The Gospel for Sunday will be our jumping off point for a sermon on the notion of “Sabbath” in the Jewish/Christian tradition, and on some of its many evolved manifestations and various iterations of Sabbath-keeping over the centuries. Keeping the Sabbath might be seen as a law, a requirement, an obligation, an honoring, a commemoration. For Protestant Christians like us, everything returns to the word of God, including our understanding of Sabbath. Sabbath returns us to what feeds our faith:  the written word, the sacramental word, the spiritual word being spoken to our hearts, the physical presence of those we love. If the Christian church  seems to struggle, ever, then it is because the Children of God are too busy and important and nervous about their lives to keep Sabbath as a gift of God.

Keeping the Sabbath is keeping the faith with respect to time. Sabbath directs our thoughts to time as a gift rather than as an enemy or a diminishing asset. The richness of the gift of Sabbath may be received independent of place. That is one sign of the holiness–the godly nature–of the idea of Sabbath. If you “have” time–in  other words if you are alive– and you have a little bit of faith, you have all you need for Sabbath-keeping.

Following the coffee hour we will reassemble to discuss and then vote on the sabbatical amendment to our bylaws brought to you by the council. The idea of sabbatical flows out of the Christian fundamental of Sabbath-keeping.

The children will work on a craft project for the Florence House with Kim Poler from Beehive Art. A collection bowl will be set out for cash that will be sent along with the gifts the kids make to the moms and children, in advance of Mother’s Day.