April 29, 11:00 a.m.

Everyone is welcome to join this special service of worship and praise through music.

Enjoy homemade soups, salads, and desserts and fun fellowship following the worship service.

Gleanings…

Imagine you have just come home from being away.  Tired, you pick up the mail, let yourself into your home, and flip on the lights.  Settling into a chair to look at the mail, you notice that one envelope is not a bill and not an advertisement, and it feels thicker than most letters.  Addressed to you in a personal hand, there is no return address.  Opening the letter, a number of pages fall out.  Picking them up you read,

My Dearest Child,

I have wanted to write you for so long.  I have watched you as you have dealt with challenges and trials, struggled with making a way in this world, and been battered by events you could not have foreseen or avoided.  I am proud of the way you have persevered.  Though it has not been easy, and many times you have felt like giving up, you did not and chose instead to try again.

You look at the other pages and you see a narrative of your life.  Moments and events you never thought anyone would ever know about, interspersed with notations of help given.  Amazed, you find that the times where something went well, things worked out, and you actually caught a break are the times when the author indicates that you were reassured, consoled, comforted, and given a bit of rest by the love and care of others.

Astounded at the amount of detail, you turn back to the letter.  After a couple of paragraphs of encouragement, the author writes,

Please know that I will always be with you.  I am always available to talk; call anytime.

Father

P.S.  I love you.  -F-

Sounds a little fanciful, but the truth is that our Father does indeed watch over us and help us in ways that seem more accidental than intentional.  Few, if any, of us live lives that are free of trials, disappointments, and brokenness.  Yet, we live on because we know the source of our strength.

As we look to be renewed with lives filled with the joy of resurrection, take some time to look around at your family, friends, and neighbors.  Who is struggling?  Who needs a word of encouragement?  Who just needs a break from the daily grind?  Can you reach out to build a relationship that allows you to share God’s love with them?  We need each other more than we like to admit.  May God lead you to where someone who needs to know his love can experience it through you.

Christ is risen!  Christ is risen, indeed!

Braxton  ><>

Gleanings…

With the closing ceremonies of last Sunday night, the 2018 Winter Olympics ended for this year.  I love to watch the athletes competing in the various sports; they are so amazing with what they have learned to do.  It is humbling to see some put so many years into training and fund raising, sacrificing personal lives for the opportunity to compete, only to wash out of competition on their first day.  Would I dare to compete knowing that it could all be over in a couple of minutes?

What makes us strive so?  No matter whether we are talking about a sports competition, an art form, or possessing the best of anything, people are constantly striving to be acclaimed as the best.  As I said for the Ash Wednesday meditation, I am not convinced that it is just for the medal or to have their team or sponsoring country honored.  I believe there is something much simpler driving the athletes to compete; I believe many compete just for love of the game.

What does that say to us?  As followers of Christ Jesus, just as for the Olympic athletes, we find there are many temptations to personal power, influence, or possessions.  All of these have the potential to direct our efforts in ways that have nothing to do with transforming hearts.  We must always guard against letting our efforts showcase what we can do lest we close the door on a personal encounter with the one who makes it possible to overcome our brokenness and failings.  Only Jesus can lead people to know there is healing for past decisions, help for present difficulties, and hope for moving forward.

So, what should we do?  What steps can we take to protect us from acts that put ourselves forward?  First, I believe we need to stay connected to a community of Christ followers who will challenge us to grow spiritually.  Such a group would help us examine our motives behind what we do, say, and think.  Such a group, whether a small group or a congregation, would stress the need to love God most of all, and love every person, place, and thing that God has made.

Because this can be so difficult, we need to expect that same group to help us live this way continuously.  Remembering that it was God’s love that turned our lives around, we will better be able to share the truth that only God’s love will help those around us.  Thus, we cannot be a Christ follower and expect accolades.  If we are not doing this for the love of Jesus, our hearts are in the wrong place and God’s love is not in us.

As we continue through this season of Lent, let’s ask God to surround us with dedicated Christ followers who can help us to grow more and more in love with him.  May Jesus’ name be praised in every aspect of our lives.

Grace and peace,

Braxton ><>

— JOIN THE CHALLENGE! —

We invite you to join us for our 2018 Lent Challenge.

We invite the community to join us
by doing 40 acts of kindness during Lent.
Feb. 14 – March 31. 

Help us share God’s love and kindness in our community! 

You are invited to the – He Chose the Nails Bible Study!

Each Sunday beginning February 18th at 10:00 AM

Gleanings…

Welcome to February, the month where we begin to lose our fascination with cold weather and begin looking at seed catalogs and vacation options.  February is also the month of Valentine’s Day which, for the first time that I can remember it happening, falls on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  A word to the wise: Do not get the idea that this lets you off the hook for surprising your sweetheart with flowers and candy.  Instead, you will be able to further demonstrate your deep love and affection for each other with ashes on your foreheads.  Imagine the witness you will be when you go out to dinner later!

Lent is for the spirit what breaking up the ground is for a garden.  Lent gives us the opportunity to prepare our hearts to remember the gifts of Holy Week and Easter.  Remembering our Lord’s journey to the cross and to resurrection enables us to share God’s love with people who are suffering with shame and doubt.  The journey to Golgotha, and through the tomb to the resurrection, removes every doubt whether God knows our pain and has suffered as we do.  Indeed, God is with us in every matter.

Years of little more than egg hunts and bunnies has dulled the Easter message of God’s love for creation.  As we enter the season of Lent this year, let us ask God to grow a new message of hope in us.  Participate in a Bible study, spend time reading devotional materials, share what God has done and is doing in your life with a trusted group of friends.  In this way, remember and rehearse the love of God so that you will be able to share it when someone asks you about Easter.  And, above all else, pray that God will enable you to sense the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you are directed to those who need to hear the message of God’s love for them.

Easter comes at a beautiful time of the year.  Let’s get ready for it by preparing our lives to be beautiful expressions of God’s love throughout this year.

Grace and peace,

Braxton ><>

Looking for a new way to serve in the community this year? 

We partner with Burks UMC and St. Alban’s Episcopal Church to provide a meal and serve the homeless in our community.  All are welcome to join us.  Meet at First Baptist Church downtown the 2nd Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. to prepare the food and 6:00 p.m. to serve the meal and then clean up after the meal.  This is a wonderful way to reach out a share God’s love and kindness with those in need. 

Thank You!  Our prayer is that all will have a joyful New Year!   

Braxton and Lyndie ><>

“Rise Against Hunger” meal packaging event

Saturday,   January 27 – set up at 9 am. (Need 5 – 7 volunteers to help unload and set up)

Event time:  10:00am – 12:00 noon

We need 50 volunteers to help package 12,096 meals. 

Great opportunity for children and adults who need community volunteer hours.  Volunteers can drop in and stay for whatever length of time they have available to help.   

Fairview United Methodist Church
3901 Hamill Rd.  Hixson, TN 37343

For more information on Rise Against Hunger look on their website:  http://www.riseagainsthunger.org/get-involved/host-a-meal-packaging-event/