The Pane: Freedom is an Empowering Call to Action
Unlike 2020, this year’s July Fourth celebrations will occur with a bit more normalcy. Backyard barbeques, sparklers, ice cream, water balloon fights, and fireworks will all be experienced with more appreciation in light of the pandemic.
For Jesus’ followers, the celebration of July Fourth comes with mixed emotions.
For one, we know that our freedom is first and foremost found in Christ alone. It is easy to swap the freedom found only in Jesus with temporal freedom that seems intoxicatingly more liberating.
We know that living in America is a blessing with the many rights and freedoms, but America does not supplant God’s Kingdom and the work of God’s church. And while it is easy to believe that God can become the mascot of one nation or political parties, we know that God is the God of all nations and peoples.
The Biblical word for freedom is eleutheria, which means liberation, especially from slavery. The freedom afforded to us through Jesus Christ is liberation from the countless forms of human sin and brokenness. We are invited to experience hope, joy, peace, joy, goodness, kindness, and love through God's grace.
Such freedom is not just intended for us to experience spiritually and personally, for it is an empowering call to action to be a part of redeeming God’s world.
Unlike the many expressions of freedom created by humankind, Jesus’ freedom is genuinely for all people, expressed best when he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon to preach good news to the poor, recovery of sight for the blind, freedom for the prisoner, and to set the oppressed free.”
Freedom is an empowering call to action to give the impoverished realistic hope, a road to redemption for those shackled by the throws of addiction, truth to those blinded by their bigoted worldview, and freedom for those experiencing the many forms of oppression. So let us celebrate the freedom of Jesus, beckoning us to do the good work of seeing all experience it too.
Welcome Tanya Parks by Signing Up for a Care Week
We want you to be a part of welcoming the Parks family to South Louisiana with hospitality and care. You are invited to sign up for one of ten care weeks. This is an opportunity to bring a meal or care package to the Parks family. You are encouraged to approach this with your unique personality and giftedness.
Each week has two spots available to allow more members to share hospitality. Sign up for a care week by clicking on this link or calling the office: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4da8a82aa5f85-care1.
Return of the Normal Sunday Schedule Set for June 20th
At the beginning of the pandemic, the Sunday School and Spiritual Formation start time changed to 9:15 am to allow for less time for excessive contact before worship.
On Sunday, June 20th, we will return to a 9:00 am start time for our Spiritual Formation and Sunday School groups and bring back the 10:00 am Coffee & Community time in the Heritage Room.
Sunday participants are encouraged to pick up a coffee and treat while utilizing the Heritage Room, Narthex, Sanctuary, and Courtyard for conversations during Coffee & Community.
Return of the Normal Sunday Schedule
At the beginning of the pandemic, the Sunday School and Spiritual Formation start time changed to 9:15 am to allow for less time for excessive contact before worship.
On Sunday, June 20th, we will return to a 9:00 am start time for our Spiritual Formation and Sunday School groups and bring back the 10:00 am Coffee & Community time in the Heritage Room.
Sunday participants are encouraged to pick up a coffee and treat while utilizing the Heritage Room, Narthex, Sanctuary, and Courtyard for conversations during Coffee & Community.
FORMATION
Noon Summer Book Club, Next Meeting is July 8th
Join our Noon Summer Book Club for a bi-weekly conversation about Jemar Tisby’s new book, “How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice,” continues on July 8th. Please read pages 107-140 before meeting.
The group will meet in-person and online in the Fellowship Hall on the Second and Fourth Thursday of June, July, and August.
Purchase the book on Amazon in digital, audio, and hardback editions.
For those joining via Zoom, use the Mtg ID: 314 698 8114.
Please contact Andy via email (andy@ubc-br.org) or phone (225.766.9474) if you plan to join.
Audacious Series Daily Prayer
This Week’s Prayer is one of: Consciousness
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking as Jesus did,
this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;