Ephesians 4:25-5:2 and John 6:35, 41-51
This week Dan Selock will present Ephesians 4:25-5:2 and John 6:35, 41-51. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” And, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be Hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Those passages will be the foundation for my sermon about “Vital Congregations,” an approach to congregational transformation after the pandemic and going forward into the 21st Century. Let us be guided and assisted by the Holy Spirit to move into messy situations and shine a light.
Our PC(USA) denomination recently announced the “Matthew 25 Initiative” – building Vital Congregations, eradicating poverty, and pursuing social justice. My dream is for us at FPC Marion to lead that charge in our community.
Matthew 25:31–46 calls all of us to actively engage in the world around us, so our faith comes alive and we wake up to new possibilities. Convicted by this passage, both the 222nd and 223rd General Assemblies (2016 and 2018) exhorted the PC (USA) to act boldly and compassionately to serve people who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned, or poor.
