jumping in

This week, we get a good story from the Gospel of Matthew.

(OK, so mostly I think we get good stories. But this week is ESPECIALLY good.)

And, we get some good story tellers!

I'll be away at Annual Conference, our annual (but you'd guessed that), regional meeting of United Methodists, both clergy and lay. Karen will be there, too. Hopefully, making good connections and sharing dreams and vision with other church folks from around So-Cal, Hawaii (plus Guam and Saipan...).

Randy's going to host worship. And some of y'all are leading prayers. The music team will be there, as always. And, we're using a clip from a cool video called Nooma, by a pastor and writer named Rob Bell. I think you're gonna like it.

Among other insightful things, he's going to take you out with Peter and the disciples in a boat, when Jesus comes walking across the water. And, like Peter, perhaps you'll dare to think you can do the things Jesus does. May it always be so.

I'm not sure who reads this blog regularly, but if you're someone who comes to worship with us occasionally, I hope you'll choose this week. I am really excited by the folks who are stepping in to make worship special this week. When I'm around, it's too easy for me to just do everything (and, hey, I like doing things...). So, I'm particularly excited about a variety of ways our worship will be community worship this weekend. "Liturgy," which is the fancy name for church worship patterns, literally means the "work of the people." That's what it's gonna be.

Of course, the even BIGGER task is to make the whole Gospel the "work of the people." ;)

Speaking of which...I hope you're having fun with your "portable church" postcards and tasks--if you missed worship you can find them thru the link on the right-hand side of the page.