Our sermon series on "Fearless Living" concludes this weekend with a focus on "Fearless Living in Church." The theme statement for this week begins like this: “The Christian church is an interesting body. Much like an extended family network, the church is full of strong opinions, strong needs, and strong (and weak and every other kind of) people. The church claims to be one body in Christ, but how often does that seem true? Some have been hurt by the church. Some find the church incredibly irrelevant, coming to church out of habit if they come at all. Some find joy in belonging to church, maybe even finding their entire identity within the church.”

Our Gospel invites us to focus on what it means to live as a fearless body of Christ. In Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus has just heard that his friend and cousin, John the Baptist, has been killed. And the first thing he does is “go to a deserted place.” Jesus is in grief, to be sure. And he has much to fear. Violence is all around, and he, too, will become a victim of it. Perhaps Jesus would have spent days in that wilderness place. But those crowds found him. They followed him. And, even in grief and fear, he responded with compassion. He taught, he healed, and he fed. And he calls us to do the same. That’s the heart of “fearless living in church.” Jesus dares us to respond in compassion, even when we are grieving, even if we are afraid. Jesus dares us to be his body, even when we don’t see eye to eye, even when we’re struggling with one another.

The creators of our ELCA “Fearless Living” series ask us to dare—on a variety of levels. Let us bring these provocations to church this weekend as we worship together in faith and love for God and one another:

Dare to surrender to the joy of the community that is your church.

Dare to live in community with people who annoy you.

Dare to get to know someone whose interests or way of believing is different from yours.

Dare to push your church to live up to all that it says it should be.

Dare to challenge your church to actually do what it says it does.

Dare to learn what your church believes and where it serves.

Dare to worship with intention and joy.

Dare to show up early and stay late.

Dare to offer your time, talents, and treasures.

Dare hospitality.

Copies of all the "Fearless Living" sermons are available on our website: www.stjohnsbloomington.org

Friday Night Faith Club for Women Tonight

All women are invited to join together for conversation, Bible study, and evening prayer with communion on what also looks like a beautiful evening for a stroll in Ewing Gardens! We will begin the Fellowship Hall at 6:30pm. We will conclude our focus on “Acting Boldly for Health.”

Festival of Faith Reminder