Bible Challenge 12/01 - 12/07

Greetings All!

This week we finish up the book of I Corinthians, read all of II Corinthians, as well as Galatians, Ephesians and half of Philippians.

Here is a bit of background information to help you as you read:

Galatians -The book of Galatians is thought to be Paul's earliest letter, corresponding with the events of Acts 11:30. Here he addresses a group of churches in a Roman province known as Galatia, now in modern-day Turkey. This letter mainly addresses the question of whether the Mosaic law is binding on Gentiles.

Ephesians - Here Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus (now Selcuk, Turkey) while he is imprisoned in Rome (about 62AD) to address the unity of the church between its many Jewish and Gentile believers. Ephesus was the second largest city in the Roman empire in Paul's day and home to one of the seven ancient wonders of the world (temple of Artemis). Paul started the church in Ephesus as recorded in Acts 18 and eventually he would send his young protege Timothy to serve as their pastor.One of my favorite passages is Paul's admonition in Ephesians 6 to put on the full armor of God.

Philippians - Philippians has a different tone than many of Paul's letters - it is written about 62AD to the church in Philippi (now Filippoi, Greece) which was one of the first church's that Paul ever started. From the tone of his letter, Philippi is often called Paul's "sweetheart" church.

Here is the schedule:

1, Sunday: I Corinthians 16 - II Corinthians 3

2, Monday: II Corinthians 4-7

3, Tuesday: II Corinthians 8-11

4, Wednesday: II Corinthians 12 - Galatians 2

5, Thursday: Galatians 3-6

6, Friday: Ephesians 1-4

7, Saturday: Ephesians 5 - Philippians 2

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, December 1st, we will celebrate Hanging of the Greens during worship. Come and watch as we take an empty and bare sanctuary, and with your help, transform it into a beautiful Advent wonderland. We will place greenery, wreaths, Christmas trees, chrismons, and all sorts of other decorations. We will read Scripture, sing hymns, and offer prayers as we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Christ Child. I hope you will make plans to attend. Invite a friend and we hope to see you all there.






2. New Bible Study - Beginning December 5th, I will offer an Advent study entitled, Finding Bethlehem in the Midst of Bedlam. This study, by Rev. James Moore, will help us answer the question: Which will you choose this year, Bethlehem or bedlam. Rev. Moore feels that we do not have to choose, because Christmas always happens right in the midst of confusion. God breaks into the confusion and is made known in Jesus Christ.

I hope you will makes plans to attend as we walk through ways to see Christ in the midst of this season, as together we choose Bethlehem in the midst of bedlam. The class will be offered twice a day at 11 A.M. and 7 P.M., on December 5th, 12th, and 19th, in the Fellowship Hall. For more information and to register, please click here. I hope to see you there. Below is a trailer for the new study.








3. Christmas Cantata - This year our choir is combining with the choir of Belleview UMC to put on a joint Christmas Cantata. There will be several performances to give you an opportunity to be a part of this special event. First, at 2 P.M. on Saturday, December 7th they will perform at Belleview UMC. Then at 2 P.M. on Sunday, December 8th they will perform here at Druid Hills UMC. There will be a love offering taken at our service with all the proceeds going to our Advent Conspiracy Challenge. Invite a friend and I hope you will make plans to attend.






4. Church Wedding - We are having a wedding! On Saturday, December 7th, at 3 P.M., Felix Martinez and Deborah Burch are getting married and you are invited. They want to extend an invitation to the entire church family to come and be a part of this special occasion. I hope you will be able to come and show your love and support to these two and they join their lives together in the sight of God.

5. Blue Christmas - This time of year is intended to be full of hope and joy. It is intended to be a time to celebrate and experience the love of Christ and family. However; for those that have lost someone to death, it can be a time of great sorrow and grief. On Sunday, December 15th, at 12:15pm, we are going to gather for a Blue Christmas service in our Sanctuary. This service is one of remembrance and hope where we will acknowledge our grief, but also the hope that comes from God’s constant presence. I pray you will join us for this time of worship and that you will benefit from the bond it will provide.





Advent Conspiracy Update - WE ARE OVER HALF WAY THERE!! The first half of our challenge has been met and we have a little over seven weeks left to raise the rest. Thank you so much for your faithfulness in helping to truly change the life of another. If you would like more information about this challenge and the charities that will be supported with the proceeds, please visit our website by clicking here.

Fundraising Thermometer by:
Provided by Easy Fundraising Ideas

See you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

Happy Thanksgiving!

In our country, tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. It is a day we have set aside to spend with family and friends, to eat too much food, watch a little football (if you are like me), and offer thanks for those blessings in our lives.

All of us have those traditions we participate in that give us space to name that for which we are thankful. I have heard of those practices where before a family can eat their Thanksgiving Dinner they go around the table and each person says what they are thankful for in their lives. I have heard of other traditions where you exchange notes or letters with people that you thankful are in your life. In fact, we here at Druid Hills instituted a new tradition two years ago into our church wide Thanksgiving Dinner where we watch a picture show filled with the images of what we are thankful for in our lives. For those that have not seen this year’s video yet, I have included it below.



This year, I hope you will take the time to express your thanks with other people. Reach out to someone and let them know how much they mean to you. So, now I will reach out to you.

I am thankful for you. I am thankful for how you walk alongside me in ministry. I am thankful for how you look for ways to reach out to this neighborhood and show them the love and grace of Jesus Christ. And this year, I am grateful for the wonderful surprise birthday party you gave to me. I had no idea it was being planned and was so surprised and moved by this celebration. (And I had a lot of fun too!) I am humbled to be able to live life with you all and be a part of this family at Druid Hills. The kindness and warmth you extend to me and my family is true evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit among us. So for that, and so much more, I am thankful for you!

To each of you, I pray you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and may you feel the blessings of God upon you each and every day!

My love to you all,

Bible Challenge 11/24 - 11/30

Greetings All!

This week we finish up the book of Romans, read all of I Corinthians and most of II Corinthians.

In the book of Romans we find that Paul's outlining of God's grace through Jesus can be followed as such: 1) God's wrath revealed against the unrighteous (1:18-3:20); 2) God credits righteousness to all (3:21-5:21); 3) The gift of God's righteousness results in righteous living (6:1-8:39); 4) God's righteousness in the case of Israel (9:1-11:36); 5) God's righteousness reflected in the righteous lives of believers (12:1-15:13); and 6) God's righteousness shared by Paul as minister to the Gentiles (15:14-33).

Then we move into I and II Corinthians, both of which were written in Ephesus (16:8), a city on the west coast of today's Turkey, about 180 miles by sea from Corinth. According to Acts, Paul founded the church in Corinth (Acts 18:17), then spent approximately three years in Ephesus. The letter was written during this time in Ephesus, which is usually dated as being in the range of 53-57 AD.

Corinth was the meeting point of many nationalities because the main current of the trade between Asia and western Europe passed through its harbors. Paul's first visit lasted nearly two years and his converts were mainly Greeks. In his first epistle, he mainly concentrates on addressing some divisions in the church, some problems with immorality and teaching about marriage, Christian liberty, worship and resurrection. In between I and II Corinthians, Paul visited Corinth another time (a painful visit) and wrote at least one other letter that is now lost. It would seem that the situation in Corinth was still complicated and Paul felt attacked. He defends himself with some of his important teachings - forgiving others, God's new agreement that comes from the Spirit of the living God, the importance of being a person of Christ and giving generously to God's people in Jerusalem and finally ends with his own experience of how God changed his life.

Here is the schedule:

24, Sunday: Romans 4-7

25, Monday: Romans 8-11

26, Tuesday: Romans 12-15

27, Wednesday: Romans 16 - I Corinthians 3

28, Thursday: I Corinthians 4-7

29, Friday: I Corinthians 8-11

30, Saturday: I Corinthians 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 - This Sunday, November 24th, we will celebrate Christ the King Sunday. Come and worship with us as we travel through the entire Christian calendar as we celebrate Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, and Christ the King. We will read Scripture, sing hymns, and offer prayers as we worship our Risen Savior. I hope you will make plans to attend. Invite a friend and we hope to see you all there.






2. New Bible Study - Beginning December 5th, I will offer an Advent study entitled, Finding Bethlehem in the Midst of Bedlam. This study, by Rev. James Moore, will help us answer the question: Which will you choose this year, Bethlehem or bedlam. Rev. Moore feels that we do not have to choose, because Christmas always happens right in the midst of confusion. God breaks into the confusion and is made known in Jesus Christ.

I hope you will makes plans to attend as we walk through ways to see Christ in the midst of this season, as together we choose Bethlehem in the midst of bedlam. The class will be offered twice a day at 11 A.M. and 7 P.M., on December 5th, 12th, and 19th, in the Fellowship Hall. For more information and to register, please click here. I hope to see you there. Below is a trailer for the new study.







3. Annual Thanksgiving Dinner - Do not forget that tonight is our Annual Thanksgiving Dinner. We are going to have a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with one another as well as watch the video you all contributed too as we celebrate our thankfulness. I hope to see you all there!








4. Upcoming Events - There are a couple of upcoming events in the life of this congregation that I want you all to be aware of so you can be a part of them.

• Blue Christmas - This time of year is intended to be full of hope and joy. It is intended to be a time to celebrate and experience the love of Christ and family. However; for those that have lost someone to death, it can be a time of great sorrow and grief. On Sunday, December 15th, at 12:15pm, we are going to gather for a Blue Christmas service in our Sanctuary. This service is one of remembrance and hope where we will acknowledge our grief, but also the hope that comes from God’s constant presence. I pray you will join us for this time of worship and that you will benefit from the bond it will provide. 

• Hanging of the Greens - We will also once again participate in the Hanging of the Greens service. You can sign up to help by filling out the insert in your bulletin. This is a wonderful time to see our Sanctuary go from bare to completely decorated in the span of one service. We will decorate together, sing together, and share the significance of each of our decorations. I hope you will sign up to help and be a part of this wonderful time.

5. News to Share - New Zion Missionary Baptist Church will host a Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 28th, from 11 A.M. - 2:30 P.M. This congregation feels no one should be without a thanksgiving mean and have offered to host one for their neighborhood. If you know of anyone that might be alone or will not be able to celebrate Thanksgiving, please let them know about this dinner. For more information, please contact the church office at 629-5688, or email by clicking here.








Advent Conspiracy Update - WE ARE OVER HALF WAY THERE!! The first half of our challenge has been met and we have a little over seven weeks left to raise the rest. Thank you so much for your faithfulness in helping to truly change the life of another. If you would like more information about this challenge and the charities that will be supported with the proceeds, please visit our website by clicking here.

Fundraising Thermometer by:
Provided by Easy Fundraising Ideas

See you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

I spent Tuesday afternoon and evening and Wednesday morning in Leesburg this week at the Life Enrichment Center, participating an event hosted by Bishop Carter.

This time was especially poignant for me. The conference has reinstated a fellowship gathering for pastors which has been suspended for many years. In the first few years it was called School of Ministry; now it is simply called Clergy Gathering. This year clergy from all across the conference gathered together in five different worship experiences to share our stories and hear the ways that God is moving through our lives. In one session called Heroes, we listened to one of our younger clergy interview one of our retired pastors, who shared his story and advice for sustaining ministry over the long haul. At the close of that session, we wrote with sharpies on pieces of glass, the names of people in our own lives who had served as heroes in our faith. These were collected in baskets and prayed over as an offering. In the final worship experience, the communion table was decorated with those pieces of glass and the names of the all the heroes shining out at us.

That experience got me to think about two points of connection with this month in November. The first is the religious holiday of All Saints Day that we celebrated on the first Sunday in November; reading the names aloud of all the folks at Druid Hills who had died since the same time last year. And then the second is the national holiday of Thanksgiving that is quickly approaching us next week.

When we gather around the table of Thanksgiving next week and reflect on all of the things that we are thankful for, some of those things should be the personal heroes of the faith who have lived their lives as examples for us - those who are responsible for us coming to believe in Jesus and living out that faith. Who are the faith heroes in your life? Who should you lift up before God in gratitude and thanksgiving?

And then let's take that one step further. Some of the names we wrote on the glass pieces during worship have gone on to glory, but others are still alive. How much would it mean for us to contact those faith heroes who are still around and let them know (by phone, note or email) how they have touched our lives? Our gratitude for people's influence in our lives should not just be expressed at a eulogy in a memorial service. It will mean that much more for people to hear those words of gratitude now while they are still alive.

Happy Thanksgiving All!

State of the Church AddressJeremiah 29:11-14 and Jeremiah 31:31-34

This past week we engaged in a State of the Church address. I wanted each of you to have a clear understanding of where we are, where we want to go, and what we need to do to get there. I hope you found this time beneficial and integral to our continued vitality and your felt the hope of Christ in our midst.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

Bible Challenge 11/17 - 11/23

Greetings All!

This week we will finish up the book of Acts and move into the first of the epistles (letters) with the book of Romans.

In Acts, 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 is the Samaritans. The timeline here is 13 years from Stephen's stoning to Paul's missionary journeys. Finally, the last segment of the book in chapters 13-28 and it details the spread of the Gospel past the known areas of Jesus and the disciples. It takes us all the way 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.

Next up is Romans and most scholars believe that this book was written in Corinth at the end of Paul's second missionary journey there, somewhere around 55-56 A.D. 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 his teaching will not be confused with other false teachers.

Here is the schedule:

17, Sunday: Acts 4-7

18, Monday: Acts 8-11

19, Tuesday: Acts 12-15

20, Wednesday: Acts 16-19

21, Thursday: Acts 20-23

22, Friday: Acts 24-27

23, Saturday: Acts 28 - Romans 3

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 Fives

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday we will talk about our church as I offer a State of the Church Address. I have heard from people how they do not know what is going on or how we are doing as a congregation. This Sunday will be your chance to hear some of that information. We will talk about our calling as a community of faith, how we are doing financially, our hopes for the future, and wrap it all up with a time to bring forward our pledge cards for 2014. I hope you come and hear the address as we work to move forward together.



2. New Bible Study - Beginning December 5th, I will offer an Advent study entitled, Finding Bethlehem in the Midst of Bedlam. This study, by Rev. James Moore, will help us answer the question: Which will you choose this year, Bethlehem or bedlam. Rev. Moore feels that we do not have to choose, because Christmas always happens right in the midst of confusion. God breaks into the confusion and is made known in Jesus Christ.

I hope you will makes plans to attend as we walk through ways to see Christ in the midst of this season, as together we choose Bethlehem in the midst of bedlam. The class will be offered twice a day at 11 A.M. and 7 P.M., on December 5th, 12th, and 19th, in the Fellowship Hall. For more information and to register, please click here. I hope to see you there. Below is a trailer for the new study.







3. Annual Thanksgiving Dinner - November 22ch, at 6 P.M. we will have our annual Thanksgiving Dinner in the Fellowship Hall. Do not forget to sign up and RSVP your spot. We are going to create the slide show again this year to play on the projector. This show is designed to be full of pictures from the lives of each of you, showing something you are thankful for from this past year. It can be a picture of the new addition to the family, a picture from an incredible trip, a wonderful milestone or party you had, or any other reminder of how you have experienced the feelings of thanksgiving this year. If you would email those to me, or lend it to me to scan, along with a brief caption about the picture, I can put those together to share with everyone in attendance. If you have any questions please call the office at 629-5688 or email me by clicking here.






4. Upcoming Events - There are a couple of upcoming events in the life of this congregation that I want you all to be aware of so you can be a part of them.

• Blue Christmas - This time of year is intended to be full of hope and joy. It is intended to be a time to celebrate and experience the love of Christ and family. However; for those that have lost someone to death, it can be a time of great sorrow and grief. On Sunday, December 15th, at 12:15pm, we are going to gather for a Blue Christmas service in our Sanctuary. This service is one of remembrance and hope where we will acknowledge our grief, but also the hope that comes from God’s constant presence. I pray you will join us for this time of worship and that you will benefit from the bond it will provide. 

• Hanging of the Greens - We will also once again participate in the Hanging of the Greens service. You can sign up to help by filling out the insert in your bulletin. This is a wonderful time to see our Sanctuary go from bare to completely decorated in the span of one service. We will decorate together, sing together, and share the significance of each of our decorations. I hope you will sign up to help and be a part of this wonderful time.

5. News to Share - New Zion Missionary Baptist Church will host a Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 28th, from 11 A.M. - 2:30 P.M. This congregation feels no one should be without a thanksgiving mean and have offered to host one for their neighborhood. If you know of anyone that might be alone or will not be able to celebrate Thanksgiving, please let them know about this dinner. For more information, please contact the church office at 629-5688, or email by clicking here.








Advent Conspiracy Update - WE ARE OVER HALF WAY THERE!! The first half of our challenge has been met and we have a little over seven weeks left to raise the rest. Thank you so much for your faithfulness in helping to truly change the life of another. If you would like more information about this challenge and the charities that will be supported with the proceeds, please visit our website by clicking here.

Fundraising Thermometer by:
Provided by Easy Fundraising Ideas

See you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

This morning in our evangelism study, we talked about the need to find ways and rituals we can use to reestablish our desire to submit to God’s agenda each day. Some people attach a time of prayer to a regular activity that they do each day; like walking a dog or walking around their neighborhood. Others pray as soon as they wake. Bill Hybels, the author of the study, says he gets out of bed in such a way that his knees hit the floor before his feet, so he is in a posture of prayer rather than a posture of movement.

I believe that it is so important to make sure we daily dedicate ourselves to God and God’s will. Each day we need to take time to realign ourselves with the power of the Holy Spirit, to deny ourselves, and be certain we are doing all we can to follow where Christ leads us. As situations change, as opportunities unfold, we need to be ready to go as Jesus calls us. One of the ways we can do this is through prayer. Some people like to pray on their own, just giving over to God anything and everything that is on their heart. Others prefer some direction and a few words to get them started. Several years ago I published five daily prayers in our church newsletter; Early Morning Prayer, Mid-Morning Prayer, Mid-Day Prayer, Early-Evening Prayer, and Evening Prayer. These are all found in our United Methodist Book of Worship. The words and images conveyed in these prayers are fabulous. But one of the greatest gifts, if you use each of these daily, is that five times a day you are talking with God. Five times a day you are giving God a chance to speak to you and help reestablish your desire to continue working through God’s will.

Today, a collogue of mine shared a wonderful video online that reminds us of our need for God. This video is a nine-part a capella track of the hymn, I Need Thee Every Hour. I have included it below so can listen to it. I encourage you to remember that while we do need God every hour, the best part is that God is faithful to be there every hour.



Now get your tissues, wipe your eyes, and I will see you Sunday!

The Incarnation: God's True ImageRomans 5:15-17 and Colossians 1:15-20

Bible Challenge 11/10 - 11/16

Greetings All!

This week we will finish up the first four books of the New Testament (the Gospels) and begin the first few chapters of Acts.

Gospel of John - John's Gospel, 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 of the 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)

Acts or Acts of the Apostles, is the second of Luke's major writings, showing how the disciples spread the goods 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 Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This verses sets the tone for all of the action in the book. The first major segment is chapters 1-7 where the actions 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.

Here is the schedule:

10, Sunday: Luke 21 - 24

11, Monday: John 1 - 4

12, Tuesday: John 5-8

13, Wednesday: John 9-12

14, Thursday: John 13-16

15, Friday: John 17-20

16, Saturday: John 21 - Acts 3

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 Fives

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday we will conclude our preaching series centering on our understanding of the Incarnation of God. The Incarnation is so much more than an event or a definition. The Incarnation influences who we are, what we believe, and how we act. It helps us begin to understand the depth of God's love and the nature of God's character. It points us towards a whole new life and set of goals and priorities. I pray you have felt closer to God over these last couple of weeks. So as we wrap this series up I encourage you to invite a friend and come be a part of the celebration!





2. Evangelism Study - We have started a study entitled, Just Walk Across the Room. This study, written by Bill Hybels, helps shed light on the nature, purpose, and necessity of evangelism. You will be introduced to what evangelism really means, as well as ways all of us can engage in its practice. If evangelism terrifies you, this study is for you. It evangelism confuses you, this study is for you. If evangelism is right up your alley and you have that spiritual gift, this study is for you. So as you can see, this study is for you. We will meet for our last session this Wednesday. Even if you have missed a session or two, or even all of them, it is never too late to come. The class will be offered twice a day at 11 A.M. and 7 P.M. in the Fellowship Hall. I hope to see you there.

3. Annual Thanksgiving Dinner - November 22ch, at 6 P.M. we will have our annual Thanksgiving Dinner in the Fellowship Hall. Do not forget to sign up and RSVP your spot. We are going to create the slide show again this year to play on the projector. This show is designed to be full of pictures from the lives of each of you, showing something you are thankful for from this past year. It can be a picture of the new addition to the family, a picture from an incredible trip, a wonderful milestone or party you had, or any other reminder of how you have experienced the feelings of thanksgiving this year. If you would email those to me, or lend it to me to scan, along with a brief caption about the picture, I can put those together to share with everyone in attendance. If you have any questions please call the office at 629-5688 or email me by clicking here.





4. New Member Class - On Sunday, November 17th at 12:45 P.M., I will host a new member class in my office. If you have been attending Druid Hills for at least three months and would like to take that next step in becoming a member of this church, this class is for you! To register for this class, either call the church office at 629-5688, or email me by clicking here. This is a one time session where we get together to discuss what it means to be a United Methodist, what it means to be a member of Druid Hills UMC, and offer you a little background on the history of this church. If this interests you, I hope you will make plans to attend.





5. Upcoming Events - There are a couple of upcoming events in the life of this congregation that I want you all to be aware of so you can be a part of them.

• On December 15th, we will once again host our Blue Christmas service. This time of year is intended to be full of hope and joy. It is intended to be a time to celebrate and experience the love of Christ and family. However; for those that have lost someone to death, it can be a time of great sorrow and grief. On Sunday, December 15th, at 12:15pm, we are going to gather for a Blue Christmas service in our Sanctuary. This service is one of remembrance and hope where we will acknowledge our grief, but also the hope that comes from God’s constant presence. I pray you will join us for this time of worship and that you will benefit from the bond it will provide.

• We will also once again participate in the Hanging of the Greens service. You can sign up to help by filling out the insert in your bulletin. This is a wonderful time to see our Sanctuary go from bare to completely decorated in the span of one service. We will decorate together, sing together, and share the significance of each of our decorations. I hope you will sign up to help and be a part of this wonderful time.

Advent Conspiracy Update - WE ARE HALF WAY THERE!! The first half of our challenge has been met and we have a little over seven weeks left to raise the rest. Thank you so much for your faithfulness in helping to truly change the life of another. If you would like more information about this challenge and the charities that will be supported with the proceeds, please visit our website by clicking here.

Fundraising Thermometer by:
Provided by Easy Fundraising Ideas

Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

This past Monday we had our annual Charge Conference. This was a wonderful time of worship and community building. We were gathered with our sister churches and just enjoying the richness of each other’s presence. I want to thank all of you that were able to come and represent Druid Hills so proudly.

I so enjoy the aspect of worship that is now built into our Charge Conferences. On Monday night our new District Superintendent, Sue Haupert-Johnson, spoke about the need for all churches to evaluate their ministries and missions. She spoke about the need to make sure we are all being everything we can be to the neighborhoods where we are located. Churches are not meant to be closed societies, benefiting only their members, but communities of faith eager to reach out to those around them. Over the last several weeks this has been the emphasis of my sermons.

We have so many wonderful things to celebrate here at Druid Hills. We are involved in numerous outreach ministries around Ocala, partnering with various agencies to help those in need. We have many people in our family that know and understand that type of involvement is part of what Christ calls all of us to do. But the other side of that coin, is not to rest on our laurels. I want us to always keep asking ourselves, are we everything God is calling us to be? Are we doing everything we can to reach the people around us?

I want to encourage you to join me in constantly praying for God’s wisdom in this area. I want to ask you all to join me in consistently praying for God to open doors that we can walk through to share the love of Christ with those people that live around this church. We have a calling to be Christ’s ambassadors to this world, a calling that we have been equipped to carry out.

But in order for us to carry this out, we have to be all in. We have to be willing to turn all that we have and all that we are over to God. We have to be willing to give of our time, of ourselves, and of our gifts and finances. We have to completely turn ourselves over to God so that the Holy Spirit will flow through us with nothing to diminish its strength. And we all have to be a part of this, working together.

I am so excited about what we can do as Christ’s ambassadors to this part of Ocala! I am so anxious to see what we can do as the body of Druid Hills! I hope you will join me this year and be all in as we work to build the Kingdom of God together.

Have a great week and I will see you Sunday!

The Incarnation: Who Do You Say That I Am?Luke 9:18-20 and 21-27

Bible Challenge 11/03 - 11/09

Greetings All!

We will be over almost 75% of the way through the Gospels after this week, with Mark done and all but four chapters read in Luke.

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

Here is the schedule:

03, Sunday: Mark 9-12

04, Monday: Mark 13-16

05, Tuesday: Luke 1-4

06, Wednesday: Luke 5-8

07, Thursday: Luke 9-12

08, Friday: Luke 13-16

09, Saturday: Luke 17-20

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 Fives

1. Preaching Series - This Sunday we will continue our preaching series centering on our understanding of the Incarnation of God. The Incarnation is so much more than an event or a definition. The Incarnation influences who we are, what we believe, and how we act. It helps us begin to understand the depth of God's love and the nature of God's character. It points us towards a whole new life and set of goals and priorities. Over the next few weeks we will look at the Incarnation as we unpack what it means to us as Disciples of Jesus Christ. So invite a friend and come be a part of the celebration!





2. Change Your Clocks! - Do not forget to set your clocks back an hour before you go to bed Saturday night. This is that blessed time of year where you gain an hour of sleep, so do not miss it.





3. Charge Conference - Monday, November 4th, from 6:30pm - 7:30pm you are invited to be part of our Cluster Charge Conference at First UMC, Ocala. We will gather in their Family Life Center for a time of Communion, worshipful work, and Spirit-filled music. I hope you will make plans to attend and come be a part of this time of fellowship and worship.





4. Nursery Help - I know I have had this plea on the Friday Fives for a while, but we still need volunteers. Once we get enough I can take this one down. Therefore, 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. Thus far, we have had five people sign up and we are looking for at least eight. Remember the old adage, many hands make light work. I hope you will consider volunteering to help support this ministry.





5. Evangelism Study - We have started a new study entitled, Just Walk Across the Room. This study, written by Bill Hybels, helps shed light on the nature, purpose, and necessity of evangelism. You will be introduced to what evangelism really means, as well as ways all of us can engage in its practice. If evangelism terrifies you, this study is for you. It evangelism confuses you, this study is for you. If evangelism is right up your alley and you have that spiritual gift, this study is for you. So as you can see, this study is for you. We will meet for two more sessions, November 6th, and November 13th, all Wednesdays. The class will be offered twice a day at 11 A.M. and 7 P.M. For more information please visit our website by clicking here.





Advent Conspiracy Update - WE ARE HALF WAY THERE!! The first half of our challenge has been met and we have a little over seven weeks left to raise the rest. Thank you so much for your faithfulness in helping to truly change the life of another. If you would like more information about this challenge and the charities that will be supported with the proceeds, please visit our website by clicking here.

Fundraising Thermometer by:
Provided by Easy Fundraising Ideas

Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday!