This week we will continue our discussion on building wealth in the kingdom of God with a reflection on the story of Lazarus given to us in the Gospel of Luke and advice offered by the apostle Paul to one of his protégés in his first letter to Timothy.

Last week, we talked about using the resources at our disposal in this world as well as the gift of forgiveness that we can offer our neighbor so that we might facilitate better relationships with God and those around us. These actions help build true treasures in heaven that won’t disappear. Join us next Sunday as we consider the importance of being conscientious in our stewardship of the blessings we have received from God and reflect on the specific traits that Paul advised Timothy to cultivate. By ordering our lives in this way, we set ourselves up to experience more deep, lasting joy that is much more worthwhile than the fleeting moments of happiness that often drive our actions.

Prayers of the People for September 25. 2022 by Avery West.

Special music by the chancel choir.

The concept of money is very interesting. At one time, dollars were directly tied to other materials considered valuable, such as gold. It was assumed that a country would not print more dollar bills than they could back up with a reserve of gold, but that is not the case today. In today’s economy countries print money based on economic conditions and the perception of each country’s economic strength in the world. The value of a dollar is not based on gold, but on several other factors that are intricately tied to each other. This may seem dishonest at first, but the world economy has been successfully chugging along with this paradigm for quite a while.

This week we will reflect on a parable Jesus taught which is counterintuitive because it appears to celebrate dishonesty, at least initially. A rich man’s financial manager was caught squandering his master’s money, and he was about to be fired. But before he was officially dismissed, while he still had control of his master’s books, the manager sought to gain favor with his master’s debtors by forgiving some of their debts. Oddly, when the rich man discovered the fake accounting edits, he praised the dishonest manager for acting shrewdly. Join us this week as we discuss this parable more deeply and consider our own stewardship of the blessings God has given us.

Prayers of the People for September 18, 2022 by Fred Hancewicz.

Special music by the chancel choir.

A message on the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15) by Rev. Sandra Jimenez, pastor of Spanish- language new church start (United Methodist), Yuma, AZ.

Prayers of the People for September 11, 2022 by Avery West.

Special music by Sheryl Clifton.

When tragedy strikes, a common question asked is “Why did God do this?” Today’s news reports are filled with stories of violence and tragedy that make some wonder whether God is really in control, or, if so, why God would allow terrible things to happen to good people. Scripture tells us God can cause disaster and provide relief, which leads some to conclude that tragedy only strikes when God intends to inflict punishment.

This week, we will reflect on the writings of the prophet Jeremiah which discussed the tragedies experienced by Judah as it was being invaded by the Babylonians. The Israelites of that time were trying to make sense of the terrible things that were happening, and they wondered why God would allow the temple as well as God’s people to be destroyed. Join us this Sunday as we consider how both the writings of ancient Israel and the teachings of Jesus can help us make at least some sense of the tragedies we see happening today.