Views from The Ridge 7.2.25
Sunset Ridge is a church that desires to follow Jesus, reach people, and radiate God’s love and hope to all.
Worship
Sunday
9 AM, Chapel, Acapella
11 AM, Sanctuary, Instrumental
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
We will be going through the lectionary this summer.
Watch previous sermons here.
Discipleship
Sundays, 10:15 AM, Bible Class & Discipleship for All Ages
Studying Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Fellowship Hall
Adult Bible Class: Open to all
BEMA Podcast Discussion group
Chapel Classroom, Discipleship Group
Room 218, Youth Group, 7th-12th grade
Roots: Children’s Discipleship through Godly Play
Bible Story Focus this Week: Luke 10:30-35
Key Verse: Zechariah 7:9
Room 102, PreK - Kindergarten
Room 122, 1st - 2nd Grade
Room 203, 3rd - 6th Grade
Tuesdays, 7 AM & 9 AM, Men’s Discipleship
Scott Heare’s Office, Limited spaces; Contact Scott to join a group.
Wednesdays, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM, High School Tableship & Study Group
Chapel Classroom, Contact Den to join this group, open to 9th-12th Grade
Connections
A Message from the Board of Trustees
Sunset Ridge has been growing in mission and community, guided by our calling to follow Jesus, reach people, and radiate God’s love and hope. As part of that journey, the Board is prayerfully exploring a meaningful question:
Should our name remain Sunset Ridge Church of Christ, or shift to Sunset Ridge Church?
This is not a departure from our history or tradition, but a reflection on whether our name is creating any barriers to the mission we believe God has given us.
We’re asking each member of our church family to do two things:
Pray over this question.
Share your discernment in writing, or sign up for a phone conversation with a Board member.
Click here to share your reflections or schedule a call
All input will be reviewed on Monday, July 21.
Thank you for joining us in this prayerful process.
Thrift pop up at One Another Coffee to benefit Nuevos Vecinos Ministries
This Week
Friday, July 4th, Offices & One Another Coffee Closed for Independence Day
Wednesday, July 9th, 11 AM - 1 PM, Open Studio Returns
Coming Up…
July 12th, Second Saturday
July 26th, Watercolor Wellness Workshop: Simple Techniques
Every Saturday, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market, Charis Park
Every Sunday, Worship at 9 AM and 11 AM
Beyond Sunday
”Falling in Forgiveness”
Den Slater, Pastor of Belonging, Sunset Ridge Church
In Scott’s message about the baseball pitcher who missed out on setting a record, we were reminded that frustration and anxiety always crouches near our lives. Even the disciples were not immune. The passage this week includes a story about the disciples’ aggravation over Jesus not being received in Samaria (Luke 9:51-55). James and John suggest that they call down fire from heaven to consume the inhospitable people! Their proposal is met with a rebuke from Jesus. Instead of revenge, God consistently invites us to choose forgiveness, which leads to the path of peace.
Like the baseball pitcher, we can choose to soothe our disappointment by stealing a kiss from our loved ones.
Like the disciples, we can choose to shake the dust from our feet.
It’s easier said than done, especially if the offense is self-generated. I was once invited to a conference of preachers, and out of about a hundred people, I was the only woman in the room. I felt out of place and went to find the greeter, to whom I asked, “Am I supposed to be here?” I was told that I was both invited and welcome, so I returned to my seat and had an enlightening couple of days. Being in the minority, though, was tense for me. I created my own anxiety in thinking that l needed to meet imaginary expectations about women in ministry. My feelings weren’t enough to make me want to call down fire to consume people, but they were enough to cause social discomfort and self doubt! I stayed, though, and trusted God to attend to my self-consciousness.
We can trust that God hears our grievances and overshadows us with love. God invites us to forgive those who ignore or hurt us (even if that person is one’s own self). Richard Rohr writes, “We use the phrase ‘falling in love.’ I think forgiveness is almost the same thing. It’s a mystery we fall into: the mystery is God” (from Everything Belongs). We can forgive others—and ourselves—when we trust that God knows how to forgive and love perfectly. Falling in love is beautiful, but falling in forgiveness is love.
Prayers of the People
We were saddened to learn that Patricia “Pat” Walker passed away on May 23rd. We express sympathy to her family.
