A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: THE JOY OF KNOWING GOD
Grace and peace to you,
Our celebration of Pentecost has stayed with me these last two weeks, particularly the last verses of Acts 2.
The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ 
teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them.
Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47, Common English Bible).
Aren’t we these believers in our time and place? How are we like these believers? What might we need to devote ourselves to and how will we do that? Are there practices, models, etc. we can learn and use so that we can be better witnesses to the love and ministry of Jesus Christ?
As I have reflected and meditated on these verses and how our Mission Study rankings reflect these verses (see the rankings results elsewhere in this newsletter), I wondered how we might explore these things in worship. So, through the end of July, we are going to explore Jesus’ and the disciples’ stories to see what they hold for us today.
First up are two call stories – one from Matthew, one from Luke. In each, Jesus approaches fishermen Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John, calls them to follow and he will show them how to be fishers of people. What can we learn from these stories about trust, about relationship-building, about devotion to our spiritual life?
As the series continues, we will look at how prayer, life-long learning, spiritual healing, being sent out, radical hospitality and fellowship shapes us as followers and believers, and reminds us that we are indeed salt of the earth and the light of the world grounded in the hope and joy of knowing God.
Come and see. Come and explore this Sunday.
Blessings,
Pastor Karen