Today our discussion turns to the office of what is currently identified as Teaching Elder. In fact this is a return to language used earlier in the church. The office of Teaching Elder is the ordained office most commonly called Pastor, but also may be known as Minister of Word and Sacrament, Chaplain, Reverend, Preacher and sometimes with the Preschool kids, “Chapel Man.” The fact of the matter is that the Teaching Elder, like Deacons and Ruling Elders, are set apart for certain ministries. We have these diverse titles because the role of a Teaching Elder is unique to the gifts of the person and the needs of the ministry context they serve. Continue reading
Tag Archives: sacrafice
Following The Star Online Devotional Starts this Sunday December 2nd
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The Following The Star Devotional is a daily online devotional with readings and soft music to help each day of Advent hold a special spiritaul meaning. Click the logo to be take to the page. (The Following The Star devotional doesn’t start until December 2nd, the first day of Advent.)
A Prayer for September 11th
A prayer for the day…
Holy God, today we seek to remember your faithfulness in the midst of our memory of deep loss. Each year we are transported back to that day in 2001, a day when lives were lost and a day when lives were changed forever.
We pray once again for your blessings to be upon all who lost their lives and pray that your eternal peace surrounds them.
We pray for those who lost loved ones and ask for your comfort and love be with them today and every day. Those lost were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends and colleagues. Their loss still leaves a hole that is filled with memories. Keep those precious memories alive and filled with eternal hope.
We pray especially for the children of September 11th who lost mothers and fathers.
We pray for those who struggle daily with health concerns as a result of this tragedy. For some the scars of this attack are visible yet for many they are invisible. Grant that your healing Spirit would be present and alleviate the physical and mental suffering which effects survivors and our nation.
We pray for our nation and it’s leaders. May our nation continue to seek to be a blessing in the world. You and you alone are able to guide our leaders as to what is good, right and just.
We pray for those who serve our country around the world. Lord, protect and guide our military and diplomatic representatives throughout the world.
We pray for our enemies. This perhaps is the hardest call we have from Jesus, “But I tell you: Love your enemiesi and pray for those who persecute you,” Matthew 5:44 Establish in our hearts a desire to build peace and understanding in the world.
We pray for peace. Sometimes the idea of world peace is more a joke about beauty pageants than our sincere hope. Today, we ask you to establish in us a keen desire to be peacemakers. May our lives reflect the hope and promise of the hymn we sing,
“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me;
Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.”
Amen
Leave it all behind and come to the well… Letting go of the political judgements
This past Sunday I took what I hope was a different yet faithful approach to the story of the woman at the well from the fourth chapter of the Gospel of John. During our worship at Christ Presbyterian I asked the congregation to consider the division that is present in this story. Throughout the text we are continually reminded that this world is torn asunder by the various notions that we have towards people. Continue reading
The Christian Life Means More Than Minimum Code
I have talked about Mike Holmes from the HGTV series Holmes on Homes in sermons before. Mike is a burley man who is most often seen in a pair of simple overalls. His exterior image is very different from what you find out about him by watching the show, for he is in fact a caring and almost soft-hearted individual. The premise of the show is that he goes into homes of people that have experienced either poor building practices or unscrupulous renovation contractors. Continue reading
Maundy Thursday- Christ Shows Us How to Be Servant
<x.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/communion.jpg” alt=”” width=”200″ height=”104″ />Tonight we remember the events of the upper room. Jesus displays his love and care for his disciples in physical ways. First Jesus humbles himself before the disciples by washing their feet. Then he gives them a new way to spiritually connect with him through the Communion meal. Jesus reminds us that it is in service we find the truest expression of God’s love. Washing and serving at table. How do we take up this call to servanthood? Reflect on this question as you view this video from Worshiphouse.com and join us tonight at 7:30 for our Maundy Thursday Worship Service.
Palm Sunday… A time for us to prepare our hearts for the AGONY of His passion and the JOY of His Resurrection
What is Easter? A video reflection
Check out this brief video reflection on Holy Week and Easter I created as a way of sharing a few thoughts on each day of Holy Week including Easter.
Five Reasons Why I Observe Lent
Today begins the liturgical season of Lent and I am looking forward to gathering with our congregation for our annual Ash Wednesday Bread and Soup Simple Meal and Prayer Service. Earlier this month, I posted on the presbytery Facebook group a question about what other churches did for Ash Wednesday. Many of the responses were similar to our activity and those that responded practiced the imposition of ashes. That is except for one retired minister member of presbytery who said simply this, “Observance of church seasons, and imposition of ashes, is a Roman custom and NOT Reformed…” I was taken aback by this blunt and, in many ways dismissive, comment. Another pastor commented back on this statement with this, “…that is true. Do you think that it should remain true? While Ash Wednesday was never observed in my church growing up, when I have led services as a pastor, I have found that people are profoundly moved by the imposition.” This conversation, while a bit annoying, also has helped me ask the question, “Why do we do what we do and what benefit is there in the “customs” we both have experienced and haven’t yet? So here are my five reasons why I observe the liturgical seasons and Lent in particular:
Stewardship Emphasis and Renewing Our Commitment
This past Sunday at Christ Presbyterian Church we began our Stewardship emphasis. Each year we set aside time in worship to focus ourselves on the reality of our stewardship and in pa
rticular our financial stewardship. This year our theme verse for our emphasis is Matthew 13:31-32, the Parable of the Mustard Seed. In the next few days you will receive a mailing with more information on the specifics of our Stewardship emphasis and our Commitment Sunday which will be held on November 13, 2011.
In future Tidbits and sermons I will speak more in depth about the stewardship implications of the theme verse. This week I would like to talk about two words that have appeared in this article multiple times. Why do we say “emphasis” and “commitment,” instead of “campaign” and “pledge.” Continue reading