Messages and Other Things

WOW! It has been a whirlwind these past three months. But, after 18 months of no pastor, coordinating pastors, visiting pastors, and worship team worship, we finally have a new pastor!! And We Love Her!!!
We hope you can join us either in person or on Zoom to hear our Pastor Randi. She comes with fresh new ideas and a heart for service to our Lord.
We will be leaving this page blank for the time being to allow Pastor Randi to settle in and provide worship for the Advent Season and then she will be deciding how best to utilize this page.

We invite you to join us in Welcoming Pastor Randi to our community of faith!!

“I’m here! Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

Serving is the third on our list of the 5 essential practices of Christianity according to Adam Hamilton’s book “The Walk”.
We have covered worship and prayer on week one. On week two we covered more prayer with our Prayer Circle Worship. And let’s be honest, especially in these times, there can never be too much prayer, amen?
Rev. Tim covered last week with a message on Study and his coverage actually gave me a nice chance to read and study. I am grateful for that.
So, here we are with our next essential practice… Serve.
Adam Hamilton shares in The Walk that these four words; serve, serving, service, and servant, appear over 1000 times in the Bible.
Joshua gave instructions to the Isrealites before his death to “Serve the Lord!”
Micah and Isaiah both were ministering around the same time and expressed God’s requirement of us to seek and do justice, mercy, and kindness.
King Lemuel spoke in Proverbs 31 to the people about being the voice of the helpless and vulnerable, to speak out when you see something wrong, and to defend the poor and needy. This reminds me of a phrase I have learned somewhere in my life that has always stuck with me. It is this, “See something, say something.” I am not sure when or where I heard that but, it stuck like glue! I have practiced it and I have taught it to my kids and others.
Jesus used these words from Isaiah 61 as the basis of his first sermon, and they are also rewritten in the book of Luke 4:18. “He has sent me to preach good news to the poor.”
Even our country’s Pledge of Allegiance concludes with the phrase, “…with liberty and justice for all.”
All through the bible we find God calling us to do good, to practice kindness, justice, and love. He requires us to be the voice and defender of those who have less than we do. Even if we are one of those least, there is probably someone who has less, who could use our help. Notice I said “someone who has less”, not is less. John 13:16 reminds us we are no better than the least. And Jesus reminds us that what we do to the least we also do to him.
Paul tells us in 1 Cor 13:3 when we do acts of worship and devotion, and give everything we have to the poor, we do them to look good in others eyes or to feel good about ourselves, but we do these without love, then those acts are worthless… we are worthless! Ouch! We must do everything in Love!
Now, I don’t know about you but, I have an understanding that God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit that fills me, have compelled me to pray the words of Isaiah many times in my life. “I’m here! Send Me!”
Jesus devoted most of his time to service and ministry of the poor, the lepers, the marginalized, the second class, the mentally and physically ill. He taught that at the final judgement we will be evaluated and judged by how we treated others and how we provided for those in need. I can only pray I have done enough. And that I will continue to do more.
I went to a Spiritual Gifts training last week with Ginnie. It was a great time of study. Turns out two of my biggest spiritual gifts are poverty and singleness. Now, I bet you never realized poverty was a gift. When I did the studying on it I found out that it means this… Poverty makes me free, not poor. Freedom from material possessions has made my life more spiritual and I have been better able to give of my time and talents. And I realized that when I do have a little extra, I try to use it for someone elses good. Of course there were other gifts as well but put all together my gifts have led to a life unencumbered by anyone or anything which has made me free to follow Jesus.
They have drawn me to admire people like St. Paul, St. Francis, John Wesley, Mother Teresa, and Jimmy Carter, Dolly Parton, and even Taylor Swift! WHY you ask?!! Because when you make over one billion dollars in one tour, what could you possibly do with all that but help others?! And that is what she did! She gave a giant bonus to every person who worked for her on this concert tour. Her reason was that they provided the means for her to have that money in the first place so they should all reap the benefit of it.
My gifts remind me that Jesus gave everything! And so should I!
We will have some further discussion on Spiritual Gifts in the next few weeks because discerning what each one of us has for gifts, also determines a path to know and serve God through them.
John Wesley started the Methodist Revival in the 18th century by calling people to gather together and live out personal piety by using their gifts to transform society. It was not enough to simply sit in worship and pray, although those things are essential, but the faithful were called to doing and to serving!
Even the smallest United Methodist churches today seek to be engaged in efforts to heal our communities and help them look more like God’s kingdom here on earth. Adam Hamilton says something that I totally agree with and I quote… “I’ve known people who criticize organized religion. But, when I look at organized religion, I find it to be much more impactful than disorganized religion or solitary religion.” United Methodists and others are all over the world doing, serving, loving, and being the hands and feet of God to our brothers and sisters in need. Right here in our own Granite District people have been coming together to put together flood buckets and distribute them to the people in Vermont, to help a young woman in this community who is fighting for her life in Dartmouth hospital, to provide necessities to the homeless through the WayStation, and to offer intercessory prayer for our own members who have needed it. This is the basis of our United Methodist Tradition. By serving others in the Love of God, we are ultimately serving God.
Nobody ever said you have to serve God all by yourself. It is far easier and more impactful when we serve together, in and through the love of God. We serve best by helping each other to help and love others.
I understand politics is not an easy subject to get into but I am going to ask you to bear with me for one moment. In his book Adam Hamilton reminds us the importance of voting because “A government will be concerned about it’s poor and vulnerable to the degree it’s voting people speak up on their behalf.” MLK said in his sermon “A Knock at Midnight” that it is important to speak up for justice and those who suffer injustice. His words were, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.” And I repeat the words of Hillary Rodham Clinton, “It takes a village!”
We were meant to serve together, as the body of Christ. Either by doing the best and most we have to offer to the least, or by fighting for change in our government and religious institutions, or by helping and serving local non-profits and organizations to fulfill their missions.
What does that mean for us? I guess we are on the road to figure that out. But I do know we can’t do it alone, all by ourselves. We must work together as the body of Christ, to serve the body of Christ.
What we CAN do individually is start every day with the prayer on our hearts of “I’m here. Send me!”.
Then be aware of life going on around you, all day long. We need to understand that the ways in which we can do and serve with the most impact, are the times when our day is interrupted by a call to do and serve. Don’t be too busy to notice the calls, the interruptions, the nudges. Be the good Samaritan, be the person who is willing to be late for work or a meeting or whatever your busyness is, to be the servant willing to love another, through your service to God.
When you live this way it becomes very clear to you that Love is a verb!
It is an action. It is willingness to take a risk, to be uncomfortable, to sacrifice something of yourself for someone else’s good. THAT is what love and kindness and service to God looks like.
Most of Jesus’ ministry, his demonstration of love and service , was a willingness to say “wait a moment”, and drop everything else to “see” the interruption put in his path. If you can’t help all by yourself, that is when the body of Christ comes together to work, no to Love together.
Here is your daily challenge for this week…
To do one random act of kindness everyday.
Not a planned one but, an interruption in your day. An opportunity from God above, to drop everything else and serve and love.
Here’s some facts for you.
Our average attendance here in worship is 15 people. So, if 15 people each do 5 acts of kindness this week that equals 75. X52 weeks equals 3900!
Now, what if the 15 people each try to make that 5 a day!!
That’s 75 a day x 7days = 575 week x 52weeks = 27,300 year!!!
Imagine it!! That’s only 15 people!!! What if it was 50 or 100 or 1000 or 10000!!! What would this world look like??!!
If we are serious about walking with and serving God, we will make the effort to be more “in the moment” and notice the interruptions.
Let’s look at our hands again. Both hands.
Clench your right hand into a fist. This hand is your reminder to love and serve others as the body of Christ. If you need help or encouragement serving, you call on the strength that comes from community.
And your left uncleched hand represents the 5 random acts of kindness and love and service you will persue this week and every week going forward!
I don’t want you to leave here thinking, “PShh… I already do this.” I want you to really pay attention to the opportunities to be interrupted. To be uncomfortable. To be disturbed. Willingly!!
I promise, as you persue and practice this, it will become part of you, deep in your soul, just as God intended.
Now, I know you can do this because, as St Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, “You were created for this!”
Look at the sermon title and pray it loud with me… I’m Here! Send Me! AMEN

Today we will seek to begin anew our walk with God. According to Adam Hamilton’s book “The Walk” there are 5 essential practices to the Christian Walk. So, today we will begin with practice #1, Worship and Prayer.
What is worship to you?
Well, there are lots of definitions.
Let me share with you what I found when I googled that question.

(1) What do you mean by worship? From worshipdeeper.com
To regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion. In the simplest of terms, worship is ascribing unspeakable value and displaying substantial love to something.
(2) worship from Encyclopedia Brittanica
Broadly defined, the response, often associated with religious behavior and a general feature of almost all religions, to the appearance of that which is accepted as holy—that is, to a sacred power or being.
(3) Worship from the writings of Billy Graham
Worship in the truest sense takes place only when our full attention is on God— on His glory, His power, His majesty, His love, His compassion. If people are really honest, this doesn’t happen very often, because even in church or in our times of quiet devotion, we get distracted and fail to see God as He truly is. Those who worship God first of all recognize that God is the Lord, the Sovereign, and all-powerful God of the universe. Worship is acknowledging God as Creator — man was not made by accident but by God’s perfect plan and will.
(4) Bible Munch Video - https://youtu.be/BEp1yrzPs0g

Mankind has always worshiped things: status, fame, popularity, people, money, and security. Anything that comes between God and man is actually idolatry. You do remember the pagan worship which happened during the 40 days Moses spent on the mountain with God? Many believe that pagan worship is a thing of the past, but it is ever present — we have just given it a new name: pop culture!
Yet, still, the only one who deserves our worship is God.
When we worship Him it shows Him and others that He is in charge and that we believe He is in charge! Our worship practices testify to our faith in things unseen.
When we gather together in church, that is community worship.
When we go to God in prayer or silence or simple conversation, that is Individual worship.
Both are equally important in our walk as Christians. They both keep us focused (hopefully) on the One who deserves our undivided attention. These acts of worship slow us down so we can see and hear and feel the spirit moving among us. That is one of the reasons I usually start our prayer circle worship with some deep breaths and quiet thoughts. To center us into the presence of God. I hope that you feel a bit of that presence this morning.
When we finally get centered and begin our worship what are some of the things we usually do together, as community, to glorify God?
1. Pray with and for each other
2. Sing hymns and songs together
3. Break bread together, sharing in the Lord’s supper
4. Confess our sins to God and to each other.
5. Reflect on the scriptures and stories of Jesus together
6. Encourage each other towards living a life of good deeds and love.
7. Collect an offering together to honor God and help others.
As we read through the book of Acts and the epistles, we can understand what the Christians did on the Lord’s Day. They did all these things as believers in offering to God and with one another. Worship wasn’t something that was only “attended”. It wasn’t something they watched. It was something they did, together. The people didn’t gather to watch a show performed by the choir and the preacher. They were engaged in the worship, offering themselves to God, looking to be blessed by him and used by him to bless others. Think of some of the music videos I have shown where the young folks are on their feet, hands raised, praising and worshipping God. Together!
This gathering and singing and praying and listening and connecting with others is, in my opinion, essential to fill our souls and that is where the holy spirit comes to work in and through us.
Jesus said, in Matthew 18:20, “Where two or more are gathered in my name, I am there with them.”
Christ is with us always, never doubt that, but the music, the preaching, the praying, the brothers and sisters gathered together in worship, those are the times and places where he comes to worship with us.
I find for myself, coming and just sitting and listening, is not enough! I want to be engaged. I want to sing, even though I know I can’t, it is still a joyful noise to God. I really think about the words I am singing. I ask God to show me what the scripture means. I sit quietly for a few moments before worship and pray for God to be here with us and to guide me to say the right words. I know you see me read my script each week but, there often are times in the middle of speaking that God will tell me to change a word or a phrase to better get the message across. My offering and my gifts are an expression of my gratitude towards God. My connecting with all of you, my faith community, and the relationships we build around our faith, are critically important to my spiritual health, and I pray yours also. Studies have been done that prove the people who attend worship in an interactive faith community are better off both mentally and physically, and most live longer. And I can think of quite a few from this community of faith who had lived a good long time.
How often should you attend worship services? Don’t you think it should be every week? I know it’s not possible sometimes, and Lord knows I was always taking whole summers off. But, since I have been here every week, and preparing and engaging in worship, my faith and my gratitude have grown. So, I am going to challenge you to set a goal to come to worship every week. Even when you’re on vacation. Find a community of faith and join in. You most likely won’t make it every week but with that goal in place, you just may try a little harder to get there. How about 90% of the year. That means you would only miss 5 or 6 Sundays. That would give you an A. 80% gives you a B. etc… I challenge you to go for the A.
Now that we have covered community worship, what about Individual worship? For some of us it is simply praying each day. Others like to commune with God in the beautiful spaces he has created. And some like to serve. Prayer and service are the basis for our individual worship.
Prayer is when we can talk to God about anything and everything, and we should. He is listening not only to hear that we love him and are grateful for all he does and gives, but also to listen as we confess our wrongs and ask for forgiveness. And he is listening when we feel the need to ask for help for a friend in need.
Lots of us are not quite sure when we pray if we are doing it right. I always tell people that I learned to pray by remembering the book of the bible called Acts. A-C-T-S. It stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Surrender. But, sometimes even that is hard to begin with so, I like to tell people to just Thank God. 3 words… Thank You God. After those 3 words, you can add anything you’d like. We don’t have to express thanks because everything is wonderful in life, we know some days that is just not the case, but we express thanks simply for the beautiful gift of life. When we can see this and be grateful and give thanks for it, we usually find our hearts feel lighter.
Gratitude. It is another form of worship and should always be included in our daily prayers, even if those daily prayers are simply, “Thank You God.”
Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 encouraged the early Christians by writing to them these words, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
For me, I think sometimes my whole life is a constant prayer and hallelujah. I am always talking to God. Just a stream of conversations and questions, in silent private prayer, muttered under my breath and spoken out loud. That’s how I prefer to do things. That way I don’t have to “remember” to pray and give thanks. It is done all day, without ceasing. Even in the middle of the loudness of 5 grandchildren running around and playing - Prayer happens.

Adam Hamilton put these practices of worship and prayer into a visual reminder. I will share it with you.
First, look at your fist. It represents being in worship together, in close relationship, gathering together and protecting eachother from harm.
Now open your fist to see all five fingers. These represent the five times a day you are going to pray on your own. Morning when you wake, at each meal – breakfast, lunch and dinner, and at bedtime.
So there it is… the idea of what it means to worship and pray in your Christian Walk.
We accept God’s love for us, God’s gifts to us, and we say “Thank You” without ceasing.
To quote Adam Hamilton…
“Worship together each week, and remember to give thanks five times a day, and you will be on the ‘road’ to a closer walk with God and making yourself a living hallelujah!

There is a famous quote by Aldous Huxley that says, “My Father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing.”
That was my dad! I realize we spoke of my father a couple weeks ago but, I need to share some more things I learned from him. My father absolutely loved these mountains and lakes and rivers and the ocean as well. He spent 6 years during WW2 in the Merchant Marines which allowed him to see much more of this world than I ever will. As far back as I can remember he was always outside, even in his last couple years he was determined to do his annual camping trip. That last trip, we pulled into Covered Bridge campground and the cars transmission died. Right there at the moment we parked! Mom freaked out, I was like “what do we do now?” and Dad just said, “not to worry. We will get set up and I will walk to town and get some help. You girls can walk up to the bridge for a swim, and I will be right back!” Walk To Town?? That’s like 8 miles? But, for Dad it seemed to be no problem. It was like whenever we drove onto the Kanc, he was renewed, no transformed, with not a care in the world! It was a physically present change in him! I still have trouble finding the right words to express what I witnessed. It surely was a spiritual thing.
Campers haven’t changed… much… campers are campers… for the most part, enjoying nature and the peacefulness… for the most part.
But I see a lot of ignorance and just plain stupidity! I can hear my dad saying, “What are you thinking??!!” I believe he would be talking to everyone he saw about the dos and don'ts of nature and being good stewards. “These people have no common sense! I’m going to go have a talk with them!” And Mom would sigh and roll her eyes and off he would go. He always taught us to “Leave No Trace”.
My parents both taught us many things about nature and creation and life. They gave us camping and beaches and long drives with picnics and ice cream. These were their expressions of love to us.
Mom was constantly telling us to “go outside” … No matter what season or weather, we were outside! Of course, that could have been not only good for us but, for her. She always said, “You birds are gonna drive me crazy!”
I too gave my girls the swing sets and snow forts and bikes and playground days and yes… lots of camping adventures and hiking! These were my expressions of love to them. There were lots of days of loud laughter and screams of delight. Hiking one day, we followed the Basin trail up Cannon Mountain, along the river where there were lots of pools and slides to play in. I can remember the fun on that 95* day and their (and my) delight in the icy cold water, just like it was yesterday. (Oh wait, I did do that yesterday.)
But, really, could it be that that was what God intended when he created this universe and set us in it? Was that his expression of love for us?! Did he intend for us to have adventures and enjoyment from all of it? So, how should we respond to a gift like that? Well… we should respond the same way you would teach a child to respond to gifts they receive… with thanks, love, care, and respect for the gifts they receive, and for the giver!
Our world has not been cared for, loved, and respected for a very, very, long time. We have explored and conquered and built and modified just about every aspect of this gift of love. And now we are turning towards outer space and other universes! This exploring and conquering is to the point that it may be too late to turn it around. But… we must try!!
There are a great many people trying to do small things to be responsible, good stewards of this expression of love God gave us to be our home.
Recycling, planting food gardens, walking and riding bikes instead of driving, using solar and wind and waterpower to generate electricity, driving electric cars.
This continued destruction of our divine gift has been forewarned for a very long time! Remember Al Gore back in the early 80’s and the scientists who came before him?! I remember… I remember being horrified about what he was telling us… with most of science backing him up!! I also remember how people said he was crazy, that he had lost his mind, that he had gone overboard with his doomsday predictions, that this could not possibly be true!
Yet… here we sit.
With massive floods and tidal waves, intense heat waves, long time drought conditions, forests on fire, snowpack so deep it covers whole neighborhoods! And other extreme weather conditions all around our planet! Threatening nature, threatening creatures great and small, threatening our very existence!
Ya… I remember Al Gore. And I remember my dad. They both taught me “this is my Father’s world.” They both taught me that I should treat this world with the same, if not greater, love and respect with which it was given to me. So, I have tried to live my life doing whatever I can to show that love and respect, and teaching my children, grandchildren and anyone else who will listen.
Now, back in the 70’s, I got a lot of flak for this. Family and friends thought it was weird, this recycling business, and taking my bike to work or walking because I lived close enough to do so. I wonder sometimes what they think now… or if they do even think about it. Thanks to my dad teaching me to “Leave No Trace”, it has, for me, always been an easy habit to sort my trash, reuse what I can, be conscious of my water use, be attentive to my energy consumption. (I LOVE my solar lights!) And… I wish I could afford an electric car! Maybe that day will come. But these are little things I can do. They are certainly not going to save the planet all by myself. But, as Mother Teresa said, “You can do small things with great love.”
I believe if every single person could do these small things… every day… and teach everyone around you to do small things… that would amount to a great act of love towards saving this planet!
I would like this church family to do its part in this great act of love. I will be reaching out to the Green Church coordinator to find out what’s next?
We are already recycling what we can. But we can do more. So… we will be using up all the paper goods and switching back to using real dishes and cups. And we will be replacing the use of plastic utensils with real silverware.
I challenge you to do the same at your own homes!
Are you all in?! Will you join in this act of love?!
Are you prepared to Love this gift with ALL the respect it deserves?!
This IS our Father’s world! “Leave No Trace”

"WHAT'S NEXT?"
We heard the message given at Annual Conference by this year's Wilbur C. Ziegler Award winner for Excellence in Preaching.
We hope you enjoy the Rev. Dr. Rebecca Girrell who currently serves the United Community Church of Morrisville, Vermont.

Click the Button link below to watch in Youtube.

TRUST THE FATHER
Many of you know I come from a rather large family. 7 children! My Dad was a blessing to us! Dad must have had some faith and trust in God’s promise to Abraham that “he and his children would possess the earth”. After all, we did all become campers and nature lovers. I know, I know, that’s not what God meant.
But, really, when I look back on my Dad’s life, he must’ve had some faith, some trust that his children would be looked after by a promise keeping, generous God.
Dad never made a million dollars or even had the time or money to own a home. Yet, he continued to seek God and worked as hard as he could to provide for the children he and Mum brought into this world. Dad worked 6 days a week and sometimes up to 12 hours a day. That didn’t leave much time for his brood, and we never did have much. I do remember my Dad’s Mom calling us dirty little urchins, but, whatever her opinion was of us, we always had a home, wherever Dad made it. And we had laughter and love. And we had a Mum who could stay at home with us when we were just littles. I think my Dad believed that he was responsible for some part of this promise keeping. Which now leads me to believe that Dad, in all his faith journey, may have never really understood the promises of God. And it leads me to a gratefulness for his perseverance in seeking that truth which has lead me to do the same.
I say Dad didn’t understand because of his “god helps those who help themselves” attitude. I’m not saying hard work is a bad thing but, to be in the belief that you must work hard, that you must do your share in order for God to fulfill his promises to you, well, I can’t say I believe that to be true. Mind you, I am not at all sure that Dad didn’t understand, maybe he did, but he never really talked about his faith. It was like a well kept secret between him and God and only a few of us knew it even existed. But, those few have been faithful. But, more on that later.
Abraham never doubted that God would fulfill his promise. Abraham’s life was marked by mistakes and sins and failures as well as by wisdom and goodness, just like my Dad’s. Abraham, consistently trusted in God, just like my Dad. His trials and mistakes and the obstacles he faced only served to strengthen his faith. His very life was an example of faith in action, just like my Dad’s. There were many times in Abraham’s life when he could have thrown up his hands and said “I just can’t go on!” but he always looked to God and obeyed the heavenly Father and waited for God to answer in his time, just like my Dad.
If we look at the scripture in Genesis where God promised that Abraham would be the Father of Many Nations and the entire world would be blessed through him, we can see that God surely did keep his promise. The promise was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. And now we know that Jesus was from Abraham’s line and truly the whole world has been blessed by him.
If we read further into Romans chapter 5 verses 3-5, in the Message we hear this… “There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary – we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit.”
Dad was a very patient man, a man who was easily satisfied in life, a man who didn’t feel ashamed of what he did or did not accomplish, a man who never envied what others had, a man who loved his wife unconditionally, and who protected and guided his children with his intelligence and common sense. He always had a little time for fun, too, like ice cream and long Sunday drives.
My Dad’s perseverance in life and faith has led many in his line, generation to generation, to feel a sense of contentedness with life and to seek the truth of God’s promises. From his children, to their children, to their children and beyond, there are many in my family who outwardly acknowledge there is a God and who faithfully continue to learn about the grace of God through Jesus. We have only just begun the journey to eternity.
I wish sometimes that I had seen and known that Dad understood the fullness of God’s grace. It would have answered so many questions for me at a much younger age. And maybe, just maybe he would have not worked so hard all his life. But, then we all have our own journey to travel. And it may have changed nothing in knowing. I do know, without hesitation, that my Dad was my introduction to the Heavenly Father. No question he planted that seed at a very early age and it has taken it’s own sweet time to flourish. And here I stand, still journeying, still flourishing, still thirsty for more, and knowing full well that my time and effort and struggles and blessings were all part of the plan of God’s grace, through my belief in Jesus Christ. For that gift from my Dad I will be forever grateful.
I only pray today that you too have had a “Fatherly” figure in your life who has planted that seed and that thirst for knowing. It may not be your own Dad or even a man… but whoever it was… May you feel truly Blessed.
Amen!

BE LOVE!
Last week we were called to GO! And we referred to The Great Commission
for our message, but Jesus didn’t call it that, we do. What he does call “great”
is earlier in the book of Matthew chapter 22 verses 37-40. It is the Great
Commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first
commandment. And a second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the
Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
In 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, Paul reminds us that true peace and justice can only
be achieved when we strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of
one mind and live in right relationship with God and our neighbors. As
Christians, we are called to not only seek peace in our own hearts and
relationships but also to actively work toward peace and justice in our
communities and in our world. “No justice, no peace” is a chant often lifted up

at justice rallies. And Lord knows there are many of them happening in this
world we live in. Justice for all people, justice for all nations, justice for all
creation. There are rallies all around and for every act of injustice.
The United Methodist Book of Resolutions reminds us “the peace that
is shalom is not negative or one-dimensional. It is much more than the
absence of war. Shalom is positive peace: harmony, wholeness, health, and
well-being in all human relationships. It is the natural state of humanity as
birthed by God.” True peace requires the presence of justice, reflecting our
baptismal vows to “accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil,
injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” True
peace can only be achieved when there is justice for all.
This week we are called to “Be Love”.
Jesus gave us the Commission to go out into the world and make disciples of
all nations. This includes sharing the message of peace and “ACCEPT THE
FREEDOM AND POWER GOD GIVES YOU TO RESIST EVIL, INJUSTICE, AND
OPPRESSION IN WHATEVER FORMS THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES.”(2)
Remember I said last week that we all have the power of the Holy Spirit. Do
Not Be Afraid! We are to at least attempt to create Justice, even with those
who have created barriers to God’s grace and work to bring about peace and
justice in the world and for all creation. This invitation to be on a co-mission
with Jesus is not only for disciples 2,000 years ago. It is not only for
missionaries around the world. It is for you and me. We are invited to teach
others how to follow the teachings of Jesus and also teach them how to “love
our neighbors as ourselves”. We are invited to model what it means to love
God and love our neighbor and love our planet. We are invited to be part of
God’s transformation of the world by building up peace with justice in the
name of Jesus. When we pray with a friend or stranger in need, or provide
assistance with things like a ride to the doctor or a grocery card or gas card, or
show up to church and provide an omelet breakfast, or share the things from
our garden because we have more than we need, that’s when we are living
out our faith with authentic love. When we serve in the community and give
to and work with charities like Teen Challenge, the WayStation, the Endeavor

House nextdoor, in the name of Jesus as United Methodist Christians, we
offer a restorative and loving invitation to our neighbors. When we respond to
a call to support the work of our US Forest Service or the Tin Mountain
Conservation Group, or the Conway Area Humane Society, we are
demonstrating the call to love our world. When we share the story of our faith
journey, we engage in God’s mission, discipling others into a life that restores
peace through Jesus Christ.
Hearing a call from God is not something reserved for the clergy. It comes to
us all—to all who want to follow this path; to all who want to become
disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. It might be a call
to a place, to a task, or to a way of living. But in all of it, there is a call to a
relationship. To consider our call is to consider life—a new life, a new start, a
destination unknown.
This kind of reminds me of all the new graduates who, even though their
vision is limited concerning where they are heading, they launch off into this
call of a new way of being without much clue about what they are doing or
where they are going. Some folks talk a lot about the number of students who
fail. I’m amazed by the ones that succeed. Most of the kids I talk to are
woefully unprepared for what might be ahead of them. Yet, we celebrate the
launch of this new life with tears and with joy. And then we wave goodbye as
they set off to a new life, a new land without so much as a Google Maps
printout. They just hear the call to go, and they do.
Graduates are like Matthew in the Gospel text. Matthew was just minding his
own business and some guy walked by, looked at him and said, “Let’s go.” And
Matthew went. Wait, what? Yeah, he went. He just up and left the booth.
There were folks standing in line waiting to pay their taxes, and Matthew just
left. How long did they stand there waiting for him to come back? I mean, you
don’t skip paying taxes because the taxman wandered off, do you?
We don’t get much of Matthew’s story here. Just a verse before Jesus is off at
dinner again, hanging with an unsavory crowd and trying to get his point

across to the less unsavory people. We don’t know what Matthew was
thinking or why he was such an easy mark. We don’t know if he was thinking
about his job, tired of the abuse he suffered at those who didn’t want to pay
their taxes – and anyway, who does want to pay their taxes? Maybe he was
upset by what he forced people with little means to do in order to keep right
with the law of the oppressor. Or maybe he didn’t think that at all. Maybe he
was used to following orders to get ahead and Jesus used that tone of voice
that his bosses used, that certainty, that authority. And he was halfway down
the street after the guy before he started to think, “Wait, what am I doing?”
He heard the call, and he went. Maybe because of the pain and strife he
inflicted by doing his job, maybe in his heart and the tone of Jesus’ voice he
heard “Let’s go…Be Love!”
God doesn’t want us to wait until we are certain. God doesn’t want us to
figure it all out first, to download the maps and chart our course; he wants us
to move. “Move where?” we ask. Anywhere. Somewhere. As the Lord has told
us. We don’t know everything, but we do know some things. We know God
asks us to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly. We know that Jesus
said blessed are the peacemakers and that when you do it to the least of
these, you do it to him. Maybe that isn’t enough to build a life on, but it is
surely a good start. It is a place to Be Love.
And along the way is a blessing. Not just at the end. There is blessing in the
going, blessing in the following, blessing in the unseen destination. Blessing in
the act of Being Love!
The Great Commission is a Spirit-led co-mission from God, and comes along
with the Great Commandment to go with Jesus Christ and with one another in
spirit filled love. Answer the calls in your heart! Find ways to provide Peace
with Justice for all creation. And share the Good News with us when you do!
I’m going to ask the worship team to please join me: (Jennifer, Sue W., Bob,
Ginnie, Lisa, Candace) I want to thank you all, from the bottom of my heart for
answering your calls to Go. For answering your calls to Be Love. I wanted you

all to know how much your support has helped not only me but, our little
church and ultimately, the Co-mission of God. Please read with me and help
me let these fine folks know how easy this call can be.
WT: God will help you to the end of the age and we will celebrate with you in
all the places where you see the Spirit at work and where Peace with Justice is
being restored. It’s all around us and we are all invited to participate in it.
From the smallest of acts of kindness to the generousness of spirit that
changes the face of the world. We can all work together like the pieces of a
great puzzle. Going Together. For all the world. Let’s Go! Be Brave! Be Love!
Thanks be to God.

(1) From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church—2016.
(2) The United Methodist Book of Resolutions.
Some words and phrases used from Discipleship Ministries UMC

GO!!
The Grace of Jesus – the Love of God – the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
The Trinity, watching, guiding, and loving us through it all!! How can we
question that we are blessed … every second of every day! I Believe!! Do you?
Focusing on God, what we see is a Creator God, the source of everything that
is, who nonetheless chooses to send US on the mission to share His Kingdom
with the whole world. A gigantic God and a meticulous God. The terms
typically used for this are transcendence and immanence. Transendence
meaning “existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level” and
immanence meaning “permanently pervading and sustaining the universe”.
He is not an either/or but a both/and God. He is both wholly other and
intimate friend. God is both out there and in here. Out there referring to all
that is beyond us and above us and around us. In here being both the
indwelling Spirit within us and the presence that permeates this community of
faith in which we worship and experience God’s presence and God’s love and
God’s grace.
God-focused worship, then, is about giving praise and offering confession,
about spending time in the presence of God. But it is also about the
celebration of the gift of the church through which we have come to know
God. Worship gives visible expression to how we have experienced God in our
lives. I know we did something similar last week but, worship and recognition
of God is never enough. Let us both honor God and honor the community that
shares God with us and with the world.
So I will ask you a couple questions…
Can you name a time when you experienced God? What happened in that
moment?
And what about those who have shared God with you? Can you share their
names to honor them?
At the same time, we honor the creator God by responding to the sender God.
This is a day to speak of the nature of God by living into our mission to make
disciples of all peoples. And we cannot make disciples of all people until we
see all the people, see them as brothers and sisters, see them as part of God’s
plan and purpose for creation, see them as signs of God’s presence. We
embrace the fullness of God by embracing God’s creation as a whole. We
must embrace our role in protecting and preserving and stewarding all that
God has made in partnership with people of all ages, nations, and races, as our
baptismal vows declare.
We are invited to participate in God’s ever-continuing act of creation. We are
called to join in. We are called to go.
It’s time to go. You’ve heard that a few times in your life, I know. You’ve said it
many times too. Go. Let’s go. Can we go? Ready to go? Who could say no to
“Go"? It’s exciting and scary and irresistible! What’s next?? Go! Of course, we
want to go!
But. There is the other side of “Go.” To go you have to leave. To move toward
a new tomorrow is sometimes to leave a comfortable – or even not so
comfortable, but maybe familiar – yesterday. To embrace the call to go is to
turn your back on “stay”, even as you stride into a hope, a possible joy.
Matthew 28:16 says, “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the
mountain where Jesus had told them to go.”
Did you ever notice how many times Jesus told them to go? Or how many
mountains are mentioned in the Bible? Mountains in the Bible are more than
simply geological formations. Something significant always happens. It’s a
dead giveaway. Or rather a living one. Mountains are alive, but not just with
the sound of music. No, mountains are alive with the Presence and Power of
God. Standing on this mountain, the disciples’ lives were about to change
forever. In fact, the whole world was about to change forever. Not that they
knew that at that moment. All they knew is that they heard that word: “Go.”
There’s some very important information in the verses at the end of
Matthew’s Gospel. But, we want to get right to the “Go,” the Great
Commission. That’s where the call is. We are a part of a denomination that
makes its mission To Make Disciples for Jesus Christ for the Transformation
of the World. And we say it like that, with capitals and emphases. You can
hear it in how we say it. We say it with fervor, with passion; we say it, let’s
admit it, with a bit of desperation. We’re losing our grip on what we have
been, and we are uncertain about what we will become. So, we cling tightly to
the Great Commission for the salvation of the denomination. We hold on so
tightly that we squeeze the life out of it. It has become our weapon, our
bludgeon to force a resurrection of the churches we were once upon a time,
in our memory, if not in fact.
I think it comes down to how we hear the word “Go.” Go. Make disciples!
Whether they want to be made or not. Baptize them, even if you have to hold
them under the water until they stop squirming; get them in; get them done.
Then teach them to obey. Obey. Put them in their place. Under the thumb,
under the heel. Make them good; make them pure; make them right when all
they seem to want is wrong. Get ‘er done!
Oh, wait… that’s a different denomination. You can stop squirming now.
But the truth is, that is the attitude of many in Christianity historically and
today. The Great Commission is a license to hate, to wield the sword, to put
down, look down on, and come down on those who don’t measure up. Go,
run over the world until you’ve made it into the image that is palatable to Us!
There is no other way. So, you’d better shape up. And if you don’t have the
right credentials, we don’t want you; we won’t let you in. Go. Go away!
Eleven disciples gathered on that mountain, carrying their wounds, their
failures, their disappointment, and their fears. Even when Jesus appeared,
Matthew tells us that they worshiped but some doubted. Really? The
resurrected Christ, stood before them, about to ascend into heaven and take
his place at the right hand of Almighty God, and some doubted? Still? On the
mountain?
We aren’t told what they doubted. Him? Themselves? The mission that was
about to be handed to them? All the above or something else entirely. Who
knows? We don’t.
Except that we do. Because we have them too: those doubts. That sense of
inadequacy. That feeling that maybe we shouldn’t force someone else to
believe what isn’t within them to believe. Maybe we should just keep it to
ourselves, this faith thing. Keep it quiet; don’t make waves; don’t disturb the
neighbors. “Live and let live.” That’s a better motto. Better than “Go,”
anyway.
But then, maybe we’re hearing the word “Go” wrong. Maybe it is just about
joy. Not about being right, but about being whole. Maybe Jesus meant that his
way, his life, his teaching were indeed the better way to be; and that if we
were thinking right, we couldn’t keep it to ourselves if we tried! It will leak out
of us as we live in the world as fully alive human beings. “So,” says Jesus, “live
intentionally. Live outwardly.” When Jesus says “make disciples,” he doesn’t
imagine an anvil upon which we pound them into shape. Instead, he imagines
a relationship. He says, “Go, spend time with people, value them, learn from
them, know them, help them, tell them what makes you the fully alive person
that you are.” It isn’t a course you take and get a diploma; it’s a way of living
that we are always growing into. Like creation itself, the goodness is found in
the process. Make disciples as you are being made into a disciple.
“Give them something else, Give them Me,” Jesus said with that trademark
thousand-watt smile. And teach. Oh yes. Teach them obedience. Not by
breaking their will, though, not by beatings and repetitions, but by passion
and joy and encouragement. And by immersing them in the Creator God, the
Redeemer Christ, and the Sustainer Spirit.
“Go,” he said to the disciples and to us. Go. And trust that he knows how hard
that is. That to “Go” forward is to leave something behind; that to accept the
call to “Go” is to live with uncertainty and a sense of what if and why not. It is
to embrace the goodness of God in spite of those doubts. Trusting that new
place, the new world is a mountain of potential and power and the Presence
of God. And maybe the real call is to live into “Go” rather than to jump and
run to meet some deadline, some quota. Because we have known failure,
“Go” is harder to hear. Harder, but not impossible. Because, with God, all
things are possible.
On this Trinity Sunday, we celebrate the Triune God who is not distant and
aloof and apart, but the Triune God who is present in what came to be
through a word spoken in the void. We worship the Triune God who came
down like fire, burned a mission into our hearts and told us to “GO”!.

Ideas and Phrases in this worship provided by Discipleship Ministries UMC

What Kind of World Do We Want? (2)
Can you remember a day that completely changed your life? Maybe it was a
marriage or a death or a birth.
Can you think of an event – or series of events – that completely changed life
as we know it? Perhaps you think of JFK’s assassination, the Fall of the Berlin
Wall, the Viet Nam war, or 9/11. And most recently the Covid pandemic.
We are living in a time when power is trying to overcome love. When
everyday there is greater disparity between the haves and have nots, just like
the time of Jesus, both before and after his death.
Were you aware that Pentecost was originally an agricultural festival
3
celebrating the first harvest of the growing season? And later it became a
commemoration of the giving of the land of Canaan to the people of Israel;
and then even later, it morphed into an observance of the giving of the law to
Moses on Mount Sinai. All are important times of celebration, but nothing to
indicate the power that was unleashed on this day. I’m sure it caught the
disciples by surprise too! They were used to a low-key holiday (not unlike Yom
Kippur or even Rosh Hashana), but instead found themselves in an encounter
with God that literally blew them away!
Did the disciples realize their jubilant holiday of Pentecost would change the
course of the world for all time?! Wind, Fire, Holy Spirit!! Brought a new way
of being for all time!!
Luke tells us, the Day of Pentecost came like the sound of a violent wind. It
was fire; it was power; it was chaos and noise, but it was also meaning, and it
was hope. And then to be filled with the power to be, the power to grow, the
power to love as Christ loved. It gives me goosebumps to even think about!
That’s what Pentecost is all about. It’s not simply a birthday observed, just a
marker along the road, or a milestone passed. It is a moment of power, an
offering of transformation. So, how about it? Ready to fully come to church on
Sunday? Who knows who you might be once you’ve been windswept by the
Holy Spirit?
We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to fill us with a passion, a heat for justice,
love and mercy! What kind of world do you want?! Give the power to the rich
and greedy? Or take the power the Holy Spirit has given us and do the work
the Lord has charged us to do?!
Except. Sometimes it is hard to rise to the occasion of this kind of Pentecost.
The breath within us isn’t a mighty wind; it is more like a sigh. Of pain or
sadness and grief, maybe of uncertainty or fear. Not a gust, but a sigh. Just a
sigh.
4
“sigh” O Breathe on us Holy Spirit. In the heat of the moment. In the struggle
of living and loving and finding our way in a complicated world. Breathe on us.
Give us peace. Not a peace that resolves every issue. Not a peace that fixes
everything that is broken, or that removes responsibility or covenant, or that
answers every question, or that removes every doubt. Breathe on us that we
might find peace enough to continue on the journey on which we find
ourselves. Peace enough to work toward resolution, peace enough to mend
the broken or that allows us to limp with grace and confidence. Peace that
breathes through our responsibilities and covenants, peace that lifts us up and
binds us together. Peace that casts out fear.
The Holy Spirit can and will break every chain of power, injustice,poverty,
confusion, oppression, and will set us truly free to do His will and create the
world which He intended!
He gave many gifts!! We ALL have them! Do not fear them! Be brave! Be
mighty! Use your gifts for the saving of our world! There is strength and
courage in numbers!!
3000 people heard Peter’s message and walked away filled with the fire of
love for a broken world! Filled with the heat of desire for a better world! Filled
with the power of love!
Remember Matthew 22 tells us to Love your God with all your heart and all
your mind and all your soul! And love your neighbor as yourself!
What kind of world do we want??!
“sigh” He breathed on them. Peace be with you. Receive the Spirit of holiness,
of ordination, of mission and ministry, of love. Receive it and then love. Love
from the strong center of peace, from the contentment of faith, of putting
your hands in the source of love and joy and peace. Lean into it, trust it,
receive it, give it!
We are so caught up by the rule of greed and the laws of the rich and
powerful, but… it is time to let ourselves be so consumed by the fire of the
Holy Spirit, we cannot do anything But change the world!!
5
“sigh” He breathed on them. On you. On me. A breathe of peace given to a
hurting and hungry heart becomes a wind of change in a new world.
Breathe deep and step out in faith! Even if it’s a baby step.
Jimi Hendrix said,
“When the power of Love overcomes the love of Power…
Then the world will know peace.”
“sigh” What kind of world do we want?!

(1)Call to Worship “Listening In Tongues” by Pastor Steve Garnaas-Holmes
(2)Thoughts and phrases used from the message “What Kind of World Do We Want?”
Pentecost 2020 by Rev. Lisa Fitzpatrick, Belmont Heights UMC, Long Beach, CA

HE LOVES US!
We are in the midst of the Great Fifty Days of the Easter Season. On day forty,
which is always a Thursday, we celebrate the Ascension of Christ. Since most
congregations do not hold a special Thursday night Ascension Day Worship
Service, it is normally acknowledged on the Sunday one week before
Pentecost. So, here we find ourselves. The ascension of Jesus Christ into
heaven! It is something we believe in! We affirm this belief as part of “The
apostles’ creed” In The Apostles’ Creed, we say, “He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will
2
come to judge the living and the dead.” We believe that Jesus Christ ascended
to heaven and has taken his rightful place.
As Christians, we must follow the instructions of Jesus in Luke 24 verse 47 and
teach repentance and forgiveness of sins. People today need the hope that
they can be forgiven for what they have done, no matter how long it takes
them to ask for forgiveness. There are way too many people suffering
needlessly because they are convinced that God couldn’t possibly forgive
them for turning away, wasting their life, wasting their talents, and living apart
from God. People need to hear this message from you! Jesus Loves Us! No
matter what!
We must understand and share that Jesus loves the earth he leaves and he
still calls the world his own, even though he is no longer physically present in
it.
There is a hymn by Charles Wesley, #312 “Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise”
where in verse 3 Charles invites us to “picture” this day…
“See! The heaven its Lord receives,
Yet he loves the earth he leaves,
Though returning to his throne
Still he calls the world his own.”
I can understand this because it is what I truly believe. I believe Jesus is
present with us. He is present when two or more are gathered in his name to
proclaim the gospel until he comes again. He is present when a baby is born
into this world, and he is present when we say goodbye to loved ones as they
pass from this life into the next. He is present in the rising of the sun each
morning and in its setting each evening. He is present even in the darkness of
life. He is present in the blossoming trees and flowers that surround our
mountain homes, and he will be present when the leaves dry up and fall from
the trees and the grass turns brown and the snow begins to fall and the days
become short. He is present in every feeling of love and every action of love.
He is present in the breaking of bread and the pouring of wine. He is present
in the great cloud of witnesses, both on Earth and in Heaven, that surrounds
3
us all.
I want to ask you… Where is Jesus “present” for you?
Where do you see him in this world?
*wait for responses
I can just see his hands lifted! I imagine them held up high, with palms open,
in the same way some of us do when we sing praise songs or stand to pray.
And yes, I can see the marks on his hands, what Charles Wesley called the
“prints of love” that witness to the power of his sacrifice for this world, for
you and for me. Yes, I can see his lips moving as he offers a blessing upon the
people who gather in his name and who, in union with him, offer themselves
in loving sacrifice for the world.
Maybe we should take a moment and close our eyes and see what our minds
see.
What do you see when you imagine the time and place and concept you call
heaven? And how does your vision of heaven “receive” its Lord?
Just stay present with Jesus for a moment in this vision.
*silence for at least 60 seconds
So here on the seventh Sunday of Easter: the final “of Easter.” It is time to
turn back to the one who is “chosen and precious,” …except, as you’ve heard,
he turns back to us! Even when talking about himself, his own glory, he turns
back to us. It’s amazing, really, in this moment, when you’d think he would be
focused on himself and the incredible event that is happening to him! But
even in the final moments on this earth…
we are the objects of His attention and His prayer!
When I said “He loves the earth he leaves and still calls this world his own”…
I wasn’t speaking of only the non-human creation here on earth.
I was speaking of us!
He Loves Us!
Luke 24 verse 51 says “While he was blessing them, he left them and was
taken up into heaven.”
Do you see it? Can you envision those moments?
4
Yes I believe we see him clearly on this Ascension Sunday blessing us here on
earth and in heaven! He Loves Us!
HE - LOVES - US!
AMEN!

The Proverbs 31 Woman
I think when we read Proverbs 31 we have always looked at this woman in a
traditional sense. Housewife, Mother, Grandmother. Most see her as a strong,
capable woman, who, yes, can take care of her family, husband, home,
children, while her husband provides the “daily bread”. I’m not saying that is a
bad thing! Many women are perfectly happy to be that and provide that level
of support for her partner. If a woman chose to be something different,
something “other than” or something AND, she was looked at as odd or selfish
or both. This different life she wanted was not at all “normal”.
Maya Angelou once said, “if you’re always trying to be normal, you will never
know how amazing you can be.”
But, what if we looked at this woman in a more modern light. For instance,
there are many women who, for whatever the reason may be, have no
partner or who simply chose to have a career, with or without children and/or
3
a partner.
Being a housewife and mother used to be the way of life for women. I think
when I got to the marrying age in the early seventies that was truly changing
in our society. Women were no longer expected to marry and have a family.
Or maybe they were but, we young women were not having any of it.
Being a single woman for most of my life I can relate to the truth of Maya
Angelou’s statement. I have done so many different jobs and activities in my
lifetime and if I had lived the life my Mum lived as a housewife and Mother, I
never would have learned and accomplished all the things I did. And I have
tried and done so many things! I have been an Optometric Assistant, a
Cashier, a Jewelry salesperson, a waitress, a housekeeper, a menswear
salesperson, an Avon lady, a visual specialist (window displays), a marketing
specialist (sale signage and promotion), an Interior Decorator, a UPS Store
packaging expert, a camp host, and here I am now, a worship leader!
You know my Mum once told a couple of us girls how she felt so dumb
sometimes because she never experienced “life” as much as she could.
Now, was I amazing at everything I did? Of course not! But, the point is I at
least had the chance to try. I had the opportunities to be brave and strong and
capable and amazing.
I do believe now that God was always with me giving me the strength, courage
and intelligence to be anything but “normal”. My Dad and My God were
always telling me, encouraging me, to do my very best at whatever I was
doing! They still do! I was given the chance to be an excellent woman.
I believe that is who the Proverbs 31 woman is… an excellent woman.
(NLT) Proverbs 31:25 says, “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she
laughs with no fear of the future.”
She is not a basic everyday woman. She strives to be different from everyone
else, to be her own woman, and to bring strength and courage, dignity and
intelligence into everything she does. She is different from everyone else and
daily better than her yesterday self.
By being this excellent woman she not only can be a wonderful, supportive,
encourager to her partner but, she lives up to her full potential in that
4
relationship. Mind you ladies, I am not at all saying any relationship should be
one sided. We all know how those relationships go. And ain’t nobody happy!
This excellent woman is not content with “it is what it is”. She is always trying
to improve herself in order to improve her life and the lives of those around to
her.
If she is a housewife, she doesn’t just sit around all day on the couch doing
nothing. She takes her Job seriously. And she does her best at it.
She takes care of herself, mentally, physically and spiritually.
She uses her money wisely, and does not spend frivolously while struggling to
pay her bills.
She is not weak. Whatever comes her way, she knows how to handle it by
thinking it through and relying on God and herself to do the next best thing.
Her life partner, should she chose to have one, will be her equal. As the
proverb says, she is “equally yoked” meaning she does not stand beneath or
above her partner, but she stands beside and they hold and lift eachother.
They trust that each one will do their best in all things and will have
eachothers back in all situations.
She is intelligent and teaches her children the same lessons she has taught
herself. Because of this they will admire her and not look at her with
disprespect.
She may be beautiful on the outside, but she knows in her heart that beauty is
only skin deep.
I know! You’re probably thinking at this point that she is superwoman, right?!
But, I assure you, She is…YOU!!
Now I don’t want you to see this woman as someone to to imitate in every
detail. Your days are not long enough to do everything she does. Look to her
instead as an inspiration to be all you can be!
I am going to share a prayer with you ladies that, if you pray it with full belief
in it’s power, over time, you will feel it working in you. Prayers don’t have to
5
be long or involved for God to hear you. This one is short and covers all I have
spoken about today. It is meant to be prayed time and time again.
PRAYER of EXCELLENCE by Kelly Forrest - Mother’s Day - 2023
Dearest Lord,
You have created me wonderfully in your image and
You have blessed me with gifts too numerous to fully understand.
Help me Father to discern my strengths and weaknesses,
and to understand how to use them, with grace and kindness,
so that I might be the excellent woman you planned for me to be.
Give me the knowledge and wisdom to be an example to all my sisters,
so they may see through me what it means to be a Proverbs 31 woman.
In the name of your Son Jesus I pray.
AMEN
You can make a habit of praying this prayer daily, weekly, monthly, or when
you feel you need Him most. Feel free to use your own words and make it
yours. God has a plan to help each of us women to be the excellent woman he
wants us to be and His plan is unique to each of us. As unique as a fingerprint!
Also, if this prayer gets the Holy Spirit moving in you, be the kind, generous,
gracious woman that you know you can be and please, share it and this
message with another woman you know who may need to hear it. Because I
tell you now, the Proverbs 31 woman is in ALL of us!
Happy Mother’s Day to All the Excellent Women!!
AMEN!

"We Believe In the Holy Spirit”
The Nicene Creed has quite a history! Actually, it could be a whole Sunday School
lesson. Here is my summary.
When the Nicene Creed was drawn up, the chief enemy of Christianity was Arianism,
which denied that Jesus was fully God. Arius was a presbyter (=priest = elder) in
Alexandria in Egypt, in the early 300’s. He taught that the Father, in the beginning,
created (or begot) the Son, and that the Son, in conjunction with the Father, then
proceeded to create the world. The result of this was to make the Son a created
being, and hence not God in any meaningful sense. Arius stuck to his position, and
was finally excommunicated by a council of Egyptian bishops. He went to Nicodemia
in Asia, where he wrote letters defending his position to various bishops. Finally, the
Emperor Constantine summoned a council of Bishops in Nicea and there in 325 the
Bishops of the Church, by a decided majority, renounced Arius and produced the first
draft of what is now called the Nicene Creed. [1]
Later on, at the beginning of Methodism here in the US, John Wesley had something
to do with the Nicene Creed being deleted from the 39 Articles of Faith which were
used by the Church of England. He also removed it from the Sunday Service in the
Book of Common Prayer.
But, in 1944 the Methodist Conference approved the Book of Worship which included
the Niceen Creed as the second affirmation of faith. The Apostles Creed was first.
And it appears in the updated Book of Worship in 1965.
The United Methodists, formed in 1968 at the Dallas Texas Conference, put the
Niceen Creed back in the hymnal as the first affirmation of faith.
The Niceen Creed is valued by the United Methodists as a useful tool to better
understand our belief in the Trinity of Christian Faith. [2]
The message today is “We believe in the Holy Spirit”. But who or what is it?
“We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from
the Father and the Son. Who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and
glorified. Who has spoken to us through the Prophets.”
We believe the Holy Spirit is the giver of life.
Genesis 1:2 – the earth was formless and empty, but the Spirit was hovering
over the waters!! And every time God spoke, the spirit moved… Until His work
was done.
We believe the Holy Spirit is God.
“Who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the
Son is worshiped and glorified. Who has spoken to us through the Prophets.”
The Holy Spirit is not an accessory piece. The Holy Spirit is the one who fortold
of Jesus through the mouths of the prophets. The Holy Spirit is worthy of our
3
worship because the Holy Spirit is God.
Scriptures are words that are alive with the voice of God that cause the Spirit
to move!! Listen to these…
As an angry mob closed in in Acts 7:55 (Message) says. “But, Stephen, full of
the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed -- “
2 Timothy 3:16 (Message) Paul says, “Every part of Scripture is God-breathed
and useful one way or another - …”
John 14:26-27 (NIV) Jesus says, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of
everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I
do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and
do not be afraid.”
The Holy Spirit was sent by the Father to be our advocate and our strength.
The Holy Spirit teaches us and reminds us.
The Holy Spirit leads us to peace in a troubled world.
The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to experience God everyday.
The Holy Spirit is given to, and acts and speaks through all who believe!
The Newsboys sing these words,
“The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us
He lives in us, …
We Believe!”
AMEN