6/4-6/10 Overview

On May 28th we celebrated the Day of Pentecost as a church family. The celebration continues on June 4th. We are celebrating the gift of God’s presence with us through the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church in Jerusalem as described in Acts 2, the wonderful things God has done, and the ongoing transformational work of the Spirit within Christians, the Church, and the world. May the Spirit of the living God fall afresh upon us.

 

In the verses and chapters of The Acts of the Apostles that we are reading this week, Barnabas and Saul are sent off on a missionary journey by the Holy Spirit from among the believers in Antioch while they are fasting and worshiping the Lord with the church (Acts 13:2). During their journey the two go to Cyprus to speak to the Jews in the synagogues, John Mark joins them for a short period of time, Saul begins to be called “Paul” (Acts 13:9), the journey continues to various locations, Saul/Paul heals a man who had been unable to walk since birth (Acts 14:8-10), the people of Lystra believe that Paul and Barnabas are Greek gods who have come to the earth, and Jews “from Antioch and Iconium” attempt to kill Paul by stoning him (Acts 14:19), but he survives.

5/28-6/3 Overview

During the earliest centuries of Christianity, Easter and the Day of Pentecost were the two most significant holy days of the Christian year. The celebration of Pentecost is a special and holy time for us as well! On May 28th we will celebrate the Day of Pentecost as a church family. The celebration will continue on June 4th. We will celebrate the gift of God’s presence with us through the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church in Jerusalem as described in Acts 2, and the ongoing transformational work of the Spirit within Christians, the Church, and the world.

 

In the verses and chapters of The Acts of the Apostles that we are reading this week Peter explains to the believers in Jerusalem what God has done in regards to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ household, Gentiles in Antioch turn to God through faith in Christ and join the church there, Barnabas recruits Saul of Tarsus to help him teach and lead the Christians in Antioch, the Holy Spirit enables some believers to have a prophetic spiritual gift, Christians financially support their brothers and sisters in Christ in need in other places, the first of the twelve apostles is martyred, and Simon Peter miraculously escapes from prison.

5/21-5/27 Overview

In the verses and chapters of The Acts of the Apostles that we are reading, this week Saul’s ministry continues even after Jews in Damascus conspire to kill him, Peter’s ministry reveals the Spirit and power of Christ working in and through him, and the first gentiles join the expanding church as the members of a household of a Roman Centurion respond to the Good News about Jesus through faith and receiving the Holy Spirit.

5/14-5/20 Overview

In the chapters for this week from The Acts of the Apostles, the church becomes “scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” because of increasing persecution (Acts 8:1 NIV), the Holy Spirit does mighty works through Philip among the Samaritans, an Ethiopian official who serves the queen is baptized as a believer becoming a catalyst for the spread of Christianity onto the African continent, and the persecutor of Jesus followers known as Saul of Tarsus has a life changing encounter with Christ which alters the direction of his life.

If you have not watched it yet, you are encouraged to WATCH the first of two Bible Project video summaries of the book of Acts to understand it more clearly before reading the verses on Monday. The video is available on YouTube: Book of Acts Summary (Part 1) by the Bible Project:

5/7-5/13 Overview

As we continue reading and studying The Acts of the Apostles, in the chapters for this week the apostles’ prayer from Acts 4:29-30 is being fulfilled, the apostles endure greater persecution, new leaders are chosen from among the believers as part of leadership delegation, and Stephen becomes the first martyr.

 

If you have not watched it yet, you are encouraged to WATCH the first of two Bible Project video summaries of the book of Acts to understand it more clearly before reading the verses on Monday. The video is available on YouTube:

Book of Acts Summary (Part 1) by the Bible Project:

4/30-5/6 Overview

The Acts of the Apostles began with Jesus’ final message to the disciples and his ascension, quickly transitioned to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and as we continue reading it will share decades of stories of the ongoing work of the Spirit within the apostles and disciples as they fulfilled Jesus’ commission to be his “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NIV). As we read throughout the coming days, weeks, and months, trust the Holy Spirit to guide you and the people of Avon UMC to continue being Jesus’ representatives and witnesses in our local community, throughout Greater Hendricks County and Indianapolis, among people we do not normally associate with, and further and further across the globe. Our journey through the book of Acts this week shares how the earliest Christians lived into a fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer from John 17.

As part of our living relationship with The Bible as disciples of Christ we are reading and studying the New Testament in 2023. During the Lenten season of the past few months, we read and studied The Gospel According to Matthew. Last week we began to read Acts, which is also known as The Acts of the Apostles. The book of Acts begins with Jesus’ final message to the disciples and his ascension, it quickly transitions to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and then shares decades of stories of the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit within the apostles and disciples as they fulfilled Jesus’ commission to be his “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NIV). As we read throughout the coming days, weeks, and months, trust the Holy Spirit to guide you and the people of Avon UMC to continue being Jesus’ representatives and witnesses in our local community, throughout Greater Hendricks County and Indianapolis, among people we do not normally associate with, and further and further across the globe.

4/16-4/22 Overview

Jesus’ earliest disciples had a living relationship with the holy scriptures. Those of us who are Jesus’ apprentices today need a living relationship with The Holy Bible too. As part of our living relationship with the Bible we are reading and studying the New Testament in 2023. This Living Faith Devotional will provide you with a reading plan to help you to read and study much of the New Testament this year. During the Lenten season of the past few months, we read and studied The Gospel According to Matthew. This week we will read the resurrection account from Luke’s Gospel, then move into the companion volume known as Acts or The Acts of the Apostles. You are encouraged to watch The Bible Project video about the New Testament either on Sunday or some other day during the week to provide a brief overview of this portion of the holy scriptures. The video is available on YouTube. New Testament by The Bible Project: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0BrP8bqj0c

Introduction

During this Lenten season we have been on a journey with Jesus. Through this devotional we have been invited to read the entire Gospel According to Matthew. This week we will conclude with the resurrection account, as well as returning to some of the previous portions of the gospel as a reminder before we transition into other New Testament documents during the weeks and months ahead, including the entire Acts of the Apostles. On the Christian calendar this week is the first week of the Easter Season. The United Methodist Book of Worship states, “The Easter Season, also known as the Great Fifty Days, begins at sunset Easter Eve and continues through the Day of Pentecost. It is the most joyous and celebrate season of the Christian year.” We hope you will join us to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior on Easter morning at 7:00, 9:30, or 11:00 am.

 

If you did not read Matthew during the Lenten season, you are encouraged to watch a brief video on Youtube about the Gospels, then join us in reading the verses this week:

4/2-4/8 Matthew’s Gospel Holy Week Reading Plan

Introduction

This is a week unlike all the others throughout the year. This is Holy Week. The biblical word that is translated as “holy” can also be translated as “consecrate,” “dedicate,” and “hallow.” You are strongly encouraged to set this week apart from the others throughout the year. Draw closer to Christ during his journey to the cross as we await the celebration of his resurrection on Sunday, April 9th. This week we will read chapters from Matthew’s Gospel documenting the last week of Jesus’ life before his resurrection. The chapters will end with the crucifixion of Christ on Good Friday. You are invited to join us for the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday worship services at 7:00 pm in the AUMC Chapel, as well as to participate in the Lenten Walk that is a guided prayer time focused on the Last Words of Christ from the cross. The walk is located on the AUMC property and begins near the chapel and fellowship hall entrances Door 12 and 13. There is a Lenten Walk devotional booklet and a map to guide you through the prayer journey with our crucified Savior available in the large box near the cross. In regards to this Living Faith Devotional, if you continue using it we will complete the Gospel According to Matthew by April 15th. If you did not begin reading it earlier in the Lenten season, you are encouraged to watch two videos on Youtube about this gospel account before you read the chapters this week. The links and video titles are listed on Palm Sunday of this devotional.