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First Community Church 06-09-24 Glen Miles -Sermon Reel Theology Start Wars - A New Hope by First Community Church

First Community Church 05.26.24 Mary Kate Buchanan -Sermon, Somethings Missing, It Matters by First Community Church

I'll conclude my sermon series, Somehow, Love Will Find a Way, with Part 3, "Courage is Fear that Has Said Its Prayers," based on 2 Timothy 1: 3-7. The scripture reading comes from a letter written by the Apostle Paul to a young pastor named Timothy. It is excellent advice on leading a church and living a Christ-like life. In Sunday's reading, Paul reminds Timothy and us that "God did not give us a spirit of fear but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline." This is easily one of my top ten favorite verses in the Bible. Like on the day of Pentecost and the day of creation, God's Spirit comes to you and me amid our chaotic lives with a clear and amazing promise that we do not have to live in fear. Sometimes, I need a daily reminder of this great truth!

Author of Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian.
Part 4 Making Peace and Being Peace

Part 2 in the Sermon Series Somehow Love Will Find a Way
Love is Our Hope
The sermon is also inspired by Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica. He is very impressed by the Thessalonian Christians and their "work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in Jesus." Those three words, faith, hope, and love, are also found in Paul's other letters, most notably in 1 Corinthians 13. This letter is dated around 51 CE, making it the earliest Christian writing. Before Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote their gospels, this document was circulated in the Mediterranean. As you can see from the quote above, faith, hope, and love were critical elements in the beginning days of the church.

Author of Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian.
Part 3 Prayer and Meditation