"Follow Me" by "Entering heaven" (part 6)

Published: Fri, 02/26/21

Sermon Series on "Following the Lord"

"Follow Me" Matthew 4:19

In this Sunday series I'm highlighting a spiritual growth task each Sunday that you can do on your own or in a small group

Last week I introduced "Giving Up Suffering." It's task #32 in the card deck with an essay by Frank Rose on choosejoynow.org.

This Sunday, let's consider "Entering heaven." We don't have to wait to enter heaven at some future date when we transition to the other world. In fact, to be prepared for that eventuality, we need to practice entering heaven on a moment-by-moment basis. Speaking for myself, I find it disheartening how much time I spend in unheavenly states. This is an important and urgent task, because it helps me think about heaven, define it more clearly, and keep it top-of-mind. And fortunately, there is a lot of very useful and inspiring information in the teachings through Swedenborg that can inform my efforts to choose to enter the open door of heaven.

As a newcomer to the church once said,

"It's not as important for me to get into heaven as it is to get heaven into my life."

I invite you to join me in working on these spiritual practices to help us follow the Lord and do as He did. Each of these is from the printed card deck of "52 Spiritual Growth Tasks." Additional information about each is also available on the Spiritual Growth Foundation website (choosejoynow.org)

NOTE: this website is undergoing a complete refresh. Please be patient if you find incomplete pages. We are working on it.

"FOLLOW ME" series

Jan 24 - Live in the present (task #8)

Jan 31 - Let worry go (task #23)

Feb 7 - Accept what is (task #25)

Feb 14 - Take initiative - Stop procrastinating (task #30)

Feb 21 - Give up suffering (task #32)

Feb 28 - Enter heaven (task #42)

Mar 7 - Keep going (task #49)

Join me in a small group on Wednesdays at 2 pm (Zoom)

As part of this Sunday series, I invite you to share your experience of practicing each task in a small group (through Zoom) each Wednesday at 2 pm. I find these small groups both centering and invigorating. I look forward to them and invite you to consider participating.

See below for the link to the Zoom

Nathan

nathan@sunrisechapel.org 520-820-5148

Memorial Service Saturday 10 AM (MT)

My heart is grieving

This young man, just 19 years old, died tragically last Saturday night at the hand of an armed assailant in a parking garage at the University of Arizona. I don't have many details, just very deep sadness. Below you will find a link to a KOLD news story.

Forrest is a great grand-nephew of Frank and Louise Rose, the grandson of Peter and Roxanne Rhodes, the son of Natasha and Erik Keys in Pennsylvania, and the nephew of Darin Rhodes of Yoga Oasis here in Tucson. In addition he has many other family members, friends, coaches, and teachers, who each have glowing tributes about him and his potential. It is so heart rending to have his life cut short.

Details of the memorial service:
Saturday, February 27 at 10am MT
Join online via livestream on YouTube at "Sunrise Chapel Livestream"
See below for links
In-person attendance is private because of COVID.
The Rev. Chuck Blair, from New Church Live in Pennsylvania, will conduct the service.

The link to Saturday's memorial service is https://youtu.be/I_bmu0Vn0M0
If that link doesn't work for you, go to our You Tube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/SunriseChapelLivestream

Click this link for the KOLD news 13 story

Feel free to reply or contact me with your questions.
With love and respect,
Nathan

Here is the spiritual practice task we're currently working on:

"Give Up Suffering"

This task was introduced last Sunday and the small group started working on last Wednesday. Anyone interested is invited to join the small group this coming Wednesday to share about their experience. It's good to learn from each other and to provide some support for putting these tasks into practice. See below for Zoom invite or ID.

VIEW THE RECORDING OF THE REGIONAL ZOOM MEETING WITH CURTIS CHILDS AND JONATHAN ROSE

Here is the YouTube link for the recording of the Southwest US regional event last Sunday February 21 where Curtis Childs shared updates and new plans for the offTheLeftEye Programming.

Also, Jonathan Rose shared exciting updates on the work of translating Swedenborg's works into the "New Century Edition."

Join a session of out small group on Mondays at 2 for an overview of Swedenborg's basic teachings and the history of the New Church

I love welcoming people of various backgrounds to this small group -- long-time members as well as newcomers! Hearing from each other adds to my appreciation of the nuances of theology and its application to everyone's life.

Each of these sessions covers a chapter in the book "New Church Foundations" written by Frank Rose. This Wednesday we'll be covering the topic of chapter 5 -- "Spiritual Community - the universal nature of the Lord's Church and the importance of building spiritual community."

Join Zoom Meeting on Monday at 2 pm

https://zoom.us/j/96970678961
If the link doesn't work, use the Zoom Meeting ID: 969 7067 8961

Nathan 520-820-5148

Join a small spiritual growth group on Wednesdays at 2 for a deeper dive into the topic covered on Sunday

Wednesday Spiritual Growth Group graphic

Join Zoom Meeting on Wednesday at 2 pm

https://zoom.us/j/97789633363?pwd=aEhCVnYyT0tDQlR4V0RKWG8yQjRsUT09
Passcode: choosejoy

If the link doesn't work, open your Zoom app and use these credentials:

Meeting ID: 977 8963 3363
Passcode: choosejoy

Nathan 520-820-5148

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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