Praise & Worship

• Possible Hymns: Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Hymn of Promise, How Firm a Foundation

• Possible Contemporary Songs: It Is Well, Seasons, All Who Are Thirsty

Roots

• Purpose: Anchorage, Stability, Drawing water and nutrients from the soil

• Sequoias - By volume they are the largest trees in the world - It’s hard to imagine the roots that would be needed to keep this giant nourished and stable, but interestingly their roots grow very shallowly - Instead they interlock roots with nearby trees, helping to support each other.

• We are rooted in God’s love, but His intention is for us to live in a community of faith, roots interlocking with each other for support

C.S. Lewis quotes:

• “In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets. Now that Charles is dead, I shall never again see Ronald’s [Tolkien’s] reaction to a specifically Charles joke. Far from having more of Ronald, having him ‘to myself’ now Charles is away, I have less of Ronald.”

• Friendship exhibits a glorious resemblance to heaven itself…Every soul, sees God in her own way, [and] doubtless communicates that unique vision to all the rest.”

Jesus Discipled in Community

• Peter made them all feel a little more bold (Believing enough to step out of the boat and walking briefly on the water)

• John made them all feel a little more loved (Leaning against Jesus at the Last Supper, feeling His heartbeat, standing at the foot of the cross)

• Thomas made them all a little more informed (Asking the questions the rest of them wanted to)

Sharing Faith Stories

• We all have a different experience of God, we have seen Him in a unique way, and can share this with each other

• Reminder that sharing isn’t easy but it is important because no one else has experienced God in exactly the same way as us