Making Space

Lectionary Readings

Job 23:2 (NIV)

“Even today my complaint is bitter”

Psalm 22:1 (NIV)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me,

so far from my cries of anguish?

Amos 5:13 NIV

Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil.

Mark 10:21 NIV

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Actually haven’t strayed too far from this one

Have added a few verses prior

General Assembly

Hamish Galloway

Empowering generations

Theresa Cho

Intergenerational church - bridge-building church

“Being an intergenerational church is a spiritual discipline—as it requires a person to look beyond their own needs and towards another person’s needs. Being an intergenerational church nurtures the ability to provide hospitality to others.”

Empowering intergenerational church - looking beyond their own needs - opened their eyes to other communities that needed the love of Jesus.

the hungry

the lonely

undocumented

LGBTQI

Begins with space.

God creates space

Perichoresis

The Three Spaces

Physical Space

Obstacles and invitations

Emotional Space

How many Presbyterians does it take to change a light bulb?

Spiritual Space

Do we limit God to our imagination?

Strengthen our spiritual muscles

Jesus stretches us and what we believe

Rich young ruler a good example of this - Jesus challenges him to make space in his life for God, and for the poor.

What is Jesus challenging us to make space for? Physically, emotionally, spiritually?

Much better questions for an AGM.

We are already making these spaces in our community facing ministries. All of this can seem a long way away as we sit here pondering budgets and buildings and decline. But life is literally just around the corner.

We are making spaces in our lives.

What do we need to do to make space in our worshipping lives?

How can we crete space in our church and in our lives for holy experimentation?

Faced by Jesus’ challenge, the rich young ruler is dismayed, it just doesn’t seem possible.

I wonder if we’re sometimes like that - we get inspired and enthused as we catch some glimpse of God’s kingdom at work. Then we get dragged back down when we see the “reality” of what it would take to get from here to there.

But what is the ultimate reality? Is it the obstacles along the way, or is it the destination?

Out reading today finishes with an encouraging reminder. To us, this might seem impossible, but, with God, everything is possible.