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We do our best to be the
Body of Christ
in today's world through:
Body of Christ
in today's world through:
• Worship and prayer-- together as a congregation, individually in our homes, and publicly in God's world.
• Forgiveness and healing--
in our church, among our families and friends, and throughout our community.
• Faith-building-- patterning our minds after the mind of Christ, with each household a community of faith and each gathering a cherished opportunity to share and grow in Christ.
• Hospitality-- treasuring everyone who comes our way, striving to be faithful friends and working to help all in need.
• Good Citizenship-- both of the Kingdom of God and the govern-
ments of this world, seeking justice, peace and dignity for all people.
• Caretakers of God's Creation
thankful for all of God's blessings, showing reverence for creation, and living every day mindful of our duty to God.
We Pledge to be a home for one another and welcome new friends into God's house to go with us on this great adventure.
• Forgiveness and healing--
in our church, among our families and friends, and throughout our community.
• Faith-building-- patterning our minds after the mind of Christ, with each household a community of faith and each gathering a cherished opportunity to share and grow in Christ.
• Hospitality-- treasuring everyone who comes our way, striving to be faithful friends and working to help all in need.
• Good Citizenship-- both of the Kingdom of God and the govern-
ments of this world, seeking justice, peace and dignity for all people.
• Caretakers of God's Creation
thankful for all of God's blessings, showing reverence for creation, and living every day mindful of our duty to God.
We Pledge to be a home for one another and welcome new friends into God's house to go with us on this great adventure.
Adapted from David J. Schlafer and Timothy F. Sedgwick, Preaching What We Practice. Moorehouse Publishing (Harrisburg PA, 2007)
“Pentecost and speaking in tongues.”On Pentecost, fifty days after the Resurrection, the Christian church was gathered together in one place. Then, there were 120 believers in the world; now there are about 2.2 billion.
Acts 2: 3-4 says: “And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them ability.”
The lesson makes it clear that people from all over the world heard these Galileans speaking in every known human language of the world. So, this is clearly different from people who speak in a divine prayer language that is generally unknown. Acts describes people who did not know foreign languages speaking in known foreign languages. The religious practice of “speaking in tongues” is uttering a divine language that is not a natural human language. Technically, what happened in Acts is known as “xenolalia” or “xenoglossy”– speaking in a natural language that is not known by the speaker. Speaking in tongues as practiced in many religions is “glossolalia” – which according to The Oxford Dictionary of Psychology is “the fluid vocalizing of speech-like syllables that lack any readily comprehended meaning, in some cases as part of religious practice in which it is believed to be a divine language unknown to the speaker.”
St. Paul clearly considers “speaking in tongues” a spiritual gift. (1 Cor 12:28-30). But Paul lists it at the bottom of spiritual gifts. At one point, he says “Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unproductive. What should I do then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will sing praise with the mind also. Otherwise, if you say a blessing with the spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say the ‘Amen’ to your thanksgiving, since the outsider does not know what you are saying? For you may give thanks well enough, but the other person is not built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you; nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.” (1 Cor 14:13-19)
This is not to dismiss the spiritual gift of tongues and their interpretation. Cornelius the Centurion, St. Paul, St. Patrick and St. Hildegard of Bingen were all reported to have spoken in tongues. But it is to say that the gift is not essential for all Christians. (1 Cor. 12:30). But do keep in mind that speaking in unknown prayer languages is not the same thing as speaking in known human languages on the Day of Pentecost.
Click here for This Coming
Upcoming Services
Through June 12, 2016
Sunday, May 15th
Pentecost: The Holy Spirit breathes life into the church.
- 8:00 a.m. A quiet communion.
- 9:30 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages
- 10:30 a.m. A joyful communion celebration of the Feast of Pentecost.
Sunday, May 22nd
Trinity Sunday: The dance of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
- 8:00 a.m. A quiet communion.
- 9:30 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages
- 10:30 a.m. Solemn prayer and praise to the Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
- 11:30 a.m. Chat & Chew: a fellowship social.
Sunday, May 29th
In Memoriam: Honoring our heroes: veterans and those who lost their lives in service to our nation.
- 8:00 a.m. A quiet communion.
- 9:30 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages
- 10:30 a.m. A moving tribute to the sacrifices of our veterans and communion: with a special anthem by the choir, and a video of our national cemeteries throughout the world.
- 8:00 a.m. A quiet communion at the church.
- No Sunday School Today
- 11 a.m. Communion at the Bronco Club.
- Noon-- Picnic at the River.
- Church will provide the main dish and soft drinks.
- Please bring a side dish or dessert to share.
- Plan to stay afterwards for activities: kayaking, corn holing, and fun.
- Bring your friends, folding chairs, sunscreen and bug repellent.
Sunday, June 5th
Bronco Club Picnic
Sunday, June 12th
Fourth Sun. after Pentecost
Fourth Sun. after Pentecost
- 8:00 a.m. A quiet communion.
- 9:30 Coffee Hour & Adult Sunday School
- 10:30 Summer Communion.
- 11:30 Chat & Chew: a fellowship social.
