These days we find ourselves locked at home, physically disconnected from friends, family, and community. It’s been difficult. Challenging. Our work is strained. Our relationships are tested. We’re managing — or at least trying to. We’re making the best of our circumstances.

But Sunday Worship is the time for the church — even if we’re scattered on Zoom — to reset. We gather to realign ourselves to the truth of the Gospel when all week long we may have aligned ourselves with other goals: scarcity, loneliness, helplessness. But one thing we lose in this day of online virtual worship services is the real feel of the community encouraging one another in the Gospel. This is especially apparent when we gather to — online — to sing.

How easy it is to watch the singing on the screen rather than participate.

It might feel awkward to sing in our apartments, especially if we’re just one of a handful of voices — every out-of-tune note or early-entrance-become-solo clearly heard by all. Maybe we think it’s easier just to listen to those in the call singing. But don’t give into that. Sing!

Surely, I can remind you, “God cares about it.” Or I can tell those of you who are parents, “Your children are watching and learning about worship from your example.” These are both true. But I’d put forward to you that…

Your soul is listening.

There’s a well known refrain in the psalms (scattered throughout Psalms 42 and 43) that goes like this:

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

Here the psalmist is ministering to his soul. This part of us is really all of us. It is in our soul — our very being — that we are united with Christ. But our souls are “prone to wander” as the hymns put it. And now, when all is stripped away from daily routine, our souls are raw. Every grim announcement and every sliver of hope tugs our souls this way and that; they toss us to and fro in the stormy waves of our present situation.

So as we gather tomorrow to worship; resist the temptation to sit idly and watch. Sing! Remind your soul where our hope lies. Remind your soul that even if all gives way, there is a sure Anchor that keeps us steady in the waves. It’s the Anchor that we can never lose because He holds onto us.

Sing! So your soul will not despair.

Sing! They your soul may know the Hope that keeps us even now.

We’ve talked a bit about giving in our sermon series the past few weeks, so you might be wondering, “ok–so how can I practice and grow in giving?”

The Old Testament will tell you that God had the Israelites consider giving their time and wealth to two general categories: Spiritual Flourishing, (through giving to the Levite priests,) and  Physical Flourshing, (through giving to the sojourner, widow, and the orphan.) God is saying–it’s not enough to just give to one–your love through generosity needs to be considering a wholistic approach to caring for others. 

I wanted to share a few of our official partners that our Diaconate team has been working with, along with some christian organizations and missionaries we either support or have ministries that effect our city and local Flushing community. In each of the links you can learn more about their mission and see how to possibly give some of your time and wealth to the work God is doing there. 

Missionaries: Mark and Rachel Kim and family – The Kims are missionaries to Japan and are serving at Christ Bible Institute to train future Japanese pastors. 

Missionaries: James and Nanci Long and family – The Longs are serving in Jakarta, Indonesia, based in their church there, Providence Fellowship Church, and ministering to many refugees in their city. 

Missionaries: The Watanabe Family – The Watanabes are working with the church planting orginization, City to City, to help foster new churches and pastors.

Garden of Hope – A local organization focusing on serving, caring, and rebuilding the lives of people who have been exposed to domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking; specifically targeting its services towards the growing Chinese communities.

Borough Pregnancy Center –  BPCC aims to inspire life in those experiencing unplanned pregnancies through comprehensive, compassionate care.

Open Hands Legal Services –  Through legal means and support, this organization’s vision is to uphold the cause of the poor and oppressed in NYC.

Center For All Abilities – An organization with sites in Manhattan and Flushing that supports individuals with autism, pervasive developmental disorders, Down syndrome, sensory integration disorders, and other neurodevelopmental disorders, and individuals with emotional challenges as well. 

Some final thoughts are:

• Don’t feel like you need to give to all of these. Consider your own story and heart. Ask God what area He is calling you to joyfully give to His kingdom?
• Ask yourself (and your spouse if you have one,) “am I giving in a way that wakes me up?” It’s easy for us to give in portions that don’t effect us–but the Bible teaches us that we should not only give in such a way that brings good to others–but also do so in a way that wakes us up from the clutch of greed and apathy. 
• Set your mind on the prize–we’re kingdom people, and our thoughts need to foster an imagination of what the kingdom should and could be when God’s story is complete. The exciting part of giving in these ways is that, we can trust He is using these gifts and acts of generosity to bring His kingdom further into the world.
• Lastly, consider praying about how to grow in generosity toward the local body of Christ. If you’re a member of KCC, then consider the ratio of your time and wealth given. If you’re not a member, we’re going to be having classes at the beginning of the Fall season, and we’d love to invite you to consider joining yourself to this particular body of Christ.