SUNDAY SERVICES:

The Wilderness as a Symbol of Transformation

In the rich tapestry of the Christmas story, the wilderness emerges as a wonderful symbol of transformation. Often overlooked, this barren land is where the magic happens.

The wilderness, with its wild landscape and lack of human structures, sets the stage for divine moments and spiritual refreshment. It's in these quiet places that characters in biblical stories experience big changes, opening the door to a new understanding of faith and purpose.

As we get closer to the Christmas season, let's take a moment to think about the special time of Advent and how we can prepare for it with intention. It's not just about putting up decorations or hurrying to get everything done; it's about embarking on a meaningful, spiritual journey to celebrate the birth of Christ.

In this fast-paced world, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant barrage of distractions, disappointments, and the complexities of life. For many, this can lead to a sense of being spiritually adrift, struggling to maintain faith and focus on what truly matters.

Worship is a fundamental aspect of Christian life, connecting with God, expressing faith, and fostering a sense of community. This article delves into the elements that make worship effective, drawing from the teachings of the Gospel of John and the principles of worship in the church.

It emphasizes the need to believe in Jesus Christ, the importance of communal and simple worship, and the transformation of individuals through scripture, spirit, and sacraments.

Is confirmation for you? Read on to learn about confirmation: what it is, what it's for, and whether you should be confirmed.

What is Confirmation?  

Confirmation is a service for those of us who were baptized as infants to make our own, mature and public, decision to follow Jesus with the blessing of the laying on of hands by a bishop.  

The laying on of hands is for the imparting of the Spirit to serve; to minister as Jesus did.

I got confirmed at the age of nine.  My reason was clear and simple, I wanted to be an acolyte, wear a red cassock and white surplice, and serve at the altar on Sundays.  

But that’s not a good reason to get confirmed.  

A good reason to have a bishop lay hands on you and pray for the Holy Spirit to strengthen, empower, and sustain you is for an equipping to do ministry.  

It’s the way God has always done it.

Pentecost - What’s it all about?  

I remember my first step.

Pentecost: My First Step

Okay, here’s the scene:

I was the lone clergyman in a rather large New England church. I had spent two years at the post. 

I was fixing coffee and hard-boiled eggs for our monthly clergy meeting, which was for priests from local churches.

You need to know that the eggs symbolized these meetings, which were usually filled with hard-boiled and stale arguments about high and low churchmanship.

I heard the speaker mention the Holy Spirit.

Seriously, I thought, I spent three years studying in seminary and two years as a curate in this New England church. Why had I not heard of this Holy Spirit before now?  

Shall We Shell?

My wife Barb is an avid sheller and gifted shell finder. I'm her assistant. Of course, Sanibel is notorious for its shells, but then, we are not in the shell hot zone of Sanibel. 

We stay at a place called ''Tween Waters. It's between Sanibel and Captiva Islands. 

That's' not to say the shelling there isn't good. It is...just not as good.

 Not to grumble, but we have oodles of glass containers, even a rather large one shaped like a fish, all around our home filled with seashells. We even have framed shells on our walls, along with prints of shells framed on the walls.

We are beach people.  

Today, the last day of our five-day vacation together, we walked and talked about how shells remind us of just how great our Creator is.

Have you ever sat in a restaurant booth?  It’s like being in a little pod. You are so close to the people in the booths beside you, but they feel a mile away. You feel enclosed; you have privacy.

Not so if there is a young child in the booth next to you. Kids don’t respect the privacy of the booth. They stand or kneel on the booth seat and peer over the top to see what their neighbors are doing.

They outright stare. 

You are eating your shrimp tacos and chatting with the people in your party, and the neighboring child is watching every move you make. They don’t smile when you smile. They don’t wave when you wave. 

They watch you.

Do you know all there is to know about Holy Week?

Delve a little deeper as I walk you through some little-known stories about the events of Holy Week.

It might change your whole perspective!

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 10:28 

It was the summer of 2020 when these words from Jesus penetrated my heart differently than they had before. Was it really true that Jesus was saying that I just needed to be weary and to be carrying heavy burdens to receive this rest? 

I was about to put this new question to the test.