Happy Friday, Friends!

Here are some words for us from the 10th chapter of John's Gospel account...

                "And many came to him and said, "John did no miracle,
                  but all things that John spoke of this man were true."  
                              And many believed in Him there."    
                                    (John 10: 41-42  SKJV)

Are you a leader or a follower? Do you prefer to be in front of people or in the background? There's no "right" answer to these questions, since God has made every person differently. mmThe important thing is that you're faithful to God with the personality and skills God's given you. 
   
John the Baptist was a powerful preacher who drew large crowds, as he prepared the way for the Lord (see Matthew 3:3). When Jesus arrived on the scene, though, John immediately stepped aside, introducing "the Lamb of God" to all who would look to the one "who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29 SKJV). And due to John's influence, many did. 
   
People who had heard John's preaching later came to Jesus, praising the Baptist's truthful, accurate words. "John did no miracle," they said, "but all things that John spoke of this man were true." Even more people put their faith in Jesus. 
   
Every one of us, whatever our level of intelligence, talent, or success, can speak truthful, accurate words about Jesus. There's no need for us to perform miracles, literal or figurative, to serve our Lord and help our fellow human beings. We just have to be willing to be obedient to the Spirit's leading. 
   
So join me in praying.... Lord, I'm willing. Please speak Your truth through me. Amen.  

+++ We gather for worship on Sunday at 8:30am and 10:00am and I am so happy to be back and celebrating Mother's Day with you all! Our lectionary reading brings us to John 13 and I'll be thinking about what our Moms.... and Jesus.... really wanted for each of us. Come and join me as we celebrate in worship. And if you can't make it to the church on Sunday, we will "live-stream" the worship on the church's Facebook page at 10:00am and then "upload" the completed service to our YouTube channel after it's completed. However you worship... we'll be glad to "see you" on Sunday!

+++ The Tuesday morning Chair Yoga class will resume next Tuesday, May 13th at 9:30am in the Fireside Room! See Barb M. to get further information about this group! 

+++ We also have a bunch of church meetings taking place next week...

• Our Finance and SPRC teams meet on Tuesday night at 6:00pm.
• Our Administrative Council meeting occurs on Tuesday night at 6:45pm.
• The Trustees Board meets on Wednesday at 4:00pm in the Fireside Room.  

+++ Also on Wednesday I will offer worship at Camillus Ridge Terrace at 11:00am!

+++ Next Sunday, May 18th is Camping Sunday. We will be joined by friends from Camp Aldersgate at our 10:00am worship service... as we celebrate the ministry of camping in our Annual Conference. Remember that Immanuel offers camping scholarships for our young people attending a camping program. Speak to me to find out about scholarship help.

+++ Our Scholarship program also offers scholarships for graduating high school seniors who are attending college or trade schools.  Check with the church office for a scholarship application.  

+++ And don't forget the Plant Sale being offered here by the Cornell Cooperative Master Gardeners group on Saturday, May 17th from 9:00am- 1:00pm. You'll find many beautiful plants for your summer gardens here!  

Make this day a great day and spread the good word about Jesus!   
​Pastor Jack 

"O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever."  Psalm 30:12b

It's not too late to help or shop at our annual Garage Sale. The sale is today, May 2 from 9am-6pm and tomorrow, May 3 from 9am -12 noon with a $5 bag sale. Many thanks to all who make our garage sale a great success!!!

We will worship on Sunday, May 4 at 8:30 and 10am. Reverend Candace Lawrence will be leading our worship time and she will be reflecting on John 21:1-14. Her message is entitled "Come and Have Breakfast." We will share in the Sacrament of Holy Communion at both services. Our 10am service will be livestreamed on our Facebook page and later uploaded to our YouTube channel. However you are able to join us, we are happy you are here!

Also, this Sunday we will collect a special church wide offering for Native American Sunday which benefits Native American ministries of the United Methodist church. There will be special offering envelopes available for your use.

Our Board of Trustees are scheduled to meet on Wednesday, May 7 at 4pm.  

Even though Casowasco is not hosting kids summer camp this year, there are 3 other camps in our conference that are. These are Sky Lake, Aldersgate and Sky Farm.  You can click here for more information on summer camps. Immanuel has camperships to assist with the cost of camp, please see Pastor Jack or Pam for more information.

If you are a member of Immanuel and are graduating from high school, we have a scholarship fund to help with college or trade school expenses. For more information  contact Jerry Holbrook at 315-345-1081.

Please continue to pray for Pastor Jack as he continues his renewal leave. He will be back in town Wednesday, May 7.

Blessings from the church office.

"Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!" Psalm 150:6

Pastor Jack is away in Savannah GA with the second cohort group of Pastors Rest, Work, Play. This is through our Upper New York Conference and stems from our Bishop's focus on supporting Pastors in their work. Please keep Pastor Jack in prayer during this time of renewal.

+++ We will continue our Eastertide worship this week on Sunday, April 27 at both 8:30 and 10am. Pam Kelsey-Gossard will be leading worship and the title of her meditation is "How Do You Know." We will be worshipping live on Facebook at the 10am service and this will be uploaded to our YouTube channel following the worship service. However you join us, we are glad you are here!

+++ Our annual garage sale begins this week on Thursday, May 1 from 9am-6pm, Friday, May 2 from 9am-6pm and Saturday, May 3 from 9am-12 with a $5 bag sale.  You may bring your clean, saleable items to the church Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  Please do not bring items after Tuesday. We always need help, check out the sign up board outside the Fireside Room to lend a hand. See Shelley Dawson Smith with any questions.

+++ Next Sunday, May 4, is Native American Sunday and Reverend Candace Lawrence will be leading us in worship. Native American Sunday is one of the six conference wide opportunities to support outreach in the larger church, with this offering used to support Native American ministries. Special envelopes will be available for your use.

See you in church!
Blessings from the church office.

Good Friday Morning...

On this Good Friday, as we contemplate the sacrifice offered for each of us by Jesus on the cross, my reading takes me into the 14th chapter of Luke's Gospel account...

                     "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and
                       the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
                                           (Luke 14:11 HCSB)

Dying to self happens every day, especially when we are justified in being upset. Our frustrated response doesn't match with Jesus' humility -- giving up all His rights as God to come to be questioned, beaten and killed by His creation. He let go of His reputation so He could be lifted up -- on the cross and then to heaven -- and lift us up with him.
   
You just don't get humble by trying to be humble. That just ends up feeling like false modesty or a humble bragging point. Humility comes not from thinking less of yourself, but of yourself less. When you see yourself as the reason (both as individuals and corporately) Jesus had to die, you learn to value the new life He has given you -- and you want others to come to know Him too. 
   
Sharing your God story is a powerful witness -- but remember to keep the focus on Jesus. Your past may have been really messed up, but what Jesus did overcomes everyone's messed up behavior over the past two thousand years. Embrace your part in the mind-staggering work He is doing in, around, and through you, and watch Him go!
         
Lord Jesus, Your sacrifice for me pulls me down to the grave as I think about my sin, but then it lifts me up to heaven with You as I consider the unmatchable gift of Your righteousness in me. Thank  you. Amen.   

+++ Our Resurrection Day worship services are at 8:30am and 10:00am and this week both of these services will be in the beautifully decorated Sanctuary. We will celebrate Easter with wonderful music, scriptures and the Sacrament of Holy Communion. I'll be thinking about how "Jesus is our Redeemer" and looking at the things we KNOW for sure! What is it that you believe you KNOW? I will share a few things I believe I KNOW. We will, of course, be "live-streaming" at 10:00am on the church Facebook page and then uploading the completed worship to our YouTube channel. But we hope to see you in the Sanctuary when we worship on Sunday morning!  

+++ Team and Ministry leaders... please remember the articles for the May/June edition of our church newsletter need to be in the office on Sunday. Thanks for helping us keep to our publishing schedule!  

+++ The great Immanuel Garage Sale is only a couple of weeks away! Grab one of the flyers from the usher's table on Sunday and don't forget to sign up outside the Fireside Room to get involved in the fun!  

+++ When you are cleaning out to prepare your donations for the Garage Sale our Knit and Stitch group would be glad to take any unused yarn you might like to donate. Talk to Karen or Judy to arrange your donation to help the group in their ministry work.

+++ Sunday is the last day to let me know if you are feeling moved to stepping into the role of Highway Cleanup Coordinator. If no one is able to step into this role, we will let the DOT know that they should seek another organization to take over these responsibilities. 

+++ The Cicero UMC is organizing a Lancaster, PA bus trip to the Sight and Sound Theater to see the production NOAH. The trip is scheduled for June 3-6 and there is a flyer on the bulletin board across from the office door with more information.         

Make this day a day in which you come closer to Jesus!   
Pastor Jack 

Today my reading takes me into Luke's Gospel account to the story of the healing of Jairus' daughter.....

                    "Jesus said, "Stop the weeping! She isn't dead; she's only asleep."
                          But the crowd laughed at him because they knew she had died."                                                                                                             (Luke 8: 52-53 NLT)

Once we've read the story of Jairus' daughter, we can chuckle at those laughing at Jesus -- Oh, they don't know what we know. Watch this! We're in the loop, though, only because of our vantage point.  
   
Jesus calling the girl's death "sleep" I think foreshadowed the resurrection -- but how could any of the people present have guessed that? They thought they knew what dead looked like.... but Jesus shocked them. He stopped their wailing -- which was expected but probably superficial -- in favor of something unforeseeable but genuine.
   
Only God knows how our trials and challenges will pan out. As Christians, we know who Jesus is and what He can do. But at the moment, we don't know what He will do.  
   
I think human expectations can be a huge barrier to what God can do. Assuming you know how a situation should go doesn't allow for God's ability to do the impossible, to break through where no one else could. Faithlessness is thinking you know more about a situation than He does. In every trial, ask whether you will let Jesus use you for His work.... instead of trying to put Him to work for you.  
   
"Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times I've assumed how You should act. You alone are God, and You alone always do what is right, in every situation. Amen."

+++ This Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday at 8:30am and 10:00am. The Palm Sunday parade starts in the Fireside Room for our 10:00am worship. We'll be hearing the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and I will be looking at how "Jesus is our King". Following worship, we will enjoy our last 2nd Sunday luncheon until the fall. Thanks to all of you who have signed up for this wonderful meal and fellowship time. If you're joining us from home, look for our Facebook page "live-stream" at 10:00am. Or watch the completed worship on our YouTube channel after worship is completed. And if you're watching the live-stream, feel free to put your prayer requests into the comments section of the page and your prayers will be a part of our morning prayer time, as well.  

+++ Sunday is also the last day to order Easter flowers to decorate our Easter morning altar. See Julie or Robbie to get your orders in this week. 

+++ On Monday night there will be a Mission Trip planning meeting here at 7:00pm. Talk to Mike B. if you are interested in being a part of the group!

+++ The May/June edition of the Upper Room magazine is now on the table in the Narthex.

+++ Don't forget the 4/20 deadline for articles for our May/June church newsletter. Team Leaders... please make sure your articles are into the office by that date. Thanks!  

+++ Our Holy Week Schedule.....

•  Maundy Thursday worship is at 7:00pm on Thursday April 17th. We will celebrate the Last Supper as Jesus and his disciples did that night in the upper room and then strip the Altar in preparation for Good Friday.
• Good Friday will see our Sanctuary open for your personal devotions from 12:00noon - 3:00pm.  Come when you can and leave when you must as                 we keep Jesus company on the cross.
• Easter Sunday we will celebrate the Resurrection at 8:30am and 10:00am with both services being held in the Sanctuary!  Lots of music, great scriptures and a real celebration are planned for our worship services on Resurrection Day!     

Make this day a great day and keep your eyes always open for Jesus moving among us! 
Pastor Jack