“GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT LIEUTENANT!” Many years later, I can still clearly hear these words (shouted, of course) from my Field Artillery Officer Basic Course Instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was reinforcing the importance of accurate, clear, and concise communication…
As it often happens, I learned something new at worship this week. I never knew, or even gave much thought to why one of the four candles on the advent wreath is a different color than the other three. As Joe explained, the candle for the third Sunday of advent is pink, because it represents joy.
Christmas as a child did feel differently to me than it does now. I remember as a child having a feeling of great anticipation and excitement throughout the Christmas Season. I also remember having a sense of joy, hope, and peace throughout the season and especially on Christmas Eve. It always did feel like something special was in the air on that Holy Night.
The word “fear” typically has a negative connotation. If we are fearful of something, it is usually because we have had a negative experience with the thing we are fearful of. So why does the Bible tell us that we are to fear the Lord? How can fearing the Lord lead to wisdom, peace, and rest?
Life is not easy; this world can be chaotic and unsettling. There are always and will always be things that we pray for and work to change.
There are certain moments and times when my kids were younger that I can clearly remember thinking to myself, “I need to cherish this time, I need to bottle it up and savor it,” because I knew it was fleeting…
I love to eat! Having a good meal with family and friends is one of the pleasures of life that fills me up, both physically and spiritually. For me, food is comfort and love.
As I think about what Jesus’ childhood must have been like, I can’t help but think about how much pressure both Mary and Joseph must have felt in knowing they were given the awesome responsibility of nurturing and raising Jesus, God’s Son. Talk about the need for daily courage and strength!
When we think about the characteristics of a person who stands firm in their faith, someone who is brave and strong; loving might not be the first thing that comes to our mind. We might believe that to be firm, brave, and strong, we need to be forceful with our beliefs and values.
When I read the scripture passage from today I can’t help but think about and sing to myself
the beloved Sunday School song, “This Little Light of Mine.” Here is a link to a fun video of this
song: “This Little Light Of Mine” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKkbIZtqhyQ) (I promise if you watch this video your spirits will be lifted!)
When praying, do you at times find yourself at a loss for words? What can we say that is meaningful to God? What can we say to God that God does not already know or has not already heard?
What is my purpose? How am I being led by the Holy Spirit? I am not exactly sure when I wrote those questions, I didn’t date them, but as I reflect on them now, I know they apply to me as much today as the day that I wrote them, whenever that was.
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
