Sunday, July 28, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Bible Challenge 07/28 - 08/03
Greetings All!
This week we finish up the fourth section of Psalms (90-106) and being the final section of this large book of poetry (Psalms 107-150). In this last section, 15 Psalms are ascribed to David and one is considered a charge to Solomon (#127).
In this week's reading we get both the shortest Psalm (#117 with 2 verses) and the longest Psalm (#119 with 176 verses). The interesting thing about Psalm 119 is that it is composed in sets of eight verses and each verse starts with one of the 22 letters comprising the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalms 120–134 are often referred to as a group called the Songs of Ascents. They are thought to have been used as hymns of approach by pilgrims to the Temple in Jerusalem. One of the interesting things that we learned on our trip to Israel several years ago is that anyone traveling from any direction to Jerusalem is always considered to be "ascending" to Jerusalem, as it is Jewish holy city of God.
Here is the schedule:
28, Sunday: Psalms 95-98
29, Monday: Psalms 99-102
30, Tuesday: Psalms 103-106
31, Wednesday: Psalms 107-110
01, Thursday: Psalms 111-114
02, Friday: Psalms 115-118
03, Saturday: Psalms 119-122
May God add His richest blessings to the reading, the hearing, the understanding and most importantly the living out of His holy word. Amen.
This week we finish up the fourth section of Psalms (90-106) and being the final section of this large book of poetry (Psalms 107-150). In this last section, 15 Psalms are ascribed to David and one is considered a charge to Solomon (#127).
In this week's reading we get both the shortest Psalm (#117 with 2 verses) and the longest Psalm (#119 with 176 verses). The interesting thing about Psalm 119 is that it is composed in sets of eight verses and each verse starts with one of the 22 letters comprising the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalms 120–134 are often referred to as a group called the Songs of Ascents. They are thought to have been used as hymns of approach by pilgrims to the Temple in Jerusalem. One of the interesting things that we learned on our trip to Israel several years ago is that anyone traveling from any direction to Jerusalem is always considered to be "ascending" to Jerusalem, as it is Jewish holy city of God.
Here is the schedule:
28, Sunday: Psalms 95-98
29, Monday: Psalms 99-102
30, Tuesday: Psalms 103-106
31, Wednesday: Psalms 107-110
01, Thursday: Psalms 111-114
02, Friday: Psalms 115-118
03, Saturday: Psalms 119-122
May God add His richest blessings to the reading, the hearing, the understanding and most importantly the living out of His holy word. Amen.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - This Sunday we will conclude our preaching series entitled, Advent Conspiracy, as we look to our behaviors during the Christmas season, specifically how we spend our time and resources during this time of year. This week we will look at the idea of loving all and how our spending habits can reflect this attitude. Our desire is that by talking about this now, we can have time to discern how this might alter our Advent season this year. I pray this time of exploration will help you to see and experience all the ways God's gifts are being poured out for you. I encourage you to invite a friend and I hope to see you there!
2. Sound Booth- We are in need of a few volunteers to help out in the sound booth on Sunday mornings. If you are interested in volunteering to help us run this vital part of
worship, please let us know by calling the church office, 629-5688,
emailing the office by clicking here, or signing up at the Connection Station. You do not need to have any prior knowledge of sound equipment, we will train you. It is not very difficult at all, we just need a few people willing to lend their time. Thanks!
3. Apportionments - If you have been affiliated with the United Methodist Church for any amount of time, you may have heard this word. Basically apportionments are the share each annual conference and local church pay to support international, national, and regional missions. Our giving when combined with other churches, allow the United Methodist Church to accomplish something bigger than ourselves. We have 14 funds that we support with our apportionments and we have paid 100% of our obligations since 2003. Currently, we have paid 49.75% of our $16,262 obligation for 2013. If you would like to know more about apportionments, like the missions that are supported, please click here. It will take you to a document entitled, "A Guide to Apportionments". Here you can read more about this vital outreach ministry of our denomination.
4. Nursery Help - We are looking for people to help us staff our nursery on Sunday mornings. The number of young people we have in the nursery is growing and needless to say, that is a good thing! If you are interested in helping Ms. Joy, care for and teach our kids during worship, please let the church office know. You can email by clicking here, or call 629-5688. Remember the old adage, many hands make light work. I hope you will consider volunteering to help support this ministry.
Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Midweek Moment
As a pastor, I get the opportunity to be involved in various activities. One of the most humbling aspects of my ministry is to be invited into sacred spaces. I am permitted to be with people during times of extreme joy as well as times of incredible sadness. As part of my vocation, people have allowed me to enter hospitals and rehab centers, court rooms and homes, to be with them. When I wear my Druid Hills shirt or my hospital badge, I am permitted to go almost anywhere in most facilities.
It is a privilege to be allowed into those sacred spaces. It is in those spaces that feelings are shared, souls are bared, and emotions are raw. It is a holy calling to know that you have been trusted by a family or individual to witness and be a part of those moments.
This week I have been a part of both ends of that spectrum. I have been part of families experiencing great joy and immense sadness and in both of those settings God was at work. Celebrating and grieving, singing and healing. Regardless of the situation, I have always encountered God in those sacred spaces.
Many of you may know this, many of you may have already experienced this, but pastors are not the only ones invited into sacred spaces. Each of you, within your relationships, have probably been invited into those sacred times. You have been the one to offer hope, peace, and love. You have been the one that was charged with being God's vessel in those intimate moments.
Jesus told us, "And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there" (Matthew 18:20, The Message). What comfort that brings me as I enter into those moments. I know that no matter how a situation unfolds, God is there. In joy, God is there. In sadness, God is there. In triumph, God is there. In darkness, God is there.
I want to encourage each of you, the next time you are called upon to enter into a sacred space, go confidently. Know that God is already there. Open yourself up to the power of the Holy Spirit and be that empty vessel, full of God. Allow the love, joy, compassion, and grace of God to flow from you. It is in those moments of obedience that we get to feel the power of being the heart, the hands, and the feet of Jesus Christ to another.
Thank you for all you do for the Kingdom of God!
It is a privilege to be allowed into those sacred spaces. It is in those spaces that feelings are shared, souls are bared, and emotions are raw. It is a holy calling to know that you have been trusted by a family or individual to witness and be a part of those moments.
This week I have been a part of both ends of that spectrum. I have been part of families experiencing great joy and immense sadness and in both of those settings God was at work. Celebrating and grieving, singing and healing. Regardless of the situation, I have always encountered God in those sacred spaces.
Many of you may know this, many of you may have already experienced this, but pastors are not the only ones invited into sacred spaces. Each of you, within your relationships, have probably been invited into those sacred times. You have been the one to offer hope, peace, and love. You have been the one that was charged with being God's vessel in those intimate moments.
Jesus told us, "And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there" (Matthew 18:20, The Message). What comfort that brings me as I enter into those moments. I know that no matter how a situation unfolds, God is there. In joy, God is there. In sadness, God is there. In triumph, God is there. In darkness, God is there.
I want to encourage each of you, the next time you are called upon to enter into a sacred space, go confidently. Know that God is already there. Open yourself up to the power of the Holy Spirit and be that empty vessel, full of God. Allow the love, joy, compassion, and grace of God to flow from you. It is in those moments of obedience that we get to feel the power of being the heart, the hands, and the feet of Jesus Christ to another.
Thank you for all you do for the Kingdom of God!
Monday, July 22, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Bible Challenge 07/21 - 07/27
Greetings Ya'll!
How are you doing in Psalms? Psalms has a couple of functions: as a hymnbook and also as a book of poetry. Songs that can be identified as such in the Psalms include songs of thanksgiving (e.g., Ps 30), hymns of praise (e.g., Ps 117) and royal psalms, which may have been used in coronations and weddings. Identification of some psalms as prayers is also seen within the text, for example in the conclusion to Psalm 72, "The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended." The largest category of Psalms, though not grouped as such in the text, is that of lament (expressions of complaint and pleas for help from God).
We finish up the third section of Psalms this week with chapter 89, and begin the fourth section of Psalms (chapters 90-106).
Here is the schedule
21, Sunday: Psalms 67-70
22, Monday: Psalms 71-74
23, Tuesday: Psalms 75-78
24, Wednesday: Psalms 79-82
25, Thursday: Psalms 83-86
26, Friday: Psalms 87-90
27, Saturday: Psalms 91-94
May God add His richest blessings to the reading, the hearing, the understanding and most importantly the living out of His holy word. Amen.
How are you doing in Psalms? Psalms has a couple of functions: as a hymnbook and also as a book of poetry. Songs that can be identified as such in the Psalms include songs of thanksgiving (e.g., Ps 30), hymns of praise (e.g., Ps 117) and royal psalms, which may have been used in coronations and weddings. Identification of some psalms as prayers is also seen within the text, for example in the conclusion to Psalm 72, "The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended." The largest category of Psalms, though not grouped as such in the text, is that of lament (expressions of complaint and pleas for help from God).We finish up the third section of Psalms this week with chapter 89, and begin the fourth section of Psalms (chapters 90-106).
Here is the schedule
21, Sunday: Psalms 67-70
22, Monday: Psalms 71-74
23, Tuesday: Psalms 75-78
24, Wednesday: Psalms 79-82
25, Thursday: Psalms 83-86
26, Friday: Psalms 87-90
27, Saturday: Psalms 91-94
May God add His richest blessings to the reading, the hearing, the understanding and most importantly the living out of His holy word. Amen.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Friday Fives
2. Sound Booth- We are in need of a few volunteers to help out in the sound booth on Sunday mornings. Ifyou are interested in volunteering to help us run this vital part of worship, please let us know by calling the church office, 629-5688, or emailing the office by clicking here, or signing up at the Connection Station. You do not need to have any prior knowledge of sound equipment, we will train you. It is not very difficult at all, we just need someone willing to lend their talents. Thanks!
3. Ocala Health & Rehab - This Sunday is our week to go and minister to the residents of Ocala Health and Rehab. I want to extend an invitation to all of you to come and join us, Sunday at 2pm. Ocala Health and Rehab is located just down the street from the church on the corner of Lake Weir Road and SE 24th Road. We begin with a few hymns, I give a brief devotion, and we wrap it up with a few more hymns and a prayer. It is a wonderful time of fellowship and spreading the love of Christ. I am sure you will enjoy it and be glad you participated! I hope to see you there!
4. Nursery Help - We are looking for people to help us staff our nursery on Sunday mornings. The number of young people we have in the nursery is growing and needless to say, that is a good thing! If you are interested in helping Ms. Joy, look after and teach our kids during worship, please let the church office know. You can email by clicking here, or call 629-5688. Remember the old adage, many hands make light work. I hope you will consider volunteering to help support this ministry.
5. Russell Stein - This morning our beloved Russell passed away. Next week there will be two opportunities for you to visit with the family and celebrate his life. On Monday evening at Forest Lawn Cemetery, the family will receive visitors for his viewing. Once the time is determined we will pass that along. Then on Tuesday, at 11 A.M., we will gather in our Sanctuary to celebrate his life. Immediately following the service, there will be a graveside service at Forest Lawn. Once that is concluded, we will return to the church for a reception in the Fellowship Hall. Please remember Dorothy, Jim, and the rest of their family during this time.
Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Midweek Moment
Communication is paramount in any relationship. If you cannot communicate with the people around you, it is very hard to co-exist with one another. Right now, my family is experiencing that dynamic. I have this little Cantonese speaking boy in my house and he does not speak a word of English. We were told it would take six months to a year before he began to speak English, so this is not unexpected. But what has caught us by surprise is how well he understands. Davis, while he may not speak English, absolutely understands everything we say, and what is not real clear we can clear up through a brief game of charades. He is learning so fast!
This has given me the chance to see how communication is so much more than words. Through pointing, gesturing, facial expressions, tone of voice, and even grabbing a hand and leading someone to a desired destination, we can communicate.
Have you ever thought about how God feels about the way we communicate? These past several weeks I have. Sometimes what I want to communicate to God is beyond words. The feelings are too deep, the meaning too complex for words to be adequate. There are times I would love to grab God by the hand and lead him where I want him to go. To have the opportunity for him to look me in the eye and see the expression on my face as I work to explain to my Creator all that I am feeling. There are other times where I have so much to say to God, I get overwhelmed and I say nothing at all.
That is why I am so humbled to serve our God. God does not need our words, just our hearts. There are times when my prayers do not consist of a single word, just emotion, just bearing my soul before God and letting him look inside. Scripture tells us in Romans 8:26, “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.” Using our emotions and our groans, God understands. Our communication with God is not dependent on the right words, proper words, or even words at all.
Communication is vital for our relationships to grow. But communication is more than words. Communication can be a wink of the eye, a smile on our face, or a hand on the shoulder. My encouragement for you is to remember that and look for ways to communicate your love and concern for God and for one another through varied forms of communication. Because, sometimes words just aren’t enough.
Have a great week and I will see you Sunday!
This has given me the chance to see how communication is so much more than words. Through pointing, gesturing, facial expressions, tone of voice, and even grabbing a hand and leading someone to a desired destination, we can communicate.
Have you ever thought about how God feels about the way we communicate? These past several weeks I have. Sometimes what I want to communicate to God is beyond words. The feelings are too deep, the meaning too complex for words to be adequate. There are times I would love to grab God by the hand and lead him where I want him to go. To have the opportunity for him to look me in the eye and see the expression on my face as I work to explain to my Creator all that I am feeling. There are other times where I have so much to say to God, I get overwhelmed and I say nothing at all.
That is why I am so humbled to serve our God. God does not need our words, just our hearts. There are times when my prayers do not consist of a single word, just emotion, just bearing my soul before God and letting him look inside. Scripture tells us in Romans 8:26, “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.” Using our emotions and our groans, God understands. Our communication with God is not dependent on the right words, proper words, or even words at all.
Communication is vital for our relationships to grow. But communication is more than words. Communication can be a wink of the eye, a smile on our face, or a hand on the shoulder. My encouragement for you is to remember that and look for ways to communicate your love and concern for God and for one another through varied forms of communication. Because, sometimes words just aren’t enough.
Have a great week and I will see you Sunday!
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Bible Challenge 07/14 - 07/21
Greetings All!
More Psalms this week! Our focus is mainly the second section of Psalms this week which extends from chapter 42 through chapter 72. Of these 31 Psalms, 18 are ascribed to David and the rest are anonymous.
One of the interesting things about many of the Psalms in this week's reading are the connections that can be made to Jesus and the New Testament. Below is a partial list of references about the Messiah in these psalms and how they are answered in Jesus (this chart comes from The Messiah Revealed website).
May your reading of Psalms this week give you fresh eyes for the Gospels!
Here is the schedule:
14, Sunday: Psalms 39-42
15, Monday: Psalms 43-46
16, Tuesday: Psalms 47-50
17, Wednesday: Psalms 51-54
18, Thursday: Psalms 55-58
19, Friday: Psalms 59-62
20, Saturday: Psalms 63-66
May God add His richest blessings to the reading, the hearing, the understanding and most importantly the living out of His holy word. Amen.
More Psalms this week! Our focus is mainly the second section of Psalms this week which extends from chapter 42 through chapter 72. Of these 31 Psalms, 18 are ascribed to David and the rest are anonymous.
One of the interesting things about many of the Psalms in this week's reading are the connections that can be made to Jesus and the New Testament. Below is a partial list of references about the Messiah in these psalms and how they are answered in Jesus (this chart comes from The Messiah Revealed website).
| Subject | Prophecy | Fulfillment |
| None of the Messiah's bones would be broken. | Psalm 34:20 | John 19:32-33 |
| The Messiah's offering of himself would replace all sacrifices. | Psalm 40:6-8a | Hebrews 10:10-13 |
| The Messiah would say the scriptures were written of him. | Psalm 40:6-8b | Luke 24:44 |
| The Messiah would come to do God's will. | Psalm 40:7-8 | John 5:30 |
| The Messiah would not conceal his mission from the congregation. | Psalm 40:9-10 | Luke 4:16-21 |
| The Messiah's betrayer would be a friend whom he broke bread with. | Psalm 41:9 | Mark 14:17-18 |
| The Messiah's throne would be everlasting. | Psalm 45:6-7a | Luke 1:31-33 |
| The Messiah would be God. | Psalm 45:6-7b | Hebrews 1:8-9 |
| The Messiah would act with righteousness | Psalm 45:6-7c | John 5:30 |
May your reading of Psalms this week give you fresh eyes for the Gospels!
Here is the schedule:
14, Sunday: Psalms 39-42
15, Monday: Psalms 43-46
16, Tuesday: Psalms 47-50
17, Wednesday: Psalms 51-54
18, Thursday: Psalms 55-58
19, Friday: Psalms 59-62
20, Saturday: Psalms 63-66
May God add His richest blessings to the reading, the hearing, the understanding and most importantly the living out of His holy word. Amen.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - This Sunday we will begin a new preaching series entitled, Advent Conspiracy. For the next three weeks we will look to our behaviors during the Christmas season, specifically how we spend our time and resources during this time of year.Our desire is that by talking about this now, we can have time to discern how this might alter our Advent season this year. I pray this time of exploration will help you to see and experience all the ways God's gifts are being poured out for you. I encourage you to invite a friend and I hope to see you there!
2. Sound Booth- We are in need of a few volunteers to help out in the sound booth on Sunday mornings. Ifyou are interested in volunteering to help us run this vital part of worship, please let us know by calling the church office, 629-5688, emailing the office by clicking here, or signing up at the Connection Station. You do not need to have any prior knowledge of sound equipment, we will train you. It is not very difficult at all, we just need someone willing to lend their talents. Thanks!
3. Sources of Information - If you are looking for good information about our church, its activities, and/or our denomination, you can always go to our church website. On our website we have the weekly bulletin, monthly newsletter, pages about our ministries and outreach groups, and we have just added two new pages about Relay for Life and our Connectional Life. If have never been to the website, just click here. If it has been awhile, come back and see what's new. This is a great tool to keep us all connected, so click on over and discover something new!
4. Good Eatin' - Did you know that our church has two wonderful groups that gather to eat and just have a good time? For the fellas we have the ROMEOs and the for the ladies we have the MODELs. The ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out) get together every Tuesday morning at 8:15am to have breakfast and the MODELs (Mostly Older Debutantes Eating Lunch) gather the third Thursday of each month at 12:30pm to have lunch. The goal of each group is simply to have a good time over great food. Everyone is invited to join and you can find more information about both in this week's bulletin, which you can see Sunday at worship or on our church website by clicking here. Hope you can make it!
5. Thank you! - I want to take just a moment to thank everyone for you kind reception as my family and I returned home. Your kind words, genuine interest about our trip, and caring acceptance of Davis into our community have been a wonderful gift to my family. Thank you for your prayers during our journey, your support through this process, and your love as we bond together. Thanks again!Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Midweek Moment
It is good to be back, but I am so glad I went. This trip to finalize the adoption and to pick up my son was an incredible time!
This past Sunday I shared some of what I saw, the emotions that created, and the joy my family experienced in meeting Davis. But there was one event from that trip that I think bears repeating and I want to share it with you again.
It was 3:45 A.M. on Gotcha day and I sit straight up in bed (Gotcha Day is the term used for the day you meet your new child). I tried to go back to sleep but could not. I played games on my phone, read for a bit, but nothing worked. Then I thought, maybe God wants to talk to me. So I got on my knees at the side of the bed and I listened. Nothing. So I began praying, praying for that day and a few realistic ideas. You see that is usually the mode of my prayer life. I tend to stay in the realm of realism, nothing to bold, but things that should be possible. I prayed that there would not be too much crying, that we would be able to console him sooner rather than later. Then I stopped, I do not why, but I stopped. I changed course and I began to pray boldly for perfection. I told God I have been faithful through this process, I have answered your call to adopt, and you have done mighty things through this process to make this all work. You have called, we have answered, and thus far you have shown up in mountain-moving ways. I am not going to undersell you in this moment.
So I prayed for perfection and I told God that I knew that through him it can be realized. I began to pray for no crying, that Davis would take to us easily and that there would be immense amounts of joy that day. I asked that this transition would be the best adoption transition this world has ever known and with God directing it, it would happen. And it did. He took to us with ease, he played with the boys, he let my parents hold him, we spent a half hour rolling on the floor of the adoption room, laughing that deep soulful type of laugh. It was perfect. There was no crying, there was just acceptance, joy, and laughter.
God is a life changer. God is all about answering those bold type of prayers. I tell you this story to tell you we serve an awesome God. So as you talk with God, be bold and give God the chance to be awesome for you.
Have a great week and I will see you Sunday!
This past Sunday I shared some of what I saw, the emotions that created, and the joy my family experienced in meeting Davis. But there was one event from that trip that I think bears repeating and I want to share it with you again.
So I prayed for perfection and I told God that I knew that through him it can be realized. I began to pray for no crying, that Davis would take to us easily and that there would be immense amounts of joy that day. I asked that this transition would be the best adoption transition this world has ever known and with God directing it, it would happen. And it did. He took to us with ease, he played with the boys, he let my parents hold him, we spent a half hour rolling on the floor of the adoption room, laughing that deep soulful type of laugh. It was perfect. There was no crying, there was just acceptance, joy, and laughter.
God is a life changer. God is all about answering those bold type of prayers. I tell you this story to tell you we serve an awesome God. So as you talk with God, be bold and give God the chance to be awesome for you.
Have a great week and I will see you Sunday!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)