February 28 @ St. Paul's UMC: Prayers

 

Joys:

+Belinda A. gives thanks for the work done this month in the virtual Mission u.

+Skippy R. gives thanks for the healing of Joan C. following Joan's surgery.

+Katherine R. gives thanks for her son-in-law's return from an extended deployment aboard the USS Nimitz.

+We give thanks for the birthday this week: Jason D. and Jim V.

+We give thanks for this morning's message brought to us by Tim C.

+We are blessed this morning through the musical ministries of Louise C. (piano prelude), Hannah G. (piano), Steve & Michele M. (song leaders), and the Chancel Choir (anthem). We were also blessed by Belinda A. (video), Angela B. (liturgist),   and Scott G. (slides).

Concerns:

+Suzanne P. lifts up her neighbor, Gary, following the death of his mother, Dorothy from Covid-19 complications.

+Amy M. asks prayers for her daughter, Maggie, who is having health concerns.

+Joan C. lifts up her step-daughter following the death of a son from suicide.

+Pastor Charles asks for prayers for his Aunt Joyce P. (a former UMW president of the legacy Rocky Mountain Conference) who is having health concerns.

+We join United Methodists around the Connection in mourning the death of the Rev. Junius Dotson, 56, General Secretary of Discipleship Ministries.

+We remember those facing a Covid-19 related illness, those supporting them, and those who are providing treatment. 

+We ask prayers for those facing economic uncertainty in the face of the ongoing pandemic. 

February 28 @ St. Paul's UMC: Announcements

+The weekly virtual coffee/tea informal gathering is held each Wednesday @ 10:00 am.

+Tobias Winright of St. Louis University will speak on “Just and Unjust Policing: Reflections from a Christian Ethicist/Former Law Enforcement Officer” at 7 p.m. March 3 in a Zoom presentation sponsored by Fort Collins First UMC. Contact David Reid at davidreid24@gmail.com or 970-581-2707 for the March 3 Zoom link.

+Church of the Resurrection UMC’s ShareChurch Ministry will host an online training session on Thursday entitled Overcoming Lukewarm Discipleship. The session runs from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. Cost of the training session is $29. More details and registration available at this link.

+Join our friends at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster (London, UK) online for their annual spring festival, Daffodil Day, Saturday at 7:00 am. Visit this link to participate.

+Please remember to send your gifts and offerings to support the ongoing ministries of St. Paul's UMC to Martha B.

February 28 @ St. Paul's UMC: Worship

 

Second Sunday in Lent

Today’s Meditation Verse: “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” --Philippians 2:4

Welcome—Pastor Charles

Prelude: “It Is Well with My Soul” — Louise C.

Call to Worship (Psalm 62:5-8)—Pastor Charles (Leader) and Angela B. (People)

Leader: Oh, I must find rest in God only, because my hope comes from God!

People: Only God is my rock and my salvation—my stronghold!—I will not be shaken.

Leader: My deliverance and glory depend on God. God is my strong rock. My refuge is in God.

People: All you people: Trust in God at all times! Pour out your hearts before God! God is our refuge! 

                                          

Hymn: “El Shaddai” (Sing twice) — Hannah G. and Steve & Michele M.

Collect for Lent — Angela B.

Almighty God, You show to those who are in error the light of Your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

-The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004

 

Community prayer requests, concerns, and celebrations—Pastor Charles

Pastoral Prayer/The Lord’s Prayer—Pastor Charles

First Lesson: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16—Angela B.

Musical Offering: “Peace Like a River” — Chancel Choir (March 1, 2020)            

Second Lesson: Romans 4:13-25 —Tim C.

Sermon: “From Faith Unto Faith”—Tim C.

Hymn: “Grace Greater Than Our Sin” Verses 1 & 2 —Hannah G. and Steve & Michele M.

Words for the Journey—Pastor Charles

Postlude: “On Eagle’s Wings” — Steve & Michele M.

Devotional for the Second Sunday in Lent

Today's cross: A brass Coptic cross made in Egypt. Pastor Charles got this while a student at Wesley Theological Seminary in 1992.

Charles Wesley

JESUS with all his grace,

Comes to save a fallen race;

Object of our glorious hope,

Jesus comes to lift us up.

Let the living stones cry out:

Let the sons of Abraham shout;

Praise we all our lowly King,

Give him thanks, rejoice, and sing.

He hath our salvation wrought;

He our captive souls hath bought:

He hath reconciled to God:

He hath washed us in his blood.

We are now his lawful right;

Walk as children of the light;

We shall soon obtain the grace,

Pure in heart, to see his face.

We shall gain our calling’s prize;

After God we all shall rise,

Filled with joy, and love, and peace,

Perfected in holiness.

Let us then rejoice in hope,

Steadily to Christ look up:

Trust to be redeemed from sin;

Wait, till he appear within.

Fools and madmen let us be,

Yet is our sure trust in thee:

Faithful is the promised word,

We shall all be as our Lord.

Hasten, Lord, the perfect day,

Let thy every servant say:

I have now obtained the pow’r,

Born of God, to sin no more.

Daffodil Day 2021

Join our friends at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster (London, UK) online for their annual spring festival, Daffodil Day. Prepare to be uplifted!

Watch online on Saturday, 6th March at 7am at this link.

Just and Unjust Policing webinar

Tobias Winright of St. Louis University will speak on “Just and Unjust Policing: Reflections from a Christian Ethicist/Former Law Enforcement Officer” at 7 p.m. March 3 in a Zoom presentation sponsored by Fort Collins First UMC. He is the author of a recently published collection of essays titled Serve and Protect: Selected Essays on Just Policing.

Numerous recent cases of police killings of black men and women, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, have attracted scrutiny, criticism, and protest, as well as calls for “defunding” or “abolishing” the police. While violence, capital punishment and incarceration have received serious attention since Christianity’s inception, police use of force has not, Winright notes. One of the moral problems with policing, especially in the United States, is an “us versus them” mentality, he said. “To address this issue, though, I hope we avoid mirroring it ourselves. After all, the police are sitting in our pews.”

Contact David Reid at davidreid24@gmail.com or 970-581-2707 for the March 3 Zoom link.

Devotional for February 27

Today's cross: Made from mud from Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. The Alkulas visited here in 2007 after they left the Navy.

John Wesley

MY brethren belov’d, your calling ye see;
In Jesus approv’d, no goodness have we,
No riches or merit, no wisdom or might,
But all things inherit thro’ Jesus’s right.

Yet not many wise his summons obey,
And great ones despise so vulgar a way;
And strong ones will never their helplessness own,
Or stoop to find favour through mercy alone.

To baffle the wise, and noble, and strong,
He bade us arise, an impotent throng;
Poor ignorant wretches, we gladly embrace
A Prophet who teaches salvation by grace.

The things that were not, his mercy bids live,
His mercy unbought we freely receive;
His gracious compassion we thankfully prove,
And all our salvation ascribe to his love.

A message from Bishop Oliveto

 

Join the Virtual Easter Choir

Last year, UMC Discipleship Ministries created an opportunity for United Methodists worldwide to join in a Virtual Choir Easter video. The virtual choir brought people together from different countries, congregations, and communities, providing the sense that we are united even in the midst of a pandemic.

Discipleship Ministries is announcing a new opportunity to be a part of a worldwide video for Easter Sunday. 

Congregations from all around will be able to use these videos in their upcoming Easter worship services and post to social media.

Read more at this link.

Devotional for February 26

Today's cross: Made in the adobe-style, this crucifix is from the Santuario de Chimayo, NM. 

The Alkulas visited here in 2007 following their time in the Navy.

Charles Wesley

YE neighbors, and friends of Jesus, draw near:

His love condescends by titles so dear

To call and invite you His triumph to prove,

And freely delight you in Jesus’s love.

The shepherd who died His sheep to redeem,

On every side are gather’d to Him

The weary, and burden’d, the reprobate race;

And wait to be pardon’d through Jesus’s grace.

The blind are restor’d through Jesus’s name,

They see their kind Lord, and follow the Lamb;

The halt they are walking, and running their race;

The dumb, they are talking of Jesus’s grace.

The deaf hear his voice and comforting word,

It bids them rejoice in Jesus their Lord:

“Thy sins are forgiven, accepted thou art;”

They listen, and heaven springs up in their heart.

The lepers from all their spots are made clean,

The dead, by His call, are rais’d from their sin;

In Jesu’s compassion the sick find a cure;

And Gospel salvation is preach’d to the poor.

To us and to them is publish’d the word:

Then let us proclaim our life-giving Lord,

Who now is reviving His work in our days,

And mightily striving to save us by grace.

O Jesus, ride on, till all are subdu’d,
Thy mercy make known, and sprinkle thy blood!
Display thy salvation, and teach the new song
To every nation, and people, and tongue.

Bishops call Special Session of General Conference, issue timeline forward

Press Release
February 25, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the further postponement of the 2020 General Conference, the Council of Bishops (COB) is calling a Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened online on May 8, 2021.
 
According to the call letter signed by COB President Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, the Special Session will be held in accordance with Division Two - Section II - Article II of The Constitution of The United Methodist Church as recorded in Paragraph ¶14 of The Book of Discipline (2016).
 
The purpose of the 2021 Special Session of the General Conference will be limited to gaining a quorum in order to suspend the rules for the sole purpose of allowing the use of paper ballots to act upon 12 pieces of legislation that would enable the church to effectively continue its work until the postponed 2020 General Conference is held in 2022.  While other potential amendments were considered, it was agreed that these 12 pieces of legislation would enable the church to continue its administrative functions appropriately. 

Read more at this link.

General Conference Postponed to 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Meeting on February 20, the Commission on the General Conference made a decision to further postpone the 2020 General Conference until August 29 – September 6, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minn. as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the safety of mass gatherings and travel.

It is the Commission’s responsibility to select the site and set the dates of General Conference. Further, the Book of Discipline requires the Commission on the General Conference to "take necessary measures to assure full participation of all General Conference delegates." The Commission concluded that mandate was not achievable by means of either an in-person meeting in 2021 or a virtual meeting.

Read more at this link.

Devotional for February 25

Today's Cross: A simple olive wood cross made in the Holy Land.

Charles Wesley 

(Note: This hymn was first published in 1741, with 18 stanzas)

SINNERS, believe the Gospel word,
Jesus is come your souls to save;
Jesus is come, your common Lord;
Pardon ye all through Him may have,
May now be sav’d, whoever will;
This man receiveth sinners still.

See where the lame, the halt, the blind,
The deaf, the dumb, the sick, the poor,
Flock to the Friend of humankind,
And freely all accept their cure;
To whom did He His help deny?
Whom in His days of flesh pass by?

Did not His Word the fiends expel,
The lepers cleanse, and raise the dead?
Did He not all their sickness heal,
And satisfy their every need?
Did He reject the helpless clay,
Or send them sorrowful away?

Nay, but His bowels yearned to see
The people hungry, scatter’d, faint:
Nay, but He uttered over thee,
Jerusalem, a true complaint:
Jerusalem, who shedd’st his blood,
That, with his tears, for thee hath flow’d.

Wednesday with the Wesleys

 

Devotional for February 24

Today's cross: Latin cross made from oak.

Charles Wesley 

(Note: This hymn was first published in 1741, with 18 stanzas)

SEE, sinners, in the Gospel glass

The Friend and Savior of mankind!

Not one of all the apostate race

But may in Him salvation find:

His thoughts, and words, and actions prove,

His life and death – that God is love!

Behold the Lamb of God, who bears

The sins of all the world away!

A servant’s form He meekly wears,

He sojourns in a house of clay;

His glory is no longer seen,

But God with God is man with men.

See where the God incarnate stands,

And calls His wandering creatures home:

He all day long spreads out his hands,

“Come, weary souls, to Jesus come;

“Ye all may hide you in my breast,

“Believe, and I will give you rest.

“Ah! do not of My goodness doubt;

My saving grace for all is free;

I will in no wise cast him out

That comes a sinner unto Me;

I can to none Myself deny,

Why, sinners, will ye perish, why?”

Today's cross: This simple Latin cross is made from olive wood (from Bethlehem) and was given to Pastor Charles as a gift many years ago.

This is My Story, This is My Song webinar

Using inspiration from some of the Heritage/History Months observed in the United States and the hymn “Blessed Assurance” from Fanny Crosby and Phoebe Knapp, the purpose of this panel conversation series is to amplify Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and historically underrepresented voices and to offer space for attendees to engage in deep listening and learning.

The conversation will include personal stories, a discussion on what Beloved Community means within our communities and the UMC, and how we are called and can participate in co-creating that Beloved Community as disciples of Jesus Christ. Guest speakers will also end by sharing songs and hymns that have been meaningful to them.

All panel conversations will be on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 10:45 am, starting with Feb. 27 in observance of Black History Month. 

This month we welcome Barbara Goree, George Goree, Aaron Gray, Stephen N. Macauley, and Maggie Taylor. Click Here to Register.

Devotional for February 23

Today's cross: a ceramic cross, made in Mexico, was a gift to Pastor Charles when they were living in McCamey, Texas.

Charles Wesley

 

WHAT could your Redeemer do

More than he hath done for you?

To procure your peace with God,

Could he more than shed his blood?

After all his flow of love,

All his drawings from above,

Why will you your Lord deny?

Why will you resolve to die?

 

“Turn,” he cries, ye sinners, turn:

By his life your God hath sworn,

He would have you turn and live,

He would all the world receive.

If your death were his delight,

Would he you to life invite?

Would he ask, beseech, and cry,

Why will you resolve to die?”

 

Sinners, turn, while God is near;

Dare not think him insincere:

Now, even now, your Saviour stands,

All day long he spreads his hands;

Cries, “Ye will not happy be:

“No, ye will not come to me;

“Me, who life to none deny:

“Why will you resolve to die?”

 

Can you doubt if God is love?

If to all His bowels move?

Will you not his word receive?

Will you not his oath believe?

See! the suff’ring God appears,

Jesus weeps! believe his tears!

Mingled with his blood, they cry,

“Why will you resolve to die?

Justice Talks: A look ahead at 2021

 Webinar Registration: https://tinyurl.com/yfchck4x

This week @ St. Paul's UMC

Wednesday: 

10:00 am, Virtual Coffee/Tea (Join us at this link)

7:15 pm, Virtual Philosophy of Religion discussion group

Saturday:

9:30 am, This is My Story, This is My Song webinar (Click Here to register)

5:00 pm, Facebook Live with Bishop Oliveto

Second Sunday in Lent: 

10:00 am, Virtual Worship

5:30 pm, Just Love Lenten Series (Mountain Sky Conference)

Devotional for February 22

 Today's cross: A simple pine cross given to Pastor Charles when he lived in 

Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Charles Wesley

LET the beasts their breath resign,

Strangers to the life divine;

Who their God can never know,

Let their spirit downward go.

Ye for higher ends were born:

Ye may all to God return;

Dwell with him above the sky;

Why will ye for ever die?

Ye, on whom he favours showers,

Ye, possess’d of nobler powers,

Ye, of reason’s powers possest,

Ye, with will and memory blest!

Ye, with finer sense endued,

Creatures capable of God;

Noblest of his creatures, why,

Why will ye for ever die?

Ye, who own his record true,

Ye, his chosen people, you,

Ye, who call the Saviour Lord,

Ye, who read his written word,

Ye, who see the Gospel light,

Claim a crown in Jesu’s right;

Why will ye, ye Christians, why

Will the house of Israel die?