Shout triumphantly to the LORD, all the earth!
Serve the LORD with celebration!
Come before him with shouts of joy!
Know that the LORD is God— He made us; we belong to Him.
We are His people, the sheep of His own pasture.
Enter His gates with thanks; enter His courtyards with praise!
Thank Him! Bless His name!
Because the LORD is good, His loyal love lasts forever;
His faithfulness lasts generation after generation.
(Psalm 100)
Good Day Family,
Gatherings
Psalm 100 is a call to worship, a call that signifies that it is time for the people of God to assemble. There are many calls to worship in the Bible, especially the Psalms. It’s a call to gather together. Over the history of our spiritual ancestors, we know that worship has taken place in tents and temples, synagogues and by streams. Worship has been held in courtyards and in caves. It doesn’t matter where we gather so much as how we gather. That is what Psalm 100 instructs us—how to worship God!
The Psalmist tells us to be glad and to be thankful. To remember who we are and whose we are. To bless God…because God is good. We belong to God who cares for us and protects us within the gates that God erects. There is safety and peace in the worship of God because of who God is, not our circumstances. We can be honest and acknowledge that times are hard. We struggle with uncertainty and loss. That does not give us license to not worship. Psalm 100 is not predicated on good times or easy going, but rather, the basis is a God who is loves forever and is faithful generation after generation. Let’s focus on these things as we gather together.
The next few weeks present opportunities for remote and in-person gatherings. The craft group and prayer service continue on Thursdays. These are in-person only with physical distance and masks. This Sunday, we will have a parking lot meet-up at 1 pm. The following Sunday, we will hold our semi-annual meeting remotely.
Living Water Association ONE Annual Meeting (Saturday, November 7, 9 am - noon): The theme for this meeting is “The Church as a Spiritual Community.” The first portion will be a worship service featuring Bishop Yvette Flunder as the speaker. The entire meeting is free and open to all, but I encourage anyone who would like to hear an encouraging message about the church today and what we can be to join us. Many of you know that I serve as both the Communication Specialist for the Association and the Treasurer. I have also chaired the One Heart Working Group, which has been working on facilitating collaborative ministry among Heartland (formerly Ohio) Conference and the Associations. I will be reporting on that progress in the second portion of the meeting following the vision of our Association Minister and Minister of Faith in Action. If you would like to participate in this gathering, you may register at https://livingwaterone.org/annual-meeting/.
Finally, thank you! I am so grateful for the expression of appreciation you surprised me with in the form of the fruit bouquet in honor of Pastor Appreciation Month! It was beautiful, fresh, and delicious. Thank you so much.
Bless the Lord!
Be well,
Pastor Cheryl