We had a beautiful worship service on Wednesday evening, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. There was plenty of music, candles, and decorations to mark the occasion. Also, drawing on the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 (and on a couple of themes we have explored this fall in Godsway 66), I suggested one of the identities of Jesus as a "Son of David, Son of Abraham."
You can listen to the meditation here. You can also listen to the related Communion meditation and the closing benediction.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
December 14 Worship - "2 Kings - The Decline and Fall of the House of David"
On Sunday, we gathered for a beautiful Advent service on a warm and cloudy December morning. We also continued our journey along Godsway 66, focusing on the final years of the Jewish monarchy described in 2 Kings. While this is a book filled with examples of the kings and leaders consistently disappointing God and demonstrating repeated faithlessness, there are a couple of examples of faithful leadership.
In particular, I focused on the reforms instituted by King Josiah in the southern kingdom of Judah. He banished all worship of false gods from the kingdom and commanded that Passover be celebrated for the first time in centuries. These actions were not enough to stop the ultimate conquest of Judah by the Babylonian empire, but they laid the groundwork for the survival of Jewish faith even after the kingdom's demise by emphasizing study of the holy writings and keeping specific religious festivals. These have been the hallmark of faith for 2500 years since, and through Jesus are key pieces of our faith too.
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 closing benediction.
In particular, I focused on the reforms instituted by King Josiah in the southern kingdom of Judah. He banished all worship of false gods from the kingdom and commanded that Passover be celebrated for the first time in centuries. These actions were not enough to stop the ultimate conquest of Judah by the Babylonian empire, but they laid the groundwork for the survival of Jewish faith even after the kingdom's demise by emphasizing study of the holy writings and keeping specific religious festivals. These have been the hallmark of faith for 2500 years since, and through Jesus are key pieces of our faith too.
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 closing benediction.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
December 7 Worship - "1 Kings - A Tale of Two Kingdoms"
On Sunday, we enjoyed a beautiful Advent worship service, complete with a special solo. Then we continued the Godsway 66 trip through the Bible, considering the book of 1 Kings. There are three main things to consider in this book: the construction of the Temple, the division of Israel into two kingdoms, and the prominence of prophets as moral authorities in place of a line of disappointing kings.
Of the most lasting significance is the Temple, dedicated by King Solomon, who recognized that it could not be the earthly dwelling place of God but hoped it could be a focal point for faith in God. Particularly, he prayed that the people could return to the Temple and pray to God after a period of time in which they had strayed from faith in God. The Temple gave the people an identity that has remained for 2500 years, through even the hardest times.
On the other hand, the northern kingdom of Israel lacked such a strong piece of identity as the Temple (though they tried to establish a religious center at Shechem). Instead, their strongest identity seemed to be negative -- they weren't Judah (the prominent tribe around Jerusalem). However, they lacked other strong positive things about which to share an identity. It is not a coincidence that the northern kingdom was captured decades before Judah and that the people had no way to regroup after their defeat. The northern tribes were scattered and lost. The southern tribes in Judah managed to create a new identity as Jews during and after their exile in Babylon.
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 closing benediction.
Of the most lasting significance is the Temple, dedicated by King Solomon, who recognized that it could not be the earthly dwelling place of God but hoped it could be a focal point for faith in God. Particularly, he prayed that the people could return to the Temple and pray to God after a period of time in which they had strayed from faith in God. The Temple gave the people an identity that has remained for 2500 years, through even the hardest times.
On the other hand, the northern kingdom of Israel lacked such a strong piece of identity as the Temple (though they tried to establish a religious center at Shechem). Instead, their strongest identity seemed to be negative -- they weren't Judah (the prominent tribe around Jerusalem). However, they lacked other strong positive things about which to share an identity. It is not a coincidence that the northern kingdom was captured decades before Judah and that the people had no way to regroup after their defeat. The northern tribes were scattered and lost. The southern tribes in Judah managed to create a new identity as Jews during and after their exile in Babylon.
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 closing benediction.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Prayer for Mission in Mozambique
This week we pray for Kim and Erik Free, our missionaries to Mozambique. Kim provides medical training and support for women's empowerment projects, and Erik serves as a local pastor and teaches agricultural skills.
You can read more about the mission to Mozambique here, including a reminder of the important role of the church in a poverty-stricken country that is rebuilding after war.
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.
You can read more about the mission to Mozambique here, including a reminder of the important role of the church in a poverty-stricken country that is rebuilding after war.
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, December 4, 2014
A Church to Believe In
Part of our current church culture is dealing with membership decline in the majority of congregations. While some congregations are growing, most people arrive for worship on Sunday morning (or another time) and wonder where all of the people are. And most eventually wonder if we should do something different to attract more people.
As a pastor, I am aware of this. My colleagues talk about it; religious magazines offer huge numbers of articles about it. What can we do -- what should we do -- to attract more people and spread the Gospel.
Frankly, I've gotten tired of it. I know I can't avoid the issue, but I think we are focusing on the wrong thing. I am less interested in how to raise numbers than in how to impact the lives of the people already in the pews AND how a congregation can impact the lives of people not in the pews. To me, this is the most important ministry of the church always, and it is how I measure our success as a congregation, rather than obsessively worrying about weekly attendance numbers.
So, I was delighted to read an article this week about a rural congregation that is having a large impact on the lives of people in their community and on the lives of the people in the pews. While small in number (in fact, some people would suggest that this congregation consider closing or merging with another), they have a vibrant ministry. We need more congregations like this, rather than more that are worried about attendance (in my humble opinion).
As a pastor, I am aware of this. My colleagues talk about it; religious magazines offer huge numbers of articles about it. What can we do -- what should we do -- to attract more people and spread the Gospel.
Frankly, I've gotten tired of it. I know I can't avoid the issue, but I think we are focusing on the wrong thing. I am less interested in how to raise numbers than in how to impact the lives of the people already in the pews AND how a congregation can impact the lives of people not in the pews. To me, this is the most important ministry of the church always, and it is how I measure our success as a congregation, rather than obsessively worrying about weekly attendance numbers.
So, I was delighted to read an article this week about a rural congregation that is having a large impact on the lives of people in their community and on the lives of the people in the pews. While small in number (in fact, some people would suggest that this congregation consider closing or merging with another), they have a vibrant ministry. We need more congregations like this, rather than more that are worried about attendance (in my humble opinion).
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
November 30 Worship - "2 Samuel - Bless This House"
On Sunday, we resumed our Godsway 66 adventure, focusing on the reign of King David. In particular, we focused on a couple of issues that have huge impacts on the legacy of David's leadership for Jewish history thereafter (even through the present day).
One of the most important images of 2 Samuel is of "house" -- David wants to build God a house (the Temple) and God, in return, blesses David by establishing a dynasty of rulers over Israel (the House of David). Eventually, David's son Solomon would build the Temple and David's heirs would be kings, but not everything worked out "happily ever after." David's successors proved a mixed lot, and they also inherited some of his lesser tendencies, which ultimately led to the failure of the kingdom (actually kingdoms, but that is a story for 1 and 2 Kings).
In some ways, David's story is one of dreams and hard realities. Some of David's dreams were passionate and faithful, but they were balanced by the lesser parts of his character (his tendency to violence and his relationship with Bathsheba). And both of these things had a large impact on Jewish history after him.
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 related Communion meditation and the closing benediction.
One of the most important images of 2 Samuel is of "house" -- David wants to build God a house (the Temple) and God, in return, blesses David by establishing a dynasty of rulers over Israel (the House of David). Eventually, David's son Solomon would build the Temple and David's heirs would be kings, but not everything worked out "happily ever after." David's successors proved a mixed lot, and they also inherited some of his lesser tendencies, which ultimately led to the failure of the kingdom (actually kingdoms, but that is a story for 1 and 2 Kings).
In some ways, David's story is one of dreams and hard realities. Some of David's dreams were passionate and faithful, but they were balanced by the lesser parts of his character (his tendency to violence and his relationship with Bathsheba). And both of these things had a large impact on Jewish history after him.
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 related Communion meditation and the closing benediction.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)