Today we worshiped at Clinton United Presbyterian Church, 197 Glade Mill Road, Saxonburg, PA 16056, 724.352.3855, www.clintonchurch.org, Rev. Jason M. Sinagra, Pastor.
Bob’s thoughts:
This is a rather small church, but it could benefit from some signage as I didn’t see any.
We were warmly greeted and welcomed, but more, we were treated like family.
We were told of an upcoming event, “Bring a Friend Sunday,” and I would think this will get a good response.
I was happy to see mission was above 10% of budget…God will bless these efforts.
I really enjoyed the Anthem: that was a lot of harmony from four people.
I read in an advice column today about a woman who asked for prayer for her husband and the pastor refused because he was a member of a different church. Hearing this pastor open prayer requests to those outside the church (“the people you meet this week”) was an uplifting Christian concept.
The sermon started with the question, “Who wants to be a moron?” I should have stood since being a fool for Christ is the highest calling I have ever had. God doesn’t work within man’s expectations; He colors outside the lines and is a rule breaker (ours, not His).
God works in unexpected ways…He takes a lowly, broken sinner like me, comes into the cesspool of my making, and raises me up to do His will. Absurd? Yes…thanks be unto God.
Jan’s thoughts:
This is a pretty little country church, well kept, clean, and family-oriented. In touring the upstairs we found a storage area and several classrooms; unfortunately we did not see the downstairs.
The only signage I saw was for the restroom, which was conveniently located right off the Narthex.
The bulletin was informational; the back page contained many notes geared to visitors (nursery and restroom locations, parking, members of the Board of Session and Board of Deacons, and even the meaning of the liturgical color of the season).
The people were friendly – nearly everyone within a several pew radius greeted us, introduced themselves, welcomed us, and some even invited us to return. A very welcoming church indeed.
The Prayer of Confession in the bulletin was actually confessional in nature. These prayers can sometimes move quickly from a brief confession into supplication, but when we finished reading this prayer I felt as if confession truly had taken place.
Four people sang the unlisted Anthem, but their voices sounded fantastic together.
Today was “special music Sunday” so the soft cover hymnal, “Sing the Faith” was used. This one is new to me, but I enjoyed the more up-to-date songs.
The sermon, titled “Simply Jesus,” was based on I Corinthians 1:18-31. He stated that the Greeks viewed Jesus as weak because He came to Earth as a man, and the reason He was a stumbling block for the Jews was the fact that He hung on the cross (Deuteronomy 21:23 states, “Cursed is the one who hangs on a tree.”). Both of these “reasons” have caused people to reject Jesus to this day.
The thing is, “The cross is the answer to death, and Jesus’ surrender to death is what conquered it.” My favorite line from the sermon: “God breaks all the rules except His.”
One of the things about our God that most delights me is that He, in Christ, has taken so many of our accepted assumptions and beliefs and turned them on their heads. He creates paradoxes that point to the only solution or explanation as His, and yet I still have trouble understanding Him. What I need to do is stop trying to figure Him out and simply follow in humble submission and faith. I know, I know…easier said than done. Daily reminders help, but I’m still working on it.
Showing posts with label Clinton United Presbyterian Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clinton United Presbyterian Church. Show all posts
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Clinton United Presbyterian Church
Today we worshiped at Clinton United Presbyterian Church, 25 Wilson Road, P.O. Box 175, Clinton, PA 15026, 724.695.7993, www.clintonupchurch.org, Rev. Laura E. Strauss, Pastor.
Bob’s thoughts:
A pretty country church with soft stained glass, tastefully decorated for Christmas. In addition to the cross on the Communion table, there was a large one on the wall and one above with a window effect.
They have good signage, and we were welcomed well. We sat towards the front to be with friends and had good seats for the Children’s Sermon, which was well done, a good length, and the children responded well.
There was no evidence of joy from the choir, but the pastor’s genuine smile made up for it.
The sermon wove around adoption: Joseph’s adoption of Christ, our adopting of Christ, to our adoption by Christ. We are welcomed to “Christ’s Home” with all ties to our former sinful lives severed.
I appreciated a time for silent prayer – very powerful in a corporate setting. I enjoyed seeing how Christ led the Elder in the mission moment; when He ignites the passion, it’s great to be used. I wondered what other missions may be supported.
I felt called to pray for the pastor and the church and felt/saw an aura that I interpreted as Christ’s blessing. I recall talking with young children in church who always saw the angels there that we adults are too old/staid to see.
Jan’s thoughts:
We had wanted to visit this church to catch up with an old friend, and we finally made it. We had a happy reunion with our friend and her daughters, both of whom were very young when we saw them last. We were glad for an opportunity to chat and catch up as well as get to know the girls some.
The building is well kept and beautifully decorated for Christmas. The facility was a bit confusing downstairs, but the signage helped greatly. The people were friendly: even before we caught up with our friend, folks were recognizing us as visitors and greeting us with introductions and questions.
There was color everywhere: the red carpet, the Chancel covered in red poinsettias, the choir in their red robes, beautifully crafted Christmas banners hanging on the walls, lighter but no less beautiful shades in the stained glass. I think the color added to the excitement in the air – it was awesome!
The bulletin was well done and user friendly.
The children participated enthusiastically in the Children’s Sermon, which centered on where there was room for the Baby Jesus in the nativity scene. This tied in perfectly with the sermon.
The sermon, entitled “He Has Come,” was based on Romans 1:1-7 and Matthew 1:18-25. The pastor explained that Jesus’ birth was all about adoption: literal, metaphorical, and divine. Jesus was literally adopted by Joseph once He entered this world; He is metaphorically adopted by us as “our Lord,” and we are divinely adopted by God.
The pastor told the story of her parents’ adoption of her younger brother and her vivid memories of his arrival at their home. She pointed out that when a child (or anyone) is adopted as part of a family, the family must physically make room for its new member, and asked “Have we made room in our hearts for the adopted Christ?” A good question, I think…any time of year.
Bob’s thoughts:
A pretty country church with soft stained glass, tastefully decorated for Christmas. In addition to the cross on the Communion table, there was a large one on the wall and one above with a window effect.
They have good signage, and we were welcomed well. We sat towards the front to be with friends and had good seats for the Children’s Sermon, which was well done, a good length, and the children responded well.
There was no evidence of joy from the choir, but the pastor’s genuine smile made up for it.
The sermon wove around adoption: Joseph’s adoption of Christ, our adopting of Christ, to our adoption by Christ. We are welcomed to “Christ’s Home” with all ties to our former sinful lives severed.
I appreciated a time for silent prayer – very powerful in a corporate setting. I enjoyed seeing how Christ led the Elder in the mission moment; when He ignites the passion, it’s great to be used. I wondered what other missions may be supported.
I felt called to pray for the pastor and the church and felt/saw an aura that I interpreted as Christ’s blessing. I recall talking with young children in church who always saw the angels there that we adults are too old/staid to see.
Jan’s thoughts:
We had wanted to visit this church to catch up with an old friend, and we finally made it. We had a happy reunion with our friend and her daughters, both of whom were very young when we saw them last. We were glad for an opportunity to chat and catch up as well as get to know the girls some.
The building is well kept and beautifully decorated for Christmas. The facility was a bit confusing downstairs, but the signage helped greatly. The people were friendly: even before we caught up with our friend, folks were recognizing us as visitors and greeting us with introductions and questions.
There was color everywhere: the red carpet, the Chancel covered in red poinsettias, the choir in their red robes, beautifully crafted Christmas banners hanging on the walls, lighter but no less beautiful shades in the stained glass. I think the color added to the excitement in the air – it was awesome!
The bulletin was well done and user friendly.
The children participated enthusiastically in the Children’s Sermon, which centered on where there was room for the Baby Jesus in the nativity scene. This tied in perfectly with the sermon.
The sermon, entitled “He Has Come,” was based on Romans 1:1-7 and Matthew 1:18-25. The pastor explained that Jesus’ birth was all about adoption: literal, metaphorical, and divine. Jesus was literally adopted by Joseph once He entered this world; He is metaphorically adopted by us as “our Lord,” and we are divinely adopted by God.
The pastor told the story of her parents’ adoption of her younger brother and her vivid memories of his arrival at their home. She pointed out that when a child (or anyone) is adopted as part of a family, the family must physically make room for its new member, and asked “Have we made room in our hearts for the adopted Christ?” A good question, I think…any time of year.
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