Tomorrow's Offering

Things were bit quieter, pastorally, around Grandview this week. We don't have anyone in the hospital right now. As I type the Grandview update (from the Oasis Coffee Shop in JC)the beginning of the warm up is taking place. Most of the week it was just winter.

I don't want to complain about the natural progression of the seasons, so I'll just mention that we've had enough cold and ice to be able to claim full participants in the season.

SuperBowl Sunday was nice, though. I even had the chance to ride to Shady Valley, TN--on roads that seemed to designed for motorcycle joy.

Because I'm not preaching tomorrow, I was able to get more done on my dissertation. I'm going to keep trying to plug-away (immediately after posting this entry). Even without the sermon, though, there was much to be done.

• John Marr announced he will be leaving our staff to join the staff of First Christian Church. We will miss him and we wish him well.
• The new website is getting closer to it's rollout. We just have to get the static pages formed.
• Two4Two was supposed to begin this week but didn't, due to weather. I am still working on the video/teaching focus of the Rendezvous (worship time) portion of Two4Two. We will focus on the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. This will include the introduction of the mythical beast Wildeor. Wildeor is just an ancient word for wild beast and it's where we get our word for wilderness.
• I also raided Maxxie Dunnam for a Lenten sermon series. I won't be using his sermons (I can't do that sort of thing). But his arrangement of the questions of Jesus is really good. So I've planned that course of sermons and made some pics for slides and the upcoming webpage.
• Dr. Bill Gwaltney will be preaching tomorrow. The "Rabbi" as he is called around here, is a fine man and I'm very pleased to have him preaching for us. He will continue our series on Christian maturity. Dr. Gwaltney was recently named alumnus of the year by Hebrew Union University in Cincinnatti. Welcome to Grandview's pulpit, doc!

Tomorrow's prayers will be led by Dirk D, Bob H, and Craig H. Bob H has already given me the 11am service prayer. Enjoy!

Prayers of the Church for Grandview
8 February 2009

Lord of all, we bow down before you in prayer. You are our God and we are your people.
God of Power, you control all that we know and do not know; all that we see and do not see. You make the sun shine, you make the rain fall. You make the fields green. You calm the seas. You quiet the winds. You lift up the righteous and punish the wicked. You have conquered all manner of evil. Demons cower before you. Satan is powerless against you. You are God omnipotent.
God of Healing, you take us, battered and broken by myriad ills and you repair us. By your healing touch, you can make our minds and our bodies, our spirits and our flesh, whole again.
God of Truth, through your word, you share with us the meaning of life. You teach us how to live; you teach us how to witness. Give us the excitement to proclaim your kingdom to all corners of the earth, to all peoples.
God of Sacrifice, through the example of your son, Jesus Christ, you teach us that living a Godly life, living a Christian life does not include the spotlight being turned on us. Sacrifice, true selflessness is focused on others, improving their lives in your name.
God of compassion, you lift us up. We sin and repent, time and again, and you cover us with your grace. Grace upon grace, your love envelops and purifies against even the most disgusting of our actions.
You are our God and we are your people. You are our Father and we are your children and your love is limitless.
Bless our enemies, Lord, and let them feel your power.
Now, in silence, we come before you. We clear our minds of the clutter around us. We focus ourselves on you and we pray. We pray for those who need healing, we pray for those who need comfort, we pray for new life – both physical and spiritual, we pray that although we will always fall short, we remain steadfast, we persevere, we persist because our ultimate goal is to serve you and love you in the same way you, through Jesus Christ, love us.
Help us every day, Father, to model ourselves after the sacrificial lamb, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Focus our attentions, not inwardly toward ourselves like the world tells us to do, but outwardly toward your creation spreading the good news of the risen savior.
We now lift up to you our brothers and sisters at the West Walnut Street Church. Specifically, we mention their minister, Jeff Doud, and their efforts to inviting those who don’t have a church home to find a place with them.
Bless the Community Groups around the area that we support. Bless their workers, their leadership, their volunteers and their efforts. Help us give them the aid they need.
And now we pray together as Jesus taught us to pray: