Sermon Preview for June 7th June 3, 2026 Ru-Lee Weller Passman June 7, 2026 - Second Sunday after Pentecost Preacher: Rev. Anne J. Scalfaro Scriptures: 2 Samuel 6:2,5 2David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. 5David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. Luke 2:8-11 8Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. Matthew 2:9-10 9 When the magi had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. John 15:8-11 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. Philippians 4:4 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Quote at top of OOW: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” - Psalm 118:24 Sermon Title: Joie de Vivre First Sermon in Cultivating the Fruit of Joy Part of Abide & Grow: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit Sermon Blurb: From the announcement of Jesus’ birth from the angels: “I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people…to you is born this day a Savior,” to the magi who were “overwhelmed with joy” when they met Jesus, to Jesus teaching us to abide in God’s love “so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” to the Apostle Paul reminding us to “rejoice in the Lord always”—the Fruit of Joy is a throughline in our faith. The fact is, Jesus is all about Joy. If we truly understood this, we would join easily with the psalmist in waking every morning and saying, “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Christianity is not supposed to be dire and punishing, restricting and reductive. The point of Jesus is JOY—from beginning to end. It’s clear from scripture, that the point of life and faith is to experience Joy —what the French call Joie de Vivre (the joy of living). If that is true, what does that mean for our everyday lives? Join us on Sunday as we continue in our theme, Abide & Grow: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit and begin our study on the Fruit of Joy.