Unpacking the Beatitudes
(Posted November 3, 2024)
This Sunday is a special one for all of us at First Congregational Church because not only is it Jazz Sunday, but it is also our own version of All Saints Day. Yes… we honor those people who are members and friends of the church who have returned to God ahead of us, and we miss them. But the service is not really about death. It’s about life and the extraordinary folks who live on for us in meaningful and sometimes funny stories and memories. We’ll be sharing some of those tales this Sunday.
Church Services on Sunday
In-Person Service begins at 10 a.m. Facemasks are optional if you are fully vaccinated.
Watch us on Facebook: We livestream our services to Facebook. You may view them live or on demand at www.Facebook.com/DanburyChurch/videos.
The "Blessed B's"
It’s fitting that the Gospel for November 5 is made up of the eight beatitudes, shared by Jesus, with 12 apostles so that they know the sacrifice they are being asked to make in following him:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
We will unpack some of these “blessings” Sunday as they appeared in the lives of some of our departed “saints” who made our lives all the richer for the time they spent with us. See you Sunday.