Welcome to Greenwood Community of Christ . Ā We hope your visit to our website will be a pleasant one and that you find what you are seeking here with us. Our church is a small congregation committed to honoring God and that presence of God in each of us

If this is your first time here and you would like to know about us: who we are and what we believe, get to know us through our news, worship, prayer and Missions. These will give you a sense of our Mission, Vision and Purpose (SEE THE LINKS ON THE LEFT). You may be interested in finding out about how to connect with us via our weekly update , if so, you may contact us for more information.

If you are looking for a place to worship, join us for our Sunday morning service which begins with community time at ten forty-five. If you need directions CLICK HERE.

From all of us at Greenwood Community of Christ you are welcome here regardless of where you find yourself along life's journey.

Worship this Week-Sunday, January 29th, 2012

Discipleship Formation 9:30 a.m .

Fellowship 10:30 a.m .

Community Sharing 10:45 a.m .

Worship 11 a.m .

Theme: Jesus Amazes and Astounds

Lectionary Readings: Deuteronomy 18:15–20, Psalm 111, 1 Corinthians 8:1–13, Mark 1:21–28

This week lectionary reading from the New Testament focuses on authority. Authority, or the ability to affect the behavior of others, is a common thread in the scriptures this week. The session materials provide the opportunity for groups to explore authority within the context of the time in which Jesus lived.

In Jesus’ day, people believed in the presence and power of demons and evil spirits. People thought these beings had the power to control human actions and cause physical and spiritual illness, such as blindness, paralysis, and madness. Possession by unclean spirits made persons ritually unclean. They could not go to the temple or participate in religious festivals – they were considered to be separated from God, family, and neighbors.

In the gospel of Mark, Jesus is presented as one who has power and authority over evil, or unclean spirits. In his ministry Jesus claimed the authority that God gives to teach and to heal.

We too are called to identify ways to use our God-given authority. In what ways might we use our God-given authority toward God’s desire for the community of earth to be whole?

The temperature of the spiritual life of the Church is the index of her power to heal. ~ Evelyn Frost (Seasons of the Spirit)

Jesus Amazes and Astounds

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Gathering to Worship

Community Sharing Jana Horner

Prayer for Peace Pam Brunner Nii

Prelude Gayla Mogg

“Sometimes a Light Surprises” Pam Reynolds

Call to Worship Karen Berg

Minister: Come to worship this day. Bring with you all your joys and sorrows.

All: Jesus will offer hope.

Minister: Come to worship this day believing in the power of God through Jesus Christ.

All: Jesus will bring us healing.

Minister: Come to worship this day feeling the presence of God.

All: Jesus will teach us new ways to live. Amen.

“May the Presence be Ours” Pam Reynolds

* Opening Hymn “Sovereign and Transforming Grace” HS 12

* Invocation Carmela Fleet

* Response Gayla Mogg

Superannuation of Judy Scott

Remarks and Appreciation Jana Horner

Blessing Prayer Andy Horner

Thanksgiving and Generosity

Disciples’ Generous Response Jackson Lysinger

Hymn “Lord, Help Me to Know Your Presence” NS 31

Feasting on God’s Word

Thoughts on Mark 1:21-28 Karyn Wingard-Manuel

* Hymn “Called by Christ to Love Each Other” SP 36

* Benediction Art Troyer

* Response Gayla Mogg

* Postlude Gayla Mogg

Hospitality Ministry Kay Adams & Kara Hughes

Deacon Ministry Art Ranes

Media Bill Mogg

Piano Gayla Mogg

Planner Karyn Wingard-Manuel

Joyful Noise Workshop

Do you:

Sing in your congregation?

Care about the church’s songs?

Play an instrument (including clapping your hands—that’s percussion!)?

Then come sing and play!

Come and familiarize yourself with the new hymnal's musical styles, worship planning techniques, theological content, topics, and more.

Greenwood Congregation
Greenwood Village, Colorado USA
May 5, 2012
Presenters: Joey Williams and David Bolton
To register, contact: Andy Horner, 303/779-1389

Congregational Retreat at Peaceful Valley

March 23-25, 2012

Guest Minister: Andy Shelton

Enduring Principles

The Foundation: God, Christ, Holy Spirit

God’s revelation in Jesus Christ and continuing presence through the Holy Spirit, as proclaimed by scripture, is the foundation of our faith, identity, mission, message, and beliefs.

In faithful response to our heritage and continuing experience with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, we endeavor to uphold the following enduring principles (values, concepts, themes) as essential components of church identity and mission.

Enduring principles define the essence, heart, or soul of church identity, mission, and message. They describe the personality of the church as expressed through its participants, congregations, and affiliate organizations throughout the world.

Some call enduring principles “core values.” Others call them “foundational concepts.” Use whatever terms make the most sense in the setting where you are writing, sharing, teaching, or preaching. For general official purposes, the World Church will use the term “Enduring Principles.”

Enduring Principles

Grace and Generosity
Sacredness of Creation
Continuing Revelation
Worth of All Persons
All Are Called
Responsible Choices
Pursuit of Peace (Shalom)
Unity in Diversity
Blessings of Community

Jesus Amazes and Astounds

By Bunda Chibwe, Council of Twelve Apostles

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit… came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” —Mark 1:25–27

I have continually struggled with the reaction of my relatives and friends since my two older children were diagnosed with bipolar disorder—a disease still unknown in my small African community.

The stigma associated with the illness presented added challenges for me to discuss freely and openly among friends about my children’s therapy. The fact that two of my children suffer from the same disease raised serious concerns from my relatives.

As I have continued to ponder this, several unanswered questions keep recurring: “Why do people suffer? Why does God allow disease to exist? Why should my children suffer so others might learn lessons?”

Navigating through these questions has blessed me with a deep assurance that as a disciple of Jesus I do not have to understand everything about God or the world. I have discovered that perhaps God’s power is not arbitrarily squandered to prevent earthquakes or overrule human freedom.

I have come to realize that perhaps God’s power is the power to love and be loved, to call people in all circumstances to work for good. Perhaps, I have concluded, God needs us to help build God’s kingdom.
My attitude has changed.

I am more positive about life. My two children continue healing through the support of modern medicine, our family, and the community around them. It is Christ’s love and mission that has helped me to understand God is loving and caring.

When we know the way of Christ, we will always be amazed and astounded by his healing and compassionate ministry.

Prayer for Peace:

Amazing and astounding God, healing and compassionate God, help us have the faith to accept your participation in the world, to respond to your love with love.

Spiritual Practice for the Week: Honoring the Worth of All Persons
Each day this week read Psalm 139:13–18. After each reading sit quietly and let the deep meaning of the words sink into your mind, heart, and body. What thoughts and feelings do you have about being “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14)?

Sense the intimate knowledge God has of you. Ask God for an awareness of the sacred worth of each person on the planet. Weep with God over the soul-wounding forces and events that rob people of dignity and worth. How are you invited to notice, protect, heal, and affirm the spiritual identity of all God’s beloved people today?

Peace Covenant:
Today, God, I will set aside my stressful and hounding questions and let your peace flow through me.

Signal Communities Commentary Series

We are called to establish signal communities of justice and peace that reflect the vision of Christ. In coming months the Herald will explore what that means to us as disciples, congregations, and a faith movement.

Signal communities can be families, small groups, congregations, neighborhoods, villages, partnerships. They can even be worldwide networks. They are communities of faith, service, witness, and social transformation. Signal communities reflect Christ’s way, rather than society’s trends or conditions that are contrary to God’s will for creation.

They are more than a friendly social gathering or being good neighbors. They are sacred communities that arise from deeply transforming spiritual encounters with the Word of God in Christ. They are genuine expressions of Christ’s peace in all its qualities, revealing a way of living that demonstrates the peaceable reign of God on Earth.

Follow the series at www.CofChrist.org/signalcommunities and get articles delivered free to your e-mail by signing up at www.CofChrist.org/subscribe.asp .

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

Yes. Community of Christ believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, our Lord and Savior.

What do you use for scriptures?

Community of Christ recognizes three books of scripture: The Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. We believe in continuing revelation and an open canon of scripture.

Who is eligible for priesthood membership?

All persons, male and female, are eligible for priesthood ordination. We believe God calls those chosen to serve in the ministry. Most of our ministers earn their living outside of church employment and serve in various offices according to their gifts and callings..

What is tithing?

The concept of tithing is deeply rooted in our scriptures and tradition. It is a disciple's generous response, expressing love of God, neighbor, creation, and self.

Prison Ministries

Are you involved in, or interested in being involved, in prison ministries? A Community of Christ prison ministry group based in Kansas City, Missouri, wants to network with and assist others in prison ministry across the USA. Please send your name, address, e-mail, and the congregation you attend to prisonministry@live.com if you are interested. If you know an incarcerated person who might want some kind of Community of Christ contact, please send their information to prisonministry@live.com .

Who in the faith community are welcome?

God welcomes those who say very little but quietly help people who are in trouble.
God welcomes those who call on faith community members to risk, venture, and enliven the church.
God welcomes those who question – the doubters, and the seekers after spiritual truth.
God welcomes the newcomer and the stranger from near at hand and far away.
And God welcomes into the faith community those who have nowhere else to go.
In the strength of God,
We will be among those who welcome.

From Pastoral Prayers to Share, Year A ,
David Sparks, Wood Lake Publishing

Develop Disciples to Serve

We are poised to become congregations that are the true and living expressions of Jesus Christ, woven together by the Spirit, and sent into the world as evangelistic witnesses, compassionate ministers, and justice and peacemakers.

We fulfill God’s ultimate vision as we…

Nurture Congregations of Christ’s Love and Peace
Experience God’s Presence through Worship
Become a People of Peace, Reconciliation, and Healing of the Spirit

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Invite People to Christ

Vision

We are called to share the peace of Jesus Christ with those waiting to hear the redeeming words of the gospel. As we become new in Christ, many will join us on a life-changing faith adventure. Together, we will share Christ’s peace through our witness, compassion, and pursuit of justice and peacemaking.

What to know more: http://www.giveyour10.org/invite.aspx

Are you the one?

Looking for a way to help with our youngest members.

Spend one hour one week. See Sara Lysinger for more information.

Send me your favorite Bible Verse! pastorjana@q.com

Spiritual Discipline~Reflection

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." --Mahatma Gandhi

"Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it."– Madeleine L'Engle

"Hope is not a dream, but a way of making dreams become reality." – Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens

"A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown."— Denis Waitley

"More and more as we come closer and closer in touch with nature and its teachings are we able to see the Divine and are therefore fitted to interpret correctly the various languages spoken by all forms of nature about us." --George Washington Carver

"We cannot do everything at once but we can do something at once." – Calvin Coolidge

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."— Mark Twain

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES !!

If you are interested in the following Temple School Courses contact Karyn Wingard-Manuel for details.

•An Introduction to Caring Ministries

•An Introduction to Understanding Scripture

•Aaronic Ministers: Ministry of Presence

Karyn Wingard-Manuel email: karyndwingard@yahoo.com

Daily Prayer for Peace Submissions

The Daily Prayer for Peace is held 365 days a year at Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri. Prayers can be submitted at any time. The Prayer for Peace should be approximately 1½-3 minutes long. It catches up the yearning of the gathered community for wholeness in relationships between humanity, creation, and the Creator. Prayers are selected according to the following guidelines:

• The prayer may be written in prose or it may be poetry.

• It should not include a specific country but be universal.

• Please use inclusive language.

• Be aware that while we are a Christian denomination sponsoring this prayer, the desire for peace is universal.

Prayers are attributed to their authors. Prayers submitted become the property of Community of Christ. Prayers can be submitted by mailing them to jgrover@cofchrist.org.

Focus

Pursue Peace on Earth

We are poised to restore Christ’s covenant of peace, even the Zion of our hopes. The hope of Zion will become reality when we live Christ’s peace and generouslyshare his peace with others.We fulfill God’s ultimate vision as we…

•Establish the Temple as a Center to Promote Peacemaking throughout the World

•Engage Children in Peacemaking around the World

•Seek Justice, Create Peacemakers around the World

•Unite with Others to Make Peace around the World

Mission Initiatives
The church has been introduced to five mission initiatives that will change lives,thechurch, and the world! Learn more by watching President Stephen M. Veazey’s address that he shared with the worldwide church on April 10: www.CofChrist.org/presidency/sermons/ and at www.CofChrist.org/mission/.

Christ’s mission is our mission! From this point forward, all ministries, personnel, and resources of the World Church will be focused on the whole mission of Jesus Christ through these mission initiatives:
Invite People to Christ—Christ’s mission of evangelism
Abolish Poverty, End Suffering—Christ’s mission of compassion
Pursue Peace on Earth—Christ’s mission of justice and peaceDevelop Disciples toServe—equip individuals for Christ’s mission
Experience Congregations in Mission—equip congregations for Christ’s mission

Preparing for 2012 USA National Conference: 7/18/12 – 7/22/12

The conference is intended to determine the level of support for:

1) Extending the sacrament of marriage to persons of the same sex/gender OR providing a church-recognized way for two persons of the same sex/gender to publicly express their commitment to each other.

2) Allowing people in committed, monogamous, long-term, same sex/gender relationships (legal marriage, civil union, church-recognized commitment) to be considered for ordination.Until the conference, the church in the USA will join in a participative process to discover God’s will about these issues for the church’s mission in the USA. This will include opportunities such as:

• Reflection ideas for use in individual spiritual formation.

• Information distribution at USA mission center conferences.

• Group-study ideas for use at reunion and other gatherings.• Regional opportunities for sharing and discerning together.

Surveys or other collection tools for gathering input and feedback.

Change of Dates to the USA National Conference

After several months of prayerful consideration and thoughtful discussion, the USA Team of Apostles and the Council of Twelve Apostles recommended to the First Presidency that the USA National Conference dates be changed from July 2012 to April 2013, following the 2013 World Conference. After additional consideration,The First Presidency approved this recommendation.The next WorldConference will be held April 13–18, 2013. The USA National Conference will be held April 19–21, 2013.

Mark Your Calendar

Upcoming Events

Today Business Meeting

February 3 Movie Night 7 pm

February 6 Mission Meeting 7:30 pm

February 11 Pancake Breakfast 7:30-9:00 am

February 11 Journey 2013

February 14 OBKs

February 21 Charitable Quilters

March 23-25 Greenwood Retreat at Peaceful Valley

May 5 Joyful Noise Workshop at Greenwood

Newsletter Deadline - The Newsletter deadline is Friday, November 11 th . Please have your articles in to Su Jones ( ldybg6512@aol.com ) or Laura Thorp ( Greenwood1695@gmail.com ) by this date

Fellowship

Happy Birthday

January 29 Dezi Rae Astle

John Grahn

January 30 Amber Mogg

January 31 Myron Anderson

Norma Rupprecht

Happy Anniversary

February 2 Kelly & Dianna Jerome

More in our Mission Center!

Joyful Noise Workshop

Hymnal Project

Mission Center event at Greenwood

May 5-6, 2012

Guest Ministers:

David Bolton

Joey Williams

Rocky Mountain Mission Center’s SILENT RETREAT: Sacred Heart Retreat Center, Sedalia, Colorado. May 11-13, 2012 , Retreat Leader: Evangelist & Spiritual Director Marlene Krueger. The theme is “Come to the Quiet.” Instruction & time will be given for personal meditation & prayer, special meditation stations with images of God will be available as well as opportunity for individual Spiritual Direction sessions, Administration or Special Blessings by Evangelist Rich Kohlman. There will be a Saturday evening group activity and evening and morning devotions.

Pre-registration with payment is required April 25, 2012. There is a limit of 25, adults age 18 & older only. Registration forms are on the Mission Center web site, www.cofchristrm.org The 280 acre Retreat Center near Sedalia, CO is off of Hwy 67. It is the perfect setting for solitude, reflection and prayer. Accommodations are private rooms with shared baths. The Retreat starts at 7 pm Friday and ends with lunch on Sunday

Every week, one of the mission center staff sends out an e-mail update to communicate information about upcoming events and relevant ministerial topics. To receive these Weekly E-Mail Updates send an email to information@cofchristrm.org

Cleaning Crews

Today	Bob &Julie Einhellig Team—Thank You!
February 5	Doris Anderson Team
February 12	Bill & Pat Mogg Team
February 19	Dawn Cook Team

As we grow in our discipleship, may we be more than just admirers but true followers of Jesus. When we come to church, may we nurture each other and look for ways to foster the growth of God's love that is already within each of us. When we go out to the world, may God’s light shine in our lives, illuminating God’s love that is already within those we meet.

Blessings,

Jana

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