Reflections From Sunday Evening

Saturday afternoon Cindy felt very uncharacteristically bad. She got overheated working outside. We went to have her checked and ended up spending the night in the hospital. She never felt there was anything really wrong but appreciated the tests that confirmed she is in great health.
Gratitude.
We all appreciate good news. We appreciate good health and the host of blessings we enjoy.
Cindy’s overnight in the hospital provided me many opportunities for gratitude.
I am certainly grateful for Cindy’s good report.
I am also grateful for all the professionals who cared for her.
Doctors were amazing as they listened carefully, made good decisions and gave us great confidence.
The nurses, technicians, and other personnel were true blessings.
From my sideline vantage point I could see the grace of God working through person after person.
It serves as a reminder that God desires to use all of us to extend His love, grace, and care to others.
I am eager to see how God might use me this week. I am also eager to see God use you.
The downside of things was that I missed church today as we embarked on a next step in worship.
We watched online and felt the Spirit even in a hospital room.
Oh yes, got home to have lunch with the kids and watch the Chiefs.
It’s been a good day.
I hope you’ve had a good day too.
Steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

The Spirit was good and the joy evident as we gathered to serve by packing meals this morning. Oh, I talked with some who had been out of town, were new to the church, or simply did not realize we did not worship today but devoted the weekend to service. I had some great conversations.
As a result of several hundred people serving, tens of thousands of meals will be provided for hungry families. Housing will be provided through Habitat for Humanity.  Students will arrive at school and see an example of God’s beauty in creation. ( A little landscaping makes a great difference.). An Hispanic congregation got blessed and more joy will be felt. Hungry brothers and sisters received food at Lazarus’ Table. Of course Hillcrest Ministries gave us an opportunity to serve people.
It was a truly joyful and meaningful weekend as we served in the name of Jesus Christ.
It’ been a good day. I hope you’ve had a good day too.
Steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Gift + Work = Fruitful service.
On this Labor Day weekend it seems logical to consider the place of work in the Christian life.
In the very beginning Adam and Eve were not placed in the Garden of Eden on a permanent vacation. The call was to work the garden. God gave the gift. God allowed the man and woman to labor and the fruit of the garden was produced. In the original context work was a good gift of God’s.
God continues to gift people. We are given spiritual gifts. God gifts us with talents and abilities. God even gives us gifts of interests.
When we do not waste God’s gifts but put them to work, fruitful service is the result.
It seems like a nice reminder as we reflect on the place of labor in our world. Maybe we will rediscover the gift of work God gives and find joy in our labors.
It’s been a good day. I hope you’ve had a good day too.
steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

I keep thinking about the man in the story who spent 43 years in a 6x9 foot cell. Even more striking is the sense of being overwhelmed when experiencing freedom. The vastness of the sky above, the ocean before, and crowds of people seem too much. There were times the certainty of confinement seemed preferable to the vastness of freedom.
For many people the vastness of God’s Grace can seem overwhelming. How do we function in the Spirit? Some would rather settle into a rules based, law governed, faith. But that is so foreign to the life Jesus invites us to live.
It may seem overwhelming but with the Lords guidance we find fullness and abundance. Follow the path.
It’s been a good day. I hope you’ve had a good day too.
steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Today we talked about a Pathway of Discipleship. We are moving from an emphasis on programs to thinking more along the lines of pathway. Programs are good and important in the life of the church, but we can get over saturated with them. When that happens programs can actually become regressive. Enter pathway - steps along new life in Christ.
We also shared a new worship schedule that will begin September 15. Beginning that weekend we will have services at 5:00 Saturday, 9:30 Contemporary worship in the Worship Center, and 11:00 Traditional worship in the sanctuary.
I hope you find the same excitement about what God is doing as we step into the fall.
It’s been a good day. I hope you’ve had a good day too.
Steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Backpack blessing. We invited children to come forward during prayer time this weekend to pray for them as they get ready for a new school year. The kids seemed fine with standing up in front of everyone. Even a couple of them took a bow!
We prayed for a great school year. We prayed for the contents of their backpacks to be used for learning. It was a true blessing.
Another part was asking the congregation to show them some love. We clapped and cheered for the kids. We even agreed to pray for them - and all those in school - through the school year.
While I was doing that it hit me how much of an encouragement this could be. We invited the kids to look at the people in the congregation. They waved. They clapped. They cheered.
Then I asked them to remember they were being prayed for every day. When they did not feel like going to school, or they felt bad for whatever reason, I wanted them to remember their church was cheering for them.
That’s what we do. We cheer for each other. Young, old, middle, we are cheering for one another.
So, pray for your church family. Cheer them on.and remember, this week, when you feel discouraged or you doubt, fear, or question, you are being cheered on.
It’s been a good day. I hope you’ve had a good day too.
Steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Violence. We witness a great evil in our country when one angry prison is capable of atrocities that hurt us all. There seems to be an evolution of evil.
We are all acquainted with mischief. Just this weekend someone scrubbed our church website, got contacts information of many of our teachers and group leaders and sent an e-mail. Trust me, I did
not ask anyone for a favor much less some gaming gift card. Delete.
No one is injured by this mischief, just irritated.
A step beyond that is malicious mischief. That seeks to do harm.
Then there is something that goes beyond malicious mischief.
In the hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, Martin Luther identified the source of evil.
“For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe,
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate.
On earth is not his equal.
Cruel hate.
This is what we see. Angry, misguided individuals act on cruel hate.
Our police and first responders step in and limit the carnage. They were able to save countless lives in Dayton, Ohio this weekend.
Politicians have a responsibility. Some say “ arm everyone” while others call for gun control ranging
from “responsible” to “ total”.
If a young man had not taken a gun to First Friday’s in Kansas City, gotten into some sort of argument or altercation, then fired his gun in the air, a 25 year old woman would not have lost her life. Families are devastated.
People want to fix our problems. Let us encourage all in their efforts.
But what about us? What about we who follow Jesus? How do we combat “cruel evil”?
We turn again to Martin Luther.
“ Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing;
Doesn’t ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His Name,
From age to age the same,
And he must win the battle,”

Jesus Christ defeats cruel evil.
Christ lives in us and empowers us to defeat cruel evil.
Christ is our hope - the hope of the world. We are called to make Hope the new reality.
By God’s Grace - it’s been a good day.
I hope you’ve had a good day too.
Steve