Bible Challenge 12/26 - 1/1/11

You did it! You completed the challenge and should be very proud of yourself! Next week we will start over and I hope you will join me again as we read through God's loves story for us!

For this final week we finish up Revelation and begin Matthew.

12/26, Sunday: Revelation 7-10

12/27, Monday: Revelation 11-14

12/28, Tuesday: Revelation 15-18

12/29, Wednesday: Revelation 19-22

12/30, Thursday: No Reading

12/31, Friday: No Reading

1/1, Saturday: Matthew 1-4

Be Blessed!

Merry Christmas!

Instead of a Friday Five this week I just want to say to my Druid Hills Family: I wish you all the hope, peace, joy, and love that God will give you this Christmas. I pray you feel the closeness of God as you bask in the confidence of knowing God loves you, God saved you, and that God travels with you in your jouney.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

January 2011 Edition of the Sunshine Herald

Here you go folks! The January Newsletter available here before you can buy it! Enjoy!

JanNwsLtr11

All I Need To Know I Learned At Christmas: Hope - Luke 2:21-35 and Luke 2:36-40

Introduction
Today we are going to continue our preaching series, All I Need to Know I Learned at Christmas, as we discuss those basic concepts that you and I need to understand as believers that we can find in the Christmas story of Christ coming to earth. Two weeks ago we looked at that unabashed, child-like joy that God has for us and that we would be wise to rekindle in ourselves. Last week we took a journey through the eyes of those Judean shepherds to see how the birth of Christ offers us a peace that passes all understanding and helps us understand the “now what” of our lives. Today we are going to look at the hope that is ours because of the birth of Jesus.

We Can All Give Hope
The school system in a large city had a program to help children keep up with their school work during stays in the city's hospitals. One day a teacher who was assigned to the program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular child. She took the child's name and room number and talked briefly with the child's regular class teacher. "We're studying nouns and adverbs in his class now," the regular teacher said, "and I'd be grateful if you could help him understand them so he doesn't fall too far behind." 

The hospital program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, "I've been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs." When she left she felt she hadn't accomplished much. 

But the next day, a nurse asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize. "No, no," said the nurse. "You don't know what I mean. We've been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back, responding to treatment. It's as though he's decided to live." 

Two weeks later the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?" Hope provided this boy the strength to fight. Hope is what Jesus brought us with His birth.

Wishing versus Hoping
As people, we wish, dream, and hope all the time. Sometimes it’s about little things like a great parking space or getting in the fast line at the supermarket. Sometimes it’s about bigger things like wishing to win the lottery, have your favorite team finally win a championship or dreaming about a promotion or a new car. And sometimes it’s about the biggest things of all, the things that really matter, like relationships and our health.

We tend to put wishes, dreams, and hopes into the same category, but really there’s a fundamental difference between them. Wishes and dreams are passive and often have no basis in reality whatsoever. That’s what so great about them sometimes. We can wish and dream about things that might have been or what could be without any consequence. But occasionally people get stuck in wishing and dreaming. You know the types. They plan to marry their dream girl but never do anything about asking her out. They talk of a career, but never go to school. They sort of wait for the universe to intervene in their lives, kind of like that “year of a thousand dreams” that took place at Disney World where they randomly select people in the park for all kinds of rewards, even a night in Cinderella’s castle.

But hope is different. Hope isn’t passive; it’s active. And it’s not based on fantasy, but rather based upon fact. Faithful people who hope, know the goodness of God’s grace firsthand. They read their Bible and pay attention to the promises. They plan on solid things based on real information. Hopers have faith – what Hebrews calls “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1). When I think of hope, I think of the hymn, “My Hope Is Built.” Listen to the lyrics: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” Folks, that’s hope.

Simeon and Anna – People of Hope
This morning our Scripture lessons were about two people you’ll never find in a nativity set, but who are nonetheless, an important part of the Christmas story. Why? Because they are tremendous people of HOPE. After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph followed Jewish law and custom by traveling from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to present Jesus at the temple. This was when male Jewish babies were circumcised according to the covenant that God made with Abraham and when their naming was made official. And families were required to bring with them a thanksgiving offering to sacrifice. Typically this would be an unblemished lamb. But for those who are too poor to afford the lamb, a pair of birds was considered an acceptable sacrifice. We get some insight into the life of Mary and Joseph when Scripture tells us that they bring the poor sacrifice of a pair of birds. And while they are at the temple, they have two unusual encounters with strangers that they meet there.

First they meet Simeon. Scripture calls him a “righteous and devout man,” and tells us that “the Holy Spirit was upon him.” He had one goal before he died – to see the Messiah, the hope of Israel. And the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen Him. This is all Simeon is living for. He hangs out at the temple every day checking out the new babies being brought in, looking for that one special infant who will deliver Israel. Maybe Mary and Joseph were flattered when Simeon searched them out in the temple and asked to hold the baby while praising God. But the flattery must have faded when Simeon started talking about how the infant would be opposed by many and would cause great pain to His mother. He even goes as far as to tell Mary, that because of this baby, a “sword will pierce your heart” (Luke 2:35). How could someone speak of such unhappy things while holding a beautiful baby?

And then before they could leave and get away from the temple, someone else approached them. This time a woman named Anna. Scripture tells us she was “a prophetess.” And despite the fact that she was “eighty-four” years old, she “never left the temple, but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.” And she too recognized the baby Jesus for who He was. She too gave thanks to God and spoke to everyone around her who would listen about how He would redeem Jerusalem.

The Importance of these Encounters
So why talk about them? What can we learn from these strange encounters that helps us understand Christmas and our lives as believers?

Simeon and Anna are significant because so early on in Jesus’ life did they recognize the true purpose behind His arrival. They looked beyond the miracle of the birth of Jesus to the true purpose behind His arrival. They looked beyond the little baby and saw the man that He would grow up to be and what He had come to do.

Simeon and Anna had been hoping for years about the Messiah, trusting that God would fulfill the promises and prophecies of Scripture. And they were vigilant to watch and wait for the Messiah and to trust in the unexpected when awaiting His arrival. The most interesting thing to me is this – Scripture tells us that they were both well along in years – neither one of them probably lived long enough to see what became of the child who was the realization of all their hopes. And yet, without any positive proof, they still believed and they praised God.

Lesson 1 – Be Vigilant
There’s two lessons about hope to be learned from them. The first is to be vigilant as we hope. What does that mean? Webster’s Dictionary defines vigilance as “staying watchful and alert.” Simeon and Anna had much in common. They were educated and well aware of all the Scripture’s promises concerning the Messiah. They were hoping and praying to see the fulfillment of those promises during their lifetime. But they didn’t wait around passively for the Messiah to come, like most of the Jews of their time. They were both “watchful and alert,” dedicating themselves to prayer, fasting and temple worship. That’s a good lesson for us today too. Like Simeon and Anna, we too are awaiting the coming of the Messiah. Only this time it is His return we are anxious for. It isn’t enough just to passively sit around and wish for His return. We stand on the promises, we stand on hope, and we can be active in our hoping. We can be watchful and alert, dedicating ourselves to prayer, worship and service in His name. You want God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven? That’s what we pray for each and every week during the Lord’s prayer. And we can be active in our hope and help usher the kingdom in through our actions.

Lesson 2 – Consider the Unexpected
Second, this morning I think we can learn to consider the unexpected when it comes to hope. While the Jews of Jesus’ time were awaiting the coming of the Messiah, most of the Jews missed understanding what was happening. This was because they had a preconceived notion about how God was going to work His redemption and what happened in Jesus’ birth didn’t match up with their grand expectations. Yet because they were vigilant and not closed off to the possibilities of how God might act, Simeon and Anna recognized it. You see, the rest of the Jews expected fanfare and got none; they expected political freedom and got freedom from sin and guilt; they expected miraculous signs and wonders and got healings for the sick; they expected a messiah who would make life easier, and Jesus grew up to talk about bearing crosses and loving your enemies. Jesus wasn’t born or lived how people expected Him to be and even He may not show up where we expect Him to either. We pray for inner peace and encounter Jesus in the midst of another struggle. We pray for healing and encounter Jesus graveside saying, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Go Forth and Hope
Those are important lessons for us to remember about HOPE, to be vigilant and to consider the unexpected. Especially when we find ourselves in one of those seasons of life that seems especially hard. When Debbie and I lived in Kentucky while she was in seminary, we thoroughly enjoyed the change of the seasons when the beautiful leaves began to fall. We even liked the snow at first, until we had to drive somewhere in it. Somewhere around the third continuous week of snow and cold wind and gray depressing skies, we two Floridians became convinced that winter would never ever end. But our friends who had already survived some Kentucky winters told us to keep focusing on our calendar, counting the days until the dawn of spring, with its flowers and sunlight. It’s easy to be reassured and it’s easy to cling to hope, where the seasons of the calendar year are concerned.

But what about the seasons of life? What about the winter seasons we go through in life when we are disappointed or discouraged; when we are filled with doubt and discontent? What about the times when God feels far away, and it seems as if He has completely forgotten you? Anna and Simeon help stand as reminders of reassurance that January will someday turn to May. As people of faith, we can build our hope upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ, for all other ground is sinking sand. When we’re troubled about today, we can hope with vigilance and expectation for tomorrow.

A tremendous gift has been given to us in the manger. We have the promise of knowing that however hopeless our current situation may seem to us, God has never stopped working in the lives of His people. We don’t always understand His plan or His timing, but God is always present. Remember, Emmanuel means “God with us.” In the spiritual winters of our lives, when we don’t necessarily “feel” God’s presence, we can stand on His promises from Scripture and we can hold fast to the manger and His Son. May God bless you with hope as you close out this year and begin your journey into another year. Amen.

Bible Challenge 12/19 - 12/25

Greetings All!

This week's journey has us finishing up James and going through 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, Jude, and beginning Revelation.

Please note there is no reading scheduled for Christmas Day.

12/19, Sunday: James 4 - 1 Peter 2

12/20, Monday: 1 Peter 3 - 2 Peter 1

12/21, Tuesday: 2 Peter 2 - 1 John 2

12/22, Wednesday: 1 John 3 - 2 John 1

12/23, Thursday: 3 John 1 - Revelation 2

12/24, Friday: Revelation 3-6

12/25, Saturday: Merry Christmas! (No Reading)

Be Blessed!

A Google Nativity Story

Greetings All!

I found this online and thought I would share with you all.


Have a GREAT Christmas!

Friday Fives

This will be the last Friday Fives of 2010. I will resume in 2011 on January 7th.  So on to this weeks items of importance.

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday we will continue our preaching series aimed at helping all of us rediscover the joy, peace, hope, and love that God intended for us during Advent. This week we will focus on the hope that the birth of the Christ child offers to each one of us. I hope to see all of you there!

2. Open House - On behalf of Pastor Debbie, Parker, Wesley, and myself, I would like to extend an invitation to all of you to our open house. On Sunday, December 19th, from 12pm-2pm feel free to stop by and see the parsonage all decorated and enjoy refreshments and fellowship. Once you have had lunch in Fellowship Hall, feel free to walk up the backyard, or drive around, and stop by. We would love to see you.

3. Advent Bible Study – Next week will conclude our three week Advent Bible Study based on the 1977 film by Franco Zeffirelli, Jesus of Nazareth. Thus far we have witnessed the Christmas story all the way from Mary and Joseph's betrothal through the birth of Jesus.  Next week we will focus on the beginnings of Jesus' childhood ministry. If you missed any of the weeks, no worries, you can always just join us this week. Remember the last class will be December 23rd at 11am and again at 7pm and it is free. I hope you will come and join us in what is always a great time of learning and fun!

4. Salty Service - A few months back I asked everyone to consider joining up together in groups to venture out and visit some of the residents in the many assisted living and rehab facilities around our church. There are many people there that get no visitors, and we are so good with fellowship, I see a need and a spiritual gift that can easily be paired up. I wanted to give everyone an update on how this budding ministry is progressing. We have three members that have reached out and began weekly visits to three different facilities. We also have a group of people that have formed to begin visits with a fifth facility. We have several contacts at area facilities, all we need is volunteers. Many people make light work. If you are willing to spend just a few hours a month visiting with people and sharing the love of Christ please contact the office and we can help you get connected. Please consider reaching out to the people in our area and let them know we care and in the name of Jesus Christ that they are loved.

5. Christmas Eve Service – Do not forget that our Christmas Eve service will be on Christmas Eve at 6pm.  It will be a candlelight service and we will celebrate the love that is made manifest in the birth of Jesus the Christ.  I encourage all of you to make this a central part of your holiday celebrations.  I am looking forward to seeing all of you there!

Many blessings to you and your families!

Bible Study Tomorrow

Greetings!

Just a reminder that week 2 of our three week Advent study is tomorrow.   We will watch a portion of the movie, Jesus of Nazareth, dealing with the birth of Jesus.   I hope you will all make plans to attend. It is never too late to join and we would love to have you!

The study will be offered at 11AM and 7PM in the Fellowship Hall.  I hope to see you there!

All I Need to Know I Learned at Christmas: Peace – Luke 2:1-20

Introduction
This morning I would be honored if you would take a journey with me. I invite you to assume whatever posture helps you feel the most comfortable and allows your imagination to take over. Take a moment and prepare yourself. Some of you may like to bow your heads and close your eyes, other may like to open your hands palm facing upwards towards the sky. Remember the goal is get into a posture that allows you to relax, listen, and imagine. Ready?

Let's Go
I am going to describe a place to you and invite you to create that place in your mind's eye. With as much detail as you can. Before we start out on our journey I want you to mentally acknowledge any distractions you have, schedules, physical or mental exhaustion, stress, whatever it may be. Take a deep breath in...hold it...let it out. Take in another deep breath...hold it...let it out. Clear your mind...empty it of all thoughts just for this moment.

Imagine you are standing on a hillside, in a grass field. There are a few rocks scattered throughout the landscape. In the distance you can see a few houses from the edge of your village. The sky is clear and it is relatively quiet except for the occasional bleat from the sheep you are tending. Personally, even though you have to constantly deal with people making fun of you because you are a shepherd, you know you are doing noble work and feel confident in your role. Your family is not wealthy and needs your earnings to survive and that is all the affirmation you need to know you are doing the right thing. You have always been the type of person that your family depends on. You have proved time and time again your reliability and dependability. And for that you are very proud.

The sun is beginning to set and you are getting ready to turn your attention to the night and making sure the sheep stay safe. You are gazing over the horizon, looking for predatory animals, hunting animals, poachers, and all other hazards that could harm or hurt these sheep. There are a few other shepherds with you. You are talking a bit with each other, but nothing other than idle conversation.

It is now night, black night. The only light you have is from the stars above. The temperature has dropped and you are bundled up trying your best to stay warm. You think about starting a fire but that means unbundling and you find yourself unwilling to do that just yet. Then you begin to notice this glow form behind you and as you turn around it culminates in a brilliantly bright light. You begin to hear a voice out of the light say, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” You are too awe stuck to breathe, must less move. As the voice fades you begin to hear a thunderous song break out, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” You almost fall backwards from the power and concussive sound of this experience. Your heart begins to beat again, slowly and with tremendous force. Your body is almost numb and you notice that the light, the voices, the music are all gone. You are left alone with only the darkness, the chill, and a whole host of questions.
As you and the rest of the shepherds try and make sense out of what just happened, little Avi, a young man and by far the newest guy on the job, leans towards your ear and whispers, “now what?”

You may open your eyes. That is the question that not only little Avi ponders, but I think many of us do as well. Christ was born, now what? People from generation to generation and from around the world ask themselves, now what?

Peace is Ours
That babe born so long ago is a gift from God. That babe, our Messiah, came so that we might be forgiven and restored. Our Messiah came so that we may find peace. Peace in knowing our salvation is assured and we have been reconciled with God our Creator. Peace in knowing that because of that baby we will be rescued from an eternity of emptiness. Peace in knowing that we are so loved, so adored, that God came to us. After all, Emmanuel means God with us.

My prayer for each of you is that this Advent, you find a peace that reassures you of your place in God's heart. A peace that makes you certain God is with you, believes in you, and has assured your salvation. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, Christ the King. And I encourage you to answer your “now what” by sharing this message of assurance and salvation with another who needs it this Advent.

Bible Challenge 12/12 - 12/18

Greetings Bible Challenge Friends!

I pray you have been able to stay on track with the holiday season in full swing. It can be difficult but it is rewarding to be able to spend daily time in the Word. This week we finish up 1 Timothy and move through 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, and begin the book of James. Here is the schedule

12/12, Sunday: 1 Timothy 3-6

12/13, Monday: 2 Timothy 1-4

12/14, Tuesday: Titus 1 - Philemon 1

12/15, Wednesday: Hebrews 1-4

12/16, Thursday: Hebrews 5-8

12/17, Friday: Hebrews 9-12

12/18, Saturday: Hebrews 13 - James 3

Be Blessed!

Friday Fives

Here are few things that I wanted to bring to your attention.

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday we will continue our preaching series aimed at helping all of us rediscover the joy, peace, hope, and love that God intended for us during Advent. This week we will focus on peace, that peace that was made known and revealed itself in the birth of Jesus. I hope to see all of you there!

2. Open House - On behalf of Pastor Debbie, Parker, Wesley, and myself, I would like to extend an invitation to all of you to our open house. On Sunday, December 19th, from 12pm-2pm feel free to stop by and see the parsonage all decorated and enjoy refreshments and fellowship. Once you have had lunch in Fellowship Hall, feel free to walk up the backyard, or drive around, and stop by. We would love to see you.

3. Advent Bible Study – This week we began our three week Advent Bible Study based on the 1977 film by Franco Zeffirelli, Jesus of Nazareth. This week we began with Mary and Joseph becoming betrothed and went through their wedding. Next week we will focus on the birth of Jesus. If you missed this week, no worries, you can always just join us this week. The class will run December 16th and 23rd at 11am and again at 7pm and it is free. I hope you will come and join us in what is always a great time of learning and fun!

4. Salty Service - A few months back I asked everyone to consider joining up together in groups to venture out and visit some of the residents in the many assisted living and rehab facilities around our church. There are many people there that get no visitors, and we are so good with fellowship, I see a need and a spiritual gift that can easily be paired up. I wanted to give everyone an update on how this budding ministry is progressing. We have three members that have reached out and began weekly visits to three different facilities. We also have a group of people that have formed to begin visits with a fifth facility. We have several contacts at area facilities, all we need is volunteers. Many people make light work. If you are willing to spend just a few hours a month visiting with people and sharing the love of Christ please contact the office and we can help you get connected. Please consider reaching out to the people in our area and let them know we care and in the name of Jesus Christ that they are loved.

5. Choir Cantata – This Sunday is our annual Christmas Cantata. Please join us as we celebrate the hope, peace, joy, and love, that is Jesus the Christ. It will be a wonderful morning of worship and song. I hope you can bring a friend and I look forward to seeing all of you there!

Have a blessed weekend!

New Bible Study

Hey Everyone!

Just a reminder that we are starting a new Advent study series tomorrow based upon the movie, Jesus of Nazareth.  Tomorrow we are going to begin with the study, "The Coming of God in the Flesh".

If you did not sign up, no worries, come on down anyway.  We will meet at 11am in the Fellowship Hall and if that does not work for you, I am doing it again at 7pm.

Hope to see you all there!

All I Need to Know I Learned at Christmas: Luke 1:26-38 and Luke 1:39-56

Introduction
This morning we are going to begin a new preaching series aimed at helping us to recognize those aspects of hope, peace, joy, and love that God so generously modeled for us 2000 years ago. In addition, we are also going to explore how that model is still active and alive right now. Today we are going to begin with joy, that unabashed, child-like emotion that God has for us and that we would be wise to rekindle in ourselves.

Have You Jumped Lately?
In my lifetime I have come to understand that the older we get, the less joy we exhibit. Now do not get me wrong, as individuals we still get happy. Just not as happy. Case in point, my sons Parker and Wesley. This week Debbie and I decided that it was time to start decorating the house for Christmas. We got out our calendars, looked at what night would be best and begin to develop a plan. No joy, no excitement. We were not unhappy about it, but we had relegated it to a chore in our mind. Just something else that had to get done. Now for the boys, as soon as they heard the word decorations, or maybe it was the word Christmas, they came tearing into the living room. We were literally taken aback by the emotion that was right in front of us. These two boys were smiling, jumping, and talking a mile a minute. “When can we start?” “When can we do to help?” “I want to do the tree!” “I want to put up the Santas!” Their joy was uncontainable, uncontrollable, and quite frankly awesome to experience. I then became very cognizant of how I had approached the decorating. I looked at it as a task. These boys were viewing it as a wonderful opportunity to see the house transformed into a Christmas wonderland, to see lights and bright colors splashed all around, and their joy and jumping about expressed that.

When was the last time you jumped? As an adult, when was the last time your feet left this earth, voluntarily mind you, and you actually jumped for joy? The only place where adults give each other permission to jump is at a sporting event, as a player scores the winning touchdown, basket, or goal. Other than that, I do not see too many adults jump. We're pretty shy about expressing so much giddy happiness that we literally jump for joy. We leave that to children. And in fact, in today's gospel reading it's a child who jumps for joy when the miracle of Christmas first appears.

Jumping Johnny!
In his first prophetic act, the still unborn John the Baptist leaped in his mother Elizabeth's womb when Mary walked in and greeted her cousin. The reason for the child's joy jump at the sound of Mary's voice was given to Elizabeth through the accompanying presence and interpretive power of the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth pregnant with a miracle child herself, recognizes that her cousin Mary is pregnant, and that she has been chosen to be "the mother of my Lord" (verse 43). The messiah himself is now before Elizabeth and her unborn child. This awesome proximity immediately fills Elizabeth and Zechariah's small home with all the joy, all the hopes, all the prayers for the redeeming messiah that the people of God have been waiting for. Redemption is at hand. No wonder the yet-to-be-born John the Baptist jumps for joy.

Jesus Is Happy!
Now I ask you to take a moment and think about every representation, movie, painting, or caricature, you have ever seen portraying Jesus. My guess is that most of you are picturing a serious, stoic, somber Jesus. Why is that? Leonard Sweet once remarked asking what evidence do we have that Jesus was always some “tall, long-locked, solemn, sermon-spouting fellow who walks as though he is treading on eggshells and whose face always looks as though he has just finished sucking on a big kosher dill.” Many of you have heard me say that my favorite depiction of Jesus is the portrait called “Laughing Jesus”. In this picture his head is cocked back, his mouth wide open, and he is giving this enormous belly-laugh. His whole face is absolutely lit up!

That is how I envision my Savior. Look at Scripture and the situations Jesus found himself a part of, the miracles that he performed. How many times do we read about people clamoring to get close to him? About Jesus being forced into a boat because there were so many people on the shore, that he ran out of land? About people climbing trees, houses, and cutting through crowds just to touch, glimpse, or hear our Savior speak? As humanity we want to be around those people that make us happy. So if that many people, time and time again, are going to these great lengths to be around Jesus, I cannot believe that Jesus was a 24/7 somber, solemn, and joy-less person.

Forgetting about the personality aspect for a moment, think about the miracles that Jesus performed. Remember the paralytic man in the Gospel of Mark that was lowered through the roof to be healed by Jesus. After being paralyzed for years, when he got up, picked up his mat, and walked, do you think Jesus just sat there? I would have to think these men grabbed each other and jumped around in circles, ecstatic at what just took place.

Remember the daughter of Jarius who died? Mark 5: 40b-42 tells us, Jesus came and “...after he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. Do think Jarius was not overjoyed to point of jumping. Surely Jesus, who so loved to have children surround him, scooped her up and swung her around in delight, for her life was a miracle. We can be here for the next several hours recounting story after story of the wondrous things Jesus did that would have had to cause joy in the people affected.

Jesus: The Joy Maker
From today's gospel text we learn that the first reaction, from the unborn John the Baptist, to Jesus' presence on earth, of God-in-our-midst, was joy. Joy so tremendous, joy so utterly overwhelming that it must somehow escape the bounds of earth itself and jump towards the heavens.

In John Ortberg's wonderful book The Life You've Always Wanted (Zondervan, 2002), he writes: “We will not understand God until we understand this about him: 'God is the happiest being in the universe' (G. K. Chesterton). God knows sorrow….but [his sorrow like his anger] is his temporary response to a fallen world. That sorrow will be banished forever from his heart on the day the world is set right. Joy is God's basic character. God is the happiest being in the universe.”

My favorite verse in Scripture is from the Old Testament, from the book of Zephaniah, not one that would typically make your favorite verse list. But I invite you to close your eyes and listen to the words: "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Think about that. God sings a song of joy over you!

Joy is part and parcel of Christmas. Whether it is sparked by any number of family traditions such as the trees, carols, cookies, or presents, all of these are expressions of the joy that was given to us with the birth of Jesus.

Even His Birth Announcement Brings Joy!
This birth of Jesus was not only a miracle but a tremendously huge ordeal for the teenage mother. Remember now, Mary, probably just entering her teens, is engaged and an angel appears to her with this unbelievable news that she has found favor with God and will give birth to the long awaited Messiah. Mary is also told that her older, previously believed barren cousin, is already six months pregnant with a son of her own. This causes Mary to travel the 70 miles or so to see her cousin Elizabeth and that is where we experience Elizabeth’s baby jumping for joy. All of this helps to bring Mary joy about this event and she responds in song with what is often called “the Magnificat.” In fact that song is what our Call to Worship was based upon this morning.

Mary found joy in this all of this. Listen to her words: “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be with me as you have said.” Mary had a deep trust and faith in God that carried her through even times when she could have questioned and doubted the wisdom of God’s plan for her. She had surrendered her life into the hands of the Almighty and trusted him to take care of her. That’s how she was able to journey into peace and joy instead of sorrow or bitterness over her upcoming journey.

Conclusion
This time of year can and does cause a whole range of emotions. This year I encourage you to find the joy that was intended with the birth of Jesus. Surrender your fears, your questions, and your doubts to the Almighty. Know that the One that sings a song of joy over you has delivered you. Delivered you from sin and death, and provided a way for you to experience joy not of this world. This joy is freely given to you so that you may be encouraged, uplifted, and affirmed. This joy is freely given to you so that you may freely give it to others. I pray you know joy this year in a way that is deeper and wider than you have ever known before.

Bible Challenge 12/5 - 12/11

We are entering our final month together in this year's challenge. If you have stayed on track then you are closing in on reading through the entire New Testament for the second time this year.

This week we will finish up Galatians, move through Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and begin 1 Timothy.

12/5, Sunday - Galatians 3-6

12/6, Monday - Ephesians 1-4

12/7, Tuesday - Ephesians 5 - Philippians 2

12/8, Wednesday - Philippians 3 - Colossians 2

12/9, Thursday - Colossians 3 - 1 Thessalonians 2

12/10, Friday - 1 Thessalonians 3 - 2 Thessalonians 1

12/11, Saturday - 2 Thessalonians 2 - 1 Timothy 2

Have a wonderful week and be blessed!

Friday Fives

Here are a few announcements and important items that I wanted to pass along this week!

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday we will begin a new preaching series aimed at helping all of us rediscover the joy, peace, hope, and love that God intended for us during Advent. This week we will focus on joy, that emotion that is very much a part of the nature of God. I hope to see all of you there!

2. Open House - On behalf of Pastor Debbie, Parker, Wesley, and myself, I would like to extend an invitation to all of you to our open house. On Sunday, December 19th, from 12pm-2pm feel free to stop by and see the parsonage all decorated and enjoy refreshments and fellowship. Once you have had lunch in Fellowship Hall, feel free to walk up the backyard, or drive around, and stop by. We would love to see you.

3. Advent Bible Study – Beginning on December 9th, I will begin a three week Advent study. We will gather each week and watch a clip from the movie Jesus of Nazareth directed by Franco Zeffirelli, and then discuss it. The class will run December 9th, 16th, and 23rd at 11am and again at 7pm. There will be a signup sheet in your bulletin this week that you can drop in the plate, or you can call the office or email me to register. The class is free. I hope you will come and join us in what is always a great time of learning and fun!

4. Salty Service - A few months back I asked everyone to consider joining up together in groups to venture out and visit some of the residents in the many assisted living and rehab facilities around our church. There are many people there that get no visitors, and we are so good with fellowship, I see a need and a spiritual gift that can easily be paired up. I wanted to give everyone an update on how this budding ministry is progressing. We have three members that have reached out and began weekly visits to three different facilities. We also have a group of people that have formed to begin visits with a fifth facility. We have several contacts at area facilities, all we need is volunteers. Many people make light work. If you are willing to spend just a few hours a month visiting with people and sharing the love of Christ please contact the office and we can help you get connected. Please consider reaching out to the people in our area and let them know we care and in the name of Jesus Christ that they are loved.

5. White Sunday – This Sunday is White Sunday. Items being requested are napkins, toilet tissue, paper plates, foam or paper cups and plastic forks.  Dish soap and 55 gallon heavy-duty trash can liners would also be helpful.  There will be wicker baskets on the front pew for you to drop off your donations. Thank you for your continued support.

Discovering Joy Wrap-Up

Greetings All!

These past three weeks have been such a meaningful time in the life of our congregation. We have explored how we can manage our financial resources and truly experience simplicity, generosity, and joy. And we have responded to all that we have learned by setting personal goals and making commitments. Two weeks ago, we consecrated our commitments of giving to support God’s work through our church.

If you have already made your estimate of giving, thank you. If you have not yet had an opportunity to do so, it’s not too late. Simply drop your commitment card in the mail, bring it by the church office, or put it the offering plate during any worship service. If you need another card, extras are available in the office and in the narthex.

We are grateful for your financial support of our church. Your giving in the coming year will make a difference in the lives of children, youth, and adults in our church, as well as in the lives of people everywhere we are in mission and ministry in the world.

Thank you and blessings on you!

December 2010 Church Newsletter

Here it is...hot off the presses! Actually as of right now it is still running through the presses! Hope you enjoy!


Dec10NwsLtr

Consecration Sunday

Greetings All!

Last Sunday concluded our churchwide worship emphasis called Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity. The final topic of our series was “Defined by Generosity.” We considered the futility and emptiness of accumulating and hoarding possessions and wealth, and we saw that God promises blessings and joy to those who choose to live a life of generosity and self-sacrifice. We also took action to change our lives by setting five specific personal goals to work toward over the next year. If you were unable to be with us, you can find the sermon message and goals worksheet right here on my blog.

Over the past several weeks, estimate of giving or pledge cards were made available during worship. On a practical level, we ask our members to turn in estimate of giving cards each year so that our Finance Committee is able to set an accurate ministry budget for the coming year. This allows us to make the most of every dollar given to the church. On a personal level, the commitment card is an opportunity for you to spend time in prayer and reflection, considering what offering you would make to God through our church in the coming year. Last Sunday we had a time of dedication as we brought those cards up to the altar rail to consecrate our commitment to God. This Sunday, we will have another opportunity to consecrate our commitments of giving for the coming year. If you were unable to attend last week’s service or did not bring forward your estimate of giving card, I invite you to do so this week. If you have misplaced your commitment card, additional cards will be available in the narthex. I hope you will join us for this meaningful time of commitment and celebration. My prayer is that you will come to experience the joy that comes from knowing that your giving honors God and changes lives!

May God bless you in all that you do!

Five Goals for 2011

Here is the take home from yesterday's service. If you need more copies or know of anyone who might benefit from this, please share it. I pray this will help you in 2011 experience the joy that God desires for all of us to have.

Enough - Five Goals for 2011

Christ the King Sunday

Yesterday we celebrated Christ the King Sunday as we walked through the Christian Liturgical Year. Several people have commented that they enjoyed hearing some of those facts.  So I have decided to post below the script that Carole and I read from.  These descriptions were written by Dennis Bratcher and published on the website, The Voice Institute. As you read through them I pray you will be moved and to a deeper understanding of our risen Lord and Savior!
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Introduction
Christ the King Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday before the beginning of Advent that starts the new Church Year. As the last Sunday of the Christian Church Year, Christ the King Sunday is the climax and conclusion of the Church’s liturgical journey through the life of Christ and the Gospel message. Its purpose is to celebrate the coming reign of Christ as King of the Earth and his completion of the renewed creation that marks the fullness of the Kingdom of God. That hope is born from the entire life of Christ and his teachings that have been celebrated in the seasons of the Church Year during the past twelve months. In celebrating the Reign of Christ the King, this Sunday also provides an appropriate bridge to the new Church Year that begins next week on the first Sunday of Advent with an emphasis on hope and expectation, the longing for the coming of the Kingdom of God amid the darkness of a sinful world.

So today we will look back at this past year’s journey with Jesus. But we are also looking forward to our journey this coming year, as we express each week our faith in the transforming power of God at work in our world, and in our Church, and in our lives to restore all of creation to his purposes.

Advent 

The royal color of purple begins the Church Year in Advent, a word that means "coming". We pace this season of four Sundays hearing again the silence of the prophets, experiencing the breathless waiting of the Israelites hoping for a Messiah. We sing the song "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" with longing, not because we seek a Messiah yet to come to the world, but because the Christ has come and we long for him to come to us again. The quiet pace of Advent is in direct contrast to the bustling commercialism of the secular holidays. And so we begin our new year in Advent, reminding ourselves that in the midst of the worldliness of our lives we need to renew our relationship to this King who has come.

Christmas

In the season of Christmas we change the sanctuary colors to White and Gold, a celebration of the purity of the infant who was born in a manger, and yet a King with all the splendor of God come to dwell with his people. Christmas Day is both the culmination of the waiting of the Advent season, and the beginning of twelve days of celebration as we rejoice in the gift of our Savior and the daily rebirth of grace in our own lives.

Epiphany 

Epiphany means "to make known," and in the season of Epiphany we remember the ways and events through which God revealed himself through Jesus Christ. The colors, white and gold, the colors of celebration, newness, and hope mark these sacred days of the church year. In traditions that only observe a single day for Epiphany, the colors are often changed after Epiphany to the colors of green. Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday before the beginning of Lent, is once again marked by the colors White and Gold.

As with most aspects of the Christian liturgical calendar, Epiphany has significance as a teaching tool in the church. The Wise Men or Magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus were the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King" and so were the first to "show" or "reveal" Jesus to a wider world as the incarnate Christ. This act of worship by the Magi, which corresponded to Simeon’s blessing that this child Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32), was one of the first indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a few.

The day is now observed as a time of focusing on the mission of the church in reaching others by "showing" Jesus as the Savior of all people. It is also a time of focusing on Christian brotherhood and fellowship, especially in healing the divisions of prejudice and bigotry that we all too often create between God’s children.

Lent 

With the ashes on our heads after the service of Ash Wednesday, the sanctuary colors for Lent turn to a somber Purple and to Black at the end of the Passion Week. Throughout the six weeks of Lent we pace the length of Jesus’ three years of ministry. Throughout the weeks we relearn the faces and names of people who, like you and me, were sometimes faithful and sometimes selfish; people who heard the good news and responded and others who laughed and scorned; men, women, and children who heard Jesus’ words and watched his life and came hungry and were fulfilled, or who walked away because they could not use him for their own ends.

It is a long season, a season that calls us to stop and take a look at our life in the light of Christlikeness, and humble ourselves before our God who says to us gently, "Come, let us talk this over. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing to obey, you shall eat the good things of the earth." (Isaiah 1:18-19 NJB)

Holy Week

The season of Lent culminates in "Passion Week," from a Latin word that means "to suffer." Starting with Palm Sunday and the joyful entry of Israel’s Messiah-King into Jerusalem, it ends with that very same crowd yelling "Crucify him, crucify him." In between these two days, the week’s events are remembered with various services that pace the Passion Week: A Seder meal, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Tenebrae, and the Holy Saturday Vigil.

Easter

Morning dawns and Mary Magdalene weeps at the tomb until she is told the good news "He is not dead! He has risen!" And that call echoes down through the centuries as Christians around the world joyfully cry out "Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen indeed!" year after year on the highest and holiest day of the Christian calendar.

Easter lilies adorn the sanctuary, the colors change to the brightness of White and Gold to portray the purity and kingliness of our Risen Savior. There is no joy compared to an Easter Sunday after the solemn pace of Lent. Three days before we buried our beloved Jesus; today He lives! We wept with Peter on the night he was crucified, and on Easter we are awed anew by the great news that He Lives!

And the fifty days of Easter ring jubilantly with the new life and new hope that the Risen Savior brings to us, to our world, and to all peoples who open their hearts to him. We listen in on the conversations of the disciples as they struggle to wrap their human hearts and minds around this new revelation. We watch as those who previously had persecuted the people of God now fall on their knees in awe and wonder. We experience anew for ourselves in this season the freedom and joy and the power, strength, and life that is our heritage as the people of God.

Pentecost

The Red of flames is the sanctuary color of Pentecost as we remember the great rushing wind and the dancing flames like fire, and the words of Jesus, baptizing his disciples with the Holy Fire of the Spirit. The disciples and followers of Jesus were one moment huddled in fear in a small upper room. Then the Holy Spirit came in power and they rushed out of the building and into the streets, telling everyone about the good news in ways that all could understand. Today? Well, one day we are ordinary people, the next we are his evangelists, and pastors, and healers, and mercy-bringers, and the Body of Christ, redeemed by his blood, one in ministry to the entire world.

Christ the King/Eucharist

It is Christ the Savior-Shepherd-King who presides over the Eucharist table. At the Eucharist table we can all gather, "neither Jew nor Greek, male or female, slave or free", but one in Christ. Here we can all come freely to experience and to participate in this means of grace that visibly exhibits the heart and mind of our Creator, our Savior, and our Sustainer.

On this "Christ the King" Sunday we are reminded that God is with us through all the seasons of life as the writer of Ecclesiastes so poignantly reminds us. Next time you gather around the table may you feel the freedom, the joy, the strength of Jesus’ presence in your spirit. Remember his words, "Look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time." (Matthew 28:20 NJB)

Enough: Defined by Generosity 1 Timothy 6:17-19 and Proverbs 11:24-25

Introduction
Two weeks ago we began our preaching series on the idea of discovering joy through simplicity and generosity. We have focused out time looking at how God calls us to find joy and not to be controlled by money or material possessions. Two weeks ago we looked at how dreams can become nightmares, specifically how the pursuit of the “American Dream” can ruin a person's life. Last week we looked at a few practices we can adopt financially to help us find that wisdom and contentment that God desires for us to have. Today, as we conclude this series, we are going to look at what defines our life, how the Bible promises both God's blessings and joy for those who choose to live God's way, and five specific personal goals we can all work toward over the next year.

Would You Give?
As the story goes, the elementary Sunday school teacher wanted to talk about giving with her class. She asked her eight eager 10-year-olds if they would give $1,000,000 to the missionaries. “YES!” they all screamed!! “Would you give $1,000?” Again they shouted “YES!” “How about $100?” “Oh, YES we would!” they all agreed!! “Would you give just a dollar to the missionaries?” she asked. The boys exclaimed “YES!” just as before except for Johnnie. “Johnnie,” the teacher said as she noticed the boy clutching his pocket, “why didn’t you say 'YES’ this time?” “Well,” he stammered, “I HAVE a dollar.

Theology as a Reason for Giving
Giving in principle is easy. Giving in reality can be more of a challenge. However, we are all called to give. God created us with the willingness to give—to God and to others. This design is part of our makeup; we actually have the need to be generous. Yet there are two voices that “war” against our God-given impulse toward generosity, tempting us to keep or hoard what we have.

• One is the voice of fear.

Fear, of what might happen to us, along with a misplaced idea about the true source of our security, keeps us from being generous and leads us to hoard what we have. The truth is that hoarding offers us no real security in this world.

• The other is the voice of self-gratification.

Our culture tells us that our lives consist in the abundance of our possessions and pleasurable experiences. So we find ourselves thinking, If I give, there won’t be enough left for me.

That makes our goal clear. We need to defeat those voices. When we give our lives to Christ, invite him to be Lord, and allow the Holy Spirit to begin changing us from the inside out, we find that our fears begin to dissipate and our aim in life shifts from seeking personal pleasure to pleasing God and caring for others. Although we still may wrestle with the voices from time to time, we are able to silence them more readily and effectively the more we grow in Christ. And the more we grow in Christ, realizing that our lives belong to him, the more generous we become. Because generosity is a fruit of spiritual growth.

Scripture as a Reason for Giving
That theology of giving is just the beginning, the premise. Scripture calls us to give.

• We find more joy in doing things for other people and for God than we ever did in doing things for ourselves. (Acts 20:35)

• In the very act of losing our lives, we find life. (Matthew 16:25)

• Life is a gift, and everything belongs to God. (Psalm 24:1; Leviticus 25:23)

Do you see how these passages not only show us it is a good idea but show us the way to God-given joy? They show us that giving is not something to be feared, but rather embraced, championed, pursued. We were created to give, we are called to give.

The Affect Giving Has on Humanity
And when we give, our hearts are changed. When we are generous—to God and to our families, friends, neighbors, and others who are in need—our hearts are filled with joy. They are enlarged by the very act of giving. When we give generously, we become more generous.

The Affect Humanity's Giving Has on God
This generosity not only affects those we share with, it affects God! From the earliest biblical times, the primary way people worshipped God was by building an altar and offering the fruit of one’s labors upon it to God. They would burn the sacrifice of an animal or grain as a way of expressing their gratitude, devotion, and desire to honor God. The scent of the offering was said to be pleasing to God. It wasn’t that God loved the smell of burnt meat and grain. Rather, God saw that people were giving a gift that expressed love, faith, and the desire to please and honor God; and this moved God’s heart. When given in this spirit, our offerings bless the Lord.

They also cause a reaction from God. Luke 6:38 tells us, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

From the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, when the servants that were entrusted with the numerous talents used them wisely they were told, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!...For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.”

When you are generous with the blessings given to you by God, and everything you have is from God, God will have you share in God's happiness. But I want to offer you a word of caution here. Many Christians get something wrong here. They say that if you give, then God will give more back to you. But that is not how it works. We do not give to God so that we can get something in return. The amazing thing is that when we give to God and to others, the blessings just seem to come back to us. Of course, there is no guarantee that if you tithe you will never lose your job or never have other bad things happen to you. Nevertheless, when we give generously, the unmistakable blessings of God flow into our lives.

Biblical Guidelines for Giving
Understanding now the reasons to give, the affect our giving has on us and on God, I want us to turn our attention to how we are to give. From the early days of the Old Testament, God’s people observed the practice of giving some portion of the best of what they had to God. A gift offered to God was called the first fruits or the tithe, and it equaled one-tenth of one’s flocks or crops or income. Abraham was the first to give a tithe or tenth as recorded in Genesis. That same book also records Jacob vowing to give a tenth of all that he owned. Leviticus records God's commandments being giving to Moses for the Israelites saying that a tithe of everything belongs to the Lord.

• Giving a tithe.

As Christians who live under the new covenant, we are not bound by the Law of Moses; but we do look to it as a guide. Yet most Christians agree that the tithe is a good guideline for our lives, and one that is pleasing to God. (“Tithing and the Ten Apples.”) Though tithing can be a struggle, it is possible at virtually every income level. If you cannot tithe right away, take a step in that direction. Perhaps you can give 2 percent or 5 percent or 7 percent. God understands where you are, and God will help you make the adjustments necessary for you to become more and more generous.

• Giving beyond the tithe.

Tithing is a floor, not a ceiling. God calls us to grow beyond the tithe. We should strive to set aside an additional percentage of our income as offerings for other things that are important to us, such as mission projects, schools, church building funds, and other nonprofit organizations.

Do not fear the practice of tithing. Malachi 3:10 tells us, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

Will You Do It?
I encourage you to take this step of faith. God calls all of us to give. God created us to give. When we act responsibly with our money we are not robbing ourselves of pleasure, we are granting ourselves the opportunity for joy. God does not want you to have to deal with the burden and stress of debt. Take steps now to free yourself, following some of the principles we talked about these past several weeks. Seek God's joy, take steps to experience God's joy. It is there for you!

Bible Challenge 11/21 - 11/27

Greetings All!

This week our challenge has us finish Acts, move through Romans and begin 1 Corinthians. We are reading about the beginnings of the early church and one of our greatest Biblical heroes, Paul.

11/21, Sunday: Acts 20-23

11/22, Monday: Acts 24-27

11/23, Tuesday: Acts 28 - Romans 3

11/24, Wednesday: Romans 4-7

11/25, Thursday: Romans 8-11

11/26, Friday: Romans 12-15

11/27, Saturday: Romans 16 - 1 Corinthians 3

Be Blessed!

Friday Fives

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday brings our final topic in the series: "Defined by Generosity."  What defines your life?  Is it wealth?  Belongings?  Faith?  Some of us live with a scarcity mentality, worried that we must gather and hoard as much as possible, saving for some imagined "rainy day."  Or we focus on self-gratification.  But the Bible promises both God's blessings and joy for those who choose to live another way.  During the service we will take action to change our lives by setting five specific personal goals to work toward over the next year.  Then, we will consecrate our gifts to the ministry of our church for the coming year.  I hope to see all of you there!

2. Jordan Family Fundraiser - I am sure many of you are aware of the five children that lost their lives as a result of a house fire in Citra.  As a means to help this family, Reddick UMC and Chick-fil-A have partnered together for a Spirit Night.  If you go to the Chick-fil-A, located at 3558 SE College Rd, on November 23rd, between 5pm and 8pm, and bring an invitation, a portion of your purchase will be donated to this family.  Invitations are available in the office or if you contact me I can email you one.  Please consider going on this night and helping this family during this very difficult time.

3. Flag Pole Dedication – This Sunday we will dedicate a flag pole that has been erected outside of the office as part of the Eagle Scout project of Tucker O'Neill, grandson of Ed and Elmo Graff.  Tucker has invited everyone, immediately after the worship service, to come to flag pole as we dedicate it in memory to all the veterans who attend and have attended Druid Hills UMC.

4. Salty Service - A few months back I asked everyone to consider joining up together in groups to venture out and visit some of the residents in the many assisted living and rehab facilities around our church. There are many people there that get no visitors, and we are so good with fellowship, I see a need and a spiritual gift that can easily be paired up. I wanted to give everyone an update on how this budding ministry is progressing. We have three members that have reached out and began weekly visits to three different facilities. We also have a group of people that have formed to begin visits with a fifth facility. We have several contacts at area facilities, all we need is volunteers. Many people make light work. If you are willing to spend just a few hours a month visiting with people and sharing the love of Christ please contact the office and we can help you get connected. Please consider reaching out to the people in our area and let them know we care and in the name of Jesus Christ that they are loved.

5. Busy Sunday! – This Sunday marks a very important Sunday in the life of our church.  We will celebrate and commemorate several important occasions.  First, it is Christ the King Sunday and we will walk through all eight seasons of the Christian year during worship and learn why they are significant.  Second, it is Consecration Sunday and we will offer our pledge cards to God to ask for God's continued blessings upon our ministries.  It is also Confirmation Sunday and we will bring in six young men into our membership as they publicly profess their faith.  These are important and exciting times in the life of our church and I encourage all of you to come, bring a friend, and join us for these wonderful celebrations!

Charge Conference

Just a reminder for everyone that our annual Charge Conference is tonight at 7:15pm in the sanctuary.  We are having an individual Charge Conference so it will be a special time for us.  Please make plans to come and support your church as we attend to the business of the church.  I hope to see you all there!

Discovering Joy

We are two weeks into our three week churchwide emphasis Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity.  Last Sunday, our topic was "Wisdom and Cultivating Contentment".  We discussed several items.  First, we looked closely at the biblical principles of money management and learned how they apply to our daily lives.  Next, we reviewed some common pitfalls and cultural traps and discovered how we can avoid them.  Then, we addressed head-on our human tendency to accumulate possessions and wealth, and we discovered how to consciously change our ways.  We also provided two financial worksheets and two items to help you implement these ideals in your personal lives.  If you were unable to be with us, you can find the sermon message right here on this blog.

This Sunday brings our final topic in the series: "Defined by Generosity."  What defines your life?  Is it wealth?  Belongings?  Faith?  Some of us live with a scarcity mentality, worried that we must gather and hoard as much as possible, saving for some imagined "rainy day."  Or we focus on self-gratification.  But the Bible promises both God's blessings and joy for those who choose to live another way.  During the service we will take action to change our lives by setting five specific personal goals to work toward over the next year.  Then, we will consecrate our gifts to the ministry of our church for the coming year.

I urge you to join us this Sunday as we learn how to live a new way - as people who are defined by generosity and who experience true joy.

Enough: Finding Wisdom and Cultivating Contentment Ecclesiastes 5:10-15 and I Timothy 6:6-10

Introduction
Last week we began our preaching series on the idea of discovering joy through simplicity and generosity as we look at how God calls us to find joy and not to be controlled by money or material possessions. Last week we looked at how dreams can become nightmares, specifically how the pursuit of the “American Dream” can ruin a person's life. Today we are going to look at a few practices we can adopt financially to help us find that wisdom and contentment that God desires for us to have.

Don't Count on Luck
A young man asked an old rich man how he made his money. The old guy fingered his worsted wool vest and said, "Well, son, it was 1932. The depth of the Great Depression. I was down to my last nickel. I invested that nickel in an apple. I spent the entire day polishing the apple and, at the end of the day, I sold the apple for ten cents. "The next morning, I invested those ten cents in two apples. I spent the entire day polishing them and sold them at 5:00 p.m. for 20 cents. I continued this system for a month, by the end of which I''d accumulated a fortune of $1.37. Then my wife''s father died and left us two million dollars." Now you know the secret to getting rich. Choose the right ancestors.

Where Did All Our Money Go?
But most of us are not that lucky and to bet on that kind of luck we know would be foolish. However, we still spend money, by and large, as if we are all going to inherit that kind of money. We spend without any regard for the future. Remember the parable of the prodigal son? From Jesus’ description in Luke 15:11-16, we see that the prodigal son had the habits of squandering and spending with no regard for the future. The word prodigal does not mean someone who wanders away or is lost. It literally means “one who wastes money.” A prodigal is one who wastes money, who is a spendthrift. Many of us struggle with that habit as well. We’re not worried about tomorrow. We want it today. The problem with that kind of thinking is that, for most of us, the “famine” eventually comes. It comes when we have spent everything we have and even a little bit of next year’s income. So we use the credit card and charge it, and we go a little further into debt. Finally, we come to a place where we “find ourselves.” We have nothing left, not even any credit, and we can’t figure out how we are we going to make it.

So what can we do to help prevent this? Here are a few tips. Now most of us do not go out and just throw away huge amounts of money as the prodigal son did. But how many of us do with small amounts? We waste a dollar on this or that, and we forget where it went. Knowing there are many ways we waste money, I want to focus on two primary money-wasters that many of us struggle with. It is not necessary to eliminate these two things all together, but we should think more carefully about how we spend our money.

One is impulse buying. You know buying on a whim with no thought or consideration. This trap is especially prevalent at grocery stores but is used everywhere now a days. Here are some tips for avoiding impulse buying:

• Never go grocery shopping when you are hungry.

• Shop for what you need only.

• Make a list and stick to it; buy what you need and get out of the store!

• Wait twenty-four hours before purchasing an impulse buy.

Another tip is to limit your eating out.
The issue here is frequency. The average American eats out an average of four times a week.3 By eating out less frequently, we will have more money to save, spend on something more important, or give away.

Who's the Boss?
Can you see how these two little life adjustments can help you begin to eliminate financial stress and increase your chance for joy? We do not exist simply to consume as much as we can and get as much pleasure as we can while we are here on this earth. We have a higher purpose. We need to know and understand our life purpose—our vision or mission or calling—and then spend our money in ways that are consistent with this purpose or calling thereby showing we are in control of our finances and not the other way around. That means being clear about our purpose and calling. The Bible tells us that we were created to care for God’s creation, to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We were created to care for our families and those in need. We were created to glorify God, to seek justice, and to do mercy. Our money and possessions should be devoted to helping us fulfill this calling through the church, missions, and everyday opportunities. Being able to accomplish the greater purposes God has for our lives requires some measure of planning. Taking the time to set goals related to our lives and our finances is crucial if we are to become wise stewards of our God-given resources. I would encourage you to identify two short-term financial goals, two mid-range financial goals, and two long-term financial goals that are aimed at helping you to accomplish your broader life goals. At least one goal in each category should relate specifically to our faith.

Set a Budget/Spending Plan
One way to help you achieve these new goals is to have a budget or spending plan. If you can implement this individually or if you need to turn to a financial advisor, make a plan. A few guidelines to help you in implementing these plans with wisdom and faith are:

• Pay your tithe and offering first. Put God first in your living and your giving. Give your tithe and offering from the “top” of your paycheck, and then live on whatever remains.

• Create a budget and track your expenses. Creating a budget is simply developing a plan in which you tell your money what you want it to do. Tracking your expenses with a budget is like getting on the scales: It allows you to see how you are doing and motivates you to be more careful with your expenditures.

• Simplify your lifestyle (live below your means). This discipline is critical to the success of any financial plan and will be discussed in a moment.

• Establish an emergency fund. An emergency fund is an account separate from checking or long-term savings that is set aside specifically for emergencies. Financial Advisor, Dave Ramsey recommends beginning with $1,000 and building that to three months’ worth of income.4 When you have this amount, you won’t need to use your credit cards anymore.

• Pay off your credit cards, use cash/debit cards for purchases, and use credit wisely. As you are building your emergency fund, begin to pay off your credit card debt and start using cash or debit cards for purchases. Some experts suggest starting with the credit card that has the highest interest rate. Others suggest paying down the smallest debt first, experiencing that victory, and applying your payments from the first card to the second, and so on, creating a snowball effect to pay off the cards as soon as possible. Cut up your cards as you pay them down so that you are not trapped or leveraged by your future for present-day pleasure, as the prodigal son was. If you must use a credit card, such as when traveling or making purchases online, be sure to pay off the debt monthly. If you are unable to do this, then it is better for you to cut up your cards and stop using them altogether.

• Practice long-term savings and investing habits. Saving money is the number-one wise money management principle everyone should practice. We do not save merely for the sake of saving. There is a word for that: hoarding. Hoarding is frowned upon in the Bible as the practice of fools and those who fail to understand the purpose of life. Saving, on the other hand, is meant to be purposeful. There are three types of savings we should have: 1) emergency savings, 2) savings for wants and goals, and 3) retirement savings.

Are You Content?
All of these tips are meant as a means to help you find wisdom. They are practical ideas that we can apply to our lives so that we can find joy through simplicity. One reason we struggle with this wisdom and why we have trouble applying it, is that we tell ourselves we are not content and some people are even perennially discontent.

• When Discontentment Is a Virtue. There is a certain discontent that God intended us to have causing us to seek the only One who can fully satisfy us. We are meant to yearn to know God more, to cultivate a deeper prayer life, to pursue justice and holiness with increasing fervor, to love others more, and to grow in grace and character and wisdom with each passing day.

• When Discontentment Destroys. The problem is that those things we should be content with are the very things we find ourselves hopelessly discontented with. For example, we find ourselves discontented with our stuff, our jobs, our churches, our children, and our spouses. God must look down on us and feel the way we feel when we give someone we really care for a special gift and he or she asks for the gift receipt. It’s as if we’re saying to God, “I don’t like what you have given me, God; and I want to trade it in and get something better than what you gave me.”

Four Keys to Cultivating Contentment
The Apostle Paul is an excellent example of contentment. In his letter to the Philippians, he wrote of the “secret” to his contentment (Philippians 4:11-12). Like Paul, we can learn to be content in whatever circumstances we may find ourselves. Four keys, which include the “secret” Paul referred to in his letter, can help us to do that.

• Four Words to Repeat: “It Could Be Worse”. This is essentially the practice of looking on the bright side or finding the silver lining. It is recognizing that no matter what we may not like about a thing or person or circumstance, we can always find something good to focus on if only we will choose to do so.

• One Question to Ask: “For How Long Will This Make Me Happy?” So often we buy something, thinking it will make us happy, only to find that the happiness lasts about as long as it takes to open the box. There is a moment of satisfaction when we make the purchase, but the item does not continue to bring satisfaction over a period of time. Many of the things we buy are simply not worth the expense. This is why it is a good idea to try before you buy.

• Developing a Grateful Heart. Gratitude is essential if we are to be content. The Apostle Paul said that we are to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). A grateful heart recognizes that all of life is a gift. Contentment comes when we spend more time giving thanks for what we have than thinking about what’s missing or wrong in our lives.

• Where Does Your Soul Find True Satisfaction? The world answers this question by telling us that we find satisfaction in ease and luxury and comfort and money. The Bible, however, answers the question very differently. From Genesis to Revelation, it tells us that we find our satisfaction in God alone. Psalm 63:1 tells us, “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you. My whole being longs for you”. Jesus said the two most important things we must do are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37, 39). If we keep our focus on these two things, we will find satisfaction for our souls and lasting contentment.

Five Steps for Simplifying Our Lives
Cultivating contentment in our lives, based on the wisdom we spoke about earlier, will help us accomplish something else, simplicity. Contentment and simplicity go hand in hand. Remember this whole series is about finding joy through simplicity. Real quickly I want to give you five ways to find simplicity.

• Set a Goal of Reducing Your Consumption, and Live Below Your Means. For example, use canvas bags when you go grocery shopping and refuse any extra packaging, buy generic when possible, set your household thermostat back when you are away. Do some research, share ideas with others, or have a brainstorming session with your family. Look for ways to reduce use and bills.

• Before Making a Purchase, Ask Yourself, Do I Really Need This? and, Why Do I Want This? These questions will help you to determine the true motivation of your desired purchase. Is it a need, a self-esteem issue, or something else? You may find yourself wrestling with your true motive and decide that your reason for purchasing the item is not a good one.

• Use Something Up Before Buying Something New.  Take good care of the things you buy and use them until they are empty, broken, or worn out. Buy things that are made to last; and, when buying things that have a short lifespan, spend your money wisely.

• Plan Low-cost Entertainment That Enriches.  When it comes to choosing entertainment for your family or friends, plan things that are simple and cheap. You’ll be amazed at how much more pleasure you derive from low-cost, simple activities.

• Ask Yourself, Are There Major Changes That Would Allow Me to Simplify My Life?  Consider selling a car and buying one you pay for in full, downsizing your home, or getting rid of a club membership you don’t use. Ask yourself questions related to your home, possessions, job, and activities to identify some significant changes that will simplify your life. Remember, if you cannot do all the things God is calling you to do and you’re unable to find joy in your life, perhaps it’s time to simplify in some major ways.

Conclusion: Which Tent Will You Live In?
So I ask you, will you live in discon-tent or con-tent-ment? You and you alone determine which “tent” will be yours. You choose it in large part by deciding what life is about by how much self control you use. If you decide that “life does not consist in the abundance of your possessions,” then you are choosing contentment. Choosing contentment means we look to God as our Source, giving thanks for what we have; we ask God to give us the right perspective on money and possessions and to change our hearts each day; we decide to live simpler lives, wasting less and conserving more; and we choose to give more generously. God has a way, a better way, a way for peace, a way for joy. God wants you to be happy, it is now up to you!

Bible Challenge 11/14 - 11/20

Greetings All!

This week's challenge has us completing the Gospels and moving into the beginnings of the early church. I hope you are moved by reading what the early church went through and encouraged to continue moving forward!

11/14, Sunday: John 13-16

11/15, Monday: John 17-20

11/16, Tuesday: John 21 - Acts 3

11/17, Wednesday: Acts 4-7

11/18, Thursday: Acts 8-11

11/19, Friday: Acts 12-15

11/20, Saturday: Acts 16-19

Be Blessed!

Friday Fives

1. Preaching Series - This week we will continue our preaching series focusing on the ways we can find joy through the practice of simplicity and generosity. This Sunday we will look closely at the biblical principles of money management and discover how they apply to our daily lives. We will also look head-on at some of our human tendencies to accumulate possessions and wealth and discover methods we can use to consciously change our ways. I invite you to join us for this extremely informative and practical message. You also will receive several tools that will help you in your own financial planning. Bring a friend and I hope to see you there!

2. Jordan Family Fundraiser - Following is a message I received from Paul Daniels, the pastor at Citra First UMC: The Citra Community is putting on a Fish Fry and Fundraiser for the Jordan family of Citra this Saturday, November 13th, at 11:00am at the First Baptist Church of Citra. The family had a house fire Monday evening/Tuesday morning that took the lives of their five children, ages 6 to 15. The mother and grandmother escaped with some burns, while an aunt was rescued by neighbors, though severely burned. The 80 year-old home burned too rapidly to save the children. The Fund Raiser at the church is located right on highway 301 in Citra, so you can’t miss it. The Life Blood South Blood Mobile will also be present to collect blood for the family member in the burn unit at Shands Hospital, Gainesville. A Trust Fund is being set up for all donations. Please lift this family, the community of Citra, and the efforts of our community to help out in your prayers.

3. Bible Study – We have finished week four of our Bible Study based on what we as United Methodists believe, as we spoke about the nuts and bolts of our faith. Primarily we spoke about how we use our funds to reach out across the world, the four areas of focus, the importance of connection, and what ministries we support. Next week we will wrap this study up by looking at the process one must follow to be a United Methodist Pastor as well as answer any questions the class might have. It is never to late to join. We meet on Thursdays at 11am and 7pm in Fellowship Hall. Just come on over and jump in. Hope to see you there!

4. Salty Service - A few months back I asked everyone to consider joining up together in groups to venture out and visit some of the residents in the many assisted living and rehab facilities around our church. There are many people there that get no visitors, and we are so good with fellowship, I see a need and a spiritual gift that can easily be paired up. I wanted to give everyone an update on how this budding ministry is progressing. We have three members that have reached out and began weekly visits to three different facilities. We also have a group of people that have formed to begin visits with a fifth facility. We have several contacts at area facilities, all we need is volunteers. Many people make light work. If you are willing to spend just a few hours a month visiting with people and sharing the love of Christ please contact the office and we can help you get connected. Please consider reaching out to the people in our area and let them know we care and in the name of Jesus Christ that they are loved.

5. Charge Conference – This Tuesday, November 16th, at 7:15pm, in the sanctuary, is our annual Charge Conference. We are having an individual Charge Conference, presided over by our District Superintendent, Rev. Annette Pendergrass. This is our opportunity to show Rev. Pendergrass how proud we are of our church and the ways we are reaching out to this community. It is also your chance to see the how the church functions and be exposed to the polity of our denomination. It should last about 45 minutes and I would like to invite and encourage everyone to attend.