Friday Greetings — May 17
Dear Centenary friends,
For the last few weeks, Preschool Chapel has been focusing on the book of Acts - just as we are in Sunday worship. Our Bible memory verse for this unit is: "The community of believers was one in heart and mind." (Acts 4:32) Hands motions indicating "community" and "one" are provided, along with other motions for "heart" and mind." Earlier this week, I was practicing the verse, including the hand motions, with a group of 4 year olds, when one of them shouted out triumphantly, "and they lived happily ever after!" That little guy had correctly understood our memory verse: the unity enjoyed by the early church was not momentary or fleeting, nor was it dependent upon their circumstances, which were often far from easy. Their unity lasted "ever after." They were one with each other, because they were one in the Lord...all because of the power of the Holy Spirit at work in them and through them.
For most of us, unity is an experience that blesses our lives from time to time, but seldom lasts very long: someone winds up exercising their "rights" or insisting on having their way - and that's the end of the unity. Not so in the Church. The community of believers IS (not was; not will be, but IS) one in heart and mind; not because we are just naturally perfect in our humility - but because of the Holy Spirit who dwells in every believer. This Sunday's scripture lessons remind us that God has poured out his Spirit on all flesh, on all those who call upon the name of the Lord. And that's as true today as it was on the first Pentecost, when the Church was a newborn. It's right there in black and white, in the pages of the Book of Acts.
So, come to worship scripturally prepared! This Sunday's Bible readings are Acts 2:1-21 and John 14:8-17, 25-27. Read both, and ask yourself, When have I experienced unity with other Christians? To what do I attribute that oneness? When have I seen, in other Christians, a unity so powerful that it was a witness to the presence of the Lord? What kind of witness does our unity present to those who are on the outside looking in?
See you on Sunday!
In Christ's love,
pastor susan
