Hello Church! Our Worship Service and Children’s Program are at 10 AM. The service is also live virtually and archived on Facebook and YouTube. Connect with refreshments before and after the Service together.
All are welcome: believers, questioners, and questioning believers! We affirm the worth, value, diversity, giftedness, and belonging of all. Let us be there for each other! Your presence means everything to your pastor and your community!
This is the final Sunday following Epiphany, and the last Sunday before Lent begins. Traditionally this is called Transfiguration Sunday. All three synoptic gospels tell a story of Peter, James, and John accompanying Jesus to the top of a holy mountain to pray. There, before their eyes, Jesus is transfigured (changed), becoming dazzlingly bright. Moses and Elijah show up to speak with Jesus. The disciples were sleepy but were able to witness what was happening and were in awe. Peter suggested they stay longer. A cloud surrounds them and they hear the voice of God, “This is my Son, my beloved, listen to him!”
With so much noise and competing voices surrounding us, let us affirm the ONE VOICE we are called to listen to above and beyond the many distractions and untruths; the voice of Jesus Christ, God’s beloved. Jesus declared his mission statement fulfilling the scripture from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Jesus’ voice proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God in contrast to the kingdom of Rome, of empire. Jesus’ voice that called those first disciples to “follow him” and his way, not to simply worship him. Jesus’ voice when he preached the Beatitudes, the blessings to the people; “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.” Jesus’ voice that liberates the oppressed and the oppressor, bringing Shalom wholeness and peace. Jesus’ voice goes on to tell us to love our enemies, do to others as you would have them do to you, and to not judge others. Jesus told the disciples when the 5000+ were hungry, “You give them something to eat.” Now we come to the transfiguration story, a hinge point, and it is clear that Jesus is making his way down the mountain to Jerusalem and his suffering, death, and resurrection. Jesus was crucified for the very things he was declaring. Jesus tells his listeners that we follow the highest standard: LOVE. And love, as God loves, is a love in actions. This inclusive and unconditional love flips everything upside down. This love is even for those that we wish it wasn’t. Are we listening? Are we loving? Are we open to listening to Jesus and being changed? Are we humbly yet courageously following? Let’s affirm more together as we enter the reflective season of Lent. Thanks to Michael and Chuck for making us homemade crepes this Sunday in the tradition of *carnival* and feasting before the fasting season of Lent.
Get your ashes in church on Wednesday (wink) to start this year’s journey! Pastor Chris will be blessing everyone who drives through by imposing ashes (or if you choose, anointing with oil). Come through any time 7-9 AM and 4-6 PM. Come and hang out during this time in our peaceful courtyard as well. Written reflections will be provided. Come and let us be open to God’s transforming work within us. “And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting.” (Matthew 6:16). This text goes to the question of motivation: to resist the temptation to ‘show off’ our humility, but instead simply ‘to be humble.’ To be vulnerable before God reminds us that God never asks us to be more than we truly are, but calls us as we are to be open to continual transformation in Christ as we listen, follow, and serve. In that quiet space we find our witness. The ashes represent our very humanness.
What if we consider ‘fasting’ by giving up the things/actions that do not build relationship? Giving up things like gossip and criticizing, or giving up apathy and indifference to better care for one another. What if we take up things that intentionally build up relationship?
What if we focus on learning more about others who are not like us or topics we do not understand? What if we practice truly listening to others? Let’s consider this as we discover the wonder and glory that will await us on Easter morning.
Online (no charge) daily Lenten devotional “The Hardest Part” by Kate Bowers (read online or you may print): Daily Guide-Everything Happens Lent 2025.pdf - Google Drive.
You are each dearly loved! Thanks be to God for this faith community and chosen church family. Newer faces and all faces, we‘d like to meet you where you are! Please let us know how TSCC can best meet your needs. Email Pastor Chris at info@tropicalsands.org.
**SATURDAY BREAKFAST MARCH 8 at 9 AM. All are welcome and we have wonderful community volunteers joining us to help clean-up our playground. This is a nice time to connect and meet others while doing good work together for our grounds!
It means everything to your pastor and your church family to show up on Sundays as often as you can:) We need each other.
