10th Anniversary Gathering
Sunday, September 8, 2024, at the Jack Singer Concert Hall
Acts 1:6-11
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In the 10th Anniversary message, Jeremy wanted to celebrate Commons Church’s ten-year journey and invite us to reflect on how far the community has come. He encouraged us to not just look back, but to focus on the future, embracing new opportunities for growth and service. Our challenge is to move from “resuscitation,” or returning to what was, toward “resurrection,” a transformative way of living out our faith. The story from Acts 1:6-11 reminds us not to stand still, but to take action, believing that the best is yet to come. Ultimately, we are invited to continue embodying generosity, reconciliation, and love as we look ahead to the next chapter of our community.
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Community is shaped by the conversations we share.
These questions are just a tool to help you meaningfully engage with the themes of this week's teaching.
Connect: What was one highlight from your summer? What did you love the most?
Community and Vision: What aspects of Commons' vision for an “intellectually honest, spiritually passionate, with Jesus at the centre” community do you find most compelling?
Looking Forward: In his sermon, Jeremy emphasized looking ahead rather than just celebrating the past.
Where do you personally find this balance between gratitude for the past and hope for the future in your life and/or faith journey?
Here’s a quote from the sermon to help you reflect:
“And it's almost like God knows that our instinct is to consistently want to camp out in these big moments. Because as soon as the disciples ask, “Hey Jesus is now the time that you're going to restore what was,” that’s in verse 6. That's immediately when Jesus says, Not even close, now is the time to look forward…See, I'm convinced that sometimes our last best moment is what makes it hard for us to see our next great adventure. And I think Jesus knows that sometimes we need a bit of a push if we’re going to dream again…”
Resurrection vs. Resuscitation: Jeremy contrasted the idea of resuscitation (a return to what was) with resurrection (an intrinsically new way of being alive).
How do you see this difference playing out in your life, faith, or community?
Where do you see opportunities for new life as we jump into the fall and into the new season?
Expanding the Circle: Jeremy talked about the progression of witness into which the disciples where invited: first in Jerusalem (where the story started), then to Judea AND Samaria (with the “and” Jesus wants us to see our enemies as our neighbours), and then to the ends of the Earth. The invitation is always to move away from an “us versus them” mindset toward reconciliation and inclusivity.
“Jesus says that your resurrection story starts where you are and where you have experienced the divine undeniably.
But it rolls immediately out into all the conflicts that spill about around you.
You don’t go from the beauty of resurrection straight home to cozy Judaea,
you go to all the neighbours and neighbourhoods, to all the people near you, to begin the work of removing the commas where ampersands are possible…”
Where in your life or community do you see a need for more "and" thinking instead of division?
Faith and Action: Reflecting on the story from Acts, and Jeremy’s question, “Are you ready to do it again?”, how do you feel about the past 10 years of Commons and how are you being called to move from "staring at the sky" to participation in something new that God has for your life and faith?
What’s one next step that you see for yourself personally in living out the invitation and the values of Commons?
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Prayer from the Sermon
God of all Grace,
Who is consistently more generous than we expect
Or even, honestly, realize,
For all the way as you have blessed the Commons story
And for all the ways you continue to call us to be faithful to your story
We are grateful and humbled,
and focused on the grace and peace of Jesus
That each of us need in our lives, every day.May our gratitude flow into generosity.
May your grace flow through us in kindness.
Might your peace translate into the way we speak
and interact and relate with our neighbours each day,
Trusting that your way,
Your Son's path through the world,
Really is the template for our flourishing.In the moments where we lose sight of your nearness
Would your Spirit remind us, and renew us,
Breathe into us new life for whatever it is that you have ahead of us,
But most of all might we always trust
that you are ahead calling us forward,
And that the best is yet to come.
In the strong name of the rising Christ, we pray.
Amen -
The Work of Spiritual Reset
Written by Bobbi Salkeld[INTRO]
A lot has happened in all of our lives over the last ten years.
Just for a moment, stop and think about that. Maybe it’s a comforting thought – like look how far you’ve come in a decade. Maybe it's a distressing thought – like look how much you’ve lost.
The truth is, it’s likely a mix of both.
I’d like to invite you into a moment of prayer where we welcome the work of a spiritual reset.
Please stand with me as we pray.
[PRAYER]
As we notice our bodies in this room
With over a thousand other people who have called Commons home,
We acknowledge the twisting paths that led us here.
Hope in an ancient story
Attempts to be known
The trust in the wisdom of our hearts
Fumbling forward
Asking hard questions
Braving first steps
Dark nights of the soul
The grief, gifts, and gratitude
Commons has been a place where so many people belong,
And we give thanks for that.
And the thing about this moment is that we know we aren’t finished
Making something real of our faith.
So we pray for a spiritual reset –
Spirit of the living God,
Breathe new life into what is beautiful here
Breathe new life into a community shaped like Jesus
Breathe new life into ancient prayers like “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace” and “I believe, help my unbelief.”
[REFRAIN]
Now, I’d like to invite you all to repeat one simple affirmation after me
I’ll say the line “God’s love is our common story.”
Then I’ll ask you to repeat it.
God’s love is our common story.
Together:
God’s love is our common story.
Amen.
