■ Worship services are available for viewing in the afternoon on the church website and YouTube.
— 8 a.m. — ►Sunday school
in the annex ■ Bill and Catherine’s adult class in room 2 ■ “Snacks with Susan and Daryl” in room 4 ■ Youth class in room 4, taught by Sheree Waters
►Fellowship time
Everyone is invited to the fellowship hall for tasty treats, coffee, tea and other beverages and fellowship immediately after the worship service.
God is good all the time.
►Dates to remember ...
■ Intercessory prayer group meets each Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the chapel. Please prayerfully consider coming to pray with us.
■ Our food pantry is open to serve the community each Wednesday from 10 to 11 a.m.
■ Church session — Monday, June 22, at 6:30 p.m. in annex room 2
■ Alabama/Mississippi
Presbyterian Women’s Conference
July 12–15
“Sacred Encounters”
The Power and Presence of Jesus
Dr. Olive Mahabir, Bible study leader
Spring Hill Presbyterian Church, Mobile
Registration forms are available in the fellowship hall.
Pastor nominating committee would like more input from you
In an attempt to get as much input as possible prior to our May 7 meeting, we asked for responses to the previously sent questions to be provided by the prior Thursday. We received several responses, written and spoken, that are already being a great help in formulating what we need to write on the church’s information form. However, we would still like more input in whatever form it can be provided as we continue the process of formulating the narratives that describe our church, its ministries and our expectations for a new pastor.
Our next meeting is today. You can share thoughts with us whenever you feel moved and we will make sure it gets shared with all the committee members. It’s going to take several meetings to get this done, but the sooner we have your input, the better.
If you need the previously sent questions provided again, printouts may still be available in the fellowship hall, or you can ask the church office or Mary McNair to send them to you again. They are meant to help you reflect upon. However, we basically want to hear about your hopes and dreams for the congregation and ministry of Swift Church, both in the piney woods and out in our larger community, as well as your expectations and desires for the role a new pastor might play in guiding us into the future.
You can share written input by emailing one or all of the committee members, or by dropping something by the church office. If sharing by email to only one member, please verify if you want to otherwise remain anonymous before it is shared. You can also speak to or call any of us to share your thoughts, then we will do our best to share the fruits of those conversations with the rest of the committee.
Continued prayers for discernment throughout this entire process are also appreciated and cherished.
You are invited to attend Swift Church Preschool graduation
on Thursday, May 25,
at 6 p.m. in the church sanctuary.
A reception will immediately follow in the fellowship hall.
There will be 11 children graduating either to go to a public preschool or to kindergarten next year.
A gift from Swift Presbyterian Church
Good people of Swift, we can act on our mission statement by nurturing the body, mind and souls of the Swift Preschool graduating class of 2023. On May 25, eleven precious children will participate in their first graduation. They will wear caps and gowns, and walk down the aisle of the sanctuary to receive their certificate of graduating from Swift Preschool. What better way to send them on their journey to kindergarten than by presenting them a Dr. Seuss book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” with love and blessings from the congregation.
I invite you to join with me in funding this opportunity. If you have any questions and/or would like to make a donation, please see me Sunday or call me.
— Jan Taylor, 251-978-6418
►Chancel flowers
If you would like to place flowers on the chancel to honor or celebrate a loved one or a special occasion or “just because,” please contact Susie Alexander at 251-943-4145 or 217-246-4051.
►Volunteers for worship
Are you willing to serve as an acolyte or as a greeter/usher? Contact Marvin King, worship elder, at 251-213-3164 or jawmak@hotmail.com.
Mission and service
►Food pantry
The food pantry is open every Wednesday from 10 to 11 a.m. to serve the community.
This week, we served 54 families and 136 people.
Your support is needed for the Wednesday distribution that touches more than 100 people each week. In a 12-month period, we collected more than 50,000 pounds for donations through our partnership with the Foley Publix store. Our little food pantry is a blessed outreach mission of Swift Church.
However, help is needed in order to sustain the successful operation of the food pantry. We need to build a pool of people to pick up donations from Publix every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Also, help with unloading of the senior boxes that we receive from Feeding the Gulf Coast once a month. You will need to be able to lift 40 pounds. If you are interested or know of someone who might be interested, please consider getting involved or at least share the opportunity to volunteer with others.
Getting involved is easy and your time commitment is flexible. You will have fun and feel good about giving to others. If you have any questions or want to want to volunteer, please contact Al Sprouse (251-744-1944) or Jan Taylor (251-.978-6418).
We also wish to recognize and thank Starbucks in Foley for their weekly donations of pastries, sandwiches, bagels, etc., for our food pantry clients. Also thank you to the sweet volunteer who picks them up each week and delivers to the fellowship hall, and prefers to remain anonymous. Each and every member of our food pantry team is greatly appreciated.
Faith development
►‘Snacks with Susan and Daryl’ Sunday school class
Please join us for snacks and study at 8 a.m. in annex room 4. We are studying the book called “Killin’ It” by Andy Stanley, which looks at how pride shuts God and others out of lives.
►Adult Sunday school class led by Bill and Catherine
Join us as we continue our study in the book of Genesis, Chapter 35. We meet at 8 a.m. in annex room 2.
►Youth Sunday school class, led by Sheree Waters
The youth class meets at 8 a.m. in annex room 3. For more information, call 850-529-0668.
Generosity
►Tithes and offerings
Thank you for your generous pledges and ongoing offerings. Your support and commitment to Swift Church is greatly appreciated.
Prayers and joys
►Please let us know . . .
Please call the church or email to notify us of any joys or concerns; birthdays, anniversaries, health issues or family deaths so that we may put it in the weekly emailed announcements for your church family to pray with you or to praise God for your joy. (We don’t publish personal prayer concerns on the website.)
■ A special thank-you to those of you who are donating your time to the new prayer garden behind the chapel. It’s starting to look so beautiful. Thanks for all the hard work from all of you who are involved in the process of making this a beautiful sanctuary of peace and love for all to enjoy.
►Celebrations
Birthdays and anniversaries are now listed by month in the church newsletter, rather than weekly in the announcements.
►Please remember our military friends and families in your prayers.
Names are listed in the monthly newsletter.
►Church staff and contact information
■ Contact Pastor Michael for any pastoral concerns.
Michael Moore, interim pastor:
970-699-8014 Lisa Cardwell, music director
Jessica Hammontree, preschool director
Church office: 251-943-8367
Preschool: 251-943-8367 Preschool website
