Hey, Hampstead Family--grace and peace! If you are in town on summer Sundays, come celebrate and be blessed! If you’re traveling, be careful, and know that our prayers are with you wherever you go!

          Many of you know I drove to Oil City, PA this past Thursday to officiate at a service

of resurrection for a precious friend of our family. While I was there, I was blessed to get a visual “Word from God”! Oil City is about half-way between Pittsburgh and Lake Erie, and has definitely seen better days! In the “Roaring ‘20’s,” Oil City was the home of Penn Oil, Quaker State, Wolf Oil and many other major oil industry subsidiaries. The town was one of the richest communities in the country. Huge (I mean 4-5,000 sf—see above!) Victorian homes line the streets, and cover the hillsides. And all that opulence came to a screeching halt when the oil companies moved out!

           Now, as you drive up and down the practically abandoned steep roads, you see the decaying remnants of a glorious but bygone era. Front porches sagging; paint falling off in sheets; wood rot (normally hidden under paint) perfectly obvious; decorative walls cracked and crumbling:  in short, that which was, is no more. No doubt, if you had asked any of the Oil City residents of that era, they would have scoffed at the possibility of such decline. Nonetheless, it’s there--I saw it, and it brought tears to my eyes!

           But such is the way of the world. It’s fascinating and depressing at the same time to watch the TV shows that show nature reclaiming houses, buildings, malls and highways!

Creations from the hands of mankind— even those inspired by the majesty of God— are temporary. Only the things created by God are eternal, and worthy of our investments of time, energy and resources! All else will crumble away, while that which comes from the heart and will of God is forever!

           The “visual message from God”?  We need to take care of our business— but we also need to take care of His – because His lasts!

See you in church Sunday!

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CELEBRATIONS!  

There Are Lots of Activities on the Calendar This Week—See Below!

Vacation Bible School is next week!  What are you doing to help make it a success?!

Woodbury Wellness Education Series “What You Need To Know About Dementia”

Is being offered July 24^th at 6:30pm. (2778 Country Club Rd) The public is invited.

Quilting is meeting July 17^th at 10am (every third Tuesday). Dianne Putnam, leader.

“BLT” (Book, Lunch and Talk) Book Club is also meeting July 17^th at 11:30am (also every third Tuesday). Dottie Webb Leader

August Script Shores  All submissions for the upcoming newsletter are due by July 18^th!  Please email your articles to office@hampsteadumc.org Thank you!

SNAP SHOTS

Prayer Shawl Ministry- If you know of someone in need of a prayer shawl, please contact Jane Greer at 910-617-2006. If you would like to be a part of this special ministry, we would love to have you! Knit or crochet, it doesn’t matter or if you would like to learn how, contact Jane!

Prayer Shawl Thanks!  We have received the following:

           From Diana Davis: “Thank you so much for your time and your talents that you have shared with my family in knitting these beautiful prayer shawls!” (Her mom is Mary Ann Basham on our prayer list.)

          From Jim Loomis: the prayer shawl gift “was received with great pleasure—much obliged, (as my father used to say!)”  (Laurie Monnier is his daughter)

POINTS TO CONSIDER:   Immediate Calendar

17 Tue       9am            Intercessory Prayer Team Meeting (Open Invitation)

                   10am          Quilting Class (Rm. 5/6)

                   11:30am    BLT (Book, Lunch,Talk) (Rm.2)

                   12:30pm    Staff Meeting  (Rm. 3)

                   630pm       Administrative Council (Sanc)

18 Wed      10am        Bible Study on Hebrews (Rm. 5/6)

                   6:30pm      Bible Study on Hebrews (Rm. 3)

19Thur       10am        Leap of Faith Team (Rm. 3)

21 Sat        10am         Vacation Bible School Set-Up

                   11am         Blood Drive (Rm 1 sign-in; blood taken in truck!)

                                      (Ends at 4:00 PM)

23-27 July 9am          Vacation Bible School         

A LOOK AHEAD --  This coming Sunday's worship centers on the final part of the series on the 23^rd Psalm,  and is entitled “My Shepherd: Preserver”. (Ps 23: 5b-6)

Thanks for being a part of the HUMC family!  Until we gather again, and always, GBY!       

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PARTING SHOT:  TFTD