For Such A Time as This June 4, 2020 – Dee Ann Daniels

To the Good Folk of the Palmyra Church of the Brethren,

Announcements:

The Caring Cupboard has moved their weekly food distribution on Wednesdays, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. to the Encounter Church during COVID-19. Food donations are still being received on the Railroad Street location on Mondays: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Wednesdays: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Fridays: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

We are putting together a Father’s Day slide show similar to but slightly different than our Mother’s Day tribute, as part of our virtual service.  You can help by sending us a:

• Video--Take a short video of yourself sharing a brief (one or two lines) memory or message about someone important to you.
• Photo--Send a photo of someone to add to the slide show (current or past photo)

Email or text your drawing or photo to Rachel at rwitkovsky@palmyracob.org by noon on Friday, June 19.

Joys and Concerns

If you have a joy or concern you would like us to share and pray about, please call, text or email it to Bill.  If you would like it included in our Sunday Worship sharing and prayer time, please share it with Bill that week by Friday morning.

Pray for

• For peace to follow justice in our country.
• Carol Hoke
•  Linda Whitman

Thank You 

To all who call others to check in on them and share our emails and devotions.

Today’s Devotion

I am thankful to Dee Ann Daniels for providing today’s devotion.  If you wish to respond to Dee Ann directly, her email address is dawdaniels@gmail.com. 

Shalom, Dennis

Scripture - 2 Timothy 1: 7 (NIV)

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, of love, and of self-discipline.

Thoughts

Several weeks ago, I received a flyer that included the scripture verse from Paul's 2nd letter to Timothy.  "How fitting for the time of coronavirus that we are experiencing" I thought to myself.  "But how can I put that into a devotional?"  So, I turned to my NIV annotated version to find some background on the scripture.

Paul wrote this letter to Timothy while he (Paul) was in prison, knowing that the work of the church would need to be turned over to someone younger.  Perhaps we have not been in prison like Paul, but we have experienced a type of imprisonment with staying at home and the change in our way of living.  Part of what Paul said to Timothy was to "stand firm and hold on to his faith".  Is that not what we need to hear at this present time as we, like Paul, anticipate an unknown amount of time that confinement might last?

So, we turn to the scriptures.  We have the power--the power of our faith in God, we have the love--the love of God, of family of friends, and we know how to self-discipline--taking care of ourselves and those with whom we must come in contact.  Stand firm, dear friends, and hold onto your faith.

Prayer

Loving and Eternal God, we ask that you will continue to be with us through this time of confinement.  We pray for those who are sick, who are grieving, and who are imprisoned within themselves during this time of loneliness.  Amen.