Blessings of the Spirit

 What are your core values?

Where is the Holy Spirit working in your Life?

We are in a sermon series that is taking a deeper look at who we are as a church. We all have gifts, and God's Spirit is working in us to reach out to the world. Christianity is not about memorizing facts to pass a test. Christianity is a walk of faith. It is learning to trust Jesus everyday and letting go of the fears that detract us. 

It strikes me to how easily we can be controlled by our small fears or concerns. This sermon series is taking some time to let go of the junk that is holding us back, and it is uncovering the image of God that we all have inside us. We are taking a deeper look at the Core Values that should guide us everyday.

Earlier this week, I was rushing my two boys out the door. We were scrambling around, trying brush teeth, look for lost shoes, and pack lunches. I was so concerned with trying to get out of the house that everything seemed like it was getting in my way. My two boys on the other hand couldn't care less about my concerns. My seven year old was having a blast telling a story, and my three year old was laughing hysterically. My older son wasn't really even trying to be funny; the two of them were just were just enjoying the time together. Sometimes I wonder why I am always in such a rush. Why do I need to plow through everything? Why not enjoy the Spirit that is right here?

This week we also remember the Reformation of the Church. The Reformation is a celebration where the Church returns to the Core Values that Jesus gave us. As a church, we can remember that the Holy Spirit does't require perfection or purity. The Holy Spirit is with us and we all have the opportunity to share the love that is in front of us.

Blessings!

Brian Ward

Confirming our faith

Over the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of working with our confirmation age students in the church. Confirmation is a special time that commemorates the journey of faith, and it is an opportunity for people to declare their trust in God. Usually this takes place in 9th grade, but after the pandemic we are opening the experience up to anyone who is interested.

I love working with this group of kids, and I love having honest conversations that guide and encourage us. Each person's story is sacred. Everyone is on a journey with Jesus. The only thing I wish I could change about confirmation would be the age limits we often put on it. I would love it if we all took a little more time to dig into our faith journey wherever we are at in life. So often, confirmation can turn into a class we feel like we have to take in Middle School or High School. We have a ceremony on a Sunday, and then we move on. We check it off the list, and people can feel like they are done. 

My hope is for confirmation to be a continual practice in our lives. Everyday we face different trials, and we see different blessings. The ups and downs of life are going to sculpt us. We can take time to talk to God and open our hearts to what Christ is doing along the way. It is often easy to ignore Christ's calling for us. We can become stressed out by the everyday forces that push us forward through the rat race.

Jesus tells us to stop and listen. Just as Christ called to his disciples in their fishing boats long ago, Jesus still calls to us. He is telling us to stop what we are doing and look at the opportunities we have around us. God is near. It is my hope and prayer that we would all take time to listen and remember that our lives are sacred and holy.

Blessings!

Brian Ward