Week ending Sunday, July 14, 2013 (full size gallery)
We are probably in the middle of a summer that has seen more wet weather that I can remember. The ground is soaked and it is difficult to keep the green cut back. This week should be different.
Our weather was again unsettled. Threatening clouds giving way to the sun peaking through the clouds and back to threatening.
We had 38 in church today. We honored Paige Martindale on his birthday coming up. Paige is multitalented – organist, choir director and wonderful tenor. In the latter capacity he provides harmony for the choir. He has worked with members of the choir learn parts. Brad called him his best friend. Thanks, Paige.
Brad provided the donuts and we added tea and water after the service for a wonderful mini-reception. Dave Fannon donated a bucket of tomatoes. It was a toss up what was more popular – the donuts or tomatoes.
We were given an article about Roger Key. Here is the article and here is the quote "The chamber’s CIVIC Award stands for Community Involvement and Volunteerism in Caroline. The annual honor recognizes a resident of Caroline or employee of a business located in Caroline for volunteer service and promoting activities that benefit the community." Congrats Roger!
The children’s sermon today aroused as much interest with the adults. Are we going to be a neighbor, open to reception, then extend your hands out. The other ways is fists clenched, an aggressive pose. Jesus favored the former.
The sermon continued with the Good Samaritan themes which were key parts in the lectionary readings. It was in two parts from the question asked in the beginning of Luke’s Gospel passage. "What are we to do here and now as we prepare for eternal life? "
Two things—
"The first being
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.
"But how are we to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and with all our souls, and with all our strength and with all our minds in this lifetime, when our lives are so full of the distractions that each and every one of us face every day?
"Because God is infinitely creative, I’m sure that the answer to this question will be unique to each one of us, but I’m also sure that totally loving God in this lifetime involves spending time with God in prayer.
"..one of the benefits of the discipline of the prayer of presence is that in making ourselves available to God in this way, God becomes more and more available to us– and we find that we can recognize God’s presence with us throughout our lives in ways that we never knew before.
"For me, the amount of love and mercy I’m able to give to others is directly related to the time "I’ve spent in that silent prayer of presence, soaking up God’s infinite love and mercy for me.
Then being a neighbor
"And not only did the Samaritan put his own life in danger to get help for this man, but he also used his money and his time to carry out this act of mercy. He made himself completely open and available to the one in need—a total stranger who in that society would have been considered as someone from the enemy camp. The Samaritan was disciplined about carrying out his merciful action. "
"We don’t have to wait until we pass through the gate of death to experience eternal life. Our lives change here and now, and we find that we are already beginning to experience eternal life when we enter into God’s heart in prayer and receive God’s mercy, and when we share that unlimited mercy with those around us, especially those who are in need. "