The Giving Circle, message and worship

Full worship service in video, including youth on piano, children at the altar, and message by Pastor JP.

2016/05/22 Christ Church,
Mountain Top
Call to Worship, Psalm 8
Children, Matthew
14 (feeding of 5000)
Message, John 16.12-15
Holy Trinity
      Father,
Son, Holy Spirit
      One
God, eternally existent in three co-equal persons
      Sending
(noticed last week)
            Of
the Son, of the Spirit
Last week, Pentecost, from this
same context (John 14)
      Spirit
of God as a personal gift to the people of God
      Anticipating
Trinity Sunday
This week, Trinity
      The
larger giving cycle, one half of which Jesus describes here
      Father
> Son > Spirit > Church
            What
is God’s is OURS!
James 1:17  Every generous act of giving, with every
perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights
Great Schism of 1054 &
Trinitarian theology
      Filioque controversy
      “from
the Father and the Son” – Catholic,
West
      “from
the Father through the Son” –
Orthodox, East
      This
text, and context, mostly supports the Eastern view
Tomato, tomato?
      Divisions
in the UMC today
      General
Conference
            29
missionaries from 11 countries to 16 countries
            5
new bishops in Africa, beginning 2020
            Provisional
annual conference in Southeast Asia & Mongolia

Cycles that maintain: Water cycle
Cycles that multiply: Agriculture
2 Corinthians 9:6  The point is this: the one who sows sparingly
will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap
bountifully.
2 Corinthians 9:10-15  He who supplies seed to the sower and bread
for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest
of your righteousness.  11 You
will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce
thanksgiving to God through us;  12
for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints
but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.  13 Through the testing of this
ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of
Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all
others,  14 while they long
for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has
given you.  15 Thanks be to
God for his indescribable gift!
Completing the cycle/circle
      Father
> Son > Spirit > Church > World > Father
            What
is ours is GOD’S!
      Pentecost
theme: Spirit and “all in all”
Cycles that multiply: Bicycle
gears
      Key
to Robin
      Typhoon
Yolanda response, the Philippines
            Block
Boys – education, training, careers
            Emergency
shelters that are also schools
      SS/children’s
ministry: Lilly praying for her grandmother
Cycles that multiply: Feeding the
5000
      You
give them something
      We
have nothing but

      Jesus
will take that – if we let him – and multiply