The daily devotional published Monday-Friday by Medford UMC. Click on the devotional title to read that day’s post.
This weekend I was at the Caregiver Renewal Retreat held at our church. Our retreat leader, Rev. Shawn Callender Hogan, set up a series of prayer stations where we could pause for reflection on where we are in our caregiver journey. One prayer station caught my attention because it was about time.
Does anything matter? Careful now… it’s easy to go down the rabbit hole with a question like that. But we’ve all thought it! Is there an answer? Yes.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 has always been a universal protest song in my heart. I graduated high school in 1969, at the height of the war in Vietnam, shadowed by the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr and Bobby Kennedy a year before. As I read the verse for today, I could not
We think about tearing down and repairing when we think about building and rebuilding. Usually, we think about building homes or buildings, but as we continue to read the second part of this verse, we can see that it can also be about our relationships.
It took courage to dare to be extraordinary for God in Jesus time just, as it is so for us today.
Have you ever been at a funeral, and something just strikes you funny? Or been in the middle of a celebration when you felt like crying?
Lately, I really feel like the clock is ticking and that I never have enough time to get everything done. I keep looking at my watch and my calendar and time seems to be accelerating. As humans, our concept of time is linear. We see our lives stretch out from birth to death.
It’s tough to know whether or not we are doing the “right” thing, but we do know that life has its seasons, and those seasons change.
Comparing various versions of verse 3:1 inspired me to think about where this scripture says TIME is located and active: some say “under heaven” or “the heavens”; another says “on the earth”. The International Children’s Bible says simply “there’s a right time for everything. Everything on earth has its special season.”
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.
I love a good baked bean recipe. One taste and I’m filled with childhood memories of a bustling fellowship hall full of familiar faces, delicious smells, and full plates. Our sanctuary on Sundays was never full, but the fellowship hall for weekly suppers always had a line out the door.
I’ll be honest, I never understood the fascination with Holy Communion, until I experienced a season where I spent several extended periods at a Catholic retreat center. A cohort I was meeting with for leadership development met there for something like 16 days over two years. It was a transformative experience.
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
