Ocala First Connection

Rwth and I continue to be so humbled by the warm and gracious welcome we have received from Ocala First! You all have truly made us feel at home and we are especially grateful for how the whole congregation has reached out and embraced Michael. Starting 6 th grade in a new school, new city, new house, and new church would be overwhelming to anyone, but he loves his new life! That means the world to us!! In my sermon on Sunday, I wanted to be faithful to the scripture texts – both Hebrews 13 and Luke 14 – broaden our vision for hospitality and perhaps push us a little bit on the mission of the church and what it means to be member of Ocala First. I really do believe William Temple is correct when he says the church exists for those who are not its members.  But I like to add the word “yet” to his quote, as in “not members yet.” I believe we are always called to join with Jesus is seeking and searching for the least, the last and the lost, for those who need healing, wholeness ...

Since my sermon was so short last week, Rwth said I could try again this week. We like to keep you guessing about who is preaching any given week anyway. We use Thursday to finish our sermons at home, so whoever is preaching the coming week will usually be hard to find on "Sermon Writing Day" (or as I like to call it, "eating cereal straight from the box while I stare out the window with writer's block day.") Here is what I have cooking for Sunday: William Temple, the renowned British scholar, teacher, and theologian (and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1942-1944) is often quoted as saying something to this effect:  “The Church is the only institution that exists primarily for the benefit  of those who are not its members,” Similarly, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in Letters and Papers from Prison: “The Church is the Church only when it exists for others...not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men (and women) of every calling...

Luke 13:10-13 (CEB) 10 Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  11 A woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and couldn’t stand up straight.  12 When he saw her, Jesus called her to him and said, “Woman, you are set free from your sickness.”  13 He placed his hands on her and she straightened up at once and praised God. We do not know exactly what made this woman disabled for eighteen years. What we do know is that in being bent over she has been unable to experience the fullness of life. We might assume she endured much suffering physically, emotionally, and socially.  I think it is good that we do not know exactly what is wrong, because it helps us better imagine all the countless ways we are bent over and burdened in our lives . . . all the ways we are unable to stand up straight and experience the fullness of life that God desires for us. There are those bent over by illnes...