In this final week of our brief series on James, we consider the impact of suffering on our faith. Struggles and trials in life are not something we can avoid, nor does Jesus promise that such a thing is possible. We cannot control what challenges we face, but what can we control? What role does prayer play, both in our personal lives with God and in community? How does our suffering connect to the larger suffering of the wider world? To be human is to wrestle with some version of these questions. Let’s wrap up our reflection of James together.
01/28/2024: Full of Yourself? How We See Ourselves Matters
This week, we continue on with our series on the book of James. We have thought about how our actions matter because they reflect what we believe to be true. We have thought about how our words matter because they have power to shape reality. And this week, we will consider how actions and words spring from how we see ourselves; how we think about ourselves in relation to the world. Do we live with a posture of self-interest and ambition or a posture of humility and service? How does following Jesus affect our self-esteem? Does being humble mean thinking that we are nothing and not taking care of ourselves? We will explore all these questions together as a community as we dig deeper into one of the most practical books in the whole Bible.
1/21/2024: What did you Say? How We Speak Matters
Last week, we opened up our exploration of the book of James with reflecting on integrity; walking the talk; living out what we say is important to us. But still, how we talk and communicate in this world does have power. Words can create whole realities, for better or worse. Nowadays especially, we are very aware of how toxic and divisive speech can become, especially when modelled by people in positions of leadership. We are humbled by the reminder that we too have been given the responsibility to speak like people of God in all of our spheres of life. How can each of us tame our tongues; such a small thing of such great power? How can the way we talk make the world a better place?
1/14/2024: Faith Without Works? What We DO Matters
On this Martin Luther King weekend, it is a very appropriate time to start a new sermon series focused on living our faith with insight from the short Biblical book of James. Here is the information
The Book of James: Practical Wisdom for Imperfect Christians (1/14-2/11)
In churches, we seldom hear from the epistle of James, and yet he was a very important person for our journey with God. Tradition identifies him as the half-brother of Jesus, and James writes about the struggles real Christians faced in the first century. These struggles will be familiar to us: making good use of our words; cultivating patience; living a life that has integrity and more. In this new year, let us open our hearts to the ways that God wants to make us more like Jesus.
This week we focus on how our actions connect to our beliefs, and how one is incomplete without the other if we are truly following Jesus. It is the season of Epiphany and we are called to reflect the light of Christ; one of the best ways that we can do this is by (to the best of our ability) living as He teaches. We can help each other with this! This is why we practice faith in community. Join us for this important and practical series all the way through to the beginning of Lent.
1/7/2024: EPIPHANY SUNDAY (Star Words)
This first Sunday of the new year we come again to remembering the Epiphany. Formally, this is when we focus on the story of the Magi / Wise Ones / Three Kings making a long journey to visit and honor the baby Jesus. They followed the light of a star and recognized something beautiful and world-changing in Him, even when He was so helpless and vulnerable; even when they themselves did not belong there. They saw a great truth that the prophet Isaiah proclaims: that our God is Lord of ALL peoples and ALL lands. God’s light will draw in every kind of person. What can we do to reflect that light?
Also today, as part of our service, we will have our first Communion of the year, and will receive our annual Star Words. This is an annual practice we have had for years at COA and many churches around the nation praying over a large number of words (i.e. vision; joy; forgiveness; renewal) and we each draw out one to guide us throughout the year ahead. So many of us have found it meaningful. If you read this and would like to participate, please contact Pastor Jessie or the church office to have one randomly picked and mailed to you.