Views from The Ridge 04.17.2024
Sunset Ridge is a church that desires to follow Jesus, reach people, and radiate God’s love and hope to all.
This Week
Sunday, April 21
9am Acapella Worship in the Sanctuary (The Good Shepherd - John 10:11-18)
10:15am Formation time (please check our website for a digital companion guide to our current class series, Practicing The Way)
11am Instrumental Worship in the Chapel (John 10:11-18)
12-2pm All are invited to a luncheon/shower to honor Erin Webber and Jonathan Mallard’s upcoming marriage. Join us in the Fellowship Hall following our second service. In lieu of gifts, we’ll be honoring the couple with gift cards/money for their household funds as they start their married lives together.
Upcoming
Friday, April 26 Church office will be closed
Interested in what’s scheduled for our campus at large? Please consider subscribing to Goodness Weekly.
Around Our Community
This Sunday was our first time trying out the “Second Sunday” rhythm in both of our worship services, where children participated throughout. Among other things, they led us in an exercise in prayer postures, filled out worship notes, and helped lift up the prayers of our people. Thanks for helping to cultivate their belonging in this community!
“Being The Family”
-Riley Stirman, Preaching Minister, Sunset Ridge Church
"The love of God, John tells us, makes us nothing less than the children of God. We do not always act that way or think that way. We do not look like God’s children—not yet, at least. But the truth comes before the appearance." - Ronald Cole-Turner
I John 3 tells us that we have been called children of God, brought into a new reality only made possible by God's generous love. Then we're told that we need to act like what we already are.
It says something significant that the truth about our identities comes before the appearance of that identity. We aren't asked to earn a seat at the dinner table. We aren't expected to pay our dues before we're invited to a family gathering. And even if we're not living up to the high standards set before us, our Father refuses to turn his back on us.
Instead, we are brought into the family. Over time we begin to notice that things look a little different in this family. This family chooses love and grace and forgiveness over fighting or grudge-holding. This family chooses to put others first. It invites others in instead of keeping people out. And it is held together in perfect unity by the bonds of love.
Little by little, as we experience the love that God has for his family, our task is to model to the world what the family has been for us. We are to display the same love, grace, inclusion, and loyalty that is characteristic of the family of God.
This week may we find our place in God's family. And may His love find a place in us.
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Praises and Prayers
We are saddened to bid goodbye to long-time members Linda & Ron Pedde, as they have moved to New York. We wish them the best as they begin their new lives there, and hope they will come back to visit when they can.
Liturgy for Those Looking for Joy
From Liturgies For Hope by the Church of the City of New York
When the world expects sadness,
help us, Creator of Light, to look for pockets of joy.
When the world is overwhelmed by darkness,
give us eyes to see little delights.
When the world is caught up in sensationalism,
help us speak of the hidden wonders we’ve discovered,
holding them up for others to see.
The sacred stillness of the early morning,
a quiet moment in the sun,
small children laughing on scooters,
trees bursting into bloom and lillies opening at the corner bodega.
These small joys reveal the truth of the world we live in.
No, there is not peace everywhere
and all pain has not been removed.
But there are still people returning home,
voices that pray,
moments of forgiveness,
signs of hope.
We don’t have to wait until all is well
to celebrate the glimpses of your Kingdom at hand.
Let us not deny sadness,
but transform it into fertile soil for more joy.
Let us not deny the darkness,
but choose to live in the light.
Cynics seek darkness wherever they go,
but joy is the mark of the people of God.
Help us discipline ourselves to choose joy
for the reward is joy itself.
Help us renew our minds until they default to joy and not fear,
for there is so much to frighten us.
Help us believe that the Light can be trusted,
for there is so much darkness to mislead us.
Jesus, you are both the Man of Sorrows and the Man of Complete Joy,
help us to hold both sorrow and joy in the ways you’ve shown us.
Help us to remain in your love
so that your joy may be in us
and our joy may be complete.
Amen.
