How was your Halloween?! Sure. Lots of. Let me guess… candy? Getting candy, receiving gifts, is super great. Did you happen to give any candy away this Halloween? How was you All Saints Day? The day after Halloween is special , too, like we spoke about last week. We are part of a band of believers past, present, and future who belong to God. Reminding us that we have an awesome purpose. Yesterday, Melissa and I were invited to Justin Connolly’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor. He and his family worship with us during the Summer and live in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. It was great celebrating such an important day. The Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts, are very cool organizations and share something in common with Cold Spring Church. Do you know what that is? Our purpose. Part of the Boy Scout purpose is helping others, and a core value in our church’s purpose is serving others. That’s how we follow Jesus, by serving. So this week, let’s think of one way we will serve others, give of our time, energy, and attention in ways that show of love for them, and our love for God, too. Help classmates in school. Help at home or in the community. Be kind to one another. Like Jesus, who came not to be served, but to servewe can do the same… getting is good. Giving is better. Giving because of Jesus is best of all! You Have A Purpose!
Our current political and community conversations are too often filled with criticism without grace, or accusations without evidence. Looking at others with contempt comes easy in our culture. From social media to the corner deli, judging the offenses of those around us is second nature. Why do we hold others in disdain? Our Gospel lesson this week, Jesus introduces us to two individuals at the temple. One gave thanks for not being like those despicable others. The second humbly asking God for mercy. From Despicable to Incredible is Pastor Kevin’s message about building skyscrapers and changing our “Good News” conversations to eliminate the corrosive nature of contempt, and how we can get out of the habit of expressing it, both in our personal relationships, and more broadly, as a nation.
Do you know what special day is coming up this week? Sure! Halloween! It’s great to have a costume and pretend. What will you be this year? Here are a few masks to try on. Wow! No matter what mask we wear we can tell its you! Masks can hid our face, but can’t hide our heart and spirit. Next week is also All Saints Day. We don’t follow Jesus at Cold Spring Church alone. On no! All Saints Day November 1 reminds us that millions of people just like us followed him thousands of years ago, too, and there will be countless others who follow Jesus in the future, too. We are not alone in our faith. And next week is also Reformation Day. 502 years ago a man named Martin Luther along with many friends decided to make improvements in the Church, to help all of us focus on three things, we find hope by the Bible alone, by Faith alone, and through Jesus alone. We are reforming, improving, and that’s why whatever mask we wear for Halloween, or the other masks we may put on, will not hide us from God’s love. This Halloween, remember that God loves you, stay safe, and don’t eat too much candy!
There are thousands of intersections in Cape May. What intersections are the most remarkable to you? Which is closest to where you live? Closest to where you work or go to school. What is your impression of your intersection? Is it busy with traffic? Do kids wait there for their school bus? Consider the corner of Seashore and Academy Roads, for example. For hundreds of years, our intersection has been a gathering place, a sending place, a safe place for neighbors to worship Christ, pray, and serve the community together. Intersections are crossroads of activity. This Good News message from Luke 18 about a widow and a judge. Why did she go to the judge at night? What does Jesus want us to learn from the judge’s action even though he hated God and others!? Join us at corner of Faith Avenue and Justice Street where Jesus is looking for faith in action. Invest a few minutes to listen to Pastor Kevin’s message and meet Jesus at the corner of Faith Avenue and Justice Street. What will you find there?
You being here today is an amazing thing. You have created an intersection, a meeting, and opportunity between you and Cold Spring Church. We are better because you’re here. You’re better because you’re here. You and us go together like, peanut butter and jelly. God’s love for us goes together with us perfectly too, like peanut butter and jelly. God’s love for us. Our love for others. It just goes together! Enjoy the peanut butter and jelly I have for you… and remember, God’s love for us, and our love for others goes together like… Yep. You got it!
This week, Pastor Kevin’s message starts with the disciples asking for more faith to meet a particularly thorny problem about forgiveness. But in response, Jesus says they had all the faith required, it just needed to get in motion! So its like riding a bike, because there’s a huge difference in outcomes between riding a stationary bike and a moving bicycle. We’ll learn about a Scientific American study that Steve Jobs shared many years ago. The research evaluated which species on the planet was the most efficient in locomotion. While the mighty condor was above any other species, beating even a human in an automobile, it was a human riding a bike that blew the condor away from its top spot! We will learn we don’t need more faith, in a message titled, Faith: Bicycle For the Spirit.
We also gather for Global Peace and Witness- World Communion Sunday with an opportunity to receive a special offering to help put our faith into action locally and around the world. You’re invited to join us for inspiring worship as as we gather around the Lord’s Table. All this and more this week at Cold Spring Church, your neighborhood stop for moving faith.
What do you do when you get some money? What are your options? Well, you could spend, save, or give it away.
Doing good in my family, school, & community makes me happy Our brain is “hard-wired” to feel happy when we do good. You can increase your feelings of happiness by giving service and doing good to others. Directions: Make a list below of things you can do in your family, school, and community to make them better and happier.
“When we have the opportunity to help anyone,
we should do it” (Galatians 6:10a).
“Each one should give, then, what one has decided in your heart to give.
You should not give if it makes you sad.
And you should not give if you think you are being forced to give.
God loves the person who gives happily”
(2Corinthians 9:7).
God wants us to use our time, energy, attention, talents, and even our money wisely because God loves a cheerful giver. A cheerful saver. A cheerful spender. Being cheerful is remembering that God loves us and wants us to be loving towards others, too! You have the power to do Good!
A 69-year-old Spanish man was fined after officials discovered he hadn’t shown up to work for at least six years. Ironically, the civil servant was discovered only when the deputy mayor attempted to give him an award for 20 years of “loyal and dedicated” service. He finally surfaced and was fined for abandonment of his employment. But, really, how could someone not notice he was missing?
Being a good neighbor is about closing the gaps. Building bridges. Making connections. Amazing things can result when we improve our noticinga and interacting with our neighbors. According to a U.S. survey (safehome.org), there are generational, gender, religious, and political differences as to who makes the best neighbor. Fun Fact: Baby Boomers (born 1946 – 1964) appear to be the nicest neighbors of any generation, but every generation can improve because 1/3 of Americans have never met their neighbors! The apostle Paul wrote, “When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it” (Galatians 6:10a).
Generational, gender, religious, income, and political differences created divisions between individuals and communities in Jesus’ day, too. This week, Pastor Kevin’s message, “The Case of the Man Who Never Noticed,” concerns a rich man who neglected his neighbor. More than a morality tale, we will consider the radical nature of Jesus’ mission and the equally radical call to address the chasms of life. Let’s close the gaps!
All this and more this week at Cold Spring Church. (And remember, following worship, we will enjoy our Annual Fall Picnic! See you Sunday!
Have you ever joined a group? A club? Sure! Well, did you know you are part of a very cool group called the church!? I have a passport here for you to fill out. God has invited you to experience belonging, a tru part of our congregation. You are unique and we are so glad you as a part of us! Jesus invited us together to serve each other and others . A passport for a faith adventure that never ends!!Have you ever joined a group? A club? Sure! Well, did you know you are part of a very cool group called the church!? I have a passport here for you to fill out. God has invited you to experience belonging, a tru part of our congregation. You are unique and we are so glad you as a part of us! Jesus invited us together to serve each other and others . A passport for a faith adventure that never ends!!