Hebrews 13.1-16

“The peculiar grace of a Shaker chair is due to the fact that it was made by someone capable of believing that an angel might come and sit on it.” (written by Thomas Merton) Notice here in v2: “for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.”

Hebrews 12.18-29

This coming Sunday we will be focusing on Hebrews 12.18-29. In this passage the writer lays out for us two different mountains. There is Mount Sinai, where the people [and animals] were not able to touch the mount for fear of God. And there is Mount Zion, that is the heavenly Jerusalem. A place of festal gathering that is inhabited by angels, by the first born, the Judge of all, spirits of the righteous, and by Jesus.

This Jesus is the one who is our mediator of the new covenant [v24]. And he speaks to us a better word then a word of vengeance. As Christians we are called to participate with this new Jerusalem by worshiping the Lord. But, in verses 25-29 we come to understand that there are those who have turned away from this new covenant [v25]. They refuse this Jesus who is speaking. They reject the one who warns from heaven [v25]. Whatever is left to shake will be shaken and our God is an all-consuming fire [v29].

This is a dire warning from the preacher to those who have become lethargic in their faith ----- who have become disinterested. The preacher is reminding them that there are cosmic consequences in what we do when we gather together. That we are worshiping the very creator of all that is seen and unseen ------ and in that worship we are living into the reality of the New Jerusalem. How can we refuse this calling? How can we reject this Jesus who is speaking to us? If we do there are cosmic consequences for us ------ as we reject our first love. Therefore, let us persevere in the faith.

Operation Christmas Child Promo

Operation Christmas Child 2012

This coming Sunday, November 18th at 4pm we will be having our annual Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Packing event. Below you will find a list of all the things you will need to bring to this event.  Bring all of the things you need to pack a shoe box, along with a shoe box ----- and then we will be packing them. This will be on Sunday, November 18th at 4pm in our fellowship hall. If you have any questions you can see Ashley Ayscue.

Hebrews 12.1-4 - All Saints Day

This coming Sunday we will be focusing on Hebrews 12.1-4.  This passage gives us that famous verse that says: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us."  In the previous chapter we see numerous examples of the saints of God that have gone before us.  These saints that exemplified the faith of God.  And now we are surrounded by these witnesses to the faith ------ therefore we are to lay aside the lethargy, the laziness, and the sin ------ and run the race that is before us.  We are being cheered on by those who have gone before us ------ saying that we can do this.  And we can do this because Christ has made a way where there seemed to be no way.  Continuing on to verse 3 it says: "Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart."  When we think of what Jesus endured on our behalf ----- this should enliven us to persevere in the race that is laid before us.  To not turn back to our sinful ways ----- but instead to persevere until the very end. 

Traditionally on this Sunday, we recognize those saints who have gone before us.  This Sunday we are going  to continue to do that, but also give everyone an opportunity to share about a saint of God that impacted their lives.  I would like to invite you to prayerfully consider sharing during our Sunday morning All Saints Day services.  You might want to read something that has impacted you, share a song, display an art piece, or tell a story.  Please consider doing that as we share the lives of those saints of God who have impacted our lives. 

Hebrews 11.1-19

This coming Sunday we will be focusing on Hebrews 11.1-19.  This has one of the most famous passages from Hebrews in it.  It is verse 1: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."  This sets up the rest of the 18 verses.  Over and over again we hear the words "by faith".  We see "by faith" in vv 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 17.  And in the midst of this pericope we then hear of a longing for a heavenly city.  In v16 it says: "But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one."  The question that comes to me from this verse is whether we desire that better country? that heavenly one? 

In Burlap to Cashmere's song titled "The Other Country" they sing:
Draw near the lamb's awaiting
Where the river runs thru the sky's align
From that painting of a ship
We have all been chosen
To the painter's creation
In his dream design
I can feel it over the line
I see the other country
I see the other side
Do not be afraid of this earthly city
Do not be afraid when the pharaoh's nigh 

In the midst of the stressful and divisive political season let us remember that we do not need to be afraid of the pharaohs that are trying to divide us and strike fear into us.  Our hope is in something greater than the republican party or the democratic party.  Our hope is found in something that is bigger than the political juggernaut that is trying to destroy everything in its path.  Instead, we as the church see something different.  We see with eyes of faith another city ----- a heavenly city ------ a better country.  For the slain lamb of God has called us to his side.  And uses people like us to make things new.  

WikiWorship - Sunday, September 30th @ 5.30pm

Sunday, September 23rd @ 5.30pm

The question that we will be diving into for this coming Sunday is this: "Does God plan every move you make?"  In this question we dealing with freewill and providence.  This will be held in the Warren's Grove fellowship hall on Sunday, September 23rd at 5.30pm.  There will be child care provided and a meal after the service.  If you have any questions feel free to contact us at 336.592.3400 or at pchryst@nccumc.org

WikiWorship Video

Kick-off for WikiWorship

We would like to invite you to our Sunday Evening Service that is called Common Table.  This will be on Sunday nights at 5:30pm in our fellowship hall at Warren's Grove.  We have gone out into the community and gathered questions that real people are asking.  During the worship service we will then answer those questions.  This is called WikiWorship.  This is based on the infamous Wikipedia ------ where anyone can edit the content of Wikipedia.  Here, you will be able to edit the content of the worship service with your questions.  This is a safe environment for us to be able to look deeply into the questions that have plagued humanity for thousands of years. 

The kick-off will be Sunday, September 23rd at 5:30pm in our fellowship hall.  It will then continue September 30th; October 7th & 14th.  

There will be child care provided during each worship service.  Also, there will be a meal provided after the worship service as well.  Feel free to keep up with this blog, and you can look further into the questions that come about weekly. 

If you have any further questions feel free to contact us at: pchryst@nccumc.org  or feel free to call us at 336.592.3400.

You're invited to fun and Hot Dogs!

You and your family are invited to come on out to Huck Sansbury Park this coming Sunday, September 16th at 5:30pm.  We are going to have hot dogs and lots of great fun hanging out at the park.  Feel free to invite anyone who would like to come.

We will also be collecting questions for our upcoming WikiWorship services.  What we do is we gather questions that real people have about God, about the church, and about life.  This can be a question that they have never had the chance to ask, a question that they have never had the guts to ask, or a question that they have never gotten an adequate answer on.  We then will be answering these questions during our Sunday evening worship service starting Sunday, September 23rd at 5:30pm.  This will go on for four weeks.

In the mean time, if you would like to send us a question we are beginning to receive those now.  You can send them to my email address at pchryst@nccumc.org or you can post them at the end of this blog entry.  Thank you so much for your help.

Hebrews 3.1-6

This week we will be focusing on Hebrews 3.1-6.  Like you know we are focusing on the book of Hebrews during September, October, and November.  You can find out more information about that by following this link.  In Hebrews 3.1-6 we learn that Jesus is the great builder ----- and that we are God's house.  The writer says in v6: "Christ, however, was faithful over God's house as a son, and we are his house."  This is the congregation he is writing to, the faithful witnesses through the thousands of years, but also us ----- the church.  Jesus was faithful to build us ----- but now there has to be a response from us ----- now we are to be faithful to him.  At the end of v6 the writer says: "if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belong to hope."  This means that we have to hold firm to Christ Jesus ----- that we are to "pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it" [2.1] ------ that we are to hold fast to what "God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son" [1.1-2].  We are called to persevere till the very end ----- holding fast to the author and finisher of our faith. 

In this we learn the severe need that the world has for the church.  But also, the severe need the church has to be filled with God's grace so that we can truly be the church.  This church is the community that Christ offered up himself to die for.  This church is the community that God sent his Son to redeem so that it can participate in the reconciliation of all things to God.  This church is God's house.  But also, this church is in dire need to live into this commissioning.  We can see that the church being the church is of vital importance to God.  For the church is to be that "place" where Christ makes all things new.  Where the Holy Spirit will change the hearts and minds of people by bringing us through the death waters and giving us the mind of Christ.  My brothers and sisters ------ let us be the church that is God's house in the earth!