"Do Good and Live"
Greetings to all of you out there in the big world. More and more we are missing your presence as we gather to record our Sunday service. Even so, we have each of you in our thoughts and prayers as the days lead us forward. We are trusting that all is well with you and all of your relations. If things are not going well you should feel free to contact me or any other member of our faith community. Sometimes even a brief conversation can bring much benifit.
We had a good time in the Big Red Church Saturday morning. The Called to Be Band played and sang with lots of creative energy. Hopefully this energy will bring some gift of the spirit into your personal experience. And from there you will be able to share that energy with family, friends and neighbours. In this way bringing God's grace forward as strength to face the challenges of our time in history.
We are missing our personal connection with you and pray that things will soon begin to approach normal. Hoping you are blessed by our small offering of insight and encouragement. Peace be with you!
Psalm 68:1-5 - Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, let the wicked perish before God. But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy. Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds--his name is the LORD-- be exultant before him. Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
1 Peter 5:6-11 - Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
John 17:1-11 - After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.