Little Falls Presbyterian Church

Today, Dr. Nagel preached on the faith of astronaut John Glenn, a long time member of Little Falls, his voyage on Friendship 7, the significance of “Number 7” in the Bible and Glenn’s words about his faith to the nation. He discovered a scrapbook with old newspaper articles from 1962 written about Glenn’s mission, life and words in a church drawer last week.

LFPC Sermon for July 28 2024 Pastor Aaron's sermon "Number 7" about Faith, John Glenn and LFPC's founding pastor Frank Erwin.

Join the Little Falls Youth Group for a fun-filled day at Kings Dominion. For more information, or to sign up, contact [email protected].

Meet Joe Johnson, LFPC's new Youth Director, tonight at the Men's Gathering.

Please join us this weekend - you're always welcome here.

Registration is now open for SCUBA - Little Falls Church's summer 2024 Vacation Bible Camp! Kids from K-5 (fall 2024) will gather July 8-12 from 9 a.m. to noon for Bible stories, music, crafts, games, snacks, friends and FUN! Don't delay - register your child(ren) at https://www.littlefallschurch.org/vbc-registration.html

Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m. in the Chapel. Arrive a little early to have a bite to eat with your fellow worshipers.

Sunday, "Life on the Highway" is the first sermon of the winter preaching series A New Creation. 10 a.m.

Children's Church picks up again this Sunday for kindergarten through fifth grade. Children will be led from the 10 a.m. worship service as a group and return for the final song - all are welcome!

We'd love to see you in person on Sunday, but if you can't make it, the 4 pm and 8 pm services will be live-streamed. Links at www.littlefallschurch.org

Blood drive Wednesday!
For an appointment, visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/donation-time

Help chase the Finals Blues away!

Join Pastor Aaron next Monday for an evening of fellowship at Rocklands BBQ.

"When God is Silent" will be the message Sunday, October 22 from guest preacher Rick Snyder. Pastor Snyder recently celebrated his 49th anniversary of his PCUSA ordination. He is a graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS), the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and McCormick Seminary. He has served seven churches in Illinois, Michigan, and Maryland, served for ten years as a Trustee at SFTS and was on the adjunct faculty at McCormick. Married to Mary Ann, he has two married sons and three grandchildren. His hobbies include reading, sports of all kinds, and needlepoint. Until a recent knee replacement, he was a lifelong runner.

Christian Prayer during Israel-Palestine War
by Rev. Dr. Aaron Nagel

"Forever loving and forgiving God, the world that you have created is torn and broken due to the inability of the people of your creation to get along and there is no health in us. We seem to love conflict and it rages on between nations and peoples.

We have divided ourselves into groups and we have bordered our lives up with walls which we have declared are unmovable and which we have named. The names we have given are many: country, land, nationality, race, religion, chosen, follower, disciple, atheist, apostate.

And we have rejected, misused and even thwarted the understanding of your holy scriptures to our benefit - whether Jewish: “Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed and whoever curses Israel will be cursed;”(1) Islamic: “We believe in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us;”(2) or Christian: “If God is for us, who can be against us.”(3)

Even those who believe in you God have allowed the fundamental belief which should hold us together to separate us. We each declare that you are the one true God. Our Jewish brothers and sisters declare, “Here, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”(4) Our Islamic brothers and sisters say, “In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Say, He is God, the One God.”(5) And with our Christian brothers and sisters, as people of the New Testament, we proclaim, “There is one God.”(6)

Yes, we are brothers and sisters, children of the one God. Yet, we do not act with brotherly and sisterly love. We are siblings in constant conflict and we have failed to grow up and put aside our childish ways and walk in your light together. There is no health in us.

Wars rage on, atrocities continue and there is a blatant disregard for human life. Brothers and sisters are called upon to take sides and it is winner-take-all. There is no health in us and there is no end in sight.

Only you, God, in your infinite love and mercy can show us the way to peace. It cannot be found in us. Your human creation has tried, has failed and will continue to fail.

Separation, anger, hatred, war, killing, and yes, even terrorism and r**e and murder will continue to be the outcome when victory is determined by might makes right, us versus them, winners defeat losers, my faith shall conquer your faith and when we continue to forget your books which are considered holy and proclaim, 'my God is not your God', or, 'our God loves us more than he loves you and wants us to eradicate you'. Oh, Lord God, there is no health in us.

In your infinite love and mercy grant us your grace. Find a way to look down upon your people with a redeeming heart. Only you, God, in your infinite love and mercy can show us the way to peace. It cannot be found in us. Your human creation as tried, has failed and will continue to fail unless you, the one true God, whom Jews, Islamic and Christians worship; show us the way.

As Christians, we believe in the Messiah and the Resurrection of Christ, that he is the light of the world and the Prince of Peace. As disciples of Jesus, send forth your Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to direct our path, to lead the way, that the road to peace will be shortened due to our commitment and our love.

Bring hope to the hopeless, bind up the broken-hearted. May there be release to the captives - to those held hostage and in bo***ge. May comfort come to those who endure unspeakable loss and may all who are blind to the utter failure of humanity and your creation see - see that you, O God, love all your children.

We pray that our Lord Jesus will reveal himself in these times: for us – when we do not know the way, and through us – that we might show others his saving grace, so brothers and sisters could truly love one another. In his name we pray. Amen"

(Please feel free to share if desired).
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1 The Holy Bible, The Book of Numbers 24:9.
2 Ayah al-‘ Ankabut (The Spider) 29:46.
3 The Holy Bible, The Book of Romans 8:32.
4 The Holy Bible, Deuteronomy 6:4.
5 Quran Al-Ikhlas, (The Unity), Chapter 112.
6 The Holy Bible, First Timothy 2:5.

Your faithfulness is a means by which God continues to enrich and sustain us as a church family. You can return your pledge this Sunday, mail it, drop it off, or pledge online at https://www.littlefallschurch.org/pledge.html .

Join us for Happy Hour at Solace Outpost in Falls Church from 5:30-7 - stay for Trivia Night if you're so inclined! RSVP on LFPC website.

National Blood Shortage!
Blood donors of all blood types are urgently needed now to ensure patients at hospitals across the country continue to receive critical medical care.

Pastor Aaron’s fall sermon series "Because I Believe…I Will…" explores the human response to God’s grace in times of both great fulfillment and struggle in life. This Sunday’s inaugural sermon, “The Maker,” is based on 1 Samuel 2:1-10 and Zephaniah 3:14-20.

Children's Church starts this week, September 10th! Children in Kindergarten through 5th grade meet at the rear of the Chapel for imaginative, age-appropriate lessons and activities during a portion of the main worship service. They are escorted back to the sanctuary to join their families for the final song. Join us!