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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: Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, Jan Rambouts
SERMON PREVIEW: HONEST CONVERSATIONS
Sermon Title: A New Passover
Scripture: John 6: 1 – 14
This Sunday, we return to our sermon series on feeding the hungry, where we are examining the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 in the different gospels. Our focus this week is on the story in the gospel of John. This story has a lot in common with the versions found in the other gospels, but also some unique parts. Did you know that this is the only feeding story that gives credit to a young boy for providing the bread and fish that fed thousands of people? Did you remember that John’s version placed the feeding miracle in Galilee close to Passover — at a time when devout Jews would be traveling to Jerusalem for the festival? Why would John include these kinds of details, and why are they not in of other versions of the story? And what does this story tell us about the nature of God and Jesus, and about our responsibility to help ensure that everyone has the food they need?
As we continue our Honest Conversation discussions in Sunday school, we will dig into this story and its meaning for our faith and our congregation. Hope you will join us, in person on online!
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CONTINUING THIS SUNDAY: “HONEST CONVERSATIONS” DISCUSSIONOver the next several weeks, we will continue addressing the question, “How should we ensure that people have the food they need?” in a process called “Honest Conversations.” We have shared our own stories and have talked about the pros and cons of improving access to nutritious food. This week, we will look at a second option, paying more attention to the multiple benefits of food. We will continue our discussion during Sunday school for the next several Sundays (through June 28). The issue brief we are using, called “Land of Plenty,” is available in the gathering space on Sunday morning, or you can download it at https://nifi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/NIF-Land-of-Plenty.pdf.
We need everyone’s voices as part of this discussion! You are invited to participate, even if you don’t usually attend Sunday school (and even if you have not been present for the first two weeks of discussion). We look forward to sharing this important discussion with you.
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CAMP COMMISSIONING THIS SUNDAY AND CAMP CARDSThis Sunday, June 7, we will commission our campers, CITs, counselors, and directors for camp, and send them off with our love and prayers. All those planning to be at Camp Christian this summer are invited to participate. Feel free to wear a camp shirt to worship that day!
You will also have the opportunity to send cards and notes to campers, counselors, and directors at each week of camp. Information and blank cards on the gathering space table beginning this Sunday. Please leave your notes in the envelope for the specific camp session. We will have a counselor or director take the envelope to camp when they go.
Please pray for those from our church who will be at Chi Rho camp next week: Cam Gibson, Harley McElhanon, Maggie Westbrook, Elizabeth Anders (Co-director), Riley Ballew (Counselor), and Ryan Chimera (Counselor).
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MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR HUGH COOK
We will hold a memorial service for Hugh Cook, Lynn Lane’s brother, on Sunday, June 14 at 3 pm at the church. The Congregational Care and Connect Team will sponsor a cookie reception afterward.
You can read Hugh’s obituary by searching for his name at https://www.southcare.us/obituaries. Please continue to wrap Lynn and her family in prayer during this time of grief.
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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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WATER BOTTLE THANKSThanks for supporting the Camp Christian Giving Tree. Water bottles have been delivered and Marilyn will get them ready to transport to camp.
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UPCOMING EVENTS IN JUNE
Sunday, June 7
No choir practice
10 am: Sunday school – Honest Conversations
11 am: Worship and Camp Commissioning
6 pm: Leadership Council meeting on Zoom
Monday, June 8
6:30 pm: Outreach Team meeting on Zoom
Tuesday, June 9
1 pm: Disciples Women meeting at church
Sunday, June 14
No choir practice
10 am: Sunday school – Honest Conversations
11 am: Worship
3 pm: Memorial service for Hugh Cook (Lynn Lane’s brother)
Monday, June 15
6:30 pm: Finance and Facilities Team meeting on Zoom
Tuesday, June 16
6:30 pm: Let’s Eat! at BiBa’s Italian Restaurant (4850 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Suite 202)
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: Candace Richardson
Scripture: Jeanie Morgan
Communion Meditation: Frank Hawkins
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 7 AND JUNE 14
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 7, 2026
- Genesis 1:1-2:4a
- Psalm 8
- 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
- Matthew 28:16-20
June 14, 2026
- Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7)
- Exodus 19:2-8a
- Psalm 100
- Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
- Romans 5:1-8
- Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23)
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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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NEWS FROM THE LAWRENCEVILLE CO-OPThank you for your support of the Lawrenceville Co-op as they feed our neighbors in Lawrenceville and Dacula. 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 help the co-op feed our hungry neighbors!
Co-op’s Most Needed Food Items
- Canned fruit/applesauce
- Cereal
- Snacks for summer lunch
- Pasta and pasta sauce
- 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.
Jeremiah 29:5: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce…Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
Celebrations
- Audrey Harper’s birthday is TODAY (June 3)
- Dennis Higdon’s birthday is June 4
- Katherine Jensen’s birthday is June 6
- Candace Richardson’s birthday is June 9
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 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)
- Brenda Sizemore (recovering from surgery)
- Patty Plaster (friend of Connie and Teresa, who went through an amputation of her leg due to a cancerous tumor)
- Chris Harrison (Anna Harrison’s son; co-worker’s fiancé injured in a car accident and scheduled for brain surgery)
- Family and friends of Hugh Cook (Lynn Lane’s brother, who died last week)
- Rev. Molly Goodrich (Rev. Diane’s friend and former church camper, recovering after complications from surgery)
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)
- Neva Maffett (Eva Krahwinkel’s twin sister; health challenges)
- Nancy Welty (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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