Check out Laura Story singing "Mighty to Save", along with some guitar tips for learning it. We intro'd this Sunday and will teach the congregation in the coming weeks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boFdX6A9G3k
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Lent 4 message notes on Pastor's blog
Pastor John's notes from his message are posted at his new blog which went live just this past week! http://www.aacrc.org/groenblog/
Bookmark the blog and look for future message notes there. (and let him know you checked it out!)
Bookmark the blog and look for future message notes there. (and let him know you checked it out!)
Monday, March 16, 2009
March 15 Lent 3 message notes
“Is This My Son, My Brother, My Teacher?” Mark 3:13-35
Jesus’ family comes to rescue him.
The religious leaders accuse him of being possessed by Beelzebub.
Jesus’ response.
The stunning point comes when Jesus charges them with blasphemy.
Watching for God at work.
I’m convinced that there are no absolutely evil people here this morning. I’m convinced most of us want to live in harmony with our neighbors. How hard is it to notice where God is at work in the lives of people around us and in the congregation of which we are members? Imagine if we were to prayerfully and intentionally watch for and then encourage those through whom God is working!
Jesus’ new family is made up of those who do the will of God.
The Gospels all testify that Jesus’ life from beginning to end embodied God’s will for human life. We have at the very basis of Jesus’ teaching the command to love God and to love our neighbor.
Dangers:
Jesus’ family comes to rescue him.
The religious leaders accuse him of being possessed by Beelzebub.
Jesus’ response.
The stunning point comes when Jesus charges them with blasphemy.
Watching for God at work.
I’m convinced that there are no absolutely evil people here this morning. I’m convinced most of us want to live in harmony with our neighbors. How hard is it to notice where God is at work in the lives of people around us and in the congregation of which we are members? Imagine if we were to prayerfully and intentionally watch for and then encourage those through whom God is working!
Jesus’ new family is made up of those who do the will of God.
The Gospels all testify that Jesus’ life from beginning to end embodied God’s will for human life. We have at the very basis of Jesus’ teaching the command to love God and to love our neighbor.
Dangers:
- Of allowing dysfunctional patterns of relationships to develop and continue among leaders and the congregation and between members in the congregation.
- Of carelessly saying who is or is not being used by God.
- Of taking each other for granted and forgetting then to celebrate life’s joys together and to honor life’s losses together.
- Of thinking it is all about us and not about Jesus who was completely and fully obedient to the will of God.
- To encourage each other
- To gently correct each others’ failings, always asking first to be
- corrected rather than to correct others first (here’s a challenge!!!)
- To patiently accompany each other through times of distress, sorrow.
- To joyfully accompany each other in times of joy and celebration.
- To serve side by side in local communities
- To dream and imagine together the great possibilities of ministry locally and globally
- To develop a common goal with a budget that provides for the needs of members and the local community and the world at large
- To welcome strangers into the community by actively going out in service to others in word and deed.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Mar 8, 2009 on Lent 2 message
“Amazed and Transformed by the Holy One of God”
Mark 1:21-28
Who is Jesus? Who is Christ?
Who am I? Who are we?
From Annie Dillard and James Magaw: (Thanks to Jen for the reference)
If you ask me why I go to church, I could start with these reasons:
God may draw us out to where we can never return. (Do you want to go to a place from which you can never return? Do you want to leave resentment, bad habits, anger, etc. behind?)
Did you come to church today?
Or did you come to worship today?
It is how Jesus teaches that grabs attention.
Jesus brings freedom.
Jesus wants our transformation much more than he wants our amazement.
What authority does Jesus have over us?
Who is Jesus? Who is Christ?
He is the Holy One of God – sent to set us free.
Who am I? Who are we?
Mark 1:21-28
Who is Jesus? Who is Christ?
Who am I? Who are we?
From Annie Dillard and James Magaw: (Thanks to Jen for the reference)
If you ask me why I go to church, I could start with these reasons:
- To feel better;
- To be with people whose company I enjoy;
- To learn about Jesus;
- To show which side I'm on;
- To keep people from asking why I missed;
- To sing my favorite old hymns or my favorite contemporary songs
- To be inspired, taught, and challenged by the sermon.
- To be kept comfortable and safe by hearing what I want to hear
God may draw us out to where we can never return. (Do you want to go to a place from which you can never return? Do you want to leave resentment, bad habits, anger, etc. behind?)
Did you come to church today?
Or did you come to worship today?
It is how Jesus teaches that grabs attention.
Jesus brings freedom.
Jesus wants our transformation much more than he wants our amazement.
What authority does Jesus have over us?
Who is Jesus? Who is Christ?
He is the Holy One of God – sent to set us free.
Who am I? Who are we?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Mar. 1, 2009 notes on Lent 1 message
My Son, Whom I Love
Mark 1:9-15
Who is Jesus?” “Who is Christ?”
And then two questions about our identity “Who am I?”
The last question has to do with us as a family, or fellowship group, and of course as a congregation, “Who are we?”
The story consists of three episodes:
• baptism,
• wilderness temptation
• Jesus announcing the presence of God’s kingdom.
N. T. Wright reminds us that “heaven” in the Bible often means God’s dimension behind ordinary reality.
Jesus is given insight that only Spirit empowered, God-devoted person can see.
Mark tells us that the Holy Spirit came down and into Jesus.
Mark tells us that “Jesus was thrown into the desert by the Holy Spirit.”
Who do you want to be when Lent is over?
Maybe we need to give up something significant. Maybe in order to be transformed or changed we need to spend significant time in prayer.
“Who is Jesus? Who is Christ?” If he is the Son of God, who are you? Who are we?
Mark 1:9-15
Who is Jesus?” “Who is Christ?”
And then two questions about our identity “Who am I?”
The last question has to do with us as a family, or fellowship group, and of course as a congregation, “Who are we?”
The story consists of three episodes:
• baptism,
• wilderness temptation
• Jesus announcing the presence of God’s kingdom.
N. T. Wright reminds us that “heaven” in the Bible often means God’s dimension behind ordinary reality.
Jesus is given insight that only Spirit empowered, God-devoted person can see.
Mark tells us that the Holy Spirit came down and into Jesus.
Mark tells us that “Jesus was thrown into the desert by the Holy Spirit.”
Who do you want to be when Lent is over?
Maybe we need to give up something significant. Maybe in order to be transformed or changed we need to spend significant time in prayer.
“Who is Jesus? Who is Christ?” If he is the Son of God, who are you? Who are we?
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