Max’s Corner

Posted on by

The Passing of Bill Parker

Bill passed last Saturday. He was 78 and a vital and beloved member of this church. He will be greatly missed. Our love goes out to Linda and their sons. The memorial service will be held after the cremains are available. Bill moves on with his life. Thanks be to God.

Choir Sings

And they sang beautifully, too. We welcome the three new members. The anthem this Sunday is called Mercy.

Chuy from 4Stage, the company that does our lights/sound work, arranged our microphones for us. So—the recording of the anthem was better than ever.

NDE Class Ends

This is the last Sunday. We will be answering questions that have grown from our study of NDEs this Sunday—some of the “big questions” that most Christians have. (For example, “What happens to children who are stillborn or who die very young?”) We welcome guests for this session, even if you have not attended before.

When my sister’s class ends, I will begin a study of my book, Discovering God. So, we will continue lessons at the same time each week.

Class at 9:45—followed by breakfast.

Speaking of Breakfast

This week is another “We-Bring.” It’s up to us eaters. Feel free to help. We serve a lot of people each Sunday.

Food and fellowship at 10:30.

This Sunday

I wrote about this recently. Now I am preaching about it: Does God Get Angry?

How do we deal with Paul’s words about “the wrath of God”? Where does Jesus stand on this?

I would rejoice to see you in worship.

God Bless,
—MB

Mary’s Corner

Posted on by

Greetings, dear church and friends of the church,

I bring you peace and love in the name of the risen Christ. I returned Sunday from the beautiful state of New York. The memorial service for John McIntosh was beautiful. The service was held in a chapel built in the late 1700s. John’s family participated in the memorial, sharing touching stories and sentiments about their father, grandfather, and uncle. John’s great nephew, a professional opera singer, filled the wood and stone chapel with his powerful voice. There was a naval flag ceremony at the graveside that was incredibly moving.

At the same time, I missed you all terribly. My heart is broken, as is yours, over the loss of our dear brother Bill Parker. The thought of John greeting his friend Bill just inside those pearly gates was the thing that kept me going through this difficult weekend. I am grateful to God that I will see these men again, that their suffering is no more, and that they are busy watching over us in heaven.

I have spoken to Linda, and she sends love and thanks for the cards, text messages, and prayers. Bless you all for gathering her up in your arms as you have done for so many who have lost loved ones. I know that when I look out at you, I am in the presence of angels.

My love to all,
Mary

Kids’ News

Posted on by

Did you know there are two stories about how God created people? In Genesis 2, we see a closer look at how God made the first human. God took dust from the ground and breathed life into him. Then, God planted a beautiful garden with trees and water and asked the human to take care of it. But God saw that the human shouldn’t be alone, so God made a helper. Together, they became the first team to care for God’s world.

You might notice this story is a little different from the first one in Genesis. Some people say there are two versions to help us understand God’s big story better. What really matters is that God shows us we need each other. We’re meant to help one another and take care of the world around us.

See you in church on Sunday!
Blessings…

What We Got Wrong about Salvation

Posted on by

Watch the full service on our YouTube channel by clicking here.

Register your attendance

This week, Rev. Brennan reflected on the nature of salvation, encouraging us to reconsider some of our long-held beliefs. Drawing inspiration from Pope Francis, who spoke about how different faiths can offer unique paths to understanding God, Rev. Brennan reminded us that God’s love and grace are vast and inclusive. He challenged us to think beyond our individual experiences and appreciate the richness of faith journeys that may be different from our own.

Continuing the theme of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), Rev. Brennan pointed out that these powerful moments often reveal deeper truths about God’s presence and the universality of grace. By considering these broader perspectives, we are reminded that salvation is not confined to our limited understanding, but is an expression of God’s infinite love for all people.