I hope you will join us in person or online for this Sunday’s worship service. Our scriptures will be Romans 10: 5-15 and Matthew 14:22-33. Our gospel lesson is the familiar story of Jesus “walking on the water.”
This Week’s Psalm
Psalm 85: 8-13
8Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
9Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
10Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
13Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.
Psalm 85 is a prayer for help from a hurting community. After 7 verses of distress, verse 8 begins the confident response that God will surely respond favorably to rescue and restore the community to wellness. Over time, the community has learned that they can trust God to respond.
This Week in the Café
The cafe is going great. We’ve come to notice many of our friends could really use a bike to help them get around town to appointments, jobs, and other resources so we’ve begun collecting used bikes from the community that only need minor repairs. We’re replacing tires and inner tubes as needed and placing them in the hands of those who need them most. Our town has really responded to the call and we expect to have at least 10 bicycles by this time next week.
New Security System
We are happy with the system—and service-- Turner Security has provided in sanctuary building the last several months. We have now asked them to install a system in the large building that will cover the office, classroom, fellowship hall and thrift store spaces. They will have it up and working in the next couple of days. If you have a key to any of these spaces and use your key to access the building, please give us a call and ask us for the new security code.
A little bit of History
In the United Methodist tradition, bishops are not "ordained" as bishops, but are clergy elected and consecrated to the office of bishop. Bishops give general oversight to the worldly and spiritual interests of the church. Bishops also have the responsibility to see that the rules and regulations developed by General Conference are carried out. In each annual conference, United Methodist bishops serve for four year terms, and may serve up to three terms before either retirement or appointment to a new annual conference
A Prayer from the Saints
O Lord,
open my eyes that I might see the needs of others;
open my ears that I might hear their cries;
open my heart so that they need not be without succor;
let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong,
nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
and use me to bring them to those places.
And so open my eyes and my ears
that I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for thee. Amen.
Alan Patton, South Africa, 20th century
As always, thanks so much for all you do with your prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. You are making a difference in the lives of many families and individuals in this community.
Pastor Jim
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