Elder's Corner

From George Trivelas:

Connected

A couple of months ago I looked around on a Sunday morning – it was one of those weeks when attendance was low- only about 40 people. It bothered me, not so much the low number, but I noticed not very many people were sitting together. It struck me and made me ask, “Why aren’t people sitting together?” When my family goes to see a movie, we don’t all sit in different rows, we sit together. We laugh, we whisper, we share popcorn. We talk about it afterwards. When we share a meal together, we all crowd around the table, we share highs and lows, we hang on each other, hug on each other, encourage one another. Isn’t that what families do? Aren’t we a family? Shouldn’t it be the same?
When I was growing up, family time was not always happy. Spending time together usually consisted of some kind of argument or fighting between my parents or between me and my brother, or both. It was not something I looked forward to or a safe environment for sharing. Perhaps you also have wounds and apprehension because of past experiences, but take a step into today. We are now part of God’s family, and it’s a safe, loving place where we can:

Spend time together and ENJOY it!
Confide in one another, share struggles and joys.
Look for ways to encourage and uplift one another.
Speak honestly with each another.

We all need to assess ourselves and our families from time to time, and ask some hard questions. It is the same way with our church family.
Are we connected with the rest of the family?
Do we share and confide in one another?
Do we encourage one another regularly?
I have been asking myself these questions and to be honest I find myself not being the example I would like to be. Let’s pray that we all would strive towards that ideal where we connect like a family, share and confide in one another, uplift and encourage one another regularly and enjoy being together!

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35.

Sunday, November 18th

"And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things and because of Your will they existed, and were created." -- Revelation 4:9-11

This Sunday the 18th we will have the opportunity to experience together the presence of the One who lives forever. Come ready to listen to the words of John's vision as if for the first time. What do you hear? What do you feel? Fear? Anticipation? Dread? Jubilation? Open your imagination (God created that, too!) to the images and descriptions as John struggles to put human words to an ethereal, unexplainable experience. Will you be ready to bow before the throne?

for the worship team --
Robyn