October 25, 2020 - Pentecost Season Devotion - Reformation Sunday

Join us for worship this Sunday, 9:30 a.m., "Signs of Love ... Change Everything!"

Thanks be to God for those who have given their time and leadership as we now worship again in our sanctuary!

 You will find more details below, including, signing up for worship, signing up to volunteer, what to expect, and children's activity sheets. You can also access these details on our website and on our Facebook page!

Worship each Sunday will be a 30-minute service including live music by our worship leaders, a children's message and a message from Pastor Jamie. Holy Communion will be offered as the service ends. If you prefer, if your timing is better, from 10:15-10:30 a.m., you are invited to drive up to the curb of the sidewalk in front of the building, and receive Holy Communion in your vehicle.   

 Each Sunday we will make every attempt to live stream the service for you at 9:30 a.m.

 We hope you join us for worship this Sunday! We look forward to seeing you soon!

You can access an interactive mobile version of the bulletin for this Sunday, October 25, here.

You can access a printable version of the bulletin for this Sunday, October 25, here.

You can access children's activity sheets for this Sunday here.

You can sign up to attend worship this Sunday here.

You can access details and what to expect as we share indoor worship here.

You can access the signupgenius and ways to assist our indoor service here.

Access the bulletin for this week here, on our website, or on our Facebook page!

“vs. 1
A mighty fortress is our God,
A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor’s rod
And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
Has sworn to work us woe!
With craft and dreadful might
He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.

vs. 2
No strength of ours
Can match his might!
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
Whom God himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is he!
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God’s only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.

vs. 3
Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threat’ning to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpow’r us.
Let this world’s tyrant rage;
In battle we’ll engage!
His might is doomed to fail;
God’s judgment must prevail!
One little word subdues him.

vs. 4
God’s Word forever shall abide,
No thanks to foes, who fear it;
For God himself fights by our side
With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
Goods, honor, child, or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away,
They cannot win the day.
The Kingdom’s ours forever!”

“Ev’ry promise we can make,
Ev’ry prayer and step of faith,
Ev’ry diff’rence we will make
Is only by His grace.
Ev’ry mountain we will climb,
Ev’ry ray of hope we shine,
Ev’ry blessing left behind
Is only by His grace.
Grace alone which God supplies,
Strength unknown He will provide.
Christ in us, our Cornerstone,
We will go forth in grace alone.

Ev’ry soul we long to reach,
Ev’ry heart we hope to teach,
Ev’rywhere we share His peace
Is only by His grace.
Ev’ry loving word we say,
Ev’ry tear we wipe away,
Ev’ry sorrow turned to praise
Is only by His grace.
Grace alone which God supplies,
Strength unknown He will provide.
Christ in us, our Cornerstone,
We will go forth in grace alone.

We will go forth in grace alone.”

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

John 8:31-36

Some things change all the time. Some things still need changing.

The time is now for a change. 

Long ago, the time was now for a change as well; a change in how God’s Church, did Church, was Church.

God has never changed. There has never been a change in God’s gift of freedom, in God’s Word as truth, in the hope of mercy and salvation, or in God’s grace. God’s grace changes everything, and yet, God’s grace never changes. 

How God’s promise and power and presence come to us is done in ever changing ways. Freedom, truth, mercy and salvation, and even God’s treasured grace used to come in The Law. As God witnessed his people struggling, God decided to reform, to change, how he gave his signs of love.

God saw the time was now for a change, and sent us a Mighty Fortress who is our God! Jesus dies, rises again, saves us, changes us, reforms us, transforms us, completely, eternally; to make us free indeed, in grace alone, which God supplies, with strength unknown, which God provides.

God’s Son, his perfect Sign Of Love, changes us, setting us free, free indeed, in God’s saving grace!

God’s grace is never changing, yet, Jesus Christ, God’s perfect sign of love, God’s grace, changed bondage into freedom, sin into forgiveness, death into life, weakness into power, helplessness into hope, changing forever the gift of salvation!

God’s grace, his signs of love, have forever changed you! Trust God’s grace, passion, devotion, and desire for you will never, ever, change! 

Let us pray: Loving God, we praise you, for you alone are our Mighty Fortress, and you alone are our faithful God. As we celebrate Reformation Sunday this weekend, let now be the time for a change in our hearts. Supply and provide your grace alone once again, and increase our faith to trust anew you entrust us with your grace: You change Your Church; You make us free, free indeed; You change our hearts to be signs of love; You change the path to salvation; You change everything; as we believe anew in the greatest reformation of all: we love because you first loved us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.