WORD for the Week for September 29, 2019
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
A 6-week worship series: Passion & Practice
Week 4
PASSION & PRACTICE: THE HEART OF METHODISM

You are invited to explore the distinctive heritage of Methodism, which remains passionately relevant for 21st-century followers of Christ who are committed to transforming the world.

Throughout the series, discover how Methodism calls you to use your mind and your heart to pursue holiness and renew your spiritual passion through acts of mercy, compassion and love.

The resource book for the series is Adam Hamilton's, Revival: Faith As Wesley Lived It. You can find the companion video series on YouTube .
COME AND WORSHIP
Sabbath Beginnings – Sacred Journey – Traditional Worship
WORD for Sabbath Beginnings 8am

Worship Leader: Rev. Dwight Haberman

Holy Communion : Last week it was Faith. This week it is Grace. Faith is our part. Faith is our trust in God, our decision to open our lives to the will of God. Grace is God’s part. It is God’s response of entering our lives as the Holy Spirit. The Spirit seeks to guide us in the way God desires. The Grace part is that this gift of the presence of God is freely given. We cannot earn it. All we can do is accept it. That is Grace. And it never quits. Two ways to try and understand it.

  1. The poet Ann Lamott’s explanation. "Grace means you’re in a different universe from where  you had been stuck, when you had absolutely no way to get there on your own."
  2. The absolute {LONG} connection of Faith and Grace in the now famous reflection by the monk Thomas Merton. “MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” - from "Thoughts in Solitude.
WORD for Sacred Journey 8:30am

The Story: Grace Base – Rev. Frenchye Magee

Reflection:   Frenchye shares The Story this week as we consider the meaning of grace and the role it plays in our spiritual journey. Our worship series,  Passion & Practice  looks at both sides of grace: God’s passion for complete wholeness and our work of sharing this message of healing with the world. Grace in all forms is amazing! Understanding it can change your life. Bring a friend or neighbor to share in the journey of discovery and delight. All are welcome!
WORD for Traditional Worship 10am

Sermon:   Grace Base – Rev. Frenchye Magee

Reflection: John Wesley’s comprehensive understanding and description of the concept of grace is one of the greatest gifts of the Methodist movement. Although Wesley was not formally a systematic theologian, his belief that God’s love for humanity is the source of complete spiritual reconciliation led him to the conclusion that true relationship with God requires nothing from us except our trusting, faithful ‘Yes’ to God’s invitation. For those whose lives may be stuck in a performance-based understanding of faith that places human effort at the center, the Wesleyan insistence that God doesn’t ask us to jump through hoops to please God or receive God’s love can be liberating. This week, we’ll look at how our lives are transformed through the gift of grace, and how that transformation can affect the world in which we live. Are you still living as a faith contortionist, twisting yourself into unrealistic spiritual positions that make you feel demoralized? Receive the gift of amazing grace and become the person God created you to be instead of a spiritual pretzel!

WORSHIP BULLETIN ARCHIVE

The Bible In Your Hands

You're invited to "dig deeper." Here are a handful of resources:

Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church resources:
Worship Bulletins  | online archive of HAUMC worship bulletins
Sermon Recordings  | HAUMC Sacred Journey and Traditional Worship sermon recordings
Devotional Ministry  | HAUMC seasonal daily devotional ministry

Scripture exegesis and commentary resources:
Bible Gateway  | the Bible in hundreds of translations (NRSV, CEB, The Message, etc.)
BibleHub  | parse out the original Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT)
Enter the Bible  | historical/cultural context for each book of the Bible from Luther Seminary
Oxford Biblical Studies  | historical/cultural context for each book of the Bible from Oxford
Working Preacher  | read and listen to lectionary commentary from Luther Seminary faculty

Art and Music resources:
Art in the Christian Tradition  | The Jean and Alexander Heard Divinity Library at Vanderbilt
Hymnary  | a resource for both modern and traditional worship music and hymns
Sing for Joy  | a worship music and hymn resource from St. Olaf College
WORD for the Week offers people an opportunity to prepare their hearts and minds for worship.
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WORD for the Week is a ministry of Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church.