April 27th, 2008 – Understanding Our Connectedness
The Gospel lesson, John 14:15-21, was particularly moving and roused our hearts:
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them are those who love me and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and reveal myself to them.
Susan talked about the Bible being God’s letter of love to us and demonstrated an aspect of the last line in the Children’s Time by sealing an envelope, that had the name of individual listening, in another envelop and enclosing that in another envelope. This was a representation of us living within Jesus and then God’s love.
Pastor Dayle preached on our interconnectedness. We celebrated Earth Day this week and the sermon affirmed the Holy Spirit as sustainer and nurturer and also how she connects us. Toni, for one, talked in the Adult Education hour after the first service about how important defining the feminine side of the Holy Spirit was to her.
Our hearts moved to those who don’t feel welcome, connected, especially in church. Creator is moving to change this. As Pastor Dayle, said many churches do not do this well. We want to practice more radical hospitality and there are several efforts underway to do just that.
We talked about the Gospel lesson in Adult Education. There were beautiful moments during the hour. There are times where people feel comfortable with the black and white, right and wrong answer. Diane brought up how that eliminates the grace / grays of God’s world.
Linda talked about the eyes of love we have towards each other that she particularly experiences as people come up for communion. I believe we all knew exactly what she was talking about.
Larry, alluding to one effort we are making in structuring new small groups, gave an interesting analogy for that kind of connection and the electronic structure of atoms. He talked first about the weak Ionic bond completely transferring an electron to reach the two electron goal each atom wants in the bond and ended with the diamond covalent structure, which is the strongest and involves 18 atoms. “Maybe 18 is a perfect size for small groups” he concluded.
Levels of connection were high this Sunday.
The Gospel lesson, John 14:15-21, was particularly moving and roused our hearts:
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them are those who love me and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and reveal myself to them.
Susan talked about the Bible being God’s letter of love to us and demonstrated an aspect of the last line in the Children’s Time by sealing an envelope, that had the name of individual listening, in another envelop and enclosing that in another envelope. This was a representation of us living within Jesus and then God’s love.
Pastor Dayle preached on our interconnectedness. We celebrated Earth Day this week and the sermon affirmed the Holy Spirit as sustainer and nurturer and also how she connects us. Toni, for one, talked in the Adult Education hour after the first service about how important defining the feminine side of the Holy Spirit was to her.
Our hearts moved to those who don’t feel welcome, connected, especially in church. Creator is moving to change this. As Pastor Dayle, said many churches do not do this well. We want to practice more radical hospitality and there are several efforts underway to do just that.
We talked about the Gospel lesson in Adult Education. There were beautiful moments during the hour. There are times where people feel comfortable with the black and white, right and wrong answer. Diane brought up how that eliminates the grace / grays of God’s world.
Linda talked about the eyes of love we have towards each other that she particularly experiences as people come up for communion. I believe we all knew exactly what she was talking about.
Larry, alluding to one effort we are making in structuring new small groups, gave an interesting analogy for that kind of connection and the electronic structure of atoms. He talked first about the weak Ionic bond completely transferring an electron to reach the two electron goal each atom wants in the bond and ended with the diamond covalent structure, which is the strongest and involves 18 atoms. “Maybe 18 is a perfect size for small groups” he concluded.
Levels of connection were high this Sunday.
posted by Gary at
5:25 AM
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