Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Pray, Praise and Worship: Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World
A Thought from the Word
A brief thought based on Psalm 138:8 - “You, LORD, will always treat me with kindness. Your love never fails. You have made us what we are. Don't give up on us now!”
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Evangelism and justice dance well together in Africa
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 29, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Mural project brings neighborhood together
Churches, Denominations and Religions: ‘God, we’re listening to what you’re providing for...
Serve, Work and Transform: Not just a pastor’s job
Monday, June 28, 2021
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 28, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Gathering as One conference ends in hope
Sunday, June 27, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Minute for Mission: PCUSA World AIDS Sunday
Saturday, June 26, 2021
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 26, 2021
Friday, June 25, 2021
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 25, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Minute for Mission: Season of Prayer and Reflection in the Korean Peninsula
Pray, Praise and Worship: The role of ritual in pandemic recovery
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Prayer Requests to be shared during Sunday’s service
On Sunday, June 27, Silgo Presbyterian Church will lift to God the following needs.
- All the graduates
- Amanda's Parents
- Andy and Cohen Wisor
- Armed Forces
- Barb Lerch
- Barry Henry
- Bruce Amsier
- Bruce Bowman
- Bus Clark
- Chuck Gould
- Church
- Church Leaders
- College Students
- Craig McCall (Ella's brother)
- Danny Dooyema
- Doctors & Nurses & all essential workers
- Government Leaders
- Jim Mason
- Kevin Crawford
- Mark Rummel's Family
- Marti Varner's son-in-law
- Maxine Hartle
- Maxine Simpson
- Mike, Melody and family
- Nancy Campbell
- Our Youth
- Police Officers
- Randy Frampton
- Ron & Shelly Haines
- Rwanda Partner
- Sadie
- Sam Williams
- Sean Bayless
- Susan Mortimer
- Terry Wisor family
- Trisha
- World Vision
A Thought from the Word
A brief thought based on Isaiah 40:31 - “But those who trust the LORD will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired.”
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 24, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Presbytery of Milwaukee extinguishes $1.9 million in medical debt
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
A Thought from the Word
A brief thought based on Psalm 121:7-8 - The Lord will protect you and keep you safe from all dangers. The Lord will protect you now and always wherever you go.
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 23, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Pastors’ podcast helps listeners grow in their faith
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, June 20, 2021
Sunday, June 20, we continued a series entitled "Walking with Jesus in the Gospel by Mark." As disciples of Jesus, we've been called to follow him by claiming his example and learning from his teachings. From June to October, we're going to focus on the Gospel of Mark so that we might better understand how we might follow our Savior and live as his community.
During the following twenty Sundays, the message will apply following passages:
June 6, 2021 - Mark 3:20-35
June 13, 2021 - Mark 4:26-34
June 20, 2021 - Mark 4:35-41
June 27, 2021 - Mark 5:21-43
July 4, 2021 - Mark 6:1-13
July 11, 2021 - Mark 6:14-29
July 18, 2021 - Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
July 25, 2021 - Mark 7:14-23
August 1, 2021 - Mark 7:24-37
August 8, 2021 - Mark 8:27-38
August 15, 2021 - Mark 9:30-37
August 22, 2021 - Mark 9:38-50
August 29, 2021 - Mark 10:2-16
September 5, 2021 - Mark 10:17-31
September 12, 2021 - Mark 10:35-45
September 19, 2021 - Mark 10:46-52
September 26, 2021 - Mark 12:28-34
October 3, 2021 - Mark 12:38-44
October 10, 2021 - Mark 13:1-8
October 17, 2021 - Mark 13:24-26, 32-36
Below is a copy of the bulletin, a podcast of the sermon and the video of the worship service.
Sunday's Message - Two Aspects of Faith
As disciples of Jesus, we've been called to follow him by claiming his example and learning from his teachings. From June to October, we're going to focus on the Gospel of Mark so that we might better understand how we might follow our Savior and live as his community.
During the following twenty Sundays, the message will apply following passages:
June 6, 2021 - Mark 3:20-35
June 13, 2021 - Mark 4:26-34
June 20, 2021 - Mark 4:35-41
June 27, 2021 - Mark 5:21-43
July 4, 2021 - Mark 6:1-13
July 11, 2021 - Mark 6:14-29
July 18, 2021 - Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
July 25, 2021 - Mark 7:14-23
August 1, 2021 - Mark 7:24-37
August 8, 2021 - Mark 8:27-38
August 15, 2021 - Mark 9:30-37
August 22, 2021 - Mark 9:38-50
August 29, 2021 - Mark 10:2-16
September 5, 2021 - Mark 10:17-31
September 12, 2021 - Mark 10:35-45
September 19, 2021 - Mark 10:46-52
September 26, 2021 - Mark 12:28-34
October 3, 2021 - Mark 12:38-44
October 10, 2021 - Mark 13:1-8
October 17, 2021 - Mark 13:24-26, 32-36
On Sunday, June 20, 2021, we looked at Mark 4:35-41. The passage, the message and the podcast is below:
That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the east side.” So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink.
Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?”
Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.
Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?”
Now they were more afraid than ever and said to each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Aspects of Faith
But about a year and half ago, something got added to mix. I mean, as all of y’all know, that’s about when the pandemic hit and everything shut down. And that really effected dad in a special way. You see, he’s taught an adult Sunday School class for about twenty-five years, and so every week, he’d write up his lesson and present it to the folks who came. Now that’s what he’s done every Sunday at 9:30 for longer than my daughter’s been alive. And I’ve got to tell you, right along with solving mechanical problems (my dad’s an engineer), for him, teaching this class is a really big deal. In fact, I think it actually helped him deal with mom’s death. But of course, all that changed when his church closed and they went to a purely virtual service with no in-person classes. Now when all this hit, I remember asking him what was going on with his little group. And he said that he was still writing out his lessons and either emailing them or printing them and then hand delivering them to folks who don’t have computers. Now that’s what he said, and I told him that I had idea on how we might be able to get his lesson out to even more people. You see, if he wanted, every Saturday, he could send me his lesson. I’d post it online and then he could give the computer people a link and I could also link it to some other sites and pages, you know, so more folks could see it. I also told him that I’d add some pictures and maps and stuff like that to sort of complement the lesson. And if this was something he wanted to do, he could trust that I wouldn’t change anything he’d written, even if there was something in the lesson that I thought was wrong. You see, he could have faith in me.
I’ll tell you, I think that’s where a lot of people are now-a-days. And for that reason, as we continue to move with Jesus through the Gospel of Mark, this morning we’re going to spend a little time talking about faith and trust. And we’re going to use the story we just read to consider two different aspects of faith that might actually make trusting in both God and one another a little easier. And with each idea, we’ll consider how it might change our attitudes and our feelings.
And you know, the same kind of thing can happen to us. Now y’all may not know this, in the Bible, a storm involving water was often used as a image for chaos. And just like those disciples were facing a little bit of chaos in that boat, I think we all face some chaotic and confusing and threatening situations just living our lives. I mean, whether it involves money or health, family or friends, I think a little chaos is just part of life in the fast lane. But suppose, instead of assuming that we’ve been left to deal with these threats and this confusion and chaos all by ourselves, suppose we make the intentional decision to trust God, in other words, to trust that God is in control and to trust that he loves us and to trust that because we’re in his hands, our destinies are secure. I mean, how do you think making that decision will effect us? Of course, it probably won’t miraculously calm the waters or erase the credit card debt or heal my brother’s diabetes. No, the problems will probably still be there. What will change is our attitude as we face them. It’s like going into surgery believing that everything is going to go wrong or trusting that the hospital is equipped and that the surgeon is skilled and that our lives are in the hands of a God who couldn’t love us more than he does right now. You see, I believe our attitude will change when we recognize that, since faith is a decision, we can choose to trust. And that’s one idea we can take from this passage.
And I’ll tell you, that’s something else we can sure recognize right here and right now. You see, although there are plenty of situations when Jesus said something like “your faith has made you whole,” that doesn’t mean he abandons us when our faith is not so great, much less perfect. I mean, just like a good shepherd doesn’t care for his sheep only when they’re obedient or a good father doesn’t love his kids only when they’re nice, God just, plain loves us and holds us in his hands. And you know, even though some folks may never know that love or that care because they haven’t made the decision to trust, our decision doesn’t change what’s already there. It’s like a minister told me over forty years ago, that I was going have to live with the fact that God loves me. And I can tell you, he loves me and he loves you just as much on our worst days as he does on our best. Remember God doesn’t just love. God is love. And when we accept this, I think our feelings start to change, because instead of feeling nothing but loneliness and fear as we face the storms, we’re going to start feeling some comfort and peace as well. Man, that’s going to happen when we recognize that God’s going treat us with compassion and love even when our trust is less than perfect. And in my opinion, that’s another idea we can take from this story.
Now remember how I started this by talking about my Dad and his Sunday school class and how I offered to put it online just the way he wrote it. Well, every Saturday since last March I’ve put his lesson up into one of my blogs and I’ve linked it to Twitter and Facebook and Pinterest and several other sites. And there have been weeks when as many as a thousand people from all over the world have looked at what my Dad wrote, something that I can tell you, makes him really happy. Of course, this was only possible because he made the decision to trust his eldest son. And you know, we can do the same thing ourselves. You see, one, we can recognize that faith is always a decision and then we choose to trust and see our attitude become more positive. And two, we can also recognize that God still loves us whether we trust or not, something that I believe will move our feelings from loneliness and fear to comfort and peace. You see, I think this will happen when we claim these two aspects of faith.
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 22, 2021
Pray, Praise and Worship: Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - ‘Surprised by joy’
Monday, June 21, 2021
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 21, 2021
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 20, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - The next step: To love our neighbor
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Serve, Work and Transform: It’s time to reconnect
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Minute for Mission: World Refugee Day Reflection
Study, Learn and Grow: The world needs peace
Saturday, June 19, 2021
A Thought from the Word
A brief thought based on Ephesians 6:4 - Parents, don’t be hard on your children. Raise them properly. Teach them and instruct them about the Lord.
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 19, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Minute for Mission: Juneteenth Reflection
Friday, June 18, 2021
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 18, 2021
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 17, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - What does poverty have to do with worship?
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
A Thought from the Word
A brief thought based on Proverbs 23:24 - “Make your father truly happy by living right and showing sound judgment.”
Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for June 16, 2021
Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Sacramento group amplifies voice of the homeless
Study, Learn and Grow: Regarding Ruling Elders: Leaders breathe.
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, June 13, 2021
Sunday, June 13, we continued a series entitled "Walking with Jesus in the Gospel by Mark." As disciples of Jesus, we've been called to follow him by claiming his example and learning from his teachings. From June to October, we're going to focus on the Gospel of Mark so that we might better understand how we might follow our Savior and live as his community.
During the following twenty Sundays, the message will apply following passages:
June 6, 2021 - Mark 3:20-35
June 13, 2021 - Mark 4:26-34
June 20, 2021 - Mark 4:35-41
June 27, 2021 - Mark 5:21-43
July 4, 2021 - Mark 6:1-13
July 11, 2021 - Mark 6:14-29
July 18, 2021 - Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
July 25, 2021 - Mark 7:14-23
August 1, 2021 - Mark 7:24-37
August 8, 2021 - Mark 8:27-38
August 15, 2021 - Mark 9:30-37
August 22, 2021 - Mark 9:38-50
August 29, 2021 - Mark 10:2-16
September 5, 2021 - Mark 10:17-31
September 12, 2021 - Mark 10:35-45
September 19, 2021 - Mark 10:46-52
September 26, 2021 - Mark 12:28-34
October 3, 2021 - Mark 12:38-44
October 10, 2021 - Mark 13:1-8
October 17, 2021 - Mark 13:24-26, 32-36
Below is a copy of the bulletin, a podcast of the sermon and the video of the worship service.
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