Random Thoughts From Sunday

I love Sunday! That day of the week when the church gathers together for the CORPORATE worship of God. Let’s face it, we live in an isolated culture. Ours is a culture that values individualism and isolation. Long gone is the front porch where neighbors sit and chat. Instead we have garage doors we can pull into, shut the door, and never engage with a neighbor or stranger walking the street. So, each week the church gathers, and as it does, it swims against culture and swims against the lust of our own hearts that just wants to get away from it all and huddle in our cave of isolation.

How amazing is it that we weekly get to gather and worship our great God… together! I love gathering with my church – Trinity Community Church to sing, give, hear the Word read and preached, pray together and informally catch up with one another. Here are a few highlights from this pastor’s perspective of this past Sunday.

• The singing was more than just… singing. It was worship, heartfelt, passionate, God glorifying, God loving… singing. I was personally moved as I heard the many voices behind me singing loudly:

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

• Lea Lockhart shared an exhortation with the church about how God had answered prayers that were prayed the previous Sunday. We then had an opportunity to pray for physical healing. (If you were there and were prayed for and experienced healing… please let me know!)

• Josiah Durham preached from Isaiah 12. Isaiah 12 is this great chapter of rejoicing. Why are the people rejoicing? If you know the Isaiah story, you know that circumstances could not be much worse. So again, why are they rejoicing? And why do you rejoice, Christian? Josiah answers those questions – you can listen to his sermon here: Rejoice!

• ASL – American Sign Language ministry continues to grow in more ways than I can share right now. (Perhaps I could share more at a later date.) It is so very encouraging to see folks walk into the church who are being cared for and served through ASL. May God continue to bless and grow this ministry at Trinity!

• We had a connect lunch after the service for people who are new to Trinity CC. The lunch was held at my house and it was absolutely fabulous to share a meal, chat, and begin to get to know these new people who are interested in TCC!

• The Journey class is coming very soon! You can sign up for this class here: Journey Class

Are you in a local church? I encourage you to jump in, get involved, serve, and most importantly – worship your great God in community!