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Sermon Lent 2B

Mark 8:31-38, Howard Thurman “A Fierce Faith”

I am grateful for the opportunity given to me this week to explore the Gospel and its impact on our forebears as pertains to the Abolitionist movement in American history. You see, it was the Congregationalists who, through their understanding of the Gospel, found the fierce faith and resolve to assist a group of African people, captured into slavery, back to freedom and restoration in Africa. I will tell that story shortly.

Before we delve into that history, I’d like you to entertain some thoughts about “compassion.” My eyes were opened at our recent clergy retreat when our speaker, Rob Voyle, addressed us on the topic of “Compassion as the Agent of Transformation.” Three aspects of compassion were illuminated: Tenderness, Fierceness and Mischievousness. Certainly I had heard of “tenderness” as an aspect of compassion. We imagine the story of the Good Samaritan. We imagine Jesus as the tender shepherd. The tender touch can assist a person to know that he or she is loved. But Voyle warns us that it is inappropriate to be tender in the face of evil. He states, “It is inappropriate to stand by and tenderly watch someone hurt another.”

Weddings and Unions

Those wishing to be married or joined together by our Pastor must participate in a minimum of one counseling session, usually of 90 minutes duration. It is strongly recommended that couples seeking a strong foundation for the future take advantage of the opportunity to use the "Prepare/Enrich" premarital inventory. The cost for scoring of this inventory is $35. It requires a total of three subsequent counseling sessions.

Funerals and Memorial Services

Members and non-members are welcomed to request the assistance of our Pastor in planning funerals or memorial services for their loved ones. Our Pastor feels it is very important to include personal information about the deceased in the service. To that end, she will ask families of non-members to engage in a more lengthy preparation session. Church members have already participated in much of that preparation.

Pastor

2008 was a year of “watching for road signs” at Wild Rose Congregational Church. Late in 2007 we really wrestled with a message we had received that our rented space was not child-friendly. We also wanted opportunities to move our music program to the next level with better instruments that a new space might provide. We were also, very frankly, tired of having to move furniture on a weekly basis to create worship space.

One of the benefits of conflict is better self-definition. During our impassioned conversations late in 2007 we discovered that we are deeply committed to our three publicly professed identities: Open and Affirming, Eco-Justice, and Just Peace.

Finding Wild Rose

Come and meet, share, worship, and celebrate with us at the Senior Resource Center, 5120 Hwy 73, Evergreen, CO each and every Sunday. Service starts at 10 am. Children's program is available during the service with summer recess. Coffee hour at 11 am.

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Who is Wild Rose?

Wild Rose Congregational Church is affiliated with the United Churce of Christ. We are an Open and Affirming community concerned about eco-justice. We actively support organizations that reflect our beliefs: we walk in the AIDS walk; we pound nails for Habitat for Humanity; we pull noxious weeds for the Audobun Society; we walk for Housing Justice!; participe Earth Day activities; buy and sell fair trade coffee; and conduct an electronic waste recycling effort each spring. We are generous with contributions to many causes.

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