https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVaEUZMebQnoa_96rgzOSPAOn this Friday our reading takes us into the Gospel of Matthew...
 
           "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in                     the News and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams."  
                                            (Matthew 12:23 MSG)
 
Today's scripture is from a passage many Bible versions call "The Parable of the Sower". But The Message takes a different tack with its headline: "A Harvest Story".  
   
We can focus on the different types of "soil" the parable's Sower encountered. His "seeds" --- the gospel message (verse 19) --- landed on different kinds of ground, including the hard pathway, the rocky, and the weedy. These all represent people who, for various reasons, can't or won't accept the good news and be saved.
   
But Jesus also described a good soil --- hopefully, everyone reading these words --- who welcomes His message, lets it sink in deep inside, and sees it ultimately produce fruit. That's the spiritual gift of a changed life, and according to today's scripture quote, it's "beyond [your] wildest dreams." More traditional translations say the good soil yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was sown.  
   
When we're truly saved from our sins, we'll want to grow and produce for the God whose grace makes new life possible. Growth can be slow, and the full harvest takes time. Just be sure you're staying close to Jesus (John 15:5) so that nothing interrupts your development.  
 
               Lord God, I thank you for making me receptive to the seed of Your gospel. Now keep me close and produce much fruit in my life. Amen. 
 
+++ We gather for worship on Sunday at 8:30am and 10:00am.  This week, the 2nd Sunday of Lent, we continue our Lenten theme, Dying His Death, Living His Life. As we hear about and meet the rich young ruler, I will be speaking about "Dying to Greed, Living for the Treasures of Heaven." How are we, as people rich in blessings, investing in the world around us? Join me as we think this through together. We will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion this week, as well. If you can't join us here at the church, tune in to our Facebook page for the "live stream" at 10:00am or watch the completed worship service later on the church's YouTube channel. 

+++ You'll find Lenten materials for all members of your family on the table in the Narthex. Join us in our daily Lenten bible readings by grabbing one of the youth and adult booklets on the table.  

+++ Our shut-in meal ministry delivery will be this Sunday, as well. Thanks to all who serve in this wonderful ministry!  

+++ Our youth group meets this Sunday after worship, as well!

+++ You can be a part of our special Lenten Mission project of supporting the summer Brown Bag Lunch program at 1st UMC in Camillus. Check out the display and lists of needed items and the Lenten Self-Denial boxes in the Narthex when you grab your coffee on Sunday.  

+++ Our Trustees meet next Wednesday, March 4th at 4:00pm in the Fireside Room.

+++ On Monday, our Lenten Bible Study continues at 12:00noon in the Fireside Room. Bring your Bible, your lunch, and the desire to better understand the scriptures this Lent. 

+++ On Wednesday, we gather for "Coffee Time with The Pastor" at 9:30am in the Fireside Room. You're invited for the good fellowship and conversation on Wednesday mornings!   
 
Make this day a great day and produce a great yield for God!   
​Pastor Jack 

Happy Friday, Friends!

Today's look at scripture takes us into Matthew's gospel account...
 
          "Is there a person here who, finding one of your lambs fallen into a
            ravine, wouldn't, even though it was the Sabbath, pull it out?"  
                                         (Matthew 12:11 MSG)
 
Why is it so easy for us to be critical? Even in the Christian life -- maybe especially in the Christian life --- we fall prey to judgmental attitudes.
   
It's one thing to stand firm on the teachings of scripture. We must do that, though as graciously as possible. It's something else entirely to impose our preferences on others in the name of scripture. Or to give ourselves a pass on biblical rules while expecting everyone else to observe them. The Pharisees of Jesus' day were famous for just such hypocrisy.
   
In Matthew 12, Pharisees had accused Jesus' disciples of breaking God's rule against working on the Sabbath. Walking through a field of ripe grain, the disciples grabbed some of the kernels as a snack. Apparently, they were harvesting on the day of rest!
   
Jesus defended His disciples with two Old Testament cases of "rule breaking" (verses 3-5), then infuriated the Pharisees by healing a man's crippled hand (verses 11-14). The Lord noted that any Pharisee would help his animal on the Sabbath --- so why not help people? Then, quoting God's pronouncement through the prophet Hosea, Jesus told the Pharisees, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" (verse 7 NIV; see Hosea 6:6).
   
Let's try to keep that truth in mind for ourselves. Let's not be Pharisees.
 
              Lord, grant me Your perfect balance of grace and truth. Amen. 
 
+++ On Sunday we will gather for worship at 8:30am and 10:00am. On this first Sunday in Lent we continue our Lenten theme... Dying with Christ, Living with Christ. As we think about the things in our life we are called to "die" to, this week my message is "Dying to Pride, Living for Others". I'm thinking about how our pride can often keep us from truly serving the needs of others. We'll hear about James and John and their request of Jesus about good seats for the coming of eternity. How does our pride distract us from the call God places on our lives? If you can't be with us in the Sanctuary, join us at 10:00am on the church's Facebook page as we "live-stream" the worship service. Or you can watch the completed worship on the church's YouTube channel a little later in the day. However you can, we hope you'll join us on our Lenten journey to the empty tomb of Easter.  

+++ Look for the display table with information about our Lenten mission project to support the summer lunch program at First UMC in the village of Camillus. You'll find a list and examples of the items needed for this program... and also a full supply of Lenten coin boxes should you wish to support this mission with your financial gifts. We are all about feeding people in our community here at Immanuel and this is a great way to do just that! 

+++ The newsletter deadline for articles for the March/April edition of our church newsletter is TODAY! Please make sure your articles are in the office so we can meet our publishing deadline. Thanks!

+++ Our Lenten study begins on Monday, February 23rd at 12:00noon in the Fireside Room. Bring along your lunch, enjoy some hot soup, and join us as we look in depth at our scripture theme of Dying with Christ, Living with Christ. Sign up is outside the Fireside Room door.

+++ Coffee With the Pastor continues on Wednesday mornings at 9:30am. Come and join us for some fellowship and conversation for an hour or so. We hope to see you on Wednesday. 

+++ There are new editions of the Upper Room magazine on the back table in the Narthex, as well as annual reports of the congregation for your use.  

+++ You are also asked to sign up for our next Second Sunday Luncheon coming up on March 8th! We need to let the Fellowship Team know how many will be joining us for lunch that day.... So please sign up soon!  
 
Make this day a great day and try to avoid becoming a Pharisee in your life!   
​Pastor Jack

Happy Friday, Friends!   Today's scripture reading is from the Book of Psalms...
 
             "When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"  
                                              (Psalm 11:3  NIV)
 
What can I do? 
   
In recent years, many --- possibly most --- committed Christians have asked questions just like that! When the foundations of civil governments seem to be crumbling, what can the righteous do? When the foundations of churches and denominations seem to be dissolving into mush, what can the righteous do? When the very foundations of basic reality are jackhammered by obvious falsehoods, what can the righteous do?
   
On their own, very little. But the righteous are never really "on their own." They have God on their side, and that changes everything.
   
Notice the quotation marks around today's scripture. They indicate that these words were spoken by someone other than the psalmist. The question was posed by fearful people who couldn't accept the writer's declaration: "in the Lord I take refuge" (verse 1). The writer, possibly David, strongly believed in God's protection, so he asked, "How then can you say to me...' When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?'" (verses 1,3).
   
Sure, bad things were happening then; and they still do today. But "the Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne" (Psalm 11:4). And "on the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur" (verse 6).  
   
What can the righteous do? Trust God for protection and ultimate justice. Don't worry... God will surely come through! 
 
              You are my refuge, Lord. Thank You for standing strong in this crumbling world.  Amen.  
 
+++ We worship on Sunday at 8:30am and 10:00am. This week we will welcome Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood, our District Superintendent, who will be leading worship with me and bringing the message to us. We will be celebrating Transfiguration Sunday, when Jesus' appearance was transfigured (changed) on the mountainside with some of his closest disciple friends. The choir will be back at our 10:00am worship service and then we will have some great fellowship with Rev. Rood after each worship service. If you can't be in the sanctuary with us, check out our Facebook page for the "live stream" at 10:00am or the recorded worship service on YouTube after it is completed.  

+++ Just a couple of reminders... the deadline for articles for our March/April newsletter is on Friday, 2/20. Team leaders please make sure your articles are in by this date so we can get the newsletter published on a timely basis! Thanks! And... you'll find copies of our 2025 Annual Report on the back table in the Narthex. Please pick up one per household so you'll know about all the important ministry work we did in 2025!  

+++ The church office is closed on Monday, 2/16 for the observance of President's Day and will reopen on Tuesday morning at 9:00am. 

+++ Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18th! We will worship at 7:00pm on Ash Wednesday and offer the Imposition of Ashes during the worship service. Please plan to join us as we begin our Lenten theme, "Dying His Death, Living His Life". We will offer a Lenten Bible Study each Monday at 12:00noon in the Fireside Room as we take a closer look at our weekly installment of lectionary scripture readings. The study begins on Monday February 23rd and you can sign up outside the Fireside Room. Plan to bring your lunch and enjoy a bowl of soup, as well!  

+++ One last reminder... in order to plan accordingly, please make sure any requests for PowerPoint screens are into the church office by Wednesday for the following Sunday. This helps us be thoroughly prepared and keep up the publishing parameters we have established for everyone's ease of viewing. Thanks!  
 
Make this day a great day and plan to rely fully on God for ultimate justice in our world! See you Sunday as we welcome Rev. Rood!      
                                                                                                                                                         Pastor Jack   

Today's scripture reading comes from the first book of our Bible, Genesis...
 
                 "The Midianite traders arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt."     (Genesis 37:36  NLT)
 
So, begins Joseph's rise to prominence and power. It was to be a long and winding road.
   
A quick recap of the story: Joseph was a son of Jacob, born in the patriarch's old age to his favored wife, Rachel. The eleventh of twelve boys was daddy's favorite, and his older brothers hated him --- so much that they wanted to kill him. In the end, they traded Joseph for money, selling him to a group of traveling merchants. Resold to an Egyptian official, he spent years in prison after the man's wife --- furious that Joseph had spurned her advances --- accused him of sexual misconduct. In prison he interpreted dreams of fellow detainees and ultimately explained Pharaoh's strange dreams. Impressed by Joseph's God-given wisdom, the king names the Israelite second-in-command of all Egypt. 
   
The mistreatment Joseph suffered is almost unimaginable. But throughout his story, scripture says the Lord was with him (Genesis 39: 2,3,21,23). God's presence and guidance helped him survive every reverse --- and not only to survive, but thrive. From hated kid brother to second most powerful man on earth is a story that only God could write.  
   
Our road probably won't be as dramatic. But the same God who helped Joseph also helps us. Stick with God, work with God, and just watch what God will do in your life!  
 
                  Lord, be with me --- and accomplish great things through me. Amen.  
 
+++ We gather for worship on Sunday at 8:30am and 10:00am. This week, the 5th Sunday after the Epiphany, we will continue looking at the Gospel according to Matthew. We will look at salt and light and in my message, "Living Without Compromise". I will be thinking about how each of us is called to live boldly and faithfully for Christ. If you can't be with us here at church look for us on our Facebook page for the "live-stream" of worship at 10:00am. And, of course, we will "upload" the completed worship service to our YouTube channel when it concludes.  

+++ This week is also our "SOUPER BOWL" celebration! Wear the jersey of your favorite sports team (even if they are not in the big game) and bring along a few cans of soup (or a monetary donation) for voting on which team you think will win the big game later that afternoon! All the donations will be delivered to 2 area food pantries and we will have lots of fun! Following worship... our Second Sunday Luncheon is a tailgate party! We hope you have signed up and plan to join us in the fellowship!

+++ Our Finance Team meets on Tuesday night, 2/10 at 6:00pm in the Fireside Room.

+++ COFFEE WITH THE PASTOR continues each Wednesday morning at 9:30am. Come and join our light-hearted discussions about almost any topic!  

+++ Next Sunday, February 15th we look forward to welcoming Rev. Dr. Sherri Rood, our District Superintendent to worship. Sherri will be preaching and leading worship with me at both worship services next week and we hope you can plan to be here and make her feel welcome!

+++ Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18th when we gather for worship at 7:00pm. We'll offer the Imposition of Ashes at this service and begin our Lenten theme, "Dying His Death, Living His Life".  Join us as we look each week at how we are called to die to self... to really live with Jesus!  

+++ We will offer a Lenten Bible Study each Monday at 12:00noon throughout Lent. Plan to bring your lunch and join us for this time of study and preparation for the joy of Easter! Please sign up on the white board outside the Fireside Room!  
 
Make this day a great day and let God work through you to change the world!   
​Pastor Jack