This Sunday, we consider how we are “Resurrected to Love.” Love is a word that is thrown around frequently within the church. But it is not something we often consider closely to determine what that word looks like in real life, what it means for our actions and the way we interact with others. We will examine the account of Jesus healing a man living among the tombs. And we will consider how we, like Jesus, can reach out in love to meet people where they are to bring God’s healing power.
Author: carlock
-
Resurrected to Get Up – 5/13/19
This Sunday we continue our “People of Resurrection” series with “Resurrected to Get Up.” Many times, things happen in our lives which take away our zeal for life, events which prevent us from being willing to do the things we used to do. We will consider the story of Tabitha and see how the power of resurrection strengthens us to get back up, to move forward and fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. We will also be having a baptism during our worship service. Hope to see you all Sunday!
-
Resurrected to Sing – 5/6/19
We continue our series “People of Resurrection” this Sunday with “Resurrected to Sing.” Many of us are faithful to pray for what we need and even to pray for the needs of others. But it is easy for us, when those prayers are answered, when God has seen us through a storm, to just keep moving. Although we are grateful for God’s intervention, we don’t often pause in the wake of that event to sing, to offer praise. We will examine the song of Moses after the Israelites experience the parting of the Red Sea, and we will see how “singing” not only brings us closer to God, but also brings others closer as well.
-
Resurrected to Follow – 4/29/19
This Sunday we begin a new series of sermons entitled “People of Resurrection.” Having entered the Easter season, we need to be reminded that we are Easter people. That in those times in our lives when we think there is nowhere to go, that we have reached a dead end in our lives, God surprises us with a way forward into possibility. We begin this week with “Resurrected to Follow.” We will look at the story of Saul’s conversion and consider how God calls us to put aside our hesitations and claim our discipleship. Join us for worship at 10:00 and for a potluck afterwards.
-
Holy Week – 4/15/19
There are several worship opportunities in our congregation for Holy Week. Our Maundy Thursday service begins at 7 p.m. We will remember the upper room experience with a foot washing service and communion followed by a Tenebrae service. This service dates back to the 4thcentury and centers on remembering the events leading to the crucifixion of Jesus. The following day, we will host the community Good Friday service, also at 7 p.m. And on Sunday, we will have a special Easter Sunday worship service at 10 a.m. I hope you will join us for these memorable and meaningful reminders of the sacrifice of Jesus and the promise of resurrection.
-
The Gift of Misfits – 4/8/19
This Sunday we examine our last “Gift of the Dark Wood.” Until this point in our series, we have been considering our ability to find God’s path for us in life from the perspective of us as individuals. We have seen it from the view that it is as individuals we find ourselves in the Dark Wood, and each of us must find our own way through it. But in light of the difficulties and challenges we encounter in the Dark Wood, it is not advisable to walk alone. It is much easier to get lost without the aid of companions. And it is often through them that we see our clearest glimpses of the kingdom of heaven. Join us as we examine the Gift of Misfits during our worship service at 10:00.
-
The Gift of Temptation – 3/25/19
We continue to explore the Gifts of the Dark Wood this Sunday with the Gift of Temptation. Like the other gifts we have examined, temptation is not something we typically consider to be a positive experience. But we often have a very limited view of what temptation looks like. This week, we will take a closer look at the temptation of Jesus during his wilderness experience. And we will see that the temptation we often battle is not the temptation to do evil, but the temptation to do the wrong kind of good – a temptation which can lead us off of the path God calls for us to be on if we succumb to it.
-
The Gift of Uncertainty – 3/18/19
We continue our Lenten series this Sunday with the gift of uncertainty. We generally look at uncertainty as more of a curse than a gift. When we don’t know where the path we are on will lead, or if the path we are on is not clearly marked, we become anxious. If we don’t have assurance that everything will work out how we hope and that the path we are on is safe, we tend to dig our heels in where we are. But what if we look at uncertainty not a problem to be solved, but as a gift helping us to let go of all we cannot know so that we can live more fully? Join us this Sunday for our worship service at 10:00 and social hour at 9:00.
-
The Gift of Emptiness – 3/11/19
This Sunday, we continue our series “Gifts of the Dark Wood” with the gift of emptiness. Many of us sometimes feel empty inside. We fear there is nothing there of worth. For many reasons, many of us live each day with a sense of hollowness inside. And we think that hollowness will never go away, that it is part of who we are, a burden we are meant to carry for the rest of our lives. But what if we reframed that? What if we looked at our emptiness not as a burden to carry, but as a gift? Join us this Sunday for our worship service at 10:00 and our social hour at 9:00.
-
The Gift of Getting Lost – 3/4/19
This Sunday we begin our Lenten series, “Gifts of the Dark Wood,” by examining the gift of getting lost. The paths of our lives are rarely clear, generally not in a straight line. We will each encounter times when we find ourselves lost in the Dark Wood, unclear which direction we should move in. We will look at the path the Israelites took on their journey from Egypt and find that getting lost helps us to be less reliant on our own sense of direction and more reliant on the signs God is giving us as we move into our future. And don’t forget our Ash Wednesday service. You may come anytime between 12:00 and 1:00 or between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. this Wednesday. It will be an important first step in our journey through the Dark Wood.