There will be no Wonderful Wednesday Evening Meal on April 22, 2015 due to the United Methodist Women’s Mother/Daughter/Friend Salad Buffet. Our apologies for any inconvienence.
Voice of the Day: Benedict of Nursia
Benedict of Nursia lived in the fifth and sixth centuries and founded monastic communities in Italy. He wrote a great deal about the Christian virtue of humility. Today’s quote talks about where we must begin:
“The first step of humility is to cherish at all times the sense of awe with which we should turn to God.” — Benedict of Nuria
I think that’s self-evident, but I’m going to elaborate on it anyway. Often, we mistakenly think that humility means thinking very little of ourselves (or at least pretending to think very little of ourselves). A better way of putting it would be to say that humility is having a right regard for ourselves and our place in creation. It doesn’t mean we can’t be pleased with our talents and abilities, just that we should be no more or less pleased with them than if they were someone else’s talents and abilities. Humility is not so much the depreciation of our talents and abilities, as it is turning our focus elsewhere. Focusing less on ourselves and more on God and others. Remembering the sense of awe we should have for God is a good place to start.
Hat Tip: Sojourners
Summer Camp and Summer Camp Scholarships
Whether your child is looking forward to summer camp, or you’re looking forward to sending your child to summer camp, or some combination of the two, enrollment has started. The Great Plains Conference Camp webpage has an overview of each of the six camping locations. Camp Horizon (the camp down by Arkansas City where First UMC has traditionally sent campers) also has it’s own website.
Great Plains Conference camps are great, but they are not cheap. However, as we have done in the past, First UMC will provide a scholarships (a campership) for half the cost of attending camp to any child or youth who is a member or an active participant in church activities. Register soon, early bird pricing ends May 1.
Links: http://www.greatplainsumc.org/camps#horizon
http://www.horizoncenter.org
Question and Answer Wednesday
We had several left over questions from last year’s “Question and Answer Sunday.” On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 after Wonderful Wednesday meal and Holy Communion, I’ll try to answer one of them.
The question I’ll be trying to answer is: “Explain Newton’s laws of motion. Barring that, please explain [the] steps to salvation: conversion, new life in Christ, etc.” I’ll be answering this question within the framework of our Wesleyan Heritage and (hopefully) sharing the best theological chart ever with you.
Please note: this is one week later than the date that was originally announced.
Podcast: Fear—Let It Go
A Podcast/Sermon on John 20.19-31 by Jennifer Collins. It was recorded on April 12, 2015. The reading of John 20.19-31 is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible.
Voice of the Day: Henri J. M. Nouwen
Today’s quote is from Henri J. M. Nouwen, a widely recognized authority on prayer and the spiritual life.
“Praying is no easy matter. It demands a relationship in which you allow someone other than yourself to enter into the very center of your person, to see there what you would rather leave in darkness, and to touch there what you would rather leave untouched.” — Henri J. M. Nouwen
Perhaps that’s one of the reasons so many of us are reluctant to delve deep into the life of prayer. If only we could get over that reluctance, who knows what treasurers we might find.
Hat Tip: Sojourners
K-State Wesley Meal
On Sunday, April 26, 2015, Abilene First UMC is signed up to serve the meal for K-State Wesley, the United Methodist Campus Ministry at K-State. K-State Wesley is unique among campus ministries in the area as it is a residential site, housing around 40 students, located in a former fraternity house at 1001 Sunset Ave in Manhattan. Each Sunday evening they have a community 
meal for about 50-60 students provided by an area church. We will be preparing the meal (sloppy joes) on Friday, April 24, at 9:00 am, here in the kitchen at the church. On Sunday, we will meet at 5:00 pm here at the church to go to Manhattan. Once there, we will heat up the food, get it ready, and then serve the students and eat with them at 7:00 pm. The meal is followed by worship.
If you would like to make a monetary donation to help cover the cost of the meal, you may indicate, “K-State Wesley Meal” on your donation and place it in the offering plate. If you are interested in helping to prepare or serve the meal, please let Pastor Jenny know. The purchase of the building for K-State Wesley was one of the outcomes of the Bridges to the Future capital campaign that we participated in a few years ago.
Eisenhower Marathon Youth Lock-In
This Friday (April 10, 2015) in preparation for helping with the Eisenhower Marathon, the youth will have a lock-in beginning at 7:30 pm. There will be movies, snacks, games and sleep. Sleep will occur because Saturday morning marathon activities start at 6:30 am. Youth are encouraged to bring warm clothing because it is expected to be cold and windy outside.
Men’s Fellowship Breakfast
The monthly Men’s Fellowship Breakfast will be this Saturday, February 8, 2014, at 7:30 am. All the men of the church are invited to come for prayer, food, and fellowship.
Podcast: Christus Victor and the Balrog
Below is a discussion of what God accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by John Collins. This is the one that talks about “Christus Victor,” Gandolf, and the balrog. It roughly follows the sermon for Easter Sunday, 2015 and was recorded on April 7, 2015. The scripture reading is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible.
Board of Stewards Meeting
A Friendly Reminder: there will be a Board of Stewards meeting on Sunday, April 12, 2015 at 6 pm in room 200 (a.k.a. the blue room).
Gandalf vs. the Balrog
In tomorrow’s sermon I’ll be alluding to the scenes in The Lord of the Rings trilogy where Gandalf battles the Balrog. I’ll keep this very brief and as it’s just an illustration, your ability to follow the sermon won’t depend upon being familiar with it. However, if you want to see the scenes for yourself, here they are via youtube: