Is anyone going here for an Earthday Service?
Is anyone going here for an Earthday Service?
For United Methodists, this Sunday serves as Heritage Sunday, a time to remember our journey as a denomination through the years and for local churches to remember the same about their own heritage as well. This reading in Acts is a wonderful model for us. Here is a church that devoted themselves not to programs or the latest projects, but to the four areas mentioned in verse 42. Everything that followed after that seems a by product of that devotion.
For churches that say "we can't do this or that" perhaps this is a good reminder of what the church is supposed to be... may this be the heritage we seek.
Joseph in Charleston, SC
Heritage Sunday is a great day to look back at the way our churches have grown, at the people who made sacrifices for the ministry of the church. If Acts presents a somewhat idealized summary of the early days of the church, what is wrong with remembering the "good old days" of our congregations? Especially if we can focus on teaching, fellowship, eucharist and prayer! GF in SC
Just a note, verse 47 states that the Lord added to their number. It wasn't by following a prescribed program or formula. It was God's will to increase the early church. A scan through the book of Acts shows that the theme of the growth of the church is all done by the power or the Holy Spirit.
John near Pitts.
I recently heard someone say that she was on "manna alert" as a way of describing being on the lookout for tha small everyday blessings God sends our way. I thinlk this passage lends it self to the concept. We could be on "Awe alert", looking for wonders and signs that are the work of God among us. Pam in Tpa
What about "glad and generous hearts?" Which comes first (like the chicken or the egg)? Can you be generous without being glad--or is that action out of guilt? Can you be glad without being generous--or is that empty sentiment?
In Disciple I (Bible study), the presenter for Acts said that the church of that time was "a great experiment that was never repeated." -- the implication being (maybe)that the church today is not called to share all things with anyone who has need.
Can we have glad and generous hearts and NOT share all things? --Linda
The miracle from the Christian community is not so much the healing, the demon casting out, the speaking in tongues but the miracle of how different people can live together in a community and nurture one another. THAT is the reason so many people joined this community. We desperately need that miracle in our world today.
The Episcopal Eucharistic Lectionary uses Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60. Any thoughts?
To Linda and all,
With all due respect to the Disciple presenter, I think one of the main points the Luke-Acts author is trying to make is to lift up the church mentioned in this passage as the model of the true church, to be sought by all who claim membership in the Christian community.
Our problem is that we don't truly trust the power of the Cross and Resurrection, so we (me included) only give what we think we can afford. We think it foolish to give more than we 'have to.'
But here was a community who for a brief time at least understood the power of the Cross and Resurrection, and thought it unfaithful to give any less than they had.
The lesson goes way beyond stewardship. It reaches to the very cause of the violence we see around us. The church at one time saw its task so important that they chose to die for it but somewhere in our past we took an evil turn -- our faith became not important enough to die for, but only important enough to kill for. God help us! no wonder our children shoot each other. If we who claim to follow the Prince of Peace do not know what peace is, how can we expect the world and our children to?
Jeff in Arkansas
I agree with the comments that warn against focusing on the latest and greatest program to increase our numbers. It seems that this "model" (which may be an idealized version of the a now 50 year old church) can serve as a blueprint. It is as one scholar put it: "the church on it's best behavior."
For my context this means lifting up the moments that we (the church) are on our best behavior. When we are engaged in the kerygma, koinonia, prayer and respect of God. These may be outstanding act, but most likely they are the common everday occurances. Afterall, isnt' that what the author is describing? After the 3000 joined and were baptized (preceding vss.) then the church gets busy with the everyday tasks of being the church.
Finally, yes, the blessing comes from God, and I don't know that the blessing should always come in terms of numbers and more members. That would be up to God. I guess the key for me in this passage is that we focus on being the church.
Finally, I can't help but think about our response and responsibility in the two most recent crisis? the Littleton killings and Kosovo. What does it mean to hold to these four points in the midst of these and other crises?
Kelly - in the shadow of Ranier
In response to Kelly: I've decided to preach on this text this Sunday because of the nature of the ideal community that is described here. If you wanted to be cynical you could say that it was so idealistic that it didn't last very long, which is true. However, what we have here is intended to be a model of the ideal community, not a description of the early church. As such, it offers a wonderful thumbnail sketch of what the church should be about.
In reference to the killings in Colorado, it seems as though the nature of community pops up all over the place. "This is such a nice community, how could this happen here" and such. The underside of that community, though, is the alienation--the fact that these kids were alienated because of their antisocial views and behavior. Don't misunderstand me--this in no way justifies what they did. But it does highlight the nature of community, which has fellowship at it's foundation. The church can offer a model of community that is not based on any worldly standards--race, economic status, whatever. All are equal in God's eyes. This is the gift the church has to offer in the face of such evil.
Sorry-forgot to sign the previous post. NEOW in Maine