Hello Reader!

Hello beloved one.

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Announcements:

*Office Hours! 10 to 12 Thursday mornings at The Neighbor (144 S Mason). Come hang out to chat and get to know some folks better.

*City Park Food Truck Rally Meetup: Tuesday, September 1st, 5:30 to 8:00. We'll meet at the top of the hill by the two stone benches and the evergreen tree.

Sunday in Review: Road Trip

We usually follow the Revised Common Lectionary. Click on the link if you want to see what we'll be exploring in the weeks to come.

I N V O C A T I O N

Your voice burns within the depths of our being,

O God of our ancestors,

and draws us into your presence and service.

Hear the cries of your people

and speak a word of comfort,

that we may proclaim to all the earth

the glory of your name.

Amen.

S C R I P T U R E

​Matthew 16:13-20​

S O N G S

Skeleton Bones John Mark McMillan PREVIEW   ​

More Heart, Less Attack NEEDTOBREATHE PREVIEW   ​

The Kingdom of Jesus • The P... The Kingdom of Jesus • The P... PREVIEW   ​

T A K E A W A Y S and Q U E S T I O N S

*Jesus asked the people closest to him, “who do you say I am?” A lot of us were told who Jesus is and much of it was hopeful and helpful. Some, perhaps not so much. But sit with that question a little. Feel the openness. Feel the invitation. Be not concerned with indoctrination. Who is Jesus…to you? Where do you find the face of Christ?

*What if the place where we say God isn’t…where chaos reigns…the place where we think God isn’t…the place or people we want to get out of and away from…those liberals, those racist bigots…those backwards red necks…those elitist snobs…those people who don’t get it…or who got it all wrong…what if that’s right where Jesus says…I wanna build something?

B E N E D I C T I O N

You are God’s Child

Gifted with dreams and visions.

Upon you rests the grace of God like flames of fire.

Love and serve the Lord in the wildness of your being.

Practice Resurrection.

And may the deep peace of Christ be with you,

The strong arms of God sustain you,

And the glory of the Holy Spirit shine upon your face.

Amen.

Resource: BEMA Podcast It's been a minute since we recommended the BEMA Podcast to you all. This Bible study podcast is so compelling and always opens up the scriptures in insightful, helpful ways. Be sure to give this episode, highlighting the passage we studied on Sunday, a listen. Click here to listen to the episode

Practice: Look for Secret Greatness "I began watching everyone I met for secret greatness." Based on this quotation from Leif Enger in his book I Cheerfully Refuse, try to engage folks as a treasure hunter. Look at each person (the neighbor, the barista, the unhoused person, etc) with a curiosity and wonder. What makes this person great? What do you find? Then, say a small prayer, thanking God for that greatness. Bonus: Here are those other Leif Enger quotations: "It began to resemble what I once imagined church might be like, a church you could bear, where people laughed and enjoyed each other and did not care if they were right all the time or if other people were wrong." "We all accepted the grace of the overlooked."

Grace and Peace,

Katrina

&

Darren