Why is There So Much Suffering?

Greetings in the Name of Jesus,

This Sunday, we are prayerfully asking our congregation to "Bring A Tithe" (giving 10% of our weekly income) as an offering. Please join Amy and me in giving a holy tithe to God’s work through our church.

What is Christian giving? Giving is our opportunity to consider what we have and prayerfully set aside according to God's leading, a percentage for our Lord because we are thankful for God's blessings. 

Let us begin praying that God will open the windows of financial provision for this special Sunday. Let us also pray for what God would have us do as a church family. Imagine, for a moment, if, for one Sunday, everyone brought a tithe to the church. Giving is voluntary. It is a spiritual act of worship between God and us. Something significant happens in our hearts when we give. 

As we come out of the summer months, we want to make sure the support for our ministries is strong. Let's see what God can do and what blessings God will provide in one Sunday. If you are already giving a tithe of your income, consider giving a prayer led offering to God’s work through Stonebridge UMC. 

In addition, this Sunday we are recognizing the army of volunteers that work in our partnership with Malvern Elementary. Stonebridge UMC is entering its 17th year of serving as the “Hearts and Hands for Malvern Elementary!”  The primary goal is to ensure that each student, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, has access to a high-quality education and can meet state academic standards. Please join us this Sunday to say thank you to these faithful volunteers. 

Finally, this Sunday’s sermon will tackle the great human struggle with suffering. Does God Really Care? Why is There So Much Suffering? We will consider scriptures from both the Old and New Testament as we search for answers. I will focus primarily on Romans 8:18-25, as a guide to our understanding of God’s great sacrificial love for us. For Christians the answer to the question of suffering is found in Christ. Christ, the eternal Son of God has lived on earth as a human being and endured hunger, thirst, temptation, shame, persecution, nakedness, bereavement, betrayal, mockery, injustice, and death. Only Jesus is in a position to fulfill our deepest longing. 

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Pastor John Allen