Summer Reading Bookshelf:
Book recommendations from fellow church members
"Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race" by Margot Lee Shetterly.
This fall, WWU Freshmen, staff, and community members are invited to read this book and participate in discussions during Jump Start (more information on details will be shared later). This story is fascinating regardless of your major. You do not need to understand math to enjoy the book. (The author is not a mathematician. She is a writer, journalist, and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation fellow who received a Virginia Foundation for the Humanities grant for her research into the history of women in computing.) She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. This book will be especially captivating if you are interested in interdisciplinary studies, including the WWU Honors Program.
—Terrie Aamodt
"Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy," by Anne Lamott. This book invites us, with humor and heart, to "come boldly before His throne of grace"!
—Suzann Rose
"Crucifixion of the Warrior God: Interpreting the Old Testament's Violent Portraits of God in Light of the Cross," (2 vols.) by Gregory A. Boyd. Gregory A. Boyd is a friend of Adventists (his 2001 book “Satan and the Problem of Evil” is the best Biblical exposition of the Great Controversy you can read). He now has written the most original and daring approach to the Old Testament bad parts in the past 15 centuries (the last to try this was Origen, and since Christianity became mixed with politics no one else has dared try). This is a work of transformative theology. It is a challenge to the view that OT Jehovah/Yahweh is a sometimes-violent deity, as accurate. These two volumes will take you deep, but you might end up worshiping a better God than the one you found by a superficial reading of your Old Testament Bible. Boyd believes all Scripture (OT/NT) is “God breathed,” but the Christian church has largely failed to apply the revelation of God’s character by Jesus to the Yahweh stories of the Old Testament. Put on your Jesus glasses and re-read the Old Testament. Find the God who is Love, in Noah’s flood, Canaanite genocide commands, death of Uzza, and most of the Joshua stories. Your sanity and God’s character are worth the time it will take to rethink these things.
—Jack Hoehn
"The Gifts of Imperfection,” by Brene Brown. Many of us experience anxiety and stress, trying to fit into boxes we were never meant to inhabit. Brown’s book helped me let go of who society tells me I need to be, and embrace who God sees I am. —Holley Bryant
"Where Are We Headed? Adventism after San Antonio," by William Johnsson. This is a frank examination of the current state of the church, and how we might think about what is most important in Adventism.
—Austin Archer
Philip Yancey's piece published on his blog and in the Washington Post is the most important thing I've read in a while. He is the author who introduced me to outside reading in books like The Jesus I Never Knew and What's So Amazing About Grace - Fyodor Dostoevsky and CS Lewis, to name two. What he writes about the death of reading is incredibly alarming and true to my experience. Reading is a struggle, much like he describes.
—Susan Willard
"A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband Master," by Rachel Held Evans. The author determined, as a Christian from the Bible Belt, to find out what it really meant to live as a Biblical woman, literally, for a year. In the end, she found that there is not one Biblical woman, easily defined, but many types of Biblical women. She is a writer that challenges me to think about what it means to be a Christian in this world, here and now. —Deanne Hoehn
"The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire," by Alan Kreider. A gift from my friend Jon Dybdahl, and a wonderful read about the 100-300 AD church. —Alex Bryan
"The Furious Longing of God," by Brennan Manning. If you want to experience the extravagant love of God in a personal, intimate way, this book is for you.
—Janet Wilkinson
"Christianity's Dangerous Idea," by Alister McGrath. It’s a very insightful history of Protestantism.The “dangerous idea” is the revolutionary notion that Christians could read and interpret the Bible for themselves. A perfect book for this 500th anniversary of Protestantism. —Gregory Dodds
"The Accidental Feminist: Restoring Our Delight in God's Good Design," by Courtney Reissig. The author offers ideas for Christian women related to relationships, body image, and more — drawing from the Bible versus our culture. —Deborah Silva
"What is the Bible? How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Transform the Way You Think and Feel About Everything," by Rob Bell. A delightful introduction into the scriptures, particularly for those just exploring faith. Adventist readers will not agree with every idea, but will be greatly blessed by the author's insight and style.
Bulletin Quicklinks
THIS SABBATH
AT THE UNIVERSITY CHURCH
WORSHIP NOTE
We thank Bruce Toews for leading the Summer Light band today. Please join me in thanking him and the other band members.
The offertory and postlude constitute the last two movements of Sonata IV by Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847). Like what George Frideric Handel and Franz Joseph Haydn previously had done, Mendelssohn spent much time in England. In fact, Mendelssohn undertook nine different trips to London, where he was lauded as a great composer, conductor, pianist, and organist. During his 1844 visit, the English publishing firm Coventry & Hollier invited Mendelssohn to compose three voluntaries for organ, and he enthusiastically agreed. But soon Mendelssohn realized his ideas exceeded the commission; he requested a change of term from ‘voluntary’ to ‘sonata’ and, on 15 September 1845, he published his Six Sonatas, Opus 65. Our postlude is the last movement of the set that Mendelssohn composed.
May you sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in this beautiful place as we worship God together.
-Kraig Scott
GIVE
Today's loose offering helps fund the Alaska Conference. Your gifts marked "tithe" specifically support pastors' and teachers' salaries. Gifts marked "University Church Budget" fund ministries like: youth and young adults, children and families, broadcast, and our schools. Thank you for your generous contributions to God's work here in Walla Walla, and beyond!
(Although there is a new look to the giving page
at this link, your username and password
is exactly the same.)
TOUCHES OF INTEREST
Modified Church Office Hours: Monday, July 24-Friday, August 4, the church office will be open 9am-11am. We will work to quickly respond to messages and, as always, you can reach us by emailing church@wallawalla.edu.
WWU Church Family Camping weekend is planned for September 8–10, at Harris Park Campground in Umatilla County, up the hill from Milton-Freewater. The full campground is being held for our members to reserve (RV sites with full hook-ups, 2 cabins, and spaces for tents are available). Sites will be released to the public however, if we do not call and specifically register individually. This gathering and any additional activities will be informally organized, with the exception of a family worship and group potluck to follow on Sabbath. Register by calling Cortney at Harris Park: 541.938.5330. Contact Sherrice Croft for details: sherrice.croft@wallawalla.edu.
Membership Transfers (first reading)
(IN) Jaci Cress from Markham Woods, Longwood, Fla.
David and Roas Gillham from Clovis, Cal.
Katheryn Heredia from Walla Walla City Church
Chinelle Rodriguez from Flatbush, Brooklyn, N.Y.
(AWAY) Erica Aamodt to Summit NW Ministries, Ida.
Todd and Kara Hoel to Milton-Freewater, Ore.
The Christian Aid Center needs you! This important ministry partner of the University Church is always in need of volunteer help. In particular, the director of volunteers at CAC (and our church member), Jeannette Regalado, is requesting for help with chapel speakers (6:30pm daily), breakfast cooks (Sunday and Monday mornings), and van drivers to pick up donated food (Tuesday and Thursday mornings). Contact Jeannette at 509.525.7153.
The WWVA Singers is looking for an accompanist for the upcoming school year. We rehearse twice a week and perform about once a month in a variety of genres, as well as a cappella selections. If you are interested in getting involved with a neat group of young people who have a great work ethic toward making fine music, please contact Director Patti Short at shorpa@wwva.org or 540-292-9379.
Positive Life Radio is pleased to present our 19th annual Christmas in July! This year we’re focusing on donating water bottles and sports drinks for our local fire departments. On July 25th, please bring water bottles and/or sports drinks to your local rural fire stations. We’d love to see your donation! Feel free to send us a picture at studio@plr.orgFor more information, please call Positive Life Radio at 509-527-2991.
As a Health Coach, help lead our valley, one person at a time, towards a vibrant future. Call (509) 529-3100 or visit sonbridge.org for details.
50th Anniversary Celebration for Loren & Ruth Fenton. Sunday, August 6 , 2pm, Milton Church Fellowship Hall. All invited!
Bracelets supporting Miles Kearbey are available. They are $5 each, available in both adult and youth size, 100% proceeds go to the Kearbey family. They’re orange (the color for pediatric cancer) with the following inscription: #MilesCourage *Psalms 27:14* #MilesStrength If anyone is interested in buying one (or more), they are welcome to email, text, or call Kate Follett, kate.follett@gmail.com, (509)876-9131.
Register now for the 2017 Global Leadership Summit. For the second year in a row, the University Church is a premier host site to this great leadership training event. For more information, visit wwuchurch.com/gls2017 or contact
Volunteer Teaching Position in Dillingham, Alaska for 18 years or older. If you have at least one year education training, Dillingham Adventist School might be the place for you next school year. Call or text Sueal Cunningham at 907-843-2177 for more information.
EVENTS
Sabbath, July 29
7:30–9pm — High School Vespers, Dybdahl's home
8:26pm — Sundown
Monday, July 31
9–11am — Modified church office hours (daily)
Tuesday, August 1
6:30pm — Prayer, Praise, Promises, Heubach Chapel
Wednesday, August 2
7pm — Prayer Meeting, Heubach Chapel
Friday, August 4
8pm — WWU vespers, Conard Courtyard
8:28pm — Sundown
Thursday, August 10-Friday, August 11
Global Leadership Summit, University Church
Friday, September 8 - Sunday, September 10
WWU Church Family Camping, Harris Park
Click Here for PDF version of this week's Bulletin -- Or go to our Bulletin archive page for past versions.