Freedom – July 4th

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.
But do not use your freedom to indulge…”

Galatians 6:13

FOURTH OF JULY weekend is an annual celebration of political and religious freedom for many Americans. Given the uneven granting of rights and freedoms to many within our borders and our reckoning with failures and faults, this holiday can also be a national moment for measuring the contrast between declaration and realization. There is room to recognize achievements and sacrifice, but also space for confession and repentance.

BEFORE AMERICA came into existence, since the days of the early Church, Christ-followers have been led to approach FREEDOM in a careful way; the quest to balance personal benefits with collective good has always been a challenge. Earlier declarations of freedom, made more than a millennium before the Protestant Reformation, before the Renaissance, before the American and French Revolutions, was made by the Apostles, including Paul: to the Galatians, he proclaims the Gospel, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1)

Q: What is this FREEDOM for? What is this FREEDOM from?
How do people use it? How do people abuse it?

ZOOM in at 10:30 am, as we share a powerful example of FREEDOM from within our own congregation, and ponder the Gospel of FREEDOM in Christ.

YOUNG CHURCH

• Godly Play: Faithbox: The Box
• Big Kids: on hiatus until Fall

HONORING BIFF – SUNDAY AUGUST 8th

The second Sunday of August – August 8th – all are invited to share a memory or thought during our gathering. This will be in-person in Maple Leaf, but also broadcast via ZOOM, with the capacity for people to participate remotely.

SUMMER SUNDAYS

Summer always brings change to church, but THIS year, more than ever. Here is a schedule – still “under construction” – with a few updates. 

• July 4th – ZOOM with Pastor Eric @ Birch Bay
• July 11th – ?HOUSE CHURCH + ZOOM?
• July 18th – ARAUCTO HOUSE CHURCH + ZOOM
• July 25th – FINAL GODLY PLAY STORY w/NICOLE @ Maple Leaf + ZOOM
• August 1st – ?HOUSE CHURCH + ZOOM?
• August 8th – Biff’s Memorial @ Maple Leaf + ZOOM
• August 15th – Likkels away
• August 22nd – Likkels away
• August 29th – SERVE TOGETHER @ Maple Leaf
• September 5th – LABOR DAY WEEKEND – ?

If you see an opportunity/date for your family to host a HOUSE CHURCH + ZOOM event, let me know!
July 11th, August 1st, September 5th are all open.