Christ in community

Good morning all,
I'm sorry for getting behind on the readings while I was camping. Now I'm back after a lovely Laurelton weekend in the woods, and we're back on track. Before we get into the reading for this morning, I'd like to invite you to join in with several of us from our recent Wednesday night group in exploring and growing in another spiritual style. The Three Colors of Spirituality website (3colorsofyourspirituality.org) offers a program called "28 days of discipline." You pick one of the spiritual styles you'd like to grow in and subscribe to get daily emails containing a spiritual discipline to push you in that style. Several of us are starting the 28 days of discipline in the sharing style and should be getting our first email today. We'll also be sharing our experiences through a blog. This should be a great opportunity to try something new and it's easy to sign up. Let me know if you have any questions.

Our reading this morning is often used as a charge to a newly married couple during the Presbyterian wedding ceremony, but that's not what Paul had in mind when he wrote it. Basically, these are guidelines for living in a Christian community. Not surprisingly, Christ is at the center of living together. Christ's love rules in our hearts, Christ word lives within us, empowering us to teach and admonish one another as we work together to grow in faith. With Christ marking all our actions, we overflow with gratitude and sing out with joyful praise. That sounds pretty good to me. May we all be on the lookout for reasons to praise the Lord during this new week.

Blessings,
Sam

Colossians 3:12-17

12As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.