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Church Family,

I pray that your week is blessed!

I am thrilled about this coming Sunday; we will have one combined service bringing the entire church together at 10:00 am in the sanctuary. The service will be a blended worship service, and we will continue our series, “The Summer On The Mount.” We would be thrilled to have you join us this coming Sunday to worship together! Your presence would make our gathering even more special, and we look forward to sharing this uplifting time of worship with you.

This past Sunday was a great day in the house of the Lord at St.James! We celebrated with a baptism in the second service and had a great time of worship in both services. Later that evening, some of our youth and families went out to serve at Leighton Elementary School and completed several projects to spruce up the campus. The sermon on Sunday was based on Matthew 5:21–48, focusing on the themes of sin, reconciliation, adultery, and love. In this passage, we see Jesus' call for His followers to adhere to a higher standard of righteousness that transcends mere legalistic interpretations of the law, and to examine our thoughts and motives more deeply. The sermon discussed six specific areas where Jesus reinterprets the law, stressing the importance of internal attitudes, such as anger and lust, which can lead to sinful actions.

Key points in the sermon included prioritizing peace, seeking reconciliation, pursuing purity of heart, protecting the sanctity of marriage, practicing authentic truthfulness, promoting radical generosity, and embodying perfect love. The overarching message encourages believers to reflect Christ's teachings in their interactions and relationships, ultimately demonstrating a commitment to a life aligned with God's kingdom principles. I pray that you will always be quick in your lives to seek peace and reconciliation with others and allow the love of Christ to go before you.

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

— Matthew 5:43–44 NKJV

I hope that you and your family have a safe and happy 4th this weekend!

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Brandon