Fall Sermon Series: Becoming Church Together
Begins September 13!
With all we have to unite us, we still find ways to create division. It is an age-old question: Do we focus on what sets us apart, or on what holds us together? According to Matthew, it is Emmanuel – God with us.
The first evangelist and the early Christian community saw themselves as part of Judaism, not separate from it. A distinguishing feature of Matthew’s Gospel is its use of the Greek term ekklesia, meaning an assembly of those who are called out. Rather than suggesting a static institution, Matthew presents the church as a living community called to embody the kingdom of God in the world.
According to Mathew, the church is an earthly manifestation of God’s kingdom, made up of Jesus’ followers who are called to live righteously, serve with humility, and practice unfathomable forgiveness. In Jesus, a new community is at work for the blessing of the world. What binds us together? Jesus – God with us.
Worship with us this fall as we celebrate our history, find meaning in the present, and look forward with hope to the future, all the while, continually becoming church together.
Joy to you in the Journey,
Pastor Jessica