Welcome

Come-to-Jesus Moments: Supporting–Advocating (April 26, 2020)

00. WelcomE: It’s good that you’re here. 

If this is your first time with us, here’s our simple, five-part Spotlight framework so you know where we’re headed for the next 90 minutes:

Welcome > Worship > Learn > Serve > Farewell

This week’s Spotlight focuses on spiritual maturation — moving from having a relationship with Jesus that might be called “supporting” (we’ll talk about what that is and isn’t) to what might be called “advocating” (again, leave behind any connotations you may have.) And of course, we’ll leave with clear ways to serve others as we mature.

01. Check In: Let us know you’re here

Please check in using the form below. (It’s the best way you can help us serve you well.)

DON’T MISS THE BONUS QUESTION!!!!!!

02. Read & listen: so much to say

What is this series for? Here’s a few snippets of conversation that we think help answer that question. Consider it a behind-the-scenes peek at your pastor’s brain.

Worship

03. Listen, Sing & Pray: Feeling Left Behind

Let’s stand with the disciples, as they watched Jesus leave them and ascend into heaven, and feel what they feel - and as we do, find that we may have been feeling it all along.

04. Kids’ Message: Can you See the wind?

05. Watch: Jesus Promises the Advocate

06. Pray Along: The Undeserved Love of the Indwelling Spirit

Grace isn’t just from Jesus.

• If visuals help you pray, watch. If they don’t, close your eyes and pray along.

• Consider joining aloud in the printed, repeated section of the prayer:

  • Holy Spirit, we know we don’t deserve you,
    but here you are: the gift of God.
    In you we catch our breath.

• When there’s nothing being said…breathe deeply & rest. God created our bodies, he breathed into us the breath of life. Let’s appreciate it.

07. Watch: Carried along, Part 2

The journey of the ferry commuter continues. To view part 1, click here.

08. Interact & Read: Real-Life Advocating

First, take a few minutes to peruse and explore the image and its passages.

“News about Jesus spread” means people told other people what Jesus had done.

These examples don’t even cover all the advocating Paul did. It’s literally what he did every single time he proclaimed. He intentionally went and found people who didn’t know Jesus. He advocated for Jesus, and then they responded.

Now that you’ve perused the image and its passages, discuss the questions below with your group (or at least think them through if you aren’t in a group). Prayerfully, these questions will help you discover and unearth how (and how often!) advocating actually happened in the Bible.

• For what reason(s) did the person in the passage advocate for the thing they’re advocating for? 

• Any common themes among all the different passages your group read?

09. interact: The Restaurant Returns…Becoming an Advocate

10. Watch: Going = Growing

Grab a piece of paper or open a new note, so that as you listen you can do two things: 

1. Note any point or thought that feels totally new to you.

2. Note your favorite/most inspiring quote or concept.

After you’ve watched the video, consider (on your own or in a group) how Professor Sorum’s wisdom will change the way you think about sharing faith with other people.

11. Get Ready: The Local Fundraiser

A few weeks from now, we have a very special quarantine-friendly-local-community-supporting-fun-for-everyone-plus-food-is-involved opportunity. You can start to learn about it now.

12. Do: Advocate for an Activity

Advocating means to publicly supporting a cause. In this service activity, we’re suggesting you advocate for one of the activities below (these activities were generated by your responses in the 4/19 Spotlight) by:

• Sending a text message or an email right now to:

  • someone you think could be a good fit for this activity…

  • OR someone you would like to invite to do this activity with you…

  • OR your pastor, who will suggest someone to whom you can reach out.

SUGGESTED SERVICE ACTIONS FOR ADVOCATING

• Donate to the food pantry.

• Organize the food pantry.

• Catalog (perhaps digitally?) the food pantry.

• Donate, Fill, & distribute blessing bags.

• Sew masks for use during COVID-19.

• Get ready for the Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving Dinner. (Rock Hill)

• Share events on social media.

• Start a small group opportunity especially geared towards people in the 20-30-ish age group that could support one another. We have a demographic in our church that is mostly children or elderly or mid-lifers, but no real support for the peer group of the twenty-thirty somethings.

• Purchase bus tickets or donate money for bus tickets. (Greenwood)

Farewell

13. Pray: 3 Prayers

1. Pray through the prayer requests you/your group submitted earlier.

2. Pray that God’s kingdom would grow. Boldly ask God that churches would come out of this trying time stronger, larger, and more mature than they were when it began.

3. Pray the Lord’s Prayer:

   Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
   Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.
   Give us today our daily bread.
   Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
   Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
   For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

14. Consider Giving:

God is good to provide ways for the church to keep doing its work even when things seem upside down. In fact, the uniqueness of this moment means that people who are worried or overwhelmed or frustrated are especially in need of the truth that God loves them and holds them in his arms.

When you support Illumine, you support our part in God’s effort to show himself to the world - in fact, you are God’s effort to show himself. Thank you for considering a gift to this ministry.

15. Listen & MEDITATe: Living Breath of God

The lyrics are below the video if you’d like to sing along.

Thanks for joining us.
See you back soon!

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