[7/22/2018] Guest ministry was provided this morning by Rodney Colmus. Rodney is an Evangelist and a dear friend of the Buntings from Coleman, Michigan. In the Community of Christ, Evangelists are ordained to be ministers of blessing, witnessing of Jesus Christ and responsive to the reconciling and redeeming influence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of persons, serving in multiple ministries according to the unique gifts and callings of each evangelist. Rodney shared the story found in Mark 6:30-34, 53-56.
Mark 6:30-34 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
Mark 6:53-56 New International Version (NIV)
53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there.54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
He used the scripture to relate to how God touches us today and shared some of his own experiences from encounters with God in nature and through song. The congregation enjoyed singing several hymns with Rodney leading and accompanying with his guitar.