Scott Mims, Virginia Beach, VA

Warm-up Questions

• (Activity) Give each person some Play-Doh or similar material and have them create a sculpture or a symbol that represents or relates to their faith. After a few minutes, have everyone share their creation and what it symbolizes.  Take note of how many people incorporate a cross in their sculpture.
• Who do you say that Jesus is? If you use words like “Lord,” “Savior,” “Messiah,” or “Son of God,” what do these titles mean to you?

Faster. Higher. Stronger.

On February 9, the XXIII Olympic Winter Games officially opened in PyeongChang, South Korea.  By the time the closing ceremony is held on February 25, some 2,920 athletes from 92 countries will have competed in 102 events. Along the way, there are sure to be many amazing, dramatic moments as some of the very best athletes in the world go for the gold.

Yet, even though those who compete come from many different countries, they all share in the drive and discipline it takes to become an Olympian.  What these athletes often make look so graceful and easy is the result of years of training, often for hours each day.  Their whole lives are oriented around the goals they pursue. Doubtless there is much that those who compete at this level give up in order to focus on their chosen sport.  And, even if they do not get to stand on the podium, their quest to compete has greatly shaped who they are.

Discussion Questions

• Have you been keeping up with the Winter Olympics? If so, what have been some of your favorite events or moments of the games?
• What sports or other activities do you enjoy doing? Have you ever been part of a team or group competition? What did you learn from the experience?
• Which do you think shapes who we are more, what we do – that is, where we spend our time, energy and attention – or what we claim to believe?

Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

Romans 4:13-25

Mark 8:31-38

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

“Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”

We come this week to what is often called the fulcrum or “hinge” of Mark’s gospel account.  Not only is it the midpoint of the book, it also marks several important turning points in the story.  Geographically, Jesus has been working mostly in the region of Galilee, but now his ministry will lead him steadily onward toward Jerusalem and the cross.  Theologically several shifts also occur.  Up to this point, Mark has focused on who Jesus is as shown by his words and his works of power.  The conclusion he hopes that we, the readers of the gospel, will reach is the same one that Peter voices in Mark 8:29, namely that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ.  But what does that mean?  From here on out the gospel will focus more and more on this question.  What does it mean that Jesus is the Christ, and, subsequently, how does that shape the lives of those who call themselves Christians?  The invitation that was extended to Peter and the other disciples when Jesus first called to them, “Follow me,” will, going forward, be furthered refined. At the same time, it will also be opened up by Jesus to “any who want to become my followers.”

So, what does discipleship look like?  What does it mean to follow Jesus? Another important feature of this passage is that it contains the first of three instances, three “passion predictions,” in which Jesus foretells what lies at the end of his journey to Jerusalem (verse 31).  Here, as in the other two instances (Mk. 9:30, 10:32-34), those closest to Jesus fail to understand what he is talking about.  Peter rather famously pulls Jesus aside, as if Jesus is the candidate and Peter the campaign manager, and he begins to rebuke Jesus for saying such things.  Jesus just as famously puts Peter in his place.  “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”  And here is the essence of the matter, it is not the disciple’s place to define what “Messiah” or “Christ” mean, for it is Jesus alone who gets to define these things.  The disciple’s place is simply to get behind Jesus, to take up her or his cross, and to follow.

Finally, what does it mean to take up one’s cross?  Is it simply to deal with the problems or troubles that come your way with as much patience, determination, and faith as possible?  We often hear of “bearing our cross” in terms of just such perseverance.  Yet Jesus has something else, something deeper in mind than getting through life as best as we can.  After all, the cross that awaits Jesus in Jerusalem is not an accidental event or circumstance for him to “get through,” it is a direct result of his own work to confront the powers of sin, evil, and death.

As many of us prepare for this summer’s ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston, I am reminded this week of the Gathering’s cross shaped logo and the theme: “This Changes Everything.”  The life-changing grace that flows from what Jesus has done in taking up his cross beckons us to follow, and, in following him, to discover who we truly are.  Jesus defined Messiah in terms of his identification with the outcasts, the forgotten, and the oppressed, bringing to them in word and deed the promise of God’s coming kingdom.  This has important implications for all who would be disciples.  “Taking up the cross means being at work where God is at work in the world to relieve suffering and injustice, to rescue the weak, and to bring peace and justice to bear in the human community.” ^[1]   Because God has gifted each of us with a unique set of gifts, talents, abilities, and experiences, each of us has a unique opportunity to take up our cross and participate in God’s redemptive work in the world.

[1] R. Alan Culpepper, Mark (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Inc. 2007), 288.

Discussion Questions

• One often hears that all you need to do to be a Christian is to “believe in Jesus.” How does such a statement compare with the things that Jesus says in this passage?  Can a person follow Jesus apart from believing in him?  Can a person believe in him without following?
• If you were either to paint a picture or to make a list of what it means to take up your cross and follow Jesus, what are some of the things that you would include? How do such activities shape who we are?
• We are currently in the season of Lent, traditionally a time for self-reflection and repentance. Yet Lent can also be a time for spiritual growth. What things in your life right now might you be willing to give up, change, or take on in order to grow as a follower of Jesus?

Activity Suggestions

• Lent is also an important time to reflect upon the meaning of Baptism. Examine together the Affirmation of Baptism service, and especially the description of our baptismal covenant (ELW pg. 236; LBW pg. 201). How is this a description of what it means to be a disciple?  Check out the ELCA website for some great resources that help connect faith practices and the gifts of discipleship.  Two helpful links:

http://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Congregations-and-Synods/Faith-Practices?_ga=2.15329526.198197125.1518492296-749132665.1442867431

http://www.elca.org/Resources/Faith-Practices?_ga=2.11143284.198197125.1518492296-749132665.1442867431

Closing Prayer

Gracious and loving God, in the waters of baptism you name us and claim us and make us your own.  Thank you for the gift of new life and for the invitation to experience that life in the community of your church.  Fill us with your Spirit, call deeply to our hearts, and lead us to more fully and faithfully follow Jesus.  Guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions, that we may be your hands and voice in a world so hungry to experience good news.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Herb Wounded Head, Brookings, SD

Warm-up Question

When was the last time you looked up at the stars or the moon? What sort of feelings do you experience when you did?

Life on Mars

Perhaps you’ve heard of billionaire Elon Musk. He’s an inventor and entrepreneur who founded the electric car company Tesla, as well as the solar energy company, SolarCity and the company SpaceX. Most recently he has been in the news for launching one of his own cars into earth’s orbit on the rocket, Falcon Heavy. Inside of the car is a mannequin wearing one of SpaceX’s spacesuits with the cars sound system playing David Bowie’s song, Life on Mars. The car is hopefully on its way out of earth’s orbit and on its way to Mars.

Elon Musk has big ideas and big dreams. He has a dream to deal with earth’s overcrowding by making it possible for people to live in space, and perhaps even on Mars. He addresses the issue of climate change by creating safe, solar energy that one day may become affordable for all people. Musk is unafraid to challenge the status quo and do things that no one else would dream of doing because of all of the roadblocks and naysayers who say that the things that he dreams up are just too impossible to happen. He has the resources and the wherewithal to do what he can to make the world a better place through technological advancements such as these.

But he also does some pretty silly things. There is literally a car in space, making its way to Mars! That’s just incredible and amazing and kind of silly. He also recently created a flamethrower which generated $10 million dollars for another one of his companies, The Boring Company. Again, this is kind of silly and more than a bit dangerous. In the above article, Musk is quoted as saying about his Tesla flying into space, “It’s kind of silly and fun, but silly and fun things are important.”

Discussion Questions

• What do you think of Elon Musk’s achievements? Are they silly? Are they important?
• What sort of silly things do you do to keep yourself grounded?
• What dreams to you have that may seem impossible?

First Sunday in Lent

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In our Gospel lesson, Jesus is baptized, claimed by God, driven out into the wilderness by the Spirit, tempted by Satan.  Then he begins his ministry. That’s a lot to have happen in a few short verses. Other Gospels go into more detail about Jesus’ baptism and temptation, but the Gospel of Mark gets right to the point of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus has important work to do, mainly letting people know that the kingdom of God is present and real in the world and that the kingdom has come to being with Jesus’ work among us.

But the first thing to happen before Jesus begins any of this is that he is baptized and claimed by God. Our ministry in the world begins with our own baptism. Indeed we are all called to be witnesses to God’s kingdom in the world, so we too have important work to do. In the Affirmation of Baptism in the Lutheran church, we make promises in our covenant with covenant God made with us in our baptism including, “to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”

The season of Lent is a good time to be reminded of those promises as it’s an ideal time to take stock of our lives and to return to serving God’s kingdom in this manner.

To strive for justice and peace in all the earth means a lot of things. It can be serving the poor and the homeless. It can be working at your local bank and doing good and honest business with others. It can be as a student treating your classmates and teachers as people who are important and blessed by God.

It can even be sending a car into space with the hopes of helping humanity in some way. In the Lutheran church, we call this vocation, living out your calling in the world to strive for justice and peace in all the earth. Sometimes it’s grandiose dreams and ideas. Most of the time, it’s in the way we go about our day to day lives as God’s people who respond to the world’s greatest needs by simply being true to ourselves. God has claimed us as His own in our baptisms, and we are truly loved so we can continue Jesus’ ministry to love and care for the world God made.

Discussion Questions

• How do you live out your baptism? What sort of things do you do to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?
• What experiences remind you of God’s presence with you?

Activity Suggestions

Now is a good time to make some affirmations of each other in your group. Make sure everyone has a writing utensil and a piece of paper. Have everyone write their names on the top of their piece of paper. Have them pass their paper to their neighbor to the right of them and instruct the group to write one positive thing on the piece of paper about the person whose name is at the top of the paper. This activity works best if you remind the group to look beyond just their physical characteristics, such as, “You have nice hair,” or “I like your shoes.” Help them to look at their personality and other gifts that they might have. If your group knows each other fairly well, have them share the positive statements. Keep these positive statements in your Bibles as reminders of the gifts that they have.

Closing Prayer

God of the heavens, you reach out to us in Your Son and call us Your own. Empower us to dream big dreams and to also do the little things that make Your love known throughout Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Kris Litman-Koon, Mt. Pleasant, SC

Warm-up Question

Have you ever read an interesting autobiography? What made this person’s life unique?

The Winterkeeper

At the dawn of 2018, the Mountain Journal online magazine introduced a year-long series written by a man named Steven Fuller, who is a “winterkeeper” at Yellowstone National Park. During the warm months, winterkeepers do general upkeep for the park’s buildings that are used by the thousands of summer tourists. During the cold months, each winterkeeper lives in complete solitude while ensuring those same buildings don’t collapse under the weight of snow. The winterkeepers may need to trek miles between the buildings they are tasked to maintain.

It is treacherous and dangerous work; mistakes can be deadly because no help is available. Wilderness survival skills are a must. Because it is such a solitary and demanding job, most winterkeepers last for a season or two. Steven Fuller, however, has 45 years as a winterkeeper under his belt. This is the longest tenure in the park’s history. These decades have allowed Fuller to grow intimately close to the ecosystem where he stewards, and the solitude has allowed him to ponder the great questions of life.

The Mountain Journal has asked Fuller to share his thoughts and photographs with its readers over the course of 2018. The series of journal entries is titled A Life in Wonderland, and thus far it has included accounts of bison meandering onto his front porch and ruminations on the geological beauty of Hayden Valley. Although more is to come in this year-long encounter with Fuller, the reader can tell already that his words and worldview have been shaped by the wild places around him, much like Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, and Rachel Carson before him. It is exciting to know that more of Fuller’s writings are to come and that his life’s work is ongoing.

Discussion Questions

• What aspects of the winterkeeper’s job are appealing? Frightening?
• Is there a place of natural wonder that is special to you?
• How would the experience of reading Fuller’s words be different if it were read at once instead of reading it as it plays out over time?

Transfiguration of Our Lord

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

The lesson today is the story of the transfiguration of Jesus, found at the middle of Mark’s gospel narrative. Jesus is joined by the disciples Peter, James, and John on top of a mountain when his clothes become a dazzling white and he is joined by Moses and Elijah. The disciples don’t know what to make of this. Verse 6 says that Peter’s offer to make three dwellings was spoken from a sense of terror. The transfiguration concludes when a cloud surrounds them and a voice says, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”

Once before this, a voice spoke similar words. At the beginning of Mark’s gospel, a voice from heaven said at Jesus’ baptism, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11) Notice that Mark implies that only Jesus heard the voice that declared him to be the Son of God. Why did the voice not tell others that Jesus is the Son of God? Later at Jesus’ transfiguration, three disciples hear the declaration that Jesus is God’s Son, yet at the end of this story Jesus orders them to tell no one else until after he has risen from the dead. (Mark 9:9) Why should they wait to tell others that Jesus is the Son of God? Finally, near the end of Mark’s gospel, we read of the death of Jesus. He gave a loud cry and breathed his last breath, and at this moment a Roman centurion said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” (Mark 15:39)

There is a progression in Mark’s gospel. It is a progression of the growing number of people who hear the declaration that Jesus is God’s Son. First only Jesus hears the proclamation at the Jordan River, then at the transfiguration of Jesus only a few disciples hear this, and finally it takes the crucifixion for someone other than the divine voice to declare openly that Jesus is God’s Son.

Mark’s gospel is also a progression in the sense that we must wait for the true nature of the Son of God to be fully revealed. Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration begin to reveal it to us. However, the baptism is only the beginning of the story and the transfiguration is only the middle of it. As the voice on the mountain said, we must continue to “listen to him” after this event, for his story continues. As glorious as Jesus may have looked on that mountain, we must not think that the Son’s true nature is fully revealed at his transfiguration. Ultimately, Mark’s progression informs us that if we desire to see the true nature of God’s Son, then we must look not only at his baptism, nor only at his transfiguration. That full revealing of the Son’s true nature must include the cross.

Discussion Questions

• Why might Jesus want the disciples to keep his true identity quiet?
• The third proclamation in Mark that Jesus is God’s Son was not made by a heavenly voice, rather it was declared by a human voice upon seeing Jesus die on the cross. What significance might that detail carry?
• On the mountain, the disciples are told to listen to Jesus. How do you and I listen to him? What role do the gospel stories play in shaping how we listen to him?

Activity Suggestions

At the Transfiguration, the disciples are reminded that this event wasn’t the end of the story; more was to come and they needed to continue to listen to Jesus. A fun activity about a story’s continuation and about our listening skills is called The Team Story Game. To play this game, work with teams between three and eight people.

One person starts a story with a sentence that begins with “Once upon a time…” Then the next person says one sentence that continues the story. This practice continues through the whole team. Small teams might want to agree to two or three rounds before the story concludes, and larger teams might decide to wrap up the story after each person has contributed only once. Rotate who begins each new story.

Closing Prayer

Loving God, you led Jesus and his companions up the mountain for his transfiguration, and there you commanded the companions to listen to him. Open our ears and our hearts to listen to him always, and may we be attentive to the cross as we prepare to embark on our Lenten journey. Amen.

Brian Hiortdahl, Overland Park, KS

 Warm-up Question

What is the one thing you have received that changed your life the most?

New and Amazing

Allan Peterson will soon receive the Argus Two, a bionic eye.  Currently blind from retinitis pigmentosa, Allan will become the eighth person to have this breakthrough technology which he explains will allow him to experience “a new way of seeing.”  His vision will not be the way it was before he began losing it 25 years ago, but this revolutionary surgery offers possibilities which would have been unimaginable until recently. A camera on a pair of glasses sends video to a computer chip.  Signals are then transmitted to a retinal implant.  When the retina is stimulated, the signal is carried by the optic nerve to the brain and the patient “sees.” Peterson says he looks forward to seeing his grandchildren, rather than just hearing them.

Discussion Questions

• What have you lost in life that you wish you had back?
• What blessings and abilities do you have that you take for granted?
• Can you think of a time when you learned something new that was like a bionic eye—something that made you see the world in a completely new way?

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

This passage builds on the story immediately before it (see last week’s Faith Lens) in which Jesus expels a demon from a man in the synagogue on the Sabbath.  The crowd marvels in amazement:  “A new teaching—with authority!”  In the biblical world’s hierarchy, Jesus demonstrates that his cosmic power and status (“authority”) are higher than that of demons, which are known to be higher than that of human beings.

Next he moves to Simon’s house, and cures his mother-in-law’s fever.  He thus restores her to her place of honor in the household as the chief hospitality authority, just as he restored the honor and social standing of the man in the synagogue.  Read together, these stories reveal that Jesus heals in public and in private; a man and a woman; supernatural and natural illness.  The kingdom of God that he proclaims is for everyone, as the next scenes illustrate.  After the whole town crowded around him at sundown, Jesus tells his disciples that God is sending them to other towns too, beyond the edges of the little world they currently see.

Notice that it is before sundown that Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law—a second healing on the Sabbath.  This will soon get Jesus in trouble.  It is one of many religious rules he breaks:  working on Sabbath, touching a woman he does not know, touching the unclean, engaging Gentiles and tax collectors and demoniacs and other “sinners” assumed to be beyond the edges of God’s favor.

Jesus’ behavior suggests that the God no one can see cares more about people’s wellbeing than about their social position or obedience to religious rules.  This is completely revolutionary.  This is a brand new breakthrough.  This is cutting edge, space age religion and lifestyle.  This is a whole new way of seeing.

Discussion Questions

• In what ways does the church of Jesus showcase the amazing kingdom he announces and demonstrates in his words and deeds?  How does the church obscure or hide it?
• What about Jesus excites you?  What about him scares you?
• Who are the people we don’t see?
• Who are the people who need their dignity and social standing restored?  What we can do in Jesus’ name to help and heal them?

Activity Suggestions

• Begin your study with participants blindfolded.  (Please be nice—don’t rearrange the furniture!)  How does that change the experience?  What is it like being in the world without sight?
• Learn about the health ministry in your congregation or another church, or interview a medical professional.  What inspires them in their work?  What frustrates them?  How do they understand the stories of Jesus’ healings?
• Organize a blood drive or a collection of eyeglasses for those in need.  Intentionally reach out to include the wider community.

Closing Prayer

Open our eyes, Lord God, to see your amazing kingdom at work near us, and open our hands and hearts to join Jesus in spreading your healing love to all the world.  Amen

David Dodson, Ft. Walton Beach, FL

Warm-up Question

What traditions does your family practice on a regular basis?

Tradition!

Hear ye, hear ye! The date has been set for the royal wedding between Prince Harry of the United Kingdom and his fiancé, Meghan Markle!  Many of you may already be aware of the upcoming royal marriage of Prince Harry, the younger brother of Prince William and grandson of the Queen of England, Elizabeth II.  And if you are an aficionado of news about the British royalty, you might be aware that there are a few unique things about this upcoming wedding.

First of all, Harry’s bride-to-be isn’t a British citizen.  Meghan Markle is an American actress and humanitarian.  But this isn’t the only non-traditional aspect of the upcoming nuptials. The happy couple will be married on May 19^th – a Saturday.  This is, believe it or not, a significant break from tradition.  For decades, royal weddings have taken place on a weekday.  The day is typically declared a bank holiday, and many British citizens are given the day off to celebrate the wedding.  With the wedding taking place on a Saturday, this may not be the case this time.

Another break with tradition came this past Christmas.  Normally, the royal family celebrates at the Queen’s private residence at Sandringham House in Norfolk.  Traditionally, only members of royal families and their spouses are invited; fiancés are not.  This time, however, Prince Harry asked for and received the Queen’s permission to bring Miss Markle to the family holiday.

It’s likely, though, that several traditions about royal weddings will stay intact this year.  One of those traditions includes the wedding rings to be created for the couple.  Since 1923, members of the British royal family have all had their wedding rings made from the gold of the Clogau St. David gold mine in Wales.  It’s a particularly rare gold, especially now that the mine is closed, but the royal family has enough gold to make the rings for the upcoming wedding.  In just a few months, Prince Harry might slip onto his new bride’s finger a ring made of the same gold that graced the finger of his mother, his grandmother, and his great-grandmother.

Discussion Questions

• What is special about traditions that your family observes?
• In the story above, what are your thoughts about the breaks from tradition?
• Would you like a traditional wedding if and when you get married, or would you prefer something non-traditional?

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

This week’s reading from Mark tells the dramatic story of a possessed man shouting out in the synagogue as Jesus taught, followed by the exorcism of this “unclean spirit” by Jesus.  That story, though, only highlights the real recurring theme of the passage: the authority of Jesus as something “new”.

Twice in this passage, the people of Capernaum marvel to one another that Jesus is offering “a new teaching” which is taught “with authority”.  That isn’t particularly surprising, of course.  We know that Jesus is teaching with the authority of God, after all.  But it might be surprising if we look a little bit deeper.  In verse 22, the people note that Jesus “taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes”.

Now that is strange indeed!  The term “scribes” refers to a specific and very powerful group in Jewish society.  The scribes were a group who intensely studied the Hebrew scriptures and other writings.  They were experts in the law, and their services were used to prepare all sorts of legal documents – from marriage contracts to mortgages.  The scribes were also some of the most influential interpreters of Jewish law, and some well-known scribes even had their own disciples!  Scribes often formed a core of the Jewish council.  It’s possible, then, that the scribes exercised more power than even the Pharisees.  Why, then, do the people say that when Jesus teaches with authority, he does so in a way unlike the scribes?

To a first-century Jew, like the author of today’s Gospel, it would make no sense to claim that the scribes lacked authority.  It would, however, be perfectly correct to say that Jesus displayed a very different form of authority.

The power of the scribes was based on their ability to interpret and apply Mosaic Law.  Scribes were experts in the law that had been handed down for generations of Judaism.  The scribes considered themselves guardians of the laws that God laid down after rescuing his people from Egypt and promising them a land and a nation.  In this way, the scribes operated under the authority of God.    What made Jesus stand out was simple: He spoke and acted with an authority that belonged to him.  He spoke as God himself, not merely as an interpreter of the Law.

Certainly, this would have been shocking!  It also affected different people in different ways.  Some were prepared to recognize God in these new words and this new voice.  They responded to the teachings of Jesus and were receptive to his words.  Others, however, were appalled at the break from the traditional authority of the scribes.  To them, it didn’t matter what Jesus had to say.  They would not have accepted his authority.  They let their traditions become more important than God’s good news.

Discussion Questions

• What traditions are important in your youth group and in your church?
• How can we tell the difference between a tradition that makes us more receptive to God’s word and a tradition that distracts us from God’s word?
• Is it possible for a good, meaningful tradition to turn into a distracting tradition?

Activity Suggestions

Write a “travel guide” for a visitor to your church, helping them understand the traditions and practices of your church.  Assume this visitor had never attended a Christian church service before.  Could you prepare a brochure to help them understand what to expect?

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for your guidance and your loving care in all that we do.  Thank you especially for your Word, given to us through your Son Jesus.  Help us always to recognize those words and deeds that help us grow in our faith, and teach us to find new ways to grow in our love for you and for one another.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.