Help in Our Struggle to Overcome Negativity |
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This Sunday - What is at the heart of negativity? And how do we go through a "heart transplant" in order to be
consistently more positive? See below for some great readings about this, and join us this Sunday to explore it more!
Children's Talks on the 23rd Psalm Next in
this series of children's talks about the beloved 23rd Psalm, we'll look at the importance of shepherds protecting sheep as they experience valleys and darkness. The Psalmist said of God, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me." In addition to learning about the Psalm and its internal meaning, I'm also learning some of the fascinating
history of shepherding in Arizona. Come learn with me!
New music in Sunday services Once again, thank you to our musicians, Pablo, Katrina, and Nenah, who are working hard to learn some new hymns and introduce them in our church
services. And thank you for your willingness to learn new music and to support the development of our "music ministry". Nathan |
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UPCOMING ACTIVITIES AT SUNRISE CHAPEL 10 am Private Baptism Service in the
Chapel
11 am Sunday Worship Service - Nathan preaching 12:00 pm Luncheon - Everyone Welcome!
MONDAY 9/18/2017
11 am Tai Chi Class in Friendship Hall NO Swedenborg Study Small Group TODAY (resumes next Monday)
TUESDAY 9/19/2017
6:30 pm Spiritual Growth Group #3 Frank Rose, leading
WEDNESDAY 9/20/2017 NO Worship Team meeting TODAY (resumes next
Wednesday) THURSDAY 9/21/2017
11 am Tai Chi Class in Friendship Hall 7 pm Women's Group. Contact Elise G, Betsy G, or Kelly W for location
11 am Sunday Worship
Service 12:00 pm Luncheon - "Arizona Mountain Camp Potluck" Everyone Welcome!
Camp Planning Meeting
during lunch
Last Weekend's Visit with David Lindrooth (Sept 9 & 10) |
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Rev. David Lindrooth is the Regional Pastor for Sunrise Chapel Elise and I had a very good weekend of discussion and support with David. The Board met with him Saturday morning to discuss financial issues, which was very useful. He gave a very thoughtful presentation Saturday night about how
to extend our voices to more and more people... in order to share the life-changing message of the New Church as broadly as possible. As if we planned it for his benefit (not really!), we had the highest attendance at church that we have had for a while - over 70 including a whole bunch of kids. It was a great service followed by a delightful lunch and more
visiting.
If you missed seeing or talking with David, feel free to be in touch with him directly at any time. cell/text: 215-514-0388 email: david.lindrooth@newchurch.org
He plans to visit Sunrise Chapel twice a year, and he'll be cheering us on from a distance as we move forward. With appreciation, ~Nathan
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Small Group Study of Topics from Swedenborg - Mondays at 2 pm |
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I'm really excited about this group! This is a group to dig into a smorgasbord of Swedenborgian topics. Our resources are video podcasts by two friends, Curtis Childs and Jonathan Rose.
These two (and their amazing support team) are producing great programs to spread really helpful information from a Swedenborgian perspective (1) about how to handle life’s ups and downs and (2) about understanding the Bible. Let me explain...
For general topical information, I highly recommend Curtis’ You Tube Channel called “offTheLeftEye”. In just a few years he has gained over 53
thousand subscribers and over 9 million views, and he has a vibrant online community of people from all over the world tuning in to his excellent broadcasts. They are fast-paced, information-packed, down-to-earth at the same time as being uplifting and “spiritual.” He has so many thought-provoking shows on different topics and of various lengths of time. Currently we are focusing on a few of these episodes.
Jonathan Rose’s site, www.spiritandlifebiblestudy.com is a set of videos (and audios) from live classes he has been giving almost weekly for several years. His live broadcast is (almost) weekly on Wednesdays. He delves into the spiritual meaning of the Bible from a Swedenborgian lens. See the About tab for more information. His classes have often positively
impacted my own perspective on the Bible and have also given me a deeper and broader appreciation for both the Bible and Swedenborg. We will watch some of these episodes on Mondays, too.
Join the fun!
We are NOT MEETING this Monday, but will resume Monday, September 25 at 2 pm at
Sunrise Chapel.
~Nathan
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Spiritual Growth Group - a new series on Tuesdays at 6:30 |
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We have started up another series of Spiritual Growth Group meetings. Anyone is welcome to attend. Last Tuesday, Sept. 12, was the second session. Here is the task you can work on - whether you attend the group or not!
Task #2: Letting go of feeling sorry for ourselves
Here are some ways of doing the task: 1: Let go of comparisons. It is not helpful to make up stories about how bad our lot is compared to others. 2: Shift your focus to appreciate your blessings. 3: Put
your attention away from yourself to something or someone outside of yourself.
This series of group meetings will go for a total of 8 weeks, ending on October 24. We meet in the Children's
Chapel of Sunrise Chapel on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm. Feel free to invite a friend. Looking forward to more special time together. Rev. Frank Rose |
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Readings/lessons for
Reflection |
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Luke 19:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the
other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves
will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Our Tendency to be Negative
Secrets of Heaven 2406
All of us, no matter how large our numbers, are withheld from evil by the Lord, and this is done with a mightier power than anyone can possibly believe. For we are all
perpetually bent on evil both on account of the heredity we are born with and on account of what we have acquired through our own actions, so much so that if we were not being withheld by the Lord, we would spend every moment rushing headlong into the lowest hell. So great is the Lord's mercy, however, that we are being raised up every moment, even every fraction of a moment, and kept from rushing into that place... Thus the Lord battles with us constantly, and with hell on our behalf, though it
does not seem that way to us.
Overcome Evil
Romans 12:9-16, 21
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never
be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer... Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position...
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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Helping people experience heavenly joy through spiritual growth www.sunrisechapel.org
nathan@sunrisechapel.org Office 520-298-1245
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