Sunday, March 3, 2013

Bradford Woods Community Church

Today we worshiped at Bradford Woods Community Church, 4836 Wexford Run Road, Bradford Woods, PA 15015, 724.935.3135, www.bradfordwoodschurch.org, Rev. Ed Cadwallader, Pastor.

Scripture: John 4:5-42 –

So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The woman said to him, “Sir give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you – I am he.”

Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the own and made their way toward him.

Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

Bob’s thoughts:

We came a little early to this small, white, wooden chapel-looking church.

The signage was good and restrooms were well marked; we had only minor difficulty finding the sanctuary. With probably fewer than 50 worshipers I thought we would stand out, but we were virtually ignored until after the service.

We are unusual first-time visitors, not there just to worship but to record our experience, so I think we are less affected by the environment. But I can’t help but think that a visitor who is seeking a church home could be put off by what might be seen as an unfriendly church. I would think it could influence the whole worship. Would perceived unfriendliness taint the sermon or your singing?

Just as profound were two women who spoke to us after the service. Their warm invitation to come downstairs for snacks was genuine.

I think I anticipated warmth from the quaint small country chapel aesthetics.

I was happy to find more than one cross and pleased to receive Communion, albeit silently.

I liked the title of the message: “Walking With Jesus When Your Heart is Dehydrated.” The sermon revolved around the story of the Samaritan woman at the well from John 4. The pastor offered insight on the woman as Christ revealed Himself for the first time as the Messiah.

I had a hard time hearing any singing and fortunately there was a couple from the choir singing from the first pew so I could tell when to sing.

Jan’s thoughts:

More often than not the signage is almost non-existent at small churches where everyone knows everyone else because “everyone knows where the restroom is,” so I was impressed at the extent of the signage.

We were not greeted until after the service when several folks extended invitations to join them downstairs for coffee and treats.

The interestingly designed sanctuary boasted great indirect lighting. I enjoyed watching the choir: a mom and dad both sang with this small group, and it was heartwarming to watch dad – the only male voice in the choir – singing while holding a little one who was maybe 18 months old. So sweet.

I found the title of the message intriguing: “Walking With Jesus When Your Heart is Dehydrated” and it was reason enough to come here. He began by referring to the gravestone of a woman who, if what was written was true, had “died as she had lived – alone.” He pointed out how the Samaritan woman at the well dropped her mask and stopped pretending in her conversation with Jesus, and He in turn was honest with her about Who He was. As chancy as it was for her to be honest with Him, she took the risk and was rewarded with a truth far beyond anything she could have imagined or hoped for. The pastor declared that the masks we wear are a result of “lies the darkness gives us” and he urged people to remove the masks, take the risk, and ask for the Living Water.

I enjoyed the pastor’s unusual preaching style and I deeply appreciated the encouragement to be real, open, and honest. The world says we need our masks to protect us and enable us to function in the world, but I’ve come to believe masks actually separate us from others and prevent us from having the very relationships that give life meaning. The reward far far outweighs the risk.

Our prayer for this church:
Lord, we pray Your blessing on this church. Guide them as they grow and open their eyes to Your call. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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