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We hope your week is going well! Summer is definitely here, but you can keep cool participating in all the wonderful activities at PWC!
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A Reflection
for Your Weekend
from Henri Nouwen
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Praying for Courage
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Praying means being constantly ready to let go of your certainty and move on further than where you now are. It demands that you take to the road again and again, leaving your house and looking forward to a new land for yourself and your fellowman. This is why praying demands poverty, that is, the readiness to live a life in which you have nothing to lose so that you always begin afresh. Whenever you willingly choose this poverty you make yourself vulnerable, but you also become free to see the world and to let the world be seen in its true form. For you have no need to defend yourself and you can tell loudly what you know through your intimate contact with him who is the source of all life. But this demands courage. If you are to make real all the consequences of a prayerful life, you might well be frightened and wonder if you should dare. Then it is vital to remember that courage is also a gift from God for which you can pray.
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Join us for Sunday Worship at PWC
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This Sunday, July 12
@ 10:00 a.m.
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Make the in-person commitment to be there on Sunday!
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Praise and Worship Never Ends…..It Must Be Lived!
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Morning Prayer
with Pastor Mark
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Today, Friday, July 10
from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Also Fridays, July 17, & 24
9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
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Pastoral Counseling
with Fr. Mike
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Pastoral counseling is available at PWC
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Fr. Mike Lessard is available for pastoral counseling on Wednesdays & Thursdays at PWC. Please call the church office to make an appointment at 480-649-0300.
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At PWC
your tithing & generosity allow us to minister to so many who come through our doors with their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.
Thank you for your tithing and
commitment to PWC!
From pastoral counseling to grief support, to bible study and adult education, to providing food through Matthew’s Crossing for families who are economically struggling, to Marriage Enrichment and our funeral ministry -- your consistent giving makes a difference, a big change in people’s lives!
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Here are the different ways you can tithe to PWC:
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• Mail in your gift to: Praise and Worship Center, 2551 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler, AZ 85225.
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• Sign up for monthly giving with a credit card or voided check. Just call the office at 480-649-0300 or stop by the office.
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Blood Pressure Checks take place at PWC on the first and third Sundays of the month
from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Our medical team is providing the blood pressure checks.
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Arrive to Sunday Service prepared to hear God’s word proclaimed!
The reading for this Sunday, July 12, the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time is Matthew 13:1-9. Here is a reflection on the passage.
In Matthew 13:1–9, Jesus tells one of His most familiar parables—the story of a farmer who scatters seed. Some seed falls on the path and is quickly eaten by birds. Some lands on rocky ground where it springs up quickly but withers because it has no roots. Other seed falls among thorns that choke its growth. Finally, some seed falls on rich soil and produces an abundant harvest.
Jesus later explains that the seed is the Word of God. The sower is generous, scattering seed everywhere without discrimination. God continually offers His grace, His truth, and His invitation to every person. The question is not whether God is speaking, but whether our hearts are prepared to receive what He says.
The different soils represent different responses to God's Word. Sometimes our hearts resemble the hard path. We become distracted, skeptical, or indifferent, allowing God's message to pass by without taking root. Our busy schedules, endless entertainment, or worries can harden us to God's voice.
At other times we are like the rocky soil. We receive God's Word with enthusiasm, but when life becomes difficult or our faith is challenged, we struggle to persevere. Genuine discipleship requires roots that grow deep through prayer, worship, Scripture, and trust in God during both joyful and painful seasons.
The thorny soil reminds us of another danger. Jesus teaches that the worries of life and the lure of wealth can choke spiritual growth. Our lives can become so full of work, responsibilities, possessions, and constant activity that there is little room left for God. The problem is not necessarily that these things are bad; rather, they become harmful when they occupy the place that belongs to Christ.
Finally, there is the good soil. Good soil is not perfect soil. It is simply a heart that is open, humble, teachable, and willing to obey. Good soil receives God's Word, nurtures it, and allows it to transform everyday life. The result is a harvest of love, kindness, generosity, forgiveness, patience, and faithful service that blesses others and glorifies God.
This parable invites each of us to ask an important question: What kind of soil am I today? The answer may change throughout our lives and even from season to season. The encouraging truth is that soil can be cultivated. Hardened ground can be broken up. Rocks can be removed. Thorns can be pulled out. Through repentance, prayer, and the work of the Holy Spirit, God continually prepares our hearts to receive His Word more deeply.
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This week, consider these practical ways to become "good soil":
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- Begin each day by asking God to prepare your heart. Before reading Scripture or beginning your work, pray, "Lord, help me hear Your voice and give me the courage to follow You today."
- Spend time with God's Word every day. Even a few minutes of thoughtful reading can deepen your spiritual roots.
- Remove the "thorns." Identify one distraction, worry, or unhealthy attachment that keeps you from growing closer to Christ, and intentionally make more room for God.
- Persevere through difficulties. When challenges arise, resist the temptation to abandon your faith. Instead, allow hardships to deepen your dependence on God.
- Bear fruit through love. Look for one concrete opportunity each day to encourage someone, forgive an offense, serve a neighbor, or show compassion to someone in need.
The harvest Jesus speaks about is not measured by worldly success but by transformed lives. Every act of faithfulness, every word of encouragement, every quiet prayer, and every loving deed is evidence that God's Word is bearing fruit within us.
As we open our hearts to Christ, He continues to sow His Word generously. May we become fertile soil where His love takes root, grows strong, and produces an abundant harvest that blesses our families, our communities, and the world.
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Thank you again to all who helped out and attended our Fourth of July BBQ last Sunday! We had a wonderful time! What a great way to celebrate America!
We are looking forward to seeing you on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for service.
Please pray for peace in our world.
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Love,
Fr. Dale & Pastor Mark
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Please do not reply to this email;
the sending address is not monitored.
Please reply to: [email protected]
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Chris Pfund PhD, MBA, BSN, RN
President Homestead Health
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phone: (602) 755-4508
fax: (602) 691-0283
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Homestead Health is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to helping adults live safely and independently at home. We offer a range of in-home and virtual medical services, including concierge medicine, palliative care, transitional care, and geriatric care management. We believe everyone deserves access to compassionate and affordable healthcare.
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