WEEK 7 God's Word creates Community

                WEEK  # 7    “40 Days in the Word”

GOD’S WORD CREATES COMMUNITY                 By the Rev. John Donnelly

Today we complete the Sunday teachings on “40 Days in the Word.”  During the past month and a half, we have been growing to LEARN, LOVE, and  LIVE GOD’S WORD  like never before.

 We have seen how:

·         God’s Word can be the foundation for our lives;

·          how God’s Word can be a lantern to our feet;

·         and how we are called to be DOERS OF THE WORD.

In today’s first reading from the book of Acts (2:38-39, 41-47), we hear how Peter went out into the streets of Jerusalem to preach the Word of God. So many people were moved by the Word of God’s Love, that thousands of people sought to be baptized.  They came to form a community of people, which became the first Christian churches.  There were so many of them, that the Apostles broke them down into small fellowships, which met at peoples’ homes for prayers, worship, & fellowship.  In short, the first Christian church was composed of many different small groups.

·         ***There these people learned the Word.

·        *** There these people made new friendships in Christ.

·        *** There these people prayed for one another and cared for each other, according to their needs.

Now if you have been around Christ Church Quaker farms for any length of time—you will know that I am a big proponent of Christian small groups.   As a young man, my life was wonderfully changed by participating in Small groups, because there I learned that: Jesus loves me; that other people valued me: and there, I learned to give and receive love.  I grew from being a timid, lonely, agnostic to becoming confident, gregarious, & faithful.   Small Groups were such a wonderful experience that I arranged to become trained so that I could lead small groups.  This all happened before seminary, where for 5 summers I led 15 small groups, which thereby established my vision for the local Christian church.  THE REAL CHURCH IS MEANT TO BE A COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE GROW TO KNOW AND TO SHARE GOD’S LOVE WITH EQACH OTHER.

Well, that was 32 years ago. Recently I and several other small group leaders, from this program, were contacted by some of the participant alumni, who had graduated from these small group ministries.  They had attended these programs when they were teenagers and young adults.  But now, as adults in their 50’s, they called us to attend a reunion with them last weekend.

I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I HEARD AND SAW.  All 20 -25 alumni participants spoke on how their lives had been changed in these small groups, so long ago.

·         One woman spoke on how her small group had helped her to overcome sexual abuse.

·         A man spoke of how He had learned that God truly loved him.

·         Another man said that his small group experience had empowered him to become a leader and later a small business owner, with responsibility for many employees.

·         Another woman spoke of how she had never had a loving community in which she could be honest about her feelings, and how her experience empowered her to love herself, and to love her husband & family.

·         And the stories went on and on, like that, for 2 hours.  I honestly had no idea what the people were going to say—and I was overcome with JOY that these small groups had had a life changing impact upon these 50-something people.

During the past 6 weeks at Christ Church Quaker Farms, 140 people 9ages 3 to 103) have been engaged in small groups and classes, learning God’s Word…and growing to understand that God’s Word is actively calling us all to share His love with one another.

We see this in the Bible, too.  Looking at John 1:1, we see that the WORD had a job to do.  What was that job? Looking at verse 3 (from John 1), we see that it was to make the world.  But then looking to verse 12 (John 1), we see that the crowning achievement was to create a community ..a community of believers. YOU are part of a Christian community being built up upon God’s Word.  Newcomers and visitors are being drawn to this community, which is built on the firm foundation of the Word of the Lord. And today, I want to celebrate how God’s Word has built up His people in our small groups during the past 40 days.

 This past week I undertook an informal survey of some folks from the 70 adults who attended small groups. Here is what they said that they appreciated about their groups:

·         " .......the sense of unity and fellowship. I also appreciated how others

helped me to understand God's Word." --Taffy Ritcher

·         ".......the sharing and felling comfortable enough to share myself." --Michele Macisco

·         ".......seeing newcomers to our group feel accepted & welcomed; and seeing everybody praying out

loud, together." --Marilyn Stebar

·         "On Sundays we can talk. But by coming to this group, I could interact on a more personal level. It

means a lot to me." ---John Peterson

·         ".....the fellowship. We got together & grew as we sat around the table and talked to each other,

getting to know each other" --Mike Evancho

·         "....getting to know people more, now that I know more people." ---Jordy Evancho

·         "...being reminded by God's Word not to be anxious. but to cast my cares upon Christ.

I turn to that every day. ---Jim Luviconi

·         "... This group was amazed by the presence if the Holy Spirit throughout our 6 weeks and how all things

came together, what a blessing. New friendships, bonding and trusting each other, as well as our honesty

with each other. "My heart was opened to The Lord”, “using scripture as a prayer.  We don't want to split

up". Again an amazing journey.—Molly Turchuk

So, we celebrate the reality that God’s Word is up building this community, which we call Christ Church Quaker Farms.    He is building it one friendship at a time..one prayer at a time…one insight at a time.  So, let us continue together on our  journey of faith so that we can continue to “Shine the Light of Christ’s Love through our church and into the world.”  AMEN.