Communion Sunday
November 13, 2022 • Dave Blaha
1 Peter 2:1-2 - Communion Sunday - December 31, 2023
December 31, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • 1 Peter 2:1–2
"A Growth Year?" - 1 Peter 2:1-2 I wonder how many of you still live in the house where you raised your kids. If you do, it's likely that somewhere on a wall or door jamb there is a series of pencil marks with names and dates. Or maybe you painted over such a thing when you had to prep your house to sell. True? Why do we track our children's growth? Is it for us, or for them, or both? They grow up so fast, and in some stages it almost defies the laws of nature! A newborn baby's weight doubles in the first 6 months! Living things grow, and growth is, by definition, change. If you are afraid of change, you will never grow. You will become well acquainted with stagnation. Dead things don't grow. What if you had a place in your bedroom where you could mark your spiritual growth like you marked your children's physical growth? Uh oh.....would you need to see the spiritual pediatrician? Have you been experiencing a failure to thrive? In the context of Communion, we will get a brief but valuable lesson from Peter -- and a little help from newborn babies -- about growing......spiritually. How are the marks on your spiritual growth wall? Would anyone who knows you say, "Wow, you have really grown since the last time I saw you!" Would you like 2024 to be a period of spiritual growth? I want to grow. I need to grow. But I don't know how!!! What's missing? Why have I been stagnant? The Apostle Peter wants to help you, but you have to... ...VIEW and SEE Steve
Prayer, Worship, and Communion Night Oct. 11, 2023
October 11, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden
Prayer, Worship, and Communion Night Oct. 11, 2023 After our nearly two years in the Psalms, and tracking with the emotional ups and downs of them all, and experiencing the deep theology of them, let's spend a night praising the Lord! The night will include the opportunity for singing, celebrating, remembering, praying, and giving God glory for His mercy and kindness that changed our lives! Maybe you have felt down, discouraged, overwhelmed, or underappreciated. Maybe the marriage has been edgy, the kids challenging, or life mundane. I think you might benefit from a night of worship, even if you don't usually come on Wed night! If you are celebrating life, enjoying salvation, excited about the family of God, then come and express that in the fellowship! We can rejoice with you. There is much to pray about and much to celebrate. Let's get our minds focused on things above.....together! .....VIEW AND SEE! Steve
Come to the Table
August 20, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • Luke 22:14–23
Come to the Table - Luke 22:14-23 We take a break from our verse-by-verse study so we can break bread together. Break bread? Receive communion? Share an agape meal? The Eucharist? Celebrate the Lord's Supper? Are these all the same thing? What, exactly, will we be doing? One of the things I thoroughly enjoy about our church is the wonderful, and occasionally challenging, variety. There are a variety of ages, economic situations, and most definitely religious backgrounds. Worshipping together are people from Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Brethren, and even Mormon backgrounds. And some have no church background at all! What unifies us is not our personal religious history and traditions, but the Word of God. I recognize that many of you may have a familiar tradition, firm conviction, or preconceived notion connected to this thing I will call "communion". It is easy to take the simple matters of worship and make them areas of division and contention and strife. How often should we do this? What is the right procedure? Is it joyful or sorrowful? What should I be feeling? I am praying that tomorrow -- as we participate in a 2000 year old church practice that has roots thousands of years before that -- we can capture the heart of the experience and not get lost in the details of the ritual or tradition. In the end, we are remembering why we do what we do, and at the center of everything is the son of God who loved me and gave his life for me. He is our Passover Lamb! I also want to extend a special invitation to the Live Stream community. If you are able, please consider coming in person to break bread with us. And to everyone....I invite you to... ...COME TO THE TABLE! Steve