Lunenburg United Methodist Charge
Antioch UMC Williams UMC
On our walk. . . . .
September 10, 2008
Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy. Even the sparrows find a home, and swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of Hosts, and my King and my God. Happy are those who love in your house ever singing your praise. Happy are those whose strength in you, in whose heart are the highways of Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca they will make it a place of springs; the early rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion. O Lord God of hosts hear my prayer; give ear O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed. For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts you.
This is a beautiful Psalm. The whole premise of this psalm is how wonderful it is to be in the presence of God. Be it in our own homes, on the road in our cars or walking in the many fields and woods around us. Just knowing God is there with us makes it a thousand times better than being elsewhere. It’s like worship. Though we see many different styles of worship, we must remember it is God’s worship and to be in His presence, whether we sit quietly and pray as you would in a Taize’ service or jump up and down with the beat of a praise band, it is God’s worship and we should be glad to be in His presence. The Psalmist, knowing how wonderful it is to be in God’s presence, wants us to reach to every person and make them feel at home in God’s presence. ( Even the sparrows find a home, and swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts) So, I ask once again have you invited anyone, family member, colleague, acquaintance to join you in being in the presence of God or are you hoarding it for yourself?? It is God’s house and He wants it filled with those who want to be in His presence!
Have a blessed week Rev. Ed
This Weeks Event:
Saturday, Sept 13
Men’s Breakfast @ Williams @ 8:00 AM
Youth Campout @Williams @ 5:00 PM
Monday, Sept 15
Bible Study @ Antioch @ 7:00 PM
Tuesday, Sept 16
Bible Study @ Audrey Smith’s @ 10:00 AM
Wednesday, Sept 17
Senior Luncheon @ Antioch @ 12:00 PM
Prayer Meeting @ Williams @ 5:45 PM
Choir Practice @ Williams @ 6:30 PM
Worship Events –Sept 14
This week’s reading will be: Sermon Text – John 4: 19-26
Hebrew Text -- Deut 12:1-7
Sermon – Passionate Worship
The Senior Luncheon
Wednesday, September 17 will be the inaugural Senior Luncheon. It will start at 12 noon and last about 11/2 hours. A lunch of chicken, twice-baked potatos, green beans and cake will be served. Entertainment by John Gentry and Wayne Hendricks will follow the meal. This is a time for the seniors of our charge to get together and visit once again with their friends. It is hoped to make this a bi-monthly event. If you know of someone who would like to have lunch with an old friend and reminisce please let Wayne Hendricks know as invitations will be going out next week
Youth Campout
Saturday, September 13 will be the Williams Youth Group Annual Campout. It will start at 5:00PM and last about 11/2 hours, ending Sunday morning. Campfire, marshmallows, hotdogs on sticks and friends will be there. If you have a youngster who would enjoy the company of others and learn about Jesus bring them over to Williams. For more information contact Barbara Reese.
Heritage Days
Saturday, September 27 will be the start of Williams 3rd Annual Heritage Day weekend. Please plan to join them as they celebrate not only their heritage but God’s love all weekend. It will be a weekend of food, entertainment, worship, reunion. Please watch for further information as it becomes available.
Sunday School is available each Sunday morning. The importance of Sunday School is that, though you may think hearing the word will suffice for you, you really need to be in attendance at Sunday School to gather all the information that you can in an open discussion classroom. Jesus’ word cannot be totally understood just by listening to a sermon. You have to interact with it and with other Christians to learn what He was saying to us. This is a life long study and you should take part. There is a class for every age so please plan on joining us to learn more about our Lord, Jesus Christ. Sunday School at Williams begins at 10:45 AM and at Antioch at 10:00 AM.
Evening Bible Study . Evening Bible study will continue on Sept 15 at 7:00PM at Antioch. We will be reviewing I Kings 12-22. We will discuss the events depicted in the book. If you are looking for a study of God’s word join us not only for the study, but good fellowship.
Morning Bible Study. Morning Bible study will continue on Sept 15 at 10:00AM at Audrey Smith’s house. We will be reviewing I Kings 12-22. We will discuss the events depicted in the book. If you are looking for a study of God’s word join us not only for the study, but good fellowship.
If you cannot reach Rev. Ed at the parsonage, you may call him on his cell phone: 252-532-0952. He can also be reached via e-mail at revedumc@yahoo.com .
Please keep the following families in your prayers:
Marjorie Thompson
Christian Sutton
Amari Edmonds
Dee Welch
Sarah Agnes Callis
Sheila Cage
Jeff Hendricks
Rene & Anthony Huff
Earl "Chucky” Barnes
Sara Sutton
Nathan Hendricks
Tom Wisbey
Edna A. Bagley
Our Military
Maria Kay
Russell Slayton
Ellen & John Gentry
Jack Holt
Frances Hawthorne
Wilson Berger
Becky Eades & boys
Edith Parham
Elizabeth Biggerstaff
Bertha Arthur
Elizabeth Crowder
Tommy Cage
Bernard Bottoms
Dorothy Shields
Walter B.Moseley
Grace DiStefano
Elizabeth Reese
Zeb Mitchell
Margaret Gregory
Cameron Fowler
Fred Harper
Dorothy Driskill
CV & Agnes Thompson
Junior McHenry
Betty Roegge
Alicia Clary
Doroth Ann Irby
Tee Jones
Ginney Arthur
Mark Mc Henry
Margaret J. Conner
Elsie Pennington
Jason Mc Reynolds
Margaret Smith
Danny Horne
Virginia Overby
Jesse Edmonds
Layton Powell
Prayer Gram.
Please, when putting somebody’s name on our prayer list, PRINT their names and addresses if you have them. This will help us get the prayer grams out sooner and it will also make it easier to read during services.
The Methodist Way
The gift of assurance is understood to be the normal experience of folks who are justified by God’s grace. These are exceptions. Even someone as profoundly shaped by his spiritual experiences as John Wesley did not insist that everyone have exactly the same experience. One danger that sometimes gets loose in a Bible Belt culture is a narrow definition of what experiences with God looks like. Ted A. Campbell has suggested that in a culture obsessed by sin, there would be great relief at the sense of deliverance. In a culture shaped more by sense of directionless ( such as this century), assurance might come in the form of a sense of direction.
Fanny J. Cosby captured both the theme of perfection and the theme of assurance when she penned “Blessed Assurance”. These two themes seen as distinctive Methodist contributions to theological thought of the entire Christian family. The goal of perfection, holy living, and abundant life for all God’s creation drives Methodism to take the new life in Christ as a journey more than a destination.
Maybe Dwight L. Moody can give us a rack on which to hang this hat. He was an evangelist in the late nineteenth century. He said,” It’s not how loud you shout or how high you jump; it’s hoe straight you wlk when youcome down that counts.” (personally, I plan to say that next time I run into someone who wonders if Methodists have religion!!!)
Being Methodist in the Bible Belt” F. Belton Joyner, Jr.
Just a bit of humor:
Ø When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot
Ø Have a blessed week
