Gleanings…

My, how our lives have changed. Just a month ago we were planning for Holy Week services, an Easter Egg hunt, an Easter morning sunrise service (followed by a hot breakfast!), and for some, a Spring Break mini vacation. Now, we watch the news every day to hear the latest pronouncements related to the novel coronavirus/Covid-19 pandemic. And we worry. What if it gets worse? What if it affects/infects my family? How are going to survive without a regular salary? How will we meet our obligations, make our payments, and avoid bankruptcy? What are we going to do?

To be totally fair, these are not new worries. These are the same worries that affect/infect anyone who has suddenly had a significant, life-altering change in their lives. The death of a loved one, the loss of a job, a house fire, an automobile accident, or the sudden occurrence of a major illness has the same potential to knock us off our feet. Add to that the impact of a natural disaster: flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions (to name but a few). The difference is the scope of the disaster and how many people are affected at one time.

What can we do when we suddenly face one of these situations? My first response is to pray. I am not talking about some long, theologically correct prayer using all the right words and structure (whatever they are), but a prayer that expresses my real need: Help. Help me. Help me now. Help me now, please.

I am including a meditation of March 25, 2020 by Richard Rohr that features this excerpt from a book by Brian McLaren, noted author and retired pastor, now working with the Center for Action and Contemplation. I don’t believe that I can say it any better than Brian already has.

When we call out for help, we are bound more powerfully to God through our needs and weakness, our unfulfilled hopes and dreams, and our anxieties and problems than we ever could have been through our joys, successes, and strengths alone. . . .  [1]

Anxieties can gray the whole sky like cloud cover or descend on our whole horizon like fog. When we rename our anxieties, in a sense we distill them into requests. What covered the whole sky can now be contained in a couple of buckets. So when we’re suffering from anxiety, we can begin by simply holding the word help before God, letting that one word bring focus to the chaos of our racing thoughts. Once we feel that our mind has dropped out of the frantic zone and into a spirit of connection with God, we can let the general word help go and in its place hold more specific words that name what we need, thereby condensing the cloud of vague anxiety into a bucket of substantial request. So we might hold the word guidance before God. Or patience. Or courage. Or resilience. Or boundaries, mercy, compassion, determination, healing, calm, freedom, wisdom, or peace. . . . [2]

Along with our anxieties and hurts, we also bring our disappointments to God. If anxieties focus on what might happen, and hurts focus on what has happened, disappointments focus on what has not happened. Again, as the saying goes, revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing, so simply acknowledging or naming our disappointment to God is an important move. This is especially important because many of us, if we don’t bring our disappointment to God, will blame our disappointment on God, thus alienating ourselves from our best hope of comfort and strength. . . .

Whether we’re dealing with anxieties, wounds, disappointments, or other needs or struggles, there is enormous power in simple, strong words—the words by which we name our pain and then translate it into a request to God. Help is the door into this vital practice of petition, through which we expand beyond our own capacities and resources to God’s. . . .

Through this practice of expansion and petition, we discover something priceless: the sacred connection can grow stronger through, not in spite of, our anxieties, wounds, disappointments, struggles, and needs. The Compassionate One is our gracious friend, and we don’t have to earn anything, deserve anything, achieve anything, or merit anything to bring our needs to God. We can just come as we are. [3]

I pray that we may use this time to grow closer to God and stronger in our faith. Our God is not powerless, but the strong rock upon whom we build our lives. The world needs to see the strong witness of caring followers of Jesus Christ. May God strengthen and equip us for this service.

Call me if you need me,

Pastor Braxton ><>

[1] Brian D. McLaren, Naked Spirituality (HarperOne: 2011), 104.

[2] Ibid., 116–117.

[3] Ibid., 119–120.

March – April Calendar

Mustard Tree Meal at First Baptist Church

Thursday – March 12 – 6:00 p.m.  —  Help provide a meal and serve the homeless

Rise Against Hunger

Saturday  –  March 14  –  at Hixson UMC Gym  —  Set up – 8:00 a.m. & Packaging – 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

We will help package 38,000 meals for countries in need.
Invite family, friends, neighbors……to join us!

Family Promise at Burks UMC

Monday  –  March 16  –  5:30 p.m.   —  Provide desserts and help serve homeless families

Sign up in the hallway if you can help.

Family Night Dinner

Wednesday  –  March 18  –  6:30 p.m.  —  Enjoy a meal and fellowship together

Men’s Breakfast & Fellowship

Saturday  –  March 28  –  8:00 a.m.  —  Hot homemade breakfast and fellowship

See Wayne if you or someone you know has a small need the men’s group can assist with.

Easter Cantata – He Is Worthy

Sunday – April 5 – 5:00 p.m.   —  Choral and Video presentation, Refreshments, and Fellowship

Holy Week Services

Maundy Thursday Service – April 9 – 6:30 p.m. – at Fairview UMC

Good Friday Service – April 10 – 6:30 p.m. – At Grace UMC

Easter Sunrise Service & Breakfast – April 12 – at Grace UMC

Easter Sunday Worship – April 12 – 11:00 a.m. at Fairview UMC

Gleanings… March 2020

Why?  Though it has been several years, I can still hear that question coming from my son.  It was his response to any and everything I said during his early years.  Nothing was too powerful or too lame to be challenged with this one-word question.  In some ways, I suppose it was good for me to have to struggle with justifications or expansions on what I had just said, but after a while, it would wear me down to where I could only respond with “Because.”  Interestingly, that question has a lot to teach us about the struggles that the church (any church) is going through.

Think about it for a moment.  When was the last time you thought about why you do certain things with your time?  Everyone has the same amount of time; it is just that we choose to use it in different ways.  This is particularly true when it comes to deciding how to serve God and work to further the Gospel in our daily lives.  Many of us have long practices of attending worship, reading the Bible, praying, sharing out of our gifts, volunteering, and living as we believe a disciple should live.  But if you had to explain or justify your words, thoughts, and actions, what would you say?

Suppose you invited someone (a non-Christian) to attend worship with you one Sunday.  What would you say that would convince that person to go with you?  Now, expand upon that event to include any activity that has a religious connection.  Who, what, when, where, and how are easily answered, but “why” does not so readily spring from our lips.  All of you have chosen to attend this church.  When you can answer why you worship here and not somewhere else, you have the beginnings of an answer to the questions of others.

In this way, the question “Why?” is a blessing to us.  Only by looking intently at why we do the things we do are we able to offer another person the help we have received, the healing we have known, and the hope that sustains us through every trial.  These are the gifts of God to creation.  Nowhere has it been written, and no one has ever said that we would be able to do everything and know everything so as to avoid hard times in our lives.  Instead, the message is that if we will look to the creator, the redeemer, and the sustainer, we will have all we need.  Why?  Because God loves you.  And that is something I believe the world

wants to hear.  See you Sunday.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Braxton ><>

Gleanings…                                                                                                                                                     February 2020

I am not sure where this is going, but the question I have before me today is simple and complex at the same time.  I am wondering how far am I willing to go to help someone else?  Would I buy them food or cook them meals?  Would I arrange for lodging at a motel, hotel, or extended stay facility or would I welcome them into my home?  How much would I donate if they were experiencing a lack of money for any reason: sickness, loss of job, or natural disaster to name a few.  Like many I expect my answer would be that it depends on who it is whether family, friend, acquaintance, co-worker, someone who looks like they could pay me back, or other.  Maybe this question is tougher than I thought.

We are surrounded every day by people who are experiencing a “hard stretch of road.”  Some are easy to see while others do a good job of hiding their issues, but the needs are there.  We have, as a caring society, established programs, facilities, agencies, and relief organizations to help others.  Our nation provides a minimum of security through Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, FEMA, and, I am sure, others.  Each of these can help because the population of citizens in this country is willing to be taxed to support them.  At the same time, religious institutions and relief agencies support relief efforts to assist when the need arises.

Added to these visible efforts are a multitude of organizations who facilitate the work of mission teams around the world.  Youth groups, family groups, mission teams, and medical teams go into the world every year to provide what care and help they can.  The number of people who participate is staggering.  The amount of money that goes to support their efforts is overwhelming.  And year after year the work goes on because the need is constantly before us.

Now, back to the original question of how much I am willing to do to help.  Do you realize that your church is one of those organizations that facilitate the efforts of helping others in emergencies, crises, and disasters?  Because of our locations, we can provide needed resources to our communities.  Because we are part of a district in Holston Conference, we can support agencies that help with medical care, nutrition, after school care, summer camp, and others.  Because we are part of the Holston Conference, we can offer homes for children with no home or family, care facilities for the aged and infirm, and send missionaries to teach, help, and heal in many parts of our world.  Now multiply all of that by the number of Annual Conferences around the world.  What you do through your church truly has global consequences.

And so, I want to start by saying, “well done.”  You are making a difference through your support of your church.  At the same time, we could be doing more.  The opportunity to help others grows with the number of disasters and emergencies that occur every day, every year.  When we give to support our church, we participate in efforts to help others both at home and abroad.  By choosing to support these efforts, we model the mercy and compassion of God to others.  By modeling God’s mercy and compassion, we say “thank you” to God for God’s grace toward us.  We are blessed because we have blessed others.

This year as you consider your support of your church, think about the ways you are helping others.  As members of The United Methodist Church, we commit to support it through our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness.  May God lead you in discovering how you can grow your support that the Kingdom of God may come upon the earth.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Braxton ><>

We love seeing all of the people come and help us with our outreach projects!!

We had a wonderful and Jolly Visitor at the church this christmas!!

All are Welcome to our Worship Service at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday.

Advent Sermons:

December 8  The Promise of Potential  –  Luke 1: 26-56

December 15  The Journey to Joy     Luke 2: 1-40

December 22   The Gift of the Gentiles    Matthew 1: 18-2: 15

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord

Luke 2:1-15

2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

² (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

³ And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

⁵ To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

¹⁵ And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

Advent Services and Fellowship

Hanging of the Greens Service

Sunday   –   December 1   –   11:00 a.m.

Choral Christmas Program

Sunday   –   December 8   –   5:00 p.m.

Caroling, Hymns, Choir and Special Music

Refreshments following the service

Christmas Family Night Dinner

Wednesday   –   December 18   –   6:30 p.m.

Covered Dish Dinner, Caroling, and Santa Visits

Christmas Eve Service at Grace UMC

Tuesday   –   December 24   –   5:00 & 11:00 p.m.

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Advent Sermon Series – Journey into Advent

Sunday Worship Service at 11:00 a.m.

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Christmas Outreach

Union Gospel Mission

Collecting donations from Wish list located at each entrance.

John Calvin Christmas Party

Monday   –   December 9   –   5:30 p.m.

Music with Edwin Hixson, Food, Fun, and Fellowship

Family Promise at Burks UMC

Monday   –   December 16   –   6:00 p.m.

Provide desserts and fellowship with homeless families