Life In Greencastle

We are reaching out and inviting you to respond to some basic questions.  Here is a response from Bill Crimmins about where he sees Jesus in our community:  "Where do you see Jesus in our community?" - Bill Crimmins I guess for me the answer…is….I see Jesus or God in creation which includes people of the community.  I don’t think there is anything special or unique about our community…therefore simplistically the biggest challenge for all Christians ….everywhere and in every age is… living out life with Christ on the Throne of one’s life.   Perhaps  if  we have a bigger challenge it is that the world around us and our technology creates a situation where we are duped to think we can live more independently of God…worshipping the creation more than the Creator. Since community makes me think of human beings or people the following quotes come to mind : … they are not perfect but well loved by many…. Sheldon  Vanauken , in a Severe Mercy wrote: “The best...

When we read the Gospels, we notice something very peculiar happening time and time again.  Men and women resist stepping out of their comfort zones in order to step forward to follow Christ and serve others. Luke 18:18-30:  The rich young man can't find it within himself to step away from the life he has built ... Luke 7:36-39:  The Pharisee stands apart emotionally and physically from Jesus when a scandalous woman has the audacity to offer a tremendous gift of love and praise ... Luke 8:19-21:  Even Jesus' own family found it hard to step beyond their comfort zone of security, choosing a limited vision of family instead of God's bigger one. The same theme of standing apart is also prevalent in Jesus' parables: Luke 15:11-32:  The parable of the Prodigal Son ultimately turns into a tale of how moral superiority can hold us back.   Luke 16:19-31:  And the story of the Rich Man warns us about the end result of being imprisoned by our inabili...

Revelation:  Uncovering the Christian Hope New Bible Study - Sundays @ 9:15 am Join us in the fellowship hall Sunday mornings as we begin an exploration of The Revelation, the final book in the Bible meant to give us hope and encouragement that even though we may experience trials in this world, God's ultimate plan is glory, not destruction. For more information, contact Wes ( pastor@cinergymetro.net ), and check out the "Revelation" page for the weekly study guides.

Adoration of the Shepherds  by Gerard van Honthorst.

"God has created me to do Him some definite service;  He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have a mission -  I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. ... I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons ... If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. ... He does nothing in vain. ... He knows what He is about." - John Henry Newman --- "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened." "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought." -J. R. R. ...

"We move away from doubt at our own pace and with our own set of doubts and beliefs to master.  While our first step is a matter of belief and ultimate trust in God, there are many other and some even more difficult steps to take in our movement from doubt to belief. "One step along this journey that causes many people to stop and struggle is the step of actually believing God loves them and that they can also be lovable in God's sight.  This more than any other step along the journey makes men and women, young and old, stumble and fall from faith to doubt.  Why is it so hard for us to believe that God's love really is unconditional and that we should imitate God's love not only for others but also for ourselves? "... Leap from doubt to belief and remember that God loves you, delights in you, and yearns for your response of faith in God and in God's creation." - Rueben P. Job, "A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God" --- I have a ve...