The service in C&C this Sunday will be a special musical presented by our Children and Youth Choirs, accompanied by the Youth Band.  I will be preaching in the traditional service on the text from Deuteronomy 6:5 and John 3:16-17.  This sermon will be the first in a series introducing a new vision for our church.  The series is called "The Transformation Place" and this sermon is entitled "The Compelling Love of God."  The new vision, which we will be discussing in our church council meeting next week reads as follows -- "Compelled by the love of God, Trinity desires to be a place of transformation and hope where people are needed and the needs of the world are met in Jesus' name."  I will be preaching on different concepts of the vision during the next month, even as the specific language may change somewhat as we talk about it in the council and in small groups.  I invite your prayers as we seek God's guidance in this very important matter.  As you read the text for this week, you might consider the following:

1.  What do you think it means to love God with all your heart, your soul, you mind and your strength?  What would that look like when lived out in a person's life?

2.  While Deuteronomy 6:5 speaks of our love for God, John 3:16 talks about God's love for us.  If God loved us this much, then what are the implications of this kind of love?  What kind of response does it call forth from us?

3.  John 3:17 speaks of Jesus' purpose in coming to us - that the world might be saved.  We normally think of individual salvation.  What might it mean to save the world?

In the both services, we will celebrate Holy Communion.  See you in church on Sunday.

If you missed last Sunday you can listen to the sermon on website: http://www.trinityhsv.org/Messages.aspx

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