Pine Cone Press
Pine Tree Cumberland Presbyterian Church
P.O. Box 5340
1805 Pine Tree Road
Longview, Texas 75608
(903) 759-2685
Rev. Cindy Barton, Pastor
(442) 235-1393
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.gmail.com
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From the Pastor: Persevere in Quiet Courage
Psalm 31:24 encourages us, “Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” (ESV)
The following thoughts are shared with slight modification from a devotional entitled “Quiet Courage” (Sweeter Than Honey (2023), BroadStreet Publishing).
“What does courage look like for you today? Is it loud, adventurous, and enticing? Does it receive applause and affirmation? Or for you, is courage quieter? Perhaps it is waking in the middle of the night to comfort a fearful child or showing up at your job when you are tired and feeling poorly. Are you courageously caring for an aging or infirm loved one every day? Are you called to minister in a struggling church? Is your family unit finding it hard to make ends meet? Maybe courage for you is faithfulness through all the challenges, persevering in “doing good” amid the challenges of daily life.”
As we enter the summer season, some look forward to an extended time of rest. Some of our challenges, however, do not take a break for summer. We need courage to persevere. My prayer for each of you is that the summer season will bring the moment of rest and respite you need. “Respite” is defined as “a short period of rest from something difficult or unpleasant.” Whether our challenges come in the form of school, work, ministry, health issues or family life, we can benefit from even a small change in routine or setting: something to remind us that God’s grace will sustain us, providing renewed strength and courage.
“We have seasons of courage that the world celebrates, and we have seasons when only God sees our courage. The quieter seasons are no less important than the dramatic ones, and God is no less with us through those times. In the days when courage is marked by quiet faithfulness and perseverance, find your strength in God. His grace will sustain you…”
Sometimes we grow weary in “doing good”: providing care, meeting the physical and spiritual needs of others, following Jesus on the path set for us, especially if “doing good” repeats itself daily with no end in sight. I pray that God will “help us to remain faithful to Him and to the tasks which He has given us.” May we benefit from a moment of rest and find renewed strength to persevere in quiet courage.
Pine Tree CPWM June Meeting
The Pine Tree CP Women’s Ministry will meet on Saturday, June 14, at 10:30 AM at the church. The day’s program will be provided by Marcia Ross. Refreshments will be provided by Nancy Abernathy. Please join us for this time of ministry planning, spiritual growth, and fellowship.
Important Dates to Remember
Sunday, June 1 Sunday School – 9:30 A.M.
Worship – 10:30 A.M.
Communion
Sunday, June 8 Sunday School – 9:30 A.M.
Worship – 10:30 A.M.
Day of Pentecost (Wear Red)
Stott – Wallace Offering
Noon Meal
June 8 to 13 Trinity Presbytery Camps
Camp Gilmont
Thursday, June 12 Session Meeting
1:00 P.M.
Saturday, June 14 CPWM Meeting
10:30 A.M.
Sunday, June 15 Sunday School – 9:30 A.M.
Worship – 10:30 A.M.
Trinity Sunday
Father’s Day
June 15-20 General Assembly
Knoxville, Tennessee
Sunday, June 22 Sunday School – 9:30 A.M.
Worship – 10:30 A.M.
Sunday, June 29 Sunday School – 9:30 A.M.
Worship – 10:30 A.M.
General Assembly to Meet in Tennessee
The 194th General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church will be held on June 15-20, 2025, at Knoxville, Tennessee. Activities begin Sunday evening with a southern gospel concert hosted by the Presbytery of East Tennessee. A Global Missions Conference will be held on Monday morning. The business session of the General Assembly opens Monday afternoon, with committees meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday. The final business session occurs on Thursday. Worship and communion services will be held on Monday evening and Thursday afternoon. Visit website www.cumberland.org/ga for more information. Consider attending this year’s General Assembly to learn more.
Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering to be Collected
The Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering will be collected during worship on June 8, Pentecost Sunday. This offering is the sole source of salaries and benefits for our missionaries. These workers for Christ include full-time clergy and laypersons who work directly for the Cumberland Presbyterian Church under the direction of the Missions Ministry Team. Our missionaries work in The Philippines, Korea, Australia, Cambodia, Spain, France, Guatemala, Mexico, Haiti, and in undisclosed places. The Stott-Wallace Offering also supports missionary consultants in Brazil, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and missionary partners in Uganda. Please consider making a generous gift towards fulfilling the commission given to us by Christ, to carry the gospel message to the very ends of the earth.
CP Women’s Ministry Convention 2025
The 2025 Convention of the Cumberland Presbyterian Women’s Ministry will be held July 10-13 at The Retreat at Center Hill Lake in Smithville, Tennessee. The theme of the convention, “Bind Us Together”, is inspired by Colossians 3:14, which says “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” The gathering will include activities, teaching, worship, and fellowship designed to explore how we can embody the love of God in our daily lives, churches, and communities. For registration details, visit https://cpcmc.org/mmt/convention-2025. The registration cost of $550 covers activities, meals, and lodging for three nights. One-day registration is available for Friday or Saturday at a cost of $75.
June Noon Meal Celebrates Pentecost
Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, he told his disciples to “wait for the gift my Father has promised. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” (Acts 1:4, 8). The gift of the Holy Spirit arrived on the Day of Pentecost, and the early Christian church was born. This year we celebrate Pentecost on June 8. Plan to celebrate “the birthday of the church” with us in worship, wear red as the color of the day, and join us for a fellowship meal immediately after worship!
