First Presbyterian Church » Mike’s Blog

Food 4 Kids

Mike McCormack — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:39:03 +0000

First Presbyterian Church has been active, nearly over active at food 4 kids this week. Just look at these shots taken by Deacon John Rowe of Presbees in action! Those participating are expected to have given away (when all is said and done) nearly 10,000 lunches! Jesus said, ‘feed my lambs.’. We’re working in it…

Presbytery wrap-up

Mike McCormack — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:09:03 +0000

Looking back at yesterday’s meeting in columbia, it was a wonderful day. Our presbytery voted to receive into membership Joan erickson as our new GP. Dana Slavin was approved for ordination. Liam took a nap in the church nursery and I drank a Starbucks.

The Pies of Presbytery

Mike McCormack — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:48:36 +0000

For many presbyters the highlight of the meeting is lunch. Or worship. Or the stated clerk’s report. I have Liam with me today so we’re blogging and walking and observing and voting and doing all sorts of things. But we have just come across the dining room and all these pieces of pie! Two things I know to be true: I am elect! I may have diabetes!

Presbytery worship

Mike McCormack — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:37:17 +0000

Wally Landrum shares the message about the story of the GPNC’s experience, John 20, and glorifying God and serving the Church.

Presbytery snap shot!

Mike McCormack — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:09:05 +0000

Presbytery

Mike McCormack — Tue, 25 May 2010 14:48:01 +0000

Elder Joan Erickson is speaking with us about her faith in Christ, her life in the church and family life. The possibilty of her as our new General Presbyter is exciting. How will the presbytery vote? Stay tuned…

Presbytery Youth Retreat

Mike McCormack — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:16:41 +0000

Pictured here are some of our presbytery youth playing, or rather, dressed after playing ‘dress-up-musical-chairs.’. Instead of being ‘out,’ you just layer up!

Thursday at the Tiger

Mike McCormack — Thu, 13 May 2010 23:58:35 +0000

Today I drove down to Columbia to the Tiger Hotel for a special lunch in honor and thanks for David Meerse, our interim General Presbyter. Hard to believe David has been with us for 2.5 years! I got to know him and learned from him while being on the Planning and Evaluation Committee. Spending that time with David has cemented a thought in my mind: we truly learn by doing in the church. I learned about worship by planning it and being a part of it (lex orandi…) and I learned even more about Presbyterian polity and ‘decency’ from my time with DM. He will be missed.

“This is the day. . .”

Mike McCormack — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:58:31 +0000

Every so often, maybe once or month, or maybe MORE often, I find myself murmuring the scripture verse from Psalm 118: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” I think that’s Psalm 118. Let me check. Yup. Psalm 118:24. The Message puts it like this: “This is the very day God acted—let’s celebrate and be festive!” That makes my point: God is active today in our lives. God is active everyday. What is God doing in your life TODAY? ”This,” the verse says, “is the day the Lord has made,” and not another day. You have today, so far, pretty guaranteed. What have you done? I’ve eaten macaroni and cheese, called church members on the phone, read biblical commentaries, returned emails, fed the baby and changed the baby’s diaper. All of this is part of the day the Lord has made. Can I accept all this? Yes. That’s the other part of the verse that grabs me: “This is the day the Lord has made (and not another); Let us rejoice and be glad (not resentful, not angry).” This has to do with accepting what God dishes out. Wow. This is obviously the most challenging thing about being a Reformed Christian. God is the one who does the dishing out. God gives us good gifts, challenges, trials, tests. I don’t always like that idea. I don’t always like what happens to me. But I am challenged by this Psalm, to “accept the things I cannot change,” as the famous prayer says, and become wise. Today is the Day the Lord has made for us, and as we walk together toward Easter–only through the tunnel of death–we will hear Psalm 118 on Palm Sunday. It is also a day the Lord made. Just like today. Rejoice a little. Help someone else rejoice.

Lenten Practices

Mike McCormack — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:42:24 +0000

I opened the sermon on Ash Wednesday saying something about “What are you giving up for Lent?” Lent is a time when so many of our brothers and sisters in the family of faith are practicing Lent by giving up a number of things: chocolate, ice cream, smoking, being generally nasty, etc. But it is also good to consider what we might TAKE UP. What practice might we begin? Praying the psalms throughout Lent? Contributing 2 cents a meal to the Presbyterian Hunger Program? Cleaning out our closets and giving unused and lonely clothes to the clothes closet? Sending a card to a shut-in, or maybe delivering it in person? We want to consider what practices might impact US as well as OTHERS. Jesus was concerned not only about private piety but public policy. What we do internally, privately, affects others externally, publicly. The most difficult thing about being a Christian, I think, is recognizing that not only does Jesus want me to change. He wants me to help change things in this world. Lent is about that. Lent is also about the cost of that. May Christ be with you as you practice your Lenten practices. Don’t worry–you can do it until you get it right!