January 19, 2013 - Church at Worship

Sermon: "The Sacred Space Between Your Ears"- Timothy Gillespie

Pastoral Welcome: Bernard Taylor

Children’s Feature: Shawna Campbell

Meditation:

Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course. . .the space between your ears. – Bobby Jones
 
Imagination is the key to theological reflection and innovation. The space between our ears is the space where God lives. 

Scripture Reading: Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16- Michele Rafuse

Sermon Notes:

The ability to think about our faith is one of the blessings that we have been given
from God. But faith is more than just thinking; it is breathing, it is seeing, hearing,
touching, and talking. It is relationships. It is prayer and attention-giving. It is following and leading. Faith is a vast and varied experience that encompasses all that we
are. But we process it all through the sacred space between our ears. It is our ability
to put sacred attachment to things that allows them to have meaning for us. While
some of the texts focus on prayer, I’d like to define prayer today as paying attention.
All scripture screams out to us to engage, to wake up, to be present, and to THINK
of things as sacred—and sacred things point to a sacred God.

We find ourselves involved in a multi-faceted faith that needs both the 5 1/2 inches
between our ears as much as it needs the five fingers on our hands, the two eyes
in our head, and the one mouth we have to invoke the name of Jesus. It is all part
of the whole person that was created to glorify God. The sacred space between our
ears, that place where God resides, is paramount to our commitment to Jesus. Our
belonging to a faith community leads us to think about faith, belief, and practice in
such a different and tangible way. We often believe because we belong.

So the question becomes, how do we engage in a vibrant and thoughtful discipleship of the mind, while still exercising those faith-filled muscles that respond to what
we believe?

Timothy Gillespie
Associate Pastor
Re:Live (Young Adults)