EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Sunday October 1, 2023
11:00 AM

God's Sustaining Presence
​Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj,
​​Sunday’s Bulletin

Mr. John Strybos - Music Director, Organist
Soloist 

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Our Friendship and Fellowship Coffee Hour
will be held in Bodge Lounge following Worship.
​
Come and share the joy of Christ’s love with us.
​MOVIE NIGHT!
​
West Center's Movie Nights are now officially known as
The Last Saturday Movie Club
and everyone is invited to join!
September 30

Dinner at 6 PM
Walk the Line at 7 PM.
​
All are welcome, admission is free.
For more information send an email to westcenterdeacons@gmail.com.

​The Last Saturday Movie Club will meet the lasth
Saturday of each month through December (for now)
​for a Pot Luck Dinner and a movie.

Neighbors in Need
​Join us in our annual contribution to  this special mission offering,
focused on supporting justice work,
is traditionally collected on
World Communion Sunday,
​which is Oct. 1 this year.  

Bring your donation to worship any Sunday during October. You can mail a check or make a donation through your online banking service.
Make the donation to: West Center Congregational Church and put NIN on the memo line.

Tension in the Wilderness
​A Short Sermon
September 24, 2023

The gospel passage for this Sunday, Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus is revealing more of what the Kingdom of Heaven is all about. Jesus does this not only to give us some more information but to challenge us to make our own human society resemble more and more of God's Kingdom in Heaven. Jesus wants us to know that when it comes to playing out the game of life here on earth, we are to go more by God's Rules than follow our own made-up rules. God's grace is to always override our human rules.

As we go through the gospel passage the Lord has work for all of us. One of the things that emerges from this passage is the fact that time after time this vineyard owner goes back to get more and more workers. In fact, he goes to the marketplace five different times. He starts out early in the morning, and then returns at the third hour, the 6th hour, the 9th hour and for a final time at the 11th hour.

This parable might be unfamiliar to many of us, however, during that time and even in some places today, day laborers were and are a common sight in the marketplace. People gather from all walks of life seeking for someone to hire them for the day. Some of those seeking such occupation back in Jesus' day would have been slaves that their masters would have tried to rent out for the day. These would be slaves who didn't have enough work on master's place and so their masters would try to pick up a little bit of extra money by renting them out.
View the entire short sermon
Disciples that will live out the life that Jesus' death and resurrection has made possible. Disciples that have repented of their sins, been baptized by water, and infilled by God's Holy Spirit. Disciples that then go out and do God's Work. Work that includes the healing of our bodies, our minds, our souls, and our world. This means that God not only calls ministers and teachers but doctors, nurses, carpenters, bankers, bakers along with secretaries, managers, and bus drivers.

He calls people to raise animals, others to care for the environment and still others to help provide food, shelter, and clothing for those living in our world. He calls grief counselors, law officers and a million more different occupations as well.

The Great Commission is not only to save people's souls -
it is to save God's Good Creation.

If you like to know more about the call of God, please join us in our worship on Sunday at 11:00 AM.
Peace and Blessings!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
​Minister

Your donations help us  to continue with our Missions during these trying times!

Mail a check or make a donation through your online banking service.
Make the donation to: West Center Congregational Church
101 Pondfield Road West Bronxville, NY 10708

View Other Ways to donate to West Center 

​Contact us:

Church Office: 101 Pondfield Road West,
Bronxville, NY 10708
Email: westcenterucc@verizon.net
​Phone: (914) 337-3829