We're Better Together

Simon Cooper
May 15, 2010

Our worship today looked at the old 3 musketeer's motto: "one for all, and all for one!" (The motto was epitomized by the buffalo-lion-crocodile nature video towards the end of the message.)

It's our second week looking at being a community of faith.

"Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
(John 13:35)

We were down stairs cuz our main hall is under construction so half the congregation was in one room with the band and the MC etc. and the other half was over in the new reception watching on the screen via Ustream.

Complicated, but an interesting experience. Isn't it little challenges like this that make being a community more real?

Some people left almost before we got started, and somehow I caught up with them, and they told me it was down to sound and logistics… I said sorry. and that was fine in away, cuz we need some tension to get closer sometimes.

It was quite cool getting the congregation to speak to each other through the corridor, with the 5 second Ustream time delay.

Main action step and conclusion: Each member of the congregation to think of ONE person, any other person in our congregation, and to make a commitment to PRAY for them through out the week.

Looking forward to hearing people's experiences on that one. and the exciting about this is normally when we start to pray for people we start to do things for them too.

Have a great week, and join us next Sunday for "community of FAITH -- part 3.

Here are the other readings we had today:

"Life is about learning to love. We love because God first loved us."
1 John 4:19

"If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth, but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal."
1 Corinthians 13:1

"Pay deep respect to all people, no matter what kind of person they may be. As a child, be respectful towards an elderly man. Think over your words three times before uttering them and always have a humble attitude.

Always share with others the best thing you have. Empty your pocketbook to give. Then you will deserve the best result. If you do not do good for your fellow man, you will have no sleep. If you have done good, then your mind will rest in peace."
Reverend Sun Myung Moon: How to gain spiritual help (1978)

(Last week we looked at what it means to walk together in faith, and how worshipping together as a community is a powerful way to touch God's heart.)

There's an old Zambian proverb, 'When you run alone, you run fast. But when you run together, you run far.' The life that you live is not a 100 meter sprint, it is a marathon and you want to run far.