Midweek Moment

This week I received the following email.

Dear Druid Hills United Methodist Church,

Thanks to a new feature on our RethinkChurch.org, your church has come up as a top search result while potential visitors to your church were on RethinkChurch.org. This software is based on the geographic location of where the visitor is browsing, so it pulls up the churches and activities located closest to them.

Rethink Church will continue offering this notification moving forward, so we hope that you will continue updating your church profiles, information about your community and ways one might be involved in the life of your church.

The RethinkChurch.org Team
United Methodist Communications

How wonderful is that?!? Druid Hills has come up as a top search result! People are looking for a place to go. People are searching for the channel in which they can reach God and feel the power of the Holy Spirit. And those people are right here; in our neighborhoods and in our communities. This means they may be coming to visit or already have visited. This means we are being given the incredible responsibility to be God’s Ambassadors when they arrive. We will have an opportunity to show them the love, kindness, grace, and hospitality that we as United Methodists base our faith upon. This is awesome!

All of this took my thinking back to our worship service last week as we talked about the rule of Do No Harm, speaking unity in this life rather than using our language, and even our silence, to drain life from others. When people come to visit our family, we are being inspected. They are looking to find a group of friendly, welcoming faces. They are looking for a group of people that will accept them with no judgment or ridicule. They want to find a group of people that are part of a family where peace and hospitality are the main building blocks of their corporate foundation. We can be that place. In so many ways we are that place!

I just want to encourage all of us, to continue down this path. To continue to bring unity to this community. To continue in the daily practice of asking God to help us guard our language. It was once written, “Practicing our faith in the world requires our deepest resolve, our greatest faith, our unwavering trust, and a very, very large measure of God’s grace.”

May that grace of God wash over you today. May that grace that is so freely given to you, be so abundant in your life that your cup runs over and that grace is shared with all those around you.

Have a great week and I will see you Sunday,

Three Simple Rules: Do No HarmGalatians 5:13-15 and Matthew 22:36-40

Bible Challenge 01/27 - 02/02

Greetings All!

This week we progress through the remainder of the book of Acts and move almost entirely through the book of Romans. The last segment of the book of Acts in chapters 13-28 detail the spread of the Gospel past the known areas of Jesus and the disciples out to the uttermost parts of the earth as Paul travels all around the Roman world preaching to the Gentiles. This covers about 14 years from his first missionary journey through his release from the Romans.

With regard to Romans, most scholars believe that this book was written in Corinth at the end of Paul's second missionary journey there, somewhere around 55-56AD. The book of Romans is Paul's greatest theological legacy to the church. The longest by far of his letters, it's intent is to explain that salvation is offered through the Gospel (or good news) of Jesus Christ. Since Paul has not been to Rome at this point, he outlines the good news of Jesus thoroughly so that Paul's teaching will not be confused with other false teachers.

The Main sections of Paul’s argument are as follows:

• God’s wrath revealed against the unrighteous (1:18-3:20)

• God credits righteousness to all (3:21-5:21)

• The gift of God’s righteousness results in righteous living (6:1-8:39)

• God's righteousness in the case of Israel (9:1-11:36)

• God's righteousness reflected in the righteous lives of believers (12:1-15:13)

• God's righteousness shared by Paul as minister to Gentiles (15:14-33)

Here is the schedule:

27, Sunday: Acts 16-19

28, Monday: Acts 20-23

29, Tuesday: Acts 24-27

30, Wednesday: Acts 28 - Romans 3

31, Thursday: Romans 4-7

02/01, Friday: Romans 8-11

2, Saturday: Romans 12-15

May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Preaching Series - As followers of the The Way, of Jesus Christ, we seek to live a life directed by the will of God, the example of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. However, at times we fall short. We allow emotions, hurtful words, and/or a lack of grace to take us to a place we do not want to go, to a place where we do not wish to dwell. But there is a way out. Based upon Scripture, and fleshed out in the life, works, and teaching of John Wesley we are presented with Three Simple Rules; Do No Harm, Do Good, and Stay in Love with God.

Join us over the next three weeks as we seek to better understand each of these rules, apply them to our lives, and allow the power of God to transform us through its wisdom. These are rules simple in word but complex in application. I pray you will make plans to worship with us, and invite a friend, as we seek to change this world through the way we interact within it.






2. Interfaith Ministry - Each year we partner with Interfaith Ministries to provide a meal for the residents of their living facility. We get the chance to break bread with these people and share a wonderful time together. With that in mind, we need volunteers. The 2013 sign-up sheet is posted on the Connection Station. We are scheduled to provide the evening meal the second Friday of each month. It is a great idea to consider asking a friend or two to help you provide the meal. We need volunteers for April through December. If you have any questions, please contact Libby Orbison. This is a wonderful opportunity to be the heart, hands, and feet of Jesus Christ to another. I pray you will have the chance to be involved with this ministry this year.





3. Bread Ministry - We here at Druid Hills have a wonderful welcome ministry. From the bags prepared and given out by Bob Greene, to the way each of you extend the hand of hospitality to all who enter, corporately we have this gift. Marianne Bingham has offered us an idea to enhance this gift of ours, bread. We are beginning a bread ministry, where each Sunday one volunteer will sign up to bake several small loaves of bread for us to give to any that visit our church. I would ask that you each consider signing up for a few weeks. There is a sign up sheet at the Connection Station and there are recipes we can provide you that are quick and easy. This is such an easy thing that will go such a long way. I hope you each will give God the opportunity to use you in this way to bless another.





4. Ash Wednesday - As many of you know, Easter comes early this year, March 31st to be exact. That means our season of Lent will begin earlier as well. In order to help us enter into this season representing the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan, you will have two opportunities to gather for a time of prayer and worship. On Ash Wednesday, February 13th, from 12 PM – 1 PM, the Sanctuary will be open for you to come and observe a quiet time and space. You can come and sit in a pew or kneel at the altar rail. You can read Scripture, pray, or meditate. It will be your time to do that which helps you draw closer to God. I will be there to pray with you, if you desire, as well as to place ashes on your forehead when you are ready to leave. I hope you will make plans to take advantage of this opportunity. We will also have a service that evening at 6 P.M. in the Sanctuary. During this service, we will read Scripture and I will deliver a message entitled, “Who’s the Good Guy?”Invite a friend and I hope to see you all there.





5. Easter Tableau - It’s time to start thinking about the Easter Tableau, which will be on Thursday, March 28 and Friday, March 29. There will be sign-up sheets on the Connection Station beginning about the middle of February. Your help will be needed in the scenes and also making refreshments to help defray the kitchen costs. Each scene needs to have a coordinator, so if you would like to volunteer to be a coordinator for one of the scenes, please let us know. If you would like to assist in any of the various areas; such as scene set-up, costumes, make-up, sound, lighting, etc., please let us know. Please be in prayer for a successful 2013 Easter Tableau. If you have any questions, please contact Eunice Reid. Thank You!


See you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

Words are powerful. They can build up and they can tear down. I felt the power of words that can tear down as a seventh grader. From the first day of school, to the last, I was verbally and physically bullied. This young boy tripped me, knocked my books out of my hand, threw things at me, and made me feel very insecure about myself. I talked to the guidance counselor, the principle, my teachers, and my parents. In fact, in one session with my guidance counselor, she called this boy and asked him why he was doing all these things to me. She asked him what I had done to him to cause this type of treatment from him. His response, “nothing”.

This bullying was difficult to endure and made for a miserable seventh grade year. I know I am not the only person to ever have to endure this type of treatment from another. Many people have had to face the scorn of another, and most times it is undeserved  In this month’s edition of the Interpreter, a United Methodist Magazine, there was a tremendous article entitled, Bullying Happens in Church. Don’t Ignore It!” The author, Rev. Erik Alsgaard writes, “Bullying is fast becoming a national epidemic in the United States – and churches are not immune as settings where attacks occur…Adult bullying does exist.”

I bring this up because this article really made an impact on me. After I read it, I began to think about all of the times that my words could have been, and probably were, viewed as bullying. How many times have any of us, said words that were unkind and undeserved  or engaged in body language where the only intent was to hurt? How many times have we done that in a church setting to another believer, a fellow disciple? How many times have we had to endure those words and actions being directed toward us by another believer, a fellow disciple?

I want to encourage all of us to follow the advice given in the book of James, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” (James 1:19-20, NIV). The next time you are feeling angry, powerless, or confused, please remember this passage. Let us be slow to speak, first saying what we find good in another. Let us be slow to anger, understanding that we do not know all aspects of any given situation. Let us remember that we are called to be different, that we are called to live a life based on love and grace. Let the grace of God that has been shown to us, be the model that we use when we encounter others. Let us be quick to listen and reluctant to judge. Let this church, this congregation, always be a place of reconciliation, not bullying. So that the unfiltered power, grace, mercy, and love of God is experienced each and every time you set foot on this sacred ground. Let us love others, always and everywhere, the way Jesus first loved us.

Have a great week and I will see you Sunday,

Have You Been Commissioned?Isaiah 49:1-6 and Matthew 28:18-20

Bible Challenge 01/20 - 01/26

Greetings All!

This week we progress through the remainder of the Gospel of John and move into the book of Acts, a historical account of the early church after Jesus' ascension. 

Acts or Acts of the Apostles, is the second of Luke's major writings, showing how the disciples spread the good news of the Gospel after Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension back to heaven. The key verse for this book is Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This verse sets the tone for all of the action in the book. The first major segment is chapters 1-7 where the action centers around the Jews in Jerusalem and Peter is the main figure. The timeline here is about 2 years from Pentecost through the stoning of Stephen. The second major segment is chapters 8-12 and shows the spread of the Gospel out from Jerusalem into the regions of Judea and Samaria. Here the central figure is Philip and his main audience the Samaritans. The timeline here is 13 years from Stephen's stoning to Paul's missionary journeys.

Here is the schedule:

20, Sunday: John 9-12

21, Monday: John 13-16

22, Tuesday: John 17-20

23, Wednesday: Luke 17-20

24, Thursday: John 21 - Acts 3

25, Friday: Acts 4-7

26, Saturday: Acts 8-11

May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday the United Methodist Women will lead our worship service. They will lead us in prayer, song, and word. This week Mickey Stevens, our new Lay Leader and a certified lay servant, will bring us the message, "Have You Been Commissioned?" Invite a friend to worship and I know you will both be blessed!

2.Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser - The Masons from the Morning Star Lodge along with their spouses and other faithful worshipers are hosting another spaghetti supper fundraiser for our Church. Last time, they raised over $1,000. This year, the money raised will go into the newly established fund to purchase a new organ for the sanctuary. It will be “all you can eat” spaghetti with meatballs, salad, rolls, dessert and beverage. The date is TODAY, Friday, January 18, 2013 from 4:30 to 7 pm. The cost is $7 for adults, $4 for children (ages 6-12) and free for children under 6. No advance purchases required, just come on out. This is sure to be a great time of fun, fellowship, and food. I hope you all can make it! 





3. Interfaith Ministry - Each year we partner with Interfaith Ministries to provide a meal for the residents of their living facility. We get the chance to break bread with these people and share a wonderful time together. With that in mind, we need volunteers. The 2013 sign-up sheet is posted on the Connection Station. We are scheduled to provide the evening meal the second Friday of each month. It is a great idea to consider asking a friend or two to help you provide the meal. We need volunteers for April through December. If you have any questions, please contact Libby Orbison. This is a wonderful opportunity to be the heart, hands, and feet of Jesus Christ to another. I pray you will have the chance to be involved with this ministry this year. 

4. Bread Ministry - We here at Druid Hills have a wonderful welcome ministry. From the bags prepared and given out by Bob Greene, to the way each of you extend the hand of hospitality to all who enter, corporately we have this gift. Marianne Bingham has offered us an idea to enhance this gift of ours, bread. We are beginning a bread ministry, where each Sunday one volunteer will sign up to bake several small loaves of bread for us to give to any that visit our church. I would ask that you each consider signing up for a few weeks. There is a sign up sheet at the Connection Station and there are recipes we can provide you that are quick and easy. This is such an easy thing that will go such a long way. I hope you each will give God the opportunity to use you in this way to bless another. 





5. Clergy Kids Camp - This weekend Debbie, Parker, Wesley, and I will be in Leesburg attending Clergy Kids Camp. Being the child of a pastor comes with a uniqueness all its own. For example, demanding schedules of parents, uncertainty in many areas of life, and the understanding that the house they live in is only theirs for a period of time. (Parker is only eight years old and has lived in three different parsonages) So Debbie and I made a covenant with our boys that there would be one thing that would always be theirs, Clergy Kids Camp.  This is our gift to devote that entire weekend to them. So while I will not be here in worship Sunday, I will be in a church worshiping as Daddy. They are really looking forward to it, and so are Debbie and I!



See you Soon!

Midweek Moment

As you know, last week I posted an update to the pending adoption my family is pursuing in my Midweek Moment.  I have been so moved by all of you that have come up to me and offered your support and a kind word about this endeavor. I told Debbie on Sunday afternoon I always wondered how many people actually read my Midweek Moment. Now I know quite a few of you do. So, thank you for your that.

By now, you each know how important my family is to me. I treasure the time we have together and I am intentional about making sure I spend quality time with them. They have each been entrusted to my care anMidd I want to make sure I am as good a husband and father as I can be, as God has equipped me to be. And I know my feelings about family are no different than any of you. Many of you have shared stories with me and modeled for me the importance and value that you place on family.

One of the ways I spend intentional time with my family is through an event called, Clergy Kids. We have done this in years past and Parker and Wesley absolutely love it! As you can imagine, being the child of a pastor comes with a uniqueness all its own. For example, demanding schedules of parents, uncertainty in many areas of life, and the understanding that the house they live in is only theirs for a period of time. So Debbie and I made a covenant with our boys that there would be one thing that would always be theirs, Clergy Kids Camp.  It takes place at the United Methodist Youth Camp in Leesburg so they can begin to see that place as a sacred place that will always be there. This is our gift to devote that entire weekend to them.

In my stead, the United Methodist Women have agreed to lead worship this Sunday. The ladies of this group will lead us in prayer and word, including Mickey Stevens, a certified lay speaker, delivering the message. I am excited for them to lead you all and I know you will feel God’s blessings flow as a result.

So while I will not be here in worship Sunday, I will be in a church as Daddy. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for supporting my presence there, and I will look forward to worshipping with you all again next week.

Parker and Wesley are really looking forward to it, and so are Debbie and I!

Reflections from the Holy Land - IsraelJoshua 3:9-17 and Luke 23:43-49 and 24:1-8

Bible Challenge 01/13 - 01/19

Greetings All!

This week we will progress through the remainder of the Gospel of Luke and move into the last of the Gospels, John. Some of the highlights of our time in Luke this week include:

• The parables about lost items (chap 15) 

• Jesus and Zaccheus (chap 19) 

• Jesus praying in the Garden (chap 22) 

• The Crucifixion (chap 23) 

• The Resurrection (chap 24)

The Gospel of John, written by one of the disciples, is very different than the others and so it is NOT included as a synoptic or similar Gospel. While it does mention some of the same stories of people and healings and miracles, the timeline of Jesus' ministry is different than the others and John also includes large chunks of teaching (like chapters 6, 10, and 13-16) that explain who Jesus is that are not included in any other Gospels. John is clear though about his criteria for what is included within his Gospel: "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But THESE are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31)

Here is the schedule:

13, Sunday: Luke 5-8

14, Monday: Luke 9-12

15, Tuesday: Luke 13-16

16, Wednesday: Luke 17-20

17, Thursday: Luke 21-24

18, Friday: John 1-4

19, Saturday: John 5-8

May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Preaching Series - Come and join us this week as we conclude our two week focus on my reflections from my trip to the Holy Land. In 2009, I spent two weeks following the track of the Israelites from Egypt, through Jordan, and up to Jerusalem. This week we will focus on Jerusalem and its role in our lives as the Promised Land. Invite a friend and I hope to see you there!





2.Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser - The Masons from the Morning Star Lodge along with their spouses and other faithful worshipers have said they would serve another spaghetti supper fundraiser for our Church. Last time, they raised over $1,000. This year, the money raised will go into the newly established fund to purchase a new organ for the sanctuary. It will be “all you can eat” spaghetti with meatballs, salad, rolls, dessert and beverage. The date is Friday, January 18, 2013 from 4:30 to 7 pm. The cost is $7 for adults, $4 for children (ages 6-12) and free for children under 6. Tickets are available now for sale to your family and friends. This is sure to be a great time of fun, fellowship, and food. I hope you all can make it!





3. Interfaith Ministry - Each year we partner with Interfaith Ministries to provide a meal for the residents of their living facility. We get the chance to break bread with these people and share a wonderful time together. With that in mind, we need volunteers. The 2013 sign-up sheet is posted on the Connection Station. We are scheduled to provide the evening meal the second Friday of each month. It is a great idea to consider asking a friend or two to help you provide the meal. If you have any questions, please contact Libby Orbison. This is a wonderful opportunity to be the heart, hands, and feet of Jesus Christ to another. I pray you will have the chance to be involved with this ministry this year.





4. Bread Ministry - We here at Druid Hills have a wonderful welcome ministry. From the bags prepared and given out by Bob Greene, to the way each of you extend the hand of hospitality to all who enter, corporately we have this gift. Marianne Bingham has offered us an idea to enhance this gift of ours, bread. We are beginning a bread ministry, where each Sunday one volunteer will sign up to bake several small loaves of bread for us to give to any that visit our church. I would ask that you each consider signing up for a few weeks. There is a sign up sheet at the Connection Station and there are recipes we can provide you that are quick and easy. This is such an easy thing that will go such a long way. I hope you each will give God the opportunity to use you in this way to bless another.





5. Newsletter Deadline - This Sunday is the deadline for submitting articles for the February newsletter. If you have any information that you would like to include, please email it to the church office by clicking here, or you can bring it by the office.




See you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

Greetings All!

Several folks have asked me recently for details concerning our family's adoption. So today I thought I would give you all an update. We have been matched with a beautiful little boy whom we will name Davis. He turned 2 this past July and we hope to travel to bring him home before his 3rd birthday next summer.

So how did we get started in all of this? Adoption is a thread that is woven through the tapestries of both our families. In my family, I has three cousins and an uncle who are all adopted. Debbie's parents each had a sibling and two cousins who were adopted. Not to mention all the other members of our families on both sides who were adopted by step-parents. When we wrestled with infertility for a few years before Parker's birth, we were drawn towards adoption instead of in-vitro. Even then our hearts were being pulled towards China. Then without medical interventions, we welcomed Parker in 2004 and Wesley in 2007.

But there was a growing awareness in the back of our minds that we might not be done with our little family. When Debbie needed to have a hysterectomy for her health in 2010, we promised each other that more children were still a consideration through adoption. There have been lots of moments where the idea of expanding our family kept popping up. In particular last fall when we attended a World Vision event in Gainesville. Quite honestly we were going to leave without sponsoring a child. It was Parker who was insistent that we could and should do this because so many children could use help. Parker sorted through a whole wall of profiles and picked out Precious - a child born the day before Wesley, halfway around the world in Malawi, Africa. Both boys were excited to write and draw pictures on a card for Precious. But we had some difficult questions when we went to leave and go home. Wesley was puzzled. You see, he thought we had picked out a new brother to come home with us and he couldn't understand why on earth we were leaving him there.

Since the beginning of this year, God has continued to lay the idea of adoption upon both of our hearts in many different ways. One day we went hiking on our day off and used the seven mile trek through the woods to talk through all of our feelings regarding adoption. We clearly felt this was something that God was leading us towards. We decided that day - July 23 - that we felt God was calling us to move forward in faith NOW and add to our family. And we were ready to say yes. That night, we had a family meeting with the boys to share with them about this new adventure in our family. Before I could even finish getting the story out of my mouth, Parker's face had broken into a huge smile and he kept repeating "Yes" over and over again. Wesley seemed a bit confused until we explained he would get to be both a "little brother" to Parker and a "big brother" to the next child. Then he was completely on board.

As we discerned how God was calling us to move forward, we felt drawn towards China's special needs program. Families from around the globe are willing to wait as much as six years to adopt a healthy, young-as-possible daughter from China. In the meantime, thousands of young children (boys and girls)with medical needs ranging from minor to severe wait in orphanages and foster care for their forever families. Even after these children have had surgery to correct a medical need, they cannot be placed through China's healthy child program. We did a lot of research on different medical needs and filled out our application carefully about which ones we thought we would be able to address within our family. We also felt a strong calling towards little boys. On the advocacy websites, the pictures of the boys tugged at our hearts. We have two sons already and know what an amazing blessing they can be. We hated the thought that these little boys were waiting longer for families simply because of their gender.

There will be more steps left to come. More papers to fill out, and eventually a trip to take. We would greatly appreciate your prayers as we continue to move forward toward bringing home our son, Davis.

See you Sunday,

Holy Land Reflections: EgyptExodus 3:1-12 and Matthew 2:13-15

Bible Challenge 01/06 - 01/12

Greetings All!

I pray you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and I am so glad you are here and joining us on this journey. This week we are finishing up the Gospel of Matthew, reading entirely through Mark and beginning our journey in Luke. Here is some background information to assist you in your reading.

The Gospel of Mark is believed to have been the first Gospel written, about 50AD, as the other three Gospels all quote it, but Mark does not quote the others. The author is believed to be John Mark, the son of a Jerusalem widow whose home was a meeting place for early believers (Acts 12:12). Mark most likely recorded the events as he heard them firsthand from the disciple Peter. The book's non-Jewish flavor suggests it may have been written to believers in Rome. At the time Rome had begun persecuting Christians. This book is clearly meant to encourage suffering believers. Mark shows Jesus as the suffering servant who came to die as the Savior for the world (including non-Jews). Over 40 percent of this Gospel focuses on the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus' final week.

The Gospel of Luke is the first of a two part book written by the same author. The first part is an account of Jesus' life and the second part, the book of Acts, is an account of the history of the early church. The author Luke was a physician who was a traveling companion of the Apostle Paul on several of his missionary journeys. He addresses the books of Luke and Acts to Theophilus, probably a Gentile who was either a new believer or someone seeking to learn about Christ. Luke elaborates on a lot of the information from Matthew and Mark, including more parables and more stories about Jesus' interactions with people that show his interest in the non-Jewish world and the poor.

Here is our schedule for next week:

06, Sunday: Matthew 21-24

07, Monday: Matthew 25-28

08, Tuesday: Mark 1-4

09, Wednesday: Mark 5-8

10, Thursday: Mark 9-12

11, Friday: Mark 13-16

12, Saturday: Luke 1-4

May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Preaching Series - Come and join us this week as we begin a two week focus on my reflections from my trip to the Holy Land. In 2009, I spent two weeks following the track of the Israelites from Egypt, through Jordan, and up to Jerusalem. This week we will focus on the exile theme of Egypt and how when we feel exiled in our own lives, God is still at work. Invite a friend and I hope to see you there!





2. January Leadership Training in Ocala - There will be a district wide training for church leaders tomorrow, Saturday, January 5th at First UMC in Ocala. The training is free and runs from 8:30am-12:30pm. No advance registration is required. There are several sessions including:

• Call of the Laity
• Finance 101
• Finance 201
• Health Resources and Benefits Update
• Trustees
• Leading for Effective Ministry/Role of Church Council
• Staff Parish Relations
• Local Church Representative to Annual Conference Training
• Growing Mature Disciples
• Who are your church neighbors and 6 ways to reach them!
• Reclaiming an intergenerational church
• Bullying
• How can we make a difference in the lives of the incarcerated re-entering our communities?
• College Students and Young Adults
• Charting Your Church's Course
• Your Church Disaster Plan
• Responding to Poverty and Childhood Hunger
• Children's Ministry

If any of these areas of interest appeal to you, I hope you make plans to attend!





3.Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser - The Masons from the Morning Star Lodge along with their spouses and other faithful worshipers have said they would serve another spaghetti supper fundraiser for our Church. Last time, they raised over $1,000. This year, the money raised will go into the newly established fund to purchase a new organ for the sanctuary. It will be “all you can eat” spaghetti with meatballs, salad, rolls, dessert and beverage. The date is Friday, January 18, 2013 from 4:30 to 7 pm. The cost is $7 for adults, $4 for children (ages 6-12) and free for children under 6. Tickets will be available the first week of January for sale to your family and friends. This is sure to be a great time of fun, fellowship, and food. I hope to see you all there!





4. Interfaith Ministry - Each year we partner with Interfaith Ministries to provide a meal for the residents of their living facility. We get the chance to break bread with these people and share a wonderful time together. With that in mind, we need volunteers. The 2013 sign-up sheet is posted on the Connection Station. We are scheduled to provide the evening meal the second Friday of each month. It is a great idea to consider asking a friend or two to help you provide the meal. If you have any questions, please contact Libby Orbison. This is a wonderful opportunity to be the heart, hands, and feet of Jesus Christ to another. I pray you will have the chance to be involved with this ministry this year.





5. My Prayer for Each of You - As we transition out of Advent and into a new year, it is my prayer that each of you experience God anew in 2013. I pray that your relationship with God grows stronger, that you feel the movement of the Holy Spirit more deeply, and your burdens are light this year. May 2013 be a transformative year for you in ways you never imagined. May God bless each of you till your cup overflows! Happy New Year!

See you Sunday!

New Year, New OpportunitiesMatthew 12:46-50 and I Peter 3:8

Midweek Moment

Happy New Year!

I pray you each had a restful and wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations! Debbie, the boys, and I had a wonderful time just being with one another and seeing some extended family. It was a great time for us to be with just the boys and strengthen our bonds as a family.

When I think about a new year, my first thoughts are those new year resolutions. You know those acts we tell ourselves we will engage in to make the new year better than the last year. Maybe we look to our health and say we will watch what we eat or we will exercise more. Maybe we look to our relationships and say we will do a better job of connecting with our family and friends by calling more, visiting more, or writing letters more frequently. There are so many aspects of life that we can focus around. Whatever the arena of choice, we are at the threshold of hope and anticipation this time of year. Hope for the future and anticipation of a brighter tomorrow.

So as you make your list, I invite you to consider your spiritual life. I would like to invite you to begin our Bible Challenge this year. This is a reading plan that will take you through the New Testament twice and the Old Testament once, during 2013. We begin in Matthew on January 1st and read the first four chapters. Each day from then on, we read four chapters. When we reach the end on Revelation, we begin with Genesis. When we finish with Malachi, we begin Matthew again. I am amazed at how many times I can read the same passage of Scripture and come away with new insights or learning. God is always at work and one of those ways is when we spend quiet time reading the Word. Therefore, I encourage you to join us this year. Each Saturday morning on my blog I will post the reading schedule for the upcoming week, as well as some background information about what you will read. We also print the same schedule in the bulletin each Sunday. Please give it a try. If you get behind or miss a day, do not try and catch up. Just pick up fresh the next day you can and continue on. If this plan does not sound like one you would enjoy, there are thousands out there. You can find them online or in bookstores. If you do not choose this one, please pick another. Find a plan that fits you and your life. Scripture is God’s love letter to humanity, so I encourage you to read it, live it, and be transformed by it, by any means you can.

Whatever resolutions you make this year, I pray you are successful. I pray you find the joy and peace you seek and that you gain the results you desire.

Blessings,