Text for Sunday, Aug. 26

I'm preaching on Psalm 24 - "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."
We're taking a little break in the lectionary, because Sunday is "Rural Life Sunday" - which we have been celebrating here at Philo Pres. for a few years now. Once a year, we thank God for placing our congregation right smack in the middle of farm country. Then in the afternoon we visit one of our member's working farm. (We have three or four active farm families and several others with farm backgrounds and/or land in production.)
This year Frank and Janice Moore are hosting us, with a hand from neighbor Celeste Taylor. It's a chance for the children to see farm stuff up close and personal. And for all of us to experience what farm life is about.
Janice has been working for weeks. She's got tractor rides, golf cart rides, and maybe some horseback rides lined up. And she's making cookies . . . I hope we get a nice turn out!
Philo has another reason to celebrate God's blessings on this day: Part of the church's endowment is a farm, south of Philo. Dirk Rice and Frank Moore are our farm managers. The proceeds from the farm are part of our congregation's budget. That's an extra connection to the land that many congregations don't have, and we are thankful for it.