Union Chapel Indy stands unique in its current time and place. There is no collection of gifts and graces, no accumulation of wisdom and experience, no place of joy or sorrow exactly like it anywhere else. This is because of the people who are right now a part of the ministry. And also because of all those who have gone before. On this All Saints Sunday we celebrate the light that remains among us of those faithful followers who have now gone on to glory. May we who call Union Chapel Indy home today glow as brightly for the world around us as those whose light still shines among us. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtGkNZK4DNk&t=15s
What elements make for a memorable meal? A beautiful tablescape? Exotic, specially prepared food like you might find in a celebrity chef's restaurant? Maybe you prefer a home-cooked meal like grandma used to make. Maybe it's not about the food at all. For you it might be all about who is at the table with you. Jesus spent a lot of time eating meals with people. Meals feature so prominently in the Gospel stories of Jesus that scholars have commented: ‘Jesus ate his way through the Gospels.’ He ate with the rich and the poor, the 'in' crowd and the outcasts, the powerful and the powerless. Regardless of the setting, the guest list, or the price point, acceptance, love, and grace were always on the menu. Who set the table of faith for you? Who would you invite to join you at that table? Jesus' legacy of love at the table is still with us today at the Communion Table. Pull up a chair and "...taste and see that the Lord is good..." (Psalm 34:8) worship link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zTgj-zECAw
Memories of Christmas are still fresh in our minds. Though Christmas may have been 'distanced,' we still found ways to connect with family, to give and receive gifts, to worship on Christmas Eve, and to enjoy favorite movies, cookies, and traditions. And on New Year's Eve, we said goodbye to 2020 - with maybe too much enthusiasm - and welcomed what we sincerely hope will be a better year. But now - - - The extra pounds, the extra bills, and that extra-tired feeling we can't seem to shake makes us wonder if it was all worth it. We enjoy so much in our lives at Christmas and throughout the year. We pack our calendars full of experiences, activities, responsibilities, and events, and yet, we often find our lives lacking the joy we thought it would all bring. How can a life that is so full feel so empty? What's missing? What more could we possibly do to add meaning to this life? Worship Link: https://youtu.be/c6jVXuZsqds
Peace is not a condition or state of circumstances; peace is a person - Jesus. Worship link: https://youtu.be/Rwlit4cCD2Q
God, help us to be honest in this moment. Honest with You. Honest with ourselves. Honest with one another.
"And then the most difficult question of all, the one that Jesus did not ask of the disciples, at least not out loud, at least not that day in Caesarea: Who do you say that you are? As you walk through life, writing your own obituary every day, what are you saying about yourself? Who are you claiming to be? Who are you confessing to be?