Alive in Christ

I'm not particularly familiar with the work of Neil Anderson (although his books have been recommended to me by several different people), but I was interested in his list of who we are in Christ and adapted it for the congregational reading to end my sermon last Sunday.

Here's the link if you'd like to read the complete list of being in Christ: accepted, secure, significant.  http://www.ficm.org/whoiam.htm

Jul 30, 2010 at 8:07 AM

Permalink

Be the first to comment on this post

On Parsley and Passion

Last Sunday I shared the story of my poor parsley, carefully started from seed, nurtured for several weeks until the seedlings were several centimetres tall, but then neglected without water while I was away at the Assembly and visiting family in Alberta.

When I returned, my tender seedlings were very pale and shriveled looking, lying tangled together in the pot instead of green and healthy and reaching for the light as they had been before. They weren't securely established. In a similar way, my sermon text for last week (Colossians 1:15-29) reminds us that unless we're securely established and nurtured in the faith, we will not be a living and vibrant church, a living and vibrant people.

What I didn't say last week, was that my parsley story wasn't finished.  I watered the poor pale shriveled things--although I'm not sure why, since they really looked hopeless--and I moved the pot from our kitchen windowsill to our outside deck.  Soon there was a green shoot, and now there's parsley in the pot!  Not enough yet to start using it, but quite definitely parsley.

Maybe my original parsley wasn't quite as hopeless as I had thought. Or maybe there was a seed or two that hadn't germinated the first time and was now making an appearance.  But I think of it as an example of the passion that's described in Col 1:29: "To this end I labor, struggling with all [God's] energy, which so powerfully works in me."  This was Paul's passion for evangelism and church planting. My parsley had a passion to grow. What's our passion as a church?  What's your passion?  Living with passion is part of what it means to be a living and vibrant church, and living and vibrant people.
 

Jul 23, 2010 at 7:46 AM

Permalink

Be the first to comment on this post

Dress for success

One item given to all participants in this year's Mennonite Church Canada Assembly is a bright green band with the words of our theme: Reclaiming JESUS gladly wear the name.

I've been wearing mine on my wrist, and have seen others do the same, while there is at least one person wearing it on her ankle.  "Don't you want to wear the name of Jesus?" one wrist-banded participant said to another whose band was still likely in the bottom of their Assembly totebag.

For some, wearing or seeing that green band might be a good visual reminder of our faith in Jesus, of our relationship with him, and what it means to put on Christ as Scripture reminds us. But of course wearing Christ is more than physically wearing the name of Jesus like some kind of designer label--it means having "the peace of Christ rule in your hearts" (Col. 3:15) and being clothed "with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience" (Col. 3:12). That's how to dress for success, since these things are always in style in the kingdom of God and go with whatever else we might be wearing. 

Jul 3, 2010 at 7:05 AM

Permalink

Be the first to comment on this post

Reclaiming Jesus: gladly wear the name

So here I am in Calgary at the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly. The days are very full, beginning with worship at 8:30am, going all day, with "late night" activities beginning at 9pm for those who'd like to keep on going. . . .

Highlights so far include connecting with many people (like Hugo and Doreen Neufeld who spoke at Emmanuel earlier this year, live in Calgary, and are among the many volunteers at this Assembly), learning Colossians 3:15 with actions (that I'd like to share with the children and the rest of the congregation when I get back), spending time in discussion with those around my delegate table, being part of a panel discussion on Jesus Matters, lots of worship and singing (one of the leaders is Alissa Bender who interned with us at Emmanuel a few years ago and is currently an associate pastor in Calgary), meeting Sara Wenger Shenk who is the new seminary president as of July 1.

Today Nhien Pham and I have our workshop on our Vietnamese ministry partnership which is called Hand in Hand. I still have a bit more preparation to do for that and would like to make it to morning worship too--good thing I'm a morning person!

Jul 1, 2010 at 5:24 AM

Permalink

Be the first to comment on this post