All Saints’
Trinity Sunday May 26, 2013
The Weekly WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG
Glorifying Christ in the Power of the Spirit by The Rev. Rick Matters
Paul gives us a powerful image that I treasure, especially when feeling pressure or fatigue. It is the image of a large pitcher suspended in the air, from which God pours the Holy Spirit into our hearts. This image refreshes me with its abundance and sense of being cleansed. It feels like God has washed away my worries and weariness, bringing the peace through Jesus Christ.
Scripture Lessons Today Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 Psalm 8 Romans 5:1-5 John 16:12-15
Today we glorify Christ in the power of the Spirit. Our praise multiplies like the water that filled the mop buckets in Walt Disney’s Fantasia. Remember how Mickey Mouse waved the sorcerer’s wand without really understanding its power? More and more water overflowed the buckets, filling the house and causing a flood. In that classic movie, peace is restored when the flowing stops. For us, though, the more we give glory to Christ, the more the Spirit seems to fill our hearts with the peace of God. God’s peace then overflows our hearts, pouring peace into the lives of others.
Creating a Caring Communiiy By Greg Troxell
Despite our roots in democracy, our yearning to belong, and our desire to form meaningful relationships, many people live a disengaged life, lonely and isolated. In The Abundant Community, John McKnight and Peter Block take a thoughtful look at how this situation came about, what maintains it, and the crippling effect it has had on our families, our communities, and our environment. They present new ways of listening to the needs of others in our neighborhood, our church, and the communities that surround us, and they suggest how we might better respond.
We have the capacity to address human needs in ways that organizations never can. We all have gifts and talents to offer. This book aims to help us build a better community together, to move beyond consumerism and reliance on entities, in order that together we can enjoy a hope-filled life. The book offers practical ideas about how we, as unique individuals, can create a caring community, one filled with love, compassion, kindness, and generosity.