Sermon: “Breaking Bread With Our Enemies”

Theme: Mature Christians grow stronger and wiser through making peace where there has been conflict and grow in forgiveness through practicing love which heals conflict.

Purpose: The congregation will commit to practicing forgiveness and forgiving those with whom they have been in conflict.

Scriptures: Matthew 5:39-48 – Do not resist evil, Romans 12:17-21 Overcome evil with good. Psalm 23:4-5 The Lord prepares a table before us with our enemies.

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Sermon: “Being a Merciful Neighbor”
Theme: Relationship with neighbors are a spiritual practice of openness and acceptance while continuing to be concerned and supportive of those who are near us.
Purpose: The congregation will link their prayers and faith with how they treat the people they see every day.
Scriptures: Romans 15:1-7 Welcome your neighbor, bear with their weakness.
Luke 10:25-37 – who is my neighbor, the story of the Samaritan.

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Commission Mission Team
Sermon: “Respect and Appreciation for Those Closest to Us”
Theme: The discipline of healthy respect grows our ability to be healthy in our family relationships as we grow and change through the years.
Purpose: The congregation will affirm the disciplines of respect and hospitality rather than taking family for granted.
Scriptures: Ephesians 5:21, 6:1-9 Children obey parents, powerful care for less powerful.
Matthew 18:1-6 “Who is the greatest?” Jesus says to welcome the child.

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Sermon: “As You Love Yourself”
Theme: We develop a relationship of love and compassion for others that flows from our intimate knowledge of God.
Purpose The congregation will link self-care with caring for others and be strengthened in their relationship with God.
Scriptures: Mark 12:28-34 Love the Lord your God, love your neighbor as yourself.
Galatians 5:13-18 You were called to the freedom of living with love for your neighbor.
Questions:
What does it mean to practice hospitality to ourselves? Is it selfish to provide space for our own needs and health? When we talk about loving “Our neighbor as ourselves” what does loving our self require? How do we know when we are being honest about caring for ourselves and when we are being selfish? What does healthy hospitality for ourselves require? What is the result of providing healthy space and care for ourselves?

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Sermon: “Opening the Door to God”

Theme: Setting aside traditions and religious practices we focus on the relationship that God is asking to have with us.

Purpose: The congregation will recommit themselves to a relationship which welcomes God’s love and presence in their lives.

Scriptures: Revelation 3:17-22 I stand at the door and knock, God’s discipline is to love.
John 6:41-58 I am the bread of life, receiving Christ.

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May 25th was our “Graduation Sunday” service, honoring our graduates.

Message “Gaining a Wise Heart” by Pastor Paul Zoschke.

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Sermon: “What to Keep, What to Toss?”
Theme: Faithfully we will not put anything in place of our relationship with Jesus as we grow in Christ.
Purpose: The congregation will become sensitive to the things that they substitute for faithfulness to Jesus and distractions that keep them from following Christ.
Scriptures: 1 Peter 2:2-10 Long for the Spiritual milk, and the “Stone that was rejected.”
John 14:1-14 Jesus says: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”

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At the 10:30 service we will have the Children’s Musical:  “Sticky Notes and Bible Quotes.”  Also, at that service we will dedicate the Cross that has been placed on top of the sanctuary in appreciation of Ward and Marie Laiten.

At the 8:00 Service:

Sermon: “Resurrection Relationships”
Theme: Resurrection relationships are generous, compassionate, and founded upon forgiveness. If we are going to experience the fullness of the resurrection it is going to be mean putting Christ’s instruction above our own worries and concerns.
Purpose: The congregation will experience a call to rededicate their lives to putting faithfulness to Christ above all other competing concerns.
Scriptures: John 10:1-10 Entering by the gate, responding to the voice.
Acts 2:42-47 The life of the church.

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Communion will be served by Intinction.
Mission Moment: Compassion Sunday
Are we living in the resurrection or living as if the resurrection never happened – moving into a life that has experienced resurrection?

Sermon: “So What Should We Do?
Theme: The resurrection calls us to live as those born to eternal life, which is going to mean having to be open to changes in how we see our lives.
Purpose: The congregation will become aware of their expectations of death and instead begin to be open to replacing those expectations with God’s grace and presence.

Scriptures:  Luke 24:13-35 The Road to Emmaus
Acts 2:14, 36-41 Peter proclaims the gospel

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Sermon: “What a Difference That Day Makes”
Theme: If we will embrace and live in the joy of the resurrection we become confident of God’s steadfast love filling all of the days of our lives.
Scriptures:  John 20:1-18 John tells of the resurrection.
Colossians 3:1-4 If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above.

Questions:
What is meant by “If you have been raised with Christ?” Are we raised with Christ by believing in him? What is the difference between believing in the resurrection and not believing in the resurrection? Do we have to believe the resurrection is a “scientific fact” in order to know Christ’s love? What is the gift of God’s love that is so great that it cannot be defeated by death? Can we affirm with Mary, “We have seen the lord!”?

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Sermon: “The Courage to Be Christ Like”
Theme: God calls us to practice a self-sacrificing, Christ like love that brings us closer to God as we are part
of healing and renewing the world.
Scriptures: Matthew 6:1, 5-15 Do not practice your spirituality for others.
Philippians 2:1-13 Christ submitted and emptied himself, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Questions: What does it mean to be “Christ like?” What is the difference between being religious and being
spiritual? What happens when you have religion that is empty of spirit? What happens when we participate
with Christ in making sacrifices for others? How are we affected by giving of ourselves and practicing Christ
like love for the world? Where do we find the courage to be like Christ? How do we offer the sacrifice of our
heart and our commitment to Christ?

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