First Presbyterian Church of Dunedin 455 Scotland Street Dunedin, FL 34698 727-733-2318 VOICE- June 2015 One of my favorite old hymns is “Have Thine Own Way, Lord” (which was in the Presbyterian “Redbook” of the Southern Presbyterian Church.) The opening line of the hymn is “Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way. Thou art the potter, I am the clay. Mol d me and make me after they will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.” The scriptural reference for that beautiful verse is found in Jeremiah 18: “Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” In this passage, Jeremiah envisions a lump of shapeless clay, without form, meaning, or purpose. The potter begins to spin the wheel and mold the clay into a new creation. God is the potter of Jeremiah’s vision, and God’s people are the clay, a people who exist for God’s own creative purposes. Jeremiah present s a deeply spiritual image of how the people of God, then and now, are to view the meaning of life and our place in it. While Christ doesn’t use this image in his own teaching, he constantly speaks of the creative spirit that will come after his death and resurrection, and how that spirit will shape our lives to fit God’s ultimate purpose: “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and r emind you of all that I have said to you.” (John 14: 25-26) If we are to affirm our faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then we must also affirm that God is the potter and we are the clay. Anyone who has watched potters perform their art knows that the creation of a vessel is a turbulent process involving spinning, shaping, and baking. Committing one’s life to Christ demands that we open ourselves to God’s creative spirit, and in doing so we will feel spun, shaped, and put to the fire. The Christian conscience does not allow us have a convenient faith empowered by cheap grace. If we allow Christ to shape our lives, we must change the way we see ourselves and those around us. In changing our view of our place and purpose in the world, we then must act as God calls us to act. We cannot sit still in the face of suffering, intolerance, and injustice. We also cannot rationalize our sinfulness. Rather, we must feel the pain of our wrongdoing, so that we can experience the joy of forgiveness. In addition, the spirit will not allow us to be occasional in our commitment or seasonal in our worship. Do we put God into our hands as we feel the need, or do we place ourselves into God’s hand as God needs us? To place God into our hands is idolatry – it is to make God into an object that exists for our purposes and at our convenience. Christ made it clear that those who would be his disciples must humble their hearts and place themselves wholly into God’s hands. God is the potter – we are the clay, and there can be no other way. It is not easy to surrender so much of one’s self in a world that thrives on selfishness, but everything made of the world eventually falls into decay and obsolescence. It is God alone, through the love of Christ and the presence of the Spirit, who can make us new each day, each hour, each heartbeat and beyond. Are you on the potter’s wheel? It is easy to get there – all we need do is ask, and then let the work begin! May God’s work in this world begin in us today, right now, and forever. Mack
Transcript
First Presbyterian Church of Dunedin
455 Scotland Street Dunedin, FL 34698
727-733-2318
VOICE- June 2015
One of my favorite old hymns is “Have Thine Own Way, Lord” (which was in the Presbyterian “Redbook” of the
Southern Presbyterian Church.) The opening line of the hymn is “Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way.
Thou art the potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after they will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.” The
scriptural reference for that beautiful verse is found in Jeremiah 18: “Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are
you in my hand, O house of Israel.”
In this passage, Jeremiah envisions a lump of shapeless clay, without form, meaning, or purpose. The potter
begins to spin the wheel and mold the clay into a new creation. God is the potter of Jeremiah’s vision, and God’s
people are the clay, a people who exist for God’s own creative purposes. Jeremiah presents a deeply spiritual image
of how the people of God, then and now, are to view the meaning of life and our place in it.
While Christ doesn’t use this image in his own teaching, he constantly speaks of the creative spirit that will come
after his death and resurrection, and how that spirit will shape our lives to fit God’s ultimate purpose: “I have said
these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” (John 14: 25-26)
If we are to affirm our faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then we must also affirm that God is the
potter and we are the clay. Anyone who has watched potters perform their art knows that the creation of a vessel is a
turbulent process involving spinning, shaping, and baking. Committing one’s life to Christ demands that we open
ourselves to God’s creative spirit, and in doing so we will feel spun, shaped, and put to the fire.
The Christian conscience does not allow us have a convenient faith empowered by cheap grace. If we allow
Christ to shape our lives, we must change the way we see ourselves and those around us. In changing our view of
our place and purpose in the world, we then must act as God calls us to act. We cannot sit still in the face of
suffering, intolerance, and injustice. We also cannot rationalize our sinfulness. Rather, we must feel the pain of our
wrongdoing, so that we can experience the joy of forgiveness. In addition, the spirit will not allow us to be
occasional in our commitment or seasonal in our worship.
Do we put God into our hands as we feel the need, or do we place ourselves into God’s hand as God needs us?
To place God into our hands is idolatry – it is to make God into an object that exists for our purposes and at our
convenience. Christ made it clear that those who would be his disciples must humble their hearts and place
themselves wholly into God’s hands. God is the potter – we are the clay, and there can be no other way.
It is not easy to surrender so much of one’s self in a world that thrives on selfishness, but everything made of the
world eventually falls into decay and obsolescence. It is God alone, through the love of Christ and the presence of
the Spirit, who can make us new each day, each hour, each heartbeat and beyond. Are you on the potter’s wheel? It
is easy to get there – all we need do is ask, and then let the work begin! May God’s work in this world begin in us
SANCTUARY FLOWERS To have a loved one honored or remembered please complete a “Sanctuary Flowers Request Form”
(next to the Flower Chart on the bulletin board in Hager Hall) providing the preferred Sunday date(s) and to whom the flowers are to be dedicated. Put the form with your payment ($27.50 per arrangement) into an envelope and put it into the offering plate or mail it to the church. Payments MUST be made before the week of your request. Payment can be made by “online bill-payer” from your bank, in cash, or by personal check, with
“flowers” on the memo line.
BAPTISM Rejoice with your family and God’s family with the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism. For information on Baptisms contact the church at 733-2318.
WEDDINGS Couples are urged to contact the Church Administrator for an application and a copy of the wedding policy. Information is also available online at www.fpcdunedin.org
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT For inquires about medical supplies and equipment
available for loan, please contact our custodian, at the church office 733-2318. We also accept donations; however donations must be approved through the church office. Please do not leave your items.
PRESBYTERY OF TAMPA BAY www.presbyteryoftampabay.com 813-868-4800
DENOMINATION HEADQUARTERS “TOLL-FREE THREE” Simplifies Phoning Callers to the national offices of the Presbyterian Church (USA) now can reach the information, resources, or people they need without consulting a lengthy directory or paying long distance charges. Callers may choose from the following numbers:
1. 1-800-728-7228 for connection to a staff
person at 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY.
2. 1-800-872-3283 to reach PresbyTel information about PCUSA
3. 1-800-524-2612 to order resources from Presbytery Distribution Services (PDS).
Fax number 1-502-569-8099 4. Website of PCUSA is www.pcusa.org
Tuesdays – 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – Dave and Nell Thomas
Wednesdays - 3, 10, 17 – Tom and Carol Harp
Wednesday - 24th – Sue Legg and Babe Young
Thursdays – 4, 11, 18, 25 – Paul and Lynn Burks
Fridays – 5, 12, 19, 26 – Mary Ann Beall and Dodi Anderson
Ashlie Fisher July 1 Gayle Hill July 1 Elizabeth Brincklow July 2 Donnie Hanson July 2 Laura Garcia July 3 Karen S Dickson July 4 Jeff Cockrell July 5 Kate Juergens-Escalona July 7 Lainie Quattrocki July 7 Mary Thorne July 8 Tina Webb July 9 Paul Burks July 12 Ken Friou July 14 Joseph Carey July 15 Rod Spittle July 18 Bob Blocher July 19 Gail Taylor July 19 Nick Kokinelis July 21 Dianne B Ainslie July 22 Gladys Hackworth July 24 Bob LaBare July 24 Allen Arnold July 27 Bobbie Eichenberger July 27 John Ralph July 28 Tami Ehmig July 29
Dear Friends,
I would like to extend my appreciation on behalf of
RCS Grace House Emergency Family Shelter for your
donation of clothing and homemade bears for our program participants. As
you know many of our clients arrive with minimum
personal items and your help is a great resource to
them.
Your interest in RCS Grace House is such a blessing and it is through friends like you that make it possible for us
to continue offering help and encouragement to our
June is National Get Caught Listening! Month, when audio books -- "books for the ears" -are stacked up in
the national spotlight and bibliophiles across America share their love of the medium. In the car, on the
treadmill, at the bus stop, or under a tree: Will the Association of American Publishers (AAP) catch you
listening? Dunedin Public Library has hundreds of audio books FREE. Check one out and you will be caught
listening! Your BookWorm “reads” (listens) to an average of 2 book per month.
What fun we had in May at our DIY Koinonia. The complete list of your “reads” will be published in the July Voice. Thanks to all of you who shared your annual reading suggestions. How about those “treasures” and that door prize? Mini Magnums are really a cool treat, just as advertised.
Donations for a new bookcase are being accepted happily. We have found a 24-inch space for a narrow, but
tall, bookcase. Watch for a big change in the fiction section on the south wall. Also, remember that the library
has an excellent computer, speakers, Internet, printer and scanner. Feel free to use this equipment anytime the
library is open.
Higher and deeper thanks to Iris Poppler, Mary and Frank Thorne, and Anonymous for their recent
donations of books to the FPC Library. Iris has given many, many Christian novels featuring the Amish
culture. The Thornes have donated several new thrillers. Anonymous has also donated wonderful, hard cover,
recent thrillers by current authors. We appreciate your donations.
Look for the following new books on the shelves immediately to your left as you enter the library. They
might be in the window—or they might be checked out.
