Last night I watched the 1937 film Varsity Show, staring Dick Powell, Fred Waring, the Pennsylvanians, and Ted Healy.  It was pretty amazing to see.  The grand finale (as all movie musicals seem to have) involved at least a hundred dancers moving in synch on a large stair case and forming the initials of a number of colleges.  As I was watching it, I kept thinking to myself, “and this is before they could use CGI-Computer Generated Images!” 

            

Movies have changed a lot in the past 72 years.  Unlike Varsity Show very few films use the mumps as a reason to get a character out of commission.  Most colleges are no longer concerned about a girl being in a guy’s dorm, and the music the professor considered scandalous then, would not even cause the slightest lift of an eyebrow now.   But a lot of the other ideas remain the same, in fact, there were some ways where it was not that different from 2007 musical High School   Musical 2.  Movies still often involve music, there will be some sort of love story, people enjoy putting on shows, and incredible dancing is still breath-taking to watch.

            

This made me think about the relationship between people and God.  Like films, people have certainly changed, not only in the past 72 years, but over the past 720 years!  But God is still the same.  In September, I attended a conference in Lakeside, dealing with culture wars/controversial issues, and Appalachian culture.  We learned about how to deal with controversial topics within the church and how the church should respond to societal problems.  At this conference, the speaker talked about the abolition of blue laws– people found them to be inconvenient preferring to be the ever-on-the-go society we have become.  So, when one of his colleagues required her class to take a one-day Sabbath at some point during the semester, they had so many questions she eventually created a two-page hand out on how to do it!  We now require an instruction guide to enjoy one of the gifts God has intended for us… do you remember when things were closed on Sundays?

            

I would like to conclude with a few more thoughts from the conference discussing how while we have in many ways changed, technology has changed, the issues we are concerned about have changed, the same God as in the time of Abraham is still at work in the world and invites us to be a part of his work.  Throughout the year, I will try to give a few more snippets of things I learned, I hope you will find them to be as interesting and insightful as I did. So here are a few thoughts from speaker Darrell Jodock:

             *Our mission in the world has not changed–we are still to feed the hungry, lift up the lowly, etc.

             *No one decision will “save society” we are all reliant on one another: if someone near us is experiencing fear,                           doubt, guilt, etc. we will feel the tension and side effects.  Society is not our job it is God’s.  He can                             transform lives and invites us to participate in society, to be a helping hand and pay attention to groups                           in need.  An example of this was Paul’s ability to create an alternative, transformative community in the                           Roman Empire.

             *It is our vocation as Christians to be a gift to others. 

             *Creation is an ongoing process, it didn’t begin and end in Genesis 1. 
             *The world is full of regularity and contingency.  For instance, science understands the motion of tectonic plates                           that is regularity, but science cannot predict precisely where and when they will move into one another                           creating an earthquake.  That is contingency.  Regularity is God’s faithfulness, contingency is God’s love.

Keep your eyes peeled for studies led by Kirsten McPeck and Jonalee Potter coming soon!!!!

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE

This fall we will be offering 3 classes for those in grades Preschool-12th as well as 3 classes for adults. 

Preschool-2nd grade - Will meet in room 302 on the 3rd floor of the church.  Each week there will be a lesson, songs, and activities that make learning about the Bible fun.  This will be a great beginning step for kids to start learning about the  Bible.  

3rd-6th grade - Will meet in room 303 on the 3rd floor of the church.  Each week there will be a lesson, songs, and activities that make learning about the Bible fun. 

7th-12th grade - Will be finishing their time meeting in the Jr. High Room as the Sr. High Room renovation project is nearing completion.  Thank you to everyone who helped paint this summer!!   The Jr. High Room is room 305 on the 3rd floor of the church.  This class is greatly discussion-oriented and a whole lot of fun you will not want to miss!!

Bethel - Meets in the 3rd floor room 301 with a rotating team of teachers.  The Present Word is the curriculum being used, the fall focus will be: “Covenant Communities.”

Discovery - Do you feel as though you do not have enough time for Sunday School?  There is too much homework involved?  Then try the Discovery class that meets in the Fireside room near the Sanctuary.  This class is full of lively discussion with no prior preparation time required.  It is also a great chance to make some new friends.

Pathfinders - Do you think it is hard to pray?  Pathfinders, with Kirsten McPeck, are concluding a look at prayer and ways to enhance your own prayer life.  Everyone is invited to be a part of this study that meets in the Parlor.  There will be a time of Bible Study in addition to plenty of time for discussion.  Join in the conversation and enrich your prayer life!  A new topic will be coming in October!!

Starting October 20th we will be offering a Midweek Ministry for those in grades K-8 from 5:30–7:00 p.m.  We will be calling it the ALMOST Midweek Ministry as it is on Tuesday nights– almost midweek! 

There will be time to eat dinner as a group, have a lesson, and then play some games.  Please invite any young person you know to attend!

Also, while it is the hope of the Christian Education Committee for this program to draw many kids to our church– it cannot happen on its own.  Help is needed: teachers, table “parents,” help preparing, serving, cleaning up the meals, etc. 

Please contact Erin if you feel you can help, even for just one       week - 622-0486 or ejobes@presbyteriancoshocton.org.

October 4th - No Youth Group-enjoy the fair!

October 11th - No Youth Group.  Attend the              picnic/hayride with your family.

October 18th - Movie - TBA 12-2:30

October 25th - Panel on  bullying - an open forum to discuss this problem that  affects so many people of   all ages. 

Invite your friends to come to this special discussion. 

Keep your eyes peeled for studies led by Kirsten McPeck and Jonalee Potter coming soon!!