Scripture
–
Isaiah
40:27-31 MSG –
Why
would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “GOD has lost
track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything?
Haven’t you been listening? GOD doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of
all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch
his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get
tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop
out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon GOD
get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and
don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.
Acts
20:1-12 NLT –
When
the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he
said good-bye and left for Macedonia. While there, he encouraged the believers
in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, where he
stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he
discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through
Macedonia.
Several
men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea;
Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and
Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. They went on ahead and waited
for us at Troas. After the Passover ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in
Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.
On
the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the
Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next
day, he kept talking until midnight. The upstairs room where we met was lighted
with many flickering lamps. As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named
Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound
asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. Paul went down, bent over
him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” Then
they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, and ate together. Paul
continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. Meanwhile, the young
man was taken home alive and well, and everyone was greatly relieved.
Bob’s
thoughts:
We
arrived just before the service started so it’s hard to guess if we would have
been welcomed by anyone in addition to the greeter.
The
only crosses I could find were in the stained-glass panels. The walls are white
with dark paneling and beams for the ceiling, which created a beautiful contrast.
I had
trouble understanding most of the singing…I couldn’t hear what part they were
singing over the organ.
The
woman who presented the graduates was easy to hear and understand.
I am
always interested to see how the Scripture readings match up to whatever version
is up on my phone.
I thought
the main point of the message was to be willing to change, an abhorrent thought
to most old mainline churches. The pastor raised the point to not only break
out of the box, but to break the box.
The
old churches want the world to change to what the church was. The churches that
are thriving and blessed by God have kept the biblical truths but became
welcoming to the young people of today. Crawl out of the box and live for
Christ.
One
of the most impressive things to me has been each time I read my Bible, it
changes. What I find is what God wants me to know right then.
Jan’s
thoughts:
This
is a good-sized building with traditional décor (including stained glass), some
traditional songs, and organ-led music.
Since
it was graduate recognition Sunday, we were two among many visitors.
We
were pleased to be there for recognition of the church’s graduates, including
two adults. As it was a special day for so many families, we were only two
among a number of visitors.
I
appreciated hearing the Scripture readings read with inflection and emotion.
It
was convenient to have the words to each song printed in the bulletin.
The
Message of Hope (sermon), referring to thinking inside versus outside the box,
was entitled “Break the Box”. The pastor spoke of the call to change, growth,
and moving forward.
Communion
was expressed verbally and served by intinction, an enjoyable change.
Our
prayer for this church:
Lord,
we pray You will bless Your church with understanding, that they may know how
to serve You now. Amen.
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