Sunday Praise & Worship 10:00
Christian Education - 10:00 - Casual Dress - Loving Childcare
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Every Spring our Church Council gathers to pray about the direction God is leading our church in the coming year. We discern a theme statement and scripture foundation for this theme, and communicate it to the congregation as we begin to assess the gifts and talents God will provide us for the work of ministry in the coming year (which for us begins in July). The theme this year is Working Together with One Heart" which comes from the key verse today. Vicki and I take this theme with us as we engage in a week of planning for worship themes and scriptures for the year beginning in September, each summer (usually late June or early July). This July, we felt God leading us to focus throughout the year on a series of spiritual disciplines that define who we are and how we live together as Christians. Taken together, they will address the question: How do we work together with one heart? The spiritual disciplines are the heart and foundation of our unity in Christ. This Sunday (and the Thursday before) begin a journey we will take together for the coming year - not only in worship, but in all aspects of our life together as the Body of Christ at Skyline. Worship will be a significant aspect of that journey, but our worship gatherings will only be the catalyst - the tip of the ice burg - for the many ways the spiritual disciplines (individual and corporate) will unite us in Christ with one heart and purpose at Skyline. Each Sunday, we will celebrate the many ways God reaches out to us and gathers us all as we walk in the ancient and contemporary practices God's people have used to follow for millennia. As it happens, God has led us to focus on three primary practices linked to our theme: (1) Prayer/Working, (2) Scripture/Together, and (3) Worship/with One Heart. After focusing on each of these three foundational practices, we will explore two other practices that flow from them. Our experience of Prayer will lead us to experience the power of Community and Evangelism. Our Scripture focus will launch paths into the mysterious miracles of Sacrifice and Multiplication. Then from a foundation of Worship practice, we will renew our passion for Justice and Sabbath. So this Sunday presents a tall order. We are beginning an exciting year of renewal of our spiritual passion and unity in Christ. We are also beginning a journey into Prayer which will branch into Community and Evangelism - the "working" aspects of our theme this year. We are setting out on an exciting journey into the mystery of Prayer. Finally, we are focusing on Paul's word to the church in Philippi that has given us our theme for this year (and for this Sunday!): Working Together with One Heart. Whew! We will dive into Prayer more thoroughly beginning next week. For now, consider how you might be involved in this community journey. Paul asks some important rhetorical questions (although they may not be rhetorical) in Philippians 2:1. Our answers are supposed to be a joyful "Yes!" in every case. If you are not experiencing encouragement, comfort, or fellowship, however, perhaps God is calling you to agree, love and to wrok together with us in making this coming year one that will draw us all closer to God and each other as we work together with one heart. Questions for Reflection 1. What are the ways that you experience encouragement from belonging to Christ? What are the ways that you expect to receive encouragement or comfort from his love? How might your expectations be blocking you from experiencing the encouragement and comfort Christ is offering you at this moment? 2. As you read over Philippians 2:1-5 (and by all means read on through verse 11), what does this passage have to do with prayer (especially if we define prayer as the working power or energy of God in God's people)? Can you think of ways in which prayer is dependent on unity in the Body of Christ (as Skyline)? And what about verse 5 (what does attitude have to do with prayer power and our experience of comfort, encouragement and fellowship)? 3. Note the order in which Paul presents his request to the church in Philippi: (1) agree, (2) love, (3) work together. What does this order say about our ability to work (or to pray) together at Skyline? Note also the "if... then.." nature of verses 1-2. What does this formulation say about why we do and don't work together with one heart at Skyline? For next week: Please include Psalm 42:1-11 in your devotional reading this week, or perhaps together with a friend. The key verse is 42:2. Our theme is "Why Pray?" Why do you pray? Remember the Skyline online Forum—sign in and share your reflections. |
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Key Verse: Philippians 2:2
"Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one
another, and working together with one heart and purpose."