“Hine Ma Tov” (Behold How Good) has long been one of my favorite Jewish hymns to sing. It celebrates the goodness and joy experienced by God’s children when they come together in unity and is an accurate description of the 87th session of the Provisional Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church in Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania.
Read more at this link.
“Every morning, I turn the television on,” said Blackwell, a United Methodist pastor at Asbury Community Church in Woodlynne, New Jersey. “There are people who've been killed by stray bullets, young people on the way to school being shot down, people in a restaurant eating being shot.
“But no one in the faith community seems to be doing anything about it collectively.”
Blackwell, a member of the United Methodist Judicial Council, said he recognizes that violence can be born out of poverty, unemployment and the lack of social resources.
“Systemic and systematic racism, white supremacy, are the major issues that produce this,” he said. “That's a long-term fight.”
Read more at this link.
+Belinda Alkula gives thanks for this coming Thursday's Ladies Lunch Bunch.
+Dave Bishop is thankful for his & Jackie's 35th anniversary trip.
+Sandra Jordan is thankful for her return from their trip to Patagonia.
+Pastor Charles gives thanks for the Zoom ministry offered by Kathy Lloyd and Etta Levitt each Sunday, particularly on mornings like this one!
+Pastor Charles is thankful for the safety of Sammy the cat who was trapped in the office overnight.
+We give thanks for this week's birthdays: Ben Glancy, Nell Grindstaff, Dennis Hult, Sydney Richardson, and Ryan Sullivan.
+We are blessed by those who served this week: Belinda Alkula (videographer), Louise Cook (flowers/fellowship), Rebecca Glancy (liturgist), Kathy Lloyd (Zoom host), Etta Levitt (Zoom usher), Hyeji Park (piano), Suzanne Polacek (bells), Gary Smith & Jim Vander Vorste (ushers).
Concerns:
+Molly Nunnery asks for prayers for her friend, Jessie, who is in the hospital with a serious condition following the birth of a child.
+Suzanne Polacek asks for prayers for the brother of a neighbor (Jim) who has had surgery.
+Pastor Charles is asking for prayers for Birmingham-Southern College (B-SC) in Birmingham, Alabama which is facing difficult financial circumstances. Angela Baker (who graduated from B-SC) and Pastor Charles (who attended B-SC) have connections to this school.
+We join with many across our nation in mourning the deaths of the 185 killed and 375 injured due to gun violence last week.
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+The Mountain Sky Annual Conference is realigning the districts and we want to hear from you! The MSC is currently divided into seven geographical districts and is preparing to reduce to six districts beginning July 1, 2023. The MSC Redistricting Team is exploring different possibilities for this realignment and discussing everything from geographic to affinity districts. The team would like to hear from clergy and laity across our conference about the role and purpose of a district. We will not be discussing possible realignment yet, instead, we want to hear about the role of the district in the life of our local churches and ministry settings.
There will be five listening sessions on zoom - you are welcome to join one or multiple conversations. Please register to receive the zoom information.
Listening Session #1: January 31, 4:00-5:30pm
Listening Session #2: February 2, 6:30-8:00pm
Listening Session #3: February 4, 10:00-11:30am
Listening Session #4: February 7, 1:00-2:30pm
Listening Session #5: February 12, 1:00-2:30pm
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| Flowers from Louise Cook |
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| Suzanne leads the bells in pre-worship practice |
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| Fellowship time! |
Today’s Meditation Verse: “He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires of you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God.” —Micah 6:8 (CEB)
Welcome... Pastor Charles
Prelude... Hyeji Park / “It Is Well With My Soul,” arranged by Philip P. Bliss
*Call to Worship (Psalm 27:1,14)... Rebecca Glancy
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, They shall be like a tree planted by the water. Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, The tree shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green.
*Hymn... “Rejoice in God’s Saints” (UMH #708)
Prayer for Today... Rebecca Glancy
Lord, make me a channel of disturbance. Where there is apathy, let me provoke; where there is compliance, let me bring questioning; where there is silence, may I be a voice. Where there is too much comfort and too little action, grant disruption; where there are doors closed and hearts locked, grant the willingness to listen. When laws dictate and pain is overlooked . . . when tradition speaks louder than need . . . grant that I may seek to do justice rather than to talk about it. Disturb us, O Lord. To be with, as well as for, the alienated. To love the unlovable as well as the lovely. Lord, make me a channel of disturbance. (Author unknown)
*Offering/Doxology (UMH #95)
Community prayer requests, concerns, and celebrations Pastoral Prayer / The Lord’s Prayer...Pastor Charles
Epistle Lesson: Micah 6:6-8... Rebecca Glancy
Bell Anthem... “Every Time I Feel the Spirit” by Bill Ingram
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 5:1-12... Pastor Charles
This is the Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
Sermon... Pastor Charles / “Mountain climbing”
*Hymn... “Since Jesus Came Into My Heart” (TFWS #2140)
*Words for the Journey...Pastor Charles
Postlude... Hyeji Park / “Abide With Me,” arranged by Summer Nelson
John Wesley on horseback - The New Room, Bristol
History is more than facts and figures. It is full of real people with real stories. Connecting with those people and stories helps us understand our lives and discern God’s direction for our future. That is why it is important constantly to connect our teaching back to the important people in our church history. To help us do that, we have gathered some interesting, and maybe even surprising, facts about John Wesley to help you connect to United Methodist history.
Read more at this link.
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The MSC is currently divided into seven geographical districts and is preparing to reduce to six districts beginning July 1, 2023. The MSC Redistricting Team is exploring different possibilities for this realignment and discussing everything from geographic to affinity districts. The team would like to hear from clergy and laity across our conference about the role and purpose of a district. We will not be discussing possible realignment yet, instead, we want to hear about the role of the district in the life of our local churches and ministry settings.
There will be five listening sessions on Zoom where you are welcome to join one or multiple conversations. Please register at the links below to receive the zoom information. If you have any questions, please contact the Rev. Jessica Rooks.
Listening Session #1: January 31, 4:00-5:30pm
Listening Session #2: February 2, 6:30-8:00pm
Listening Session #3: February 4, 10:00-11:30am
Listening Session #4: February 7, 1:00-2:30pm
Listening Session #5: February 12, 1:00-2:30pm
~ John Wesley (The Cure of Evil Speaking)
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| Sermon on the Mount - Jan Brueghel the elder |
Joys:
+We give thanks for the life of A. M. "Bob" Muckle whose life and faith we celebrated yesterday.
+Jim McKnight is with us this morning following his surgery.
+Bob Muckle is thankful for the love and support from the congregation following his dad's funeral yesterday.
+Belinda Alkula is feeling blessed from the Sew What gathering last week.
+Pastor Charles gives thanks for the sound of the preschool children's laughter.
+We give thanks for this week's birthdays: Lylah Bishop
+Mark Leifeste gives thanks for the online cooking class he had with family members including a 17-month old!
+We are blessed by those who served this week: Belinda Alkula (videographer), Tim Cook (adult class), Kathy Lloyd (Zoom host), Etta Levitt (Zoom usher), Lorie Courier (piano), Rebecca Glancy (liturgist), Ron Revier (choir), and Jim & Joey Vander Vorste (flowers/fellowship).
Concerns:
+We pray for a servant to come forward to be the new usher.
+Amy Abshire asks for prayers for her friend, Julia Woods who was killed in a car accident last week.
+ Myrle Myers asks for prayers for the family of their nephew, Rick Cantril, who died last Friday.
+We join with many across our nation in mourning the deaths of the 248 killed and 451 injured due to gun violence last week.
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| Flowers from the Vander Vorstes |
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| Lorie offers the postlude |
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| Fellowship time |
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1934 - 2023
Prelude: Lorie Courier ... "Prelude in C," "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us," "O How He Loves You," "Grace Alone," "Amazing Grace," "The Power in His Love, "Give Me Jesus"
Gathering Rev. Dr. Charles Alkula
The Word of Grace
Greeting
Prayer
Hymn: “In the Bulb There is a Flower,” #707
Psalm 130
Hymn: “How Great Thou Art,” #77
Gospel lesson: John 11:25-26
Celebration and Remembrance Dr. Bob Muckle
Hymn: “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” #133
Assurance Rev. Dr. Charles Alkula
Special Music: Andy Muckle, Bob Muckle, Steve & Martha Batch ... "Long, Long Trail," Let the Rest of the World Go By," "Bye, Bye, Blackbird”
Prayer Rev. Dr. Charles Alkula
Hymn: “On Eagles Wings,” #143 Ron Revier & The Generations Choir
Benediction
Postlude: Lorie Courier... "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," "Praise Him! Praise Him," "When We All Get to Heaven," "When the Saints God Marchin' In"
We appreciate Belinda Alkula (Video), Lorie Courier (piano), Kathy Lloyd (Zoom host), Steve Matthews (usher) for their support for today's service. Thanks also to the vocal quartet of Steve & Martha Batch, Andy Muckle, and Bob Muckle and to Ron Revier & the Chancel Choir for their participation in today's service. Thanks as well to the Fellowship Team (Amy Abshire, Belinda Alkula, Robin Berlin, Louise Cook, Michele Matthews, Myrle Myers, Joey Vander Vorste, and Judy Waller) for hosting the reception in Franz Hall.
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