10/14/2026
Faith isn’t something you just believe. It’s something you do.
That’s the heart of this Sunday’s message, “Faith and Labor,” from Rev. Geoff Weinman. Our scripture, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, is likely the oldest writing in the entire New Testament.
Paul wrote it to a brand-new congregation in Thessalonica, a busy port city where he’d been run out of town after only a few weeks. He had every reason to worry they wouldn’t make it. Instead, he opens with gratitude. He tells them he gives thanks for them constantly, remembering their “work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope.”
That word “labor” matters. In Paul’s language it means the kind of work that wears you out. Sore muscles. Long days. The effort you give when no one’s watching and you’re tired anyway. These folks weren’t keeping their faith tucked away for Sunday. They were living it out under pressure, and they did it with joy.
And people noticed. Paul says word of their faith spread all through the region, so far that he didn’t need to tell anyone about it. Their lives did the talking.
Most of us know something about that kind of labor. Raising kids, caring for aging parents, showing up for a job, a neighbor, a community that needs us. Paul reminds us that this every day, wearying, faithful work is holy, and it’s how the good news gets told.
🎶 PLUS, it’s Jazz Sunday! Our worship will be filled with exceptional music and special guests, so expect something a little different and a lot joyful. 🎶
Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has called Midtown Springfield home for generations, and EVERYONE is welcome here. Bring a friend, bring your questions, bring yourself.
📍 Central Christian Church, 1475 N. Washington, Springfield, MO
⛪ Worship: 9:30 AM
☕ Fellowship: 10:45 AM
📖 Sunday School: 11:00 AM
🌐 centralchristianspringfield.org
📺 Can't join us in person? Watch the livestream on YouTube:
Image: Norman Lewis, “Phantasy II,” 1946, oil on canvas, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York City