Our Worship
Introduction
Our various community outreach ministries are an important part of our activities in Shady Hills, but as a church, we exist specifically to WORSHIP our Lord. Traditionally, Christian churches do formal worship on Sunday, the first day of the week in our standard calendar. This is a deliberate change from the Old Testament custom of formal worship on Saturday, the seventh or "Sabbath" day. Historians give several reasons for this difference. One is that the early Christians wanted to distinquish their custom from the prevailing Jewish custom and so moved their meaning of "sabbath" to a different day. Another favorite explanation is that Sunday which begins a new (bright and shiny) week better represents the new relationship with the Lord that Jesus offers, than Saturday which ends an old (moldy and worn out) week.
Special Sundays
All Sundays are special, but some are more special than others. On the Sundays listed here, we will celebrate these occasions.
Ascension Sunday, May 16, 2010
"Ascension Sunday" is the Sunday that we remember Jesus' return to heaven, following his resurecction on Easter. In the previous several weeks, Jesus had been visiting various groups of his followers, encouraging them and demonstrating that yes, indeed, he really was back.
Now, however, it was time for him to return to his Father in heaven to make room for the Holy Spirit (the other member of the Holy Trinity) to come to the Earth and continue their mission. So, he gathered his disciples one final time on a hilltop outside Jerusalem and commissioned them to spread his word of redemption, love and forgiveness through all the world. He instructed them to return to Jerusalem and wait. Then, before the assembled group, he simply rose into heaven and vanished into the clouds.
His disciples did as they were told. The returned to Jerusalem and waited. They were waiting for...
Pentacost Sunday, May 23, 2010
Pentacost Sunday is called that because it occurs 50 days after Easter Sunday. Well, actually its 49 days because it is also a Sunday. On this occasion, the disciples were gathered in a closed room somewhere in the city, when the Holy Spririt visited them. Its effect, physically, mentally and emotionally, was profound. You can read the details in the 2nd chapter of the Book of Acts.
From that moment on, the old disciples effectively died and were immediately reborn as evangelists of the new Christian Church. The new church began growing and spreading at a spectacular pace and is now the second oldest major religion in the world today. (The oldest is Judaism, which is the foundation of Christianity.)
Upcoming Sermons
Here is a list of sermons that are scheduled in the coming months:
| Date | Sermon | Scripture |
|---|---|---|
| Sundays marked with asterisk (*) include Holy Communion | ||
| May 16 | Preparing for a Power Surge | Acts 1:1-11 |
| May 23 | From Ashes to Fire | Acts 2 |
| May 30 | Memorial Sunday | |
| June 6 (*) | Series on Prayer | |
| June 13 | Series on Prayer | |
| June 20 | Father's Day: Our Youth will present a special skit about prayer | |
| June 27 | Bible Sunday: A member of the Gideon Society will speak. We will accept a special Bible offering | |
| July 04 (*) | Independence Day: Our Youth will lead the worship service | |
| July 11 | Not for Sale At Any Price | Selected verses from Acts |
| July 18 | Joseph: From Prison to Palace | Selected verses from Genesis 37-50 |
| July 25 | Hear I Am Lord, Send Me | Acts 8:26-31 |
Special Worship Events
On Sunday, January 17, 2010, our pastor Mary Frost stated that she "cannot have too many parties". We celebrate our Lord and all that he is and does. The Christian - and Jewish - calendars are filled with celebrations and memorial days too numerous to name here. But here is a short list:
| Date | Event | Features |
|---|
