[Below is the article that will be published in the LINK for October. You will also find out what schedule of events for each Kirk Night in October below the article.]
Kirk Night: A Celebration
Lately
my study has been a bit of disarray. In
addition to those spilling out of their temporary box homes, sprawled across my
desk and table have been books some of you are familiar with. These books are filled with pictures: pages and pages of pictures evidencing how
you, as a community of faith, have collectively lived out God’s calling in your
lives. While clothing styles and
hair-dos have changed, it is quite clear that the ethos, the spirit, of First
Presbyterian Church has not changed.
While
pictures help us put faces and capturing those holy moments of life, they
cannot tell our entire story.
Thankfully, a few years ago, the church complied a book closely
detailing the history of our church.
This history has become an invaluable resource for me to learn the
beautiful story of this congregation.
I’ve enjoyed ‘getting’ to know the former pastors by reading past LINK
articles and bulletins, especially Bruce, and by listening to each of you share
stories about our pastors from Burns to Blackburn. Our history is rich, our stories are
compelling, and the love of God is noticeably present.
Gearing
up for fall, and inspired by my predecessor’s faithful work, I recently voiced
some wonderings about our Wednesday night activities. This conversation went a
little something like this.
“Hey,
what is the Wednesday night gathering called?”
“Well,
Celebration. I think.”
Another
person chimed in. “No, I thought we changed it to ‘In-Joy.’”
Still
another, “I honestly don’t know what the Wednesday night is called. Probably just Wednesday night.”
I
appreciated this honesty, and in fact, welcomed this confusion.
Our
church history book, put together by the History Committee a few years ago,
tells us quite a lot about this particular weekly gathering. The first note
about a mid-week gathering came during Rev. Salansky’s tenure. In 1977, this
Wednesday gathering for children gained the name “Celebration.” While the structure and content of our Wednesday
nights has evolved, the purpose has remained the same. Education and spiritual formation both lie at
the heart of the Wednesday gathering.
Eventually, this question was turned on
me.
“What
do you think it should be called?”
After some reflection, I considered a term
that is as much a part of Presbyterian history as a pitch-in or potluck: “Kirk Night.”
As
if we needed yet another name, the puzzled face indicated to me that I my
pronouncement required some contextual commentary. In Scottish dialect, the church is called the
‘Kirk.’ Found in the Book of
Confessions, part I of the Constitution of the PC (USA) is the Scots
Confession. This confession, written by
influential Presbyterian minister John Knox, denotes our connection to the word
'Kirk.’ Thus, Wednesday Nights, a night of
Celebration, is called Kirk Night, or, Church Night.
While
the name we use for our gathering is important, nothing is more important than
our time together. We are reminded in
scripture that when we gather as a family, even if it is just 2 or 3 of us,
Christ is present.
And
that my friends, is reason enough, to have a celebration.
See you at the Kirk House,
Adam
October 2:
Kemmerer Village Night—Adult Mission Night
October 9:
A Hymn Sing
October 16:
Food for Thought: A Night of
Sharing Dishes
October 23:
Our Columbarium and the Hope of Resurrection
October 30:
Celebration Through Story Telling:
A Night of Re-membering
October 2nd: In Matthew Jesus says, “What you do to the
least of these you do unto me.” This
Kirk Night, we will have the opportunity to explore how Kemmerer Village in
Assumption, Illinois is doing just that.
You are invited to learn more about this Presbyterian ministry, and how
you can get involved in the upcoming Adult Mission Trip to Kemmerer Village on Saturday,
October 19. (You can learn more about Kemmerer Village by clicking here.]
October 9th: Has it been a while since we sang your
favorite hymn? Is there a particular
hymn of which you just can’t get enough?
This Kirk Night, we’ll sing our favorite hymns and share stories about
why they mean so much to us. Whether
you’re a skilled vocalist or can’t carry a tune in a bucket, come for a night
of singing and sharing songs!
October 16th: Are you interested in how food relates to
justice? Do you have a favorite recipe
for those green beans from your garden? This week at Kirk Night we will give
thanks for our food and our church garden, while exploring the importance and
impact of ‘food justice,’ both globally AND locally. We will also discuss the Food Bank, and how
they are working to end hunger in Logan County. You are invited to bring a
local dish to share for supper.
October 23rd: Adam and the Columbarium Committee invite you
to Kirk Night as we hear more about the Columbarium Ministry of First
Presbyterian Church. We’ll learn more
about our Columbarium located in the Union Chapel here at church, and will have
a brief theological discussion of cremation and resurrection.
October 30th: We get to know our friends and neighbors by
sharing intentional quality time. This Kirk Night, we’ll extend this practice
to our church! Exploring our church photo albums and years of church
directories, we will share our stories about First Presbyterian Church, and
what we love about this place and one another.
Adam cannot wait to hear about how each of you came to this place, and
what this community means to you! Bring your stories, your photos, your
memories, and most importantly, yourself!
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