God's Word in Action: Ask the Pastor BLOG
Welcome to this new resource! At the suggestion of God's Word in Action (GWIA) subscribers, we are expanding this resource to include the opportunity to ask questions of our Pastors regarding their sermons, weekly Bible lessons for Sunday or any other faith/Bible based topics.
To best facilitate the question and answer process and to best share the benefits of all questions and answers with anyone who subscribes, we have choosen an interactive tool called a "BLOG". Short for "web log", the BLOG format allows for you to view the sermon summary from each weekly edition of GWIA and ask questions and view answers.
All questions or responses are welcome, but each week the staff will come up with a conversation starter that you are welcome to respond to. Find it by clicking on "comments."
How to Use the "GWIA - Ask a Pastor BLOG":
- Click the comments link under the sermon summary to ask your question.
- Scroll down to view a new "Post Comments" form is displayed below the GWIA sermon summary.
- Type a name. Even though a name is required, "Anonymous" and "Guest" are perfectly acceptable if you wish to ask your question anonymously.
- Type your email address. Also required but will not be publically displayed.
- Skip the Website field as it is NOT required.
- Type your question in the Comments Box.
- Click the "Add Comments" button at the bottom to submit your question. Your question now appears below the related GWIA edition.
- Click the <<back to the blog link to return to the BLOG and close the Post Comments box.
- Questions are reviewed and answered by our Pastors which can take anywhere from an afternoon up to 2 days in the event of questions posted on Fridays or Saturdays.
How to View Your Answer:
- Return to the GWIA - Ask a Pastor BLOG by clicking the Question Button in one of your weekly GWIA emails -OR- by visiting the All Saints home page and clicking the "view the current edition" link in the subscription box.
- Scroll down to view the GWIA edition you asked a question about and click the "Comments" link.
- This displays all the questions and answers posted for this edition.
- Once you have completed your review, you can click the <<back to the blog link and return to the complete list of weekly editions. From here you may choose to view other questions and answers posted for other edition, etc.
Questions about or difficulities with the BLOG:
Contact Bobbie Tomasek at btomasek@allsaintsphoenix.org or Gina King at ginaking@allsaintsphoenix.org
November 19 Edition: Here in This Place
There are plenty of stories about congregations that get divisive over the color of a new carpet or a paint swatch. Great fights break out and sides are chosen. It seems irrational, but change isn't always easy. And let's face it, change to a place we love and that feels like home can be especially hard; it stirs up strong feelings and opinions. And in many ways our church building is our home; it is where we gather to celebrate marriages, births, and baptisms; a place to give thanks, to pray for the ill and to mourn and bury our dead. It is a place where we rejoice in and are consoled by the word of God. We know we are not alone here. Where we worship is home to us.
But what does our building mean to the greater community and to those who do not worship here regularly? To many it represents the presence of God in this area. It is a place they can come to find a meal, to get help paying their utility bills, to look for a job, to get assistance with a resume. It is a place where the community can come to gather together after a national tragedy to grieve and regain hope. It is where people come to pray for and bury their loved ones. To some it is a building that offers programs for their children, and space for their groups and meetings.
Our church, though we may feel some ownership of it, is not just for us on Sunday. It is a place for everyone. It is a place in which we can meet the needs of the entire community by carrying out God's mission, living His word, conveying His hope and doing His work for all people.
Listen to the Audio Sermon for this week
