|
|
|
|
Finding Joy in Life's Ebb and Flow
Last Sunday, we looked at the challenge of not being good enough, or the feeling of being inadequate. In fact, the wonderful paradox is that the Lord mercifully considers us quite adequate even in our inadequacy. And He is continually helping us improve so that we can be adequate for the next step of our lives. Fascinating topic!
This Sunday let's continue with this general topic of Finding Joy and think of it in terms of a metaphor of tides ebbing and flowing. In human relationships, we are always either moving away from others or moving toward them. If we are ever at a complete standstill, it is only briefly and
generally only at a turning point. In what ways can we find joy - real joy - in both the ebb and the flow of life?
This ongoing sermon series
The word "joy" seems like a pretty exceptional experience, but the Lord clearly says he wants us to experience it fully - which I take to mean all the time. A tall goal, for sure. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11
"New Church 101" Small Group Forming
A few people have expressed interest in a small group to discuss the basics of our church - the unique teachings, the history, and the current "state of the union." We are looking at meeting on Wednesdays in the early to mid afternoon. If you are interested, please let me know so that we can get a group started!
I love this survey course, based on the workbook "New Church Foundations." We always have fascinating discussions and learn a lot about each other in the process of learning about the church. Even if you have been involved before, it's worth being involved again since there is so much to learn.
Guest Preacher, Frank Rose, on the last Sunday of September
I'm happy to say that Frank Rose has accepted my invitation to lead the worship service on Sunday, September 29 while Elise and I are on a short vacation.
Livestream update
Last Saturday, with the help of our amazing IT volunteer, Dave, we mounted the camera in a different location in the back of the Chapel to get a better view of the chancel area and the monitor for the weekly slides. I'm also grateful to the volunteers in the sound booth every Sunday for learning the new skills to operate and monitor the livestream. We still have a ways to go, but we are
learning!
If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know.
With love and respect,
|
|
|
"Tree Wonders" - A
Presentation by Frank S Rose
This coming Wednesday, Sept. 18 @ 6:30 pm in the
Chapel
|
|
|
Based on Frank Rose's Wanderings in the Wilderness of the Catalinas
This presentation will be in the Chapel, using the new monitor for high-quality images. Frank will present photos, stories, and information about common trees from uncommon views.
Free and open to the public this coming Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 6:30 pm in the Chapel
Frank is also giving two presentations at the Summerhaven Community Center near the top of Mt. Lemmon.
Saturday, September 21: The Santa Catalina Mountains, a Special Treasure
Thursday, September 26: Water Features of the Santa Catalina Mountains
Speak to Frank for more details
|
|
|
Special one-time Spiritual Growth Group Event Tuesday, Oct. 15 @ 6:30 pm in Friendship Hall
|
|
|
The Arizona Spiritual Growth Foundation (ChooseJoyNow.org) invites you and your friends to an Intro to Spiritual Growth night on Tuesday, Oct 15th from 6:30-8:00 pm.
This is not your ordinary spiritual growth group. This is extraordinary! It is a one-night event where we are inviting folks who have already participated plus other church leaders, laypeople, and community members. The purpose is to share the blessings of this unique program and to continue to learn about spiritual growth and what we do here.
Topics will include:
The history of the spiritual growth program
The spiritual house in our mind
Simple tasks to help us get out of the basement of negative emotions.
We will also model how the group process works and invite attendees to participate in a small group at the event.
If you have participated in previous Spiritual Growth Groups, you can help model the group process and share some of your joys and experiences with newcomers.
If you know of someone who would like to learn about this spiritual growth group program or might want to take this material and run a group, please invite them to the event.
When? Tuesday, Oct 15 at 6:30-8:00 pm in Friendship Hall.
Come and help us share the joy of spiritual growth!
Join the team to help! Kelly Woofenden, Nathan & Elise Gladish, Sammie Alijagic, Frank Rose, Michael Brown, Betsy Gladish, Judith Keane.
|
|
|
THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES AT SUNRISE CHAPEL
3 pm AZ Spiritual Growth Foundation Board Mtg in the Chapel Library
SUNDAY 9/15/2019
10 am Music rehearsal
11 am Worship Service - Nathan Gladish - Finding Joy in the Ebb & Flow of Life
12 noon LUNCHEON - Bill's famous spaghetti!
MONDAY 9/16/2018
11 am Tai Chi class (Basic)
6:30 pm Bereavement Support Group
WEDNESDAY 9/18/2019
9:30 am Worship Team mtg
6:30 pm Presentation by Frank Rose "Tree Wonders" in the Chapel
THURSDAY 9/19/2019
11 am Tai Chi class (Yang 24)
Women's Group - Contact Elise Gladish for details
FRIDAY 9/20/2019
5 pm Teen Time with the Pastor
SUNDAY 9/22/2019
10 am Music rehearsal
11 am Worship Service
12 noon Luncheon
Readings for this
Sunday's 11 am Worship Service
|
When Life Ebbs Away
Jonah 2:1-7
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.
I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.
“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.”
Living Water Flowing
John 7:37-39
Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.
The Flow of Providence
Secrets of Heaven §8478
People who trust in the Lord are always moving forward to a state of eternal happiness, and no matter what happens to them in the temporal world, it still contributes to that state.
It is important to realize that divine providence is universal, meaning that it is involved in the minutest possible details. Anyone who goes with the flow of providence is constantly being carried to a happy destination, no matter what the appearance is along the way. People who trust the Lord and give him all the credit are the ones who are in the flow of providence. People who trust themselves alone and take all the credit for themselves are the ones who are not in the flow of providence.
They oppose providence, because they strip it from the Lord and claim it for themselves.
Be aware too that the more we go with the flow of providence, the more at peace we are. Then again, the more at peace we are because of a religiously inspired goodness, the more we are under divine providence.
|
|
|
Announcement
of a Global Gathering of Church Members and Friends
|
|
|
When: June 18-21, 2020
Where: Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
Who: All are welcome
It has been a tradition in our global organization, The General Church of the New Jerusalem, to hold what used to be called an Assembly every 4 years or so. These days they are not as frequent. The last one was held in June 2011, the same summer Elise and I moved to Tucson.
This time it's being called a Retreat. Members and friends of the church from all over the world are invited to attend, renew friendships, make new friends, worship and learn together, talk about challenges, and get recharged to move forward in support of the upbuilding of the Lord's church around the globe. Elise and I plan to attend. We would love to
have other members and friends of Sunrise Chapel participate.
Please direct questions to gcretreat2020@newchurch.org
And look for more information to come as it becomes available.
|
|
|
Your church home for partnering with the Lord and each other in the practice of cultivating spiritual growth and choosing heavenly joy www.sunrisechapel.org nathan@sunrisechapel.org Office 520-298-1245 |
|
|
