Justice and Reconciliation

Rev. Dr. Leslie Taylor, preaching

The Vision of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is "To be a faithful, growing church that demonstrates true community, deep Christian spirituality, and a passion for justice."
- Micah 6:8

First Christian Church Mission Statement: "We believe that everyone is an equal child of God who deserves deep and meaningful connections, a purpose-filled life, and love expressed through belonging, service, and justice."

What does the Lord require of us? To do justice, to love kindness, and to take God seriously. What does that look like for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)? And what does that look like for First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Concord, California?

What does it mean for First Christian Church to be a faithful, growing church? Part of what it means is that we, like the denomination, demonstrate true community. True community means we advocate for one another and those children of God we may never meet. True community means we deeply listen to one another and create a safe place for all.

We grow in our faith and spirituality through reading, talking, sharing, praying, and laughing toget her.

Watch for information about an Adult Spiritual Formation/Bible Study led by Minister-in-Training Audrey Barton that will start in the Fall!

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has a complicated history regarding justice-seeking. However, we can do hard things. While each congregation sets its own way of being, as a denomination, we have named ourselves an Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciliation, Open and Affirming, and Green Chalice church. These are not the only things we celebrate or advocate for, but they say a lot about who we are and what is important to us.

This week, we will examine the denomination's vision and our mission statement as a congregation to see how well we live into the vision the prophet Micah set forth.

Based on Micah 6:1-8

Music this week:

• There’s a Light

• Live A Simple Life

• This is My Prayer

• What Does the Lord Require of You?

• Called as Partners in Christ’s Service

• River of Mercy

Devotion

Based on Acts 2: 38-42

Rev. Dr. Leslie Taylor, preaching

This week, we will discuss baptism and why it is an important step in our lives. Lyla Buck will be baptized, and her dad, our Moderator, Brook Buck, will renew his baptism! What a wonderful celebration!

Chalice Worship says this about the sacrament of Baptism:

Persons become disciples of Christ as they are moved by God's spirit to turn away from sin and evil, make a profession of faith, receive God's renewing grace through baptism, and thereby become one with the whole people of God.

What does Baptism signify?

The sacrament of baptism is an outward and visible sign of God's grace. Through baptism, a person is joined with the universal church, the body of Christ. In baptism, God works in us the power of forgiveness, the renewal of the spirit, and the knowledge of the call to be God's people always. Baptism with water and the Holy Spirit is the sign and seal of our common discipleship. Since baptism is God's gift, the Holy Spirit is called to be upon the water and those being baptized. The act of baptism also marks the beginning of a new life of discipleship with Christ, the human response to that gift.

This year, we have celebrated the Baptisms of Karry Crummett (March), Chris Gabe, Tristin Tang, and Bowen Tang (April), and now Brook and Lyla! What a glorious time of celebration!

Music this week:

• Everyday

• Lord, I Give You My Heart

• Holy Spirit Rain Down

• In the Light

• Living Water

• Take My Life

At The Table of the Lord

Based on 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26

Rev. Dr. Leslie Taylor, preaching

I want to continue to reflect on my visit to one of the sites where the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) came to be and on what I learned about our core values and beliets. This week, we will talk about Communion.

Barton Stone (one of the founders of the Christian Church) and Alexander Campbell (one of the founders of the Disciples of Christ) were both Presbyterian ministers from Scotland. Communion has always been a sacrament of the church, but were you aware that in the 1800's, you had to be granted permission/deemed worthy of communion before you could receive it? Neither Stone nor Campbell agreed with that, and when they founded their movements, one of the core values was an open table.

At the Lord's Table, all are welcome. We open our doors for the sake of mission and for the sake of the world, recognizing all as part of the one family of God. This is why we celebrate communion every Sunday, a practice that is open to all who follow Jesus Christ. The act of Holy Communion has become the central element of worship within the Disciples tradition, symbolized by the chalice in our logo. (Fun fact: the "sideways Cross" on the logo is a St. Andrew's Cross, a nod to the Presbyterian heritage of our founders.)

Disciples' observance of the Lord's Supper echoes the Passover feast when Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the living Christ is met and received in the sharing of the bread and the cup, representative of the body and blood of Jesus. The presence of the living Lord is affirmed, and he is proclaimed to be the dominant power in our lives.

Music this week:

• You Are My Rock

• When I Think About the Lord

• Open the Eyes of My Heart

• Show Me Your Ways

• Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

• Grace Alone

Let Christian Unity Be Our Polar Star

Based on John 17:20-26

Rev. Dr. Leslie Taylor, preaching

How many of you have heard these phrases: "No creed but Christ, No book but the Bible, No law but love, No name but the Divine," "The Church of Jesus Christ on earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one," or "We are Christians only, but we are not the only Christians'? These are familiar mottos of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

One of the key scriptural foundations of the movement is Jesus' prayer for the Disciples. In John Chapter 17, Jesus is preparing for his death and praying to God on behalf of his followers (the twelve named disciples and the thousands of other followers he had attracted over the last three years). He prays for their unity and their ability to recognize God within each other.

As a representative of the Christian Church in Northern California-Nevada, I had the privilege of attending the Fellowship of Regional Moderators (FORM) in Bethany, West Virginia, last week. This location, which holds a special place in the history of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), was not just a venue for learning but also a space for fellowship and sharing. It was here that I delved into the origins of the Disciples as a movement — a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.

Some of the founders of our denomination included father and son Thomas Campbell and Alexander Campbell (both from Bethany, West Virginia) and Barton Stone, from Cane Ridge, in Kentucky. The Campbells were the founders of the Disciples of Christ. Stone was a leader of the Christian Church and joined the Campbellites (Disciples). This is why we are the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Walter Scott was a good friend of Alexander Campbell and developed the "Five-Finger Exercise" to teach the basics of the faith (Confession, Repentance, Baptism, Forgiveness of Sin, and the Gift of the Holy Spirit.)

This Sunday, I will share some of what I learned about who we are and why we do what we do.

Music this week:

• Hallelujah (your love is amazing)

• Because of your Love

• I Could Sing of Your Love, Forever

• Holy Spirit Rain Down

• They’ll Know We Are Christians

• One Bread, One Body