[When disaster strikes, the United Methodist Church is always ready and willing to do all the good we can to all the people we can. More rain this past weekend meant more flooding in southern Ohio. Our church has a goal of providing 15 flood buckets to help with relief efforts. We are receiving donations of flood buckets and supplies throughout this week (Feb. 25 to March 3) at our church. See list of needed bucket items at bottom of page. We will be assembling the flood buckets at our monthly Athens First Saturday outreach this Saturday, March 3, 9am to noon at our church. The sermon and the pastoral prayer below include information about our flood bucket relief.]
Before we enter into our time of prayer, I want to share with you some really awesome news from last Sunday’s prayer time. Last Sunday, we invited people to come forward during worship as part of our focus on healing, to pray for Todd Bradford, our maintenance person.
Todd has been in the Cleveland Clinic with a spinal chord problem that has caused paralysis throughout most of his body. We learned on Monday, the day after that prayer, that Todd had been experiencing a high level of pain last weekend.
Around 11 am last Sunday, while we were praying here for Todd, one of the top doctors at Cleveland Clinic visited Todd’s room and was able to make some changes to alleviate his pain. Long story short, Todd started feeling better soon after that doctor visited his room.
A little later that week, they were able to wean Todd off of the ventilator and for the first time in a long while, he is able to talk. Friends, I think we have all been part of what we have been calling, a thin place moment, that moment where heaven and earth connect in a mysterious way and where healing takes place.
I know that the answers to our prayers are not always that dramatic and Todd still has a long way to go, but I just want you to know that we were all part of something special last Sunday when we came forward to pray for Todd.
Your willingness to come and touch the healing robe of Jesus on behalf of Todd last Sunday was another way that we are seeking to serve and step out of our comfort zones. Thank you for being a Holy Spirit empowered and faithful church.
Let’s join together in prayer again this week, and see what other thin place moments happen as a result of our prayers this morning.
Thank you O God, for answering our prayers in such a powerful way. Thank you for bringing relief to Todd this week and for helping him to speak again. We are humbled to know that in some mysterious way, beyond what our minds can fathom, we were somehow part of your healing presence this past week.
And if that happened for Todd, we can’t even begin to imagine the many other ways that you have been offering your healing love to the people we lifted in prayer last Sunday. We’re excited about how you will use us again this week to be a blessing to those who are hurting, to those who are in pain, and to those who are going through a difficult time in their lives.
As we touch your serving robe this week, use our church to bring healing to the people of Pomeroy, Marietta, and other communities who are recovering from all of the recent flooding. Use our church to bring healing when we gather for our Athens First Saturday outreach this Saturday morning. Use our church to feed the hungry through Good Works Outreach. O God, you have reminded us of all the good that can be done through the prayers of your people and through humble service.
And so, like last Sunday, hear our prayers as we pray for those who are in need of you. Bless those who are facing medical challenges, those who have been in the hospital, those who are struggling with the flu and other illnesses. Bless those who are feeling lonely and depressed. Bless those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Bless those who are struggling to make ends meet and those who are in need of new direction in their lives.
O God, since you made it very clear last Sunday that you do hear our prayers and our prayers do make a difference, help us to be even more aware of how you are always bringing new life and transformation.
We pray all of this in the name of Jesus who not only stooped to wash the disciples’ feet, but who also humbled himself by dying on a cross for the sake of the world. It is in his name that we pray together…
“Our Father, who art in heaven…”
EMERGENCY CLEANUP (FLOOD BUCKET) CONTENTS
Item Cost (Dollar General)
Four Scouring Pads $3.00
Seven Sponges (inc. one large) $4.00
One Scrub Brush $2.00
Eighteen Reusable Cleaning Towels $4.95
One 50 oz. or Two 25 oz. Bottle(s) Liquid Laundry Detergent $2.00
One 16-28 Bottle of Liquid Disinfectant Dish Soap $1.75
One 16-28 Bottle Household Cleaner (to be mixed with water) $1.00
One package 44-50 Clothespins $1.00
Two 50 ft. or One 100 ft. Clothesline $3.50
Five Dust Masks $1.00
Two Pair Heavy Duty Waterproof Dishwashing Gloves (latex free non-surgical) $2.75
One Pair Work Gloves Cotton With Leather Palm or All Leather $7.00
24-28 Heavy Duty Or Contractor Type 30-45 Gal. Trash Bags On Roll and Removed From Carton $4.50
One 6-9 oz. Bottle Non-aerosol Insect Repellent $3.95
One 5 gal. Bucket With Resealable Lid TBD Total $42.40
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