Our Weekend of Service (WoS) is about a month away and will take place August 12-14, 2016. The Weekend will kick-off on Friday evening and will be followed by half or full-day service projects on Saturday, ending with a cookout and swim time at the community center behind First Church. During Sunday’s service we will… Continue reading Weekend of Service – August 12-14, 2016
Tag: transformation
A Quest for Jesus – Journeying toward a deeper relationship with Jesus
Dear Friends, Over the past year, I have found myself wondering about our country’s current expression of Christianity. I have often felt overwhelmed with Christian mud slinging in the name of Jesus, words of judgment and hate paraded across the Internet, and sometimes-downright heresy. I confess that at times I found myself feeling ashamed to call… Continue reading A Quest for Jesus – Journeying toward a deeper relationship with Jesus
Multiply
Multiply 4 x 5 = 20 6 x 8 = 48 9 x 7 = ? Those of us old enough to remember [before the “new math” etc.] had the multiplication tables drummed into us and we still know them. But “multiply” at First Church is a new thing just now. Starting this Sunday,… Continue reading Multiply
2015 National Older Adult Conference
Seven members from First Church are attending the National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) in Lake Junaluska, NC, next week (September 7-11): Auburn and Ruth Boyers, Brenda Fox, Larry Glick, Sharon Helbert, Rosie Martz, Pauline Miller, and Carolyn and Larry Seilhamer. The theme of this year’s NOAC is “Then Jesus Told Them a Story.” The schedule… Continue reading 2015 National Older Adult Conference
Weekend of Service Update!
T-Shirts are here. If you are able, please stop by the church today (Thursday 8/20) or tomorrow (Friday 8/21) and pick up your T-shirts. Contributions toward the cost of the T-shirts is voluntary. We suggest a donation of $8.00 per T-shirt for adults and $5.00 for children. There are extra T-Shirts in case you forgot… Continue reading Weekend of Service Update!
the dusty road…
A note about one of my illustrations: I was heavily influenced by Rob Bell’s book, Velvet Elvis and drew heavily upon his chapter on the dust of the Rabbi as one of my illustrations. I will italicize that section. Many of you now that I recently returned from a two-week vacation and I want to tell… Continue reading the dusty road…
sacrifices and offerings and tithes…oh my!
When our church began a sermon series a few Sundays ago, I shared about the significant correlation between a church’s spiritual health and the health of a church’s giving by using the example of giving as a spiritual thermometer. Our giving says something about our faith and our relationship with God. The story of the widow’s… Continue reading sacrifices and offerings and tithes…oh my!
So you want to be missional?
For some time now, I have reflected deeply on what it means to encourage the church to become more missional. I am reminded of a parable that Jesus shared in Luke 14, “”Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if… Continue reading So you want to be missional?
We can, we will, we are… a sermon about the real meaning of Pentecost, Part 2
Peter continues this “first sermon” by telling the story of Jesus with power and authority. He tells of his crucifixion and his resurrection. And in verse 36 with a new assurance and power he says, “Let all Israel be assured of this; God has made this Jesus… This Jesus who was also a half breed, a mix… Continue reading We can, we will, we are… a sermon about the real meaning of Pentecost, Part 2
We can, we will, we are… a sermon about the real meaning of Pentecost, Part 1
Recently, Harry and I had the privilege of watching our youngest son graduate from High School. We watched attentively as bright eyed students from all over the world gathered on the stage full of joy for the season that was now coming to an end, but also full of questions and even some fear about… Continue reading We can, we will, we are… a sermon about the real meaning of Pentecost, Part 1