In the deepest crises of our historical past, looking back we can see that God was with his people, guiding and giving them support.  In the depths of World War I, the Depression, the rise of Fascism and World War II, through the many post war issues, to Selma, Alabama, to the Great Recession, to the events leading up to today's crises, Christians have received strength from knowing that God is a constant….He does not abandon us….He is always there to give us support as we work our way through the crisis.

The study of theology may give us a better understanding of how God works and supports us, but for me, it is what I learned as young boy from my Sunday School teachers that still remain with me many decades later. One Sunday School chorus we sang many times was "Jesus Loves Me."  The lyrics of the main verse was written by C. Herbert Woolston's (1856-1927) and set to the Civil War tune "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp by George Frederick Root (1820-1895).  The widely popular hymn refers to Christ's frequent interactions with children and the inherent value they hold in His eyes.

"Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world.

Red, brown, yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight,

Jesus loves the little children of the world"

                                             Chorus:

"Yes, Jesus Loves Me, Yes, Jesus Loves Me,

Yes, Jesus Loves Me, the Bible tells me so."

 

We may grow older into adulthood, but we will always remain "Children of God".

It is easy to get the message that Jesus loves ME.  I underline the word "ME", because we can sing this song selfishly as my song.  Jesus Loves Me.  But the words "Red, brown, yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight" speaks of the world, not just me… or just like children (and adults) who look like me.

Despite the pressures of today's world to conform to societal norms, let us always reach out and express the Christian love Jesus taught us to have.  Let us support those who are struggling for their civil rights.

This Sunday is Trinity Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost, which in the Western Christian calendar celebrates the three-fold nature of our God….Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  I, along with the elders and leaders of the church, invite you to join us, via zoom and the internet, this Sunday, June 7th, to celebrate Trinity Sunday.  As a P.S.,  let me add that, I too, look forward to returning worship services to our historic church building.  However, I pray that we will be able to keep transmitting, via zoom or another means, the services to those who are shut-ins or live outside of Suffolk County.  Keep tuned for more information.

Peace, and please share your concerns and prayer requests with all of us, including the pastor.

Pastor Ralph

Rev. Ralph B. Wright, Jr.

516-606-7671 (cell); 631-289-5761 (home) or rbwright1@aol.com