Words of Welcome

2 Corinthians 9:5-15 Considering that today is Halloween, and because the sermon title has a Halloween flavor, I suggested to Pat that the choir might want to sing “The Monster Mash” as an anthem. And in keeping with the spirit of the day and the sermon’s emphasis, I even thought about dressing up as a “TV evangelist.” After all, what’s more spooky than a TV Evangelist with that slicked back hair and smiling face asking everyone in TV land to fork over the big bucks so that God might bless the giver, while TV Evangelist adds another luxury car to an already crowded garage. Alas, Pat didn’t think this anthem choice was a great idea, so he sent me an email suggesting that we might want to reconsider the idea, since he still needs employment. And so, as you heard, the choir sang something other than “The Monster Mash!” And without the Halloween anthem, there didn’t seem to be any reason to dress up in a costume. But, in all seriousness, perhaps it’s fitting that we’re launching our mo

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5     A moment ago we commissioned two of our own to do the work of the ministry.  We shared together in the commissioning of Alex and Rial to be Stephen Ministers, a ministry of pastoral care and service to this community of faith.  According to information I found on the Stephen Ministries website:      The Stephen Series is a complete system for training and organizing lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around your congregation. With their commissioning, we have recognized and affirmed the gifts and calling of these two people to take up this caring ministry in the congregation.     Perhaps it’s providential that this service of commissioning occurred on the day that we begin observing the Week of the Ministry.   Each October our churches observe The Week of the Ministry in order to lift up the call to ministry, both in its lay and clergy forms.  This year, fortuitously, the emphasis is on “Many Gifts, One Spirit.”  The mes

1 Timothy 6:6-19 The Beatles said it best – “Money can’t buy me love.” That’s right – Say you don't need no diamond ring And I'll be satisfied Tell me that you want those kind of things that money just can't buy For I don't care too much for money For money can't buy me love Now, I realize that diamond rings are helpful when it comes to love. After all, I’ve bought a few in my time for the one I love, but no matter how costly these trinkets may maybe, they can’t buy lasting love. And, despite what the Pharaohs, who built great pyramids in Egypt, thought, you can’t take it with you either! No, their bodies remained a moldering in the grave, while grave robbers and archaeologists took all those goods. Sometimes we forget this fact of life, but even as we didn’t bring anything into the world, we can’t take anything out of it either. So, if “money can’t buy me love” or even happiness in the next life, can’t it at least buy me a little happiness in this life? I real