River City Church - Smyrna, GA

River City Group Sunday

Josh kicks off Group Sunday by diving into Isaiah 61. The saving work of God coming to the earth in the "right now"s of life- when we are brokenhearted, held captive, mourning, and poor. The good news of Emmanuel, God with us, now. Imagine if the people of God took hold of this both individually and communally! 

Kara then transitions into presenting our Spring 2023 Groups and Group Leaders. 
Want to know more? Head over to the groups tab on our website! 

Prayers of the Season WEEK THREE: A People on Mission

Welcome back to the podcast! We kicked off this week's service with our 2023 Baby Dedication. We know it takes a village, and we are so grateful to be part of this stories with these little ones! 

Next, Josh walks us through Week Three of our POTS (Prayers of the Season) focus- A People on Mission. What would it look like if the people of God lived in their city with intention? Kingdom- minded people living Kingdom-minded lives. 

God loves the earth, and we want to be a living, breathing expression of that kind of radical love. 
Here are three ways Josh mentions you can live on mission where you are: 
Know your neighbors, serve your neighbors, pray for your neighbors. 

Scripture References: 
Matthew 28:18-20, Colossians 4:2-6. 

See you back next week! 

Prayers of the Season WEEK TWO: A People Who Serve

Join us this week as Josh dives into week TWO of our Prayers of the Season: A People Who Serve. 

Scripture References: 
Matthew 11:28-30, Ephesians 2:10, 1 Corinthians 12:4-18, Romans 12:4-8

Josh spends some time at the end of his message presenting our new High Level Volunteer leaders (HLV) and allows space for us to pray over them as a body. We'd love for you to join us in prayer as we partner with what God is doing at RCC! 

Prayers of the Season WEEK ONE: Building a House of Prayer

Scripture Referenced: Matthew 21:12-14. Isaiah 56:7

Josh walks us through our first prayer point of the season, Building a House of Prayer. What would it look like for us to walk daily with the realization that WE are the temple of the living Spirit of God? What happens on the earth when the people of Jesus realize that WE are the place God loves to dwell? As we become daily familiar with this truth, we see the budding glory of God in the mundane. 

"Prayer is a word that describes a relationship. The disciplines of prayer provide patterns for attending to God throughout the day. They open us to the divine dialogue through intentional encounter with the Trinity." - Adele Calhoun (Spiritual Disciplines Handbook) 

New Years Day Worship and Prayer Service 2023

What better way to start the year than in worship and prayer! Join us as we gather to pray around these four core prayer points as we step into the new year-
1. Building a House of Prayer.
2. Being a People Who Serve. 
3. Being a People on Mission.
4. Living with Open Hands to the Spirit. 

We closed our time by praying for each other. We are always reminded that God is best seen and experienced amongst community and we are so honored to stand with you each in prayer. We see God through you. 

Miss the service but would like to pray with someone? Email us- prayer@rivercitysmyrna.com

Advent Week 4- LOVE

Today, on our fourth Sunday of Advent, Josh dives in to Matthew 1:18-25 taking a look at the journey of Joseph amongst the nativity story. We learn through Joseph that when God is birthing something in or around us, He is always asking us to trust Him when we can't see the rest of the story He is writing- even when it costs us... and it always costs us something. We see that Emmanuel is always present with us as we say yes to God. 

 

"Speaking the name used for God (Emmanuel), Matthew highlights that God is present with His people. He doesn't intervene from a distance, but its always active, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. God's actions are aimed at rescuing people from a hopeless place, demanding that He take the initiative and do things people have regarded as inconceivable." - NT Wright 

 

Scripture focus: Matthew 1:18-25, Isaiah 7:14

Advent Week 3 - JOY

Kara shared on the theme of Joy this week as we continue walking through the season of Advent. She reminded us of two truths: (1) we are all capable of experiencing the joy of the Lord; and (2) that that is what we were created for. We can rejoice, because we are a people of hope. Joy is a part of Jesus' character. Advent reminds us that we can step into the both/and tension of suffering and joy. Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11; Psalm 146:5-10; John 15:11. 

Kara also shared a quote from Mother Teresa: "Joy is a net of love by which we catch souls for the one filled with joy preaches without preaching." 

Advent Week 2 - PEACE

As we continue to walk in the Advent season, Josh shares on this week's theme of peace. Peace conveys a sense of inner rest. It is a joining together of things that were separated, bringing things and/or people into harmony. Jesus is the prince of peace. He is the source of peace. May we lean into Him when we are at war with ourselves or others. May be rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to be peacemakers for those who are warring with themselves or others. Romans 15:1-13; Deuteronomy 7:6-8.

Advent Week 1 - HOPE

Sara Turner shares this week's lectionary passages for the first week of Advent. The theme for the first week is hope. Hope is not always easy to hold or sometimes, we misplace our hope in things that cannot sustain. It's hard to hope, and yet we do. Christ sources hope: in His wisdom and peace, in His vision of worship and life, and in purpose and meaning. Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44. 

Sara shared a quote from Noel Leo Erskine in reference to today's Isaiah passage: “This promise comes in the midst of the waywardness and idolatry of the people. The promise is not consonant with the practice and conduct of the people, but the prophet, who is able to “see beyond seeing” and somehow able to see God’s hope for the people, articulates a message that transcends the reality on the ground.”

Josh shared a variation of St. Patrick's breastplate prayer today: 

"Christ be with you, Christ within you,

Christ behind you and before you.

Christ beside you, Christ to win you,

Christ to comfort and restore.

Christ beneath you, Christ above you,

Christ in hearts of all who know you.

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger,

Christ in quiet and in roar.

Love, blessed Trinity of three,

Bound in unity

Who guides your journey.

You will arise with strength of heaven

Trusting in Your light

To guide your journey

Shine before you

Lead you home.

Power to guide you, might to hold you,

Wisdom teach you, watching over you.

Ear to hear me, hand to guard you,

Love to conquer every fear."

 

Hebrews 5

Josh continues our discussion of Hebrews in Chapter 5. The writer of Hebrews is explaining how Jesus is a form of priest - the Great High Priest - in the order of Melchizedek. Considering the qualities of a priest and who Melchizedek was, we begin to see just how "great" a High Priest Jesus is. And we are left with the same question the Hebrews community faced: if this is true about Jesus, are we building our lives as if this is true? Are we maturing in our faith and moving to "solid food" as the writer describes it? Hebrews 5; Hebrews 6:1-2.