Mindful Leader

Season of Pentecost -- Graduate Recognition Sunday

 

The Scripture this week was from Old Testament Proverbs, Chapter 7, but the focus was more on the broader topic of faith, family, friends.  Played with idea of those three important words.  The setting was a borderline baccalureate service for Hilltop graduating students and chose to try and focus on how those hearing the words could use them to help be mentors and coaches.  

Season of Pentecost -- Trinity Sunday - an unpacking of the Holy Spirit

This is my Trinity Sunday attempt to explain the Trinity.  The passage is from John 3.  I focused on the Holy Spirit, since we focus on that so infrequently.  

This Side of Easter: Making a Choice (May 13, 2018)

 

Ephesians 1 -- this is Mother's Day and we look at being a parent as a church.

This Side of Easter: Being Surprised (May 6, 2018)

 

This is Acts 10 where Peter is surprised by what God is calling him to do, set aside almost everything he has previously known.  What is it that we have previously held as true and God has surprised us with what we need to do?  

Bell Sunday

Processional #1                                                 Carillon Belles

“Joy” Louise Frier

Welcome                                                           Andrew Smith

Prelude                                                              Carillon Belles

“Peace Medley” arr. Linda Lamb

Children’s Message (10:30)                                 Jo Maxwell

“Acclamation in G Minor” Karen ThompsonJoyful Ringers

“Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace”    Hallelujah Bells

Kevin McChesney

Pie Jesu                                                           Hallelujah Bells

Andrew Lloyd Weber/arr. D. E. Wagner

Offertory                                                         Hallelujah Bells

“Psalm of Celebration”   Kevin McChesney

„Siyahamba“

Traditional African song/arr.Robert J. Ward

Bell Peal from “The Bells Heard Round the World” Valerie W. Stephenson

** I included Children's Time because I thought it was about Bells.   

 

This Side of Easter: Finding Joy -- April 29, 2018

This is Bell Choir Sunday and we provided a quick flavor of the bells.  The sermon is from Acts 8 and the preacher is Ms Marilyn White!  

This Side of Easter: The Name of the Good Shepherd -- April 22, 2018

The text is from Acts 4: 5-12 but we backed up a little to include Acts 4: 1, and annoyance of the Religious Authorities.  

The focus is on Peter and his transformation.  He is done denying Jesus.  

Who are we in this scene?  The status quo?  The change?  The listeners who go with the SQ or change?  The questions are directed individually and corporately.  

This Side of Easter: Resurrection Remembered -- April 15, 2018

 

Acts 3 -- Mario looks at Peter (and John) who focus on remembering Jesus as resurrected.  What does it mean indeed to live on this side of Easter?  Part of it of course is to remember "he is risen, he is risen indeed."  Mario relies on N. T. Wright for part of his settling down points.  Tom Wright has made a visit or three to Hilltop ... great source for helping us frame our conversations.  

I also like how he used Acts 3 to be a place to talk to 1 Corinthians and Paul.  I like illustrations from the scripture!   

"All of my eggs are in that basket!"  

This Side of Easter: Unity -- April 8, 2018

 

Scripture is Acts 4: 23-33 and the focus is on how the early church was in unity.  I proffer that they were in unity in terms of mission, vision, and values.  The Resurrection is the engine that drove the growth in of the early Church.  

The focus here is on people, not buildings, or denominations.  This is an initial exploration of changing our belong, believe, become to something new and different.  Hospitality, helping, hope and healing.  There is a both an inward and outward focus simultaneously:  Caring for their people and carrying the story into the world.  

Unafraid: Fear of Schism and a Call to Unity, February 4, 2018

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 (Taken from Eugene Peterson's The Message) 

This week during our Unafraid series, Pastor Dennis asks the question: Do we trust each other enough to be able to deal with our differences in a way that does not lead to schism? How much is due to a lack of trust in God and between one another. Paul's call to the community is to be reminded that if God is for us, who can be against us? We are reminded and comforted, that although challenges are always before us, it's nothing new under the sun.