Eden Prairie United Methodist Church
Connect with Us!
  • Home
  • Being Church
    • Crops For PROP
    • Serving Our Neighbors
    • Fellowship >
      • Women's Retreat
  • Children | Youth
    • Nursery
    • Sunday School (Preschool through 7th grade)
    • Especially for Families
    • Rooted (3rd - 4th grade)
    • Vacation Bible School
    • Middle School Youth (Grades 7-8)
    • Confirmation (8th-9th grade)
    • Higher Ground (10th-12th grade)
  • Music
    • Adult Music Opportunities
  • About EPUMC
    • Worship
    • Staff
    • Notes from Pastor Becky Jo
    • Lay Leadership
    • A Reconciling Congregation
    • Tumbleweed Newsletters
    • Videos
    • Annual Report
    • Calendar
  • Prayer
  • Online Giving
  • Contact Us

Weekly Memo from Pastor Dan — June 19, 2014

6/19/2014

Comments

 

In the past few weeks, during the sermon I’ve been trying something different.  I’m spending a little more time doing what feels more like teaching than I normally do in a sermon. It’s been challenging and interesting as we dive deeper into the scripture lesson.  I’d be interested if you have a comment to share about the last two Sundays.

Another “something different” That I will be trying in our worship, is a series of sermons and worship experiences not based on our assigned Lectionary Bible text, but are instead more topical. Then move on to what the Bible is saying about these questions.  I want to ask for your input on what this series might be about.  What are some of the issues of your life that you would appreciate having addressed in our worship experience?   Another way to think about this might be what are some of the questions you have about the Bible or Faith or Life that your friends, who are not a part of a church, might be interested in enough to give our worship experience a try?

Now having asked that, I need to say that Don and the worship team give a lot of great input and direction into our worship experience.  We all think it’s time to ask some of you.

A great example of a sermon series was shared at Annual Conference this year.  It was entitled; “Manure Control.”  It was a series of sermons which explored how we all have manure in our life. What are some of the ways we handle manure in our life. And finally, how does God use the manure of life to transform us and help us to bloom.

II hesitate to put other examples out there because I’m very interested to hear what you might come up with. Worship is always about celebrating/addressing our need for God in our life. There are times when it’s a good thing to also recognize that we come to understand that need, from a variety of directions. Our need to be comforted might come not only from our grief but our anger.  Our need to be encouraged might come not only from our failures but our successes. Our need to understand someone who is different than us may not only be our need to get along or find common ground but to perhaps change a little bit of our own world.

This isn’t going to happen for a few months so you have some time to think about this, reflect upon it even pray about it.  Send me a response to this “memo”; send an email to me or even a text when it crosses your mind.  I promise to talk through your idea with you before moving ahead so that I’m clear about your need. In fact, I’m hoping to announce the theme of the series far enough ahead, to start some conversations around your theme, thoughts, stories and experiences.

Speaking of experiences; Vacation Bible School begins this coming Monday.  Remember to pray for Deb and all the volunteers who make VBS at EPUMC such a wonderful experience for children and families in our community.

Comments

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2012

    RSS Feed

Connect with us!
office@prairiechurch.org
(952) 937-8781

15050 Scenic Heights Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Picture
Picture