This week, we have an opportunity to join Tamera and the group from Rivers Alive to clean up Jackson Creek in our area of Gwinnett County, where we are responsible for Adopt-a-Road. We will meet at Lucky Shoals Park and start there at 10:00 am on Saturday, December 2nd. See our website for details.
Each month in our Music & Ministry at Meadowbrook, various musicians offer their vocal or instrumental talents. We have heard from Karen in August, Scott in September, Robby in October, and Karis in November. The residents and staff enjoy our visits and look forward to our community outreach ministry there. If you want to participate and offer your musical talent or your presence to visit with the residents, you are welcome to join us – Tamera and Patricia will bring Christmas music this month at 2:00 pm on Saturday, December 23rd.
On November 19th, Pastor Karen led us through Acts 27 and reminded us, “The Bible makes no attempt to sanitize saints or situations.” Luke conveys the shipwreck with terms that create a scenario of hopeless despair, describing raging storms with no stars or sun appearing for many days. When the sailors and passengers were drained of hope, God sent hope through a prophetic word. Paul encouraged them that they would all survive and invited them to eat a meal together before the ship broke apart. Pastor Karen asked, “How can we steward places of welcome for those among whom we walk in the world, as we generously fling, plant, and nurture seeds of hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit?” This question calls us to pay attention to and respond to invitations of the Holy Spirit to offer places of welcome.
On November 26th, Pastor Nancy concluded the sermon series in Acts with the final chapter that starts with the unusual kindness of the locals welcoming the shipwrecked people with a warming fire and ends in an adverb, unhindered. She reminded us that we can cooperate with or hinder what God desires to do through us as we choose to obey or quench the Holy Spirit’s fire. She invited us to pay attention to places where we can offer unusual kindness to those in our families and communities this week.
Join us in the many ways “Everybody Gets to Play” at Liberty Vineyard Church.
Rev. Dr. Nancy Penton
Associate Pastor, Liberty Vineyard Church
Recent Sunday sermons: