Help in Our Efforts to Stay Positive |
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Power and Powerlessness
Once again, I am sickened by another senseless act of violence against innocent people... So
incredibly sad... Words just seem so inadequate...
The power of a hurricane is certainly destructive, but the power of hell inside human beings is devastating. And that is precisely why it is so important to plug into God's power of love, wisdom, and usefulness.
This Sunday, in the adult portion of
the service, I will attempt to provide some perspective on spiritual power and powerlessness. See below for one thoughtful reflection by Swedenborg in the work True Christianity.
There will be extra time for prayer. Children's Talks on the 23rd Psalm Next up in this series of children's talks about the beloved 23rd Psalm - "You anoint my head with oil." Last Sunday, we explored what it means for the shepherd to "prepare a table" for the
sheep.
Serve More People Team - Sunday after lunch This Sunday after the luncheon, I invite you to join me in the Library for another chance to plan ways Sunrise Chapel can serve. I want to continue to explore what special services we - as a congregation - can support with our time and talent - whether that means serving people within our church or folks in the community. Various people are involved in annual or semi-annual projects such as making sandwiches for a local soup kitchen or packing a box for
"Operation Christmas Child." Each of these projects is good and useful.
AND I have hope that we can identify something that more people in our church can more broadly support in a way that helps us all feel proud of what we offer to the local community. High aspirations? You bet! Nathan
Set aside Friday, October 20 from 6:30-8:30 for a PARTY! See below for a photo from last year's event - which was a lot of fun! Get dressed in a costume, and come on down to the "Celebration
Garden" at the back of the Sunrise Chapel property. Socializing, music, food, games, and fun for the whole family! Want to get involved? Talk with Betsy Gladish, Claudia Osmus, Anita Tifft.
Only 57 Days till The Path to Bethlehem!! Reminder: Our well-loved, annual, outdoor live nativity - the Path to Bethlehem - will be held on the first Saturday of December. That's December 2, 2017. Less than two months away! Please set aside that date for this very special public event.
With love and respect, Nathan |
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UPCOMING ACTIVITIES AT SUNRISE CHAPEL
11 am Sunday Worship Service 12:00 pm Luncheon - Everyone Welcome! 12:45 pm Serve More People Team
meeting
MONDAY 10/9/2017 11 am Tai Chi Class in Friendship Hall 2 pm Swedenborg Study Small Group
TUESDAY 10/10/2017 6:30 pm Spiritual Growth Group #6 Frank Rose,
leading
WEDNESDAY
10/11/2017 9:30 am Worship Team meeting THURSDAY 10/12/2017
11 am Tai Chi Class in Friendship Hall 7 pm Women's Group. Contact Elise G, Betsy G, or Kelly W for location
FRIDAY 10/13/2017
4:30 pm Private Wedding
Rehearsal
SATURDAY 10/14/2017
4:30 pm Private Wedding and Reception
SUNDAY 10/15/2017 11 am Sunday Worship Service
12:00 pm Luncheon - Everyone Welcome!
Small Group Study of Topics from Swedenborg - Mondays at 2 pm |
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This is a small 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.
This Monday we'll be viewing another episode from Curtis Childs’ 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.
Join the study and fun! Weekly meetings on Monday at 2 pm at Sunrise Chapel.
~Nathan
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Halloween Party at Sunrise Chapel on Friday, October 20 at 6:30 |
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Last year's party was a real hoot!! Just look at that delightful photo of creative kids in their costumes! Plan to come and enjoy socializing, games, music, food - all in the "Celebration Garden" at the back of the Sunrise Chapel property.
Friday, October 20 from 6:30-8:30 |
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Spiritual Growth Group series on Tuesdays at 6:30 |
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This series of Spiritual Growth Group meetings is going very well. Anyone is welcome to attend. This series of 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 |
Swedenborg Reflects on the Love of Power
True Christianity 661
"I engaged in a reflection on the first universal love in hell, the love for power that comes from loving ourselves. Then I considered the universal love in heaven that is its opposite, the love for power that comes from loving to be useful. I was not allowed to consider the one love without
considering the other, because the intellect does not accurately perceive the one love in the absence of the other, since they are opposites. Therefore in order to perceive them both, they have to be set side by side, one against the other. We have more appreciation for the beauty and symmetry of a nice face when we see it next to an ugly, misshapen face.
"As I considered the love for power that comes from loving ourselves, I was given an awareness that this is the most profoundly hellish
love because of its origin: it arises from self-centeredness.
"I could also see that a love for power that comes from loving to be useful is the most profoundly heavenly love. People who want to be in charge because they love being useful actually want the Lord rather than themselves to be in charge, since the love of being useful comes from the Lord and is in fact the Lord himself."
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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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