What was your worship experience in the last week?\u00a0 For many Christians worship takes place once per week attending a worship service.\u00a0 We are called to be in worship with God every day!\u00a0 The world seems to hold our attention!\u00a0 work, family, media, electronic devices are all distractions.\u00a0 We set aside our religion for everything else except when we attend a worship service.\u00a0 This is not how it is intended to be!\u00a0 We should take every opportunity to worship God.\u00a0 There are many moments in every day that you can worship.\u00a0 Taking a shower, eating a meal, driving your car, taking a walk, between meetings or calls at work.\u00a0 What other opportunities can you identify?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We should also worship in community with others.\u00a0 2020 and 2021 separated many of us from our church community.\u00a0 We developed online church services.\u00a0 The circumstances around us, forced us into isolation.\u00a0 However, we were not made to be in isolation, we are a social creation, we are meant to be together.\u00a0 We need to come back together in community physically and mentally.\u00a0 We need to hug, shake hands, sing together, laugh together, love together and worship together.\u00a0 Online services can be valuable to allow people to participate in the church when they cannot physically be in person, but this should not<\/strong> be the norm.\u00a0 We cannot replace the in-person experience on a regular basis.\u00a0 Some churches in the Pittsburgh area have stopped livestreaming and have asked everyone to come back in person and be an in-person church again.\u00a0 I think livestreaming can co-exist, but it should not be the go-to method every week.\u00a0 We need to make an intentional effort to bring everyone back into the church this fall after summer vacations are over, and school is back in session. Speaking of school, we found out very quickly that online school was not as effective as in class learning.\u00a0 The same is true for church.\u00a0 Work to bring your congregation back together this fall in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your life is meant to be an act of worship. Every breath, action, and thought flows from God and can bring him glory. \u00a0Praise<\/p>\n\n\n\n God everywhere and embrace the opportunities to regularly worship with your church family in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/em>And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. <\/em><\/strong>(Mark 12: 30)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/em>And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n be a living and holy sacrifice \u2013 the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Romans 12: 1, 2)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/em>Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Psalm 150: 6)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ideas for Action: <\/strong>Every morning this week, recite the Jesus Creed: \u201cHear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love<\/p>\n\n\n\n the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.\u201d The second is this,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.\u201d (Mark 12: 29 \u2013 31<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n