Practices of faith
Dear Church Family, Friends and Guests,
It's a special time at Hollywood Adventist Church. While we're not a liturgical church, we recognize that there's value to tracking time in the Christian calendar. This is the season of "Lent." The underlying ethical themes have to do with a commitment to personal change and conversion. This traditionally happens through acts of self-denial (such as fasting), solidarity with all of humanity through acts of charity and giving, forgiving and accepting the forgiveness of others, and recognizing the real need for social justice in our world. In short, the season holds many possibilities for personal growth and the enactment of justice.
In light of the season, three things are woven into the fabric of today's message and worship experience:
1) The Lenten Season and the Bible readings that accompany each week,
2) Chapter 11, the "By Faith" chapter in the Book of Hebrews,
3) Awareness of our emergent art displays as a form of faithful remembrance.
The art works now displayed as part of our partnership with Alice Corona and Studio 526 in remembrance of artists as well as Burbank and Hollywood members who have passed. Surely, we have a great cloud of witnesses!
On a personal note, if you have anything on your heart you'd like to share with me, explore or inquire about, please speak to me about setting up a time to meet. I look forward to getting to know you and our community better as each week passes. It's a joy to worship by the Spirit's calling in this very special Adventist space of faith.
Grace and Peace,
Pr Greg
Hebrews 11:8–19
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.