2.18.24
Compassionate God, as we embark on this First Sunday in Lent, guide us through this sacred season, opening our hearts to the profound lessons of repentance, renewal, and a steadfast reliance on your boundless grace. Guide us in the footsteps of Jesus, who faced temptation in the wilderness and emerged victorious. May this day of worship inspire us to deepen our commitment to follow Christ and prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter. Amen.
Day 4: Gracious God, grant us the wisdom to discern your will in our lives. May our hearts be open to your guidance and our spirits be refreshed by your peace. Prepare us for the challenges and blessings that lie ahead. Amen.
2.16.24
Day 3: Merciful Lord, as we reflect on your sacrifice, grant us the strength to bear our crosses with patience and humility. May the trials we face draw us closer to You, and may we find solace in the promise of Your resurrection. Amen.
2.16.24
This past Sunday was the conclusion of our series on the book of Jonah. The narrative’s powerful closing reminds us that God’s waiting grace is always ready to welcome us home despite our detours and disobedience. Jonah’s journey prompts self-reflection on our responses to God’s grace and our willingness to return when we veer off course.
Moving beyond Jonah’s story, we delve into a broader call to share God’s grace with everyone. The central message echoes that God’s enduring and universal grace extends to friends, family, neighbors, and even those of different faiths. The emphasis lies in embracing the transformative power of spreading this message and recognizing our role as vessels of God’s unmerited favor in our interactions.
As recipients of God’s grace, we are urged to actively extend the invitation to others. The call to action resonates strongly: become ambassadors of God’s grace in our communities and beyond. The closing questions challenge us to examine our inclusivity and confront misplaced anger, reminding us that God’s preferences lean towards grace over anger. The message encourages us to align our motives with God’s transformative love as we carry the lessons of Jonah’s journey into our daily lives.
2.15.24
Day 2: Loving Father, guide us through this Lenten path. May our fasting be a source of self-discipline, our prayers deepen our connection with You, and our acts of charity reflect your love for others. Strengthen us to walk faithfully in Your ways. Amen.
Welcome to Lent 2024! Over the next 40 days, join us in a daily moment of reflection and prayer to guide you on your Lenten journey. Each prayer offers support, encouragement, and spiritual nourishment as we walk together through this sacred season. May these moments of contemplation deepen your connection with God and illuminate the path toward Easter’s joy and renewal.
In Christ!
Reverend Sela Finau
Ash Wednesday:
Day 1: Gracious God, as we begin this sacred journey of Lent, may we heed the call of your prophet Joel. Help us turn our hearts to You, embracing repentance and seeking your mercy. Let the ashes on our foreheads be a sign of our humility and a reminder of your boundless grace. Amen.
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Join us for worship this evening at 7:00 P.M. or at a church near you.
2.8.24
Despite disobedience, Jonah’s solitude, away from all voices, led to transformation. Even though the people of Nineveh lived a horrific lifestyle, when they fasted and repented of their sins, God’s mind was changed and extended mercy.
We serve a God of boundless second chances, an ocean of grace, calling us regardless of our past and reminding us of God’s mercy and mission. The narrative of Jonah extends this grace to all, emphasizing that seeking God leads to purpose and redemption.
In Lent, let’s turn off distractions, change our ways, seek forgiveness, and embrace God’s transformative power.
Grace and peace,
sela
(reflection based on Jonah, chapter 3)
This past Sunday, we continued with the story of Jonah and his three days and nights in the belly of a fish, akin to a divine timeout. Timeout, a concept familiar to parents, was for Jonah both discipline and discipleship, emphasizing the shared root of learning, following, and adhering to principles.
Jonah’s experience underscores that God’s discipline is God’s provision, a grace-filled opportunity for development and shaping. In the depths of despair, Jonah found the right spirit and posture before God – a spirit of brokenness and a posture of humility and thankfulness.
In our own deep messes, we are urged to turn to God in prayer, acknowledging our brokenness rather than seeking temporary fixes elsewhere. God specializes in working with the empty and broken, and our humble approach opens the way for divine intervention. These challenging phases are opportunities for growth, alignment with God’s will, and preparation for what lies ahead.
Jonah’s story, at least chapter two, concludes with a messy yet transformative deliverance, teaching us that true cleansing and renewal often come in unexpected, seemingly unpleasant ways. As we navigate our own timeouts and brokenness, may we, like Jonah, find strength in prayer, cultivate gratitude in all situations, and trust in God’s transformative power even when the path seems messy.
Praise be to God!
Sela
1.25.24
In this week’s sermon, we delved into the story of Jonah, a prophet confronted with an unexpected divine assignment. Initially resistant, Jonah attempted to escape, only to be pursued by a relentless God. This narrative illustrates how God can use even reluctant individuals for a greater purpose, manifesting God’s grace.
The sermon challenged us to acknowledge the limitations of our understanding in grasping the complexities of God’s ways. While God redirected Jonah with a storm, not every storm in our lives is sent by God, prompting us to reflect on the storms we may have brought upon ourselves and the need for divine intervention.
As we embark on this journey with Jonah in the coming weeks, you’re invited to contemplate your own experiences of disobedience, recognizing God’s persistent pursuit and embracing the boundless mercy that seeks to redeem us, even when we attempt to run away.
Peace and grace, Pastor Sela
1.14.24
This past Sunday, we remembered the impactful legacy of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The sermon connected the essence of walking with Jesus to our commitment to justice—a commitment that goes beyond mere words and becomes a daily practice. It’s about envisioning a world where love and God’s peace reign, where racial differences become a bridge bringing us together, and where an inclusive table is extended to everyone.
Inspired by theologian Karl Barth’s insight, we were reminded to approach life with both the Bible and the contemporary issues of our time. Following Jesus, as emphasized, isn’t a journey with closed eyes but one where we navigate with openness, inviting others to join us and extending help to those in need.
Reflecting on the call of the first disciples, we were reminded that God already sees and understands our challenges. Sometimes, the obstacles we face—symbolized by potholes and construction barriers—are perhaps redirections, urging us to slow down, read the signs, and engage more deeply with the world around us.
a journey in existence 