Christ Nearby

Galatians 6:14 “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

This is the Durrow Cross from the 8th c.

What do you see when you look at a cross? They are everywhere and in every variety. They are in our pocket, around our neck and at the center of our church dais. Some are raw wood and splintery; some are diamond-encrusted and sparkly. When life seems too good to be true, I look at the cross and smile. I know I’m here by God’s grace alone. I smile broadly. When life seems too hard to bear, I smile still because I feel compelled to lay my heart ache and trouble at the foot of the cross. I know it was once a sign of great evil, but because of Christ it is the sign of a smiling spirit that God is nearby.

This weekend in our Presbytery we have many of our ministers who will beautifully lead worship on Sunday morning as usual. They will have just led a service of the Resurrection with broken hearted people. Grief will be placed at the foot of the cross. And those same ministers will have led lovers on one of their happiest days with a wedding service. As well there’s an installation service of Becky Fox at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Lubbock. A few churches in our family of churches have learned their minister is leaving, and grief will be under the cross Sunday. All on the same weekend at the foot of Christ’s cross. We can smile: Our God in Jesus Christ is nearby. Scott

October 14, 2019
From October 28 through November 15, employees may change benefits elections, or add or drop coverage, for 2020.
Annual enrollment for 2020 benefits is about to start. Beginning October 28, you can log on to Benefits Connect to view your choices and costs, and elect your benefits for next year.

Learn more about annual enrollment as well as important things to think about when electing 2020 benefits. Then, be sure to visit Benefits Connect during annual enrollment and make your elections for coverage effective January 1.

If you haven’t logged on to Benefits Connect in a while, you’ll notice some changes when you log on to complete your annual enrollment. As part of the Board of Pensions’ ongoing efforts to protect the data of our members and employers, a new multi-factor authentication process will be required for Benefits Connect. As a result, you will need to set up new security features before you will be able to make 2020 benefits elections.