On Sunday

This coming Sunday:

The "Resolving Everyday Conflict" Class is being moved to a new location - 315 Building, 3 Rear. The Delancey Building room was too small and fights broke out (just kidding). The Evangelism class is switching and moving into 4 East Delancey (the top floor in the Delancey building; turn left at top of stairs).

The Small Group Fair will be held between the morning services, after the 11:00 service, and after the evening service. Tables will be set up on the Spruce Street apron, providing information on all the small groups of the church in the parishes and of the various fellowship ministries.
Bridge Builders are having their first luncheon of the fall. They are beginning a new teaching series on the parables of Jesus. George McFarland will speak. They meet at 1:00 in Fellowship Hall East.

Tenth City Network young adults will be standing on the corner holding up protest signs. No wait, they will be signs inviting other young adults to join them for lunch.

College students will be invited by Tenth College Fellowship to stay at the church and eat a free meal in the Catacombs.

I'm not sure where I will eat.

The Crushed Spirit

Proverbs 18:14

A man's spirit will endure sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?

Undoubtedly many reading this proverb will sadly nod in agreement because of your own crushed spirit. The weight of depression, of anxiety, of feeling unloved feels unbearable and you focus on merely surviving each day. This proverb lets you know that God understands. It is placed in Scripture for you to know that you do not suffer alone. God is with you and even now is bearing your great weight. You are not alone as a sufferer. Many others throughout the ages and in the present have known the "crushed spirit." Stop at this very moment and offer a prayer for those whose spirits are crushed.
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Alpha Pregnancy Services Fundraising Banquet

Alpha invites you to their Annual Fundraising Banquet on Thursday, October 17th, 7pm at Hilton City Avenue. Enjoy a lovely dinner while catching up with old friends and making new ones. You will hear from Roland Warren, president of Care Net, and a powerful testimony about grace and Christ's love from someone who has dedicated more than 2 decades to Alpha. See how far Alpha has come since it started in the catacombs of Tenth 32 years ago. Register and find more information here.

The Foolish Answer

Proverbs 18:13

If one gives an answer before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.

Strong but true words. We do this on different levels. There is the surface level in which we actually begin answering before the person has completed the question, only to find that we wrongly anticipated what the question would be. "No, that is not what I was trying to ask."
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Sunday Services 9/15/2013

Join us this Sunday for our services.
AM (9 & 11): Dr. Liam Goligher preaching, “The Gospel According to Isaiah: Losing our Religion” (Isaiah 1:10–20). Hymns: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise; In Christ Alone; O Lord Most High, with All My Heart
Parish 2 will worship together in the Catacombs during the 11:00 service.
PM (Soli Deo Gloria 6:15): Hymn Service
(6:30): Dr. Liam Goligher preaching, “That You May Believe… Grace and Peace Came” (John 1:1–18). Hymns: Sing Praise to the Lord!; The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want; O Bless the Lord, My Soul
The service will include communion.

TCF Prayer Request

Pray for TCF's new ministry, the TCF Arts Collective. Pray that Christian students studying the arts would be encouraged by fellowship and discussion. Pray also for others studying the arts to profess faith in the savior and creator through the witness of our students and the collective. Pray for Emily Doll the new TCF intern assigned to the Arts Collective. Pray that she would have insight and wisdom as she seeks to strengthen artists and help answer their tough questions.

Al Gramp

Elders in the Philadelphia Presbytery will miss Al Gramp who died August 31. He served as treasurer for the Philadelphia Presbytery with a conscientious and cheerful spirit. Here is his obituary.

The Haughty Fool

Proverbs 18:12

Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.

There are several reasons why this proverb bears out, but consider one reason today. Haughtiness is foolishness; humility is wisdom. To be haughty is to be "scornfully and condescendingly proud." It is not merely to recognize your own skill to be better than others, but to actually consider others as lesser beings. You despise them merely because they are not as adept in some particular skill that you are or because they have backgrounds that seem beneath you.
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The Imagined Wall

Proverbs 18:11

A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.

Note the contrast with the previous proverb. The righteous man looks to the LORD to be his strength; the rich man looks to his wealth. The righteous man turns to the LORD and finds safety; the rich man turns to his wealth and finds an illusion. For wealth can save no one. It can create an illusion of safety, but it not only fails to protect; it creates its own dangers.
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Room for Rent

Spacious room for rent in a lovely single home in Oreland, 2.5 miles from Westminster Seminary (less than 10 minutes by car), ideal for a female student.  Tennant would share the house with the owner, a (female) WTS administrator. Rent is $500 and includes private bathroom, all utilities, wireless internet, cable TV, shared use of kitchen, living room, laundry, yard and patio. Plenty of privacy. Room is large enough for double occupancy, in which case rent would be $350 per person. Contact Rebecca Cordner if interested.

Proclamation Pastor to Leave

Mark Johnston, senior minister of Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, is having to give up his position and return to the United Kingdom. U.S. Immigration will not extend a visa for his daughter, who is a disabled adult, and so they will need to return to the UK to keep the family together. Here is his message to a class at Proclamation.

TCN Out to Lunch

Join TCN (young adults in their 20s & 30s) for lunch after the 11am service for the next two Sundays (15th and 22nd). Outside the Spruce St. entrance, look for people holding up signs for nearby restaurants.

The Name

Proverbs 18:10

The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

What's in a name? How can a name be a strong tower? What's in a name is what is in a person. According to that person's character and relationship to us, the name may evoke joy or sadness, peace or fear. And so it is with the LORD - Yahweh, I AM WHO I AM. For those made righteous in Christ, his name is a strong tower. The mere mention of the name evokes joy and peace and confidence. To belong to him is to know security. In contrast, those who are without Christ may despise and fear the Name.
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