Tomorrow's Offering

Our own Jeff Keeling is reporting in the Johnson City Press that The State of Franklin Bank has been purchased by a bank in Morristown. Besides being the bank that holds the mortgage on the church building (though they probably sold the mortgage to somebody else), it is the bank that gives us the Ben Franklin mascot and Extreme checking (I don't know what makes their checking extreme. Sorry). I would hate for the mountain climbing, Extreme Checking, Ben Franklin mascot to go away.

I'm just saying ... save the Mascots!!!

Tomorrow we begin a new emphasis, "Building up others in fellowship." It's part of our vision statement. We did "Reaching out in relationships" last year. Guess what we're doing next year!
Tomorrow's sermon will focus on Matthew 18:15. The story I would like to use in the sermon is the story of my experience in Jonesborough back when the church imploded (for a season). The problem is that it is better if that story just goes away. So I won't be mentioning the havoc and healing this text helped cause back in 1994.

I've tried to do a better job of proofreading the prayer this week. I'm sure I'll find that I've left an important word in my head, untyped, after I print this off and give it to the prayer leaders tomorrow.

We'll be remembering Gene Lilly in the prayer tomorrow. Gene died this week. Before his health declined he was always fun to visit. He knew the history of Grandview as well as anybody. Please remember his family in your prayers.

Prayers of the Church for Grandview
7 September 2008

God, you have shown us who you are by allowing us to gaze into the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Your blessed bonds reveal to us that the core of character is mutual submission, humility, and love. We have glimpsed the heart of God and found goodwill and grace, not domination and disaffection.

Thank you for the honesty of that relationship; for the willingness of the Father to proclaim the joy the Son brings; for the Spirit’s swirling and steady charisma in the life of the Son; and for the Son’s willingness to humble himself before the Father, even when asking to be relieved of the burden of the cross.

Forgive us when we ignore your nature; when we settle on the amiable surface of respectful indifference, refusing to dive deep into the disturbing demands of true kinship and community. Forgive us for being polite when you would rather we be loving and honest. Forgive us for being content to gather in a room once a week for worship when you have called us to become family; when you have called us to familiarity, solidarity and unity.

Thank you for each person who has gathered in this room this morning. Help us to be open to the grace that you offer through people; people who know us and love us enough to be honest with us, challenge us, and heal us.

Thank you for those you have healed and are no longer on our prayer list. Please bless those who remain in harm’s way, in depression, and in disease. Comfort those who mourn the loss of loved ones, we especially remember the Lilly family before you. Give Katherine peace, even as you receive our brother, Gene, into your presence.

The list we have placed before you is long, but incomplete. Please hear the praises and concerns of our hearts in the silence:

silence

And now, O God, as Summer gives way to Fall, we admire your handiwork. We admire the beauty of East Tennessee. We thank you for the protection the mountains afford us even as we ask that you would be with those who are being hit by hurricane after hurricane—especially those who in places like Haiti. where protective options are few. Be with all, Christian and nonChristian alike, who reach out to people in such cavernous need. Bless your missionaries. Bless organizations that exist for kingdom purposes. Bless our enemies and help us to be agents of grace in their lives.

We pray together the prayer that you taught us.