Pastor Jack's Weekly Chimings Message
|
Weekly Inspirational Message & Church Happenings for the Upcoming Week
|
|
Today's scripture reading takes us into Matthew's Gospel account...
"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick." (Matthew 14:14 NIV) At it's simplest level, spiritual growth is our increasing resemblance to Jesus. And to achieve that, we have to know what Jesus is like, knowledge gained through Bible study. We must talk to Him in prayer and quietly listen for His response through the Spirit. And then... we need to practice what we learn. Of his life on earth, Jesus said He "did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45 NIV). That is obvious in today's scripture passage. After learning of the beheading of His relative John the Baptist, Jesus "withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place" (Matthew 14:13 NIV). But the crowds, tipped off to His movement, rushed to His presumed landing spot. Jesus, in His humanity undoubtedly distressed by the death of John, immediately began serving the people. What about us? When needs arise, will we leave our comforts to serve others? Yes, "self-care" is important --- we want to maintain the well-being of our bodies, "temples of the Holy Spirit," in the apostle Paul's words (1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV). But if Jesus could rouse Himself from a quiet time of rest to serve people in need, shouldn't we do the same? It won't be easy. But never forget that every good thing we accomplish is done in God's strength anyway. Make me more like You, Jesus, ready to serve whenever needed. Amen. +++ The family gathers for worship on Sunday at 8:30am and 10:00am and Rev. Candace Lawrence will be leading worship for the next 2 weeks as I am away. Candace's message this week is "Do I Have to Go To Church?". We hope you are here to welcome Candace back to Immanuel and that you receive a great blessing from her words. If you can't be here in person with us, join us on the church's Facebook page for our "live-stream" at 10:00am or later for the recorded worship service on the church's YouTube channel. We hope to "see you" in worship this Sunday! +++ Following worship this week we will enjoy our last Second Sunday Luncheon until the fall. Hopefully you have had a chance to sign up and are planning on joining in the great food and fellowship! Our shut-in Meal Ministry will be delivered following the luncheon, as well! This great ministry work continues to brighten the day of those who receive a meal each month. Thanks for all you do to make this important ministry happen! +++ On Tuesday our Finance Team meets at 6:00pm in the Fireside Room and the Administrative Council meeting follows at 6:45pm. Please try to be in attendance for these important meetings this week! +++ On Wednesday, 4/15 come and enjoy "Coffee with Pam" at 9:30am in the Fireside Room. It is a wonderful hour of fellowship and good conversation each week. +++ Our Springtime edition of our Craft Show occurs next weekend, April 17th and 18th. Plan to stop by and check out the crafters, enjoy a tasty snack and bring a few friends to see where it is you worship each week. All of the proceeds from these shows are used to support mission work here at Immanuel! +++ The deadline for articles for the May/June edition of our church newsletter is coming up on April 20th! Team leaders please make sure your articles are in the office by this date so we can meet our publishing deadlines. Thanks! +++ While I am away, emergency pastoral care will be covered by our Certified Lay Minister, Jim Sokolowski. Jim can be reached by contacting the church office directly. Make this day a great day and always pray to be more like Jesus! Pastor Jack As we move through this Holy Week we hear some words from Psalm 41...
"O Lord," I prayed, "have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you." (Psalm 41: 4 NLT) Many centuries ago, the apostle John wrote, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9 NIV). FAITHFUL AND JUST. That means that God will keep God's promise to forgive us when we come to Him and confess our wrongdoings. In today's scripture verses, David gave further voice to this truth when he cried out to the Lord to have mercy on him and to heal his heart, for he had sinned against Him. Sin carries with it very severe consequences, namely eternal punishment and separation from God. But God mercifully forgives and cleanses the believer who recognizes and confesses their sin. God truly desires to forgive and restore the penitent believer. Are you aware of some sin in your life that has created separation between you and God? Then run to God now and confess --- then believe in your heart that God has forgiven and cleansed you. Lord God, I thank You for Your mercy upon a miserable sinner like me. When I sin against You, may I run to Your throne and seek mercy, forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration --- not away from You in shame and discouragement. You truly are a God who delights in showing Your people mercy. Amen. +++ Here are our worship plans for this Holy Week......
+++ Next Wednesday, 4/8 Coffee with the Pastor returns at 9:30am. Come and join us for this time of fellowship and conversation. +++ Worship leadership will be offered by Rev. Candace Lawrence on April 12th and 19th as I am away on vacation. And Jim Sokolowski, our CLM, will be available for emergency pastoral coverage during this time. Jim can be reached through Pam in the church office. +++ Don't forget our upcoming Craft Fair on April 17th and 18th here at Immanuel. Come and check out all the wonderful crafts as we support mission work here and throughout the world. Bring a friend or three, as well to this fun event! +++ Our annual Garage Sale takes place on April 30, May 1, & 2 here at the church. See Shelley for information and to offer to help during the sale! Make this a great day and remember that God forgives us when we confess and repent!! Pastor Jack On this Friday, we hear from the Old Testament Book of Joshua....
"Know this with all your heart, with everything in you, that not one detail has failed of all the good things God, your God, promised you. It has all happened. Nothing's left undone -- not so much as a word." (Joshua 23: 14 MSG) For all the miracles Joshua had seen -- the deliverance from Egypt, the survival in the wilderness, the crossing of the Jordan, the glorious victories and hard, lesson-loaded losses in battle --- at the end, he focused completely on God's trustworthiness. His trust wasn't in God's power or what God had done for Israel and for him, but in God himself. If you trust God only because of what God has done, you're operating on a purely human level. That's how trust works with everyone else --- trusting them until they give you a reason not to. It's practical. But your word is only as good as the promises you keep. God's word is as good as it gets. We can still care about people we no longer trust, because God knows our changing hearts and chose to save us. But God is God. God deserves your belief because God is always Himself. God will always do what God says He will do. You don't have to continually vet God's words or actions. Familiarize yourself with God's promises. They are the surest things you'll ever know! God, thank You for letting me know You. I will trust You no matter what because there is no one like you. Amen. +++ We gather for worship this Sunday at 8:30am and 10:00am and this Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday! We will be blessing and receiving palms and our palm cross makers will have something to do during the sermon! We will hear the Palm Sunday story once again and my message, Blessed is He will have us thinking about how the joy of Palm Sunday so quickly turns into the tragedy of Holy Week. We will offer our "live stream" on the church's Facebook page at 10:00am and we will then upload the completed worship service to our YouTube channel for those unable to join us in the Sanctuary. We hope to "see you" in worship on Sunday.... because Immanuel just isn't the same without you! +++ Please sign up for the April edition of our Second Sunday Luncheon taking place on April 12th following the 10:00am worship service. This will be our last Second Sunday gathering until fall, so make sure you are there to join us for the great food and fellowship. +++ Next Sunday is the return day for our Lenten mission opportunities. Please support the kids project to gather new ADULT white socks for distribution at In My Father's Kitchen. Look for the large box in the Narthex and place your gifts there, please! We are also supporting the Brown Bag Lunch program at 1st UMC in Camillus and you can purchase the needed items and add them to the Table in the Narthex, as well. All of these gifts, plus the cash from our Lenten Self Denial boxes, will go to feed hungry kids during the summer months right here in Camillus! Thanks for your support of the mission work we do here at Immanuel! +++ Our Holy Week schedule next week is:
+++ Mark the dates of April 17 and 18 on your calendar for our great springtime Craft Fair. We support our mission work through these events and we hope you will join us and bring a friend or two to enjoy the day! +++ Church Camp Scholarships are once again available from the church office. Please let Pam know when your kids will be attending camp and we would love to help them using our camping scholarship fund! Please let us know by 5/31 which camp you'll be attending... so that the funding arrives at the camp before the campers do! Make this day a great day and know that you can always trust God! Pastor Jack Good Friday morning, Friends!
Here are some words for us from Luke's Gospel account... "You have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found! (Luke 15: 31-32 NLT) Luke 15 features this trio of parables about lost things --- a sheep, a coin, a son --- and their recovery. The religious leaders saw the behavior in each as ridiculous --- leaving the ninety-nine to find one, turning over a house for a single coin, glorifying the return of a child whose entitlement decimated a household. But each story features a call to celebrate the recovery of what was lost. The Pharisees would've scorned the poverty of those searching for their lost pittances, but God's heart is to leave no one behind --- regardless of status or what they deserve. For example, the prodigal's tale is actually about two lost sons. One embraces the world and ends up in the gutter, while the other takes care of business at home and ends up in a snit. But both were driven by what their father could give them... rather than relationship with him for its own sake. God clearly wants the latter, and every story of restoration is worth applauding. Father, you never lost sight of me, never gave up on me, and You never will. Let me carry that in my heart. I always rejoice when another child comes home to you. Amen. +++ Join us when we gather for worship this coming Sunday at either 8:30am or 10:00am. This week is the 5th Sunday of Lent, and we will meet a woman brought to the temple for punishment. We'll hear Jesus instruct the Pharisees and us about how we are called to offer grace to all. My message is entitled, "Dying to Judgement, Living in Grace" and I hope you can join us on Sunday! If you can't be here in the Sanctuary, check us out on the church's Facebook page for our 10:00am "live stream" or later on the church's YouTube channel for the recorded worship service. +++ After worship on Sunday you have one final opportunity to order flowers for our Easter Altar. Check in at the ushers table for an order form this week! +++ Our first session of our 2026 Confirmation Class will take place on Sunday at 12:00noon. Five young people will be taking this step in June, and their sessions start on Sunday! +++ A reminder about our 2 Lenten mission projects...
+++ On Tuesday, 3/24 we will be "lending" some of our parking spaces to staff at West Genesee High School to help parking for the district wide referendum at the High School. We should have plenty of parking for all who need it, but the lot might be a little busier than normal on Tuesday!
Pastor Jack On this Friday, as winter seems to be trying to rebound in our community, we turn to the words of Solomon's Psalm 72:
"Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God, the gift of the just rule to the crown prince. May he judge your people rightly, be honorable to your meek and lowly." (Psalm 72: 1-2 MSG) You are a leader. Whatever roles you play, at the very least, you're leading yourself. Start there. How well do you know yourself? What are your tendencies, especially when challenged? Do you seek the best for the people you're leading, or are you constantly trying to preserve your reputation or standing? What's it like to be on the other side of you? These are often hard questions, but without seeking answers, you'll never be able to be the leader God calls you to be. Psalm 72 recognizes that leadership requires one essential ingredient: seeking and following God. None of Solomon's goals here are self-focused. He asked God to help him judge fairly and wisely, to bring prosperity to all his people, to defend those most in need. He wanted his leadership to be refreshing, like spring rain, a haven for godly people. Yes, he spoke of other nations bringing gifts and having an enduring name, but he knew that without God, it wouldn't be possible or worth achieving. You see Godly leadership is always others-orientated..... trusting that God will look out for you as you look out for others. Father, mold me into a leader more like Jesus.... the perfect mix of righteousness and compassion, wisdom and strength. Do it for Your glory. Amen. +++ Join us for worship at either 8:30am or 10:00am on Sunday! This week we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Lent, and we will hear Jesus' final words of peace for his disciples... and the rest of us too! How can we ever hope to find the peace that Jesus gives? My message is entitled, "Dying to Turmoil, Living in Peace". So, join me on Sunday as we talk this through together! And if you can't be here in the Sanctuary with us, join us on our Facebook page for the worship "live-stream" at 10:00am. We will also upload the completed worship service to our YouTube channel when worship is completed. However you can join us, we hope to "see you" in worship on Sunday! +++ Sunday is also UMCOR Sunday as we pause to receive our annual yearly offering for the support of our United Methodist Committee on Relief. Look for the special offering envelopes on Sunday for these second mile gifts that allow our church to be on the front line serving those most in need around the world! Thanks for your gifts! +++ On Sunday, you will be able to order Easter flowers to beautify our Easter altar. See the table in the Narthex to order flowers in memory of or in honor of loved ones for Easter! +++ Check out the table of items we've received for our Lenten mission offering in support of the Brown Bag Lunch program at First UMC in Camillus! Many gifts have been received, and many others are filling their Lenten Self Denial offering boxes to help feed hungry kids this summer here in Camillus. We are all doing a great job and many hungry stomachs will be filled thanks to your support. +++ Our Kidz Club kids are also collecting white socks for donation to In My Father's Kitchen as their Lenten mission project. They are looking for additional donations of new white socks and will be glad to help you carry in any donations for their collection! Look for their smiling faces on Sunday! +++ Our Lenten Bible Study group continues meeting on Mondays at 12:00noon and you can join anytime! Just bring your Bible and lunch, and you'll find some good discussion and a tasty bowl of soup as well. +++ And you are welcome to join us for "Coffee with the Pastor" each Wednesday morning at 9:30am in the Fireside Room. We have a good time of fellowship and discussion, and we are getting to meet new people. Come and join us some Wednesday morning! Make this day a great day and always seek to be more like Jesus! Pastor Jack |
Get Chimings by EmailIf you would like to receive Chimings via email, notify the church office to be added to the list. Archives
April 2026
|
