The Importance of Being Flexible - This Sunday at 11 am
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http://www.freebibleimages.org/photos/jesus-appears-galilee/
How flexible are you?
At times I'm so set in my way about something that you could call me inflexible. Sometimes that's good. Other times, if I'm not flexible, I could get into big trouble. Flexibility is really important physically, psychologically, and even spiritually.
During this world-changing corona virus outbreak, we have all been dealing with the contrast between being firm about certain things but flexible about other things. Let's consider what this means for our spiritual growth.
What's new this week?
Each week, I'm doing what I can to improve our livestreaming and video-oriented worship services. Thank you for your patience and support.
For this Sunday, I have installed a full-length "curtain" behind the rock altar in the Chancel bay window to reduce the brightness of the backlighting. The camera goes bonkers with such intense outdoor light in contrast to the interior lighting. This curtain allows adjustments to the camera settings for a brighter interior view while still being able to have the Word in the
picture.
Please let me know what you think of this new arrangement!
Also, I'm pleased to report that I will have a professional sound engineer in the sound booth this Sunday to help improve the quality of the sound for the whole system, both the livestream and the interior of the Chapel. Wish us well, and let me know how it goes!!
Last Sunday our monitor for the slide show during the service acted up, and I'm trying to figure out why! And how to prevent that from happening again! Thank you for your understanding and patience.
Another bonus! Mariana, our keyboardist, is going to work with Pablo to record her keyboard part (at home) so that Pablo can then play along with it live, in person. I hope this works!
Livestreaming links for our You Tube channel
See below for the You Tube link or click here. You can also find it easily on the home page of our website sunrisechapel.org
Please note: If you subscribe to our You Tube channel and turn on notifications for the channel, you should automatically get an alert when the service goes live. (In order to subscribe and get notifications, just sign up for a free account with You Tube.)
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NEW!! Spiritual Growth Group on Zoom - See below
See below for an invitation to participate in a new Spiritual Growth Group, led by Kelly Woofenden, on Zoom. Limited to the first 10 people to sign up.
With love and respect and prayers for everyone's well-being, physically and spiritually,
Nathan
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New Spiritual Growth Group on Zoom starting this Sunday!
Dear Friends,
One of the amazing blessings of this historic time is the accessibility of technology to make virtual meetings so easy and readily available. And since we love small groups so much, this note is to invite you to sign up for a brand new eight-week Spiritual Growth Group on "Forgiveness."
Recently Frank Rose developed a brand new series of Spiritual Growth tasks on the subject of Forgiveness, and now Kelly Woofenden will be leading a virtual group based on these 8 tasks starting this Sunday, April 26 at 9:15 am.
BONUS! During each weekly meeting, Frank will "join" the Zoom call to give his talk to introduce each new task.
FORGIVENESS SPIRITUAL GROWTH GROUP
Place: At home on Zoom
Day & time: Sundays from 9:15 - 10:30 am
Starting: This Sunday April 29, 2020
Limit of 10 participants (plus Kelly as leader)
Kelly will use the Zoom format. Once you sign up, a private invitation will be sent to you. Please sign up by this Saturday afternoon! For security reasons, the invitation will not be posted on any social media or website to ensure there are no uninvited guests.
And if you need help with Zoom, ask Kelly. It is preferable for you to have a camera on your computer (or device), but not necessary.
To sign up, e-mail kelly@woofenden.net or call her at 520-780-1363.
Looking forward to seeing you soon,
Love,
Kelly and Frank
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Photo: ZOOM logo
After church, Zoom with me again at Noon this Sunday
I will do another Zoom call at noon for anyone who wants to hop on and check in. It's casual and a nice follow-up to the worship service. Here are the instructions:
AFTER the service ends, we will take a little break. Get a snack, if you want.
Then at NOON, join the Zoom meeting with either the link or the phone-in instructions below.
To join the Zoom meeting, click on this link at NOON:
https://zoom.us/j/414341900
If you need the Meeting ID, it is: 414 341 900
If you ONLY want to call in (without your computer or video), use one of these phone numbers and follow the prompts. You will have to enter the Meeting ID. You will be able to listen and talk (but you won’t see anyone and no one will see you).
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 414 341 900
A note about managing Zoom security
For the sake of security, last week I added a "waiting room" feature to our Zoom call. When you join the meeting, you will enter this "waiting room" until I as the leader "let you in". Also, as the meeting manager, I can block or turn off video or audio if necessary.
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This Sunday's Readings from the Word
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Being flexible about fishing
John 21:1-14
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised
from the dead.
Spiritual flexibility
Secrets of Heaven 7068 - Swedenborg
People motivated by good are so to speak flexible. Truth without good is utterly rigid; but when it regards good as the end in view, that rigidity starts to change into flexibility. Good on the other hand is in itself flexible, and when it has truth introduced into it, that truth too, because it develops into good there, becomes flexible. The reason why this happens is that truth cannot be set in its proper place in a heavenly form except by good, which means that in itself truth is inflexible.
The form of heaven is utterly fluid and not at all resistant. As a consequence good – and truth with it set in its proper place – is of a similar nature, and is flexible.
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Photo: laptop + coffee
Weekday Meditation (9:00-9:30 am MT) This is the link for the Monday meditation that I lead, but it is also the same link for the rest of the weekdays, led by other folks. Try it! You might like it!
ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES:
New Church Vineyard (This is a RICH source of KID-ORIENTED content for all sorts of stories from the Bible and the teachings of Swedenborg. Use this for family worship and for "Sunday school" type activities to enhance your spiritual lives at home.)
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Care Calls - Phone a Friend!
It is so heartwarming to hear from a variety of people how much it means to be talking on the phone these days. For those initiating phone calls, they say it is so helpful just to reach out and check in. For those who are receiving them, I hear over and over how grateful they are.
Thank you to a number of people who have organically grown our Care Team and who are taking time to stay in touch.
There's nothing like having a good, old-fashioned friendly phone call. I encourage you to keep it up. If you need new contact information for someone, let me know, and I'll do my best to provide it.
Is your Sunrise Chapel directory listing up-to-date?
I'm updating our phone and address directory. There are quite a few updates, since it is over 10 months old. Do you have any changes for me to include? Please let me know ASAP. You can email or text or call me with any updates or preferences. ~Nathan
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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
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