Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church
“Open to the Spirit”
Rev. Hardy H. Kim, preaching
Greetings!

The days following Advent and Christmas are supposed to be a quiet time for us to recover from celebrations and to gain some clarity as we head into a new year—but the strangeness of these times continues, doesn’t it? I know that so many of us are upset and confused by everything that is going on around us. 

This Sunday, we will gather to celebrate that Baptism of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and as we affirm the ongoing power of Jesus’ baptism in our own faith community by ordaining and installing our elders and deacons to service. This declaration that the baptism by which God claims us also empowers us to know God’s will and to lead in our communities seems in stark contrast to the ways our trust in national leaders has been broken in recent days. 

Still, I hope you will venture forth in faith to be with us; so that we can put our trust in God’s saving power and not the institutions of our nation (as important as they might be). And I pray that we can also receive messages of hope from God’s word and in our prayers together.

Looking forward to worshipping with you, 
Hardy

Image: Baptism of Jesus, He Qi © 2014. All rights reserved.

Reminder:
Starting this Sunday and going forward we will be worshipping at 11 a.m. We invite you to join us for the prelude starting at 10:50 a.m.

Join us immediately following worship this Sunday for Coffee Hour

After the service is over, log on to our Zoom coffee time at:
Theme for Sunday
The Reformed tradition understands Baptism to be a sign of God’s covenant. The water of Baptism is linked with the waters of creation, the flood, and the exodus. Baptism thus connects us with God’s creative purpose, cleansing power, and redemptive promise from generation to generation.
—PC(USA) Book of Order
Questions for Reflection
  • If you have been baptized, what does it mean to you? If you have not, what are some of the reasons you would consider it? And what are some of the things that discourage you?
  • For Presbyterians, baptism is not something that is “private”—the rest of the community is always involved. Why do you think that is?
Acts 19:1-7
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—altogether there were about twelve of them.