This weekend we celebrated the Boy Scouts. We heard from some of them and Pastor Don presented Eagle Awards for those who have made Eagle Scout in the last year. Pastor Don's message, “God uses Failure," highlighted how God, in the history of human interaction, has used our mistakes, screw ups and bad decisions to bring great things into the world. 

Scripture: Exodus 2:11-25

Questions:

1.  How might we learn from Moses, Abraham and David about how God will use people?

2.  What might be holding you back from accepting that God loves you?

3.  How might your mistakes become learning experiences for others?

This weekend, we continued with our sermon series on Salvation and Grace, exploring what our distinctive Wesleyan understanding of God's grace is. Pastor Eric walked with us through the grace of God and what Paul tells us, in his letter to the Ephesians, we're meant to do with it. 

Scripture: Ephesians 3:2-9

What is it you are most grateful for God giving you? And when have you found yourself telling God, "You owe me this!"

What is God's grace?

How do we experience God's grace in three different parts of our journey?

Which expression of grace do you most need? Whom do you know who needs God's grace shared with them?

 Last week Pastor Don talked about what it means to be righteous, but what does it mean to believe? Is believing enough? 

Scripture:  John 5:24-25, Acts 16:30-34

What does it mean to believe in Jesus?

Why is it significant that even the demons believe?

What does Jesus mean by the power of the spirit?

How is believing and following different?

Pastor Don shares what it means to be righteous in God’s eyes and how we can live our lives in keeping with God’s desire for our life.  This is the first sermon in the series on salvation and grace.

We remember both the Baptism of our Lord, and our own baptisms and explore what baptism really is, and isn't.  Take a solemn moment to remember your own baptism as 2020 gets underway. 

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17

Four Questions:

What, according to John Wesley, is a sacrament?

Does baptism automatically convey salvation? If not, why not?

Why can we "remember our baptism," but never be "re-baptized"?

"You are my child, my beloved, in whom I am well pleased." Discuss how you've heard God speak those words in your own life.

We celebrated the 10th and 11th days of Christmas, as we approach Epiphany on January 6. We celebrate twelve days of Christmas so that we can enjoy all the blessings of the season. Pastor Don will be discussing what the gifts of the Magi meant back then and what our gifts mean now to a broken and troubled world. What are your resolutions for the new year? John Wesley would say “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” 

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

1.  What were the gifts of the Magi?

2.  What did they mean then and how did they forewarn of the future?

3.  What are our gifts to bring?

4.  How might we share them with the world?

Pastor Eric as he invites us to explore another side of Christmas: what if Christmas means more than we've ever realized? What if there's another side to Christmas--and what would that mean for us as the church?

What major world historical event could Christmas be compared to? What do you think of that comparison?

Do you see Revelation 12 as symbolic of Christmas, or of something else? Why?

Where else in Scripture do we see the battle between good and evil?

What does it mean to be "Love's Beachhead" here in Springfield?

As we march our way toward the celebration of Jesus birth on December 25th, we shared in the story of Jesus birth and Joseph.  This raises the question for us, “How do we see Jesus?” Pastor Don explored this with us this weekend.  Receive the challenge of God’s love sent down into the world as we celebrate His birthday. 

We celebrated the third weekend of Advent this week. Pastor Don's message “Anticipate” touched on what the Hebrew people anticipated in a Messiah and whether or not Jesus fulfill that vision.  What do we anticipate in the story of Jesus and how do we view this miraculous birth? 

December 8, 2019: Chancel Choir Christmas Cantata