Pastor Jack's Weekly Chimings Message
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Weekly Inspirational Message & Church Happenings for the Upcoming Week
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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 Good Friday Morning, Friends!
Today's scripture reading takes us to Luke's Gospel account... "Don't begin until you count the cost... You cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own." (Luke 14: 28,33 NLT) Jesus wasn't the first teacher to tell people to give up their wealth, to live simply, with minimal material desires or obligations. But His reasons were different: to gain everything that truly matters, you must give up the world's view of success. Roman oppression eventually ended, but God's kingdom never will. Choose wisely. That's what it means to take up your cross (Luke 14:27). Suffering will pay dividends in God's calculations. What will you undergo to follow Him? Humiliation? Pain? Everything Jesus endured was to purchase eternal life for you. He is your reward --- worth everything you go through. You are Christ's project, to build as He pleases. You are His soldier, to send wherever He deems necessary. Search your heart today and make a reckoning: give up whatever is between you and the one who loves you best. Jesus isn't calling you to health and wealth, but to glory. Identify with His choice: to leave the splendor or heaven and suffer as a man, so that He could end eternal suffering. We're already hurting in this life, this broken world. Trusting Jesus, we can face it with courage, knowing He is redeeming all things. Lord, show me anything in my heart that is keeping me from knowing You better. Nothing this world offers is worth more than you are. Amen. +++ We worship at 8:30am and 10:00am this week, the 3rd Sunday of Lent. Our gospel lesson will show us Peter's attempt to walk across the water to join Jesus in the boat. My message is "Dying to Doubt, Living by Faith". n what ways are you praying "Lord, save me!" each day? Join us in person or on the church's Facebook page at 10:00am for our "live stream" or the church's YouTube channel once worship is completed. We'll sing some great hymns of our faith, and I pray you will find a nugget or two to get you through the week in our worship time. +++ Make sure you TURN YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD one hour on Saturday night or you'll be an hour late for worship on Sunday morning! Daylight Savings Time is here friends! Spring is coming! +++ After worship we will gather for our Second Sunday Luncheon in the Fellowship Hall. Hopefully you have signed up and are planning on joining the fun. +++ Our SPRC meets on Tuesday night, March 10th at 6:00pm in the Fireside Room and then the Administrative Council meeting follows at 6:45pm. +++ You are invited to join our Lenten Bible Study group meeting on Monday's at 12:00noon in the Fireside Room. Just bring a lunch and we'll enjoy a delicious bowl of homemade soup, as well! +++ Coffee With the Pastor continues on Wednesday mornings at 9:30am in the Fireside Room! We spend an hour or so in fellowship, and you are invited to join us. +++ Take a look at the growing table of items for the Brown Bag Lunch program offered by our friends at First UMC in Camillus! This is our Lenten Mission project, and a shopping list is available for your participation as well! Make this day a great day and strive to know Jesus better each and every day. Pastor Jack |
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April 2026
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