Hello everybody. It is my prayerful hope that you and your families are doing ok and staying safe. What a joy it is to witness the Holy Spirit at work within our congregation and staff as we help each other get through this unbelievable time in human history. So many of you are doing some amazing things to reach out to each other, our church, and the community. You are incredible and I am so proud to be your pastor.
This Sunday we begin the next series of our year long Confirmation Class. As we take a look at The Apostles' Creed for the next few weeks we are getting at the core of our Christian beliefs. There is nothing more basic and fundamental to Christianity than what we say every week in The Apostles' Creed. I can honestly say that it never hurts anybody to dissect each part of the creed and put it under a magnifying glass to study. When was the last time you studied The Apostles' Creed? My guess is that most of us don't want to answer this question.
This Sunday we will begin with an introduction entitled, "I Believe." The scripture passage is II Timothy 1: 12, which says, " I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him."
For all of our present 5th and 6th graders who are going through Confirmation Class in late Summer and Fall (and their families) this sermon series, as well as the next one on the Lord's Prayer, are very important. So many Confirmation Studies and Books are very cheesy and tend to entertain more than teach. There is nothing that John, Randa, Katherine, Natalie, your Sunday school teachers, and I could teach that does not come from The Apostles' Creed and The Lord's Prayer. We want each of you to get a notebook or composition book by April 26. If you need me to pick one up for you please let me know. Each week, whether on Sunday or another day, spend some time as a household watching the sermon. I will tell you what to title the page. After you have watched and listened to the message write some reflections down on what that part of the Creed means to you. When we are able to gather in person I look forward to reading your comments. Yes, I will be looking for your notebooks.
Congregation: you ought to be doing the same as well. There will be a time after the series where we will meet either by Zoom or in person for questions and answers.
Take care everybody!! If you have/are a secret prayer partner, keep on praying and sending notes and cards. Let's all keep on praying for everybody throughout the whole world!! Many prayers and blessings!!
