THE MESSENGER
CASKETEMPTYBibleConference
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IfIhadtodoitalloveragain,I’dstillchooseHope.Hopeis actuallymymiddlenameandIdidn’tstartusingituntilI wenttocollege--whichwasstilllongbeforeIbecamea pastor.TheoriginofhowIcametohaveHopeasamiddle namehadtodowithmypaternalgrandmother,whohelda confidentexpectationthatIwouldbeamongthefirstinmy familytograduatefromcollege.Mygrandmothergrewup inanextremelypoorfamilyinGreenville,SouthCarolina. Herworldwasverysmallandheropportunitiesevenmore limitedandshewantedmoreforhergranddaughter.
ThenumberoftimesI’vewalkedintoahospitalroomandsomeonehassaidtome,“Hopeissuchagoodname forapastor,”isnowwellintothehundreds.Ihavecompletelylosttrackofhowmany“hope”ornaments, notepads,pillows,candles,towels,etc.,etc.,etc.,I’vebeengivenovertheyears.
OvertimeI’vecometorealizethat“Hope”ismorethanjustmyname.ItiswhoIam.Typicallypeopledescribe meas“upbeat”or“positive”andthat’sprobablyprettyaccurateaboutallthebigstuffinlife.Istillhavemy downdayseverynowandthen.Butthereasonformydemeanorismorethanjustbeingcalled“Hope.”It’s aboutdefiningmylifebythehope,theconfidentexpectation,IhaveinJesusChrist.Whileitmightoutwardly presentasbeing“upbeat”or“positive,”it’ssomuchdeeperthanthat.ItrustthatJesusholdsmylifeinHis handsandthatHisplansformearefarbetterthanIcanimagineorevenexperienceonthissideofGlory.Ihave aconfidentexpectation,anabidinghope,thatGodisincontrol,present,andactiveinmylifeeveryday.
IholdoutthatsamehopeforourlifetogetherhereatViennaPresbyterianChurch.Inaworldthatsometimes feelslikeit’sjustspinninginaswirlofchaos,myvisionforVPCistobeaplaceofrefugeandstability,asafe harborofhope--wherewecometogethertoberemindedofthepromisesofGodandcanencourageone anothertoholdontohopeinaworldthatistryingsohardtostealitfromourlivesandhearts.
Thefocusofourministrythisfallisallaboutbecomingamorehopefulpeople.You’llexperiencethatfocuson Sundaymornings,withoursermonseries“ApocalypseofHope:GoodNewsforHardTimesintheBookof Revelation.”Andyou’llgetachancetodivedeeperintohope,andbuildthatconfidentexpectationinthe promisesofGod,throughthemanyministriesofmission,education,music,andcareforallages.
Enjoythiseditionof The Messenger.Ipraythatyou’llfindittobefilledwithhope---somethingIstillchoose, everysingleday!
IntheGripofGrace,
Getreadytoexperiencealife-changingviewofScriptureasyoudeepenyourunderstandingofthe biblicalnarrativeandlearntoseetheBibleasoneredemptivestorywithJesusatthecenter!
CASKETEMPTY®isamemorableacronymthatexplainsthestorylineoftheBible.Onceyouknowit, youwon’treadtheBiblethesame!JoinusinOctoberasthecreatorofCasketEmpty,Dr.Carol Kaminski,teachestheOldTestamentpartoftheacronym,CASKET.InMarch2024,we’lllearnthe NewTestamentpart,EMPTY,fromRev.Dr.DavidPalmer.
Thisisagreatopportunitytolearnalongsideothers.Teachingsessionsareinterspersedbyround tablediscussionandbreaks,inwhichtherewillbetimetoenjoyfellowshipandfoodwithone another.
Ticketsare$65andincludesallconferencematerials,lunchonSaturday,andplentyofsnacksand refreshments. Registerat: https://www.viennapres.org/casketempty
OldTestamentConference
October13-14,2023withDr.CarolKaminski
6:00pm–9:00pmonFriday
9:00am–4:00pmonSaturday
RegisterbyOctober8
NewTestamentConference
March8-9,2024withRev.Dr.DavidPalmer
6:00pm–9:00pmonFriday
9:00am–4:00pmonSaturday
RegistrationwillopenInJanuary2024
www.viennapres.org/casketempty
AWeekofGrowth,Worship,andFunforMiddleSchoolStudents
Ourmiddleschoolersrecentlyembarkedonaweek-longadventurein Ocoee,Tennessee,wheretheyhadtheopportunitytogrowintheirfaith, heardailymessagesfromourspeaker,playhard,andhavefun.Theoverall experiencewasnothingshortofamazing.Althoughthestudentswere initiallystrangers,theyquicklyformeddeeprelationshipsandwelcomed newcomerswithopenarms.Agreatexampleofthisinclusivityoccurred whenastudentfromanothergroupjoinedthegirls'cabin,andtheyreadily tookherinasoneoftheirownfortheweek.
We are grateful that our daughters were excited about The Great Escape and that you two (Pastor Hope and Vicki) were willing to lead them this year. Before 2022, we were a part of a church without a thriving children’s or youth group. We were excited by VPC in part because these opportunities are available for all our children.
When they got back, we expected to hear stories about the games and activities, but they spent the first hour or more focused on both Ben Glenn and the woman who led the morning sessions. They talked about the messages and what it meant to them. This was truly surprising and heartwarming. To see them so excited about the program aspects of the week and to say, “when I go back next year” was another pleasant surprise.
StudentsStrengthenTheirFaithandBuildLastingFriendships
Duringaweek-longtriptoHiltonHeadIsland,SouthCarolina,five highschoolstudentsfromVPCdeepenedtheirfaith,connectedwith eachother,andmadenewfriendswithChristianstudentsfrom variouschurchesacrossthenation.Thegroupparticipatedinworship sessions,playedbeachgames,sharedpersonalstories,andreflected ontheirspiritualjourneys.Bytheendofthetrip,theyhadformed lifelongbondsandleftfeelinglovedandtrulyunderstoodbyGod.
SendingPrayerstoPastorRobert
OnthemorningbeforehisServiceof InstallationatVPC,PastorRobertwas prayedoverbyourchildrenduringthe children'smessage.Theyexpressed gratitudeforhisarrivalatthechurchand askedforblessingsashejoinedour community.
NEW(s)intheMen'sGroup
There'sabuzzofexcitementsurrounding TheMondayNightMen'sGroupasthefall broughtPastorRobertAustelltotheirhelm. 95guysfloodedthefellowshiphallon September18towelcomehim,whilearocksolidteamofvolunteerleaders enthusiasticallybroughtRobertintotheir newly-statedministryvision:"discipling brotherstoserveothers."
PastorRobertisteachingonMondaynightsthisfall,theguysarehavingagreattime,andtheyarereadytowelcome youanytime.CatchwhattheMondayNightMen'sGroupisaboutatviennapres.org/mnm.
WhenWomenGather...
WhenVPCwomengather,thesearethekindsoflifegivingmomentsthathappen.Theycreate community,welcomingfriends,neighbors,and coworkersintothemix.Theylearnfrombravewomen sharingtheirfaithstories.TheyenJOYeachotherand Godinwaysthatfilluswithjoy.Women'sministry kickedoffthefallwith100womenattendingthe brunchevent,andnearlyasmanyinterestedin participatingwiththeBiblestudieshappeningon MondaynightsandTuesdaymornings.Manywomen areapartofthesegroups,andtheyarealwaysready towelcomeyou.Getmoreinformationat www.viennapres.org/wbs.
ClassesandSmallGroupsBegin
Variousadultdiscipleshipgroupsbegananew seasoninSeptember,withmoregroupstocomethis fall.Thesegroupsarecreatingcommunitytogrowin faith,enjoyingbeingwithnewandoldfriendsalike. Checkoutthegroupsyoucanjoinat www.viennapres.org/adults.
