Cosmic. Personal. Jesus.

Sunday, June 1, 2025

Scriptures: Colossians 1

• Sermon Summary

  Summary: In the first sermon of our series, Cosmic Thoughts for Daily Life, Jeremy takes a look at Colossians
  Authorship: Jeremy explores matters of Pauline authorship and how our highest use of language might intersect with our daily life.
  Poetry: Paul’s word choice and use of poetic early Christian hymns help us align ourselves with the love that sits at the foundation of the universe.
  Introductions: Paul uses a shorthand name of one of his companions, displaying an intimate connection with those he’s writing too, Paul doesn’t sacrifice his relationships just to make a theological point. But he balances both with care and intimacy.
  Foundations: Finally, Jeremy speaks on how theology grounded in Jesus informs our ethical life. Jesus has been given the Name above all Names, the fullness of God dwells in him. In the end, all things will find their way home to the fullness of God. In turn we may join this trajectory toward God.

• Discussion Guide

  Community is shaped by the conversations we share. These questions and reflections are a tool to help you meaningfully engage with the themes of this week's teaching.

  Summer Discussion Guide 2025

  If your group is meeting this summer and wants to talk about the sermons, here are a few questions that you could use to engage with our teaching. 

  • What specific part of the message resonated with you the most? Why do you think that particular part, or idea, or story caught your attention? 

  • Did the sermon speak into a particular struggle or question in your life or your faith journey right now?

  • What did the message challenge or encourage you personally?
    And what do you think the application could be for our church community? Was there anything that could strengthen or stretch us as a church? 

  • How did the exposition of the scriptures used in the sermon provide you with a new perspective of deeper understanding?

  It is good to remember that the conversation experience in the group is shaped by the personal stories of those who participate in it and how willing the people are to be open and vulnerable in the group.

  So if you’re leading the discussion, feel free to model and encourage person-centred and story-centred sharing by reflecting on how some parts of the sermon resonate with you personally.

  Additionally, what contributes to a more authentic group discussion is when people can share not about the abstract and theoretical applications, but one or two practical things they are taking away from either the sermon or the discussion. 

  So, you can end your time together with this question: 

  • What is one thing you are taking away from either the sermon or the discussion we’ve just had?

• Service Songs & Prayers

  CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 32

  MUSIC Curated by Rebecca Santos
  Cody Carnes - Simple Kingdom
  Mission House - Faith More Precious Than Gold
  Commons Worship - Faithfully
  Mavrick City Music - Fear Is Not My Future
  
  PRAYER OF CONFESSION
  Written by Scott Wall

  Our tradition of faith has long recognized the practice of confession as essential for deep inner life.
  Because at its core, confession invites us to see our lives clearly — without pretence…self-deception…or cynicism.

  This is why, as part of our liturgy today, I want to invite you into a prayer of recognition. We will name and attempt to recognize several features of our experience…and trust the Spirit is present to meet, illuminate, and comfort today.

  Join me now.

  God of all -
  Today we recognize our disengagement from the people and events around us.
  How our attention is drawn away from what matters most.
  How our hearts are occupied many things — how we find it hard to act.
  And we ask — let this seeing be our prayer.

  Today we recognize the injustice all around us.
  The presence of conflict - inequity - violence. Some of it far from here — some of it so intimate.
  We see the systems that control - the powers that abuse — how we are sometimes beneficiaries…how we are sometimes victims.
  And we ask — let this seeing be our prayer.

  Today we recognize the joy all around us.
  In springtime colour, we find we want to carry on with hope again.
  In the willing hands of friend, child, and neighbour, we find strong, abiding connection.
  In laughter and affection — in brilliance and creativity observed, we find our eyes are lifted…and brightened.
  And we ask — let this seeing be our prayer.

  Even as we trust that you are the Light by which we truly see.
  Amen.
  
  SERIES BUMPER
  Cosmic Thoughts for Daily Life