OUR FUTURE

     

This weekend at SPPC we spent some time looking to the future -- both short term and long term.
     In the short term, we looked ahead to Dec. 7, the date for "Spirit of Christmas," our musical play this year.  On Friday most of the cast gathered for an "Embrace the Play" evening.  We started with potluck.  Then read through the script.

 Talked over props and costumes and the rehearsal schedule.  We listened to a few clips of the music and generally had a good time.  As our organist remarked, "it is rare these days for people to get together and entertain each other."  Sadly, his comment is true.  It is so easy to become observers of other people's lives, we watch movies, or concerts or sports or daytime talk shows, living vicariously through others.  "Embrace the Play" was a great opportunity to experience the joy of creativity and sharing, and for playing an active part in the event.  

    Note from me:  Rehearsals for the Christmas play are now officially under way, but it's not too late to join!

    On Sunday, the congregation looked to the future in the long term with guest preacher Rev. Herb Gail, the Associate Secretary of Planned Giving in the Presbyterian Church in Canada.

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 Rev. Gail preached on stewardship of all our blessings during the worship service.  Afterward, in the hall, he gave a presentation on the benefits and technicalities of planned giving.  Being SPPC, we took the opportunity to eat!

Highlights:
         -- You can't take it with you
         -- Stewardship is a way of organizing your life so that you can give it away.
         --  Tax laws work to benefit both donors and charities
         --   Gifts may be made from current income stream or from accumulated assets
         -- life annuities through the Presbyterian Church offer better rates than similar instruments offered in the commercial market
         --   A bequest to charity may benefit your children more than a direct gift to them
        --   Bequests to the church can multiply many times over through tax benefits and good management

Rev. Gail had a seemingly endless fund of examples of Christian Charity as seen in the Presbyterian  Church in Canada.  To read more go to stories