Loving Others In Their Otherness

The stories of David in the Old Testament have shown us how David loved Others In Their Otherness.  He showed kindness to Mephibosheth, patience with Saul and love to Jonathan.  This week we are going to examine David's gentleness when dealing with others.

Gentleness is often seen as weakness in our society, but gentleness can be very powerful.  The power of God is many times in a gentle whisper or a gentle touch.

Gentleness is characterized by being thoughtful, calm and considerate. Another definition for "gentleness" in scripture is a "sense of being cared for" or a "mild medication." Gentleness is also shown through a "benevolent ruler."  When we think of a leader in our society, we envision a powerful, driven person.  read more »

We all have a rhythm.  As individuals, we control the rhythm of our lives by the choices we make and the priorities we set.  Families also have rhythms.  As different as every family is, so is their rhythm.  We make choices for our family and fill our schedules with some really great activities, events and past-times.  We make room on the schedule for what we believe to be important.

In the midst of our personal and family rhythm, where does spiritual development for our children fit?  Does it fit into a neat box that we have blocked out for church on Sunday morning?  By choosing to set Sunday morning aside for God. we are making a strong statement about our beliefs.  But God wants our attention more than an hour or two on Sunday.  So as parents, the tough question for us is:  how on earth do we add another them to the to-do list?  How do we instill faith in our children and give them the instruction they need? read more »

I want to remind us of what is the very most important thing of all in this life - It's PEOPLE!!! The entire story of the Bible is centered around people - the Creation of people, the fall of people, and the redemption of people.  And at the core of this story is LOVE.  We are called to love others as ourselves.

Ask yourself: over the last five years have I become a more loving person?  Am I more generous with my time, my money, my possessions?  Would the people around me agree that I am more patient, more kind, that I do not keep a record of wrongs, that I am more filled with grace when people mess up around me, that I am more forgiving, and the list goes on and on.  This is why our entire life is about how we can get better at Loving People!

read more »

Please join us for an informational meeting for the new Women Helping Women program "Pen Pals for Encouragement."  Find out how you can reach out and support someone in need with a few kind words.  Please contact Ingrid Benson at 508-222-1607 with any questions.

It's time to begin thinking about the celebration of Easter, and a big part of that celebration is our annual Easter Choir.  If you would like to be part of this wonderful group of people, please sign up here.  Rehearsals will be held Monday nights at 7 PM, beginning February 27th.

DivorceCare helps people recover from the pain of separation and divorce.  It's a support group and a seminar conducted by people who understand the problems, hurts and emotions inherent in the break-up of a marriage.

At DivorceCare, you will become part of a small support group of people who are experiencing a similar situation, and who will be able to offer encouragement and understanding.

The group meets once a week for 13 weeks. To join the group, register here.