Thursday, February 07, 2008

Paint by the Spirit the Sequel

We had such great response from our series Paint by the Spirit in the fall (and I enjoyed doing it so much) that we are bringing it back for four Sundays in Lent. We will begin on February 17 (Invite a Friend Sunday) with Cezanne. Other artists to be considered are Degas, Cassat, and Pollock. We consider their work, we look at their life story, and we consider how Scripture and the Spirit of God connects with their art. Join us for this feast of the visual senses.

What I'm Listening To


















In the last week, I have been listening to these four CDs the most:

Linkin Park Minutes to Midnight

Bruce Springsteen Magic

Jimmy Eat World Chase This Light

[I received Magic for my birthday (11/29) and Minutes and Chase for Christmas.]

Top Twenty-Five Vineyard UK Praise and Worship Songs

The Perfect Church

This is my title for my message this Sunday. It is a little inaccurate. I make up titles two weeks before, when I am sending info in for the Catalina News. Sometimes my topic changes completely, and sometimes I stay on the same subject, but come up with a different conclusion or perspective. This week it is the latter. I am going to talk about the church and how we can be more of what we should be, but I'm going to take a little different approach.
We are going to watch and discuss the short video "You" from Nooma, featuring Rob Bell. We have seen a few of these videos before, always good; always thought provoking.
The worship bulletin is here.
The Scriptures for this week are:
Acts 2.44-45
All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Romans 12.4-5 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
1 Corinthians 10.16-17 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
Colossians 1.18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
Ephesians 4.15-16 But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
Ephesians 5.29-30 For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body.
1 Corinthians 12.12-27
Romans 8.20-25

Are we part of the problem, or part of the solution? This is the question that the church of Jesus Christ must ask. This is the question that Catalina United Methodist Church must ask. This is the question that you and I must ask of ourselves.

Invite a Friend

Sunday February 17 is Invite a Friend Sunday at Catalina UMC and at The Refuge. Invite someone to come with you. We all promise to behave and not to stare at the new people!

Yeah, I know.

I know I said I would catch up and be more regular with my blog, and I know I didn't. But I'm trying.