Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully: Epworth's New Chapel

Devotional

Day 1: The Unchanging Presence of God in a Troubled World

Even when our world is filled with conflict, violence, and discord, God’s promise to be with us remains steadfast. It can be difficult to perceive His presence amidst the chaos and pain that surrounds us, yet His commitment to never leave or forsake His people is our anchor. This divine faithfulness is not dependent on our circumstances but is a fundamental aspect of His character. We are invited to rest in this truth, even when our eyes struggle to see it. [28:56]

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20b NIV)

Reflection: In the midst of the conflicts you hear about in the news or experience in your own life, where have you found it most difficult to sense God's presence? What might it look like to actively seek His unchanging nearness in that specific area this week?

Day 2: Embracing Our Shared Identity as God’s Children

Our human conflicts often arise from focusing on our differences in faith, values, and thinking. Yet, a deeper truth unites all humanity: every person is created in the divine image and is a beloved child of God. This inherent connection transcends every boundary and disagreement we can construct. Recognizing this shared identity is the first step toward grace, peace, and reconciliation. It calls us to see the face of God in every person we meet. [30:42]

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27 NIV)

Reflection: Is there a person or group you struggle to see as being created in God’s image? How might praying for God to give you His eyes for them change your perspective or actions?

Day 3: Participating in God’s Work of Reconciliation

God does not merely call us to pray for peace; He invites us to become active participants in His work of reconciliation. This means allowing His grace and peace to rule in our own hearts and relationships, especially within our faith communities. When we choose forgiveness over bitterness and understanding over judgment, we demonstrate that God is alive and well. Our lives become a testament to the healing power of Christ’s love. [31:55]

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18 NIV)

Reflection: What is one relationship in your life, perhaps even within your church family, that feels strained or distant? What is one practical, small step you could take this week to participate in God's ministry of reconciliation in that relationship?

Day 4: The Foundation of Our Reconciliation in Christ

The ultimate source of all reconciliation is found in the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. He willingly laid His life down, not arguing back or seeking retaliation, to bridge the gap between humanity and God. His act of supreme love is the model and the power for our own efforts to make peace. We are able to offer grace to others only because we have first received an immeasurable amount of it from Him. [33:18]

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NIV)

Reflection: How does remembering the price Christ paid for your reconciliation with God soften your heart toward someone who has wronged you? In light of His sacrifice, what might you need to lay down to pursue peace?

Day 5: Extending Grace and Peace from the Inside Out

The call to be agents of God’s grace begins in our own hearts, flows into our families, and then extends to our churches and the wider world. We are encouraged to allow God’s healing presence to flow from us into every life we touch. This outward movement of love demonstrates that the transformative power of the Gospel is not just a concept but a lived reality that can impact every level of human relationship. [33:01]

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15 NIV)

Reflection: Considering the concentric circles of your influence—your personal heart, your family, your church—which circle feels most in need of Christ's peace ruling within it? What is one tangible way you can extend that peace from a place of thankfulness this week?

Sermon Summary

A worshiping community gathered with an emphasis on connection, asking attendees to sign in on Blue Connection pads and welcoming online participants as part of the wider family of faith. Attendees moved into communal prayer that named global and local pain—conflict in Iran, Israel, and Gaza, daily gun violence, veteran suicide, and personal grief and illness—and sought grace, peace, and reconciliation that compels people to participate in healing rather than perpetuate harm. The gathering presented a clear vision drawn from the denomination’s renewed language: love boldly, serve joyfully, lead courageously, and linked that vision to concrete plans for ministry and space.

A detailed plan surfaced to repurpose the choir room into a small, flexible chapel for intimate services, funerals, and a possible early morning worship option. The design includes reorienting seating, replacing 15-foot pews with movable chairs, installing stained glass over an existing window, improving lighting and wiring, and adding a flexible divider; the estimated cost stands near $15,000 with half already gifted and the remainder drawn from capital funds. Broader facility needs received attention through a capital expenditures update: a large one-time donation funded microphones, video upgrades, HVAC replacements, parking lot repaving, kitchen appliances, ceiling repairs, and steeple work, while plans for concrete repair, an upgraded camera security system, bollards, and improved sanctuary speakers moved into the queue.

Ministries across welcoming, caring, and inviting continued robustly. The food ministry drew visible community gratitude, Kairos outreach supported spouses of incarcerated people, the belonging ministry hosted an Easter egg hunt for about 50 children, and Congregational Care ministers provided pastoral presence at funerals and in times of crisis. Financial stewardship conversations emphasized preserving the capital gift for structural needs while tithing a portion to a legacy endowment that will support future operations. Safety and hospitality balanced through recommended security improvements and discussion of serving as a temporary emergency shelter in partnership with the Red Cross. The gathering closed with thanksgiving for past donors, encouragement to invest in the church’s future, and a benediction that framed the building as a tool for ongoing service and witness.

Key Takeaways

1. Call each person by name A simple act of naming affirms individual worth and resists anonymity in large congregational settings. Calling people by name grounds community life in relationship rather than ritual, making it easier to notice pain, invite participation, and hold one another accountable for reconciliation. When presence gets recorded and acknowledged, belonging becomes a practical habit rather than an abstract ideal. [08:42]
2. Pray for peace and reconciliation Prayer that names specific conflicts and local harms refuses abstraction and forces moral clarity about violence and its human cost. Genuine prayer moves the heart toward concrete participation in peacebuilding—offering resources, advocacy, and personal peacemaking—rather than neutral reflection. Holding both global and local concerns together trains the community to see interconnectedness and responsibility. [29:30]
3. Create a smaller, sacred chapel Designing a chapel for intimacy recognizes that scale shapes spiritual experience: small gatherings can heighten presence, grief held by few can feel full, and new worship rhythms can draw different people. Flexible seating, focused art, and adaptable tech allow the space to host funerals, weekday worship, and artistic or community events without losing reverence. Intentional architecture trains hospitality into everyday practice. [103:50]
4. Steward capital for building health Designating a one-time gift for capital needs models disciplined stewardship that preserves operational giving for ministry. Prioritizing maintenance—HVAC, roof, concrete, security—protects ministry continuity and honors donors’ trust by extending the building’s usefulness for future generations. A legacy fund tithe anchors long-term sustainability while immediate fixes enable current service. [133:25]
5. Feed and welcome the marginalized Sustained food ministry and outreach to those affected by incarceration demonstrate that invitation requires service, not only messaging. Feeding bodies creates openings for spiritual conversation and dignifies recipients as neighbors rather than problems to be solved. Long-term relational ministries build trust that occasional events cannot manufacture. [121:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[08:42] - Sign-in and online welcome
[09:12] - Call to prayer
[28:28] - Prayer for grace and reconciliation
[29:30] - Prayers for global conflicts
[31:27] - Prayer for church and families
[33:18] - Jesus as foundation for reconciliation
[101:44] - Town Hall begins
[103:50] - Chapel announcement and purpose
[106:38] - Choir room repurposing details
[110:39] - Chapel cost and funding
[121:23] - Ministries: food and Kairos outreach
[133:25] - Capital expenditures overview
[139:17] - Security upgrades and bollards
[160:47] - Closing prayer and benediction

Bible Study Guide

Based on the sermon summary and transcript provided, here is a Bible study discussion guide.

Bible Reading
* Matthew 25:35-36, 40 (ESV): For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me... Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.
* 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV): All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Observation questions

The prayer for the world named specific conflicts and local harms, refusing to be abstract. What global and local situations were brought before God? [29:30]
What are the four active components of the vision for ministry that were introduced, and how do they describe a way of living?
The plan to create a new chapel involves specific physical changes to a room. What are some of the key design elements mentioned that will help create a sacred and flexible space? [01:46:38]
Several ongoing ministries were highlighted as examples of the church's work. What are two specific ministries mentioned that serve people on the margins of society? [02:01:23]

Interpretation questions

How does calling someone by name, as opposed to letting them remain anonymous, fundamentally change the nature of a relationship within a community? [00:08:42]
The prayer moved from global conflict to local church struggles to family needs. What is the significance of praying in this widening or narrowing pattern, and how does it connect our concerns?
Why might a smaller, more intimate space be better suited for certain types of worship services and gatherings like funerals for small families? What does the scale of a room communicate to those gathered? [01:44:35]
The decision was made to use a large, one-time financial gift for building needs and to tithe a portion to a legacy fund, rather than for daily operations. What is the wisdom behind this approach to financial stewardship? [02:13:25]

Application questions

A simple act of naming affirms individual worth. Who is one person in your life, perhaps at work, in your neighborhood, or even in this church, whose name you know but with whom you have only a surface-level relationship? What is one step you could take this week to learn more about them and call them by name in a more meaningful way? [00:08:42]
Genuine prayer for peace is meant to move the heart toward concrete participation, not just reflection. When you hear news of conflict or local pain, what is your typical response? How could your prayers for a specific situation lead to a tangible action, whether offering resources, advocacy, or personal peacemaking? [00:29:30]
Creating spaces for intimacy recognizes that scale shapes spiritual experience. Where do you find it easiest to connect with God and others—in large gatherings or small groups? How could you be more intentional about seeking out or helping to create spaces where deeper connection and grief can be held well?
Sustained food ministry and outreach to those affected by incarceration demonstrate that invitation requires service. Are you more comfortable inviting people to an event or serving people in need? What is one ongoing, relational ministry you could learn more about or participate in, moving from occasional help to long-term trust building? [02:01:23]
Stewarding resources for building health honors donors’ trust and protects ministry for future generations. How do you balance the desire to meet immediate, visible needs with the less glamorous but essential work of maintaining what we’ve been given? What is one way you can support the long-term health and sustainability of your church community?
Balancing safety and hospitality is an ongoing challenge. The church is considering security upgrades to prevent harm while also discussing serving as a temporary emergency shelter. Where do you see this tension between safety and radical hospitality in your own life or in the life of the church? What fears need to be addressed to lean into courageous hospitality? [02:19:17]
The building was framed as a tool for ongoing service and witness, not an object of worship. How do you view the physical church building? In what ways can we use our facilities more effectively as tools to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in our community?

Sermon Clips

God, it must break your heart to see us tear each other down, killing each other, sometimes in your name, when we know that that is not your desire. So we pray not only for your healing presence and for your protection of those in harm's way, but we also pray for a path to peace that can remind us that we are all siblings created in your image. [00:30:04] (31 seconds) #PrayForPeace

And so we pray that you would just flow out from this place into the lives of every one of those connected to Epworth so that they would experience what it's like to know your grace, to live your peace, and to offer your reconciliation to the world. And, God, we know that all of this is possible because of your son Jesus, because he was willing to not argue back, but to lay his life down for all of us so that we could be reconciled to you and to each other. [00:32:46] (40 seconds) #GraceAndReconciliation

Generous God, thank you so much for the gift of these people who have, continued to offer their lives and their gifts and who they are to this beautiful community called Epworth. Thank you for a place where we can come and know we can be ourselves. We can make mistakes, and people will say, Here, let me help you up and dust you off, and we're going to get this right. [02:40:47] (27 seconds) #LovedAndAccepted

And, God, as we narrow our focus even more, we know that there are struggles in our families. We struggle not only with relationships, we also struggle with illness that threatens to separate us, that threatens to, end our lives when we feel like there's so much more to give. And so there is grief, and there is illness, and there is discord, all of which is not a part of your heart. [00:32:14] (32 seconds) #HealingForFamilies

Let us take this time in our service to go to God in prayer knowing that God is already present in this place. God already hears what's on our hearts, and God longs to answer us long before we even know what to ask for. So let us pray. [00:28:06] (20 seconds) #GodAlreadyHears

if they come to church once a year and I start hitting them for money, then I've just reinforced their understanding of, what it is. If they come to church and they get embraced by you all and loved on and cared about and they start coming back, you know, then I think we see the return on investment. But that that has also come up. So thank you for that question. Other questions? [02:31:55] (29 seconds) #WelcomeNotWallets

And, again, it just reminds me that Epworth loves everyone and recognizes that, you know, we all make mistakes, and some of those sins land us in prison, but some of those sins don't. But that doesn't make us any better or any worse than anyone else. So just wanted to celebrate Epworth again for that part of our inviting. [02:02:39] (22 seconds) #AllAreWelcome

That's the what? I'm sorry. The Christian approach. Oh, okay. Got you. Got you. I mean, I think there are a lot of ways to look at that. Giving to our legacy fund, while it does seem like we're giving to ourselves, continue our ministry. And our ministry does feed people and house the boys and girls club and the preschool. And, you know, we know that giving to nonprofits in general and churches in particular is decreasing rapidly. People don't give like they used to give. [02:27:13] (34 seconds) #FundFutureMinistry

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