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SEE ALL THE PEOPLE SERMON SERIES
SUNDAY'S BEGINNING February 10 9am Gray Summit — 10:30am Union
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LENT 2019:
WITH ALL YOUR HEART
SERIES OVERVIEW
In this season of formation and preparation, we again approach the 40 days of Lent from a variety of different perspectives and points along the Christian journey. During this season, new and longtime Christians alike hear the call to return to God with all their hearts, thus entering a season historically characterized by much prayer and fasting. These works of discipline have for hundreds of years served as a means by which new converts prepare for baptism, which occurs as a part of the Easter Vigil. Using the words of Wesleyan theology, we believe all this work is initiated by God, who invites us to come before God with all our hearts.
Because of the duration of the season, this series mirrors Advent in both length and the number of Scriptures chosen this year. With the exception of Palm/Passion Sunday and Easter Day, we have selected the Old Testament and Epistle readings. These passages work hand-in-hand to clearly articulate the distinct pathway that begins with God’s call (Ash Wednesday and Lent 1) and continues through the process of our own repentance (Lent 2 and 3), reconciliation with God and one another (Lent 4 and 5), and preparation to publicly proclaim our belief in the risen Christ (Palm/Passion and Easter). Every year, then, this season becomes a place for us to revisit and renew our beginnings along the Christian journey of salvation.
When approaching Palm/Passion Sunday and Easter Day, we have presented more readings, understanding that across the church, the proclamation of the gospel narratives that tell the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, passion, and resurrection are vital to worship and discipleship. The incorporation of Easter Day into this series creates a departure from the form of previous years of resourcing. You will notice that Easter Day serves as a hinge point between the seasons of Lent and Easter, and the Scriptures and resources for that day connect both seasons as formation and doctrine come together in one narrative stream.
May your Lenten season be one of challenge, commitment, and support as the church responds to the call of God – “Return to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12).
Week 3: Third Sunday in Lent March 24
Repenting
Isaiah 55:1-9
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Week 4: Fourth Sunday in Lent March 31
Coming Together
Joshua 5:9-12
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Week 5: Fifth Sunday in Lent April 7
Making a New Thing
Isaiah 43:16-21
Philippians 3:4b-14
Week 6: Palm/Passion Sunday April 14
TBA
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 19:28-40
Good Friday Worship April 19 at 8pm
TBA
Week 7: Easter Day April 21
Believing
Acts 10:34-43
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
John 20:1-18
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LIVING SERMON SERIES
SUNDAY'S BEGINNING APRIL 21st 9am Gray Summit — 10:30am Union
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EASTER 2019:
LIVING
SERIES OVERVIEW
Easter is more than just a day. It is a 50-day season that marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the ways we live into that reality, just as his disciples did. The season of Easter has long been a time when newcomers to Christianity and those already on the Christian journey revisit the foundations of the faith. In other words, this is a time when people examine basic doctrines, providing, as Laurence Hull Stookey writes, “a time for both discovery and reconsideration.”[1] As a result, our resources will culminate in two four-week series—“Living” and “Loving”—that will focus upon the gospel narratives and ways to integrate these doctrinal pieces into daily Christian living.
This first series begins with Easter Day, which serves as the hinge point between the Lenten and Easter series. All of the Scriptures are included for this day, but the Scripture passages for the following Sundays are all contained in the Gospel of John. The narratives are post-resurrection accounts (Week 2: Jesus and Thomas; Week 3: Breakfast with the disciples), with the exception of Week 4, in which we observe what is often referred to as “Good Shepherd” Sunday.
One possible thread to examine is determining how all these actions merge into the greater action of living as a witness of the risen Christ. How do believing, following, and listening intersect to form a way of discipleship in which we confidently share the good news of resurrection? Resurrection is a daily reality, and we live as those marked by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. According to the pattern in the lectionary, we encounter a unique process, which, interestingly enough, might be the opposite of the way we often consider our faith:
Step 1: Believe (Two Sundays are centered on believing!)
Step 2: Follow
Step 3: Listen
Week 1: Easter Day April 21
"Believing"
Acts 10:34-43
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
John 20:1-18
Week 2: Second Sunday of Easte April 28
“Believe in Me”
John 20:19-31
Week 3: Third Sunday of Easter May 5
“Follow Me”
John 21:1-19
Week 4: Fourth Sunday of Easter (Mother’s Day) May 12
“Listen to Me”
John 10:22-30
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| This page updated March 31, 2019 |
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