Pastoral Update
for Sunday, April 21, 2024
Fourth Sunday of Easter – Good Shepherd Sunday
WORSHIP IS IN-PERSON AND LIVESTREAMED ON VIMEO
10:00 a.m. HST
Aloha, Keawalaʻi ‘ohana,
Last Sunday I preached on the topic, “Resisting Resurrection.” On Wednesday in the 11 AM Zoom Room we had a lively conversation on the topic. I shared with the Zoom group that I have a clergy colleague in Briarcliff Manor, New York who had a complete change of heart about his church, and what they had been called to do. Rev. Todd Farnsworth had been urging his congregation to bring in young families and children, only to have the church become very disappointed when year after year this didn’t happen. Coming off a refreshing sabbatical, Todd had a revelation: Maybe that’s not what God has called us to do? One of his first sermons after sabbatical was titled, “An Absurd Proposal.” His text that Sunday was drawn from the book of Genesis, the surprising story of God telling the aged Abraham & Sarah that—surprise!—they were going to have a baby! Todd retold the story of Abraham & Sarah in the context of what God may be asking the Briarcliff Congregational Church to be doing, and what he said in that sermon may surprise you.
Interested in hearing more? Come into The Zoom Room this Wednesday at 11 AM. Where our guest will be—you guessed it—The Rev. Todd Farnsworth from Briarcliff Congregational Church. It promises to be a lively conversation.
As for this Sunday, we will celebrate “Good Shepherd Sunday” by taking a deeper look at the 23rd Psalm. This beautiful Hebrew poem has been a source of comfort and inspiration for millennia. But what is it saying to us, today, at Keawala’i Congregational Church?
Whether you join us in person or livestream the worship service from our website, I look forward to greeting you this Sunday in church.
May the peace of the risen Christ be with you.
Me ke aloha pumehana,
Gary Percesepe
Click to view: Sunday, April 21, 2024