Throughout the summer we have had a series of different voices in the pulpit and this Sunday is our final summer guest preacher, Teddi Therkildsen. It is fitting that Teddi is preaching for us during this series on Creation Care because one of her passions in ministry has been Silver Lake Camp and Retreat Center. There are so many beautiful places to enjoy God’s creation here in our beautiful state of Connecticut!

 

We continue our Creation Care series with more poetry from the Psalms, turning to Psalm 104, a hymn of praise that celebrates the wonder and order of God’s creation. The psalmist paints a breathtaking picture of a world teeming with life—mountains rising, springs flowing, trees sheltering birds, and seas alive with creatures beyond number. Psalm 104 reminds us that creation is not just background scenery; it is an active participant in God’s ongoing work. 

Let’s explore what it means to see the earth as God’s dwelling place and our home—a sacred trust rather than a resource to exploit. How does this vision shape our relationship with the natural world? How do we join God in renewing the face of the earth? Together we’ll reflect on gratitude, awe and praise as essential practices of faith. Come and discover how caring for creation is an act of worship, deeply rooted in the praise of God who gives life to all.

God’s gift of water sustains life, nurturing the earth and all who dwell in it. Yet water also holds great power—capable of shaping landscapes and, at times, causing harm. How do we live in this tension, caring for creation while respecting its force? Join us as we explore how God calls us to faithful stewardship of this precious, life-giving world. We continue our Summer Series, “Creation Care,” turning to Psalm 65.

We continue our summer worship series this week, Creation Care, with a passage we find near the end of the book of Job. As you may recall, Job suffers unimaginable losses and must endure three friends who try to “help” by giving advice. Finally, God weighs in with a fiery account of creation and Job’s (and our) place in it. On Sunday morning, I will explore how God’s challenge to Job encourages us to view God’s creative power differently.

This week, we begin our second summer worship series, Created to Care. We begin at the beginning with the first account of how God created the world in Genesis 1:1-2:4. The first chapter of Genesis presents an orderly account of creation. Beginning on Sunday morning, God speaks something new into existence. However, it isn’t until Friday afternoon that God creates human beings who reflect God’s nature. Why wait until then? Perhaps it is because human beings will be responsible for caring for everything else that God created. On Sunday, we will explore what it means to be “created to care.”

This Sunday, we celebrate the Spirit at work through service and Scripture. Dan Gabree, Janet Kirkby and Jen Thomas will share stories and reflections from their journey — offering a glimpse into the partnerships and faith that continue to grow from Southington to Guayaquil, Ecuador. We’ll also conclude our summer sermon series on the Bible and Economic Justice, reflecting on what we’ve learned about God’s call to build communities rooted in fairness, compassion, and equity. Join us for a Sunday filled with gratitude, testimony, and a vision for justice.

We are very grateful to Rev. Kathy Peters for leading worship on Sunday, July 13. Kathy is a retired UCC clergyperson who is a member here at FCC Southington. She is an excellent preacher and will certainly bring a thought-provoking reflection to the pulpit at FCC.

I have a t-shirt that has the phrase “do justice/ love mercy/ walk humbly” printed on it. I am always on the lookout for a nice Bible inspired t-shirt, so without giving it much thought, I quickly added it to my cart when I saw an ad for it online. And once the t-shirt arrived I was wearing it at church one day… a member of our congregation commented on the design of the t-shirt. The part that stood out to the church member was “walk humbly.” She remarked how rare it is for people to remember the importance of humility as Christians. Her comment came to my mind while re-reading Micah in preparation for worship this Sunday. 

What does it mean for us as Christians to consider walking humbly, in response to our summer series “The Bible and Economic Justice”? As we are now several weeks into this series, I think we have begun to consider several different interpretations of what it means to “do justice.” This Sunday, let’s continue the conversation on what God requires of us as people of faith!

We continue in our summer worship series, The Bible and Economic Justice, with a different voice in the pulpit. Thank you to Steve Palmieri who will be the guest preacher this Sunday while Pastor Ron and I are in Ecuador. 

Steve has prepared a powerful reflection on how the words of Jesus invite us to consider poverty. Jesus brings good news to the poor. But what does this mean for those of us who are living comfortably in a community like Southington? Steve will lead the worship service alongside several Deacons. 

Our summer worship series, The Bible and Economic Justice, continues with a text from Leviticus that invites us to consider how economic systems shape our daily lives. This text raises questions about ownership, such as whether our money and time are truly ours in the way we imagine. The principle of not stealing is well-known, but what defines rightful ownership, and what constitutes theft? This passage from Leviticus also asks how communities like ours can be structured to prevent “theft” by promoting fairness and equity. This solution probably won’t require the installation of a new security system.