Lunenburg United Methodist Charge

 

Antioch UMC                                                           Williams UMC

 

On our walk. . . . .                 

December 19, 2007

Pastor’s Message –

 

Matthew 1:18-25 (NKJV)

 "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ’Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ’Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ’God with us.’ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus."

 There is a story of courage that took place at the first Christmas. We often miss it because our focus in on a young mother and a baby. But the character I want us to focus on was in the story too. He heard first hand that his bride to be was pregnant and it was not his child. He experienced a personal message from God because of the extraordinary event. He stood by the manger where the baby was laid. He provided protection for the mother and child during the early years of the child’s life. The man’s name of course is Joseph.

Joseph was an ordinary man – but He was a man God could trust to be strong in the midst of crisis. He was strong and resilient enough to protect his family. Matthew says it this way – “He was a just man.” In other words he was a man of honor. Did he have concerns? – Yes, but he was a man, as the scriptures tell us, that was “just”.

 We, not only at this time of the year, but all the time, need to follow the strength of Joseph and use it in our lives. I pray we will be like Joseph.

God Bless

Upcoming Events – December 17– December 23, 2007

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

   Prayer Meeting @ Williams @ 5:45 PM

   William’s Celebration Choir practice @ Williams @ 6:00 PM

 

Friday, December 21, 2007

    Open House @ Parsonage @ 7:00PM

 

Monday, December 24, 2007

    Christmas Eve Services @ ANTIOCH @ 5:30 PM

 

Worship Events—December 23, 2007, 4th Sunday of Advent

  Service Theme: Joseph’s View

 This week’s reading will be: Sermon Text     Matthew 1: 18-23

Pianists:   Diane Bacon

                Nancy Turner

 

Sunday School Classes Make Gifts

 

 Our children at Antioch this year made gift bags to be taken to Pine View Nursing facility in South Hill.  The kids had a ball and Walt Moseley, Will Arthur, Bobbie Moseley and Rev. Ed delivered them Sunday afternoon.  The residents were surprised and very happy to be remembered for Christmas.

 

A Night in Bethlehem

On December 14th Antioch UMC was converted into the little unassuming town of Bethlehem. From 7-8:30 our church carried people back 2000 years to the night Jesus was born. Fifty five people came to Bethlehem to hear and see the sights of a sleepy little town in Judea 2000 years ago. After their visit they were fed in the warmth of Antioch UMC as refreshments were available. A great big “THANK YOU!” to all who worked so hard on making this night a success. Photos are available at our website: antiochmethodistchurch.org

 

An Open House

On December 21st, beginning at 7:00 PM, Jane and I will be hosting an open house and would like for all the members of the charge to join us.  We will, as we did last year, provide refreshments and a time of fellowship during this season.  

 

150th Anniversary Throws   Throws are still available. These beautiful throws will make a great present for a family member. Our supply is running low – about 5-6 left.  The cost is $45.00 each.  Please call Jane DiStefano if you would like to order a throw or have any questions.  434-676-2314

 

Cookbooks are still available.  The Administrative Board has authorized the Cookbook Committee to order an additional 400 copies.  If you would like to obtain copies for the upcoming Christmas Season please contact Susan Moseley at 676-2081, Gayle Grant at 676-3531, Trudy Wilkins at 676-4458, or anyone at Antioch.  Any church member can get a copy to you for $10 each.

 

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 January 7 at 7:00PM. We will begin our study of the book of Numbers.

 

Morning Bible Study. Morning Bible study will continue on January 8 at 10:00 AM at the Audrey Smith’s house. We will continue our study of the book of Numbers.

 

 

The Methodist Way

 

And what about experience?

Experience is about seeing it for ourselves. (Even though this is a per­sonal journey, it is hardly without the gift of the community: witness, tradition, love.) Often in church thought, persons have spoken of the value of reason and tradition as ways of confirming the Scriptures. The added dimension brought by John Wesley's thought (and preserved in Methodism) was that God's grace could be seen for real in the lives of people: experience. One way that Wesley expressed that was by keeping meticulous diaries and journals of his own experience in the journey of grace. (He kept a diary for sixty-five years; he wrote in his journals for fifty-five years.) Another way that early Methodists celebrated the experience of God among "ordinary people" was the extensive use of biographies in magazines and books. The story of the Scripture's truth could be told with living evidence: people's lives!

There is a danger in an emphasis on experi­ence. Some persons become so thrilled by what God has done in their lives that they expect others to have exactly the same experience of God. (Old-time Bible Belt revivals often expected all persons to answer an altar call as the chief evidence that God was at work in their lives. Those faithful who could not name the hour and place of this expe­rience would be considered second-rate Christians.) By way of contrast, the statement "Our Theological Task" in the United Methodist Book of Discipline calls experience "richly varied.” Standing alone, experience is a poor conductor of the electricity of faith. If experience is the only standard for truth, then truth becomes relative, sort of "what do I feel like today." It is not enough just to say. "It must be God because it makes me feel good." But experience-my experience, your experience, our experience-is a vital voice in the conversation with Scripture, tradition, and reason.

 

                                      “Being Methodist in the Bible Belt” F. Belton Joyner, Jr.

 

 

                              

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 .   If you would like to receive e-mail messages from the pastor send an e-mail to him at revedumc@yahoo.com and we will add you to our list.

 

Please keep the following families in your prayers:

Marjorie Thompson

Allen Green

Bertha Arthur

Sarah Agnes Callis

Christian Sutton

Paul & Argy Turner

Bobby & Virginia Overby

Sheila Cage

Jeff Hendricks

Earl "Chuckie” Barnes

Virginia King

Nathan Hendricks

Edna & Wilson Bagley

Sara Sutton

Maria Kay

Carrie Couto & Children

Our Military

Frances Hawthorne

Elizabeth Crowder

Fleta Smith

Justin McDaniel

Adrienna & Jason Branham

Ricky Walker

Lucille Kidd

David Joyner & family

Rev. Al Green

Virgie Gillispie

“B” & Teewah Hayes

Jack Heater

Bernard Bottoms

Virginia (Feety) Featherston

Ron Halbrook

Junior McHenry

Harry & Margaret Smith

Susan Moseley

Walter Hill Moseley

Rev. & Mrs. Robert Day

Peggy Walker

Walter B. Moseley

Cindy Glassock & family

Alice Wright

Diana Williams

Roy Crews & family

Kevin Cassada

Kenny Chandler

Family of Janice Harris

Tom Snead

Grayson Bagley

Elizabeth Biggerstaff

Tommy Cage

Barbara Jean Hagood

Dorothy Ann Irby

Grace Marshall

Grace DiStefano

Marvin L. Crutchfield

  Nick Holden

Faye & Ray Seamster

Yvette Morris & family

 

 

If you have anyone who is in need of prayer, please place their names on the Prayer List and lift up their names in prayer during worship service and throughout the week.

 

 

In the Library

 

Assassins: Assignment: Jerusalem, Target: Antichrist (Left Behind Series #6)

by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins

 

From Our Editors

In Assassins, the sixth book of the ever-popular Left Behind series, New York Times bestselling Christian authors Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye bring us another devastating episode of what happens to those left behind at the Rapture. Inspired revelation wreaks havoc in Jerusalem, and the Tribulation Force is hurtled toward the four murders foretold in the Scripture. Nicolae Carpathia is assassinated, setting the stage for the last half of the Tribulation.

 

Synopsis

Assassins is the sixth book in the continuing drama of those left behind at the Rapture of the church -- events prophesied in the Book of Revelation, dramatically depicted in a setting that could be anytime in the not-so-distant future. Picking up where Apollyon left off, this latest volume brings closure to some "cliff-hanger" situations in book five, while it confronts readers with an intriguing new set of challenges and questions about the Tribulation Force and their clashes with the Enemy and his legions.

The plot takes many twists and turns as the Tribulation Force moves through mayhem and destruction created by Nicolae Carpathia and his followers. The life of the Carpathia-appointed head of Enigma Babylon One-World Faith is in jeopardy, as are the lives of the two witnesses at the Wailing Wall. Adding to these already vivid narratives, a supernatural horde of 200 million demonic horsemen appears to wreak further death and destruction. A member of The Tribulation Force dies, while the group continues to prepare for a future as fugitives, and houseguest Hattie Durham, who is not committed to their faith and mission, leaves the "safe house." Rayford Steele, one of the original Tribulation Force, struggles with his desire to kill Carpathia and his need to maintain a low profile, keeping his allegiance to the group secret to Carpathia and his puppets. World history and prophecy collide in Jerusalem at the middle of the Tribulation for this most explosive yet continuing drama of those left behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Walk to Emmaus

 

This week we continue our new series about “The Walk to Emmaus”.  The following information comes from “What Is Emmaus?” We hope you find it informative and we hope it clears up any misconception there may be about the Walk to Emmaus

Rev Ed

 

 

What Pitfalls Are on the Other

Side of Emmaus?

Emmaus, like every vital renewal movement in the church's his­tory, has its down side as well as its up side. Church leaders and members who have participated in Emmaus can anticipate sev­eral pitfalls as they work to realize the full benefit of the program for their church. Some of the common pitfalls are these:

Walking to Emmaus and never leaving. Many people have such a positive experience that they have difficulty moving beyond it. But as Luke tells us, once the disciples returned to Jerusalem to tell the story, their focus was the risen Christ and service in his name, not where they first encountered him.

Making Emmaus their church. Rather than propelling them back into their congregations, Emmaus becomes the focus of some people's religious activity. This typically results when an Emmaus participant's link to :1 church is weak or nonexistent. Emmaus should strengthen, not replace, persons' relationships to their congregations.

Acting cliquish or elitist. This perception may result when enthusi­astic Emmaus participants continually talk together about their common experience, causing others to feel left out. Sometimes people mistakenly assume that Emmaus follow-up groups are closed societies, instead of straightforward discipleship groups. Sometimes people's talk about their experience is louder than their actual witness through their deeds of love and service in the church One of the pastoral challenges is to help enthusiastic Emmaus participants focus on servanthood and to encour­age them to share the gifts they have received with the whole church.

     Talking about Emmaus as though Emmaus were secretive.

Sometimes people who have attended Emmaus do not reveal aspects of the three-day event so as not to spoil the experience for others. But as this booklet illustrates, nothing' that occurs in Emmaus is secret. This withholding of information creates an air of secrecy that hurts the pro­gram and sets Emmaus participants apart in the church.

Viewing Emmaus as exclusive. This perception may result from the fact that participants have sponsors rather than being able to sign them­selves up. However, sponsors play an important role in supporting the participants in special ways before and during their Walk. Sponsors also enable participants to find follow-up groups after the three-day experi­ence. Anybody may ask a person who has been to Emmaus to assist them in their decision to attend.

Attending Emmaus for the wrong reasons. When persons go on the Walk for reasons other than those for which the program is intended, it may result in disappointment or a misuse of the program. For example, Emmaus is not designed to deal with fresh grief over recent loss or psy­chological instability, nor is it a haven for persons who live on the fringe of the church. Emmaus is for those who will return home to build up the community of faith in love.

Failing to Understand the potential of Emmaus. As a result of this failure, sometimes pastors do not channel Emmaus participants' energy in avenues of servanthood and do not encourage their continued growth. Sometimes church leaders do not know what to do with people who return from Emmaus with raised expectations for the church and for their own spiritual lives. Without leadership and guidance, Emmaus may become an irritant in the status quo rather than a creative force for change and renewal.

Getting off balance theologically. Sometimes the theological leaning of Emmaus leadership in an Emmaus community gets off center and develops a narrow focus. Emmaus then loses its balance and fails to serve the whole church. The quality of Emmaus depends on the involvement of a broad spectrum of mature laity and clergy.

The Upper Room works with local Emmaus groups to provide the training and resources necessary to minimize these problems and to guarantee the highest quality program.

 

 

Remember: We don’t change the message, the message changes us!

 

Have a Blessed Week           

                           

                         Our Children making gifts for Pine View Home