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As pastor, I believe that Worship Services ought to be fun and reflect the joyfulness of God's Kingdom. My preaching focuses upon love, forgiveness, compassion and acceptance. I believe in God as expressed through Jesus Christ. I believe that salvation means complete and holistic healing. I believe that God loves us, accepts us and forgives us no matter what we have done. I encourage all Christians to do the same. God is committed to us and I pray that we will commit ourselves to God's Kingdom.
Your Pastor, Rev. Gary Goldman You can read some of my writings : Click this link: http://fp1.centurytel.net/OzarkAcresLiving/ “God is an imaginary friend for grown-ups!” This statement was made twice during a movie I was watching and it certainly grabbed my attention. Why? Because is has a ring of truth about it. Some people have an image of God which seems to be an expansion of their earlier belief in Santa Claus. Others see God as a father/grand-father or mother/grand-mother figure. Still others view God as a war god, taking sides in conflict, a Rambo God. But those images are not God. When we focus upon those images we are tempted to define, take sides, and control. Rather than entering a spiritual relationship with God our creator and nurturer and living in harmony with all that is, we tend to doctrinize, legalize, and idolize anthropological functions and then vigorously defend these god concepts. We fuss about prayer in schools or where the ten commandments ought to be displayed, and we separate people, and groups into categories deemed good or bad, based upon our parochial prejudices. In the Old Testament story of Moses’ confrontation with God in the burning bush, God defines Godself as YHWH, which may be translated as: “I am,” “I am what I am,” or “I will be what I will be.” God is more than we can possibly imagine, envision or explain. That’s one of the reasons that Jesus is so prominent and important in our language and symbology. Jesus we can touch and feel and understand as human. In Jesus we can understand what God wants humans to become within the context of creation and community. A definition of God would have to contain the harmony, the vibration, the expansion of the universe, both physically and spiritually. Such a definition would have to include flexibility, acceptance and the love that permeates all beings. Such a definition would include responsibility and husbandry, as well as, justice and freedom. Whatever God is, God is much more than an imaginary friend for grown-ups!
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Horseshoe
Bend is a Retirement Resort Community. Our Church reflects that population. We
are retired and enjoying our lives to the fullest. Our Church invites you to
join us in Spiritual Growth, Worship, Prayer, Study, Fellowship, Community
Service and Missions. We are always eager to welcome all folks (young or
old). We love
children, and grandchildren, and invite them and their families into our church
to meet our family. We do have fun here, and we know how to appreciate lively
noise, energetic giggles, and cute little noses.