In This Issue
H
ow does the Lord lead and inspire us ? In a sermon , Lead Us and Guide
Us , Lord : The Gift of Inspiration , the Rev . John L . Odhner says the Lord ’ s influx is like radio waves all around us – only recognized and received when we tune in . “ To understand how the Lord is working in our world ,” he says , “ we need to understand how He teaches and leads us . He teaches from the inside . He flows into our souls with His love and enlightens us inwardly with spiritual light .” ( Page 422 )
The Rt . Rev . Peter M . Buss Jr . reports on the strategic planning process in the Church : “ Greater Engagement – A Plan for the General Church , 2016- 2020 .” He says : “ The goal of any church planning is to see more people serving and being served . While we rejoice in the ways that the General Church is helping people around the world , and express gratitude for the many people who give of themselves to others by means of the Church ’ s activities , there is an opportunity to invite more people to take advantage of what the Church has to offer .” ( Page 428 )
Friendships are extremely important in our lives , but the Rev . Brad Heinrichs cautions in a sermon that there are good and bad kinds of friendship . “ The first step in forming any genuine friendship ,” he says , “ is to study the Word and distinguish between what is acceptable conduct and what is not . How many people today would consider that a prerequisite for any genuine friendship ?” ( Page 432 )
No doubt many of you have fond memories of the old General Church Religion Lessons , either as family recipients or as volunteers who made them such a vibrant part of reaching out to church families . We are happy to reprint an address given at the Charter Day luncheon last year by Sarah B . Odhner discussing the history of the program and its impact throughout the Church – on adults and children . ( Page 438 )
In Introducing Our Ministers , the Rev . Christopher A . Barber confesses that he had “ a loose relationship with faith ” while growing up and even became “ functionally an atheist .” But when his single mother married a New Churchman his life began to change . Now his renewed faith is “ paying it forward ” as a popular Religion teacher in the Academy Secondary Schools .
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