May 19, 2024 A Birthday for the Church by Rev. David Petty and Pastor Donnie Sturgill
May 19, 2024 • Rev. David Petty, Pastor Donnie Sturgill, CLM Twinkle Gordon • Ephesians 2:11–22, Acts 2:1–21
Our final service of this series offers the vision of the New Creation — a world where we are no longer strangers or aliens because of our differences. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been a Christian all your life or if you are unsure about your path, we are all part of the house that God is building and the reconciling love of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, the one that anchors and structures the whole thing. Let us tend to building this house, this new creation, together!
A Lunch for the Road: God's mothering love prepares us for paths ahead.
May 12, 2024 • Rev. David Petty, Sanctuary Choir, Pastor Donnie Sturgill • Mark 6:1–13
As disciples of Jesus, we are called to believe that living a new way is possible, and also to share that good news with others. Not all of us are called or equipped to preach, heal, or cast out demons in the biblical sense! But by our very attempts to live in peace and wholeness, we can live a life of example and witness to others. We don’t have to wait until we are perfect to do this…certainly the disciples had questions and doubts until the very end of Jesus’ ministry. But he sent them anyway and lives were changed.
Soil Samples (and digging up the past)
May 5, 2024 • Rev. David Petty, Exalt! • Mark 5:24–34
When we tend to our relationship with God, we connect with the power of new life and healing. Sometimes there are wounds that have remained with us over the years and we continue to “bleed” even though we think ignoring them will make them go away. Jesus says to the woman in our scripture story for this week that her faith has healed her. Are we willing to move confidently toward Jesus, knowing his very presence in our lives can end the pain that we’ve carried around for a long time?
Planting with Care - Growing with God
April 21, 2024 • Pastor Donnie Sturgill, Jubilee Bells, CLM Twinkle Gordon • Mark 4:26–34
Every little thing we do with compassion is a small seed that can sprout into good things beyond our imagining. Like “paying it forward” or “random acts of kindness,” we can tend a new creation with a small droplet that ripples out in ever-larger circles of caring relationships. Can you think of small acts of compassion that changed your life? God is working through others and through you!
Expanding Kinship - A Family We Choose
April 14, 2024 • Rev. David Petty, Pastor Donnie Sturgill, Sanctuary Choir • Mark 3:20–35
Tending a new creation may involve the creation or expansion of our concepts of “family.” In the scripture Jesus confirms that kinship in God’s Realm can go beyond bloodlines. We can re-create family in so many ways, whether we grew up with a family of origin that offered us support or did not. Who is our kin? All those who seek to live together in love!
Rest-Assured: Re-Creating a Culture of Rest
April 7, 2024 • Rev. David Petty, CLM Twinkle Gordon, Sanctuary Choir • Mark 2:23–28, Mark 3:1–6, 2 Corinthians 4:5–12
As we begin the series, we will look to what Jesus taught about keeping the Sabbath. In order to tend a new creation within us, we focus less on rules, and more about what gives us life and light as a way of “Sabbath-making!” This, then, is the way we are refreshed and renewed so that the light of Christ can be reignited and shine within us. What practices of Sabbath will we engage in this season that will refresh our spirits?
