God has given us His Church which is the body of Christ here on this earth. When someone is baptized into Christ, they are baptized into the body of Christ. Through Christ we are bound together in a community of faith—Belonging to Christ we belong to each other. Fellowship with Christ means fellowship with each other. Through Christ God has made us a family, a community of faith. This is our God-given support system and as such, it is intended to meet many crucial needs in our lives.
Our text for this this week tells us that the very first community of believers gathered together on a regular basis for worship, prayer, study and fellowship. Acts 2:44 says, “…All that believe continued together in close fellowship and shared together…” John Wesley, the founder of Methodism in America formed from within the local churches groups of 10 to 12 people called “classes” which were formed to care for each other’s souls and to provide support for one another. Many of the church bodies today still embrace this important tenant of faith.
It wasn’t easy to follow Christ in the first century—Times were tough and persecution rampant. The early believers were bound together into a fellowship, a community, an extended family. They needed each other; there is strength in numbers. Still today it isn’t easy for us to follow Christ and truly live for Him. Discouragement, temptation, sin, apathy, failure, and many more obstacles out of our control all get in our way regularly. Unbelieving family and friends, doubts, rejection, division all pull us away from God’s leading—We face so many obstacles in our efforts and desire to live for the Lord.
God, however, has not left us on our own to run the race and fight the battle. God has given us each other. Join us Sunday at Sedona United Methodist Church as the Rev. Fred Mast shares an especially important message entitled “Standing Together.”
GREAT NEWS—WE’RE BACK!!! Effective this coming Sunday 09/13/20 WE ARE OPENING for On-Site/In-Person worship. As we strive to keep our congregation and community safe and healthy, we will observe physical distancing and limited seating worship. Additional precautions per CDC and AZDHS recommendations will be in place and details can be found on our website as well as the opportunity to reserve your seat for worship. We will continue to also offer an amazing Spirit Filled On-Line Worship experience each week—You are invited to access worship or information through our website (www.sedonaumc.org) or by calling the church office (928-282-1780).
Sunday mornings we enter the spirit of worship at two worship times (9:00am & 10:30am) featuring meaningful and uplifting music, special times of prayer and passionate life changing messages designed to move you closer in your relationship with Jesus Christ and others. We look forward to seeing you!
We offer so many great missions, ministries and opportunities at Sedona UMC—Visit our website at us on www.sedonaumc.org and “Like” us on Facebook. We would love to pray for you! —Prayer requests may be submitted online or by calling us at 928-282-1780. We are conveniently located at 110 Indian Cliffs Road off the Back O’Beyond roundabout on Route 179 in Sedona. All are welcome at Sedona UMC—We look forward to seeing you!—Come and grow with us!
