Tuesday, October 29, 2013

October 27 Worship - "Come and See: Peace Until Then"

On a beautiful autumn morning, we gathered for a spirit-filled worship.  Peggy Gray completed our month-long celebration of ministry at Eastgate with a tribute to the minister of music, the minister for youth and young adults, and to me, suggesting how each of us "add heart" to the life of the congregation.

In the sermon, we continued our study of the Gospel of John.  In particular, we considered a promise recorded in John 14 that Jesus makes of those who see and believe in him -- the peace of Christ.  I suggested how Jesus modeled that peace in his life, and how we might look for it in ours, beginning with worship, but then carried more fully throughout our lives.  In particular, I suggested that we were to allow Jesus' teaching to change our expectations of God's working and saving of the world; knowing God's ultimate purposes, however imperfectly, can help us to face the challenges of our lives with a clearer perspective.

As I mention at the end of the sermon, I barely scratched the surface of this topic.  In fact, as I was driving home, I was thinking that an entire sermon series could be based on this idea of appreciating and nurturing the peace of Christ in our lives.

If you missed the sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can listen to an audio recording here.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

October 20 Worship - "Come and See: The Curse of Death"

On Sunday, we gathered for worship and to have our annual congregational meeting after worship.  Given all of this, there was a necessary efficiency to what we did, but I do not feel that we were rushed or unreflective.  As we continued our month-long celebration of ministry, we showed appreciation to our board officers and the chairpersons of our ministries and committees -- always a good thing.

The sermon continued our study of the Gospel of John -- "Come and See: The Promise of Following Jesus."  This week, we considered one of the most emotionally powerful instances of "come and see" in John, when these words are spoken to Jesus outside the tomb of Lazarus.  Hearing these words, spoken by grieving friends and family members coping with loss, Jesus wept.  Here, then, is a very different way of seeing Jesus -- not only as one who offers a completely different vision of how life can be (one who challenges and transforms our expectations), but as God being with us in our challenges and times of suffering and grief.  Here we see a Messiah who knows the promise of what lies beyond this life and yet who still can be fully with us in the broken times of this life, even in "The Curse of Death."

If you missed Sunday's sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you would like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.

You can also listen to the communion meditation and the benediction, which continued the exploration of this form of God's presence in our lives.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Prayer for Mission in Ghana

This week we pray for Gary Luallin, our missionary to Ghana, who serves as a university professor with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana.

You can read more about the mission to Ghana here, including the story of how our mission provides advanced education opportunities in an uncertain environment.

There are Christian missionaries serving on our behalf in many countries around the world.  Each week, Global Missions highlights the work in one of these countries and asks the wider church to pray for its continued vitality in spreading the Gospel.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

October 13 Worship

We enjoyed another beautiful autumn morning together this past Sunday.  The Eastgate Bell Choir rang in worship, which was wonderful.  We also continued our Month of Ministry celebration by honoring the work of three groups: the women's groups, the youth, and the bell choir.  We also celebrated many of the people who serve behind the scenes, in an abundance of unofficial ways, that enrich our lives and the lives of so many others.

The sermon continued our look at the theme of "Come and See" in the Gospel of John.  Building on the previous week, we raised the threshold issue of how much seeing Jesus expects from us.  We considered some of the Pharisees, who Jesus explicitly says 'do not see' him for who he is.  I suggested that our challenge, learning from how Jesus tries to teach them, is to understand that Jesus' life on earth presents God to humanity in unexpected ways.  This is most telling in the well-known story of Jesus facing down a crowd of men who threaten to stone a woman caught in infidelity, which is sandwiched between the two similar interactions with the Pharisees in John 7-8.

Unfortunately, there were technical problems and the sermon audio is almost completely inaudible so it cannot be posted here.  I apologize for this -- it happens once every couple of years.  I'll double-check all of the equipment and have it ready to go next week.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Prayer for Mission in Haiti

This week we pray for our missionaries to Haiti, Diane and Tim Fonderlin, Bethany Guy, and Sandra Gourdet, who all serve in various capacities with CONASPEH, the National Spiritual Council of Haitian Churches.

You can read more about the mission to Haiti here, written by Jeanette Salley, who recently completed her service in Haiti and is now serving elsewhere in the Caribbean.

As you may know, I recently traveled to Haiti, where I met with many of our mission partners and spent time at CONASPEH.  They are working hard to create a network of churches dedicated to working together on key things, particularly in education (of youth, nurses, and pastors) and in empowering efforts to nurture health care and microbusiness development.  To say that the situation in Haiti is challenging is an understatement, but we are fortunate for those who serve on our behalf there every day, helping to make small but meaningful changes.  Only through an abundance of such incremental improvements will Haiti develop into an economically and politically stronger nation.

There are Christian missionaries serving on our behalf in many countries around the world.  Each week, Global Missions highlights the work in one of these countries and asks the wider church to pray for its continued vitality in spreading the Gospel.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Coming Up Sunday, October 13

Currently, the weather forecast predicts a beautiful Sunday morning, which should lift our spirits as we gather for worship.  We'll continue our month-long Celebration of Our Ministry, honoring some of our ministry groups and many of those who serve behind-the-scenes.

We'll also continue our study of the Gospel of John, "Come and See: The Promise of Following Jesus."  Building on last week's sermon, which considered how we are to see Jesus beyond our expectations, we will focus on the flip side.  No matter the evidence, there are some who simply will not see Jesus for who he is. In his lifetime, certain Pharisee leaders refused to accept Jesus.  In fact, they recognized Jesus as a threat to their authority and they consistently tried to undermine Jesus.  More than the disciples, they were prisoners of the limitations created by their own expectations of God and the awaited Messiah.  We'll consider what we can learn from them -- and how we can avoid this trap -- in "Come and See: Some Who Refuse to See."

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

October 6 Worship - "Come and See: The Forest for the Trees"

As we gathered for worship this week, we had several special things to celebrate.  The first Sunday of October has been recognized as World Communion Sunday for over 70 years, encouraging us to see the Lord's Table as a place where Christians can gather in unity -- despite all of the division that theologies of Communion have created through the centuries.  Also, throughout the month of October we recognize those in our midst who work hard as part of the ongoing ministry of Eastgate Christian Church; in particular, we thanked our choir, our diaconate, and our elders.

Late Saturday night, I returned from a week in Haiti, where I was able to meet many of our mission partners and see the Carrefour clinic where we contribute a doctor's salary.  This experience added a special note to our gathering on World Communion Sunday.  It also meant that I was physically exhausted, which led to some interesting moments where I tried to skip parts of the service.  Despite this, there was a warmth in our worship and a sense of the presence of God -- particularly comforting, I hope, for many of those who raised prayerful concerns about themselves and loved ones.

In the sermon, we continued our look at the Gospel of John, "Come and See: The Promise of Following Jesus."  This week, we moved to Chapter 6, which might have the most instances of 'come' and 'see,' focusing on the meaning and import of Jesus' teaching, "I am the bread of life."  As was the case with Nicodemus, Jesus is trying to adjust expectations about who he is as the Messiah, but interestingly, here he tries to explain to those questioning him that he is offering them more than they are asking for, not less.  The same invitation is given to us, if we can get past the limitations created by our expectations of Jesus.

If you missed Sunday's sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Prayer for Mission in East Timor

This week we pray for Carlos Madrazo, our missionary to East Timor, who served as an institutional and development adviser for the Protestant Church of East Timor.

You can read more about the mission to East Timor here, including the story of how positive change comes one person at a time.

There are Christian missionaries serving on our behalf in many countries around the world.  Each week, Global Missions highlights the work in one of these countries and asks the wider church to pray for its continued vitality in spreading the Gospel.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Coming Up Sunday, October 6

This Sunday is World Communion Sunday, a day each year when many Christian congregations covenant to celebrate the Lord's Supper.  So often the celebration of Communion has separated the church into multiple pieces -- with disputes over how and how often the Lord's Supper should be celebrated, who is allowed to partake and to serve, and what the sacrament and its components mean.  While these divisions have yet to be overcome, many Christians will gather around the Lord's Table this Sunday, pointing towards the unity that Jesus always wished for his followers.

On Sunday, we will also continue our sermon series based on the Gospel of John, "Come and See: The Promise of Following Jesus."  This week we turn our attention to chapter six, where Jesus famously describes the bread of life.  In "Come and See: The Forest for the Trees," we will consider how the people who saw Jesus feed the multitude and heard him teach about spiritual food had difficulty understanding and appreciating what Jesus was trying to get across -- despite the fact that they were paying attention.  Sometimes, like them, our preconceived ideas and expectations prevent us from seeing what's happening right in front of us.  How can we learn to see what's really important?

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

September 29 Worship: "Come and See: What to Look For"

We gathered for worship on a beautiful fall morning.  There were many serious concerns raised during our prayer time, including a number of people facing medical challenges, but the sunshine seemed to brighten our spirits as we praised God.

We continued our sermon series on the Gospel of John -- "Come and See: What to Look For."  Moving ahead in the story, we considered Nicodemus and his question to Jesus about what Jesus' signs meant, practically, for those trying to be faithful to God.  As usually happens with people who ask Jesus questions, the answer is unexpected.  Rather than pointing to all of the changes needed in the world, whether in the Roman government or the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus tells Nicodemus that he needs to be born in the spirit.  The change in the world starts with those who "come and see" about Jesus, despite the fact that most of those people expect Jesus to change the world around them for the better.

If you missed Sunday's sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.

You can also listen to the Communion meditation and the benediction, which expand on the sermon's themes.