Spiritual Gifts

This Sunday we will continue in our sermon series and group studies on Spiritual Gifts.  Last week we laid a foundation for looking at spiritual gifts by recognizing that they are gifts freely and lovingly given to us by God and by God’s choosing, and that they are spiritual in nature and not the same as our natural talents and abilities.  This week, we will look at the different spiritual gifts, spending a small amount of time on each of them.  It would be helpful to you to have a better idea of which gift(s) God might have given you before the sermon on Sunday.  We have copies of a Spiritual Gift Discovery Tool in the foyer at church that you can fill out (these will probably be the most helpful), or you can do one online at one of these sites:

http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.1355371/k.9501/Spiritual_Gifts.htm

http://www2.elca.org/evangelizingchurch/assessments/spiritgifts.html

http://www.firstbaptistnashville.org/resources/spiritual-gifts-inventory/

I continue to blog daily during Lent, and you’re invited to follow along and join in the conversation at http://johnhill8243.blogspot.com/

Post for the week of February 22

We are fully into the season of Lent now, and I hope you are taking advantage of one of our small group studies during Lent on our spiritual gifts.  It is still not too late to participate in one of our three groups: Sundays during Sunday School (led by Stacy Macon); Sundays at 5:30 at David and Candace Woodard’s home; and Thursdays at 10:00am at Gerald and Mike Johnson’s home.

This Sunday, we will begin our 3-week sermon series on Spiritual Gifts (based on 1 Corinthians 12) before celebrating Youth Sunday on March 21, Palm Sunday on March 28, and Easter Sunday on April 4.

During the season of Lent, many people choose to adopt a spiritual discipline.  This usually involves giving up something (like sweets, television, or even meals) or taking on something (a spiritual practice such as a devotional reading or giving to a particular ministry).  This year, I have taken on the practice of blogging daily.  You are welcome to read along at http://johnhill8243.blogspot.com/

Blogging for Lent

I will be blogging during Lent. You’re invited to check it out at http://johnhill8243.blogspot.com/

Grace and Peace,
John Hill

Beginning of Lent

Tomorrow is the beginning of the season of Lent. I hope you will join us for our Ash Wednesday service this evening at 6:00 as we are reminded of our need to repent and believe the Gospel. This Sunday, we will conclude our sermon series from the book of Ephesians, and we have saved a fun Sunday for last. We will be talking about the armor of God – bet you can’t wait for the visual aids! Also, this Sunday, we will kick-off our Lent Study groups using the book Serving from the Heart. I do hope you will participate in one of these groups that will go along with our sermon series beginning the first Sunday in March.

Lent Small Groups

The season of Lent – a time of repentance and preparation for the celebration of the Resurrection – is only a week away, beginning with our Ash Wednesday service on February 17th at 6:00pm. As we enter into this time of year, I hope you will join one of the small groups forming to study our spiritual gifts. They promise to be a wonderful way to form and deepen friendships, to discover more about yourself and who God has created you to be, and to empower you for God’s work in the world and the church. Sign-up sheets will be in the foyer on Sunday morning for the groups. If you are interested in leading a group, please let me know ASAP. Also, this Sunday, we’ll continue in our sermon series from Ephesians looking at how we are called to live in relationship with one another. I hope to see you there!