NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2023
Today is the Third Sunday of Kingdomtide. At Covenant we will observe it also as “Back-To-Church Sunday, with a Picnic Lunch.” The summer months provide increased opportunities for outside activities and vacations. As such, many churches experience a drop in worship attendance during the summer months. Back-to-Church observances began in 2009 as one of the ways following Labor Day, (the last unofficial vacation weekend of summer,) to involve local congregations in reaching out and inviting loved ones, friends, neighbors, and coworkers to come back to, or try church for the first time.
The Epistle text from Romans 13 assigned for this Sunday is a perfect sermon text for those coming back to or coming to church for the first time. It says this: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, … are summed up in this world. “Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:8-10)
Reading such wonderful words of wisdom makes me very perplexed as to why we find so much judgement, condemnation and legalism emanating from folks that claim to be representing God in Christian Churches instead of “LOVE!”
Join us on this Back to Church Sunday, in person, if possible, for a picnic lunch following worship. If not, then join us by either Zoom, Facebook Livestream, or YouTube. My sermon will be “IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE: ALWAYS HAS BEEN; IS NOW; AND ALWAYS WILL BE!” It is based on “Romans 13:8-14.”
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