The Launch of 'Renovate'

We officially launched our Saturday Evening Contemporary Service under the name of Renovate. It took us a while to come up with a name but I'm glad it did because we are liking the one we've got. We received lots of different ideas and suggestions, which we are very grateful for but eventually decided on this one. On August 14th we launched (still with little to no outside marketing at this point due to trying to nail down a logo) our service with a free concert from 1000 Generations to follow. Numbers were OK for the service, 150 showed up so that's not awful. Here is a little of my sermon from that evening.

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"Renovate"
faith :: community :: culture

The word renovate means:
1 : to restore to a former better state (as by cleaning, repairing, or rebuilding)
2 : to restore to life, vigor, or activity : revive, renew

This process of renovation is just that, a process. Similar to how our faith is a process. Constantly being restored and renewed and maybe even revived when it feels like its been dead for a while. Like the writer of Hebrews talks about "running the race with perseverance" (Heb. 12:1-3).

This is what we're hoping for through this service, that the process of renovation might either begin or be encouraged to continue on to completion (Philippians 1:6). To the point where it begins to impact not only one's faith, but community and culture as well. Like the wise man who built his house on rock (Matthew 7:24-27), we hope that Renovate is just one way in which individuals might build a solid foundation of faith as they find additional ways to connect with the community of Castleton UMC. It's more than simply attending a service, it's about allowing the Spirit to work in you and through you to bring about renewal. If you haven't already, this might be something worth checking out.

"Dealing with Temptation: Part 2"

Sermon outline from part 2 of a 2 part series talking about temptation. You can find part 1 here.

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"Dealing with Temptation: Part 2"
Practical Ways to Deal with Temptation

• Refocus your attention on something else

*2 Timothy 2:22
*Philippians 4:8
*The battle for sin is won or lost in your mind, whatever gets your attention will get you
*Spiritually, your mind is your most vulnerable organ, to reduce temptation, keep your mind occupied with good things

• Avoid it

*1 Peter 5:8-9
*Don’t try to argue with the hungry lion
*Without Christ we are defenseless against the Devil
*It’s easier to stay out of temptation than it is to get out of it

• Recognize your vulnerability

*Mark 14:38
*1 Timothy 6:9
*Given the right circumstances, any of us are capable of any sin

• Be in community

*1 Corinthians 10:12-13
*You are only as sick as your secrets
*Satan wants you to think that your sin and temptation are unique so you keep them a secret
*Separating yourself from the community makes you much more vulnerable to attack

"Meant to be Free"

Sermon outline from our Saturday evening service of July 4th weekend.

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"Meant to be Free"
Galatians 5:1-6, 13-15

-Christ has freed us to be free
-This is something that has already been done, we must choose to live in that freedom (4:4-5)
-Stand firm in this freedom (Philippians 1:27)
-“Yoke” is typically used in the positive sense, as a set of guidelines (Matthew 11:29-30)
-Because we have been set free, we should never tolerate being enslaved again (4:8-9)
-This is not about individualism or inner liberty but about the freedom of Christ coming alive in the forming of community
-It is not “autonomy” which literally means “self-law”, meaning we are at the mercy of ourselves but instead this is a freedom that says “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (2:20).
-This is freedom for life in community, for mutual service in love embodied through the corporate life of the church
-This freedom is a gift, not an achievement which leaves room for genuine diversity
-We are free to interact with those who disagree with us, to love those who are difficult to love
-Freedom in Christ points us to something new

Thoughts for Lent Part 4

As the journey continues...

Prayer
O God our Father, renew our spirits and draw our hearts to thyself, that our work may not be to us a burden but a delight, and give us such love to thee as may sweeten our obedience. Help us that we may serve thee with the cheerfulness and gladness of children, delighting ourselves in thee and rejoicing in all that is to the honor of thy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~From The Book of Worship

Scripture
-Psalm 32 (how are you handling the weight of sin in your life? don't miss that confession & forgiveness can lighten the burden of guilt.)

-Colossians 3:1-17 (what is your source of life?)
-Romans 8:31-39 (find hope in the fact that Jesus is in the presence of God interceding on our behalf.)
-Philippians 3:8-14 (are you allowing Christ to take hold of your life?)

Thoughts

An act of pure faith is the death of what we love most so it may be offered to the loved one because only love is stronger than death...

At the ultimate moment of trial, when we try to pierce the invisible, with the sharpened spear of every possibility we can find, we realize that the three theological virtues - faith, hope, and charity - are really only one, and they have such a power of penetration that they could disrupt the entire universe.

~From The God Who Comes by Carlo Carretto