It is hard to believe that three months of Saturday evening worship has come to a close. From the first Saturday in January through the last Saturday of March, several members of New Journey shifted their worship participation to Saturday so that there’d be people here to welcome guests drawn to a new worship time. Guests did join us, and several of those guests are now worshiping with us regularly. We are so grateful that the Spirit of God has brought these new people to be with us. Our members also shifted to Saturday night so that we could open up seats on Sunday morning for guests who joined us. And again, the Spirit of God has brought us guests who have joined us in singing and praying … [Read more...]
Pastor Adele’s Message – February 28, 2019
The liturgical season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday which is March 6 this year. It goes for 40 days (not counting the Sundays in Lent) and comes to an end on Easter Sunday, April 21. You’ll notice that 40 sounds familiar: the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years; Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness. 40 days signifies a good long time. Time long enough to feel unmoored from life as it was prior to the experience of wilderness, time long enough to challenge assumptions of what could be depended on to preserve life. Both for the Israelites and for Jesus, it became clear fast enough that the only thing, the only One, who could sustain them in their wilderness time was God. All … [Read more...]
Pastor Adele’s Message – January 31, 2019
On February 2, 2019, New Journey will officially be five years old. On that day in 2014, 43 members and associate members signed the charter of our congregation. It was a day that celebrated the official beginning of a new ELCA congregation in Fountain Hills, a congregation that was open and affirming of people regardless of age, sex, race, ability, and sexual orientation. It was a leap of faith that God had something distinctive for this group of people to be and do in this community - that is, be an expression of the expansive love of God for all people. It was a leap of faith that God would provide what this fledgling congregation needed so that it could fulfill that purpose.In these five … [Read more...]
Pastor Adele’s Message – December 31, 2018
On Saturday, January 5, New Journey begins offering a second worship service. It’s both exciting and a little anxiety producing. Exciting because our worship is so full from January through March that we need to make space for new guests. Exciting because we have an opportunity to offer a worship service that is more contemplative but still grounded in Scripture and the Eucharist. Exciting because the Grand Canyon Synod is partnering with us, providing financial support for this additional service. Exciting because we trust that God will be at work through both of our worship experiences in ways we can’t yet know. I suppose that reality, not knowing how God will work through our … [Read more...]
Pastor Adele’s Message – November 30, 2018
You don’t need me to tell you that this is a busy time of the year. Once Thanksgiving passes, we are off to the races. Some of us are already shopping for Christmas. Others are in the process of getting Christmas decorations up. Christmas gatherings fill many of our schedules. We here at New Journey will be adding Wednesday night soup suppers and the singing of Marty Haugen’s “Holden Evening Prayer” to our activities. And of course, there is the planning of who will be where and with whom for Christmas Eve worship and family Christmas celebrations. These are not bad things. Our spirits soar as we anticipate Christ’s coming anew this year and as we anticipate special music and worship. Our … [Read more...]