Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ-
How do we view the commandments? We honor them; we treasure them; we wish there was more obedience to them in the world out there. But do we see them as descriptive of our lives? Rather than seeing them as normative to everyone, what if we decided to see them as something we chose to be the guide for our lives? And what if we wanted to move from beyond the letter of this law into the spirit, what might that look like? Maybe we could prepare cards with the commandments on them to hand out in worship. But instead of “thou shall” and “thou shalt not,” you translate the words as “You are…” Then the law becomes a reminder of who we are. You are the people who have one God. You are the people who respect boundaries. You are the people who value worship and giving honor to God. These become, not commandments from the outside, but descriptions of our inner intentions and experience. “You are …” Christ as the cornerstone is another way of describing this inner-shaping process. Christ is what gives the church its shape, its definition and mission. Christ is what gives each of us our mission in life and reason for living. How do we present Christ as the cornerstone of our worship? We can sing of Christ as our foundation and give praise to the one who shapes our living. Our prayer time can invite the Spirit to guide us into the right paths, even as we lift up others in our care, so that they too might know the light that directs our path. Is there a hard edge to this process of shaping and being shaped? Certainly. But our call is not one of judgment on how others might be measuring up. Our call is to be the sign of those who are producing the fruit of the kingdom. As we worship, we invite the Spirit to work in us and through us to become workers in the vineyard, producing the fruit of the kingdom in ways that invite and encourage the body of Christ around us and the wider community of which we are a part. ~Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, Adapted by P Jim For today, take some time to carefully read: Philippians 3:4b-14 The Epistle readings continue in the letter to the Philippians. Paul reminded the church in Philippi to stay true to the call of the Gospel and the promise of resurrection, and not be swayed by the teaching of some Jewish followers of Jesus that required circumcision. Paul himself was circumcised, and was even a Pharisee, but he didn’t regard any of his background or previous positions as important to the cause of Christ. Rather, his sufferings (especially as he was in prison while he wrote this letter) taught him more about Christ. Paul knew he hadn’t seen the fulfillment of Christ’s promises, but he persevered in his pursuit, leaving behind what he once knew for the promise of Christ, the promise of resurrection. Do your "sufferings" draw you closer to God? Why and/or why not? Draw near to God and God draws near to you. ~James 4:8 In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted, Kelly's Treehouse and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ-
How do we view the commandments? We honor them; we treasure them; we wish there was more obedience to them in the world out there. But do we see them as descriptive of our lives? Rather than seeing them as normative to everyone, what if we decided to see them as something we chose to be the guide for our lives? And what if we wanted to move from beyond the letter of this law into the spirit, what might that look like? Maybe we could prepare cards with the commandments on them to hand out in worship. But instead of “thou shall” and “thou shalt not,” you translate the words as “You are…” Then the law becomes a reminder of who we are. You are the people who have one God. You are the people who respect boundaries. You are the people who value worship and giving honor to God. These become, not commandments from the outside, but descriptions of our inner intentions and experience. “You are …” Christ as the cornerstone is another way of describing this inner-shaping process. Christ is what gives the church its shape, its definition and mission. Christ is what gives each of us our mission in life and reason for living. How do we present Christ as the cornerstone of our worship? We can sing of Christ as our foundation and give praise to the one who shapes our living. Our prayer time can invite the Spirit to guide us into the right paths, even as we lift up others in our care, so that they too might know the light that directs our path. Is there a hard edge to this process of shaping and being shaped? Certainly. But our call is not one of judgment on how others might be measuring up. Our call is to be the sign of those who are producing the fruit of the kingdom. As we worship, we invite the Spirit to work in us and through us to become workers in the vineyard, producing the fruit of the kingdom in ways that invite and encourage the body of Christ around us and the wider community of which we are a part. ~Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, Adapted by P Jim For today, take some time to digest Psalm 19. Psalm 19 This text is a celebration of three great gifts of God: creation, torah, and forgiveness. It praises God for both God’s work in creation and in the law. Creation is orderly, and even the sun rises like a bridegroom ready for their wedding day. The sun was often associated with ancient deities and the psalmist links God to the sun, who lights and brings warmth, but also brings the law. As creation is orderly, so is God’s law. God’s teachings are more valuable than any worldly pleasure, they are their own reward. But the psalmist knows they may stumble, they may have erred unknowingly, and they ask God to keep them safe from going astray. The psalmist concludes with the famous meditation of seeking God’s acceptance for their words and meditations. How do you praise God? Draw near to God and God draws near to you. ~James 4:8 In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted, Kelly's Treehouse and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ-
How do we view the commandments? We honor them; we treasure them; we wish there was more obedience to them in the world out there. But do we see them as descriptive of our lives? Rather than seeing them as normative to everyone, what if we decided to see them as something we chose to be the guide for our lives? And what if we wanted to move from beyond the letter of this law into the spirit, what might that look like? Maybe we could prepare cards with the commandments on them to hand out in worship. But instead of “thou shall” and “thou shalt not,” you translate the words as “You are…” Then the law becomes a reminder of who we are. You are the people who have one God. You are the people who respect boundaries. You are the people who value worship and giving honor to God. These become, not commandments from the outside, but descriptions of our inner intentions and experience. “You are …” Christ as the cornerstone is another way of describing this inner-shaping process. Christ is what gives the church its shape, its definition and mission. Christ is what gives each of us our mission in life and reason for living. How do we present Christ as the cornerstone of our worship? We can sing of Christ as our foundation and give praise to the one who shapes our living. Our prayer time can invite the Spirit to guide us into the right paths, even as we lift up others in our care, so that they too might know the light that directs our path. Is there a hard edge to this process of shaping and being shaped? Certainly. But our call is not one of judgment on how others might be measuring up. Our call is to be the sign of those who are producing the fruit of the kingdom. As we worship, we invite the Spirit to work in us and through us to become workers in the vineyard, producing the fruit of the kingdom in ways that invite and encourage the body of Christ around us and the wider community of which we are a part. ~Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, Adapted by P Jim For today, please read Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20. The Revised Common Lectionary, as part of its series on the ancestors of the faith, is on the first giving of the law, when the people were new to the wilderness and only beginning to understand themselves as God’s people. Exodus 20:1-4 and 7 teach that there is only one God, and the people are to worship no other gods. They are not to make idols, nor misuse God’s name. Verses 8-9 teach that keeping the Sabbath is a way to honor God, and they are to remember it each week. Verses 12-17 are about how to live in this new community: honor one’s family, especially one’s parents, and remain faithful in relationships. Don’t lie, kill, steal—don’t want what others have. The people were afraid when God spoke, but Moses told them to not be afraid, only follow God’s ways. Questions for discussion: What is at the heart of who we are? Is it our identity as God’s child, as God’s people, as God’s community? Or is it what others think of us, what other nations think of us, what the world thinks of us? Draw near to God and God draws near to you. ~James 4:8 In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted, Kelly's Treehouse and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< Dear Friend of God-
God provides. It seems clear that this is one of the messages from our texts this week. But it would also be clear that God provides for our needs in unusual and sometimes confusing ways. Whether it is manna and quail in the desert or a surprisingly generous but perhaps somewhat unfair payment for labor, God provides in ways that give us pause and, hopefully, make us think. We also discover that God works in partnership to meet needs. Effort is required to gather the manna that forms each morning and to capture the quail that roost in the evening. Labor in the vineyard is a part of the covenant made with God as we claim the joy of belonging to the kin-dom. We aren’t passive recipients of God’s grace, but engaged in the process of discovery and acceptance. God provides, we gather, and we share. We are weeks past Labor Day, but we can celebrate the efforts of the church to gather and share God’s bounty within the body and with the wider community as well. What manna ministry can we celebrate this week as we worship together? There is also a hospitality issue in the gospel text. Who is welcome in our vineyard? What barriers or hierarchies get in the way of truly welcoming those who may not yet belong to the body? Do we go out of our way to include and incorporate even those who may look different from us, those who may respond differently from us? What ‘rights” do longer-term members feel they hold over those who may have joined more recently? Does it seem odd to ask these questions in a space for worship? Well, worship is where we set the tone for the church. Who we are together is who we are as we worship. What can we do to make sure everyone feels included in the worship experience? Is there hidden language that only insiders know? Is there incomplete information that would preclude first-timers from fully participating? Are there unspoken expectations that might cause embarrassment for those not in the know? Paying attention to how we conduct our worship is important for the flow of worship, but also as an indicator of the nature of the body that gathers. Another theme might be “sharing the load.” Who among us is carrying the “burden of the day,” as some of the workers in the vineyard complained? It is hard to maintain a spirit of service and commitment when some are feeling used or unappreciated or unseen. Worship can be a way of honoring those who labor in the church as well as being an encouragement to others to spend time gathering the manna. There is joy in service, even when it is hard work. ~Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, adapted by P Jim For today, please read Matthew 21:23-32. Question: Why would anyone question Jesus' authority? Jesus told a parable of a landowner who planted a vineyard in Matthew 21:33-46. While there are echoes of Isaiah’s Song of the Vineyard, in this parable it is the behavior of the people that is of concern: how the tenant farmers treat the servants sent by the landowner—beating some, killing others. The landowner then sent his son, believing they would respect him. They wouldn’t dare harm the son of the landowner. But they took him, threw him out, and killed him. This was not the intention of the landowner, that his son would die—the landowner’s intention was that the tenant farmers would listen and do what they were supposed to do in caring for the vineyard. However, when Jesus asked those listening what they think the landowner would do, they answered that they thought the landowner would put those tenants to death and lease the vineyard to someone else. Jesus then quoted Psalm 118, that the stone rejected has become the cornerstone, and told those gathered in the temple that the kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to a people that produced the fruit of the kingdom. The religious leaders knew Jesus was speaking about them. While Jesus’s words are harsh to those gathered, Jesus also makes it clear that God’s intention is not for harm. God’s intention was not to send the son to die. God’s intention is that all people would turn back to God’s ways, to live into God’s reign here and now. What does this all mean to you? How do these truths inform your faith? What questions will you bring to worship? And please invite a friend or family member to join us in worship. Draw near to God and God draws near to you. ~James 4:8 In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted, Kelly's Treehouse and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< Dear Friend of God-
God provides. It seems clear that this is one of the messages from our texts this week. But it would also be clear that God provides for our needs in unusual and sometimes confusing ways. Whether it is manna and quail in the desert or a surprisingly generous but perhaps somewhat unfair payment for labor, God provides in ways that give us pause and, hopefully, make us think. We also discover that God works in partnership to meet needs. Effort is required to gather the manna that forms each morning and to capture the quail that roost in the evening. Labor in the vineyard is a part of the covenant made with God as we claim the joy of belonging to the kin-dom. We aren’t passive recipients of God’s grace, but engaged in the process of discovery and acceptance. God provides, we gather, and we share. We are weeks past Labor Day, but we can celebrate the efforts of the church to gather and share God’s bounty within the body and with the wider community as well. What manna ministry can we celebrate this week as we worship together? There is also a hospitality issue in the gospel text. Who is welcome in our vineyard? What barriers or hierarchies get in the way of truly welcoming those who may not yet belong to the body? Do we go out of our way to include and incorporate even those who may look different from us, those who may respond differently from us? What ‘rights” do longer-term members feel they hold over those who may have joined more recently? Does it seem odd to ask these questions in a space for worship? Well, worship is where we set the tone for the church. Who we are together is who we are as we worship. What can we do to make sure everyone feels included in the worship experience? Is there hidden language that only insiders know? Is there incomplete information that would preclude first-timers from fully participating? Are there unspoken expectations that might cause embarrassment for those not in the know? Paying attention to how we conduct our worship is important for the flow of worship, but also as an indicator of the nature of the body that gathers. Another theme might be “sharing the load.” Who among us is carrying the “burden of the day,” as some of the workers in the vineyard complained? It is hard to maintain a spirit of service and commitment when some are feeling used or unappreciated or unseen. Worship can be a way of honoring those who labor in the church as well as being an encouragement to others to spend time gathering the manna. There is joy in service, even when it is hard work. ~Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, adapted by P Jim For today, please read Philippians 2:1-13. The Epistle reading continues its series in Philippians... A theme of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi is to be of the same mind and to have the same love. This doesn’t mean one necessarily agrees with everything, but that we remember our purpose is to follow Jesus Christ. Verses 6-11 contain an ancient confession of Christ, the one who was equal to God but did not exploit his power, emptied himself and became humble to the point of death on the cross. Because of Christ’s humility, we all ought to humble ourselves before the name of Jesus Christ, who has been exalted by God. Verses 12-13 contain encouragement for the people of Philippi to know Christ’s salvation personally in their lives, because God is at work in each of them. The urging of unity comes with the understanding that each person has a relationship with Christ, and that in humility, we serve and worship Christ together. This 'hymn' sketches the entire mission of Jesus. After reading this through, can you summarize Christ's mission in your own words? Draw near to God and God draws near to you. ~James 4:8 In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted, Kelly's Treehouse and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< Dear Friend of God-
God provides. It seems clear that this is one of the messages from our texts this week. But it would also be clear that God provides for our needs in unusual and sometimes confusing ways. Whether it is manna and quail in the desert or a surprisingly generous but perhaps somewhat unfair payment for labor, God provides in ways that give us pause and, hopefully, make us think. We also discover that God works in partnership to meet needs. Effort is required to gather the manna that forms each morning and to capture the quail that roost in the evening. Labor in the vineyard is a part of the covenant made with God as we claim the joy of belonging to the kin-dom. We aren’t passive recipients of God’s grace, but engaged in the process of discovery and acceptance. God provides, we gather, and we share. We are weeks past Labor Day, but we can celebrate the efforts of the church to gather and share God’s bounty within the body and with the wider community as well. What manna ministry can we celebrate this week as we worship together? There is also a hospitality issue in the gospel text. Who is welcome in our vineyard? What barriers or hierarchies get in the way of truly welcoming those who may not yet belong to the body? Do we go out of our way to include and incorporate even those who may look different from us, those who may respond differently from us? What ‘rights” do longer-term members feel they hold over those who may have joined more recently? Does it seem odd to ask these questions in a space for worship? Well, worship is where we set the tone for the church. Who we are together is who we are as we worship. What can we do to make sure everyone feels included in the worship experience? Is there hidden language that only insiders know? Is there incomplete information that would preclude first-timers from fully participating? Are there unspoken expectations that might cause embarrassment for those not in the know? Paying attention to how we conduct our worship is important for the flow of worship, but also as an indicator of the nature of the body that gathers. Another theme might be “sharing the load.” Who among us is carrying the “burden of the day,” as some of the workers in the vineyard complained? It is hard to maintain a spirit of service and commitment when some are feeling used or unappreciated or unseen. Worship can be a way of honoring those who labor in the church as well as being an encouragement to others to spend time gathering the manna. There is joy in service, even when it is hard work. ~Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, adapted by P Jim Take time to carefully read Exodus 17:1-7. Road trips are never easy. This is something that Moses learned the hard way while journeying with Israel in the wilderness. Draw near to God and God draws near to you. ~James 4:8 In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted, Kelly's Treehouse and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< Friends of Christ-
The following is a general summary of Sunday's Readings: God provides. It seems clear that this is one of the messages from our texts this week. But it would also be clear that God provides for our needs in unusual and sometimes confusing ways. Whether it is manna and quail in the desert or a surprisingly generous but perhaps somewhat unfair payment for labor, God provides in ways that give us pause and, hopefully, make us think. We also discover, when we look at the stories as well as our own lives, that God works in partnership to meet needs. Effort is required to gather the manna that forms each morning and to capture the quail that roost in the evening. Labor in the vineyard is a part of the covenant made with God as we claim the joy of belonging to the kin-dom. We aren’t passive recipients of God’s grace, but engaged in the process of discovery and acceptance. God provides, we gather, and we share. We are weeks past Labor Day in the US, but we can celebrate the efforts of the church to gather and share God’s bounty within the body and with the wider community as well. What manna ministry can we celebrate this week as we worship together? There is also a hospitality issue in the gospel text. Who is welcome in our vineyard? What barriers or hierarchies get in the way of truly welcoming those who may not yet belong to the body? Do we go out of our way to include and incorporate even those who may look different from us, those who may respond differently from us? What ‘rights” do longer-term members feel they hold over those who may have joined more recently? Does it seem odd to ask these questions in a space for worship planning? Well, worship is where we set the tone for the church. Who we are together is who we are as we worship. What can we do to make sure everyone feels included in the worship experience? Is there hidden language that only insiders know? Is there incomplete information that would preclude first-timers from fully participating? Are there unspoken expectations that might cause embarrassment for those not in the know? Paying attention to how we conduct our worship is important for the flow of worship, but also as an indicator of the nature of the body that gathers. Another theme might be “sharing the load.” Who among us is carrying the “burden of the day,” as some of the workers in the vineyard complained? It is hard to maintain a spirit of service and commitment when some are feeling used or unappreciated or unseen. Worship can be a way of honoring those who labor in the church as well as being an encouragement to others to spend time gathering the manna. There is joy in service, even when it is hard work. (~Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries) 🌞For Saturday, read Matthew 20:1-16. The scandal of this parable is that we are all equal recipients of God’s gifts. The scandal of our faith is that we are often covetous and jealous when God’s gifts of forgiveness and life are given to other in equal measure. And the scandal of our preaching... will encompass both. ~workingpreacher What does this all mean to you? How does these truths inform your faith? What questions will you bring to worship? And please invite a friend or family member to join us in worship. Draw near to God and God draws near to you. ~James 4:8 In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted, Kelly's Treehouse and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< Friends of Christ-
The following is a general summary of Sunday's Readings: God provides. It seems clear that this is one of the messages from our texts this week. But it would also be clear that God provides for our needs in unusual and sometimes confusing ways. Whether it is manna and quail in the desert or a surprisingly generous but perhaps somewhat unfair payment for labor, God provides in ways that give us pause and, hopefully, make us think. We also discover, when we look at the stories as well as our own lives, that God works in partnership to meet needs. Effort is required to gather the manna that forms each morning and to capture the quail that roost in the evening. Labor in the vineyard is a part of the covenant made with God as we claim the joy of belonging to the kin-dom. We aren’t passive recipients of God’s grace, but engaged in the process of discovery and acceptance. God provides, we gather, and we share. We are weeks past Labor Day in the US, but we can celebrate the efforts of the church to gather and share God’s bounty within the body and with the wider community as well. What manna ministry can we celebrate this week as we worship together? There is also a hospitality issue in the gospel text. Who is welcome in our vineyard? What barriers or hierarchies get in the way of truly welcoming those who may not yet belong to the body? Do we go out of our way to include and incorporate even those who may look different from us, those who may respond differently from us? What ‘rights” do longer-term members feel they hold over those who may have joined more recently? Does it seem odd to ask these questions in a space for worship planning? Well, worship is where we set the tone for the church. Who we are together is who we are as we worship. What can we do to make sure everyone feels included in the worship experience? Is there hidden language that only insiders know? Is there incomplete information that would preclude first-timers from fully participating? Are there unspoken expectations that might cause embarrassment for those not in the know? Paying attention to how we conduct our worship is important for the flow of worship, but also as an indicator of the nature of the body that gathers. Another theme might be “sharing the load.” Who among us is carrying the “burden of the day,” as some of the workers in the vineyard complained? It is hard to maintain a spirit of service and commitment when some are feeling used or unappreciated or unseen. Worship can be a way of honoring those who labor in the church as well as being an encouragement to others to spend time gathering the manna. There is joy in service, even when it is hard work. (~Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries) 🌞For Thursday, read Philippians 1:21-30. For me, there can never be enough of a focus on Jesus Christ, that is, on the story of his life, suffering, and death, and on the gospel of salvation through faith in him (*see, for example, Philippians 2:6–11). Only when we hear this gospel time and again will we be able to live our lives “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (1:27). "Those who call themselves “Christians” should always strive to learn more about the person after whom they are named." ~workingpreacher What does this all mean to you? How does these truths inform your faith? Draw near to God and God draws near to you. ~James 4:8 In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted, Kelly's Treehouse and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< Friends of Christ-
The following is a general summary of Sunday's Readings: God provides. It seems clear that this is one of the messages from our texts this week. But it would also be clear that God provides for our needs in unusual and sometimes confusing ways. Whether it is manna and quail in the desert or a surprisingly generous but perhaps somewhat unfair payment for labor, God provides in ways that give us pause and, hopefully, make us think. We also discover, when we look at the stories as well as our own lives, that God works in partnership to meet needs. Effort is required to gather the manna that forms each morning and to capture the quail that roost in the evening. Labor in the vineyard is a part of the covenant made with God as we claim the joy of belonging to the kin-dom. We aren’t passive recipients of God’s grace, but engaged in the process of discovery and acceptance. God provides, we gather, and we share. We are weeks past Labor Day in the US, but we can celebrate the efforts of the church to gather and share God’s bounty within the body and with the wider community as well. What manna ministry can we celebrate this week as we worship together? There is also a hospitality issue in the gospel text. Who is welcome in our vineyard? What barriers or hierarchies get in the way of truly welcoming those who may not yet belong to the body? Do we go out of our way to include and incorporate even those who may look different from us, those who may respond differently from us? What ‘rights” do longer-term members feel they hold over those who may have joined more recently? Does it seem odd to ask these questions in a space for worship planning? Well, worship is where we set the tone for the church. Who we are together is who we are as we worship. What can we do to make sure everyone feels included in the worship experience? Is there hidden language that only insiders know? Is there incomplete information that would preclude first-timers from fully participating? Are there unspoken expectations that might cause embarrassment for those not in the know? Paying attention to how we conduct our worship is important for the flow of worship, but also as an indicator of the nature of the body that gathers. Another theme might be “sharing the load.” Who among us is carrying the “burden of the day,” as some of the workers in the vineyard complained? It is hard to maintain a spirit of service and commitment when some are feeling used or unappreciated or unseen. Worship can be a way of honoring those who labor in the church as well as being an encouragement to others to spend time gathering the manna. There is joy in service, even when it is hard work. (~Rev. Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries) 🌞For Monday, read Exodus 16:2-15. For me, I couldn’t help but think of so many people in our congregations who experience upheaval and uncertainty. This story gives the wonderful promise of God’s provision, which is reassuring to all of us. It also might serve as a guide for when we’re in stressful times to let the rhythms of religious observance — daily prayer and weekly worship, for example — bring order to the chaos. What does this all mean to you? How does these truths inform your faith? Draw near to God and God draws near to you. ~James 4:8 In His Service, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted, Kelly's Treehouse and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. <x>< |
ZOOM WORSHIP SERVICE
SUNDAY @ 11 AM To join by phone, dial (929) 205-6099 and enter the meeting ID and password below: Meeting ID: 876 1875 9099 Password 333 PrayerGracious Loving Lord, please keep all of your children safe in these trying times. Guide us. Open our ears to hear, our eyes to see, our minds to understand and our hearts to know and be your love to others. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Want to support RLUMC and our missions? Donate Today
Prayer Chain
For those wishing to activate our Church Prayer Chain, contact Barbara Hurley 518-307-8238 If you want the concern to remain confidential among prayer chain members only please feel free to make that request when calling. Archives
September 2023
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