June 1, Teacher Appreciation Sunday
[Teacher Breakfast: 9:45]Worship Theme: “Glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13) as we teach and are taught
Texts: Deut. 32:1-3 and John 14:15-21
Sermon by Matt Landes
June 8, Pentecost
[VMJ Celebration Breakfast 9:45]Worship Theme: The Spirit Rested on Them (Numbers 11:25) and not everyone was happy!
Texts: Numbers 11:24-30; John 7:37-39 (‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’)
Sermon: Eldad, Medad, and Moses
Theme: The Holy Spirit ordains us all into the ministry of making disciples. And as we speak the Word of life to others God is at work transforming us in the process but that doesn’t mean that everyone will be happy about that.
(When Moses was informed that Eldad and Medad were prophesying without him, he chastised the tattle-tale and said: “[I wish that] all the Lord’s people were prophets!”)
June 15, Father’s Day
[Father’s Day Breakfast 9:45]
Series: The Story of Naomi and Ruth: From Famine to Full
Texts: Ruth 1 John 11:17-45
Sermon: From Famine to Full Part One: “There was a famine in the land.”
Theme: In God, the end of the line is the beginning of a story.
(Often when we feel we have come to the end of hope, the end of possibility, the end of our resources we have actually come to the beginning of a glorious new story in God’s book of life.)
June 22, Communion Sunday
[Graduate Recognition] [NYC Commissioning]Series: The Story of Naomi and Ruth: From Famine to Full
Texts: Ruth 4; John 12:1-17
Sermon: From Famine to Full, Part Two: “A son has been born to Naomi.”
Theme: In the Reign of God, life is made in the fullness of love.
(From the unexpected union of the cast-off Ruth with the hospitable Boaz, a child is born which fulfills the hope of an impoverished widow and continues the line of the King.)
June 29, Anointing Sunday
Theme: Anointing for healing and wholeness, strength, forgiveness, and faith.
Texts: Luke 10:27-37 (the Good Samaritan)
Sermon: Anointed with oil and wine
(In the story of the Good Samaritan we find that “from one least expected comes the healing most needed.” Here we learn both to be the healer and to let ourselves be healed.)
July 6, Annual Conference Sunday