Pastor David will be taking two weeks vacation at the end of August. He and Molly will be traveling to Colorado to see family and taking a side trip to Torrington, Wyoming, to see the total solar eclipse on August 21. They have their groovy eclipse glasses, so they’ll be safe. They’ll be staying at a Presbyterian church there, as rooms were booked and sold out six months ago.
You can watch the solar eclipse, too!
If you can, be sure to take part in the solar eclipse. Travel to the path of totality if possible, although by now arrangements will be tight, and traffic may be awful. If you can’t get to totality, then you can enjoy a partial eclipse just about anywhere on the North American continent! in Virginia it will be 80-90%, which will make a noticeable difference in the midday light. YOU MUST HAVE A SAFE WAY TO VIEW THE ECLIPSE, THOUGH!! Regular sunglasses won’t work, and even most welder’s glass is inadequate to protect your retinas from burning. Literally. I mean it! You can still buy official, safe eclipse glasses, binoculars, and telescopes at sites like www.greatamericaneclipse.com.
Why should we, as Christians, care about things like this? Is it a SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE???? No, almost certainly not. At least not in and of itself. Rather, it is a sign of the remarkable intricacy of the created order, and it is an opportunity to engage in wonder, awe, reverence, and joy in that intricacy and its beauty. Further, it’s a chance to learn about our world and the worlds and stars around us, exercising the brains that God has given us. Lastly, if we are interested and/or informed, we can demonstrate to people who think all Christians are anti-science dunderheads that, no, we’re not! We love God AND we love thinking! So the eclipse can be a chance to bear witness to our faith!
Coverage while the pastor is away
Meanwhile, at CPC, Reg Jones will be leading the service on August 20 and [Connie Moore?] will lead on August 27. Rev. David Milam at Saint Andrew Presbyterian in Purcellville will be available to help if there are any pastoral emergencies. If something happens and you need the church to know, please contact Clerk of Session Gwyneth Mac Murtrie.