What is the Sacred Summer / 100 Days
Sunday SCHEDULE
10AM - We will discuss our weekly Bible Reading. We're using the Immerse Bible, 5 pages a day, 5 days a week.
10:45AM - Q&A for the Sacred Summer vision and stations.
11AM to 1PM - Come and saturate yourself in God's presence, engaging Him through the eight stations.
12PM to 1PM - RG Kidz teachers will have a special experience for our kiddos. (Nursery through 1st grade.)
Good Morning RG friends!
Just what does it mean to “minister unto the Lord?” What does that look like in a modern context? In a modern American context? As we begin our Sacred Summer, these questions become very real, as that is precisely what the Father is looking to reveal and release to and through us. And as eyebrow-raising as those questions may be, there are simple, relational, and practical answers.
We’ll dig into this a little deeper through a teaching I’ll share on this topic, which will be posted this week on our Facebook and Cyber-Celebration pages, but I want to share a couple of nuggets here. Paul is right on, when he roughly says that God isn’t served by human hands, as if He had personal needs that only we could meet (Acts 17:25). Yet, just a couple of pages earlier (Acts 13:2), we see the phrase “ministering unto the Lord.” So, what’s the deal? Well, you’ll have to check out the teaching for more, but I see three expressions of devotion that would all fall under the banner of “ministering to God.”
Performing Sacred Activities - the things we do in sacred spaces that demonstrate our faith in and honor for God. In the Bible, we see this happening in the Temple moments, and in both the Old & New Testaments. Tending candles, incense, sacrifices, prayers, communion, performing baptisms, and a host of other symbolic and supernatural rituals.
Cultivating Surrendered Hearts - This refers to the moments where we commune with God, intensely and intentionally giving ourselves over to Him in Worship. Corporate or private singing, and prayerful and personal conversation with the Father, are both examples.
Sharing God’s Goodness - Jesus taught us that how we treat even the most seemingly unworthy or undesirable person, is a direct treatment of God Himself (Matthew 25:40). So, when we heal the sick, comfort the oppressed, feed a hungry person, give away some of our clothes, kick a demon out of a friend’s life, let someone bunk in our house for a while, or any of the myriad ways we can serve others - we have “ministered to God.”
Our Sacred Summer experience is designed to give us a chance to more personally invest ourselves in the joy of ministering directly to God. We’ll enjoy engaging Him through the stations set up in the sanctuary. We’ll hear His voice in new ways and we’ll pour out our hearts of adoration all over Him through worshiping in spirit and truth. After all, that is what He is looking for - a people who will give Him their all and restore the full power of God’s life on earth as it is in Heaven. Now, think on that as you get ready to join us on Sunday.
For the sake of His loving name,
Chris Liotta