Welcome to the First Presbyterian Church of Bedford Indiana.

Established 1819

Spiritual Formation Class:  9:30 a.m.

Worship:  10:30 a.m.

    Welcome in God’s name!  Wherever you are on life’s journey, whether you are filled with faith or bursting with doubt, a disciple of Jesus or visiting church for the very first time, there is a place for you here.  You are a beloved child of God and you are welcome here.

Please join us for worship at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday morning.  You are also welcome to come at 9:30 for a Spiritual Formation Opportunity in the church library.
And if you can't come, watch our livestream!:  www.youtube.com/@churchoffice336 

Friday Email, September 11, 2026

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God, did not

regard equality with God as something to be

exploited, but emptied himself, taking the

form of a slave, being born in human

likeness. And being found in

human form, he humbled

himself and became

obedient to the point

of death--even

death on a

cross.

Therefore,

God also highly

exalted him and gave

him the name that is above every

name, so that at the name of Jesus every

knee should bend, in heaven and on earth

and under the earth, and every tongue confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2.5-11

To the Sants engaged in God's mission in the world through the Bedford First Presbyterian Church, greetings;

Each of Paul's (or an author influenced by Paul) letters are written explicitly or implicitly to a community of faith. We know them by the broad terms of Romans, Galatians, Corinthians, Philippians, etc. Paul had had a hand in seeding these faith communities and in most cases (Rome the exception) the letter is written as a follow-up. Philippians is no different, as Philippi was a place that Paul visited and evangelized during his foray into Europe.

These words from the second chapter are believed to be the words of a hymn that would have been sung in faith communities in Philippi and other places, and is not an original composition of Paul (other than the words "even death on a cross", which scholars suggest that Paul added). He has been inviting them to recognize the "comfort in Christ...consolation from love...partnership in the Spirit...tender affection and sympathy" and to "make (Paul's) joy complete (by) being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." He then inserts this hymn as an illustration of the same "mind" that the Philiipians are to have and hold out of the example of Jesus.

Paul wants us (as among the current audience for his preaching and teaching) to understand that we, too, not only can but need to have this same "mind". It is in imitating the witness of Jesus Christ that we can faithfully claim to be Christians and children of the God whom Jesus depended upon. We'll be reminded of his weekly during September as the hymn is read as a charge to ourselves regarding our witness to the world in the name of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Questions to ponder: What advantage do you have that you are willing to divest of? How does Jesus' obedience to God shape your obedience to God? What has helped you appreciate humbleness in your trust (faith) in God?

THIS WEEK AT FPC AND BEYOND:

Timm's contact info: timm.high27@gmail.com; 814-873-1910; 812 24th Street. 

Contact Information      First Presbyterian Church of Bedford,   1504 L Street, Bedford, IN 47421

 Phone: 812-275-5853

 YouTube Livestream:  www.youtube.com/@officechurch336 

Email: office@bedfordpresby.org

 Clerks of Session:  Betsey Makximenko, vbat62@comcast.net

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FirstPresbyBedford/  Be sure to like us!