Welcome to the first weekly newsletter of Living Water CRC!
Here’s a sneak peek of this Sunday’s sermon from Pastor Sung:
This Sunday, we will be learning from the 8th commandment, “Do not steal.” The typical association we make with this commandment is of a thug snatching an old lady’s purse or a thief who takes a poor family’s TV, thus largely dismissing ourselves from the culpability of this commandment. But again, this commandment has much deeper implications than meets the eye.
The 8th commandment, “Do not steal,” presupposes the existence of ownership. “There is a wrong of taking because there is a right of keeping.”[1] Knowing the nature of God-given ownership is the key to knowing what enjoins and entails the opposite of the eighth commandment, which is “radical generosity.” That is the first point.
The second point has to do with the way in which practically all of us are guilty of violating the 8th commandment; namely by means of “wrong-keeping” instead of wrong taking. And lastly, the sermon will focus on the practical application of the 8th commandment which was explained in Heidelberg Catechism Q&A #111, “That I do whatever I can for my neighbor’s good, that I treat others as I would… that I work faithfully so that I may share with those in need.”
[1] Lewis B. Smedes, Mere Morality: What God Expects from Ordinary People, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983), p. 183.
Let us spend some time during the rest of this week contemplating what this means for us.
Happy News of the Week
In the midst of this economic and public health crisis, many people across the US have been giving from their stimulus checks to help those in need. Pledge My Check, a website encouraging people to give money to a person or organization of their choice, reports over $120,000 worth of donations (as of April 30, 2020).
God knows what is good for us, and the Bible holds as virtuous things that make an individual or community flourish. We know that cheerful giving is one of those virtues (2 Cor. 9), but did you know that the act of giving to someone out of love is observed to decrease activity in the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with fear, anxiety, and anger? Obviously if giving away money causes financial stress that may not be the best thing to offer right now. But people have different needs, and finding something to give, even just to one person–time, energy, resources, attention, etc.–may help improve our own strained mental health as well as make someone else’s day.
Communion Sunday
May 3 is Communion Sunday. If you did not receive the communion elements last month please contact Pastor David at pastordavid@livingwatercrc.ppchurch.wpenginepowered.com.
Ramen Run
The College Ministry is conducting a ramen run to support our college students. If you haven’t received ramen and would like to, please reach out to Han Lee at hanjlee@gmail.com, or to your small group leader.
Events
- Thursday, April 30 7:00pm: Prayer Meeting
- Friday, May 1 4:30pm: LWYG (Youth Group) Bible Study
- Saturday, May 2 9:30am: Overflow Breakfast & Fellowship (Contact Anne Geiges for details at geigesaj@gmail.com)
- Sunday, May 3 10:00am: Communion Sunday
- Wednesday, May 6 2:00pm: Women’s Bible Study; 6:30pm: Overflow Gathering (Contact Anne Geiges for details)
All events will be held on Zoom. Click on the links to join!
Some things to pray about this week:
- Thanks for the social connections that we enjoy within households and online
- For students’ motivation and productivity
- For the continued fruitful ministry of our missionaries Ahee, Josephine, and Jun Kyoung
- For those of us who are not doing well financially
- For the protection of our brothers and sisters struggling for survival across the globe
- For LW to minister to the needs of the world
- For the world to seek God’s face and ask for forgiveness and healing
See you all Sunday.
Peace of Christ,
LWCRC
Sources:
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/americans-donating-1200-stimulus-checks/