Living on Mission as Subjects of the Kingdom of Relentless Love

Living on Mission as Subjects of the Kingdom of Relentless Love

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” (Matthew 5: 42-48 MSG)

In order to live out the instructions in our passage this week, we need to look at the way our Father operates. The way He operates can be summed up in one word: love.

The love of God is not a passive, come-and-get-it-if-you-feel-like-it kind of love. In fact, it could be described as aggressive. God pursues us – relentlessly! Think of the story Jesus told about the shepherd leaving 99 sheep to seek one that had gotten lost. Think of the father running to meet the prodigal son. Think of Jesus going out of His way to encounter the woman at the well. Think of Jesus coming in flesh and blood to save us all.

This is how WE can love! We can love those who are nice and those who are nasty. We can adopt the unwanted into our family. We can welcome the stranger. We can accept the unclean. We can embrace the wayward and confused. We can do these things because our Father does them. He has empowered us to do this by His Spirit. He has planted this love in our hearts.

Let’s practice Living on Mission and follow His example: living and loving relentlessly as subjects of His Kingdom.

Pastor Angela

PREPARE FOR IT! - MOUNTAIN5 - Matthew 5: 43-48, Leviticus 19: 18; Matthew 22: 34-40; Luke 10: 27; Galatians 5: 14; Romans 12: 19; 13: 9; James 2: 8

Here are scripture passages to review today in preparation for tomorrow's sermon.

Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be childrenof your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Leviticus 19:18(NIV)
18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV)
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Luke 10:27 (NIV)
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Romans 12:19 (NIV)
19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Romans 13:9 (NIV)
9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

James 2:8 (NIV)
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.

PRAY IT! Mountain5

 Matthew 5:43-48  
^43-47 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
⁴⁸ “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” (MSG)

Said another way, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Last week, Jesus gave examples to the crowd of situations in which they were to "turn the other cheek".  This week, it is almost as if Jesus preemptively squelches any excuses or "yeah, but's" from the crowd.  It's difficult to approach Jesus with a "yeah, but" in this case when talks about how sinners even love those who love them...
Just as in every other portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is calling his followers to (wait for it... wait for it...) be different.  Way different.  Gasp!  No, at this point we should not be surprised. 

Rubber, meet road.  No excuses.  Jesus reminds us who we are, and what we are supposed to do as His children.  Enough listening.  By now, "we've heard it said" until the cows come home.  ;)  Now... we must act.  We must put that love into practice and live it out. 

Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 

Dear Jesus,
You have called me to be different.  You have called me to love like you love.  You have called me to assume a posture of love toward everyone.  Please help me identify those in my life I consciously and/or unconsciously think of as "my enemy"... maybe it's a person... maybe it's a group... maybe it's a whole country.  Please help me to pray for them with a sincere heart and help my eyes to see them as my neighbor.  Please help my response to be love as you modeled it. 
Amen.

Please continue to join us as we Seek God for the City - 2015.  Today we are praying in unity for agricultural workers, for Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, and for God to overcome spiritual death.  Let's pray for continued revival.

Challenge:  look up a country you are not familiar with.  It's easier to pray for someone when you familiarize yourself with them a little.

Pastor Celia

READ IT! - MOUNTAIN5 - Matthew 5: 43-48, Leviticus 19: 18; Matthew 22: 34-40; Luke 10: 27; Galatians 5: 14; Romans 12: 19; 13: 9; James 2: 8

Here are scripture passages to study this week to help us prepare for the next lesson from the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be childrenof your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Leviticus 19:18(NIV)
18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV)
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Luke 10:27 (NIV)
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Romans 12:19 (NIV)
19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Romans 13:9 (NIV)
9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

James 2:8 (NIV)
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.

PREPARE FOR IT! - MOUNTAIN5 - Matthew 5: 38-42, Exodus 21: 23-25; Leviticus 24: 19-20; Deuteronomy 19: 21; Obadiah 15; Mark 8: 34 – 9: 1, Matthew 26: 67

Here are scripture passages to review today in preparation for tomorrow's sermon.

Matthew 5:38-42 (NIV)
Eye for Eye
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Exodus 21:23-25 (NIV)
23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth,hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.


Leviticus 24:19-20 (NIV)
19 Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury.

Deuteronomy 19:21 (NIV)
21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Obadiah 1:15 (NIV)
15 “The day of the Lord is near
for all nations.
As you have done, it will be done to you;
your deeds will return upon your own head.

Mark 8:34-9:1 (NIV)
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

Matthew 26:67 (NIV)
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him

Living on Mission in the Kingdom of the Other Cheek

Living on Mission in the Kingdom of the Other Cheek

What a different Kingdom Jesus shows us! In our scripture this week (Matthew 5:38-42,) He showed us it is possible to live our lives according to a different set of rules. The ways of His Kingdom go against our nature, our traditions, and sometimes our preferences. Let’s take a quick look at the differences.

Our kingdoms look like this:

·      Retaliation

·      Justice

·      Revenge

·      Prosecution

·      Fairness

·      Retribution

·      Conflict

·      Confrontation

His Kingdom looks like this:

·      Love

·      Mercy

·      Empathy

·      Cooperation

·      Forgiveness

·      Redemption

·      Grace

·      Compassion

The focus of His Kingdom is love. The response of love is very different from our natural response and from the typical worldly response.  Instead of retaliation, there is forgiveness. Instead of justice, there is mercy. Instead of confrontation there is cooperation. Where we might like to strike back, in His Kingdom we turn the other cheek.

Jesus modeled this behavior during His earthly life.  Remember in the garden when they came to arrest Jesus and Peter whipped out a sword to defend Him? Jesus scolded Peter and healed the perpetrator. Remember the time first preached in His hometown and the response of the crowd was to throw Him off a cliff? Instead of standing up for His rights, protecting His reputation and pointing out the extraordinary error of their ways, He simply walked away. When He was subjected to a sham of a trial, He didn’t appeal to the Roman authorities or to His Father who could have saved Him from a torturous death. He immediately forgave. He immediately turned the other cheek.

Why and how would He do this?

Love was the driving factor behind every action. Love was bigger than His perceived reputation. Love was stronger than the pain and injuries. Love drove Him to give His life to save others.

His ways are certainly not our ways, but if we lean into the Spirit and ask daily to become more like Him, we CAN follow His ways.

Let’s practice Living on Mission and join Him in the Kingdom of the Other Cheek.

Pastor Angela

PRAY IT! Mountain5

Payback, retaliation, and revenge, oh my!  As we continue on in our Mountain5 sermon series, we look at this week's passage found in Matthew 5:38-42.  Here again, Jesus is calling his followers to be different... waaaaay different! 

Common sense dictates that if society operated on this eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth system, we would all eventually be running around eyeless and toothless.  (Not so good for the ophthalmologists and dentists of this world...!)  That's dumb, and a ridiculous sight to imagine, but frankly, per Jesus, so is retaliation.  It's a vicious cycle that just keeps on perpetuating more ick.  It is not how Jesus chose to respond when faced with mockery, physical abuse, and ultimately crucifixion.  As his followers, it is not how we are to respond, either.

How are we to respond, and pray, in light of this passage?  I'm going to skip ahead to next week.  The answer is made clear in Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you".

Our response is love.  Our response is prayer. 

That is what our response should be.

But... (insert your own but here!)

There's really not room for our objection in this passage.  With the help of Jesus, who modeled unbelievable grace and mercy for us, we are to respond with love and prayer, rather than with retaliation and revenge.  No buts.

In Acts 1:14, (after Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension) we read about how the disciples were gathered together, praying.  "All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers." 

Mary had just lost her son (yes, bigger picture, we gained a Savior, but still, she lost her son) yet even Mary was there, with the disciples, praying. 

Wow.

If Mary can do it, so can we.

If Jesus can do it, while on the cross, so can we.

It's easiest to think of the people that hurt us and wrong us as our enemy.  As evil.  As deserving of whatever it is that is coming to them.  Yet what if we chose to first and foremost see everyone as a child of God, whether they knew that is who they were or not?  Do we really want to seek revenge on a hurting child of God?  On God's creation?  It is easier to pray for those who have hurt us rather than respond with retaliation when we view them with God's eyes rather than our own. 

We shouldn't be surprised that hurting people hurt people.  God can grow in us a compassion that can lead us to respond with a heart like Jesus - where we earnestly pray for them.  Revenge will just leave them with a few less teeth..and looking to take out a few more teeth from whomever along the way. But prayer and the power of God can bring them to a point of transformation that stops the cycle of ick and starts more love and more prayer. 

Dear Jesus,
Please help us respond like you when we get hurt and desire retaliation.  Please help our response be graceful - and to be one of love and prayer.  Please help grow our compassion so that we see everyone as a child of God (some lost, some found).  Please draw everyone closer to you and continue to transform us all.  We need you. 
Amen.

Remember to keep praying as together we Seek God for the City - 2015!  Today we are praying for university students, for Puerto Rico (ah, the land of Pastor Todd's birth!), Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and for God to renew our hearts to obey Him. 

Pastor Celia

READ IT! - MOUNTAIN5 - Matthew 5: 38-42, Exodus 21: 23-25; Leviticus 24: 19-20; Deuteronomy 19: 21; Obadiah 15; Mark 8: 34 – 9: 1, Matthew 26: 67

Matthew 5:38-42 (NIV)Eye for Eye

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Exodus 21:23-25 (NIV)
23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth,hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.


Leviticus 24:19-20 (NIV)
19 Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury.

Deuteronomy 19:21 (NIV)
21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Obadiah 1:15 (NIV)
15 “The day of the Lord is near
for all nations.
As you have done, it will be done to you;
your deeds will return upon your own head.

Mark 8:34-9:1 (NIV)
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

Matthew 26:67 (NIV)
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him

PREPARE FOR IT! - MOUNTAIN5 - Matthew 5: 33-37, Exodus 20: 7; Leviticus 19: 12; Numbers 30: 3-15; Deuteronomy 23: 21-22; Matthew 23: 16-22; James 5: 12

Here are scripture passages to review today in preparation for tomorrow's sermon.
Matthew 5:33-37 (NIV)Oaths

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath,but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Exodus 20:7 (NIV)
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.


Leviticus 19:12 (NIV)
12 “‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

Numbers 30:3-15NIV)
3 “When a young woman still living in her father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge 4 and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. 5 But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her.

6 “If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself 7 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 8 But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the Lord will release her.

9 “Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.

10 “If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath 11 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 12 But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the Lord will release her. 13 Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. 15 If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he must bear the consequences of her wrongdoing.”

Deuteronomy 23:21-22 (NIV)
21 If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. 22 But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty.

Matthew 23:16-22 (NIV)
16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

James 5:12 (NIV)
12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

Living on Mission and Doing What We Say We’ll Do

Living on Mission and Doing What We Say We’ll Do

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:33-37 ESV)

Jews in the time of Jesus really knew how to zoom in on the details of keeping rules. It seems like they were all about the tiniest details of everything from tithing their spices to determining exactly what has to be said in order to make what you say legally binding. That’s some crazy details!

It’s good to pay attention to the little things, but let’s zoom out for a minute. What about the big things? Do we do what we say we’ll do in the big things, too?

At some point, most of us said, “Yes, Jesus, I’ll follow you.” We said we would obey Him and He said, “You shall love the lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” and, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Have we followed Him? Have we loved Him? Have we loved others? According to the scriptures, He doesn’t want us to give offerings or to fast or to if try to follow all the rules if we aren’t giving Him our whole heart. “I don’t want your sacrifices—I want your love; I don’t want your offerings—I want you to know me.” (Hosea 6:6 TLB)

Jesus clearly calls us to be people who do what we say we’ll do. Let’s practice Living on Mission and do just that, in big things and in small things.

Pastor Angela

PRAY IT! Mountain5

Matthew 5:33-37:  "And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong."  (MSG)

Jesus wants utter honesty from his followers.  Can you imagine the impact it would have on our world today if the action's of the people of God were of such high integrity - that what we said and what we followed through with matched up with each other?  I'd venture to guess we would have a pretty awesome impact here on earth for Jesus.  Our actions would turn a few heads, and hopefully toward Jesus!

You see, it's very easy to look around and find "un-truth" - a few seconds of a reality TV show... a few minutes gathered around the water cooler at work... there's probably some of it to be found in the news or politics as well...

Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is calling his followers to be different.  Not just a little bit different, but strikingly so.  This is what is noticeable.  This is what is impactful.  And Jesus did come to make a noticeable impact, did he not?

Jesus' honesty is attractive.  So too, is the honesty and integrity of his followers.  Jesus' high call (it's not always easy to let our yes be a yes and no be a no...) requires his presence and power. 

PoC, as we pray today, let us ask for Jesus' help.  We cannot do it without him.  And why would we even want to try?

Dear Jesus,
Please help us be honest and truthful in word and deed.  We need you and we love you.  We want to make a noticeable impact that ultimately assists in helping draw others closer to you rather than turning them away. 
Amen.

Remember to join our all-church campaign as we Seek God for the City - 2015!  Today, we are praying for marriages, for Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, and Brazil, as well as for humility to replace our pride and complacency.

Blessings,
Pastor Celia