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Welcome to our weekly e-gram! Read on to discover what’s happening in our church family this week and beyond.
Church News
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Image: The Marriage Feast, John Everett Millais
SERMON PREVIEW: HONEST CONVERSATIONS
Sermon Topic: The Parable of the Great Banquet
Scripture: Luke 14: 12 – 24
As we continue our Honest Conversations this week, we will shift our focus to Jesus’s parable of the great banquet. In this simple story of a man who invited the poor and lame to his banquet after the invited guests backed out, we will hear important instructions on how to offer hospitality and welcome to others.
As Jesus reminds us, those who are considered unimportant or invisible today are the very ones who will be welcomed into God’s Great Banquet in the kingdom to come. We will learn more about Jesus’s instructions on being a good host, and we’ll explore how this parable connects to our Land of Plenty journey, where we imagine a ministry that includes “the least of these.” We look forward to worshipping with you. Hope you will join us, in person on online!
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CONTINUING THIS SUNDAY: “HONEST CONVERSATIONS” DISCUSSIONThis Sunday, we will take the next step in our Honest Conversations journey, as we look at the pros and cons of the different options to ensure that people have the food they need, and look for themes and shared values. We will complete our discussion during Sunday school on June 28. You are invited to participate, even if haven’t been present for the early parts of the discussion. We look forward to talking about this important topic with you.
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HEADS UP: NO LIVE STREAM ON JUNE 28Just a heads-up: the worship service on Sunday, June 28 will not be live-streamed. Please plan to join us for in-person worship that day.
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CAMP PRAYER LISTWe have a large group of campers, CITs, counselors, and directors going to camp this summer. You have opportunities to send cards and notes to campers, counselors, and directors at each week of camp. Information and blank cards on the gathering space table this Sunday. Please leave your notes in the envelope for the specific camp session.
This Week’s Camps: Junior, Chrysalis, and Genesis
Please pray for those from our church who are at Junior and Chrysalis camps this week, and those attending Genesis camp this weekend:
- Drew McElhanon (Junior camper)
- Martha Westbrook (Junior camper)
- Molly Ballew (Junior camp counselor)
- Micah Baker (Chrysalis camper)
- Fitz Puckett (Chrysalis camper)
- Frank Hawkins (Chrysalis camp counselor)
- Theresa Puckett (Chrysalis camp counselor
- Sophia Coker (Chrysalis camp CIT)
- Keeley Puckett (Chrysalis camp CIT)
- Marilyn Parks (Genesis camp co-director)
Next Week: CYF Conference
Next week, our high schoolers will go to camp. Please pray for CYF conference attendees Sophia Coker, Eleanor McElhanon, Keeley Puckett, Mary Kate Westbrook, Joshua Yoon, Rebecca Thompson (counselor), JT Clements (counselor), Rafael Evatt-Machado (counselor), and Libby Ballew (co-director).
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“THE GARDENER” VIRTUAL SHOWINGOn June 24 at 7 p.m., our church will participate in a nationwide “Full Bloom” virtual viewing of a new movie called The Gardener. The movie premiered in April in Atlanta and is written and directed by Dabney Day from Atlanta. Tickets for the virtual event are $12 per household. Information about the film and a link to purchase tickets are available on the website at https://www.thegardenermovie.com/
If enough people are interested, the Outreach Team will host a discussion about the movie with other church friends on Thursday evening, June 25 from 6:30 to 7:30 on the church Zoom meeting site. If you plan to attend the discussion, please sign up in the gathering space on Sunday or contact Beth Thompson (ebtthompson27@gmail.com), so she can provide the discussion questions to you in advance.
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NOTE OF THANKSThanks to everyone for their support these last few months while Hugh was sick, in hospital and since his passing. For all the cards and well wishes; they mean a lot. Also thanks to those who helped with the reception, and the service, and everything else that goes along with it. It is wonderful to have the support of such a loving and giving church.
Thanks bunches
Lynn Lane
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POSSIBLE TRIP TO CANE RIDGEIf you are interested in making a trip to Cane Ridge (in Kentucky), please let Marilyn Parks know. The plan is to spend a night in a motel/hotel, visit Cane Ridge, and then return home. We will need drivers for transportation. If you have a preference, please let Marilyn know if you would rather go during the summer or after school starts back.
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UPDATED CHURCH DIRECTORYThe church directory has been updated. If you would like an electronic copy of the updated directory, please email Rev. Diane (diane@lawrencevillechristianchurch.org) or Rev. Teresa (teresa@lawrencevillechristianchurch.org).
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FUN AT LET’S EAT!A big group gathered at BiBa’s Italian Restaurant on June 16 for good conversation and delicious Italian food. A good time was had by all! Hope you will join us for the next Let’s Eat! on Tuesday, July 21 at Sonny’s BBQ.
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UPCOMING EVENTS IN JUNE
Sunday, June 21
No choir practice
10 am: Sunday school – Honest Conversations
11 am: Worship
Sunday, June 28
No choir practice
10 am: Sunday school – Honest Conversations
11 am: Worship
Check the calendar of events on our church website at https://lawrencevillechristianchurch.org/calendar/ to stay updated on what’s happening in our church community.
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THIS SUNDAY’S WORSHIP LEADERS
Greeter: Lynn Lane
Scripture: Lynn Lane
Communion Meditation: Libby Ballew
Elders: Anna Harrison and Karen Jensen
Deacons: Elizabeth Anders and JT Clements
Communion Preparation: Hoyt Huff
If you are interested in serving as a worship leader or greeter, please contact Rev. Diane or Rev. Teresa.
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E-GRAM AND ANNOUNCEMENT GUIDELINES
We welcome e-gram article submissions up to four weeks in advance. Please send your e-gram content by Tuesday at 5:00 PM via email to both Diane@lawrencevillechristianchurch.org and Teresa@lawrencevillechristianchurch.org. E-gram submissions can include ministry updates, event announcements, community celebrations or milestones, and prayer requests.
If you have a time-sensitive update or urgent prayer request to share on Sunday morning, please email it by Friday at 5:00 PM to the same email addresses as above. Thank you for helping us build a vibrant, informed, and spiritually grounded community.
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LECTIONARY SCRIPTURES FOR JUNE 21 AND JUNE 28
The Revised Common Lectionary is a three-year cycle of weekly readings used by many mainline Protestant churches in Canada and the United States. The lectionary readings will shape much of our preaching, and may be helpful in your own Bible study and devotional life.
June 21, 2026
- Genesis 21:8-21
- Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17
- Jeremiah 20:7-13
- Psalm 69:7-10, (11-15), 16-18
- Romans 6:1b-11
- Matthew 10:24-39
June 28, 2026
- Genesis 22:1-14
- Psalm 13
- Jeremiah 28:5-9
- Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
- Romans 6:12-23
- Matthew 10:40-42
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ZOOM LINK FOR WORSHIP AND CHURCH MEETINGS
For Sunday worship and other online meetings, use this link:
https://zoom.us/j/6284633067?pwd=YzVMN0EwQUVrb0FRM1phVkZEUjZFQT09
For those who DIAL IN, Call (646) 558-8656
Zoom Meeting ID: 628 463 3067
Password: 1234
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LAWRENCEVILLE CO-OP NEEDS NEW ROOFThank you for your support of the Lawrenceville Co-op as they feed our neighbors in Lawrenceville and Dacula. Every day, their doors open to neighbors who need support, stability, and hope. But today, they’re facing a challenge that puts all of that at risk. The co-op building, the place where families receive food, care, and encouragement, needs a new roof. When it rains, the co-op staff worry. Not just about leaks, but about what could be lost: safe space, essential services, and the consistency our community depends on.
Want to be part of the solution? Join the “Raise the Roof” Campaign! The total cost of the roof is around $230,000. The co-up has been blessed with a $50,000 matching grant; their goal is to raise the $50,000 match in the next days for a total of $100,000. This isn’t just about a building. It’s about making sure families continue to receive the food they need, children and seniors have a safe place to turn, and our community always has somewhere to go in times of crisis. Go to www.lawrencevilleco-op.org and click the “Add Match” link to help the co-op continue caring for our neighbors.
SUMMER FOOD NEEDS School is out and they need your help! Food donations have been down about 25% over the last few months, and in summer client numbers typically go up as they feed more children who no longer have access to free breakfast and lunch at school. Just last week the number of people requesting food at the co-op went up around 20%. Please continue to help feed our hungry neighbors!
Co-op’s Most Needed Food Items
- Pasta
- Instant potatoes
- Canned fruit/applesauce
- Cereal
- Snacks for summer lunch
- Corn
- Rice
- Canned chicken
Most Needed Personal Care Items
- Size 1, 2, and 5 and up diapers
- Feminine pads
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WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH DISCIPLES AT THE REGIONAL AND GENERAL LEVELSKeep up with the latest news going on in our region and our general church. Click the links below to find the latest news within the Disciples.
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Each Monday at 6 pm, wherever you are and whatever way is comfortable for you, we pause and pray for our church. If you have conflicts with this time, whatever time is comfortable for you, pause and pray for your church. Below is the church’s prayer list you can use. You are welcome to make up your own prayer list as you pray.
Matthew 6:20: “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Celebrations
- Anna Harrison’s birthday is June 19
- Nan Anders’s birthday is June 20
- Angel Ramirez has a birthday on June 21
- Angelo Ramirez has a birthday on June 21
- Jimmy & Kim Peeples celebrate their anniversary on June 21
Weekly Prayers
- For our co-ministers, Rev. Teresa Bensch and Rev. Diane Bales
- For our Regional Minister, Rev. Dr. Adam Harmon and our General Minister and President Rev. Terri Hord Owens
- For the campers, counselors, and directors at Camp Christian this summer, that camp is a time when they grow in faith
- For our Honest Conversations sermon and discussion series, that it may help us better understand food security as a faith issue
- For peace in the world, and for all of us to find ways to communicate safely and effectively
Immediate Needs (names in bold are newly added or updated)
- Sharon Carter (still suffering from intense skin condition)
- Nancy and Jim Welty (health and family challenges)
Ongoing Needs
- Our country and our world
- Our members and friends at home, including Odessa Adams (hospice care), Gen Ashby, David Chamberlain, Bessie Kirby, Eva Krahwinkel, Neva Maffett, Ada Mullinax, Bill Phyfer, Bob Powell, and Jimmy Saturday
- Our family and friends with ongoing health challenges
- Dorrie and Tom Toth and family (health and family issues)
- Family and friends of Hugh Cook (Lynn Lane’s brother)
- Rev. Molly Goodrich (Rev. Diane’s friend and former church camper, recovering after complications from surgery)
- Neva Maffett (Eva Krahwinkel’s twin sister; health challenges)
- Patty Plaster (friend of Connie and Teresa, recovering after leg amputation due to cancer)
- Brenda Sizemore (health challenges)
If you have an update to the prayers and concerns, please let Rev. Diane know (diane@lawrencevillechristianchurch.org).
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That’s all we have for this week. Please pray for the church and everyone in it, that we continue to follow God’s plan as we share the Good News. God bless you all!
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