Month: February 2017

Sermon:           “When We Fail to Be the Body of Christ”

Theme:            We will review what it means to worship in the love and compassion of Christ and how that calls us to practice our love for one another and for the world in the sacraments.

Purpose:          The congregation will examine their need to forgive, love, and accept one another in order to be right with God.

Scriptures:       John 13:12-20 Jesus washes the disciple’s feet and calls them to serve one another.

1 Corinthians 11:17-26   Paul corrects the Corinthian people in their practice of the Lord’s supper.

Questions:

How does the Holy Spirit move us to think and feel differently about our brothers and sisters in Christ? What happens that causes us to hold onto divisions and grudges, and to be resistant to forgiving? In what ways does our lack of forgiveness affect the others in the body of Christ? In what ways does our tendency to be judgmental and intractable interfere with the life of the church? In what ways does seeing ourselves as servants for one another causes us to be restored in love and fellowship together?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon:           How We are Called to Love

Theme:            God calls us to practice love that is founded on a commitment to humbly share God’s compassion and grace with all people.

Purpose:          The congregation will put love into practice, caring for one another with humility forgiveness, as they serve God.

Scriptures:       John 15:1-17   Jesus is the vine, and we are branches; we are commanded to love one another.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 The Apostle Paul describes the gift of love.

Questions:

In what ways is the love that the Apostle Paul describes different from what is popularly thought of as being love? In what ways is humility a necessary part of the capacity to love as God calls us to love? How does the love that Paul describes reflect the type of love that God gives to us? In what ways do we need to be in Christ so that we may share this meaningful and powerful love? How do we practice this type of love? In what ways does this love move us away from “feelings” and emotions and move us to a commitment to be Christ-like?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

February 5, 2017  Communion

Pastor Sam Hamilton-Poore, will be preaching.  Pastor Hamilton-Poore is an “At large” pastor in Winnebago Presbytery (not currently serving a congregation) who has published works in spiritual development and spiritual practices.

Passages:  Isaiah 58:1-12,  Matthew 5:13-20

Sermon:  “Then Your Light Will Shine”

Click HERE to listen to the message.