Hopening The Heavens
The weather people were predicting it and it turns out they were right. The heavens did indeed open up Saturday night, dropping snow on the city throughout the evening and most of Sunday. Because of the snow, we had to make a decision about church. Thankfully, just like we tell our youth, we decided well before the storm even started gathering to have services. We don’t cancel church services at First Trinity. We’ve decided that those who can get to church will come and we will celebrate worship together, no matter how many people their are. It’s been an interesting thing in the 2 short years I’ve been here.
During the October storm of 2006, we saw ~125 people at worship on Sunday morning. I remember being crowded into Grace, the only room with a heating source (a natural gas fireplace), and celebrating Communion together. Families were sitting on the couches in the back all squished together so everyone could fit. We even had people out in the halls looking in for the service.
This past weekend, we had a decent crowd again, and again celebrated Communion together. We had a modified form of Sunday School for all ages. We even had visitors at church looking for worship because their churches had canceled. There were also five people who had been to church Saturday night with us and came back Sunday morning. It was a great morning, and I’m thankful we made that decision to have services no matter what happens outside.
In case you weren’t able to get out for church (and we say that’s OK!), you can still hear the sermon on Expectant Hope. Use the audio player below, or download the audio yourself.
Filed under: Bible Teaching, Celebrations, Why We Do It | Tagged: , audio, hope, sermon, snow, storm, worship
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[...] If you weren’t able to get here, you can still hear the sermon. Jason posted it on his blog–click here. [...]
Dear Jason:
I can’t tell you how much the opportunity to hear yesterday’s sermon meant to me!
It’s been 8 weeks since I’ve been in church and I have missed it so. Thank you!!
It would be wonderful if this opportunity was available every week!
God bless you always, Karen
Good job as usual Jason. How nice to be able to hear your voice from the comfort of home when we are unable eto make it to church.
Notes from the sermon; I am learning to develop patience as I wait patiently for our church directory.
We thank God for you. Lynn
Lynn!!! The church directory came today!!!!!!
What a very clever title for your blog today Jason! You ARE the smartest man I know, and you preach a darn good sermon!!
Thanks for the comments everyone. Karen: we currently broadcast our Cornerstone confirmation lessons regularly online, so I’m used to recording myself and getting it online quickly. That’s how the sermon made it up this time. I’ll look into the possibility of getting more up on the web!
hi Jason
It was nice to hear your sermon.
I am awed at the work God is doing through you.
And I am very grateful that I can hear your message even when I can’t make it up to Buffalo to hear it in person.
Thanks.
Love you
Hi Jason,
I sent my computer savvy 82 year old mom your sermon after I learned she was snowed-in and unable to attend her church Sunday. She is experiencing her first winter alone after the death of my dad this summer. Here is the comment from my Mom in Illinois:
Thanks for the sermon. It was just what I needed, since it lifted my spirits. Tell your minister his message was a blessing to a little old lady in Illinois. Love, Mom
Thank you Jason, Carla
Jason,
Very Good sermon! Much appreciated.
Glad you took my advice and kept it under 20 min. (19:26) Could be revolutionary for Lutheran pastors
An observation which can be technologically fixed. When the gal spoke on “hope” from the gathering - projected through the FTLC speaker system, we could not hear her words via this link. You helped us through the key point(s). That could be inserted electronically VS vis the speaker and a mic pickup.
Last comment/recommendation: You spoke of restoration at the return of Jesus. If you have not read Rob Bell’s, “Velvet Elvis” I finished it in Ann Arbor and it addresses restoration/renewal/etc. in spades at the end. It is a pretty quick read and I recommend it.
Tim
Carla: Pass my thanks along to your mom as well! I’m glad she was able to benefit from the sermon as well. It’s amazing how God brings things together for His purposes, using people from Buffalo to minister to those in Illinois!
Tim: Yea, the audio from the girl doesn’t come across well. I enhanced it as much as I could from the recording, but didn’t have access to the disc to get an original audio clip in there. Once we start doing this more, we can find some setup that will lead to better quality from videos and such.
Jason,
Your Mom sent your blog site to me. I had to tell you how PROUD I am of you. I am forwarding to Matt your blog. I remember my late husband taking Matt to church on a week night. You and Matt were usually the only two there. Never in a million years did I think I would be hearing your sermon. You are a SPECIAL young man. God Bless!
Mrs. Preston
PS I for one am VERY happy the Browns won!
Thanks for the note. Tell Matt I said hi when you talk to him next. I remember being a part of such a small group. I’m thankful that our church was willing to do the youth ministry thing while I was there, even if there was some dysfunction associated with it after a while. It certainly helped me on my path towards becoming a DCE.