Grateful
From Isolation to Resurrection
This Sunday is Easter Sunday! While we continue to endure “social distancing,” we will celebrate online with a traditional service that includes hymns, lively music, a time for children, and a celebratory message from Pastors Lydia and Bob.
A New Kingdom Ethic
Rev. Lydia Sohn from St. Mark’s UMC will bring Sunday’s message and she shares the following: This is Palm Sunday, the day where we usher in Jesus as the King of the Jews and recognize his true authority. The people back then had no idea that Jesus’ kingdom would look vastly different from the political kingdoms of old and new. Jesus’ kingdom was about love, sacrifice, compassion, and service.
Gratitude and Abundance
Rev. Jeri Newell-Davis from St. Mark’s UMC will bring Sunday’s message and she shares the following: Many of you may be feeling a bit anxious about staying indoors during this pandemic, and I don’t blame you. This is not what we are accustomed to. We are creatures of habit, people who like our freedom. But I know the pandemic will end and we will have the freedom to go about our routines once again. And we will give thanks when this season has ended.
Grace, Gratitude, and Gifts
In the midst of everything happening, our “social distancing” and even some of the blame taking place (some racial, some class-based, etc.) I have been continually reminded by a quote from Fred Rogers: “Look for the helpers.” In this time of isolation, we are reminded not to give in to the darkness, but to remember the light of Christ that shine’s within us all.
Table Ethics
As we wrestle in the current COVID-19 pandemic with how to relate with one another, we might consider this alongside our ongoing series on gratitude and the illustration of the table.
A Table of Gifts
As we enter this Lenten season of spiritual introspection, we continue our exploration of gratitude. Last week’s message began with a question about where we find God, and this Sunday’s message draws the illustration of gathering around God’s table. This is a time of sharing in the abundance of God’s gifts!
Where Is God?
As we enter this Lenten season of spiritual introspection, we begin in earnest our exploration of gratitude. Culturally, we struggle even with the simplicity of thank-you cards. Perhaps we can push back from this and realize that everything we have is a gift from God, which begs this question: where is God?