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3/9/2015 0 Comments The Lighthouse - March 9, 2015
The Promise of Spring It is hard not to be excited by the warm (downright hot compared to February) weather we are seeing today and that the forecasters promise us for the foreseeable future. After all the cold and the layer of snow after snow, the white is melting away to reveal the first signs of the beautiful greens of spring that replace winter's brown. In another month, Easter will be here, and we will be in the throes of spring flowers and budding trees. That is promise of the Resurrection! Where there is barrenness and lifelessness, God can bring forth new life. Just as God renews the earth each spring with the beauty of blossoms, new leaves, and buzzing bees and floating butterflies, God renews our lives, bringing forth fruit where there was only emptiness, shining forth hope where there was only despair, and promising new, abundant life where there was only death. Praise be to God for the promise of spring and Easter while we sit in the midst of melting snow and Lent! Blessings on the journey, Jim Worship This Week: Sin - ForgivenWe have all done things we have known were wrong, and we know the guilt, shame, and fear that we carry because of the weight of those sins. Is there anything that can relieve us of that burden? We know how hard it is to forgive someone who has wronged and hurt us deeply and repeatedly. Does God really forgive us so freely and easily? This Sunday in worship, we will look at the forgiveness of sin that God offers through Jesus Christ and what God expects of us in return. Join the community of forgiveness as we talk about what it means to be Forgiven!
Devotionals by Email: Upper Room and Daily BreadDaily devotionals can be an important part of our faith lives that help us to keep our focus in the right place throughout the week, but sometimes it can be hard to get in the habit or to find the time when our booklets are near. Having a devotional emailed to you each day can serve as a reminder and help you find the time when you are out and about and have a few moments to spare. Both the Upper Room and Our Daily Bread offer free email devotionals - the same ones found in their booklets. All you have to do is sign-up with your email address at the Upper Room or Our Daily Bread sites! Faith Facts: What's in a Name? Statue of John Wesley Have you ever wondered why our church is called "Methodist"? When John and Charles Wesley, the founders of Methodism, were studying at Oxford University in the 1730's, they wanted more from their faith. They formed a group that they called the "Holy Club" to help them focus on both their personal faith and their acts of kindness and mercy to the poor and the imprisoned. Because of the strict methods they practiced to grow in faith, others teasingly nicknamed them the "Methodists." John Wesley eventually took this attempt to poke fun at those who were serious about their faith and made it a name of honor as he addressed them as "the people called Methodists." What had been intended for evil was used for the good as Methodism became a movement that would transform millions of lives (see Genesis 50:20). Living in CommunityPlease continue your prayers for our Confirmation Class as they wrestle with questions of what our faith means for our lives. Give thanks for our Trustees and the hard work they do to keep all of our facilities in good condition - Davida, Bob, Kerry, Jennifer, Randy, Keith, Perry, David, and Lauren.
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