A Prayer for Winter

Dear Lord, the summer is over and gone, and the harvest is once more past.

All the wealth and warmth of the summer sun is marvelously packaged now, in seed and fruit and vegetable, and stored away in bins and cribs and basements.

Thank You, dear, generous God, for all Your goodness and for all Your gifts.

All summer long You are working for us, storing heat and health and nourishment in the fields and woods.

Now, when the air is cold, and there is no fruitfulness in the earth, we can live on what the summer and the harvest have stored up for us.

Thank You for Your unnumbered kindnesses to us, dear God.

Help us to make good use of the riches of the earth.

Help us to be generous, even as You are, and al ways avoid selfishness and greed.

Help us, too, to store up spiritual wealth in the summer of this life, while we can yet work. Otherwise life's autumn will come, death will call us, a spiritual winter will set in and we shall be found poor and unsheltered not for one season only, but for the winters of eternity.

Lord, we trust in You, that, cooperating with Your many graces, we may make good use now of our rich opportunities.

And may we then reap a rich spiritual harvest which we will enjoy with You and Your saints in the eternal spring and summer of heaven. Amen.

Autumn Prayer

God of the seasons, there is a time for everything; there is a time for dying and a time for rising. We need courage to enter into the transformation process.

God of autumn, the trees are saying goodbye to their green, letting go of what has been. We, too, have our moments of surrender, with all their insecurity and risk. Help us to let go when we need to do so.

God of fallen leaves lying in colored patterns on the ground, our lives have their own patterns. As we see the patterns of our own growth, may we learn from them.

God of misty days and harvest moon nights, there is always the dimension of mystery and wonder in our lives. We always need to recognize your power-filled presence. May we gain strength from this.

God of harvest wagons and fields of ripened grain, many gifts of growth lie within the season of our surrender. We must wait for harvest in faith and hope. Grant us patience when we do not see the blessings.

God of geese going south for another season, your wisdom enables us to know what needs to be left behind and what needs to be carried into the future. We yearn for insight and vision.

God of flowers touched with frost and windows wearing white designs, may your love keep our hearts from growing cold in the empty seasons.

God of life, you believe in us, you enrich us, you entrust us with the freedom to choose life. For all this, we are grateful.
Amen.

A Prayer for Students and Teachers

Lord our God,

in your wisdom and love

you surround us with the mysteries of the universe.

Send your Spirit upon students and teachers this school year

and fill them with your wisdom and blessings.

Grant that they may devote themselves to

their studies and draw ever closer to you, the

source of all knowledge.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Rev. Christal Williams to visit

Rev. Christal L Williams, associate minister of the Christian Church in Illinois and Wisconsin will be joining us on Sunday, July 20 to speak with us about the transition process involved in April's departure. All are invited to stay and be present for the meeting. Bring questions and concerns -- Christal will do her best to answer!

Blasting off to Cosmic City!

It's been a great week at Vacation Bible School here at FCC Rock Falls! We've had great attendance, wonderful energy, and lots and lots of fun!

Our VBS Sunday will be this week, July 13, during worship! We're going to have a great time singing, enjoying a puppet show and praising God! You'll want to be there!

Scenes from a Summer Social

We are so thankful for everyone's hard work to make the Summer Social a success! We raised $1100 for flood relief which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Aegon Transamerica of Cedar Rapids, IA! We were honored to be able to host this event and so very happy to welcome our friends at Firehouse of God whose presence was just wonderful! Great food, great fun, great cause! Thanks so much to all!

Our grillmeisters

Custard courtesy of Culvers

Kids' activities from Firehouse of God

Homemade dessert

Conversation and blessed weather

Pastor Brian of Firehouse of God

Pastor Jerry of Firehouse of God

Adults and kids alike enjoying the fire truck rides

Old Fashioned Summer Social

Summer is here! And with it has come some of the worst flooding seen in recent years in areas very near to us!

First Christian Church of Rock Falls is responding! We are hosting an Old Fashioned Summer Social on Sunday, June 29 from 11-1:30 p.m. We will be serving burgers and hot dogs, picnic sides, watermelon, desserts and ice cream all for your donation to a flood relief fund.

We are also pleased to announce that free firetruck rides and kids' activities will be provided by our friends at Firehouse of God Ministries.

All proceeds from this event will go directly to the flood relief effort and will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Aegon Transamerica of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (where one of our former congregants is employed)!

Plan to stop by our place after church on June 29! You gotta eat! Might as well help someone else in the process!