Scripture: Matthew 18:4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Thought for the Day: Archbishop William Temple said, “The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.” I agree in theory, but the way the church spends its resources (money and time) doesn’t always support Temple’s ideal. What would an institution look
Scripture: John 15:26-27 When the Companion comes, whom I will send from the Father—the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. You will testify too, because you have been with me from the beginning. Thought for the Day: The Companion, Advocate, Comforter, Counselor or Parakletos in the Greek – this is the gift promised by Jesus. This one that has its origin with
Scripture: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Thought for the Day: Generosity is an attribute most people admire, but generosity is not an attribute seen as often as it should be seen. God’s giving was an act of love, and because God loved us, we are
Scripture: Luke 15:12 The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. Thought for the Day: I know I have read this verse of scripture more than 1000 times, but something new recently jumped off the page. The father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son doesn’t simply give
Scripture: John 10:14-17 [Jesus said,] “I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I give up my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that don’t belong to this sheep pen. I must lead them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock, with one
Scripture: Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants too. Thought for the Day: I want to thank Paula for bringing a wonderful message yesterday morning. During the 8:15 service as Paula was preaching, a bird kept on pecking and flying into the window. This didn’t happen once or twice, but nonstop throughout her sermon and for the remainder of
Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus. Thought for the Day: I think most of us have worked on making sure we do not sweat the small stuff. For most
Scripture: 1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. Thought for the Day: I always want to be cautious when opening my mouth in the area of politics, but in recent weeks, I have felt the tug to say a couple of things. This push has come not only from what
Scripture: Psalm 27:7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! Thought for the Day: People most often enter the sanctuary on Sunday morning with a smile etched on their faces. Smiles are not a bad thing at all as worship should be an experience of the Good News. At the same time, I wonder if we really take seriously the many
Scripture: 1st Corinthians 16:13 Stay awake, stand firm in your faith, be brave, be strong. Thought for the Day: I have always thought of my faith journey as being reflected in the words of Winston Churchill who said, “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” Practice does not make perfect, but it has taught me the power of grace and second chances. It