Excerpts from messages being presented at area places of worship this weekend.
Barry L. Vennard, minister, Unity Church of Omaha
The Unity Church of Omaha will feature Friar Justin Belitz, OFM, who will be the guest speaker at the 10:30 a.m. service Sunday. Belitz will be speaking on “Spirituality for the 21st Century.” An afternoon workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. titled “Quantum Theology for Daily Living” will follow the service.
The workshop and Sunday service will address using meditation to discern and create a focus on God’s will expressed as goals in one’s life. Belitz also will address using meditation to build faith through creating positive attitudes.
He says that if you choose goals that are appropriate for you and if you choose to create a positive attitude, you will motivate yourself to act in ways that create success.
Belitz refers to this as a contemporary approach to responsible spirituality. He says it encourages individuals to seek a powerfully authentic working balance between self-responsibility and reliance on God.
Belitz is an international award-winning lecturer and the founding director of the Franciscan Hermitage, an international, interfaith, life center dedicated to the spiritual, physical, intellectual and professional growth of people of all persuasions and circumstances.
He’s also a trained instructor in the Silva Life Systems, a human potential developmental program that is taught in more than 119 countries around the globe.
Dr. Arnold Peterson, pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Glenwood, Iowa
Mark 4:35-41
Title: Jesus, the Storm Lord
We watch the weather to prepare for storms that could hinder our plans, harm our property or endanger our life. I am impressed by the power of thunderstorms, lightning storms, snowstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes. They make me realize how little of my life is really in my control.
We talk about weather storms, but other storms can cause more harm — family storms, job storms, economic storms, psychological storms and spiritual storms. It seems there is nothing we can do about the storms in life.
Our text for tomorrow tells us that Jesus can calm the storms. But we must be with Him in our life journey. We must let Him take control of our storms and conflicts. Do you have storms that need to be calmed? Learn how to trust the one who is Lord of the Storms.
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