To my very dear Church Family,
I’ll give you a sneak preview of the plan for this Sunday when we converge at 10885 N. Stelling. Dave Ruder has taken great care to plan the gathering for the first service. (I’m sure Daniel K. has a rich and thoughtful service for us for the second hour.) Dave’s cue sheet is a thing of beauty. You can’t see the formatting like I can (e.g., main service sections in bold face and caps, song titles in italics, other elements underlined, etc.) but you’ll feel the effect of his reverent attention to detail as you’re caught up in the act of celebrating God.
Let me flip through this order of service: OK…Doug V. will honor God by reading the Word to us; Del C. will make beautiful sounds emerge from the organ; Dave W. will skillfully strike the piano keys; Mark C. will greet us at the door and give us a bulletin (Ps. 84:10); Kurt J. will introduce and interview a significant spiritual leader. (I’ll leave you in suspense regarding the interviewee.) And look, YOU have an important part. I see it right here. Dave wrote: (Congregation sings):
“The night becomes as day when from the heart we say:/May Jesus Christ be praised!/The powers of darkness fear when this sweet chant they hear:/May Jesus Christ be praised!/Let all the earth around ring joyous with the sound:/May Jesus Christ be praised!/In heaven’s eternal bliss the loveliest strain is this:/May Jesus Christ be praised!/Be this, while life is mine, my canticle divine:/May Jesus Christ be praised!/Sing the eternal song through all the ages long:/May Jesus Christ be praised.”
So be sure you come; don’t miss your significant role in the gathering. And you might want to practice so you can really sing out!
I have to run. I’m going to a DISCIPLE Group in just 2 minutes here on the campus. By the way, if you’re not a member of a smaller cohort of believers, please come by the D.I.S.C.I.P.L.E. Groups table on the patio and my friend and alter ego Steve Noble will help you. (Look for the tent and banner with D.I.S.C.I.P.L.E. Groups/”Joy-Driven Journey/Matt. 13:44 on it.)
As you know, this Sunday is the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11. Our sermon theme for this last week in our “Living for Christ in a Toxic Culture” relates to the complex issue of war and force. After much prayer and theological reflection, here’s my thesis: Following Jesus should affect whether and how we fight wars.
For our just and merciful God,
Darren