Goodness Weekly 6.20.22
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.
Good Work
We’d love for you to jump into the work that is going on in our community! We have many different ways you can do this from joining a team, helping with worship, and much more.
Click the button below to fill out the form & we’ll reach out to you!
Charis Park & Missional Hub Project Updates:
One of our core values is environmental stewardship and we are so grateful to be partnering with Coral Studios whose design for our park is centered around environmental sustainability. Here is a sneak peak—our existing curbs are being repurposed into a creative barrier around the gathering pods in the meditation garden.
What’s Good?
This past Friday at 7:30pm we had our first Sunset Worship! We gathered together on the lawn for music, communion, liturgy, & community. We were blessed with beautiful, breezy weather as the sun went down and we can’t wait to do it again next month. We would love to have you join our Summer Series at the following dates:
Friday, July 22nd, 7:30pm (7/24 No Charis Worship)
Friday, August 19th, 7:30pm (8/21 No Charis Worship)
All are welcome.
Message from Jess:
I sat down at his desk, eyes full of tears & cried—”I can’t do this, it’s too much, too big, too…” – fill in the blank.
I was overwhelmed, feeling like the future was insurmountable and I didn’t have what it took to accomplish what I was being asked to do.
And John Harp, in his calm, non-anxious wisdom responded, “When you’re climbing a mountain you don’t look at the top, you just look to the next pile of rocks.” He reminded me that if I tried to look at the whole picture ahead, I would be so overwhelmed I would give up before I started—kind of like I was trying to do in his office that day. But by focusing on the next faithful step ahead, I would have exactly what I needed to get there.
Often in our lives we are anxious to see the whole plan, to get to the mountaintop, to reach the end goal. In our humanity we strive and reach and push, and often these actions are the source of our anxiety and worry. Jesus reminds us to pray for our daily bread, to rely on God for our sustenance for today and let tomorrow worry about itself.
I know that this is easier said than done, but I wonder what our day might be like if we focused on the next pile of rocks and asked God for the strength for today.
May that be our challenge this week—that each day we could wake up ready to be present, strengthened by God for the next faithful step we’ll take and trusting that we’ll be ready for the rest when it’s time. Please join me in praying for John Harp’s next pile of rocks— retirement and sabbatical time. Thank you for your 42 years of service to our church, John.
Upcoming Events
Sunday, June 26th, 4:30pm Chapel Worship & Liturgy
Tuesday, June 21st, 9:00am Games & Coffee at Rose Hip Coffee
Wednesday, June 22nd, 9:00am Story Time at Rose Hip Coffee
Youth group this week will be at the back house of 313 Encino Ave. Middle school and high school students are invited for games, snacks, and time in community together!
Morning:
Today is the day that you have made,
and I come to you humbly to ask
that you would give me today, my daily bread
I don’t know what is ahead,
but I know that you are with me
Sustain me through this day
and help me to take the next faithful step forward
in partnering with you to make the world
a little more good and a little more kind
In Jesus name,
Amen.
Evening:
Thank you for this day
and all of the moments I saw you in it
Forgive me for the ways that I was not kind
Forgive me for the ways I was distracted
Forgive me for the ways I forgot you were with me
Thank you for your grace
Your constant love
And the hope for tomorrow
Amen.
