Jason N DeMarco, a contemporary Christian duo from Houston, was our special guest for our 17th anniversary. A concert was held Saturday, Aug. 21, launching our $150,000 capital campaign week-long celebration. Our leaders are already making pledges! Pledge Cards are available from Pastor Andy and should be given, when completed, to Chuck Fagg, treasurer. For more information on Jason N DeMarco, visit http://www.jasonanddemarco.com/ .

Mission statement:

We believe that we exist to share a sanctuary of love, warmth and laughter for all people. We recognize that God loves all of creation, including most definitely this growing community. We praise God for the ways in which the Spirit is moving within our midst.

In our worship:

We are an inclusive community, a family of faith, which through prayer, song, the sacraments and liturgy seeks to feel closer to God, to praise God, to give thanks to God, and to seek forgiveness from God in order to grow in discipleship.

In our Care Circles:

We seek to develop a community of people with a mature Christian faith; meaning a faith which leads us to care for others, that opens our hearts to service, an evolving faith that is the product of critical thinking and questioning. Our Care Circles are for all ages and are conducted in places inside the church and out.

In our Missions

We seek to share the excitement of our Christian faith without judging others. In our missions, we seek to take our faith and beliefs from the inside out, and know that our missions require that we must also bring the outside in. We take Christ's admonition-to go forth and share the good news-as our own, which we strive to do in word and deed both locally and globally

Sacred Readings:

Hebrews 13:1-8,15-16

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.
Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." So we can say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?"
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

 

 

Luke 14:1, 7-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.
"When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, 'Give this person your place', and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.
“But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."