Visiting Mr. Green

Join us at the play “Visiting Mr. Green” by Jeff Baron.  This widely acclaimed play will be performed at Church of the Saviour Friday night, March 9, at 8:00.  A pitch-in dinner will precede the play at 6:30.  Don’t be bashful about coming without a dish.  There will be plenty of food.  Tickets are $15 for a single ticket and $25 for two, available at the door or by calling the church office at 251-6187.

The play is about two men who really do not wish to be in the same room, but are required to spend time together.  A touching play about open-mindedness, friendship and forgiveness.

30 Hour Famine

Young people from Church of the Saviour participated in the 30 Hour Famine with other youth at North United Methodist Church here in Indianapolis.  Here is a video of the activities:

Must see!

See and hear our men’s quartet singing “In the Garden”.  Autographs available.

View from the Pew: You Have Drawn me Up – Sermon on Jan. 1, 2012

Luke 2: 22–40 (The baby Jesus presented in the temple.)

Make plans; don’t waste the year.

In modern society, critical thinking is replaced by popular trends and what is easiest.

”Forgive me” is a powerful indication of growth in faith.

Be open to the power of God.

We confuse what we want, with what we need.

Dealing with failures and disappointment is character-building.

We are more comfortable with what we (think we) know, but opening our minds to other possibilities allows for spiritual growth.

In times of despair, it is time to be aware of how important God is in our lives.  We need to be open to the possibilities of God’s direction in our lives.  Open yourself to God and be drawn up.

View from the Pew: Sermon titled “Our Need for Life to be Challenging”

Sermon on:  Feb. 12, 2012

Scripture:  II Kings: 5: 1–14

Naaman was commander of the Aramean army, but had leprosy.  An Israelite slave girl suggested that he could be healed by a prophet in Samaria.  Naaman elected to use a power play to try to get healed.  He went to his King who sent a message to the Isrealite King who was greatly distressed because he feared this could lead to war.  (The King couldn’t do healing miracles.)  But once again someone much lower on the caste system of power was able to provide the answer.  And Naaman was eventually guided to the prophet Elisha.

Naaman arrived with great piles of money and beautiful clothing, to buy his miracle.  As a great and powerful warrior he expected to be treated with respect when he strutted up to Elisha’s home.  Instead he was greeted by a messenger; He was told to go to the Jordan and wash himself seven times; he could keep his money and fine fabrics.

As one who thought in terms of arrogance, status, and power; Naaman was angry at being treated so shabbily.  Surely the rivers in his native land were as good as the Jordan; the Prophet should have come out and greeted him, and prayed over him, and performed some sort of procedure.  He stormed off, vowing to return home.

A slave (again, the lowest teaching the high-ranking person) convinced him to do “such a small task.”  And, of course, he was healed.

The solution was for Naaman to humble himself– to put his arrogance aside, and do as instructed.  To demand, expect to receive due to intimidation, or propose to buy, without any humility would not work.  Too often we think to bargain or assume as birthright will get us things that we want; we choose to stride ahead without sensitivity to our surroundings.  We need to hear what God is asking of us; we need to accept the tasks given to us right in our everyday lives.

Looking for the calendar

We have improved our calendar by moving it off this site and offering a link to its new location.  You can click on this Calendar link or go over to the right column and do the following:

• Go to the box labeled Calendar.
• Copy the link at the bottom of the box
• Paste it into your browser and press Enter or Return on your keyboard.

View from the pew: Reflections on the Mankind Project

Presentation on Jan. 15, 2012               John 1: 43-46

1:46 Nathanael said to him “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

This Sunday our service was visited by Don Jones and David Bird, who represented the Mankind Project. This Project is popular, with as many as seven meetings in our church rooms each week.

The focus of the Mankind Project is men who have encountered trauma during their lives. The effort is to help them reclaim the healthy mindset that has been taken from them by their life altering experiences.

While not affiliated with any church, this organization is obviously doing God’s work. Members are often seen contributing to the physical welfare of the church as well as attending the weekly Mankind meetings. We are blessed to have them in our building.

View from the Pew: Sermon titled “What Road to Take?“

Sermon on 01/08/2012                  Matthew 2: 1–12
12. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by anothe road.

 The story from Matthew calls them Wise Men and they are also popularly called the Three Kings, although nowhere in the story are they referred to as kings. They are called wise man because they were in touch with God and His message.

What does it mean to be wise?  Wise men paid attention to their dream and took another road away from Herod.  As a church how can we be wise?  What is that dream that God has placed in our hearts?    How do we follow the road God  has placed in our hearts? Because of changes we have made at church, we now have new opportunities and challenges ahead of us.  It is our job to listen and follow  the new  path given us.

View from the pew: sermon titled “a blessed life”

Sermon on  12-11-2011      Luke 1: 46-55

What makes you so happy that you can sing, cry, and jump for joy?  What fills your heart to this extent?  As we come to the end of 2011, look back. What were you dreaming about, hoping for? Look at the realities of the past year — grief, loss, accomplishments.

Now considered the life of Mary. She wasn’t in a good place; pregnant, unmarried, and then, meeting an angel. She was in a very confusing place.

Her role was to be part of something that would not only save her but also save the world.  She understood that she was blessed to be part of what God wanted for her.

Mary is a model for all of us; on faith, she accepted and felt the joy of something she didn’t really understand. She knew that she was part of something bigger. She anticipated the joy, the waiting and the pain. And, she experienced all this while pregnant.

Mary only knew that she was part of the huge impact for the world…something bigger and better to happen.  Joy in the midst of a mystery, of birth to a newer life for individuals and the church

Be like Mary… Rise to the challenge.

View from the Pew: Sermon Titled “Prepare the Way of the Lord”

Sermon on 12/04/2011      Mark 1:1-8

How do we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus?

Just as everybody has a different story, even of the same event, so the gospels tell their stories differently, from a different perspective…. And having a collection of stories helps us understand our faith.

It was John the Baptizer’s role to point the way.

At times we make our jobs more complicated than we need, believing that we should have all the answers, all the details.  The Bible tells us to point…and let God.  John did not give details at all.  His message was,  “Someone’s coming.  Go listen.”

Invite people to church…and trust that God will do something.  Just, “Join me.”  People change because they are in the presence of something beyond themselves.  Just help people be in the Presence.

COMMUNION

We participate in communion to be In The Presence.   When we participate in communion:

• we taste love,
• we feel the Presence
• we experience the holy.