The Oasis - February 23, 2022
Author: Rev. Eric Dupee
February 24, 2022
“But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you…Do to others as you would have them do to you…Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned.” From Luke 6:27-37
When one of First Parish’s retired clergy, Phil Woodman, introduced his reading of the Gospel last Sunday, he identified the words of Jesus as part of his “Sermon on the Plain.” He suggested Jesus preached that sermon more than once, as it was “a keeper.” Phil described a keeper as a clear clarion call to faith, service, and commitment. He went on to say, “A keeper is a sermon that is “moving, poignant, and important.” When Phil indicated he assumed the sermon Pastor Dan was about to deliver would be a keeper, I looked up at Pastor Dan in the pulpit and whispered, “No pressure.”
That was a fun moment on Sunday. During the pandemic, we’ve been doing our best to keep worship meaningful and engaging, with a splash of humor. Now that the Covid numbers are coming down nationwide, I’m hopeful we are inching closer to normal worship. We plan to take a step in that direction this Sunday by bringing back congregational singing. We are not ready to remove our masks, but hopefully soon.
Lastly, the Season of Lent and our preparation for Holy Week begins next week. Below is rundown of our Lent offerings. I hope you will make note and join us for as much as you can. This Sunday, our Lent Daily Devotionals will be available for you to take. We have our Annual Meeting immediately following worship. Please join us for worship on Sunday in-person or via the livestream and in-person for the Annual Meeting in the sanctuary. - Pastor Eric
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