A Friendly Reminder: there is an all-church potluck tomorrow (Sunday, September 29, 2019) at 11:30. Everyone is welcome; we hope to see you there.
Voices: Worship Is Where God Works On Us
My theological book study group recently read You Are What You Love by James K. A. Smith. He makes this important point:
“Worship is the arena in which God recalibrates our hearts, reforms our desires, and rehabituates our loves. Worship isn’t just something we do; it is where God does something to us. Worship is the heart of discipleship because it is the gymnasium in which God retrains our hearts.” [1]
One of the ways worship is a gymnasium in which God retrains our heart is through repetition. Just as repetition is important in learning to play an instrument or mastering a sport, so repetition is important in shaping us as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
[1] James K. A. Smith,You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Publishing Group, 2016), 77, Kindle.
Salina Rescue Mission Opportunity This Friday
We’re looking for a few volunteers to go over to the Salina Rescue Mission and prepare and serve a meal from 4:00 p.m. to about 6:00 p.m. this Friday (September 27, 2019). Let me know if you’re interested.
Email: john@revcollins.com
Youth Practice Random Acts of Kindness
This month the youth have been talking about kindness and so last Wednesday, September 18, the youth provided ice cream to people dining at McDonalds and Burger King.
2019 Leadership Institute
In a change of plans, Jenny and I will not be attending the 2019 Leadership Institute this coming week (September 25–27, 2019).
All Four Screens Are Back
All four screens are back on and working as of 9:44 this morning. Hopefully, they’ll still be working Sunday morning at 8:15 and 10:30. Cables need to be straightened up and organized, but the part I was worried about went off with nary a hitch.
Voices: Texts and Interpretations
“[Wise souls are] aware that the texts of Scripture, on the one hand, and the interpretive process, on the other, are not the same thing. They recognize that Christians fiercely committed to Christ, Scripture and truth, frequently do differ. They acknowledge that anyone’s interpretation of a text or an issue at any given moment may turn out to be quite wrong. They understand therefore that humility and charity are called for when engaging in theological and moral argument.” — David P. Gushee [1]
[1] David P. Gushee, Changing Our Mind: Definitive 3rd Edition of the Landmark Call for Inclusion of LGBTQ Christians with Response to Critics (Canton, Michigan: Read the Spirits Books, 2017), chap. 9, Kindle.
Chewing Gum, Walking, and 2 Corinthians
As I mentioned last Sunday, we are behind in our giving for the funding of our 2019 Plan for Mission and Ministry (our budget). We are by no means alone. I don’t know of a United Methodist Church that isn’t struggling this year. Nonetheless, we’re taking up a special offering for UMCOR* Hurricane Relief this Sunday. We’re doing so because we believe we can walk and chew gum at the same time. We’re doing so because our stuggle is nothing compared to the suffering of hurricane victims. We’re doing so because of the example of the churches of Macedonia:
“1 Brothers and sisters, we want to let you know about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia. 2 While they were being tested by many problems, their extra amount of happiness and their extreme poverty resulted in a surplus of rich generosity. 3 I assure you that they gave what they could afford and even more than they could afford, and they did it voluntarily.” — 2 Corinthians 8:1-3 (CEB)
I’m certain that Macedonian’s poverty was far worse than anything we can imagine and yet they gave generously. We can give to UMCOR and fund our work as a local congregation. Christ calls us to do both. Let us give generously.
*The United Methodist Committee on Relief
Public Wi-Fi Password
It appears that someone recently pulled their vehicle underneath the overhang in the east parking lot (probably to use the free Wi-Fi). I’m fine with that. But they tossed their ciggarette butts on the ground in the parking lot, with which I am not fine. For that reason, there is now a password on the Free Public WIFI network at the church. “John.Wesley” (without quotes) is the password.
Update: Please note the dot ( . ) between “John” and “Wesley.”
Verses: When You Give to the Poor
2 “Whenever you give to the poor, don’t blow your trumpet as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they may get praise from people. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. 3 But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing 4 so that you may give to the poor in secret. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you. — Matthew 6:2-4 (CEB)
Remembering 9/11
If you take time to pause and remember this day eighteen years ago, I would once again commend to you this prayer from Rev. Jeremy Pridgeon.
Link: http://bit.ly/2eYITAb
Storm Fallout
A big storm came through Sunday night, and our electronic systems felt the effects. The phone system is working again (though limping slightly), Wi-Fi has been restored (but not in Wright Fellowship Hall), and parts have been ordered for the screens in the sanctuary. We could use your help with the phones as we can’t fully evaluate that system from within the church building. Let us know if you have any problems calling the church office. It’s a complicated system and I suspect that we haven’t found, much less fixed, all the bugs yet. Jenny’s and my cell phones are working just fine if you want to contact us directly.