There are a variety of stories about healing in the Bible. Each one tells us something different about what we can do to be healed of things that control or bind us or that keep us from experience the fulfillment and happiness that God created us to experience.
This week we will look at how we can begin to be set from from the bonds of hurtful habits or addictions that control us and keep us from joy and peace.
Join us this Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Stories in the Bible are given because they illustrate what we go through in our lives. They describe situations we find ourselves in, how we might react in unhealthy ways, and show us how we can make better decisions going forward.
There is a story about the Children of Israel, having left slavery in Egypt and arriving at the Promised Land of Canaan, being faced with a decision about whether to go into this land that flows with milk and honey that was promised to them or to turn away.
To assess the possibility of going in and taking the land for themselves they send in twelve spies to do some investigation. When the spies return Caleb and Joshua say, as their God promised them, that they can go ahead and acquire the land. There are ten other spies that give a different story. They say it can’t be done because of the walled cities and giants living in the land.
When we are faced with decisions what voices do we listen to and believe? Do we react from fear or do we gather our courage and go forward, trusting that we will be cared for?
It is clear that it is difficult to always stay positive and trust that the way forward will be good, safe and fruitful. We can, however, strengthen each other by offering more positive support. Can we offer words of encouragement? Can we support the best we see in each other rather than picking on weaknesses we may see?
This week the challenge is to find ways to encourage one another – to look for the good we see and make mention of it.
We hope to see you this Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
USA, Colorado, Aspen, Maroon Bells in morning
In the Gospel of John there is an interaction between Jesus and a man named Nicodemus about being born again. What does it mean to be born again and how is it’s meaning often misinterpreted? What kinds of changes within ourselves might we realistically expect to experience?
See you Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
USA, Colorado, Aspen, Maroon Bells in morning
The church is “on holiday” for two weeks so there will be no services of worship or classes or other events until Sunday, July 28th.
We pray you can use this time for connecting with family or the beautiful nature scapes of Colorado or just general refreshment and rejuvenation.
We look forward to gathering together for worship with you on the 28th.
Peace and love
Many of us struggle with being able to forgive ourselves for our past mistakes or habits that we have been unable to set down and walk away from, or even from things that happened to us that weren’t our fault.
This week we will talk about what we can do to move on from debilitating shame or excessive guilt and begin to see ourselves the way that God sees us–a beautiful part of this creation. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” [Jeremiah 29:11]
Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. We hope to see you then!
They say everyone is broken in one way or another–that we all have suffered pain or hurt that has left us damaged somehow. One of the things that we can do when we are hurt is to retreat or isolate so that we avoid more pain–building walls to defend ourselves. These walls don’t so much prevent pain from coming in as keep the pain from ever leaving. To find healing we need connection. Connection helps us to experience the love of God and others. Love heals. As we read in Isaiah 61 and as Jesus read in the synagogue in reference to Himself: “Jehovah has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.”
We hope to see you this Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
This church is called The New Church? Why? What’s new about it? Why do we need a new church?
If you think about all the weird, hurtful and dysfunctional things that have gone on in the name of religion over the last several centuries (for example) it is not hard to imagine that “the church” on earth needs a reboot.
The New Church is a new way of understanding the Bible, who God is (merciful, loving, wise), the reality of life after death, the nature of God’s leading (Divine Providence), the beautiful truth that this world needs the variety that is found in all the different religions and faiths – like the variety within the human body which help it to function as a whole, and many more amazing truths.
So yes, there is a New Church. And it is needed. Perhaps you can see the need too and want to learn more about it. Why not come this Sunday and learn more about it and enjoy a barbecue that we are putting on to celebrate the beginning of the New Church June 19th, 1770 and Father’s Day.
Church begins at 10:30 a.m.
The “two great commandments” distill all the teachings, doctrines and theology of religion down to the main point: to love God and love one another. When Jesus challenged His listeners to “go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,'” it seems like He was saying we aren’t getting it right.
One definition of mercy is the disposition to forgive or show compassion. That sounds a lot like what love is.
It is tempting for churches and us to lapse into setting up external activities, rituals or structures that become the focus. When this happens we can lose sight of what matters – Love.
Let’s get back to basics.
You are invited to church on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
It may be no surprise to you at this point in life that we all experience good times and difficult times. It comes with being a human. Even if we accept this fact it is not something we like. We wish we could avoid the hard times altogether.
There is a story in the Bible that shows that this is the way life will be and that there are things we can do to make the difficult times more easy to survive through and even grow through.
Join us this Sunday as we explore this story and its meaning for our lives. Worship starts at 10:30 a.m.
