Mark 14:16-26, Isaiah 25:6-8

Susan spoke this Sunday about something Christians universally practice and everyone maintains is important in some way: the Lord's Supper. Also called Communion, the Eucharist or the Mass.

She painted three word pictures for us that could provide a greater appreciation for what we're doing at the table: a Passover meal, a covenant ratification meal, and a wedding celebration. The thing these three meals and communion all have in common is that they are celebratory. They knit people together and they all have a host. In communion, the Lord's table, Jesus serves as the host.

Lamentations 3:17-26

This Sunday Melissa Rogati shared from her personal story of lament and dealing with a dark period in her life. It's very uncomfortable to be in that place. As humans, we don't like being there. But as she came to eventually realize, God is in the dark too! It's us who feel discomfort when we're in the dark. But if we can't sit in the dark and know that we are safe, where is our faith?

We can force ourselves to be upbeat, even when we don't see the good coming, but that is not authentic. We don't need to force an upbeat spirit to prove anything to anyone, including ourselves. Even when we can't engage with that upbeat, we don't have to force it when we don't want to. But we continue to seek the goodness of those around us while we wait in the dark. Because we still believe, even in the dark, that there's goodness to be had. Because the Lord is good to those who wait for Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the Lord.

I Corinthians 12:4-13

Following the summer time of gifts discernment, each September Raleigh Mennonite recognizes the many volunteers who help make the church function. This Sunday Susan provided a brief overview of church history and how Mennonites incorporated the concept of the "priesthood of all believers" as a fundamental tenet of our faith and community life together. The idea is that not only can we communicate with and have direct access to God, but that there are indeed no roles that are the exclusive domain of the clergy.

And as we read in I Corinthians 12, all roles are important, and we all have to use our God-given gifts together for the church to thrive. When we use our gifts, or graces, it energizes us. At the same time, we need to check our perceptions of our gifts with others and listen for the affirmation of others in helping us see the gifts that we might have and be called to use. That's where discernment comes in.