This autumn, our worship follows our Church School curriculum, Seeking Peace Together. We are learning in worship alongside the youngest members of our community.
In the early stories of the Hebrew Bible, Isaac gets very little air time. He’s often overshadowed by his father Abraham and son Jacob. There is one story, however, that says a lot about his character.
In Genesis 26, we learn that Isaac became quite successful as a rancher. He had lots of flocks, herds and servants. He also had access to his father’s wells — a necessity for surviving and thriving in that dry part of the world. Apparently his neighbors resented his success and stopped up his wells, filling them with dirt, and told him to move away.
And that’s what Isaac did. Rather than insist on his rights to the wells or use his power to resist his disgruntled neighbors, he moved to a new place. If you want to find out happened later in the whole story, come this Sunday (and click on the scripture link above).
Has anyone ever asked you to give up something you felt you had a right to have? How do we know when we should let go of something and when we should stand up for ourselves? When does being a peacemaker mean stepping away?
On Sunday, we’ll enter these questions together. The Adult Choir will lead us again in congregational song and offer two anthems: Verleih uns Frieden, by Felix Mendelssohn, and Earth Song by Frank Tichelli.
On November 19: Our amazing in-residence brass quintet “855” will lead our hymns and offer special music, and our fabulous children’s choir will also offer a rousing rendition of Promise Land.
In faith,
Kent
