"Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you." --Ephesians 4:32 The Message
Dear friends and members of Saint Stephen,
I write to invite you to be part of our 4 week Lenten Book Club. As we did in the fall with Mark Alan Powell's Giving to God, we are inviting our congregation to read Pastor Adam Hamilton's Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go together.
How do I get the book?
1) You can find a good used (or new!) copy on Amazon, Thriftbook, or even Ebay or a variety of other places one buys books on-line.
2) You can also find the book on Audible or Kindle! 3) You can borrow the book from church--please ask Pr Rebecca how!
4) We have a few more copies for sale for again for $6--again, ask Pr Rebecca!
How can I read the book?
1) You can join a book group--we have 4 starting soon! There is a sign up at church --or just show up!
a---Wednesdays starting March 20th at 10:30 am in the church library with Pr Rebecca & Dave McAlonan
b--Time and start to be determined at Dunkin' Donuts at 442 Orchard Street in Antioch with Vicky Hill
c--Thursdays starting March 14th at 5:30pm at Cafe Book with Dick Schlake
d--Thursdays starting March 21st at 7:00pm at John and Susan Cook's home at 6436 Gino Way in Fox Lake
2) If you can't join one of these groups you can start your own...just let us know when and where so we can publicize!
3) you can read the book on your own
4) you can read and discuss in an on-line format, here in this Discussion Forum.
We hope everyone will find a way to read the book--whether on your own or with others. Please join us on this Lenten journey as we celebrate the forgiveness we have in Christ and learn how to practice the freeing gift of forgiveness in our own.
Peace and grace,
Pastor Rebecca
Ch 4
God, please take these things from the past. Do something good with them and help me let them go. Amen; let is be so.
God, please bless _____. I’m assuming _____ doesn’t really mean what _____ said and that _____ doesn’t know it hurts. But I pray you would bless _____ and help _____ to become the person you want _____ to be. Make me a blessing to _____. Help me to let go of my frustration, disappointment, hurt.
Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardships as the pathway to peace, taking as He did this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will so that I may be reasonable happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever and ever in the next. Amen; let it be so.
Genesis 50:15-21 The Message
After the funeral, Joseph’s brothers talked among themselves: “What if Joseph is carrying a grudge and decides to pay us back for all the wrong we did him?”
16-17 So they sent Joseph a message, “Before his death, your father gave this command: Tell Joseph, ‘Forgive your brothers’ sin—all that wrongdoing. They did treat you very badly.’ Will you do it? Will you forgive the sins of the servants of your father’s God?”
When Joseph received their message, he wept.
18 Then the brothers went in person to him, threw themselves on the ground before him and said, “We’ll be your slaves.”
19-21 Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people. Easy now, you have nothing to fear; I’ll take care of you and your children.” He reassured them, speaking with them heart-to-heart.
2 ways: Tell the one who hurt you; tear down the wall yourself.
Remember your own shortcomings.
Assume the best.
Pray.
Seek to understand.
Romans 8:26-28
26-28 Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
Lots to think about, ponder, pray… Trust in God to carry our load,… Trust in God to work our work into something good… What’s the worst that can happen? What’s the best? No contest…