April 24, 2016 (full size gallery)
Wow! What a week! Portland Guitar Duo concert, April 15, Village Harvest April 20, Removal of the Tablets, April 22, Completion of the Kitchen April 22. This was an exceptional week
Spring continued with the iris coming up and the great sycamore leaves were out. Dogwood were still out. Beautiful purple wildflowers were all over the lawn
We had 2 services today – 7 at 9am, 34 at 11am. The readings are here. 9am, Eucharist Rite I had to deal with the details of the scaffolding which was up for the work beginning on Monday. We used the original altar table which is much small and fit the front. Eucharist was intimate with all of us standing in a half circle. A new candle was over by the lector
"Weaving God’s Promises" at 10am made up a game which fit the team metaphor in the sermon. The game was "Good News". "Good News" involved players in a circle. "Good News" was a ball that that was thrown from a person ("tosser’) with his/her eyes closed at another person in circle. The others had to describe where the person was but the key is that the other people changed places just before the tosser threw the ball.
11am was Morning Prayer. The children were challenged to count the number of ‘Alleluias" and "Praises". McKenna was brought up the answer during the Announcments. Apparently there were 14 alleluias.
During the annoucements Catherine thanked the men who put up the scaffolding on Saturday. Catherine also thanked Cookie, Eunice and Betty for their work on the kitchen. Here is the story and photo gallery which covers the entire project.
Catherine went into detail on the tablets removal. Several questions came up at 11am. Here is the story and photo gallery.
We rem
embered Barbara Segar’s birthday this week and Zeke’s was last Sunday. The Anderson celebrated a 10th wedding annniversary.
Today’s readings remind us that God dwells with God’s people. In Acts, Paul’s preaching brings about the conversion of Lydia, who opens her home to Paul and Timothy. John, in his Revelation, imagines life in the new Jerusalem, where the lord will be our temple, our sun and moon, our life. In the gospel, Jesus promises us the continuing presence of the Advocate, the Holy Spirit.
The sermon concentrated on the Acts reading using a baseball metaphor, appropriate for the opening of baseball season in April. "In one of the commentaries I read about this week’s lectionary, the writer points out that the new Christians in Acts find themselves in the process of playing on a team—and the “game” they are so passionate about—Christianity—has rules that are changing. New players are coming onto the team, and all of this change leads toconsternation, excitement and expectation among the team members.
"Here we are, in 2016. And we are Team Jesus.And we still struggle with these same issues.
"So, what are the rules of our team? Here is a summary of the rules for Team Jesus
"Number One—Follow where the Spirit leads!
"Number Two—Listen to one another about the work of the Spirit in our midst!
"Number Three—Take time for thoughtful and prayerful discernment about what the Spirit is up to with each one of us and within our whole team.
"Number Four—Praise God for God’s extravagant and unexpected work in our midst, for the constant creativity with which the Spirit breathes new life into each of us and into our church.
"Number Five—Love one another as God has loved us."