East Heights UMC:

Sermon ~ September 23rd

Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations
Message: Intentional Faith development
Date: September 23, 2007
Speaker: JC Kelley

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Sermon Notes PDF

Week 3: Intentional Faith Development

To begin...

1. Indentify with our mission: “To share with all people the unconditional love of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ.”

2. Understand our vision: “A community of faith where everyone is welcomed, respected, and valued and where individuals are transformed by the abundance of God’s grace into passionate disciples who are changing the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

3. Recognize that faith is a lifelong process of transformation (Philippians 3:12-14)

So what can I do?

Adults:

· Take seriously Scripture, encounter and study the Bible through a variety of lenses.

· Learn about Wesleyan Tradition (worship, symbols, rituals, distinctions)

· Apply your Experience and Reason – our lives and understanding are gifts and part of the development of our faith.

· “Church +2” – At a bare minimum, Christians should be involved in worship, plus at least one group where we are spiritually nourished and one group where we spiritually nourish others.

Youth:

· Commit to being in Sunday school at 9:45 or 11a.m. every Sunday morning or being active in our Small Group Ministry every Wednesday evening at 7:15 p.m.

· Begin a Bible study with friends at school during lunch once a week.

· Begin a Family Devotional Time at home. Spend time everyday reading and discussing Scripture and sharing where you experienced God throughout the day.

Children:

· Our new church school ministry at 9:45a.m., “The Summit,” challenges kids to live their lives according to Jesus’ example in Luke 2:52. Kids can plug into this ministry to learn virtues applicable in everyday life.

· Our 5^th grade small group, J-House, meets on Wed. at 7p.m. Our focus is relationships – with Jesus and with each other. We then turn our circle out to see how we can be advocates for the “least of these” in our world.

Set aside time to do a family devotion. Use the Children’s Prayer Corner in the Tower newsletter or Julie can provide some suggestions for devotions.

September 23, 2007 in Sermons | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sermon ~ September 16th

Series: Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations
Message: Passionate Worship
Date: September 16, 2007
Speaker: JC Kelley

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Sermon Notes PDF

Week 2: Passionate Worship

To begin...

1. Indentify with our mission: “To share with all people the unconditional love of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ.”

2. Understand our vision: “A community of faith where everyone is welcomed, respected, and valued and where individuals are transformed by the abundance of God’s grace into passionate disciples who are changing the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

3. Pray over these scriptures: Exodus 8:1 and Psalm 84

So what can I do?

Adults:

· Come to worship with the attitude that it is the most important hour of your week. Prepare yourself by reading scripture, praying, and asking questions. Participate with enthusiasm – this is the day that the Lord has made!

· Talk with a pastor about joining one of the worship planning teams

· Use a technique, such as a “breath prayer” to remind yourself of God’s presence.

Youth:

· Commit to being an active part of worship every week.

· Gather other youth to create a youth praise band to help lead our youth in worship.

· Pledge to spend fifteen minutes every morning in Time Alone with God (TAG). Pick-up a copy of Devo’zine and use it as your personal devotion guide. Share with a friend where you encountered God and were changed through worship and/or your personal devotion.

Children:

· Passionate worship is for kids too. When you are in worship, close your eyes, sing along with the music, listen to the sounds around you. How does your heart feel? Talk with your family and friends about the feelings you have.

· Be a part of the Children’s Advent Pageant (Dec. 9). This is our opportunity to lead passionate worship by re-telling this most awesome story to everyone in our faith community.

· Read the Children’s Prayer Corner (from the Tower newsletter) to your family and discuss what God is saying to you in that devotion.

September 16, 2007 in Sermons | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sermon ~ September 9th

Series: Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations
Message: Radical Hospitality
Date: September 8, 2007
Speaker: JC Kelley

Download sa_sermon_9_9_07_radical_hospitality.mp3

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Sermon Notes PDF

Extras...

Week 1: Radical Hospitality

To begin...

1. Indentify with our mission: “To share with all people the unconditional love of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ.”

2. Understand our vision: “A community of faith where everyone is welcomed, respected, and valued and where individuals are transformed by the abundance of God’s grace into passionate disciples who are changing the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

3. Daily, pray over how you will respond to Jesus’ call for us to be radically hospitable (Matthew 25:35). The following scriptures may help focus your prayers for the day:

· Reconciliation: 2 Corinthians 5:20

· Transformation: Psalm 51:1

· Fill with Holy Spirit: Acts 2:38

· Call to be disciples: Matthew 28:19

So what can I do?

Adults:

· Bake cookies for your neighbor and deliver them with a card welcoming them to our church. Include worship times or any special events.

· Create a place in our worship spaces where families feel welcome. Rocking chairs for moms, books for little ones, special snacks for children, etc. Make sure visiting families know about the area.

Youth:

· Send a personal card/e-mail/IM/text to those who are guests to welcome them or to those who have been missing and let them know we miss them.

· Plan an event to invite community youth to “come and check out our awesome church, then come up with special ways to welcome them.

Children:

· Become a “Kids’ Usher.” Take time to greet any kids who come to worship. Welcome them, tell them what’s going on with kids at East Heights, and get their information so you can contact them later.

· If you meet a friend at school who is homeless or struggling, ask your family to “adopt” your friend’s family and help them with food, clothes, and prayers. Make sure you invite them to your home at East Heights!

September 09, 2007 in Sermons | Permalink | Comments (0)