July 18th Virtual Worship
Music Ministry Team: Kristin Petty, Dwight Huntley, Matthew Leone, Rene Vazquez, Jenna Crafts
Worship Team: Sarah Haas, Marc Hayden
Technology Team: Michael Kendall, Mark Raker, Jerry Weissinger
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Key Notes from the reading & sermon:
This We Believe: God Calls
Elisha and the Widow’s Oil - Now the wife of a member of the company of prophets[a] cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead; and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but a creditor has come to take my two children as slaves.” 2 Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house, except a jar of oil.” 3 He said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not just a few. 4 Then go in, and shut the door behind you and your children, and start pouring into all these vessels; when each is full, set it aside.” 5 So she left him and shut the door behind her and her children; they kept bringing vessels to her, and she kept pouring. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” But he said to her, “There are no more.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your children can live on the rest
Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men - 42 A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.” 43 But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” So he repeated, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” 44 He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.
[Reading above - Romans 16: 25-27]
At the heart of Paul’s Letter to the disciples in Rome and the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith is praise to God. Likewise, at the heart of Christ’s disciples, despite life’s circumstances, is praise to God.
Questions for Reflection:
Where do you find commonalities in these two stories? Where do you find differences?
How would you describe what happens?
What catches your attention in these stories?
Does anything inspire you?
Activity Ideas:
Take time to dream and imagine this week – what is a challenge you face? What is a hope?
Give yourself some space to pray in a new or different way or place – sit or move in a new place, color as you pray, sing your prayer, invite someone to pray with you
Try to experience something familiar from new or different perspectives
Spend some time in quiet or with others outdoors or looking outdoors and give thanks for the earth and all the people and creatures who have nourished and taken care of the lands, waters, and air.
Continue to meditate and pray on Romans 12:9-18 as Pastor Marc guided us to do a few weeks ago. Please be in touch if you have questions or want to talk about your experience of the spiritual practice.
Come and visit with the young adults who have planned and leading the 4 Maternal Health Event on Sunday, July 25 between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and/or come to the virtual program at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27th
Share a story of God’s provisions