This Sunday we continue "Practicing
Forgiveness" |
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"I forgive you" Last week I talked about "I forgive" and being more forgiving in general. This week lets add "you" to the sentence. Sometimes that little word "you" brings up a lot of
questions. Like it would be easier to forgive you if you seemed a little more understanding or even sorry.
But is forgiveness dependent on making sure the other person changes? There are various misconceptions that might interfere with our efforts to forgive others. Let's consider this together.
We're off to a great start with
this series on the subject of forgiveness, with an emphasis on implementing it, giving it a new try, practicing it.
We have four active, engaged groups (see below for times and places), and I am really looking forward seeing how they progress during the next 5 weeks. I believe this topic is timely and important for us to work on individually and as a church in order to turn our lives over to the Lord's lovingly wise
will for us.
Small groups! Join one! See below for more info Being in a small group is part of building spiritual community. Small groups are educational, enriching, reflective, and fun. If you haven't tried participating, I encourage you to consider it. If
the schedule of groups doesn't meet your needs, contact me or Elise. There may be others who would like to gather at a different time. Thinking of you with love and respect, Nathan |
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UPCOMING ACTIVITIES AT SUNRISE CHAPEL
9:30 am Practicing Forgiveness Small Group at the
church 11 am Worship Service Practicing Forgiveness #2 "Forgiving others" 12:00 pm Luncheon - Everyone Welcome! 12:30 pm Board of Directors
Meeting TUESDAY 2/6/2018 6:30 pm Bereavement Support Group 7 pm Practicing Forgiveness Small Group at the church WEDNESDAY 2/7/2018 9:30 am Worship Team meeting
11 am Tai Chi Yang 24 3 pm Practicing Forgiveness Small Group at the church 7 pm Women's Group - Practicing
Forgiveness: contact Elise Gladish for details
FRIDAY 2/9/2018 7 pm Private event in
Friendship Hall SATURDAY 2/10/2018 2
pm Private Memorial Celebration of Life and Reception afterwards SUNDAY 2/11/2018 9:15 am Practicing Forgiveness Small Group at the church 10 am Music rehearsal 11 am Worship Service Practicing Forgiveness #3 "Being Forgiven" 12:00 pm Luncheon - Everyone Welcome!
New Journey of Spiritual Growth! |
We started PRACTICING FORGIVENESS on Sunday, January 28! Well, actually, you can start forgiving anytime, but that's when we started learning about it in church services and small
groups.
This could be our best Journey program yet! Thank you to our good friends at New Church Outreach for putting it together. Some congregations did this course in the Fall. As is our custom, we are taking it up in the Winter, with our final session just before the weekend of the Tucson Festival of Books (in
March).
Books! We ordered more books and will get them to everyone as soon as possible. Books cost $12 each. There is no tuition or registration fee to participate in a group, though donations are certainly welcome.
* Sunday Morning small group is being led by Michael Brown at 9:30 am in the church library.
* Tuesday evening small group meeting is being held at 7 pm at the church (Library), led by Mike Villeburn. Please talk with Mike for more
details.
* Thursday afternoon small group meeting is meeting at 3 pm in the main Chapel (small group room), led by yours truly. Please talk with Nathan for more details.
* Thursday night
Women's group meets at 7 pm at various women's homes. Contact Elise Gladish for any details.
Questions about groups? Contact Elise or me - Nathan.
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THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK from the Teen Ministry Brainstorming Meeting last
Sunday |
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Elise led a great brainstorming meeting about our TEENS after the luncheon! (I was in another meeting with the Board.) A lot of good ideas were generated, and it was both important and heartwarming to hear everyone share their thoughts. There is energy and interest in
scheduling activities to bring our teens together in ways that will be fun, educational, and useful. Yesterday was our first effort to get some teens together. I led a simple, introductory sharing time in the church library with those who were available, and we also talked a little about forgiveness. ~Nathan |
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Reading for Reflection on this Sunday's
topic |
God is Forgiving
Exodus 34:4-7
Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he
passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”
Love Your Enemies
Matthew 5:43-45
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Peter Asks Jesus How Often to Forgive
Matthew 18:21-22
Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
The Symbolic Meaning of “seventy times seven”
Secrets of Heaven 433 - Swedenborg
Seven is a holy number because the seventh day symbolizes the heavenly person, the heavenly church, the heavenly kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord himself. Therefore the number seven means something holy or sacrosanct wherever it occurs in the Word. Seventy is also holy
because it covers seven “ages,” an “age” in the Word being ten years.
When anything extremely holy or positively sacrosanct was expressed, the words seventy times seven times were used. The Lord, for instance, said that we should not forgive our brother or sister up to seven times but up to seventy times seven. This means that we should forgive as often as our brother or sister sins, without limit, or to eternity, which is holy.
"Blessed is everyone who hears the Word of God and keeps it." |
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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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