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A Devotional Life
Deuteronomy 6:1-15
Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, 9and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-8)
These words from the final book of the Torah are well known by Christians because Jesus cites them as part of the greatest commandment ("You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might"). And while appropriately great in and of itself, I'm drawn more to the imperatives that follow this classic verse of scripture. I'm drawn to the sort of people that God envisions His people being - people known by God's rule, people known by God's story with them, people whose daily conversations are marked not by the weather, the local sports team, or their favorite TV show, but by God's story and rule in their lives. The people of God are to be known by having God's word bound on their hands and foreheads (and what a metaphor that is! The hand is representative of all of our actions and the forehead is representative of all of our thoughts, beliefs, and convictions!). Even the architecture of their homes is to be different; their gates and doorposts proclaim God's Lordship.
We speak a lot about missions in church - as we should - but mission is never just an activity; it is a lifestyle, it is a worldview, it is an identity. This passage - known as the schme (schme is the Hebrew word for "Hear," as in "Hear, O Israel") - is a missional passage because it reminds us not so much what we are to do, but who we are to be. And when we are these sorts of people, our very lives become a testimony about God to the world. In short, our lives become a mission.
Recently Brianne asked me, "Do you ever get tired of thinking about the church?" It's a fair question, because I spend a lot of time thinking about the church and talking with her about it. Oh, to be sure, we talk about many other things - some mundane (who took the dog out last and when? What's for dinner? Are we out of Advil?) and some bigger (our hopes and dreams for the future, children, work, love) - but I'm always also thinking about the church. I told her, "No, I don't." And I don't get tired of thinking about the church - not because of my profession as its pastor, but because of my vocation as a Christian. It is my vocation - and your vocation too - that calls us to think about Christ's Lordship in the world, the church, and our homes all of the time - when we are coming, when we are going, when we lie down, and when we rise. It is this activity that begins to mark us as distinct and different from the rest of the world and through which the rest of the world will notice that Christ's Lordship is really real because they see it working its way through our lives.
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Sunday worship happens at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Communion served weekly during Lent
Throughout Lent we will explore God's promises to His creation; promises that give us life and sustain us daily. As we move deeper into these promises we will find our love and adoration grow for the Lord our God. As part of our Lenten worship, we will celebrate the Eucharist weekly so that each week we can get a real taste of that ultimate promise - eternity in communion with our loving God.
February 18, 2015 - Ash Wednesday
Sermon Title: "Playing Heaven's Trumpet"
Sermon Text: Matthew 6:1-6
Other Text: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Sermon Theme: Joel tells us to blast the trumpet; Jesus tells us not to. To an outside, this is just plain confusing. And maybe confusion is not an unrealistic feeling for Lent. Before we see Easter's dawn break, we will join all the disciples in their confusion. But really, Joel and Jesus are not at odds. There's heaven's trumpet and there's tooting your own horn. Learning the difference makes all the difference in our discipleship.
February 22, 2015 (First Sunday of Lent)
Sermon Title: "God's Promise:
No More Destruction"
Sermon Text: Genesis 9:8-17
Other Text: I Peter 3:18-20
Sermon Theme: Throughout Lent we will examine the many promises God has made and the ways He kept them through Jesus Christ. Each week will focus on a different promise and its significance for our world today. This week we are promised no more destruction, which is a much-need promise in times of war and strife.
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Upcoming Events
- Ash Wednesday Worship Service will be held at 7:00 tonight. Everyone is invited to this special service as we begin our season of Lent.
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CPC Book Club will meet to discuss Sabbath as Resistance at Pastor Jeff and Brianne's house on Saturday, February 21 at 10 a.m. for a "Brunch and Books" time. Please RSVP to Pastor Jeff by Friday, February 20 and include any food allergies or dislikes.
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The Trustees will meet on Wednesday February 25th. Please contact them if you are aware of anything requiring their attention.
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Intergenerational Summer Mission Trip to The Center in Baltimore, MD - June 13-20. Cost is $400/person, but plenty of scholarship funds are available. $50 deposit to reserve your spot due by Sunday, March 1. For questions, contact Rev. Schooley or Becky Boyer.
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Center Church Christian Preschool is in the midst of their Sarris Easter candy fundraiser. If you want to save yourself a trip to Sarris's for that Easter basket for kids and grandkids, see Bonnie Kline for an order form. All orders are due March 4th and will be delivered to the church for pick up on Palm Sunday, March 29, 2015
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Monday Evening Christian Education continues next week with discussion of Chapter 11 - The Psalms of How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. Meet us in the Parlor Monday, February 16 at 7 p.m.
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Talk Back Tuesdays happens every Tuesday at 7:00 in the Bride's Room. Come and talk back to Rev. Jeff about the previous week's sermon. Lively discussion and opposing points of view are welcome.
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"March Mission Madness".... What is this? Details coming soon. Get excited!
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On your way out of the church, don't forget to pick up your offering envelopes. Help save the church some postage.
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A monthly list of birthdays and anniversaries is posted in the Gathering place. If yours is not listed or is incorrect, please let the office know so it can be corrected.
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Central Blood Bank is here every Thursday from noon to 8:00 pm and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Appointments can be set here but walk-ins are welcome.
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The Pittsburgh Chinese Academy will celebrate the Chinese New Year here at Center on February 21st. The event is open to the public starting at 4:00 PM. Posters are on view around the building.
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A Joyful Life
During all of these cold days, it's good to know that some places are still hot... VERY HOT!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amkTALV6X5k
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