Our theme for Vacation Bible School, this week, has been Celebrating and Nurturing Community. When you hear the word “community”, what comes to mind? It may be where you live in a town, or a neighborhood, an apartment building, a dorm, or somewhere else. It may also be a school, a place you work, a team, a church, a group of friends, or a volunteer group.
In Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School, this week, we discovered that on the
St. Mark’s property, our community includes cool people to know (of all ages, backgrounds and talents), animals (including groundhogs, rabbits, foxes, deer, various birds, bugs and more), and trees and plants of all kinds. How might each of us, do our part, to nurture and celebrate our community? For, even the small things we do makes a difference.
In our Scripture passage this week, based on John 6:1-13, a huge crowd of people are following Jesus, and are in need of nourishment. Jesus asks his followers where they can find food for all of the people. Andrew finds a boy who has just a few loaves of bread and some fish, but says it is not come close to the amount of food they would need to feed thousands of people. However, Jesus asks everyone to sit down, gives thanks, and tells his disciples to distribute the food. After everyone had eaten, there were 12 baskets of bread left over.
Dr. Wilma Ann Bailey, one of my seminary professors years ago, notes that the church can sometimes be divided. Some people see themselves as activists, while others name themselves as focused on the spiritual. Dr. Bailey notes that these divisions should not exist. ”Those on the front lines of social justice must be spiritually empowered to do that work, lest they limit themselves to what appears humanly possible. Those who are spiritually focused need to be reminded that Jesus commands disciples to actively follow him.”
We will explore our next steps together this Sunday in worship. Children and youth will be participating in worship leadership. There will not be regular Sunday School this week. We will share a Children’s Moment, pray and reflect, and sing hymns. The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us in music. Lois will also share a Bell Solo and Olive Sullivan will offer the Prelude. Children and Youth will help share our scripture passage. The sermon is titled “Celebrating and Nurturing Community”.
If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.
To connect to our livestream worship Sunday morning, click the link on our website www.smumc.church
The service starts at 10:30am. Livestream starts at 10:25am.