Tessera Materials

Opening Prayer

In your love, O God,
we find healing.
Grant that the pains of our journey may not obscure
the presence of Christ among us,
but that we may always give thanks for your healing power
as we travel on the way to your arriving kingdom.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture & Reflection

Psalm 111:1-10 NIV
Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. [2] Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them. [3] Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. [4] He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

• Here we see a phrase we've been reflecting on during our Sunday gatherings this fall. It's part of the phrase from Exodus 34:6 in which God reveals himself to Moses even as the Israelites are at the base of the mountain doing the very thing God asked them not to do in making an image for themselves. Last Sunday Curt quoted Therese of Lisieux who said, "Let me be punished by a kiss," in speaking of God's purging compassion and grace.
• Do you sense God's compassion and grace may be desiring to purge something from your heart and mind in this season of life in order to more fully trust in him and find rest?

[5] He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. [6] He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. [7] The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. [8] They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness. [9] He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever—holy and awesome is his name. [10] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

• It's not fear driven by guilt and shame. It's fear in the sense of reverence and awe. We embrace our small self. We continually live in the shadow of an unimaginable power of love inviting us to be transformed into his image whether we acknowledge it or not.
  • What practices do you keep in place in your life rhythms to keep encountering this reality that is larger and other than your own?
  • How do these practices shape you in healthy ways?
  • How does neglecting these practices potentially lead to an obsession with your own self and ego?
• NOTE: The small self is also called the relational self. It's a step of humility to place ourselves within the larger whole. And this is where wisdom is found. Every time we gather while turning our chairs toward one another to listen, love and encourage on a Tessera Sunday under the umbrella of God's love we practice placing ourselves within the larger whole. Celebrate this movement today with those in your midst. This is truly a beautiful act of worship for God's people.

Closing Prayer

Wholeness of the sick and Home of the exile,
give us grace to seek the well-being
of those among whom we live,
so that all people may come to know
the healing of your love
and new voices join to give you thanks in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Giving Update

8/1/25-7/31/26
Budget YTD Need: $37,096.70
Budget YTD Giving: $32,930.56
Variance: -$4,166.14