Friday, January 13, 2023

Hello Friends! 

Here is a story I recently re-read and want to share with you....

A man once sat down to have dinner with his family. As was their tradition, the family members joined hands around the table, and the man offered a rote prayer, thanking God for the food, the hands that prepared it, and for the source of all life. During the meal, however, he bitterly complained about his job and his boss... even offering some thoughts about the staleness of the bread and a slight bit of mold he found on one edge of the brick of cheese.
   
One night his youngest daughter asked him, "Daddy, do you think God heard you say grace before the meal?"
   
"Of course, honey," he answered confidently.
   
Then she said, "Do you think God heard everything you said during dinner?" Again the man answered confidently, "Why, yes, I believe so.  God hears everything."
   
She thought for a moment and then asked, "Daddy, which one do you think God believed -- what you said before we ate or what you said while we were eating?"
   
God hears everything we say -- the good and the bad -- and so do the people around us. Honor God in all you say, and God's blessing will rest on your life as well as the lives of those who hear and heed your example.  

STOP ALL YOUR DIRTY TALK. SAY THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME AND HELP OTHERS BY WHAT YOU SAY.
                                                         (Ephesians 4:29 CEV)

+++ As we get ready for worship this week we will hear from John 1: 29-42... and we will hear John the Baptist testifying about Jesus. In my message, "Pointing the Way to Jesus," I'll be thinking about how each of us is also called to testify about our Savior. We worship at 8:30am and 10:00am and our 10:00am worship service will be "live streamed" on the church's Facebook page and then "uploaded" to our YouTube channel. Last week saw a few audio problems which appear to not be our equipment, but the Facebook platform. We continue to work to make sure you get to see and hear EVERY word of our worship service. Thanks for your understanding as we work through a few bugs!   

+++ After a great first week, Alex is planning another exciting Kidz Club party for Sunday. Kidz... make sure you are here to be a part of the fun! 

+++ This Sunday is Human Relations Sunday, one of six special collections that we receive as part of the larger church. This collection benefits neighborhood ministries through community developers, supports community advocacy through United Methodist Voluntary Services and works with at-risk teens through the Youth Offender Rehabilitation Program. There will be special envelopes in the Narthex or you can simply put your offering in the collection plate on Sunday. Please note in the memo "Human Relations Sunday." Thank you for your generosity.

+++ Remember our church office is closed on Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday morning at 9:15am!  

Make today a great day and look for opportunities to say the right thing at the right time! 
Pastor Jack