Starting September 25, we’re going to try to strip away all the extraneous stuff imposed on Jesus by centuries of institutional Christianity, so we can get back to Jesus as he was. Here’s what we’ll cover:

September 25 • Rock My World

The parable of the Good Samaritan — the most famous parable — is more than a nice story. It challenges modern Christian orthodoxy to its core. Luke 10:25-37.

October 2 • Who Gets Into Heaven — According to Jesus

His answer will surprise you, and challenge you to rethink what you’ve always heard. Matthew 21:28-46.

October 9 • When A Woman Talks Back

The institutional church has shown little respect for the spiritual insights and leadership of women. How about Jesus? What was his attitude toward women? Matthew 15:21-28.

October 16 • When Jesus Encountered A Gay Couple

You may have heard a portion of this story in Sunday school, but not the rest of the story. In Sunday school they glossed over a scandalous fact that changes everything. Matthew 8:5-13.

October 23 • Rules, Rules, Rules

For most of us, that’s what religion has always been. The same was true in Jesus’ day, but not for Jesus. He taught a radical new approach that the institutional church has never quite been able to embrace. Mark 2:21-28.

October 30 • What Must I Do To Be Saved?

If it’s not about rules, and it’s not about doctrinal purity, what is the key to “salvation”? Jesus’ answer is very simple and compelling. Matthew 19:16-22.

November 6 • When A Bad Man Prays

Most of us feel pretty inadequate. Spiritually speaking, we know we fall short. For us, Jesus has a message of hope and encouragement. Luke 18:9-14.

November 13 • Love Life!

Authentic religious life is not about renouncing fun and giving up good times. Jesus set the example. He had so much fun, his critics accused him of being “a glutton and a drunkard.” And we are called to be like him. So let’s get the party started! John 2:1-11.

We invite you to join us each Sunday on this exciting journey of discovery. We meet at 9:30 am and 11:00 am. More info:

• About our Worship Services
• Map and Directions

If you miss any of these sermons, you can watch them at LifeJourneyChurch.cc/listen.

We’ll welcome musical guest Laura Carmona from Dayton, OH. Laura is passionate in the way she communicates Jesus’ love in song and word. She has been involved in music ministry since she was 14 years old.

We’ll also welcome special guest “Sister Mary Ignatius” from Any Catholic School, USA. This excerpt from Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All looks at some of the things we’ve been taught about God in the past, and how fear has been instilled by the church. How can we live a fearless life when we’re surrounded by it?

We’ll enjoy an evening of great music, and ponder how we can live a fearless life.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

If you like praise and worship and want more music, this service is for you! We’ll sing a wide range of old and new favorites.

Our worship theme for the evening is Faith Without Borders. We’ll be blessed with a homily from Michael Drain. You may remember him from the Black History Month service as “the Preacher.” He’ll share some insights about faith and how that impacts us as a church that draws from diverse traditions.

We will have some soloists from our church, and one from our local community, Anthony Rodriguez. Our prayer is that God will speak to you through the music and strengthen you on life’s journey!

All four praise teams will be there, with your favorite singers from the Music Ministry.

We will be singing some of your favorite songs: How Great Is Our God, Praise Adonai, Use Me, Shout Your Fame and Revelation Song, plus some new songs like You Are Welcome and Expectation. This will be a time to let yourself go in worship of our wonderful Savior and Lord! The service will include a brief homily, but the focus will be on praise and worship through music!

• *new* The Soprano and Alto Choir, known as Bella Vocé, will meet from 6:30 to 7:00 pm each Wednesday.
• The entire Sanctuary Choir will gather at 7:00 pm.
• *new* The Tenor and Bass Choir, or Sojourn, will rehearse from 8:30 to 9:00 pm each Wednesday.
• The Instrumental Ensemble resumes rehearsals on Thursday evening, April 22.
• *new* The Heart Menders, a Southern Gospel Choir, will meet next Sunday, April 25, at 4:00 pm in the sanctuary for an informational meeting. This group will perform occasionally, with a schedule to be determined. If you are a fan of Southern Gospel, this is the group for you!

If you’re interested in any type of music ministry, please contact Worship Arts Minister Mark Brown at (317) 722-0000 or mbrown@jesusmcc.org.

Look for the entry titled Proclaiming the Name of Jesus and Podcast #12: Worshipping with Generosity.

• A Traitor Among Us, Maundy Thursday, April 1 at 7:00 pm.
  We will chronicle Jesus’ last days from the Passover, to the Garden of Gethsemene, to His arrest.
• Do You Know the King of the Jews? Good Friday, April 2 at 7:00 pm.
  We will stand with Jesus before Pontius Pilate, and follow Him through the streets of Jerusalem to Golgatha’s hill. As He is laid to rest in the tomb, we will ask, Who am I that a king would live and die for?
• Arise, My Love. Easter Sunday Morning, April 4 at 9:30 am and 11:00 am.
  Victory, God calls Jesus back from hell!
• Children’s Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 3.
  Email Melody Merida for more info.

So we’re going to use this as an opportunity to offer a different kind of worship experience. Sunday evening worship will begin at the same time (6:00 pm), meet in the same space (the sanctuary), and still be led by Jeff and Melody. However, we will get to know each other at a deeper level. The service will begin with sharing and prayer. Then we will watch a recording of the Sunday morning sermon together, after which Jeff or Melody will lead a lively discussion of the sermon, challenging us to wrestle with the key concepts.

Some will love this more interactive form of worship, while those who want a more traditional worship format will have the option of shifting to Sunday mornings. These changes will take effect on Sunday, March 7!

The service will be a time of reflection and prayer with the imposition of ashes. If you can’t make it to the church you are encouraged to set aside some time for reflection and prayer in your own sacred space.

We recently sang inspirational songs as part of the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. The audience was also invited to share their testimony. Several youth and adults from Indiana Youth Group joined us. They and others graciously shared their stories and what they were thankful for. Upon closing, everyone sang Nobody Can Do Me Like Jesus, filling the room with the Spirit.

On Christmas Eve, the Gospel Choir will help bring Christmas cheer as we delight in song along with Deacon Robert Ferguson, who will deliver the sermon. Please join us and partake in a wondrous, God-loving event.

On January 9, we will begin rehearsing for our annual Black History Month Celebration. We invite anyone who is interested in being a part of the gospel choir to join us in this exciting new year! Please contact Mark Brown for more information, or fill out the form in Sunday’s Weekly News.