Messenger 02/20/25
7th Sunday after the Epiphany
Mary Kooistra will be serving as our Worship Leader who will be leading us through the Opening Prayer and the Call To Worship.
This week’s scripture reading will be Luke 6:27-38
“But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
A special thanks to this week’s Ushers, Holly Spens & Jenny Mannard.
To view the entire bulletin, click the link below.
We are currently looking for help for our Coffee Hour after Service.
Some of the ways you can help is by:
Assisting in the set up of coffee hour prior to worship starting
Bringing snacks, goodies, dessert to share
Assisting in clean up after coffee hour
The Coffee Hour is a great time for everyone to come together as a community and share their thoughts, ideas, and make a connection with other members at Church. To sign up or learn more, email Holly at office@gardenstreetumc.org or stop by the desk before/after service. You can also check out other volunteer opportunities such as Ushering and Flowers for Sanctuary.
To Sign up, visit: https://bit.ly/0325Volunteers
Garden Street Lenten Study 2025
So often during Lent we are invited to look inward, reflecting on our personal faith journey. We live with the question, “How am I living as Jesus did?” Focusing on our own successes and failures, we strive to reflect the love and light of Christ in this time and place.
This year is different. The things that are happening in our nation and the world right now call us to consider a broader vista than ourselves. Garden Street’s values include: A commitment to inclusiveness, building community, sustainable ministry, growth mindset of individuals and our congregation, and being Christ in the community and the world.
As a congregation committed to these values, in these times, looking at people and situation beyond our own experience and listening to another narrative, beyond our own story, will broaden our vision of what it means to love God and to love our neighbor as the body of Christ. The question expands. What might we be about as we embody our commitment to be Christ in the community and the world?
Our study book, Where We Meet: A Lenten Study of Systems, Stories and Hope, will guide us to tell our own stories as we share in this journey toward Easter; the day that brings the greatest hope of all!
Where We Meet: A Lenten Study of Systems, Stories and Hope. By RacheL Gilmore, Rev. Dr. Candace M. Lewis, Rev. Tyler Sit, Matt Temple. (All of the authors are involved in the United Methodist Church as church planters, revitalizers and community organizers.)
The past couple years the Wesley Club has volunteered on a Saturday with Habitat for Humanity. This year they asked that we volunteer to help members of our congregation with small tasks. For example, checking the batteries in smoke detectors, moving furniture, raking, cleaning hard to reach spaces, etc. If there is something that you could use help with and would like a Wesley Club student’s support, please contact Greg Hartgraves (greg@gardenstreetumc.org). I will assess if your task is something that a student can complete and match a student(s) to the task.
Books are available at Cokesbury and Amazon (paperback and Kindle) or may be ordered from Village Books.
Coming up next week we have:
Wednesday (02/26)
Men’s Breakfast - 7:00 am at Avenue Bread on James Street
United Women In Faith - 12:00pm in Fellowship Hall
Wesley Club - 6:00pm at 2401 Cornwall Ave
Sunday (03/02)
Christian Book Club - 10:30 am via zoom - Email office@gardenstreetumc.org to join
Handbells - 11:15 am at 2401 Cornwall Ave.
Choir - 1:00 pm at 2401 Cornwall Ave.
Sunday Worship - 2:30 pm at 2401 Cornwall Ave.
Prayers
Please Pray for:
For Gail Grossman as she recovers from a fall. Pray for healing and a speedy recovery.
Can’t make it in person? View the live on YouTube!
