Building Community

[The following is a manuscript of my sermon delivered on Sunday morning, the 28th of January, 2018.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

With this new year I’ve been talking about new beginnings and the original beginning of the universe and all there is in it.  Today I’d like to look at another beginning – the beginning of the church, the body of Jesus left upon the earth to continue His work.  We celebrate that beginning every year with our observance of Pentecost  The roots of Jesus’ church were planted on the day when God sent down His Holy Spirit to touch and enter the hearts of the believers gathered in one place.  The Apostle Luke records the entire incident for us in chapter 2 of his Book of the Acts of the Apostles.

The Apostle Peter gave a very dynamic and emotional speech that day to rebuke some who scoffed at the believers, not understanding what they saw and heard.  Please listen and follow along to the last portion of that speech and the results it brought, as I read from verses 32 and 33, 36, and 41 through 47 of chapter 2 of Luke’s Book of Acts, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33 Now He is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as He had promised, gave Him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.

36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day — about 3,000 in all.

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity — 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

--Acts 2:32-33, 36, 41-47 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your Holy Spirit to live within those who believe in Jesus, to be their Guide and constant Companion.  Thank You, Father, for adopting us into Your family.  Thank You for giving us Your own Holy Spirit.  Help us to maintain and grow our community of faith in service to You and to Jesus.  Speak to us now, Father, that we might better hear Your voice and know Your will for our lives.  In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus we pray.   Amen.


You know you live in a small town when:

• Third Street is on the edge of town.
• Every sport is played on dirt.
• You don't need to use your turn signal because everyone knows where you are going.
• You dial a wrong number and talk for 15 minutes anyway.
• You drive into a ditch 5 miles out of town and word of it gets back into town before you do.
• You write a check on the wrong bank and they still cover it for you.
• Someone asks you how you feel, and then listens to what you say.
• You miss a Sunday at church and receive a get-well card.

How much of that sounds familiar to you?  That definitely describes the Concord I grew up in.  No one locked their doors.  Kids were allowed to go out and play and ride their bikes anywhere without fearing for their safety.  If I got in trouble anywhere, my parents knew about it long before I got home.

It’s as if the whole town was one big neighborhood, and everyone was a good neighbor.  But even then, and especially today, a neighborhood is seldom a community.  It takes more than living side-by-side to make a community.  There must be more in common than that.


Have you ever heard of a church referred to as an Acts 2 church?  The term describes a congregation that tries to follow the example set by the first Christian church, the one the Luke tells us about in chapter 2 of his Book of Acts.  A number of things really stand out in our reading this morning of the Acts 2 church:  They gathered together in the Temple each day.  They also met in their homes, sharing meals, and the Lord’s Supper, with great joy and generosity.  And that generosity extended out into the greater Jerusalem vicinity around them, even to the point that many sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need.  They praised God the whole time and enjoyed the goodwill of the people.  But most notable of all, the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved each and every day!

An Acts 2 church builds a community of believers, a community of faith, first within itself, and then growing by adding others.  They build that community by gathering together often, by sharing meals together, by helping to meet the needs of others around them, and by praising God.  Luke gives us a little more insight into this original church, in the 4th chapter of his Book of Acts, verses 32 through 37…

32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. 34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.

36 For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. 37 He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.

--Acts 4:32-37 (NLT)

All the believers were united in heart and mind!  No fussing or bickering – imagine that!  They recognized God’s great blessings upon them by sharing with those in need.  They gave one the name Barnabas, meaning Son of Encouragement.  Doesn’t it provide encouragement to others, when someone goes above and beyond to help them?


The first church wasn’t the first to build community.  They merely followed the example Jesus set.  Listen to an event the Apostle Luke recorded for us in chapter 9 of his Gospel account, verses 1 & 2 and 10 through the first part of 13…

1 One day Jesus called together His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. 2 Then He sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then He slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds found out where He was going, and they followed Him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and He healed those who were sick.

12 Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to Him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.”

13 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

--Luke 9:1-2, 10-13a (NLT)

This is when Jesus fed the five thousand men, not counting the women and children present.  Yes, Jesus performed a miracle by feeding so many with so little.  But do you see how Jesus set the example for the Acts 2 church?

“You feed them”, He told His disciples.  Don’t send them away to fend for themselves.  Don’t turn your back on them.  Feed them, provide for their need, and they will respond by becoming part of our community of belief.  Jesus started with 12 men, He added many from the thousands that day, and He built a household of faith that spans the world today.

King David recognized how important community is to believers, in his 133rd Psalm…

1 How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!
2 For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil
that was poured over Aaron’s head,
that ran down his beard
and onto the border of his robe.
3 Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon
that falls on the mountains of Zion.
And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing,
even life everlasting.

--Psalm 133 (NLT)

Living together in harmony - building community.  We here at Pilgrim do really good on both counts.  But we can’t let up, nor can we allow ourselves to become discouraged when things don’t happen as fast as we think they should or turn out the way we want them to, for life everlasting awaits us.  The first church experienced set-backs and persecution, so we should expect no less ourselves.

We just need to keep doing what we’re doing and not get upset with one another over little things.  We need to keep gathering together as often as possible to worship and praise our Lord, and I’d love to see us have more meals together, not just Holy Communion and those we serve as fundraisers.

We should continue reaching out into the world, spreading the Good News of salvation through Jesus, making disciples, sharing His love by giving of our time and resources to help others in their hour of need.  We should keep building and growing the community of faith our Lord Jesus began.  We must let others see Jesus and His love through our service and our love, given freely to them.

We are a community of believers.  Let’s grow.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, the church of Your Son Jesus began on the day You sent Your own Holy Spirit as a gift to man, to those who would believe in Your only Son.  On that day, a new community was born.  Thank You for, Father, for giving us Your Spirit as our constant Companion and Guide.  Forgive us when we ignore His urgings and lead.  Help us to be more obedient to His commands, and to do Your will.

Please hear us now, Father, as we silently speak to You straight from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, repenting of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness…

Lord Jesus, You hand-picked 12 men to follow You and to be the foundation of a great community of believers.  As You ministered during Your brief walk on earth, You added to the household of faith each day.  Help us, Lord, to continue building Your community.  Help us to grow our family of believers.  Help us to share Your love and God’s many blessings with the greater world.  Help us to do the work You left for us.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

A Little Good in Everyone

[The following is a manuscript of my sermon delivered on Sunday morning, the 21st of January, 2018.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week, with the start of the new year, we looked at new beginnings and being a new creation through our belief in Jesus as our Lord and the one true Son of God.  Today I’d like to go back to the very beginning, our original creation, the genesis of all there is.  We need to remember where we came from, and how we came to be, so we can stay on track to where we want to go.  And maybe we can find out a little something about ourselves and others that we may not have considered before.

Please listen and follow along as I read from the opening of our Bible, from the Book of Genesis, chapter 1, verse 26 through chapter 2 verse 7, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

4 This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5 before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.

7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

--Genesis 1:26-2:7 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You created us – every one of us.  And then You gave us free will, including the freedom to choose whether we believe in Your Son Jesus or not.  Thank You, Father, for making us, and for giving us Your Son so that we might be saved.  Help us to maintain and grow our faith in You and Jesus.  Speak to us now, Father, that we might better hear Your voice and discern Your will for our lives.  In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus we pray.   Amen.


At a summer Christian camp for children, one of the counselors was leading a discussion on the purpose God has for all of His creation.  They began to find good reasons for clouds and trees and rocks and rivers and various animals, and just about everything else in nature.  But then one of the children asked, “If God has a good purpose for everything, why did He create poison ivy?”  The counselor gulped, struggling to come up with an answer, when one of the other children came to his rescue, saying, “The reason God made poison ivy is that He wanted us to know there are certain things we should keep our cotton-pickin’ hands off of!”


As Christians, I think there are at least two points we can all pretty much agree on.  God made everything.  Moses tells us as much, in the very opening of his great Book of Genesis, chapter 1 verses 1 and 2…

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

--Genesis 1:1-2 (NKJV)

God’s Holy Spirit was right there, hovering over the face of the waters, waiting for God’s command.  With each step of His creation, God noted that it was very good.

Which leads to the second point we can agree on: God is good.  God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.  So if God is good and He made everything, then everything must have some good in it!  Even poison ivy, and mosquitos, and Brussels sprouts.  And His creation includes people, so we all have some good in us, too – even Hitler and Idi Amin.  And let’s not forget all the angels, including Lucifer and his fallen colleagues.

Now, not all of those individual pieces of God’s creation are exactly what we would call good.  Yet each one was created by God to serve some specific purpose, even if it is as an example of what not to do, or touch, or eat.  And since, as the Apostle Paul tells us, God makes all things work together for good for those who love Him and follow His call, then each and every element of His creation has a purpose that it serves that works toward the good of God’s adopted children and to help fulfill His great plan.

So with all that, can we say that there is a little good in everything and everyone?  I think so, and I think it is beneficial for us if we do.  Because if we consider that everything, and especially everyone, has some good in them, then it makes it a lot easier for us to do as our Lord Jesus commands.


There was an incident when a Pharisee, who happened to be a lawyer, tried to trap Jesus.  The Apostle Matthew recorded it for us in chapter 22 of his Gospel account, verses 36 through 39…

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"

--Matthew 22:36-39 (NKJV)

Love God with all that is within us, and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  That’s what Jesus commands.  That’s what Jesus expects.  It is so important to Him that we love one another, He placed it second in importance only behind loving God.  It is so important that He issued the command over and over, such as recorded by the Apostle John in chapter 13 of his Gospel account, verses 34 and 35…

34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

--John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

Jesus wants us to love others in the same manner and to the same extent that He loves us.  How does Jesus love us?  Unconditionally, sacrificially, giving His all just for us without any thought as to how it might benefit Him.

And let’s think about how Jesus loved mankind and showed that love during His ministry on earth.  He sat in the temple on the Sabbath and waited on the people to come to Him and be taught, right?  Of course not!  He went out into the countryside, into the greater community, out to where the people were.  He reached out to everyone, and some even listened.  And He told us to do the same, to go into the world spreading the Good News of salvation through Him.  He told us to make disciples and teach them all about Him and all about love.

He wants us to do good things for people so that they can see Him in us and in our actions of love.  As John recorded, He told us that this is how others will know that we are His disciples, His followers, by the love we show for one another and for others.  He told us all this because there is a little good in everyone, and He wants all to be saved.  We do good works not to get into heaven, but because we love Jesus and want others to love Him, too.

Sometimes, though, we feel like the amount of work we need to do is quite overwhelming.  We see needs that we simply cannot fill.  The Apostle Paul tells us not to be discouraged or deterred, not to give up on our good work.  Listen to the encouragement he gave us in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 6, verses 9 and 10…

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

--Galatians 6:9-10 (NKJV)

The times when we get too tired to continue, when the work seems too much, the task too great, we need to take Paul’s words to heart - we will be rewarded.  We will reap the harvest we labored over in due season, when God’s time is right.  So we should continue to take advantage of every possible opportunity of serving the greater community, of meeting the needs of all we can, of doing good to all people, and especially to the fellowship of believers, the household of faith.


God, the Almighty Creator of all the universe made us.  He breathed life into us, into all of us.  He did not make us to be bad, to do evil, to disobey.  He filled us with His own breath to give us life.

So there is some good in all of us.  Help bring the good out in others by sharing the love of Jesus.  And help save the world.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You created all that is, and You declared it all good.  When You made us, Father, You breathed life into us.  You made us in Your own image, in Your own likeness.  You made us, Father, and You made us to be good, not bad, not evil.  But You also gave us free will and we chose to disobey You, and sin entered the world.  Forgive us our disobedience, God.  Help us to be truly repentant in our hearts.  Thank You for Your love and mercy.  Help us to see that there is at least a little good in everyone..

Please hear us now, Father, as we silently speak to You straight from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, repenting of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness…

Lord Jesus, You saw people the way God intends us to – as God’s most beloved creation.  You see us still, Lord, through a lens of love.  And that’s how You want us to see others.  You command us to love all people because we are all created by God, in His image.  You showed love to all, Lord, even the Pharisees who hated You.  You tried to get them to see the truth, but they chose to remain blind.  Help us, Lord, to love as You love.  Help us to serve out of our love, to show others Your love.  Help us to love unconditionally, sacrificially, doing good as often as we can for the benefit of the greater community, so that all might see You in action.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

New Beginnings

[The following is a manuscript of my sermon delivered on Sunday morning, the 14th of January, 2018, celebrating the New Year.  Technical difficulties kept us from recording this morning's service, but look for videos of our other services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Our Gospel writers tell us all about who Jesus is and the wondrous things He did and taught while He walked this earth, and of the great sacrifice He made on our behalf.  Paul never knew Jesus personally, not during our Lord’s ministry, but Jesus made Himself known to Paul in a special way.

I think it is Paul that gives us the clearest picture of how we who profess to be Christians should live, for we should live differently than the rest of the world.  Our lives should be more, should mean more, should show more.  Jesus Himself calls us to love everyone, not just our friends – a concept the world simply cannot get its hands on.

Why should we live so differently?  Paul tells us why.  Listen and follow along as I read from his 2nd letter to the church in Corinth, chapter 5, verses 14 through 21, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

--2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your Son Jesus died for us just so we might have the chance to live differently, to be made new by Your grace and mercy.  Help us to understand just what it means to be a new creation.  Speak to us now, Father, that we might better hear Your voice and discern Your will for our lives.  In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus we pray.   Amen.


A man's dog chewed up the tongue on one of his new, very expensive running shoes.  He hoped to salvage his investment, so he took the sneakers to a shoe repair shop.  He placed them on the counter and told the cobbler, "My dog got hold of this."

The repairman picked up the damaged shoe, looked it over, and placed it back down on the counter.

"Well, what do you recommend?", the man asked.

The cobbler looked at him and replied, "Give your dog the other shoe."


Sometimes we just need to start all over, get something new rather than try to keep the old going a little longer.  Sometimes the old thing can’t be repaired - we just need to start over from scratch.  It sure is a good thing God doesn’t look at us that way!


And speaking of running and running shoes, how many of you made a New Year’s resolution to exercise more or diet or just get in better physical shape?  Those and to quit smoking are usually at the top of the list for resolutions made… and broken.  It’s easier to make a resolution than to keep it.

Everyone has problems keeping their New Year’s resolutions - everyone.  But the Apostle Paul tells us not to be like everyone else, and not just when it comes to resolutions.  We should be different, new, unlike the rest of the world.  Listen to what he wrote to the Ephesians, from chapter 4 verses 17 through 24 of his letter to the church…

17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

--Ephesians 4:17-24 (NKJV)

People know they are weak and unable to keep New Year’s resolutions, but they make them anyway.  Worse yet, they don’t understand the Good News that is Jesus.  If they did, they could become a whole new person with this New Year.  They could get an entirely new beginning just by accepting Jesus as Lord and by recognizing Him as the one true Son of God!  But they are ignorant and blind.

Not us, though, for we have learned Christ and know the truth of Him.  We can be renewed in our spirit, putting on the new person created by God, in righteousness and holiness.  And we can do this every second of every day, not just at New Year’s.

Paul has one more thing to say about this special gift from God, in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 6 verses 14 and 15…

14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

--Galatians 6:14-15 (NKJV)

When we accept Jesus as Lord, His death on the cross marks our being crucified from the world.  We are separated from the world, a new creation, and nothing else matters!


This is the beginning of a new year, and many see that as a new chance to do things right, to better themselves, to make a change.  But family, every person in this world has the chance of becoming a new person!  Everyone can be given a completely new beginning!  All it takes is to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and accept Him as Lord.  That’s it – that’s all - just surrender to Jesus and let Him take over.

Our scripture reading this morning starts out with Paul telling us that the love of Jesus Christ compels us to live for Him.  To live differently from the rest of the world.  To not look at others in their flesh but to look at their spirits, at their hearts, the way Jesus does.  To love them, unconditionally, without regard for what we might or might not receive in return.  To reconcile ourselves with God and do right by Him in our dealings with others.  To be a new creation others can look at and marvel, to be the role model they so desperately need to see.

We who believe have experienced a new beginning, and we can enjoy that feeling over and over as we renew our relationship with Jesus.  One way we do so is by sharing Holy Communion, as we will in just a few moments.  Paul warns us not to come to our Lord’s table unless we are right with God, so take a moment during our prayer to repent of any sins and seek His forgiveness.

Another way we strengthen our relationship with Jesus is by doing as He commands, by loving others and spreading the Gospel.  Let’s help others start their own new beginning by sharing the love of Jesus and the Good News of His love for them.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your Son Jesus to the world to offer mankind salvation.  And when we accept Jesus as our Lord, You make of us a new creation.  The person we were, and all the sins we carried around, are gone and forgotten.  We become a new person on the inside, and completely different from the world.  You make us new so we can glorify You and Jesus, and so that all the world might see and be saved.  Thank You, Father, for Your wonderful grace and this beautiful gift of a new beginning.  Help us to share all this with others, so that they too might become new.

Please hear us now, Father, as we silently speak to You straight from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, repenting of our disobedience, seeking Your forgiveness…

Lord Jesus, You allowed Yourself to be beaten in our place.  You shed Your own blood to seal a new covenant between mankind and our Creator, if we would only believe in You.  Help us, Lord, to remain strong in our faith and our belief.  Help us to show the world how much we have changed, what a new creation looks like, so that they too might desire to know You and to become new themselves.  Help us help them to a new beginning.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.