There are any number of things for us to be afraid of – we all have some sort of phobia I would guess. Sometimes we feel like Charlie Brown in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” when he is feeling depressed and goes to Lucy for help. She tells him she can label his fear if she can find out what he’s afraid of.
Worry – we know it is not good for us. We know it raises our stress level and our blood pressure. It can cause us to overeat, have trouble sleeping, and make us anxious, unwell, and unkind. So, what is the point?
Are you familiar with the word “nebby”? It is “Pittsburghese” meaning…
This question really had me go in a lot of different directions. My first thought was, “Well, I tried a new pizza place on my way home the other day.”
I will admit, I have always wanted to be an inspiration to someone. I thought that was a lofty goal – to live my life in a way that it may inspire others. However, when my daughter was writing her college application essay.
I’m pretty sure you have seen the phrase “no Jesus, no peace, know Jesus, know peace.” I was struggling with what I wanted to write because I have to admit, I have been struggling recently to feel peace.
If you took a survey of people on the street today, you may get similar responses to what the disciples told Jesus that others were saying about him centuries ago. Some would say he was a prophet, others a moral teacher, others a mythical person, and others would say that he was and is the Son of God.
One of the things I thought about when I read the passage was – how often do we do something or decide something and then afterward think “oh I really should have prayed about this before I said yes or no or before I made a decision?”
I love the book of James. James is very straightforward about how we are to live our lives. It doesn’t make it easier, but it does give us good instruction. Our passage today had me struggling to give good examples because I am feeling like this is a no brainer. The state of our world feels like this is where we are. Those in power seem to be in power only for power.
Verse 7 of this chapter refers to our bodies as “clay pots” and the subsequent verses leading up to verse 18 speak about the things that happen to that body – we are harassed, we are knocked down. They speak to the fact that we carry Jesus’ death in our bodies so that his life may be seen through us – we are resilient, we are renewed every day by the Spirit, and we will have an eternal stockpile of glory one day.
I was thinking that Shepherds’ Field or the town in the West Bank known as Beit Sahour was not at all far away from Bethlehem. Google Maps says it is about a mile, but it takes quite a while to walk between the two places, maybe 50 minutes. Now, I can’t remember if there is a checkpoint between the two places, but that very well may be. I do know that the terrain is rough – it is hilly and desert like.
God will work with us to see what we need to see if we are present in the world.
Together we can turn the nation’s largest weekend of football into the largest weekend of giving. Youth group members will be collecting monetary donations at each service this Sunday and will then send the donation to the Turning Point United Methodist Food Pantry in Trenton. Your generosity will be very much appreciated. The link below will take you to our PushPay system. You can select “Give One Time” then use the Fund Selector to choose “Souper Bowl of Caring.”
PEDAL for PROMISE – SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2019: Medford United Methodist is fielding a team for the Urban Promise fundraiser “Pedal for Promise.” This year the ride begins and ends at Valenzano Winery in Shamong. You can register to ride, make a donation to the team or register as a spectator to enjoy the party and cheer on our team.
Go to urbanpromiseusa.org/pedal for more information about the event, to donate, or to register as an individual. OR you can go directly to the TEAM MEDFORD UMC page at www.crowdrise.com/team-medford-umc.
Questions or need help? Speak with Pastor Kathleen, Wayne Richards, or Heidi and Mike Polhemus
