“Light in the Forest” our stunning chapel is reflective of our mission – simplicity, inclusivity, beauty & light. The work of the church happens collaboratively.
This Sunday: September 21, 2025
SERMON
This Sunday: The Rev. Dr. Mike Harbert
“A Cry for Mercy”
Bible Passages:
Jeremiah 8:18-9:1; Psalm 79:1-9; 1 Timothy 1:2:1-7; Luke 16:1-13
Lector: Sis Connolly
Crucifer: Mick Connolly
Ushers: Marge Moore and Bill Silva
Fellowship: Mary Jane Melvin and Marilyn Gibfried
Flowers: Sis and Mick Connolly, “In loving memory of Thomas Griffin Wilson.”
Prelude
Amelia Forstell, piano
Nocturne in E Minor, Op. posth. 72, No. 1……….Frédéric Chopin
Arabesque No. 1 in E Major……….Claude Debussy
Étude de Concert No. 3, Un Sospiro (A sigh)……….Franz Liszt
Welcome to Amelia Forstell, who has been studying piano with Barbara Ruzicka for three years. Amelia has always been homeschooled, and she enjoys learning new things. Besides playing the piano, some of her interests are learning languages, drawing, and studying psychology. She is currently working on becoming an Eagle Scout.
How’s your Greek? Or Latin?
Whether or not you realized it, every Sunday there’s a little of both Greek and Latin in our worship. The “Doxology” which we sing after the offering was historically called the “Greater Doxology,” from the Greek words for “glory” and “speech.” Among early Christians, the Greater Doxology was a hymn of praise based on the angels’ song in Luke 2, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace.” In our time, Christians across many denominations sing “the” Doxology, with words from 17th-century England, but doxologies were also part of the Old Testament and Jewish traditions.
We have recently added the “Lesser Doxology” to our worship, after the Confession. Often known by its Latin translation, the “Gloria patri” (glory to the Father) also has roots in the Psalms and the Hebrew liturgy. The early Christians added references to the Trinity, and eventually adopted Latin. The English version we use was written in the 19th century in New York by a choirmaster whose father had been an organist at Westminster Abbey.
Last Sunday’s Service
Sunday Services Archive
The Rev. Dr. Michael Harbert
Pastor's Letter
Dear CitF Family,
Last week was a very somber and reflective week, with the 24th anniversary remembrance of the terrible tragedy of 9/11, the very public killing of Charlie Kirk and the killing of a seventeen year-old by his own father. How are we to respond to all of this? I believe these words from Henri Nouwen gives us some needed guidance:
“Why has the world become such a heavy burden? I suspect that while we become more informed about the world, we become less transformed by the living Christ. The strategy of the power of evil is to make us think of life as a huge stack of very complicated issues, too many to respond to, too complex to understand, and too frustrating to deal with. The more entangled we become in issues the harder it is to recognize Jesus as the saving Lord of history. As long as issues dominate our lives, we cannot pray. Prayer is not directed to issues. Prayer is directed to a personal God who loves us and hears us: it is a cry from heart to heart, from spirit to spirit.”
Our starting place as disciples of Jesus is always allowing God to exam what’s bubbling over in our own hearts. Then God will be free to rightly order our hearts so we can become Jesus’ loving, truthful and healing presence in our world.
This week we continue our prayerful reflection by looking at Jeremiah 8:18-9:1; Psalm 79:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and Luke 16:1-13. In the heart-cry of Jeremiah, we hear of the terrible tragedy that comes when we go our own way. We hear this same heart-cry from the Psalmist. We also hear God’s call for us to cry out in prayer in Paul’s words to his disciple, Timothy. And in Luke we hear Jesus’ very confusing teaching on how to be the disciples God wants us to be.
Take time this week to prayerfully reflect on these passages. What is God saying to you? What in your heart needs to be understood and reordered? What new things does God want to do in your heart and life so you can become God’s healing presence?
I hope you will join me at 9:00 a.m. this Sunday in our multipurpose room when we’ll discuss what these passages are calling us to. And I hope you’ll join us for worship when we’ll gather to celebrate God’s loving intervention and pray for God’s truth to live in us and our world.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mike
Small Groups & Bible Study
Small Groups
These are gatherings where CitF members and friends can explore faith and deepen fellowship.
Small Group Bible Study
The Sunday Small Group Bible Study meets every Sunday in the Multipurpose Room from 9:00 – 9:40 a.m.
to discuss the scripture passages of the day.
Pastor Mike will lead our weekly discussions.
Men’s Bible Study
Men’s Bible Study will meet on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
in the multipurpose room and on Zoom.
We will be studying Romans and using a study guide by Pastor Art Ross.
For more information contact Bob Axley at rjaxley@icloud.com
Women’s Insight on Faith
Women’s Insight on Faith will meet on Thursday, September 18th from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Mia Jarick’s home. Anyone interested in joining can contact Mia Jarick at 831-917-3202 or miajarick1@yahoo.com.