Happenings at Wawa First United Church – October 3

Mark 9:38-50

Consider how we may approach the violent language of Jesus, such as. “ If your hand causes you to sin cut it off, …..  and of your foot causes you to sin, cut it off ……..And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out…… Theses words of Jesus alert us that we need to take the image of God seriously but not literally. Genesis 1:27 states that humankind was created as God’s reflection: in the divine image of God, people were created. We humans are all the bearers of the divine image. If we don’t respect or protect God’s image in ourselves and our neighbours, something goes badly wrong.

What is hell and where is hell? Hell is a strong symbol of separation from God. There are places where the divine image  in every human being is damaged. This is against God and God’s will. The place where things are against God’s initial aim is called hell. It is a place that we designed to strip off the divine image from every single person. For  example, the residential institutions formerly known as Indian residential schools and concentration camps were hells on earth. If our ignorance, failures, and mistakes and our narrow understanding of the gospel cause others to stumble, something serious, something seriously bad happens. We must be alert. We should not ignore the warning of Jesus.   (uses with permission The Gathering  Pentecost 2, 2024.

 

Annoucements:

Scriptures for October 6.  World Communion Sunday, We will have a Communion service, all are welcome to join us in our faith journey.

Job 1:1; 2:1-10    Job’s first affliction: faith intact
Psalm 26     Prove me, try me, test my heart
Hebrews 1:1-4;2:5-12   God gave the world to humans, not angels
Mark 10: 2-16     Question of divorce; Jesus blesses children.

Events:

The Thrift Shop is open Thurs. October 3 to Mon, October 7, It will not be open Sunday.
No Prayer Shawl meeting this Saturday, October 5.
Oct. 4 – Sisters in Spirit Vigil ( to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people.)
Oct. 7 – World Habitat Day
Oct. 10 – World Mental Health Day
Oct.  11 – International Day of the Girl Child
Oct. 11-12 – Yom Kippur

 

United Church

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