Where are you in the stream of the Lord's providence?
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The Lord's providence is working every moment and to eternity
One of my favorite concepts of the Word and the topic of one of my favorite books of Swedenborg is divine providence - "God's continual care for keeping the universe functioning". The reason I love this concept is that it lifts my perspective and gives me hope. There are so many valuable insights about how the Lord cares for each person, especially the spiritual quality of our
love and understanding. We are each on a spiritual journey, no matter how short or long it might last in this world. To quote from the end of the book, Divine Providence,
"The working of divine providence for our salvation starts with our birth and lasts to the end of our life and then on to eternity." (paragraph 332)
This Sunday, let's explore a special part of this theological concept in a down-to-earth analogy and invite the Lord to nurture our sense of hope.
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Our dear, dear friend, Frank Rose and his wife, Louise, and family
For quite some time Frank has had a congenital condition called pancytopenia. His bone marrow produces fewer and fewer blood cells, which in turn makes him weaker. There is no known cure and few effective treatments. Over the past few months the effects of the condition have worsened. On Sunday, September 13, he made the decision to go on home hospice where he can continue to be with Louise, various
family members, occasional visitors, and where his care team can assist with his physical needs. Fortunately he is clear-headed, relatively comfortable, and enjoying the preciousness of each moment as much as possible.
I am dedicating this Sunday's church service to our friend, Frank, and will share some of his reflections on providence from a little book by that title that he published in 2009.
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This Sunday will be our 29th church service in the era of CoViD-19.
Once again, a few people graced the Chapel with their personal presence last Sunday - 10 in all. There's plenty of room for up to 20 with ample social distancing.
Something NEW - Last Saturday I realized that the closed-circuit monitor in Friendship Hall can be turned so that it can be viewed from outside on the patio. This is yet another option for in-person participation.
Once again, Elise will be at the Chapel in person this Sunday - with a welcoming sparkle in her eyes and a smile underneath her mask.
Please join your church family this Sunday at 11 o'clock either on YouTube or in person at the Chapel (with the guidelines below).
With love and respect and prayers for everyone's well-being, physically and spiritually,
Nathan
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Local Community Transmission Data Update
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The graphic is the same as last week, but it points to the You Tube update for this Wednesday, Sept. 23. It is a 2-minute video showing current data regarding Covid. The presenter is Pima County Health Director Dr. Theresa Cullin. Click on the image to go to the You Tube video or click on this link:
This You Tube channel is a great local resource without the hype and politicization that comes through most media outlets.
~Nathan
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Graphic: How to join a ZOOM meeting
Hey, church family!
Do you miss our get togethers in Friendship Hall? I do! But there is still a neat and fun way of connecting in spite of CoViD. You can check in and visit at noon on Zoom.
Everyone welcome, even if you haven't participated yet! Pop in for a bit and leave whenever you need to.
To join the Zoom meeting, click on this link at NOON
If this link doesn't work for you, go to zoom.us/join and enter these credentials for the meeting:
Meeting ID: 949 4617 0443
Password: 05152020 (hint: the numerical date for May 15, 2020)
Looking forward to seeing you!
Nathan
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Last Sunday's Task - Love One Another
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Here is a reminder of our task for the week, introduced last Sunday. Jesus wrapped up His ministry with these words near the end of His life - "Love one another, as I have loved you." Easy to say, sometimes hard to do. But He showed us the way.
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Guidelines for reopening for in-person church activities
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Doors into the chapel
Last Sunday a few more people "braved" the in-person church service and said they felt safe and happy to return!
We had 10 people in person! I welcome anyone to attend in person who feels safe within the guidelines outlined below. I also realize that many people will not attend in person, yet, so I'm glad when I "see" you participating through the livestream option! Please use the YouTube chat feature to
"check in" and let your church family know you care about our faith community.
We have space for at least 20 people in the seating area of the Chapel. There are also the "overflow" rooms to view the TV monitor in the Vestry (off the front lobby) and in Friendship Hall.
Specific guidelines for in-person attendance
I believe following these guidelines is also in keeping with the Golden Rule.
1. Stay safe while being kind and respectful. If you attend, observe the guidelines. If you are uncomfortable for any reason, please take care of yourself first; feel free to leave without any negative judgments.
2. Do not attend in person if you are sick, or if you are concerned about getting sick, or if you are at high risk. Instead, please continue to participate remotely.
3. Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth. Please bring your own face covering (mask, scarf, bandana, etc). A face covering will be provided if you forget to bring your own.
4. Practice social distancing while on the church property (inside buildings and outside) including friendly no-touch greetings.
5. We will limit our number of participants in the main seating area of the Chapel to 20. Members of the same family may sit together.
6. On entering and leaving the buildings, please wash hands with soap or use hand sanitizer (provided in the lobby).
During the church service:
• I wear a mask before and after the service and while I am singing. I remove my mask for prayers, the children's talk, the readings, and the sermon, with the understanding that the closest participants are over 8 feet away from me.
• Sanitary wipes are available for individuals to wipe down chairs and surfaces they use.
• Bathroom use is limited to one person at a time, using only the main bathrooms at the entrance to Friendship Hall.
• No printed bulletins or songbooks. Instead, song lyrics are projected on the monitor and announcements will either be projected or verbal.
Please, let me know whatever you think. It's good to hear from as many people as possible. I'm doing the best I can, and I don't want to put any volunteers or visitors in any unsafe positions. I appreciate your help and patience!
Looking forward to your participation either in person or online!
Nathan
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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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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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