This week, we finish our our opening summer mini-series focused on our new banner challenging us to love our neighbor through all the differences that divide us in these times. And we have the privilege of hearing from our own Clerk of Session and leader in every church arena, Lawrie Gardner. She will give us her take on these issues, particularly focusing on religious and political differences, and how we continue to be called to bridge those divides with sincerity and love. This is meant to spark ongoing conversation, so we hope that it leads to some thoughtful prayer and discussion with those in your life; maybe even the creation of new relationships!

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We continue on in our summer mini-series “Love Your Neighbor Who…”, using our wonderful new banner outside our sanctuary entrance to more deeply examine how much we are keeping this greatest commandment. There are six lines; six examples of neighbors who maybe our divided nation finds it hard to love. So in three weeks time, we are exploring these more in depth.

This week we come to loving our neighbor who does not love like us or speak like us: two of the most hot-button issues that we have experienced as so divisive:

who we love (sexuality/orientation/gender identity)

how we speak (how much we are accepted as belonging into the “normal” American identity/immigration)

We are not too afraid to tackle these issues because we believe that God created this diversity that we struggle with. God made us all so different, and what we do with those differences is up to us. We can do better. Let’s explore this more together.

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This is the first Sunday of summer (aka in church world: “ordinary time”), and during this time, our church typically dives into a couple of series. Our first mini-series is below, and this week, we focus on how we are challenged by the parable of the Good Samaritan to love those who do not look like us or think like us. In a time of such intense polarization, this is a radical and countercultural witness with power! It may seem impossible, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are challenged to “go and do likewise”.

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MINI-SERIES (June4-June 18): Love Your Neighbor Who……?

This series will draw the church’s attention to something new on our property: a banner right outside our sanctuary entryway doors that says “Love your neighbor who doesn’t look like you / think like you / love like you / speak like you / pray like you / vote like you. Love your neighbor. No Exceptions” . I believe that this is actually a perfect encapsulation of the goal of Christian community, embodied however imperfectly by THIS community of COA. How can each one of us follow Jesus more closely in the challenging call to love our neighbor with no exceptions?

Note: There is no recording of this service due to equipment malfunction.  We apologize for this inconvenience.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHURCH!

This festival day of Pentecost marks fifty days since Easter/Resurrection Day, and every year we remember what happened to Jesus’ followers after He ascended into Heaven and empowered them with His Holy Spirit. This final week of our “Building Blocks” sermon series considers a very important lesson for us from the early church: one of the most important things we can do is to let the Spirit move. Being moved by the Spirit means we have to surrender our will; our plans; our ideas of what is right and let God work and trust that God is in fact moving us somewhere. What does this look like, especially in a church like the Presbyterians who do not show as many visible and charismatic signs of the Spirit? Where might the Spirit be moving the church into an unknown future?

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This week we consider a fundamental part of it faith: sharing that faith with other people! In a world that is increasingly indifferent or even hostile to organized religions (for many good reasons), how can we witness to the lifegiving power of a relationship with Jesus and a community that is learning and growing together? Our tradition is wary of heavy-handed evangelism, and yet we still are called to share this faith! But how? What will make it make sense to those around us? Do we expect them to come to us, or are we willing to meet others where they are (the way that Jesus did)?

This is especially appropriate as a topic on our annual ordination Sunday where incoming Elders and Deacons are ordained and installed into ministry and leadership. The Presbyterian Church USA ordains these lay leaders with the same questions and liturgy that they use to ordain clergy. No calling is superior to another. We all have gifts and we all have a ministry. We are Christ’s hands and feet on earth, and who might know Christ better because of who we are and the stories God gave us?

Link to readable sermon PDF