Friday, January 4, 2013

2013 January 4

Often I try to encourage myself and others to reflect on vision and how that connects with our ministries. I try to do this with focusing on what is possible especially if we trust in God’s grace and mercy.  It can be frustrating when I try something that does not work in the way I envisioned it.  I’m sure that can be true for anyone but when you are in the leadership position it is more discouraging. Yet, I know that when something does not work the way I want maybe it was because it was what I wanted and not what God wanted.

I am working on two different sermons for Sunday.  The morning services will be focusing on Epiphany and continues the Different Kind of Christmas by talking about what happens when we take a different path.  Using Frost’s The Path Not Taken talking about the path to the Christ child.  Sometimes the path we think leads to the child may not lead us to him but to an illusion we have of who Jesus is to us.  We may need to be open to traveling a different path in our lives and in our church.  I will be discussing what that may look like in our community.

At the Lighthouse service, I will be starting on Faith with Purpose. Last fall we talked about faith begins at home.  We will be expanding on the concept of our growing our faith today.  Using some of John Wesley’s thoughts about faith, faith of a servant, faith of a child, and faith and works.  We will also look at faith as a foundation of our lives.  In our small groups, we will be looking at how faith has come into our lives and sharing ways of living out that faith.  I would hope that over the spring as we delve into our faith formation, we can develop relationships that can help us grow as disciples and to help hold us accountable to discipleship.

Whether morning or evening, we will use scripture, tradition, experience, and reason as a means to grow theologically.  I am looking forward to this journey.

Shalom

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