In nearly any given situation, it’s natural to ask ourselves, “What is required of me?” In a new job, we want to know the expectations and responsibilities. In a social setting, it’s helpful to know if we are in a casual situation or if we are in a more formal setting where our very best manners are called into play. Maybe we’re new to town, or a school, or a neighborhood… How are things done here? What is expected of me to be a good citizen, succeed in class, or be a caring neighbor? The Bible, our faith tradition, and our personal biases contribute to what we believe is expected of us as followers of Jesus. But maybe the best place to discover this is from Jesus himself. And, as much as we’d like to know precisely what the basic expectations are in certain areas of our lives, Jesus calls his followers to generosity and compassion in all areas. Jesus doesn’t ask us to just meet a list of do’s and don'ts, check off just so many boxes, or just believe certain things. Jesus asks us to give him our hearts, our relationships, and our physical and material lives - everything. To be a good steward of the abundant blessings and grace Jesus has poured into our lives, is to let Jesus have his way with our lives and possessions. Jesus expects more than our presence in church and a few dollars in the offering plates; Jesus expects us to go and do like he did… living and loving, generously, faithfully, and with an abundance of mercy and compassion. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0SI6pRv3uw

Pain, trouble, heartache and brokenness... alienation, loneliness, and loss. These things are a part of every life. Nobody likes them. In fact, it's natural to want to run from them. Many people spend their entire lives doing all that they can to stay as far away from these things as possible. Jesus, on the other hand, spent his earthly ministry with people experiencing these things to offer them hope, love, acceptance, and grace. And in the Gospel of Luke he tells the story of a father running to embrace and kiss his estranged son when he sees him on the horizon. Jesus doesn't just welcome the hurting, he seeks them out, searches for them, and runs to them with love. God's love and grace as experienced through Jesus is tireless, tenacious, and persistent. Jesus doesn't just welcome us, he runs to us. Having experienced the love of God through Jesus when we felt we least deserved it, we might look with new eyes towards the hurting and needy around us and ask, "To whom are we running?" Worship link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQXJ2c4NXAI

Just how long have you been living with that 'bend' in your life... that hurt, or anger, or bitterness? That misunderstanding, estrangement, or rift? All sorts of things get out of whack in our spirits over time, and the longer they go on, the harder they are to work out. Even if we wanted to straighten them, the crooked parts of us are so deeply kinked and bent that we don't have the power to smooth them. A woman who met Jesus in the synagogue one day had suffered a physical condition for eighteen years that had her "bent over." With his words and touch she was healed - her crooked spine was made straight! In all the ways of our crookedness, Jesus calls us to wholeness. Will you let him make your crooked places straight? Worship Link: https://fb.watch/fNAS6tuF7s/

Who do you trust most? Who would you leave your children with, share your deepest secrets with, entrust your finances to, invite to lead an important project at work? Some of us trust easily; some of us are more reluctant to fully give up control of anything that we value. Even when we take our concerns, problems, worry, and anxiety to God, we are hesitant to fully release them to God. Yes, we want God's help and peace. But it's hard to trust that God will work things out in the ways we want, with the outcomes we desire, on our preferred timeline. But God is fully trustworthy. And when we can learn to fully release our worries to God, we can grow in our ability to be anxious for nothing. Worship link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np5zKnzFDME

We each and all are impacted by the current mental health crisis in America. We either live with a diagnosed mental health disorder; or we occasionally experience a lesser degree of anxiety, stress or depression; or we are in relationship with someone who does. How do we best cope, help, and give hope as we discover anxiety in ourselves or others? When do we seek professional help? How does our faith inform and support us in the midst of difficult times and overwhelming emotions? Scripture invites us to seek help from God in prayer when we are anxious. Good advice! The Holy Spirit of God is a helper, an advocate, and a friend in times of trouble. And God often sends aid through others. When life is difficult, it's good to ask God - and others - for help. It's more than good... it's OK, it's healthy, and it's the right thing to do. On Sunday, August 14, as Union Chapel Indy continues the series, "Anxious for Nothing," The Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Chandler, pastoral counselor and therapist, will bring the message to help us understand when it's appropriate to seek professional help for our mental health concerns, how faith helps when we have anxiety and stress, and how we can be helpful friends when those around us are suffering. Join us in-person or online at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, August 14. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I_nDOkS4vw

Everyone wrestles with occasional worry and stress, but in recent years’ anxiety has taken hold in our culture in epidemic proportions. We feel it in our jobs, in our families and relationships, in nearly every area of our lives. Despite the uncertainty of the world and the pressure we place on ourselves, Scripture encourages us to release that anxiety to God. When we do, we don’t have to lie awake at night. Our shortness of breath and racing minds can be replaced by life-giving rest. We can feel a peace that goes beyond all understanding. With God, we are anxious for nothing. (Note: From time to time we each experience everyday stress and anxiety that negatively impacts our lives. There are spiritual practices that are helpful with this. We will explore some of those in this series, “Anxious for Nothing.” However, there are times when the stress and anxiety we feel is beyond what we can manage on our own. If you have any concern about the anxiety you are feeling, or concern for your emotional or mental well-being, please seek the help of a medical or mental health professional. Contact your personal physician, visit www.in.gov/bewellindiana, or call 211 for help and resources.) Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z___f1e77VU&t=2618s

Every group or community of people have words and rituals that are common to their life together. Scouts have pledges that proclaim their high ideals. Countries have national songs and pledges that unite them. Sororities and fraternities have rituals that all members must participate in to join. When Jesus was with his closest followers (the disciples), he gave them a prayer to pray that would help unite their hearts in love and point them all in the direction of kingdom living after he left them. Christian churches and communities of faith of every stripe and tradition have used this prayer in some fashion across the centuries. Commonly known as The Lord's Prayer, this prayer is learned by children in Sunday school and often prayed out loud, together, in Christian worship settings. As we examine "The Deeper Life | A Life of Prayer," we take a fresh look at this set prayer that has been close to the heart of Jesus followers for centuries. Words matter, and in The Deeper Life, words have the power to shape and guide our lives for God and for good. "So, when you pray, say" this... (Luke 11:2) Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSAe8XlOPmw

From as far back as most of us can remember, we've sought ways to take our music, conversations, and media with us wherever we go. For some of us it started with a transistor radio and change for a pay phone. And through the years we've moved through the evolution of technology to the place where we have every nearly form of communication and entertainment right in our pockets, with us 24/7. It's as though we do all we can to avoid silence. Silence has the power to unsettle us. It leaves us alone with our thoughts and fears. It offers up so many questions, and so few answers. What is there to be gained in the quiet? The Deeper Life (a life of prayer) is built on silence, but not for the sake of quiet alone. The Deeper Life is a life of quiet contemplation, purposeful silence, and intentional listening. The Deeper Life asks God to speak, and rests in the quiet to hear what God would say. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doTJaT2bDho

Expectations are powerful things. They influence our words, actions, planning, and hopes. Rarely will we put effort into cooking a meal, repairing a broken appliance, or entering a negotiation without the expectation of a positive outcome. We don't put energy into a relationship, time into learning a new skill, or effort into a team sport without the expectation of a meaningful connection, growth of some kind, or a win (at least occasionally!). What about our deeper lives of prayer? Do we pray with the expectation that God will bless us if we can check prayer off our list today? Or do we pray with the expectation that God will grant our prayerful wish list and solve our prayerfully presented dilemmas if we are diligent in presenting them properly? Scripture suggests that we pray with a thankful heart and attitude, expecting the good God we know and worship to be who God promises God will be. When we pray with alert minds and thankful hearts, we can always expect good things. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sUfWspnpUU

We learn in elementary school that big things often have even larger hidden foundations. A towering oak has a deep and wide root system. An iceberg only shows a small portion of itself above the water. And tall buildings have foundations that go deep into the ground to hold them stable and make them strong. But what of those people we see with strong faith, great confidence in God, and unfailing hope in the face of adversity? What do they have hidden away that makes them such resilient and joyful people? For people of faith, a deep and rich prayer life is what keeps them stable, grounded, hopeful, and peace-filled, in the good times and the bad. For followers of Jesus, the deeper life is a life of prayer. In July at Union Chapel Indy we explore the power and blessing of a deep and rich prayer life. Join us for worship in-person or online, Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Worship Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcOJbVw5o_w&t=3419s