New Year: NEW SERMON SERIES. The 2012 preaching plan for both pastors.

Weekly Read Reflect, Respond, Request Sheets (Click date below)


November 4 -- 1 Corinthians 15: 46-58

October 28--1 Corinthians 13

October 7--1 Corinthians 12: 1-7

September 30--Luke 10: 25-7

September 23--1 Corinthians 12: 1-6

September 16--1 Corinthians 11: 17-34

September 2 -- 1 Corinthians 10: 14-22

August 26 -- 1 Corinthians 10: 10-13

August 19 -- 1 Corinthians 10: 1-9

August 12 --1 Corinthians 9: 23-27

June 17 -- 1 Corinthians 7: 10-17, 35

June 10 -- 1 Corinthians 7: 1-9

June 3--1 Corinthians 6: 12-20

May 27--1 Corinthians 6: 5-11

May 20--Confirmation Sunday--the example of Timothy

May 13--SOMEDAY

April 22 -- Back to 1 Corinthians

April 15 -- After Easter

April 8

April 1

March 25 -- Humiliation and Identification

March 18 -- Part 4, Before Pilate & Barabbas

March 11 -- Part 3, Before Caiaphas

March 4--Part 2, 24 to Change the World

February 26--NEW!  Lenten Series

February 19th

February 12th

February 5th

 January 29th

January 22nd

 January 15th

 January 8th

  The Corinthian Church whom Paul addresses in 1 Corinthian exhibits current church life issues: Cultural accommodation, factions, moral degradation, legal wrangling, marriage concerns, sloppy worship practices, spiritual gift confusion, theological confusion. In choosing this book to consider through the early part of 2012, I have in mind our need to focus on the unity that comes through attention to God’s Word and the value of the family of faith. And, yes, I do see inside our congregation and denomination symptoms that lead me to believe 1 Corinthians speaks to us all. Some of the sermons will be dealing with the nitty-gritty of our church issues. 1 Corinthians is above all things very practical.

To share the project, I am adopting a plan that one of my colleagues shared with me. I hope you will participate both individually and in the various groups in our congregation. That plan is to print each week in the bulletin the relatively short Scripture passage for the next Sunday in a form that will encourage everyone to Read; Reflect; Respond; Request on the passage for the coming Sunday. The insert will include some seed questions to start your thinking/praying. Please consider using this for at least once each week in your personal devotions. Also, I will be asking all the Session Teams and the Deacons as they meet each month to use this brief exercise as their opening prayer and devotions.

Then, consider passing in to the church office any thoughts/suggestions you might have for the coming message. I promise I will read each REFLECTION/RESPONSE/REQUEST that I receive. I believe Pastor Carlton may be planning to use this format for a small group or two. I will be using the format for the Wednesday morning Bible Focus Group. Other times might be found if interest is sufficient.

Below, you can see the reading plan for the coming month. But look in the bulletin for the week-to-week reading and reflection/response/request specific ideas. I’m pleased that Lynn Austin has agreed to work on those suggestions. Look for the first one for Sunday, January 1; it will be in the December 25 bulletin. We need to be attentive together to the issues of our body in these times.

I will be suggesting 1 Corinthians resources as we go along. First among them will be Dr. Kenneth Bailey’s brand new book: Paul through Mediterranean Eyes, available in the church office for $20/ copy.