Forgiveness – Tuality Community of Christ

March 16, 2014March 26, 2014

Why Church? – Anonymous Responses

WHY CHURCH?

Anonymous Responses from March 16, 2014 Worship Service

Reorient personal perspectives
Closer relationships with other members
Gain scriptural knowledge in context of “community”
Experience God’s presence

To keep one focused on God & blessings
To give one hope
To relate with people there
To feel wanted and loved (acceptance)
To broaden outlook on the world
To bring our cares and needs and share them
To help where we can at church and in our communities
To enjoy being with others
To remember what I think is my purpose for being here

Helps me get through the week
Look forward to see everyone and connect and share with them

Emotional and physical support for life’s issues

To be involved with people and learn about God and Jesus’ teachings.
We need to belong with people who believe like we do
I believe in what our community of Christ is teaching.

To learn of Christ and his teachings
To fellowship with other members
To serve in ways to help others
For my own spirit and happiness

It’s what I know
If I didn’t come to church, then I would not communicate with adults outside of work. This is my family.

Because I believe in Jesus Christ and the mission of the church and want to support it.
Connecting with others in worship allows a sharing of ideas and a support network of love.
Hearing the morning message, singing hymns, attending Sunday school class, etc. provides spiritual inspiration and insight.
Attending church provides a corporate connection and avenues to provide service to the community.
Church lifts me up with a positive and happy message that carries me through the week.

I believe in the savior Jesus Christ. I trust that his message and mission are the truth. I want to develop my spiritual understanding of His love. I come to be uplifted by His message through His influence in the lives of others as expressed when we worship together.

Jesus came for sinners, to save them. I come to be saved.

I must believe in Jesus and the things that he did because I want to have my second life, in heaven. I must believe that the Father raised Jesus from the dead as well.

Hmmm….Church or Shamrock Run in downtown Portland? No question – church! It’s a chance to be with my spiritual family, my tribe, my community, to recharge the spiritual battery that gets drained by dealing with issues in the real world and having to endure the insignificant stresses of those who lack awareness of a sense of beyond (where life is about more than what they think is important about work).

– Why Church? by Various participants during the March 16 worship

February 23, 2014March 26, 2014

“Love without Boundaries” – by Karen Nilsen

True love has no boundaries. If you truly love you look for no boundaries, just places to put your love. At CODA (Tigard Recovery Center nearby that I and a few other TCC members run a devotional at once a week), we look for ways to implement love for each person involved. For example: hygiene supplies, chocolate (I’m known as the chocolate queen there!) We mostly just listen to support and encourage. We try to find ways to support them in what they like to do. We try to meet their needs, where they are right now. The service today gave us a chance to educate the congregation about what CODA is. We tried to alleviate fears of what we are trying to accomplish in our ministry there, and how we are involved in the process. CODA has helped people to experience possibilities for both serving and recovering; It’s opened a door, which opens another door, which opens another door of possibilities. Love does that, too.

– February 23, 2014 Weekly Theme Reflection by Karen Nilsen

February 16, 2014February 19, 2014

“Be Reconciled” – by Roberta Brown

Today’s theme (or as Erik reminded us not today’s theme but Christianity’s theme) was Be Reconciled. During the worship, we were lead through the spiritual practice of Lecito Divina, and feasted on the words of one of our new hymns: The Weight of Past and Fruitless Guilt (Community of Christ Sings Hymn #214). The practice lead me to engage in a much deeper way with the hymn than I would have had we simply sung through it once. As Erik lead us through the four portions of the Lectica Devina, (Reading, Meditation, Prayer and Contemplation), I was drawn to ponder the words ‘Lift Up’ and ‘Buoyant’ from the hymn text. As Tore Nilsen spoke about how to live in redemptive community, and Erik explained about the symbolism of eternity through circles, I was ‘lifted up.’

Today I was reminded that God lifts us up to a higher place, where we can see our brother’s and sister’s faces. That through our experience of growing in relationship with each other, we are able to know God’s redeeming and reconciling grace that makes us whole. In our wholeness we are brought into balance and able to embrace and recognize our own forgiving and reconciling hearts. As a reconciling community we are able to move forward in Christ’s mission in the world.

I have faith that God will continue to lift us up, and help us draw the circle ever wider.

Blessings,

Roberta

– February 16, 2014 Weekly Theme Reflection by Roberta Brown

February 16, 2014February 19, 2014

“Be Reconciled” – by Carla Nilsen

As Erik pointed out in the welcome, this theme isn’t just the theme for today, or for this month, but for our lives as Christians. We are to be reconciled with God and with each other.

The beautiful piano music by Susan and Annika towards the beginning of the worship service really helped to prepare me/us for worship. Thanks!

An uplifting prayer was given by Patricia Nilsen.

As a congregation, we took extra time meditating on the Hymn #214, as we thought about forgiveness. The phrase that spoke to me was “persistent faith unites.”

Tore Nilsen, my Pappa, gave the message. As he walked up front behind the podium, he said that his first wife, Marge, got her wish. She always felt that there shouldn’t be any chairs up at the front, but that the ministers should come up from the congregation, give their ministry/gift and then rejoin the congregation. That’s the way it was today and Pappa thought that was great.

Tore read from Matthew 5: 21-24. I will summarize what I heard him say.

When Tore was younger, it was common in our church for members to call each other “Brother Smith”, or “Sister Jones” even if they weren’t related. He misses that because he realizes we are like family.

Reconciliation is so important. Often people can become depressed or physically ill because they haven’t forgiven someone, or been reconciled with them. Oftentimes the person who offended us doesn’t even know it. We are taught to go to them and ask to be reconciled. Do it, you’ll feel much better.

A teacher or a priest can help with conflict resolution. Often the pastor or an evangelist helps in these situations. Pappa suggests that we need more training in conflict resolution: I’d agree with that.

Doctrine and Covenants 150: 12 a and b was read.

Reconciliation can only happen when we respect each other and we are open to see other’s points of view.

We ended the service by learning an awesome new hymn called “Draw the Circle Wide”. Sofia and Annika helped me teach it. Erik led a children’s moment talking about circles, mobius strips and about expanding our circles of love. We sang, “Make new Friends” as we joined in a circle for a beautiful benediction by Roberta.

– February 16, 2014 Weekly Theme Reflection by Carla Nilsen