February 17, 2019
Holy Communion at 8:30 and 11am


Prayer of the Day
Living God, in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
 

Scripture readings
Jeremiah 17:5-10
Psalm 1: 1–6 
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

"A Plain-Spoken God"
Luke 6:17-26
We claim to value people who “tell it like it is,” but what we really mean is that we prefer to listen to people who tell us what we want to hear. When someone actually shows up to tell us the truth? No thanks. Yet this is what Jesus, God’s living Word, does to and for us. In today’s reading from Luke, Jesus doesn’t simply tell it like it is. The words spoken by the Word create a new reality. In this reality, it is the poor, hungry, sorrowful, and excluded who are blessed — both in the future and right now. Why? Because Jesus blesses them. Period. Of course, the rich and the full aren’t that interested in hearing this truth from Jesus’ mouth; it is because of such teaching that Jesus will be killed. It turns out, however, that the hilly terrain of Golgotha is the levelest place of all. It is the place where we are leveled out in death, and raised up to life that is equal in abundance and eternity for all who believe.

Hymns

In our prayers we remember Chicago Cornerstone Academy.

Education hour at 9:45am

Sunday School, Pre-Confirmation, and  Confirmation classes meet in their regular locations.

2018-19 Faith Formation Calendar

Adult Education

The Book of Job: What Does All This Mean? 
(First of two sessions)
Dr. Michael Graves, Armerding Professor of Biblical Studies, Wheaton College
We will consider together the biblical literary masterpiece the book of Job. From the back-and-forth explorations of Job’s calamity found in the poetic core, to the dramatic divine appearance, to the enigmatic introduction and surprising conclusion, the book of Job challenges us to reflect more deeply on the meaning of every aspect of our lives and our place in the universe. In the Seminar Room.
 
Adult Ed schedule through April 

The Sunday morning Bible study group meets in the Conference Room.

The Grace Church Library is open and staffed on Sundays from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Look for books related to Adult Ed topics as well as many other subjects. The library is also open for self-service during the week.