Moralistic Therapeutic Deism

What a delight it was to have Matt Hill with us this past weekend! If you were gone this past weekend and missed Matt’s message, you’ll want to catch it via our website at pearcechurch.org, click on “online sermons.”

In his message, Matt referred to sociologist Christian Smith who has coined the term “moralistic therapeutic deism” to describe the faith of many young people, including professing Christians. On Monday, Rev. Brian Babcock forwarded me an interesting article from Christianity Today entitled “The Religion of The Bachelorette and Reality TV: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.” Although I have never watched The Bachelorette, I found the article to spur further thinking of Smith’s description of “moralistic therapeutic deism.” You might want to check it out (http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/2012/07/the-religion-of-the-bachelorette.html).

 

Off to Romania

Yesterday (July 25) Pearce’s short-term mission team to Romania left from the Rochester airport. Members of the team will be keeping us informed of their experiences via a blog site (www.pearceineurope2012.blogspot.com). Why not take a moment to read their latest update and then lift the team before our Lord in prayer? The team will return on Tuesday, August 7.

 

 

Of Budgets and Graphs

Pearce’s treasurer, Mike Vannest, does a great job of regularly reporting to the staff and the Official Board on the status of Pearce’s finances. Earlier this week he sent me the following graph that I thought some of you might be interested in viewing.

The first graph highlights that we are slightly behind budget in our three major giving categories: operations, building fund, and missions.

The second graph highlights the fact that your support of our operating budget remains healthy, putting us slightly ahead of where we were in operational giving at the same time during the past two years. It would be great to have fully met our operational budget for the first 30 weeks of the year, but we are working to keep our expenditures in line with our giving.

As always, thanks to the many of you who regularly and faithfully support Pearce’s ministry.

 

 

Restoration on the West Side

This Sunday will mark the one-month anniversary of the fire that damaged Pearce’s playground and the west wall of Parmerter. (Not the sort of anniversary you want to note in future months!) The restoration of both the playground and building are proceeding. The order for new playground equipment will be placed on Monday. External painting is being done, even as I write this, on the windows and the soffit of Parmerter West. Windows for Room 36, a downstairs primary classroom, have been ordered and, due to the fact they are custom-made, will be ready for installation at summer’s end. New ceiling tiles have been placed in Room 36 and we are awaiting the laying of the new carpet. We recognize that the fire significantly altered the appearance of our facility from Orchard Street due to the loss of a large tree. We are investigating landscape options for the west side of our facility. Plantings of any new trees will not take place until fall. Again, I so appreciate all the work of Honna Lusk, Bob Antes, and their team in getting things back in shape.