Sunrise Church

Sunrise Church Sunrise Church’s ministry is defined by the belief that each and every one of us is created in the image of God.

We are dedicated to encouraging people from widely different backgrounds to recognize the ways that God is present in everyone’s life.

09/07/2026

September 7th Prayer

“Without realizing it, we fill important places in each other’s lives. It’s that way with the guy at the corner grocery, the mechanic at the local garage, the family doctor, teachers, neighbors, coworkers. Good people who are always “there,” who can be relied upon in small, important ways. People who teach us, bless us, encourage us, support us, uplift us in the “dailiness” of life. We never tell them. I don’t know why, but we don’t.
And, of course, we fill that role ourselves. There are those who depend in us, watch us, learn from us, take from us. And we never know. You may never have proof of your importance, but you are more important than you think. There are always those who couldn’t do without you. The rub is that you don’t always know who.”
― Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten

We are all familiar with Fulghum’s list of the 16 things he was introduced to in kindergarten that really make the difference in life. The quote above is a reminder of who we are in our communities. When we feel as if we are an island – separated from others – it is a wonderful reminder that in so many ways, we have a significant impact on the lives of others.

There is a special event planned on Sunday, September 13th from 5:00-6:30 p.m. It is titled, “Family Night,” but it is intended for all the generations in the congregation. It is designed to include songs and a devotional time, a spaghetti supper, and “breakout” groups for the various age groups. Everyone is invited, especially families with school-age children.

The purpose of this event is to focus on supporting families in the faith development of their children. For the parents, the breakout group will present ideas for family faith development within their households. We will also explore ways of supporting families with church events.

The invitation includes anyone interested in attending. The idea is that the nurture of children and young people is a congregational experience. Church members, other than parents, help support the sharing of our faith with the next generations! ~ Vance



I have adapted this prayer from one I came across online:
Lord of our lives,
teach us to live together in love and
leap with joy in serving others.
Strengthen the good things you have begun in us,
as we seek to live and serve in your children.
In Christ Jesus our Lord, we pray.
Amen.

09/06/2026

Sunrise Church

09/04/2026

September 4th Prayer

33When Jesus saw [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus began to weep. 36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (John 11:33-36)

In the wake of September 11, 2001, Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of condolence to the American people. In that message, she offered these words of comfort: “Grief is the price we pay for love.” In this simple statement is captured a profound appreciation for the power of love.

Too often, we attempt to hide our grief and sadness. Whether it is to spare others or ourselves, it can cause us to minimize how deeply we feel about the person we love. Jesus, as in so much of his life, demonstrated how to fully live and express love for others. It was clearly not lost on his contemporaries that his weeping demonstrated “how much he loved [Lazarus].”

Being honest about and with our emotions is so important. It allows us to live the fullest lives possible and create a witness of how much love can shape our lives. ~ Vance


With the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 approaching, I began looking back at bulletins and Daily Prayers from previous anniversaries of September 11, 2001. I rediscovered that Queen Elizabeth II passed away four years ago this coming Tuesday. In 2022, I noted the following: “Grieving has been brought to the front page of every newspaper. As the United Kingdom publicly comes to terms with the loss of their beloved queen, we recognize the grief that people all around us are experiencing. I have adapted a prayer about grief, loss, and love:"

Gracious and Loving God, I pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
You know the intimate details of how deeply they are hurting, how painful the sorrow is, and what they need each day.
I ask that you bring them comfort and strength, fulfilling the promise that you are near to the brokenhearted.
Surround them with a community of people who will show them love, compassion, and care.
Help them to draw near to you in their grieving, and provide them hope and healing in the coming months and years.
Grant me the love and presence to support them today and in as many tomorrows as they need.
Amen.

08/31/2026

August 31st Prayer

31 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer shall they teach one another or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord . . . (Jeremiah 31: 31-34b)

As we move into September, there is a special event planned on Sunday, September 13 from 5:00-6:30. It is titled, “Family Night,” but it is intended for all the generations in the congregation. It is designed to include songs and a devotional time, a spaghetti supper, and breakout groups for the various age groups. Everyone is invited, especially families with school-age children.

The purpose of this event is to focus on supporting families in the faith development of their children. For the parents, the breakout group will present ideas for family faith development within their households. We will also explore ways of supporting families with church events.

The scripture passage from Jeremiah celebrates the sharing of our faith from one generation to the next. It involves a variety of ways for sharing the story of our faith across the generations. As the passage from Jeremiah so beautifully states: when the witness of God’s faithfulness is shared, it touches the heart and soul. “No longer shall they teach one another or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord . . .” ~ Vance



Lord, guide our daily living that it may be a witness to your everlasting love.
Help us to stand on the shoulders of the faithful that have gone before us.
May we demonstrate your love and grace in all that we say, do, and think!
We pray in the name of our savior, Jesus the Christ! Amen!

08/28/2026

August 28th Prayer

Back through the years
I go wonderin' once again
Back to the seasons of my youth
I recall a box of rags that someone gave us
And how my momma put the rags to use
There were rags of many colors
But every piece was small
And I didn't have a coat
And it was way down in the fall
Momma sewed the rags together
Sewin' every piece with love
She made my coat of many colors
That I was so proud of
As she sewed, she told a story
From the Bible she had read
About a coat of many colors
Joseph wore and then she said
Perhaps this coat will bring you
Good luck and happiness
And I just couldn't wait to wear it
And momma blessed it with a kiss
My coat of many colors
That my momma made for me
Made only from rags
But I wore it so proudly
Although we had no money
I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me
So with patches on my britches
And holes in both my shoes
In my coat of many colors
I hurried off to school
Just to find the others laughing
And making fun of me
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me
And oh, I couldn't understand it
For I felt I was rich
And I told 'em of the love
My momma sewed in every stitch
And I told 'em all the story
Momma told me while she sewed
And how my coat of many colors
Was worth more than all their clothes
But they didn't understand it
And I tried to make them see
That one is only poor
Only if they choose to be
Now I know we had no money
But I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me
Made just for me (Coat of Many Colors, 1971)

On Tuesday, Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80. The tributes to her life have been amazing. I heard one journalist speculate about which of her numerous songs was Dolly Parton’s favorite, suggesting perhaps “9 to 5,” “Jolene,” or “I Will Always Love You.” A longtime friend and regular interviewer said, “None of those songs. The one closest to her heart was “Coat of Many Colors.”’ The lyrics are above.

The more I learn about her life and her generosity of spirit, as well as resources, “Coat of Many Colors” tells us everything about her. She had an authenticity that always shone through. I think it was the joy that she radiated that especially drew people to her.

Joy takes into account the peaks and valleys of life. In many ways, it is how we approach life. Her appreciation for life’s deep joy was not built on an easy childhood. She knew the challenges of poverty and the blessings of a loving family. In so many ways, her life was a witness to God’s abiding grace.

After so many of your responses to last week’s sermon, I had already planned on going deeper into the richness of a joy founded on God’s grace and goodness. The many testimonies to Dolly Parton’s joyful living and giving will now also be a part of Sunday’s message. ~ Vance


Lord, help me to find the joy in each and every day!
Calm my spirit when it is troubled!
Quiet my thoughts and turn them towards your abiding presence.
May I trust you in each and every moment!
I pray in the name of your son and my savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen!

08/24/2026

August 24th Prayer

Help Yourself to Happiness
Helen Steiner Rice
Everybody, everywhere
seeks happiness, it's true,
But finding it and keeping it
seem difficult to do.
Difficult because we think
that happiness is found
Only in the places where
wealth and fame abound.
And so we go on searching
in palaces of pleasure
Seeking recognition
and monetary treasure,
Unaware that happiness
is just a state of mind
Within the reach of everyone
who takes time to be kind.
For in making others happy
we will be happy, too.
For the happiness you give away
returns to shine on you.

On Sunday, I preached about the distinction between happiness and joy. I quoted from “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World.” It is a book about a wonderful meeting between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. Both of them speak to a deep joy that transcends material things as the source of happiness.

A number of people mentioned poems that spoke to them about this distinction. I did a search today and found the poem above. I invite you to spend time with it and the passage below from Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia. ~ Vance


. . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. (Galatians 5:22-23)

08/21/2026

August 21st Prayer

1O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth!
Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted
2by the mouth of babes and infants, thou hast founded a bulwark because of thy foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
3When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established;
4what are human beings that thou art mindful of them, mortals that thou dost care for them?
5Yet thou hast made them a little less than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.
9O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth! (Ps. 8)

On Monday, I introduced the subject of the distinction between “happiness” and “joy.” There are a number of books tracing the history of happiness as well as the experience of deep joy. As I have been personally reflecting of the difference between happiness and joy this week, it strikes me that happiness has more to do with pleasurable experiences, while joy encompass the full scope of our lives!

Psalm 8 captures the unique gift of our lives: “5Yet thou hast made them [us] a little less than God . . .” What a remarkable statement about our humanity with all its triumphs and frailties! In an age where we place a premium on pleasurable experiences, it is a profound expression of our faith in God’s goodness and that we have been created in God’s image. ~ Vance


This poem is one of my favorites.
I invite you to spend some time reflecting on its wisdom:
What Is Success?
Ralph Waldo Emerson
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
This is to have succeeded.
Amen!

08/17/2026

August 17th Prayer

11”I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
12This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:11-12)

Looking back at a previous year of Daily Prayers, I discovered that in 2022 we were considering the implications of joy in our lives. I had suggested that one of the differences between happiness and joy is the difference between an activity and a state of being. For example, think of happiness as when you are doing something that gives you pleasure, and then consider joy as the way you are living. Happiness is frequently understood as pleasurable experiences, while joy can encompass the full scope of life!

The Apostle Paul is a Biblical witness to how joy encompasses all of life’s experiences. Paul continually referred to his joy in the Lord, yet he faced great hardships and danger. In fact, in his Letter to the Church in Roman, Paul offers this observation:
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope,
5and hope does not disappoint us,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

Joy takes into account the peaks and valleys of life. In many ways, it is how we approach life. So, is each day for you a gift from God? If your answer is yes, then each day is a precious gift before we ever face the events of the day. ~ Vance



Lord, help me to find the joy in each and every day!
Calm my spirit when it is troubled!
Quiet my thoughts and turn them towards your abiding presence.
May I trust you in each and every moment!
I pray in the name of your son and my savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen!

Address

3222 Middle Street
Sullivans Island, SC
29482

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 2:30pm

Telephone

+18438833888

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