From The South Texas District Church of the Nazarene:
HURRICANE HARVEY RELIEF
South Texas has been ravaged by a horrible hurricane. Many of our pastors, families, churches, and our neighbors have been devastated. As Christ followers, our first inclination in times of struggle and strife should be to fix our eyes not on the disaster itself, but on the God who promises His constant presence throughout it.
When we find ourselves slipping into patterns of worry on behalf of those in need, prayer is our best and surest remedy. We can allow the Lord to reorient our hearts and fill our minds with the truth of His promises.
He is, after all, the One who can calm every storm in Texas or in our hearts.
Thank you so much for you desire to help the South Texas District Church of the Nazarene.
This prayer comes from the Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, D.D.,
(Bishop of Texas in the Episcopal Church)
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, in your Word you have given us a vision of that holy City where the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea: Behold and visit, we pray, the cities of the earth devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Sustain those displaced by the storm with food, drink, and all other bodily necessities of life. We especially remember before you all poor and neglected persons it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, we may ever be defended by your gracious and ready help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
Also,
Several people in our congregation have recently suffered loss, hardship, need to find work, or are facing (or recovering from) surgery or medical procedures. Please keep them in your prayers. Others are filled with joy – celebrate with them!
Here is another good prayer for all sorts of conditions (adapted from the Book of Common Prayer):
O God, the creator and preserver of all, we pray for all sorts of conditions that people face; that you would be pleased to make your ways known to them, your saving health given to all. We commend to your loving goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body or spirit; especially _____________; that it may please you to comfort and relieve them according to their need, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy release out of all their afflictions. All this we beg for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
Meals for the Codd Family
The lead pastor at New Hope Community Church of the Nazarene, Matt Codd, underwent open heart surgery last week (Aug. 23).
His recovery has been slow, he developed a viral pneumonia, and is still in the ICU.
We want to help support Matt, his wife Kim, and their children, during his long and difficult recovery.
We have set up a Meal Train to organize bringing meals to the family for the next several weeks. Visit https://mealtrain.com/987nn6 to sign up and find more details. Thank you for extending love and prayers to this family!
And many thanks to those who have already signed up or already delivered food! THANK YOU!
NEWS, UPDATES, and UPCOMING EVENTS
THIS SUNDAY September 3: The Nicene Creed sermon series begins.
The first week we will look at some of the history and background as to why the creed was written. Be sure to be here on Sunday to find out
“What Even Is the Nicene Creed”
MENU for the Wednesday Dinner this week (Sept. 6 at 6pm):
Chili and Chili Dogs
Chips and Dips
Salad Bar
Dessert and Drinks
Friday & Saturday, September 8 & 9:
The youth and anyone else who wants to go, will be going to Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. See Pastor Corey for more info.
Saturday, September 16:
This is our next Food Pantry/Clothes Closet. We need the donations by Wednesday , Sept. 13th. That’s when we pack the bags. Thank you all for helping keep this ministry going.
Jan Rasass’s memorial service will be at 2pm on Saturday, September 23 at our church. To read her obituary and find a guest book where you can share stories, memories, or comments, click here.
Why We Do What We Do in Worship
This week: A Song of Praise – the Gloria Patri
This song, also called Glory Be to the Father is last part of the gathering. We sing this together, as a congregation. The words are:
Glory be to the Father
And to the Son
And to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and ever shall be,
World without end.
Amen. Amen.
The song is Trinitarian doxology – a song of praise to or about the three-in-one God. This little song tells a story: God is everlasting. It is a prayer: that glory would be given to God, now and always. It is the story of the new time that God makes – the age to come. It is a statement of hope and confidence: God will outlast any trials that come along and his kingdom will not end (this is the age to come, where time no longer leads to decay). The people God has gathered have sung together, responded to God’s call, prayed together, and have offered praise again in singing a doxology.
Nicholas Ayo, an expert on the doxology, wrote that it “is not only a statement about the Trinity and an acknowledgment of how glorious it must be to be God. The doxology enacts and embodies our inclusion in the glory of God…We receive in our very existence a participation in the divine glory that is the life of God, and we return that glory in our praise and worship.”[1] This is an important concept for all of our worship: we are enacting and embodying reality as it is in God. We are being changed. We are being filled. We are participating in the glory of God by hearing, responding, giving, eating, etc. Charles Wesley wrote, “Let us here Thy nature share,/Holy, pure, and perfect be,/ Transcripts of the Trinity.”[2] By singing the doxology (along with other liturgical enactments) God is forming us into God’s image, together as a community and as individuals.
Notice the order, the plot: we are gathered into this place (into the presence of God), we declare God’s goodness in anticipation, we ask for healing and transformation, for clean hearts, and we – realizing we are in the presence of God – sing our praise in doxology. All of this “enacts and embodies our inclusion in the glory of God.” This is the plot of Christianity – God gathers us into God’s own self, to heal and transform us (and bread, water, wine, and time), in order to heal and transform the world. [3]
[1] Nicholas Ayo, Gloria Patri: The History and Theology of the Lesser Doxology (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2007) 17. Emphasis mine.
[2] “CXCIII. The same –Hymn 3,” John Wesley and Charles Wesley, The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, Volume 5 (ed. G. Osborn; London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1869), 408.
[3] This whole passage was used with permission from Pastor Matt and his doctoral work at NTS
Here is the sermon from last week.
See all the sermons we’ve recorded at https://vimeo.com/scottsdalenazarene
It is important to realize that the sermon is not the most important part of our worship gatherings. The whole thing works together as one unit. We are gathered, hear the word, pray prayers, come to the table, and are sent back out.
Join us for worship – Sunday mornings at 10:30
2340 N. Hayden Rd.
480-949-9494
Online giving is available at cash.me/$snaz
