Piedmont Presbyterian and Promised Land Community Church

For the safety of all our brothers and sisters, we are encouraging each other to stay at home to avoid spreading COVID-19. Similar to our celebration at the church previous years, the Presbyterian Church (USA) offers this Christmas service of carols, readings and prayer, with a message from PC(USA)’s Stated Clerk Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II. The order of service is here.

Pastor Sarah’s Christmas Eve Letter and a DIY-Christmas Eve Service for at home.

Taking place in the church building:
All church in-person events including Sunday worship services are canceled until January due to the rise in Multnomah County Covid-19 infections. Please wear a mask, wash hands frequently, and keep physical distance from people outside your household to help us all stay safe.

Available online:
Weekly Pastor Messages are posted below.
7pm Thursday Bible Study, led by Pastor Maury Sails, please use the church contact page to request an invitation.
12pm Wednesday, Prayer led by Presbyterian Urban Network Parish Nurse Rev. Tim Winslea, please use the church contact page to request an invitation.

Homeward Bound December 6th Sunday Service and Sermon (audio) Promised Land Community Church, Pastor Maury Sails, Sr. preaching.

Sunday, December 6th, Pastor’s Letter, from Pastor Sarah Lewis, Piedmont Presbyterian Church, also order of worship for Sunday use at home.

If you live in Oregon, visit the Oregon Secretary of State Page to register and also find links to check your registration status and make any changes. The Oregon deadline to register for the upcoming election is October 13, 2020.

For other states, visit the National Association of Secretaries of State for links to voting information in your state.

Listen to the voices of A Poor People’s Campaign. June2020.org for the virtual March on Washington broadcast, Poor Peoples Campaign for ongoing organizing effort.

² O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
    and you will not listen?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
    and you will not save?
³ Why do you make me see wrongdoing
    and look at trouble?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    strife and contention arise.
⁴ So the law becomes slack
    and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous—
    therefore judgment comes forth perverted. (Habakkuk 1:2-4, NRSV)

The last week has brought 2 pandemics to the front: COVID-19 newly arrived, and racism, with us over 400 years.

Almighty Father, God of justice and peace, help our nation to take all corrective and healing action to end these pandemics. Lead us into repentance and turn us away from our false idols of wealth, violence and hatred. Lift up the voices of your prophets to make clear Your vision for the world, and open our ears to receive them. Give your children wisdom, love and resolve for peaceful action. Kindle in our hearts a holy urgency to make right what has been wrong. In the name of your Son Jesus Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

For Daily Use:

• d365 An very user friendly 5-step guided devotion including prayer, Bible reading and reflection. Readings are from passages used by many churches for the coming Sunday. From Passport, an ecumenical student ministry.
• Sacred Space Guided meditations including prayer, Bible reading and reflection, some with multi-day retreat formats. From the Irish Jesuits.
• Revised Common Lectionary daily readings from the Bible including 2 morning psalms, 2 evening psalms and a selection from each from the Gospels, Old and New Testaments. Through PC(USA)
  
  For Sunday
• Journey With Jesus The “Lectionary Essays” by Debie Thomas are excellent Sunday sermons. The larger site includes a great collection of poetry, book reviews and reflections on faith in our current context.
• Sunday Readings The Sunday readings for the season after Pentecost, select the current Sunday for the readings and additional resources for prayer and art.
• Day 1 Includes a weekly sermon which can be read or listened to, and a number of essays and resources.
• A number of churches are offering live-streaming services, including Mt Olivet Baptist Church, Portland 9:00&11:30am, First Presbyterian, Portland 10:30 am   and Lake Grove Presbyterian, Lake Oswego    9:30  11 am