Sunday, December 29 - God is Near

Sunday, December 29

God is Near - God is Here 

John 1:1-14 (NLT) 

Personal Refection and Small Group Discussion Questions:

1. Reflect or share about your Christmas.  How does this Christmas compare with your other Christmas experiences?  
2. Reflect on the winters of your life.  If you are comfortable share about these winters experiences with others.  
3. Reflect on Kate Bowlers statement..."What if rich did not have to mean wealthy, and whole did not have to mean healed?  What if being people of 'the gospel' meant that we are simply people with good news?  God is here.  We are loved.  It is enough."  What do those words mean to you?
4. What season are you in right now?  

Sunday, November 24 - Being Thankful

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Colossians 

1:3-6 (NLT) 

Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.

If you listened to my sermon you know that I suggested either reading the Book of Colossians or watching a video about it.  Click here to go to the Bible Project webpage about the Book of Colossians.  As you scroll down on that page you will see the video.  Click on the video and enjoy a wonderful overview of the book.  

Now back to the content of the actual sermon.  Below are some question to think about on your own, with your family or your small group. 

1. Do you remember when you first understood the Good News of Jesus Christ?  How did this "Good News" change your life?  
2. What are some practical ways that you can share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others during Advent and Christmas? How can you love your neighbors?  
3. In the sermon I talked about Jen Hatmaker's book, 7 Days of Christmas: A Season of Generosity.  The sever ares were the kitchen, fashion, stuff, streaming, tossing, spending and stressing.  Which of these areas get a little of our control for you in your life?  How can you take them back during Advent and Christmas?  How can you be more generous with the world and with others in these areas?  

Sunday, September 22 - Dinner Church 2.0 - What's Your Label?

What's Your Label? 

Mark 2:13-17 (NLT)

13 Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.

15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”

17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

From the sermon..."We look at each other and put labels on each other…some labels are not meant to hurt…like seasonal resident or Villager…but sometimes when we give a label it does hurt…on the surface there is nothing harmful about the label…progressive or conservative.  But I have seen these labels used in the most hurtful ways…and then sometimes we give a label and we mean for it to hurt…there is no mistaking that when we call someone a failure what we mean by that…we also give ourselves labels…as an excuse for why we can’t do something but we hurt ourselves..."

1. What labels have you given others? Why did you give others those labels? 
2. What labels have other given you?  How did the labels make you feel?  Do you still carry these labels?  
3. What labels have you given yourself? Why did you give yourself these labels?  Do you still carry them?  

Jesus was all about and is all about helping people lose their labels and discover that the only label they need is "loved".  

1. What is one thing you can do today to help other people know they are love? 
2. What is something you can do to be more like Jesus?  To get out into the world?
3. Have you put the Pot Luck on your calendar yet?  

Friday, October 4 at 6 p.m. — Christian Life Center 

As we prepare to celebrate World Communion Sunday and our connection with people around the world, join us for a pot-luck dinner (bring a dish for sharing that serves 10 people), great fellowship, and a Mission & Outreach Fair. We will have information about our projects, along with inspiring stories about the difference God is making in people’s lives around the world through our Outreach & Mission. Bring a dish to share, an expectant heart, and don’t forget to bring a friend! For more information, contact Donna & Jonathan Baker at jonbaker@comcast.net.

Sunday, August 18 - Raise a Hallelujah

Raise a Hallelujah

Hebrews 11:29-12:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

1. What was your favorite Bible Story from your childhood?  Why was this story your favorite?  What does the story teach you about faith?
2. If you only every hear stories that have “happy endings” from the Bible how might this affect your view of God or your concept of faith?
3. Who is in your “great cloud of witnesses”?  Do you have a Ms. Joyce story you can tell your small group or a friend?  If so share that story.
4. In my sermon I talked about leaning into the Means of Grace (prayer, reading and studying scripture, gathering in small groups, worshiping, taking communion and serving), what can you do this week to lean into these practices?

Summer Study - It's a Wrap

Summer Study 2019 – It’s a Wrap!

Congratulations!  You made it! In a few days you will get an email inviting you to take a survey.  Please take the time to complete this survey.  We read every survey and take your comments seriously.  We use the results of the survey to improve our content and delivery. For example, in this study we added links to the scripture reading for the day and selected Ruth as one of the books we studied. 

Thank you for reading along, watching our videos and being patient with what we assume must have been many grammatical errors…sorry. J  Enjoy our last Summer Study video!  

Blessings, 

Jim and Kristyne 

Summer Study - Aug 3

The Last Words 

Greetings Everyone, if you are reading this then you have made it to the end!!!  Great job! 

If you know me at all, you know there are a couple of topics that I always return to as essential for the life of the disciple. One of these topics is that of living out our Christian life in the company of a small group! I have found that is it impossible to have success in my walk when I am isolated from other believers. Today, in this last passage of Colossians we are going to focus on this topic and hopefully see how important it is for us to immerse ourselves in a small community of love if we are going to live into the potential that God has for each of us.  Have fun in your study and great job on all of your work this summer!

Read: Colossians 4:10-18

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     In these final comments by Paul he lists out the names of several co-workers who are serving with him. How many people does Paul give who are with him? Take time to write out their names. 

2.    As Paul names his co-workers and gives their greetings to the church in Colossi, how does he describe them? Does he give evidence that he knows each one personally and with intimacy?

3.    Can you name four to six people in your life with whom you are intimate? List their names and write down a trait in each of them that blesses you.

Activity for the Day: If you were able to come up with your list of people you are close to, call each of them and thank them for being in your life. If you could not come up with a list, pray and ask God to build a small group of people around you with whom you can live out your faith openly and honestly.

Blessings, 

Jim

Summer Study - August 2

Full of Grace

Friday!  Second to last day of the study!  I am so glad we have all almost made it to the end.  Enjoy your reading and video for the day! 

Read: Colossians 4:2-9

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     How often do you spend time with people who do not attend church?  When you spend time with people who do not attend church, do they know you are a church attender?  

2.    Follow up question – If they know you are a church attender why do they know that?  If they don’t know you are why do they not know that?  

Activity for the Day:  Go out of you way to be kind and friendly to people you see in the coming week.  

Blessings, 

Kristyne

Summer Study - Aug 1

At Home

Good morning church,

Paul sometimes meddles with everything! JNot only does he give instructions for leaders, teachers, and apostles, but also he gives instructions for “Christian households.” I can’t help but sometimes feel offended J. Yet…. When I read today’s passage I can see Paul’s intention is to steer to our higher calling. We are to reflect Christ at church and wherever we go: at work, at play AND at home. Paul gives advice to father, children, wives, husbands, salves (current: workers), etc. Paul calls us to do everything as unto the Lord! So, I encourage you to read this passage with new eyes, thinking and pondering of what it means for us today.

Read: Colossians 3:18-4:1

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     If Paul were writing in our current day: who do you think would be the ones listed as members of the household?

2.    Vs. 23 says, “Work willingly at whatever you do…” What do you do today? If you are not involved, what could you willingly do to serve? Find out what are opportunities that you can serve your community willingly.

Activity for the Day:  Identify what role you play in your family: husband, wife, mother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, etc. If you live alone, you are still: neighbor, friend, golfer, volunteer, etc. Once you have found one role, think of how you can adjust that role and living out that role as one in service to Christ. Be Specific!

Blessings, 

Loida 

Summer Study - July 31

How will the world know us? 

It is the last day of July, only a few more days left of our Summer Study.  I sure do hope you have enjoyed the reading and videos.  I especially love todays reading because the imagery is wonderful.  

Read: Colossians 3:12-17

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     Which one of these traits do you find it easiest to clothe yourself in?  How can you grow in some of the other traits?  

2.    Love and peace seem to be the most important traits of all, why do you think this is true?  How do you grow in peace?  How do you grow in love of others?  

Activity for the Day:  Make it a goal for these to be the clothes that you put on each day when you leave the house. Make an index card to place on your door to the garage.  It can say… “Remember to be tender-hearted, kind, humble, meek, ready to put up with anything, be ready to bear with one another and forgive.  Remember to let peace be the deciding factor.”

Blessings, 

Kristyne

Summer Study - July 30

Old and New

Greetings to you all.

I hope you are having a great start of your week and that your devotional times are going well. I love todays passage because Paul does not mince words, he just lays it out for us. If you are going to follow Christ, then things have to change! 

As you prepare to read the passage today and watch the video ask God to give you an open heart to hear Paul’s words and to examine your life.

Read: Colossians 3:5-11

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     As you read through the list of sins from verses 5 and 8, do you see anything that you still struggle with in your life? What does Paul call you to do with these sins?  

2.    What does it mean to put on our new nature? Who is invited into this new way of living?

Activity for the Day: This Sunday we will be celebrating the remembrance of our baptisms. As we prepare for this service take some time to journal what it means to be baptized with Christ and what it will take to putt to death the sins that continue to plague you.    

Blessings, 

Jim