Prayers of the People for November 13, 2022 by Gail Roberts.

Prayers of the People for November 6. 2022 by Avery West.

This weekend we celebrate All Saints Day. This is a time when we remember the saints who have made a lasting impact on our lives and have gone before us to be with Christ. Although we may not completely understand what happens after death, we have confidence in the promise Jesus made that we will be together with him and all the saints when our time comes to leave this earthly life. The nature of that realm has always been a mystery, but our faith in the resurrection of Jesus serves as a foundation for the hope in his kingdom.

Our passage this week is from the Gospel of Luke where a group of Sadducees were trying to convince Jesus that they had a better understanding of what happens after death than the Pharisees. Jesus told them that the “problem” they posed was irrelevant because the afterlife is much different from what we experience in this life. Come join us this Sunday as we reflect on the response Jesus gave to the Sadducees and how it applies to us as well.

Special music by Sheryl Clifton and Pastor Mike.

Special music by the chancel choir.

While preparing for last week’s charge conference, I was struck by the wonderful work that had been accomplished in the past year and the exciting opportunities coming up in the year ahead. For those who are not as familiar with the inner workings of the United Methodist Church, the charge conference is a local church meeting held each year where the church reviews its current status and considers changes for the following year. The effort put forth by people in the church over the last year reflects a deep faith in Christ and in this church family.

This is the same kind of impression the Apostle Paul appeared to have of the Thessalonian church. In his second letter to the Thessalonian Christians, Paul talks about their growing faith in Christ and their obvious love for each other. He saw their effort as an example of steadfastness in purpose that glorified Christ. Join us this Sunday as we reflect on what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community and the importance of keeping our hope through faith.

Special music by the chancel choir.

Prayers of the People for October 30, 2022 by Katie Fuchs.

Heroes play a valuable role in our lives. They serve as models for our most important ideals, but they are also relatable. In some ways they have superior traits we envy, yet they, like us, usually have some issue they are dealing with, which allows us to relate to them. There is always some weakness or fault that allows us to say, “I can’t do everything they can do, but there’s a part of me that’s just like them.” In some ways, this gives us permission to consider ways we are like our heroes and makes them approachable.

But there is one trait that ruins it for most people – arrogance. Despite possibly having superior strength, speed, or intelligence, if a person has the fault of being too self-righteous or proud, many people won’t want to engage with them. This week we will reflect on a parable Jesus told a group of people whom he considered self-righteous. In the end, he warned them that “all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” Join us this Sunday as we consider the importance of humility in our lives, as well as the pitfalls of being too self-deprecating.

Prayers of the People for October 23, 2022 by Jim Essinger.