This sermon series developed by Pastor Cedrick Brown at the Eastern District for churches desiring to focus on the core aspects of being a church full of vitality. (To be transparent, Pastor Brown developed a sermon series with several resources for churches. We used the graphic, the sermon texts, modified sermon titles, and the order of the eight sermons. The below sermons based on those texts were crafted by Chris Hooper specifically for First Free Brooklyn.)

Week & Date: F36 – 2023 09 03 – Vitality 1
Sermon Title: Driven By A Commission
Main Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-19
Response Category: Praise – Resurrection
Big Idea: Find renewed vitality by being a person who is driven by something greater than yourself.
Online Sermon: https://youtube.com/live/wGVJuXyeB5Y

Week & Date: F37 – 2023 09 10 – Vitality 2
Sermon Title: Prayer Is An Always Thing
Main Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-19
Response Category:
Big Idea: When prayer becomes an always thing, your relationship with God will find revitalized life and it will affect everything.
Online Sermon: https://youtube.com/live/4NLS7A2a49M

Week & Date: F38 – 2023 09 17 – Vitality 3
Sermon Title: Keeping The Right Center
Main Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 3:10-17
Response Category:
Big Idea: Keep God’s Word central which helps strengthen you and helps you and the Body continue growing.
Online Sermon: https://youtube.com/live/ljzaxhBrZQ4

Week & Date: F39 – 2023 09 24 – Vitality 4
Sermon Title: The High Impact Response
Main Scripture Reading: John 4:21-24
Response Category:
Big Idea: When we gather together the natural outpouring of a people in love with God is impactful and inspirational worship
Online Sermon: https://youtube.com/live/A9X8UWlvq-8

Week & Date: F40 – 2023 10 01 – Vitality 5
Sermon Title: Lead Well
Main Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:1-11
Response Category:
Big Idea: The call to lead is a call to serve as healthy leaders looking out for and caring for God’s people.
Online Sermon: https://youtube.com/live/c2nbEzL9AIM

Week & Date: F41 – 2023 10 08 – Vitality 6
Sermon Title: You Are Loved Here.
Main Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:15-22; John 13:34-35
Response Category:
Big Idea: Jesus said to love the Lord your God with all you heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Online Sermon: https://youtube.com/live/NcHMQGIrEfg

Week & Date: F42 – 2023 10 15 – Vitality 7
Sermon Title: Live Generously
Main Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-13, 9:1-15
Response Category:
Big Idea: God is a generous God who calls us to live generously.
Online Sermon: https://youtube.com/live/RQQQO9cJGVI

Week & Date: F43 – 2023 10 22 – Vitality 8
Sermon Title: Reproducing Life
Main Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:16-20
Response Category:
Big Idea: Healthy churches and individuals reproduce healthy churches while causing healthy growth in others.
Online Sermon: https://youtube.com/live/XnB-LQryLwE

Through this series we are doing two unique things. First, our Call to Worship times will be different every week, but will intentionally reference the three members of the Trinity. This has been a regular part of our welcome time, but we will have it shifted to the Call to Worship, which typically is also early in the service and it will be read by a worship team member most weeks. Second, we are going to use one Benediction for September (four weeks in a row) and another Benediction for October. These will be read by different readers each week, but this will allow us to become familiar with the contents of each.

September Benediction:
So now we leave this space of worship
And while so much of the road ahead is uncertain,
the path constantly changing,
we know some things that are as solid and sure
as the ground beneath our feet,
and the sky above our heads.
We know God is love.
We know Christ’s light endures.
We know the Holy Spirit is there,
found in the space between all things,
closer to us than our next breath,
binding us to each other,
until we meet we again,
Go in peace.

October Benediction:
Go out into the world in peace, and in Christ’s name be –
   the humble, who make others proud
   the poor, who have riches to share
   the weak, who help others be strong
   the empty, who overflow with loving kindness. 
And the love of God,
the grace of Christ Jesus,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you now and forever. Amen.