Archive for the This Sunday Category


Feb 18

Sunday: State of the CommUnion

2010 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: This Sunday,Vision

Once a year we, as a church, take a Sunday morning to look back on the last year and look forward to the next. It’s similar to the President’s State of the Union address. But because the church isn’t a union, but a community, and in communion with Christ, we call it the State of the CommUnion (yeah, we know it’s kind of hokey, but after a few years it just kind of stuck).

It’s not a usual Sunday for us, and not a usual sermon for me. We usually spend more time talking about “who we are” and “where we’re going” than just what a certain passage says. The passage we’ll look at this Sunday is Acts 2:41-47. We’ll spend time talking about what it means, but we’ll also spend time “bragging on God” for what he’s done in our midst in the last year. We’ll take time to talk about what we see on the horizon for the next year — some things you’ll have heard just a bit about and some will be new to you. I’ll tell you things that have come out of hours and hours of some recent elders meetings on vision, communication, and planning — some things we’re very excited about and sense that God is in.

In short, it’s a time for a locker room talk, a family meeting. And because I love my team, my family, I love these Sundays.

As was mentioned on this past Sunday, remember that this coming Sunday we will also be having special prayer times during each of the services — either in the West Wing at 9:00 AM or in the Conference Room at 11:00 AM. Please plan to attend one of the services and the opposite prayer time, if you’re able to do both.

Want to listen to last year’s State of the CommUnion message? Stop the clamouring. It’s right here.

Jan 29

Sunday: Back to Luke

2010 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: Sermons,This Sunday

I’m excited to get back to our study of Luke’s gospel account this Sunday. Luke 16:1-15 will be our passage. Let me encourage you to take the time to read it and perhaps pray through it before Sunday AM.

I believe verses 1-9 contain one of the most complicated parables Jesus gave. To be honest, I’ve had some trepidation about preaching this passage for a while now. But there’s no avoiding it. Preaching through books of the Bible forces a preacher to deal with passages that he wouldn’t go out of his way to preach — either because they’re hard to understand, or hard to hear, or seem unspectacular, or redundant. I believe God has purposes for us this Sunday in this passage. He sends His Word out and it will accomplish exactly what He intends for it to accomplish (Isa. 55). So let’s assemble on Sunday with eagerness to wrestle with a tough parable and be changed by it.

Oct 8

Adoption Sunday

2009 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: Sermons,This Sunday

This Sunday, Zach Nielsen will be preaching for us, as we consider:

  • our spiritual adoption in Christ
  • the church’s call to care for orphans
  • opportunities for adoption and orphan care in and through DSC

Zach put together this touching and encouraging video. Towards the end, it shows the families at DSC who have adopted or are making plans to do so. Praise God for his goodness in the love and care shown through so many in our body!

DSC Video For Orphan Care Sunday from Zach Nielsen on Vimeo.

Sep 18

Next Sunday: Luke 12:1-34, Take Two

2009 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: Sermons,This Sunday

As I mentioned in last Sunday’s sermon, the next week will cover the same verses in a slightly different way.

Last Sunday we looked at the general principles in the passage:

  • Don’t Worry about People
  • Don’t Worry about Possessions
  • Don’t Wonder about His Promises
  • Don’t Wonder about “Priorities”–Seek His Kingdom

This coming Sunday we will focus in on how we seek God’s kingdom, specifically

  • …with our Speech (vss 4-12)
  • …with our Stuff (vss 13-34)

If you didn’t hear last Sunday’s message, especially because it is the first-half of a two-parter, take some time before this Sunday to listen to it. And whether you heard the message last Sunday or not, please take the time to read through the verses again before we meet for corporate worship on Sunday AM.

Looking forward to seeing you and worshipping our great God and Savior with you on this next Lord’s Day. May God’s goodness and nearness and power and truth be evident!

Aug 20

The Heidelberg on the Lord’s Prayer

2009 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: Quote,This Sunday

This Sunday we come to Luke 11:1-13, which includes Luke’s account of the Lord’s Prayer. In preparation for our corporate worship, read the Scripture passage and then ponder a few of the relevant (and so well-worded!) sections of the Heidelberg Catechism (1576):

Q & A 117

Q. How does God want us to pray so that he will listen to us?

A. First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, who has revealed himself in his Word, asking for everything he has commanded us to ask for.

Second, we must acknowledge our need and misery, hiding nothing, and humble ourselves in his majestic presence.

Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation: even though we do not deserve it,
God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. That is what he promised us in his Word.

Q & A 122

Q. What does the first request [of the Lord’s Prayer] mean?

A. “Hallowed be your name” means, Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth.

And it means, help us to direct all our living—what we think, say, and do—so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised.

Q & A 123

Q. What does the second request [of the Lord’s Prayer] mean?

A. “Your kingdom come” means, Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to you. Keep your church strong, and add to it. Destroy the devil’s work; destroy every force which revolts against you
 and every conspiracy against your Word. Do this until your kingdom is so complete and perfect, that in it you are all in all.