Dear First Church Family,
This past Sunday I was so pleased to preach my first sermon as your called pastor! After worship I especially enjoyed greeting every one, speaking with those whom I had met before and greeting others whom I met for the first time. I continue to be grateful for the welcome the congregation has extended to our family, including the reception which was hosted in our honor on Sunday.
During the reception I was pleased to speak to a number of people who mentioned that they appreciated the brief “envisioning time” that I included as a part of my sermon. I did this so that as each person made space and time to envision themselves with the promises of scripture, they might begin to experience the fulfillment of these promises in their own lives.
Week by week I hope that this reflection time can become an important part of our worship experience. To assist this I will be providing the sermon texts a week ahead, so that the congregation can be better prepared to envision themselves as part of what God continues to do in and among His people.
The scripture for this coming Sunday is the story of the healing at the Bethesda Pool taken from John 5:1-14. As each of us reflects upon the meaning of this story, let us ask ourselves: What excuses do we have for preventing us from moving ahead? Have we been afraid of the stirring of the water? All are encourage to conclude the week by reading and reflecting on Galatians 1:1-5.
As I look ahead to Sunday, Aug 9, I encourage the congregation to continue reflecting upon John chapter 5 and to read verses 16 through 27. In these verses Jesus responds to those in the temple who were critical of Him, both for making the paralyzed man well on the Sabbath and for claiming that He did it through the authority that God Himself gave him. Conclude your preparation by reflecting upon 2 Corinthians 6:1-10.
I am excited to be on this journey of faith with all of you and I Look forward to worshiping with you this coming Sunday.
– Pastor Mark Buchanan
