SUNDAY SERVICE

The story commonly known as the story of the “prodigal son” comes to us from Jesus as a story about “a man” and his “two sons”. The story Is as much about the elder brother as the younger, and as much about the father as the sons. The word “prodigal” means “reckless spendthrift”, in other words, to spend until you have nothing left. It is appropriate to describe the younger son, but also the actions of the father, as “prodigal”. We will learn how we can both be the younger son and the elder son, and how God is like the father in the story, spending everything God has to welcome us home! The series will culminate with a feast banquet around the communion table.

God creates, knows, loves, and sees all of us in our full humanity. But as people, we can fall into the habit of assuming everyone is the same or everyone is like us. While we share a common humanity, these assumptions can be harmful and prevent us from truly seeing other people and listening to their perspectives. By looking at Biblical stories, this series will help us learn how to listen to, respect, affirm, and act for and with others. In doing so, we can also come to know God even more fully.

All of us know what is it like to be hurt or betrayed. Hurtful words, lies, gossip, abuse, adultery and abandonment are pains we cause one another. God longs to help us learn to practice forgiveness. Through the story of Joseph and his brothers in the book of Genesis, we get a glimpse of family dysfunction and how forgiveness can change the landscape of our relationships, not just in our families, but in all our interactions with others. Experience the release that is possible in the act of forgiving another.