28 May Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday?
Yes…there were 2 upcoming birthdays I meant to mention Sunday & simply blew right past them in my notes…
Paul’s birthday is tomorrow (Wednesday) and Brenna’s is this coming Sunday.
So if you see them somewhere along the way, or have a minute to send a text…greet them & remind them I really haven’t lost my mind, just got lost in my own notes…
What else…?
- Zoom Bible Study Catch-up (Joshua 2 – Rahab)
Friday 31st May 2024 @ 1:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting — https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83006349720 — Meeting ID: 830 0634 9720
- Saturday – June 1st – Bonfire @ High Valley… show up any time from about 2:00 p.m. & bring something to share for afternoon tea. We’ll have sausages & other goodies closer to the evening. It might be a chilly day so rug up & come on out to enjoy the countryside & scenery. This is always a great afternoon! Thanks Norma & Jeff for hosting us so faithfully.
- Sunday – June 2nd Biggest Morning Tea & Giving Beyond Ourselves for the Cancer Council – This is always one of our most generous GBOs for the year AND one of our best morning tea times. God is abundantly generous to us & we respond accordingly. Looking forward to a great morning together!
- We continue our series Living Courageously on Sunday as well. Last week we looked at the courage & faith of Rahab, a complete outsider to Israel who found a home among God’s people. This week, an unnamed member of God’s household whose seemingly small but faithful witness to the healing transforming power of God changes a life forever. Don’t miss it!
Speaking of courage & generosity…this is always the time of the year when our worship attendance dips a bit & our giving starts to slide downward some. So it becomes that time of the year to simply offer the reminder that while God has blessed us with some reserve funds, the more we have to dip into the reserves, the fewer of those funds are available for emergencies. We know every time we look at our bills that right now, everything costs more than it did the last time we took notice…maybe even more than last week! It’s true for the church as well. The word never changes, those to whom God entrusts blessings he gives the chance to be generous in response.
My daily Bible reading this past week or so has led me through 1 Chronicles & 1 Corinthians. I often find the parallels between the Old & New Testaments striking. For instance…
1 Chronicles from about chapter 11 on details the reign of David in the aftermath of Saul’s tragic death. David works to establish the nation of Israel according to how he sees God leading & particularly in placing the ark of the covenant right in the middle of Jerusalem. There is no Temple yet, Solomon will build that, but David erects a tent where all Israel can gather for worship. It is the exact thing God desired, to dwell among his people for their good. Then in 1 Chronicles 18:14 we read, “So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.” In a brief summation the Chronicler notes David’s concern for justice & right leadership that impacts “all” Israel. Leaders often struggle to serve “all” under their care, but David seems to have found that sweet sport in his relationship with God & among his people to do that well…memorably, remarkably, & consistently well. Self-indulgence in leaders seems easy & common. David’s heart reflects God’s care for “all” his people.
At the end of 1 Corinthians 14…Paul has been chiding the Corinthian church about their prideful use of the gifts of the Spirit, as well as other things they’ve gotten out of alignment with how God wants them to live. In 14:12 he writes, “Since you are eager to receive the gifts of the Spirit, seek to excel in those that strengthen the whole church.” He’d said something similar just a few chapters earlier, 1 Cor 12:7, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” And Peter would later write, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” (1 Peter 4:10) There it is again…a concern for the “whole” not just for the individual. I note that because what I find most distressing about the 21st century church in so many places, I don’t think Wagga Wagga is unique in this, is that we just don’t engage across denominations well at all. I’ve been part of big busy congregations in big busy cities over my 35 years as a pastor & growing up in a large church as a young person…It can be done.
We can find ways to strengthen & support one another across the whole body of Christ in the city…to replicate David’s creating access for the whole city to the presence of God by being that presence in-dwelt by the Spirit & encouraging one another, praying for one another, serving alongside one another, speaking well of each other…It can be done. I mentioned wanting to learn how to do that better, & I’m going to use some accumulated Long-Service Leave time this year to do some of that. Someday, when I hand over the keys to the next generation, I want to hand them a church united in its efforts to widen the reach of Christ’s kingdom here. The day of the bustling bulging mega-church pouring countless resources into its own ministry hasn’t moved that needle very far…working together is what God intends. I intend to lead from that vantage point. Pray for me that I avoid David’s mistakes, but lead from his heart & that my efforts are like Paul’s to build up the whole body…not just leave my imprint.
I’m looking forward to seeing you at the bonfire & at worship…best years of my life are being spent among people God loves dearly & I love like family.
I can’t wait!
John
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