The Take-Away - Lutheranism

 Martin Luther

Adam Hamilton's summary of what we can take away from Lutheranism:

Lutheranism sprang from Martin Luther's dissatisfaction with the Roman Catholic Church.  He grew up in a home where religion was based on fear.  The Protestant Reformation arose as many people believed the Church needed reform.  Indulgences infuriated Luther, and he stated his rejection of many current Church practices in the 95 Theses.  Lots of other people were struggling in their beliefs also, and this message of discontent spread like wildfire.

Central beliefs of Lutheranism
1.  Priesthood of all Believers - Everyone is called to use the gifts God has given us.  All of us are called to be in ministry.
2.  The Christian's Compass - God speaks to ordinary people through the Scriptures.
3.  Justification by Faith - Luther searched for a God of mercy and determined that God is looking for us to trust Him and trust in His love.  Our right standing before God is a gift of God - NOT because of good works.  We need to live in a grateful response and trust in His love.  God affirms us and loves us.  He loves us more than we can ever believe.

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Hamilton, Adam.  Christianity's Family Tree.   Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007.

Nooma Revisited: Kickball

This coming Sunday - August 18, 2013 - Marcie will be taking Just Coffee back to one of our favorite NOOMA studies - "Kickball."  She will lead us in a casual discussion of the topic.

Remember that due to the Welcome Reception setup for the District Superintendent, the 8:30 Contemporary Service will be held in the Sanctuary and Just Coffee will meet in the Grundy Parlor upstairs on August 18th.

Follow this link for a preview to the video and some information about the topic:
http://bhumcjustcoffee.blogspot.com/2012/08/week-six-kickball.html

Week Six - Kickball

Next week our focus will be on the sixth film in Rob Bell's Nooma series - "Kickball."  Marcie will lead us in this casual discussion.

We always think we know what's missing from our lives in order to make us happy, don't we? If only I had that car, or that job, or if only I could lose those 15 lbs, then I'd be happy. Really? How often do we want something only to find out that it wasn't that great after all? Sometimes we ask God for things and if he doesn't deliver right away, we start questioning whether God really understands or even cares. Do we really trust God? Do we trust that God is good and sees a bigger picture than we ever could? It's easy to want what's right in front of us, but maybe God knows what's better for us, and sometimes we just can't see it.

Watch the trailer for the film we'll watch on September 2nd:

Remember, we meet in the Fellowship Hall during Sunday School (9:45-10:45).  Everyone is welcome!!