June 24, 2022

Dear Road Church Friends

This week Barbara and I are at the National Meeting of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) in Wichita, KS. I will have a report of its proceedings for our mid-year all church meeting on July 24.

I want to thank Rev. Jack Shackles who kindly agreed to bring this week’s message. He is recently retired and has had an interesting career. Jack sent me a brief sketch of his biography and a preview of the message he will bring this Sunday. I will let him introduce himself in his own words.

     I am a recently retired minister with standing in the United Church of Christ, New London Association, in the 48th year of my ordination. Most recently I served for 15 years as pastor of Taftville Congregational Church, Taftville, CT. My “other” retirement is from 20 years of military service which includes enlisted service in the U.S. Army and combat duty in Viet Nam as a Vietnamese linguist.  After an educational break from military service for seminary, I re-entered the U.S. Navy Reserves as a Chaplain with active and reserve duties and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. My retirement goal is to continue to grow in the Spirit and serve where ever God leads.

SCRIPTURE:    Ephesians 2:17-22, Common English Bible

SERMON:    God’s Dwelling Place

When he came, he announced the good news of peace to you who were far away from God and to those who were near. We both have access to the Father through Christ by the one Spirit. So now you are no longer strangers and aliens. Rather, you are fellow citizens with God’s people, and you belong to God’s household. As God’s household, you are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. The whole building is joined together in him, and it grows up into a temple that is dedicated to the Lord. Christ is building you into a place where God lives through the Spirit.

THOU, WHOSE UNMEASURED TEMPLE STANDS

Thou, whose unmeasured temple stands, built over earth and sea,

Accept the walls whose human hands have raised, O God to Thee.

And let the Comforter and Friend, thy Holy Spirit, meet

With those who here in worship bend before thy mercy seat.

May they who err be guided here to find the better way;

And they who mourn and they who fear, be strengthened as they pray.

May Faith grow firm, and love grow warm, and pure devotion rise,

While round these hallowed walls the storm of earth-born passion dies.

By William Cullen Bryant

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Norm

Our worship service on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Grh0S57HJ0s