In the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast, it takes a “candlestick,” Lumiere, to remind the entire staff that their first concern is for the needs of their guest, Belle. Hospitality is a word we don’t use all that much anymore though it is a core of what makes us people of faith: making room for others, even strangers. This Sunday we’ll explore hospitality to others as well as a hospitality for ourselves.

Does God still speak? Who gets to hear the voice and where do they go to hear it? Does everyone get to hear God’s voice and how does the voice sound? And the question in many folks’ mind: “When do ‘I’ get to hear God?” I’m not sure if I can answer all these questions on Sunday but I’m going to give it my best shot… join us then.

Acts 10. I often come to my time of prayer with a list in hand. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that! After all, the Bible is pretty clear about “letting [my] requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) Still, what of these lists and talking to God; how do we do it? When do we do it? What can be on the list? And while we’re at it, what does this passage from Acts 10 have to do with lists and prayer? Join us Sunday to discover that.

This year we will do something different for Ash Wednesday! Rather than an end-of-day worship experience, Pastor James will be in the worship center from 6:00AM (yes, in the morning!) until 7:30AM. You can come by to pray, receive communion, and be marked by ashes if you wish, all before heading on to whatever your day holds.

The theme we will explore in preparation for Easter is Remember Who You Are. Ash Wednesday only marks the beginning!

Drop by on your way to work or school or wherever you might be headed to begin your day.

Luke 9:28-36. The journey of faith is a transformative experience that happens from the inside to the outside and from the outside to the inside. Jesus goes up on a mountain with Peter, James, and John and they experience his “glow.” What does this story mean for us and can we experience the “glow?” Hear about it Sunday.

John 21:15-19. Immediately following Jesus’ feeding of the disciples by the sea, he turns his attention to Peter. He asks rather pointedly of Peter, “Do you love me?” Jesus, as always, is direct. Here is one of those instances when we overhear a question that could just as easily be for us as for the disciple to whom Jesus speaks. Do you love Jesus? Do I? And if so, how would Jesus or anyone ever know? This Sunday we plunge on in John’s story of Jesus after the resurrection.

John 21:1-14. I am sorry to see the #FishStories series go. I have really enjoyed exploring the fishy stories in the Bible narrative. This week we look at the third story from John in which Jesus appears to his disciples after his resurrection. They’ve gone back to conventional fishing, that is, fishing for actual fish. Jesus cooks a meal and invites them to share. What do we learn that may apply to us this week and in the future? Join us at our new place for worship this Sunday to discover just that! Or, as always, you can join us online.

Mark 6:30-44. This Sunday we will look at the story of Jesus feeding 5000+ people with five loaves of bread and two fish- and there were leftovers! What does that #FishStory say about God or about us? What can we learn from this story?

And where will we be learning it? If you’re coming in person, we will be in our new space, 5200 Fillmore Avenue on the West End of Alexandria. It’s 1000 feet from where we’ve been meeting and 500 feet from the “original” Saint James. See you at 11-ish in the worship center!