Mother's Day Special Offering

Since 1954, Presbyterian churches in South Carolina have marked Mother’s Day with an offering to support the ministry of Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina to older adults. 

Presbyterian Communities operates six retirement communities across the state that hundreds of seniors call “home.” Each location provides a full range of accommodations and services from independent and active living to healthcare and memory support.  

Living at a Presbyterian Community, residents find everything they need to live life to its fullest.  They are empowered to “grow old,” and not just “get old.”

And yet, after years of living at their community, some will find their financial resources dwindling, perhaps due to a costly medical crisis or to extreme old age.

Thankfully, the Presbyterian churches who founded this ministry continue to sustain it, so that residents who have outlived their life’s savings can continue to call PCSC “home.” One way they do this is through the Mother’s Day Offering, which is used solely to provide charitable care for residents who can no longer pay for the full cost of their care.  

Because the cost of charitable care can run to $1.5 million or more, it is truly a blessing that generous Presbyterian churches and their members help to shelter and care for each and every one of these through the Mother’s Day Offering.

Please give generously – thank you!!!

Thanksgiving Message 2021

 
 

Dear Friends in Christ –

The first weekend of our Covid shutdown, Ken Carrington set up a camera in my study and so began what has developed into our online ministry. Once again, necessity birthed innovation as Second Church, and so many others have sought to be faithful exponents of the gospel because of it. The topic of the message that day in March 2020 was from Psalm 118:24. "This the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" This day… and every day. Here we are now, a year and a half later, and there is much to celebrate as we gather at homes and shelters near and far in gratitude for God’s presence.

A dear pal of mine, Hal Rosenberg, once said that, "gratitude is the royalty of emotions," and I agree. I am grateful for each of you and the work we share in obedience and joy as we regard and anticipate love incarnate.

I would like to share this Thanksgiving Prayer with you. It was prayed by Scott Black Johnston in a service two years ago at the Fifth Avenue Church Rebecca and I attended in New York. I share it again because… well, read it and it’s apparent. You may want to share it at your table.

Happy Thanksgiving –

 

Thanksgiving Prayer


We come before you, God, with thanksgiving. 

For the world and its wonders, for super moons, pomegranate seeds and the color of an autumn oak, for the marvels of creation; we come before you, God...

For the world and its wonders, for super moons, pomegranate seeds and the color of an autumn oak, for the marvels of creation; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For communal life, for family, for friends, for church, for life shared, for hardships shouldered and laughter multiplied; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For work to do and strength to work; for purpose and dignity, for calling us your own; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For children; for their energy and curiosity, their brave play and sudden sympathies; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For young people; for their high hopes, their arched-eye irreverence, their solemn vows; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For growing up and growing old; for wisdom deepened by experience; and for time made precious by its passing; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For artists, for music and its attention to the holy, for choruses and conductors and composers, whose work causes our hearts to soar; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

Gracious God, we have so much to be thankful for. Help us to see our own bounty. Help us to see your face in the faces of all who hunger and thirst in this city and this world.

We come before you, God, with thanksgiving.

This week, we ask that you would surround those who will not be with friends or family this Thanksgiving with your abiding love and care. Bless soldiers, aid workers and government officials spread across the globe. We remember them with gratitude. 

We come before you, God, with thanksgiving.

Guard and protect those who will travel in the week ahead. Even as we sit around Thanksgiving tables, sharing sweet potatoes with family members whose politics are different from our own, let us not feast on anger or anxiety. May our conversations move toward a common and hopeful vision, a vision rooted in your will for this world.

These things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who loved to dine with his friends

With thanksgiving.

For communal life, for family, for friends, for church, for life shared, for hardships shouldered and laughter multiplied; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For work to do and strength to work; for purpose and dignity, for calling us your own; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For children; for their energy and curiosity, their brave play and sudden sympathies; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For young people; for their high hopes, their arched-eye irreverence, their solemn vows; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For growing up and growing old; for wisdom deepened by experience; and for time made precious by its passing; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

For artists, for music and its attention to the holy, for choruses and conductors and composers, whose work causes our hearts to soar; we come before you, God...

With thanksgiving.

Gracious God, we have so much to be thankful for. Help us to see our own bounty. Help us to see your face in the faces of all who hunger and thirst in this city and this world.

We come before you, God, with thanksgiving.

This week, we ask that you would surround those who will not be with friends or family this Thanksgiving with your abiding love and care. Bless soldiers, aid workers and government officials spread across the globe. We remember them with gratitude. 

We come before you, God, with thanksgiving.

Guard and protect those who will travel in the week ahead. Even as we sit around Thanksgiving tables, sharing sweet potatoes with family members whose politics are different from our own, let us not feast on anger or anxiety. May our conversations move toward a common and hopeful vision, a vision rooted in your will for this world.

These things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who loved to dine with his friends.
Amen.



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Source: sermons

Mother's Day Special Offering

mothers day offering.JPG

Since 1954, Presbyterian churches in our state have marked Mother’s Day with an offering to support the ministry to older adults that is provided by Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina.

PCSC operates six retirement communities which hundreds of seniors call “home.” As you can imagine, 2020 was difficult for Presbyterian Communities. The ever-changing regulations restricted visitation, and residents had to adapt to communicating digitally with their families. Thankfully, vaccinations were made available early to seniors, and the communities have begun to “open up” again for visitation.

Living at a Presbyterian Community, residents find everything they need to live life to its fullest. Each location provides a full range of accommodations and services including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Healthcare and Memory Support. Residents are empowered to “grow old,” and not just “get old.”

And yet, after years of living at their community, some will find their financial resources dwindling, perhaps due to a costly medical crisis or to extreme old age.

Thankfully, the Presbyterian churches who founded this ministry continue to sustain it. One way we do this is through the Mother’s Day Offering, which is used solely to provide charitable care for residents who have outlived their life’s savings.

It is truly a blessing that generous Presbyterian churches and their members help to shelter and care for each and every one of these through the Mother’s Day Offering.

On Mother’s Day, May 9, our congregation will continue this tradition of caring that touches the lives of these seniors in need. Because of your generosity, these folks will continue to call Presbyterian Communities “home,” and know that they are truly cared for and not forgotten.

You can give in the church service or online.

Amazon Smile

Amazon Smile - update!

Your Amazon shopping can give back to Second Presbyterian Church! Go to smile.amazon.com to link your account and Amazon will donate a percentage of eligible purchases automatically. 

Exciting update!! Until now, you could not use AmazonSmile if you shopped through the mobile app, but now you can link your phone to your AmazonSmile account! 

Activate AmazonSmile on your phone now! Open your Amazon App > go to Settings > click AmazonSmile > Turn On. If this doesn’t work, within the Amazon app, type ‘Amazon Smile’ in the search bar and it should give you the option for a one-click activation.