Enjoy the pictures
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Christ is everywhere, Do you see Christ?
I once told someone that I see Christ in all things, and so they asked why then do we need to come to church and why is the church here? There's no need then and I wasn't very articulate in my response,but I have since thought about my response and how I would rephrase some things.
I continue to find Christ in all people and in all things even the ones that drive me crazy - try it - find something positive to say - it doesn't mean that you have to go around someone who continually verbally abuses you or who is eternally negative but find the positive and start verbalizing it not only to yourself but to others and see what happens to you. Transformation happens, we start to see things differently and our eyes are opened in new and exciting ways.
Now, we do need the church, because the church is here to help us to understand how to find Christ in all things and to be Christ to others and to walk and follow Christ in our daily lives. We need the church because without it some of us walk away without every truly understanding the meaning behind walking with Christ and in another words, walking the walking. I saw this yesterday on a blog spot that I viewed about faith in action. There was a preacher, Brennan Manning with a You tube video that said "I am convinced that when I die there is only one thing that Jesus will ask me, Did you know that I loved you?" Sometimes we can't possibly understand the love that God and Christ have for us. This to me says I love you, so now go and love others, but how can people do that when they don't love themselves. In comes the church - we are to love and to show love, that doesn't mean judge, I don't have a handle on that one yet - I'm in process on the journey just like everyone else and I need help right along with everyone else and am trying to live that out but I need help so the church helps me.
I'm not saying I have anything perfected and I am not saying that I have all the answers, but somehow the church gives us a sacred place for coming to the center of God and becoming refreshed by being fed by the nurturing spirit of our community of fellow believers and God, so that we can help one another be Christ, see Christ, and love Christ in the world around us in which we live. It is about faith in action, not only at church and on Sunday morning but everyday of the week. The church is here to help us be better people in our vocations, our homes, our world, our community, our play times, and our lives.
I don't know if this makes sense, but it is also about making priorities in our lives. What is truly important? I think that the church is important because it is about relationship - relationship with one another, with God, our world, our community, our family and friends and our every day lives. The only problem is I need help to do this - I can't do it alone. That's where the church comes in - I am fed so that I may go out and be food to others. I feel like I will dry up and wither away without the assistance of others - relationship - vertical and horizontal - just like the cross. I must look up to God and maintain that relationship but I must also reach out with my arms in love to the world in which I live in to be in relationship with God.
I hope this makes sense to you, and I hope that you agree that we need the church - but we also need to remember that we can't expect the people to come to the church - so we must take the church to them - RELATIONSHIP.
I am enjoying being on the journey with you! We are truly blessed children of God.
Worship, love, serve, Dawn
I continue to find Christ in all people and in all things even the ones that drive me crazy - try it - find something positive to say - it doesn't mean that you have to go around someone who continually verbally abuses you or who is eternally negative but find the positive and start verbalizing it not only to yourself but to others and see what happens to you. Transformation happens, we start to see things differently and our eyes are opened in new and exciting ways.
Now, we do need the church, because the church is here to help us to understand how to find Christ in all things and to be Christ to others and to walk and follow Christ in our daily lives. We need the church because without it some of us walk away without every truly understanding the meaning behind walking with Christ and in another words, walking the walking. I saw this yesterday on a blog spot that I viewed about faith in action. There was a preacher, Brennan Manning with a You tube video that said "I am convinced that when I die there is only one thing that Jesus will ask me, Did you know that I loved you?" Sometimes we can't possibly understand the love that God and Christ have for us. This to me says I love you, so now go and love others, but how can people do that when they don't love themselves. In comes the church - we are to love and to show love, that doesn't mean judge, I don't have a handle on that one yet - I'm in process on the journey just like everyone else and I need help right along with everyone else and am trying to live that out but I need help so the church helps me.
I'm not saying I have anything perfected and I am not saying that I have all the answers, but somehow the church gives us a sacred place for coming to the center of God and becoming refreshed by being fed by the nurturing spirit of our community of fellow believers and God, so that we can help one another be Christ, see Christ, and love Christ in the world around us in which we live. It is about faith in action, not only at church and on Sunday morning but everyday of the week. The church is here to help us be better people in our vocations, our homes, our world, our community, our play times, and our lives.
I don't know if this makes sense, but it is also about making priorities in our lives. What is truly important? I think that the church is important because it is about relationship - relationship with one another, with God, our world, our community, our family and friends and our every day lives. The only problem is I need help to do this - I can't do it alone. That's where the church comes in - I am fed so that I may go out and be food to others. I feel like I will dry up and wither away without the assistance of others - relationship - vertical and horizontal - just like the cross. I must look up to God and maintain that relationship but I must also reach out with my arms in love to the world in which I live in to be in relationship with God.
I hope this makes sense to you, and I hope that you agree that we need the church - but we also need to remember that we can't expect the people to come to the church - so we must take the church to them - RELATIONSHIP.
I am enjoying being on the journey with you! We are truly blessed children of God.
Worship, love, serve, Dawn
Friday, September 19, 2008
Giving Thanks!
I wish I had some pictures to share with you about the appreciation dinner the Bishop's Committee gave the congregation last night. We had 30 people there, sharing, laughing, and eating together.
We gave thanks to the congregation who throughout this past year have been prayerful, loving, generous hands of God to us and to the community. We have much to be thankful for and remember that God is gracious, loving and full of kindness and mercy. I have seen God at work in many people and places in the San Luis Valley, but especially in our church.
We did a land blessing for a new member two weeks ago, and we brought food and blessings to him, his goats, his chickens,his dogs and of course to the land that he has chosen to build his home on. He has given us the gift of eggs, goat milk and hair for those who weave and spin to buy. He has also given us the blessing of his presence and his God-centered life.
We have people who minister to those who are in the hospital, visitors to the valley, on hospice care, teaching children & adults, those who write, take pictures, those who are artists and share their God-given talents, those who love music and play an instrument, those who laugh and play, those who walk, those who listen, those who care, those who know horses, those who love children, those who give over and over and over again and never ask for anything in return. We are truly blessed and I give thanks that I have the opportunity to serve in such a loving, caring and giving place.
I will post pictures later of all we have been doing for the past few months since we went green and share with us in the wonder that God gives us each and every day. Let us always be thankful for what we have and what we receive. I am thankful for all of these willing hands, hearts, feet, and faces of Christ who minister to me in so many incredible ways.
Thank you. Dawn
We gave thanks to the congregation who throughout this past year have been prayerful, loving, generous hands of God to us and to the community. We have much to be thankful for and remember that God is gracious, loving and full of kindness and mercy. I have seen God at work in many people and places in the San Luis Valley, but especially in our church.
We did a land blessing for a new member two weeks ago, and we brought food and blessings to him, his goats, his chickens,his dogs and of course to the land that he has chosen to build his home on. He has given us the gift of eggs, goat milk and hair for those who weave and spin to buy. He has also given us the blessing of his presence and his God-centered life.
We have people who minister to those who are in the hospital, visitors to the valley, on hospice care, teaching children & adults, those who write, take pictures, those who are artists and share their God-given talents, those who love music and play an instrument, those who laugh and play, those who walk, those who listen, those who care, those who know horses, those who love children, those who give over and over and over again and never ask for anything in return. We are truly blessed and I give thanks that I have the opportunity to serve in such a loving, caring and giving place.
I will post pictures later of all we have been doing for the past few months since we went green and share with us in the wonder that God gives us each and every day. Let us always be thankful for what we have and what we receive. I am thankful for all of these willing hands, hearts, feet, and faces of Christ who minister to me in so many incredible ways.
Thank you. Dawn
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