Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

There is some electronic burping in the recording.  Not sure what happened.

The Reverend Mario Alejandre returning to Hilltop to close out our Stewardship Campaign for 2017.  Mario is a Lutheran who sounds like a Methodist.  Gifted.  Truly.  

Bishop Karen Oliveto was at Hilltop for the Rocky Mountain Conference United Methodist Women, and we ask her to stay over an extra day, and she graciously consented.  This sermon is drawn from John 15 and the command to love each other.  Let me know if you have trouble with hearing  Bishop Karen uses a wide range of vocal dynamics, and parts may need a little bit of an electronic boost in Garage Band, which is what I use to create this.  

We also sang after the Sermon -- "Draw the Circle Wide" -- which is what Bishop Karen is addressing in her benediction.  

This is drawn from 1 Samuel 3: 1-11, and I address brefly the context of the passage at the beginning of the reading.  

Samuel is being advised to "listen" ... and Eli tells him to communicate to God that Samuel is actively listening for God to speak.  That constitutes the core of the reflection/message.  

Stewardship Message #2 -- focus on the transformative elements of the Building ... Curtis Crichton is our Senior Trustee

Exodus 16: 1-25 -- a quick trip in the wilderness focusing on needs and how God provides.  Points toward John 6 -- Jesus as the Bread of Life.  The Children of Israel sit in the wilderness between already and not-yet, slavery and freedom.  God will provide ... 

Two readings, 1 Kings 19 where Elijah is given a demonstration of God, and Genesis 11/12 with the Call of Abraham.  

Abraham is called to be a blessing.  Important.  Elijah has the advantage of history and knowledge of what God has done, but Abraham is starting out cold.  

We are like Abraham, called to be a blessing.  Often however we are like Elijah, the testimony of the "small, still voice" or "the sound of silence" is insufficent to move us from our own self-focus.  We need to keep remembering, God will Provide!  

This a mix of Genesis 1 and Psalm 8.  Both the choir and the praise band focused on the themes of creation and who are we?  My idea was to focus on the idea of through remembering, we are saying we believe.  I then moved to several "Continuity of God" ideas that connected our remembrance with anticipation ... 

Our Chancel Choir this past Sunday.  I was not present to hear or experience this.  Transcendent.