November 15, 2020 - Thanksgiving Season Devotion - The Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost
This Sunday, November 15, 2020 - The Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
Join us for worship this Sunday, 9:30 a.m., "Thanks Be to God; Even When Risky!"
With new information this week, numbers and cases on the rise, and new recommendations regarding gatherings, please join us in doing everything possible for the health of one and all! Please stay home, if you do not feel well, if you or someone close to you has been exposed, if you or someone close to you has been tested. We will keep you informed with further updates!
Thanks be to God for those who have given their time and leadership as we worship in our sanctuary, and as we together do everything possible to honor, serve, and care for one and all!
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 the bulletin for this Sunday, November 15, 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.
Today’s link features the song sung by Steve Green with a slight variation to the lyrics below
“vs. 1
Ev’ryday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eyes,
Empty people filled with care,
Headed who knows where.
On they go through private pain,
Living fear to fear
Laughter hides their silent cries
Only Jesus hears.
refrain:
People need the Lord.
People need the Lord.
At the end of broken dreams,
He’s the open door.
People need the Lord.
People need the Lord.
When will we realize
People need the Lord?
vs. 2
We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right.
What could be too great a cost
For sharing life with one who’s lost?
Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear.
They must hear the words of life
Only we can share
(refrain)
People need the Lord!”
“Jesus told a parable about a master who entrusted three servants with resources; one with five talents, one with two talents, one with one talent. The one with five talents, invested it and made five more; the one with two talents, invested it and made two more; the one with one talent was fearful, hid it, and did not invest it. When the master returned, and learned what his servants had done, he turned away the one who acted out of fear, he told the two trusting servants, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”
Are you a risk taker? Are you willing to give something new a try?
If someone gave you something to care for, how would that feel? If God gave you something, would you tuck it away, or would you risk putting it to use?
Jesus tells a parable about the need to both trust and risk as we give thanks, as we serve and care for all we have freely received. What we are promised is: God will continue to take risks for our salvation!
God took the risk to send Jesus. God takes the risk to grace us, to forgive us, and to save us. God takes the risk to promise his return.
Jesus entrusts so much into our care to take the risk of being bold, outspoken, faithful; to take the risk to realize, to see it in their eyes, to see in those who pass us by, that so many people need the Lord!
We would all like to have a sure thing. There are no sure things, and yet, there are most certainly, most assuredly, Jesus things, and Jesus! By the Holy Spirit, Jesus looks at each of us, at you, and says, “Well done! Enter into the joy of your Master, your Savior!”
When you look at every sign of God’s love, when you think it best to tuck them away to quietly care for them or protect them or to keep them to yourself, or for yourself, when you wonder whether or not it is worth the risk to share them or to tell others about them; give thanks for every sign of God’s love, and trust the Lord of your life faithfully walks with you, taking the risk to turn what already is, into what will become even more!
Let us pray:
Loving God, we thank you, for you do all the giving, blessing us with
every good gift, sent from heaven above, entrusted to us. We and all people, need
you, Lord. By your grace, keep us faithful and trustworthy to do well, to see you, to
realize so much more, to answer you, to call on you, to take the risk to make you
and our neighbors first in new ways. You are the most Perfect Sign of Love, and to
you alone, for every sign of your love, we offer our praise and thanksgiving. In
Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.