Pastor Jim Rice provided the service Sunday for Ionia, Jewell Trinity and Harmony United Methodist churches via video because of thecorona virus isolation. The video can be viewed on YouTube under “Worship Video for Sunday May 3 2020 James Rice.”
Pianists were Jan McCollough and Mary Ann Kibbe, providing four hands, one piano and a duet special presentation. Amber Loomis served as acolyte. Amy Rice provided the Children’s Time with the quotes of characters and asking if anyone could guess those characters by what they say. Amy provided the quote of a real life entity who said “Love each other as I have loved you,” which was said by Jesus and stated that if we know Him, we will know His voice and we will recognize when He is speaking to us.
The scripture was from Acts 2:42-47 which states that many wonders and signs were performed by the disciples; they shared their lives together, worshiping and breaking bread together.
In his sermon, Pastor Rice spoke of the early life of the church and that the believers were devoted to the teachings of Jesus, a life of worshiping together, breaking bread and devotion to helping others and teaching. Worship means to give worth and attention to express loyalty and devotion to God and to find rest. During this COVID time, it is as if God has hit the “Pause” button and has given us time to re-evaluate our faith and what we do. Are we living a spirit filled life? Are we a church that loves being together and bonded in fellowship and love? Do we have the spirit of Christ as the body of Christ? Do we live in a way that places Jesus in the center of everything and we are here for hte lost, the least and the broken? Are we an avenue where the hungry are fed and lives are changed?
We are now at a point of opportunity; presented with a chance at a new kind of “normal,” seeking and accepting something more eternal. We need to place our focus on how much we have been blessed as a people of hope with the food of eternity and the Grace of Jesus Christ.
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