tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.comments2024-01-29T06:21:26.042-05:00NikosRobert McDowellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02932047276335921100noreply@blogger.comBlogger361125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-79671171438027927932024-01-28T09:59:32.257-05:002024-01-28T09:59:32.257-05:00Job’s author seems to me a masterful writer. I fo...Job’s author seems to me a masterful writer. I found myself laughing out loud at Elihu’s self important explosion. So glad to find your remarks. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-86112446067629766792023-07-11T14:33:24.877-04:002023-07-11T14:33:24.877-04:00Great to reconnect, Michael. Grateful for you and ...Great to reconnect, Michael. Grateful for you and Tammy and your annual veteran’s Sunday planning and leading of those services! And thank you for this wonderful childhood story. God is present with us in more ways we can imagine! Blessings!Robert McDowellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13199826073062391787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-1565374435725921482023-07-11T09:39:28.354-04:002023-07-11T09:39:28.354-04:00Greetings Pastor Robert. This is Michael Johnson. ...Greetings Pastor Robert. This is Michael Johnson. Tammy and I conducted the Veterans Services at Faith Community in Xenia, Ohio. <br />This is a true story that I have used as a pillar of support in my life during times of difficulty. Please feel free to share<br /><br />I was about 4-5 years old when my father bought for me my first baseball and glove. This gift began a lifelong love of the game.<br />As young boys did then, I gathered my friends and we played ball all day long.<br />Evening was fast approaching and I was called in for dinner. I looked for my ball and it was no where to be found. After dinner it was soon bedtime and I pleaded and cried that I wanted to go look for my new ball. All the pleading of to no avail as now it was well past my bedtime. <br />My mother, who was a devote Christian woman, told me to... “pray to Jesus and he would help you find your ball”. Well, not exactly being a regular “church goer” as the nearest church was miles away, I thought praying to Jesus couldn’t hurt. I said a quick prayer and fell off to sleep.<br />That night I had a vivid dream were I saw a man’s arm, clothed in a long robe, pull aside the leaves of a rhubarb patch that was in our back yard. As the arm pulled back the leaves, my ball was revealed to me. <br />The next morning I ran downstairs, into the kitchen, past my mother.... hopping on one leg, as I pulled my shorts up, I ran towards the door. My mother hollered out, inquiring....”where do you think you are going”??? Yelling back in return, I told her.....”Jesus showed me where my ball is”. Continuing past her and out the door, <br />I ran to the rhubarb patch and pulled back the leaves, just as in my dream....there was my ball. I snatched it up and ran back to the house. <br />As I showed her the ball I told her of my dream. She fell to her knees sobbing as she held me tightly. For many many years I thought those were only tears of happiness because I had found my ball. <br />To this day I am reminded… we must all have the “faith of a child to enter the Kingdom of Heaven!<br /><br />Wishing you well!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-88325239458933246072022-11-26T13:55:20.785-05:002022-11-26T13:55:20.785-05:00This is beautiful 6c and very helpfull and blessed...This is beautiful 6c and very helpfull and blessed Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-32091724239952443102022-05-02T20:59:23.250-04:002022-05-02T20:59:23.250-04:00Great!Great!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-90834914326077509962022-04-29T17:20:59.326-04:002022-04-29T17:20:59.326-04:00Absolutely great blog, Robert. I will live in the ...Absolutely great blog, Robert. I will live in the belief that Jesus loves ALL people regardless of sexual orientation, and since when did we all feel it is necessary to announce our preference? I don’t really care what goes on behind closed doors, all I care about is someone accepts me for what I am, just as Christ would do.No hypocrite herehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08923343877081668351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-28869837041894465982021-06-14T21:36:43.001-04:002021-06-14T21:36:43.001-04:00I think it’s great whenever we can use daily life ...I think it’s great whenever we can use daily life experiences (remote controls) to explore the deep mysteries of our faith. Thank you for sharing!Robert McDowellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13199826073062391787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-72668084429429676412021-06-14T09:53:25.988-04:002021-06-14T09:53:25.988-04:00Robert, I have a dear friend who (like you with th...Robert, I have a dear friend who (like you with the microwave illustration) becomes frustrated with the “waiting time” needed to access apps and channels on her TV because she changed her service provider. She needs 3 different remote controls to fully reach settings she prefers. I told her to think of each remote as an embodiment of the Trinity. The first remote reaches the “provider” (GOD); the second remote reaches the “choices” (JESUS”); and the third remote reaches her “guide” (HOLY SPIRIT). There is a small “wait” time following the use of each remote but she has access to each remote and can decide to send out each “messenger”…”seed” to reach her desired “Kingdom” or just shut them all down and not watch TV. We had a fun discussion after my analogy of her remotes!! Your reactions to my analogy of your sermon points?? —JFB<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-19494858733969361982018-06-16T22:48:48.468-04:002018-06-16T22:48:48.468-04:00Beautiful prayer, Robert.Beautiful prayer, Robert.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06828770179365316855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-33166884206732274192018-01-29T20:07:47.382-05:002018-01-29T20:07:47.382-05:00Thank you for sharing this comment. I certainly di...Thank you for sharing this comment. I certainly didn’t mean to exclude that class or other learning groups in our church. Blessings,Robert McDowellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13199826073062391787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-23765442032350706902018-01-29T18:49:46.305-05:002018-01-29T18:49:46.305-05:00Do not forget about the women's Sunday School ...Do not forget about the women's Sunday School class in the 3rd floor lounge at 9:00 am every SundayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-51257358454724581102018-01-28T07:42:54.108-05:002018-01-28T07:42:54.108-05:00Yes, sermon series are more difficult to do by fol...Yes, sermon series are more difficult to do by following the liturgical calendar. There are times of the lectionary cycle when whole books are followed especially during Ordinary Time. I will be preaching on the life of David for most of this summer for example. The weakness you point out can also be the liturgical calendar’s strength because it forces us to look at scripture passages that we might not have given very much focus without the lectionary. Plus, it puts us into an annual rhythm in following the life of Christ which you don’t get when your’re tied up with several sermon series. I don’t mind tying in the secular holidays as you suggest as long as the liturgical calendar gets top billing and focus. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.Robert McDowellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13199826073062391787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-77740083040562061522018-01-28T07:04:19.462-05:002018-01-28T07:04:19.462-05:00The liturgical calendar has some usefulness in wor...The liturgical calendar has some usefulness in worship planning. However, whatever utility it offers is not without some room for criticism. Not surprisingly it often has little relevance to the needs of a local congregation. The scripture selections predicated on a three year cycle are at times simply without practical application to the needs of the congregation. It is restrictive in a not helpful way as one seeks to develop sermon series that are germain to the practical needs of the congregation one leads. For instance, a series of worship services/sermons addressing The Christian Family works very well between Mothers Day and Fathers Day. A series addressing God and Country is very useful during the period around July 4th. Laborers Together with Christ is a focus that naturally works around Labor Day. As well, one may simply be preaching a series of sermons on The Sermon on the Mount, or one of the books of the Bible. None of this works well when one tries to adapt it to the liturgical calendar. bthomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03580790585014062505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-33947339464950065782016-12-01T06:21:03.042-05:002016-12-01T06:21:03.042-05:00Thank you for this post.Thank you for this post.bthomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03580790585014062505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-25903746465138757902016-09-20T15:21:20.950-04:002016-09-20T15:21:20.950-04:00How beautifully put. A delicate situation nicely ...How beautifully put. A delicate situation nicely turned into a nice mini-sermon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00165318790017851902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-50608031934576557052016-08-10T10:07:23.229-04:002016-08-10T10:07:23.229-04:00Excellent sermon Pastor Robert!!!
Excellent sermon Pastor Robert!!!<br />Mary Catterlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-22488458819619059222015-12-16T19:29:35.492-05:002015-12-16T19:29:35.492-05:00Thank you, Pastor McDowell, for the post featuring...Thank you, Pastor McDowell, for the post featuring Wesley. He was an amazing man of God. If you interest, I have recently published the opening novel in a trilogy about Francis Asbury. Black Country features both John and Charles Wesley. Even the "singing technique" rules show up in one of the book's scenes. If you interest, please visit the website at www.francisasburytriptych.com. Enjoy the numerous articles about the early Methodist movement.Al DeFilippohttp://www.francisasburytriptych.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-61130479080009639302015-09-22T20:50:15.165-04:002015-09-22T20:50:15.165-04:00Not sure, but it very well might be the same perso...Not sure, but it very well might be the same person. Robert McDowellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02932047276335921100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-88557267376170751702015-09-22T16:08:22.226-04:002015-09-22T16:08:22.226-04:00What a beautiful prayer. Thank you for serving at...What a beautiful prayer. Thank you for serving at Lancaster FUMC. I'm so grateful you were the leader of our family for those years. And thanks for preparing us to accept BrIan. He doesn't have your sense of humor. But he is so special and I can almost feel God's presence when I'm talking with him. May our Lord be with you and Penny always.<br /><br />Brenda W.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00165318790017851902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-25767273573865341282015-09-05T19:38:11.439-04:002015-09-05T19:38:11.439-04:00Would ( could ) someone tell me if this is " ...Would ( could ) someone tell me if this is " the " Jerry Dickey that would have been a church camp counselor at Sabina, Ohio, in the late 1950's - early 1960's ?<br />My email : skubaduk@gmail.comSkubaDukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04746334630261637941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-43781117766106960022015-07-25T08:49:31.886-04:002015-07-25T08:49:31.886-04:00Very interesting, Freeborn! Thank you for sharing ...Very interesting, Freeborn! Thank you for sharing about your work on Asbury. Robert McDowellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02932047276335921100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-39334846092673757052015-07-24T22:27:11.042-04:002015-07-24T22:27:11.042-04:00Thank you, Pastor McDowell, for the article. It is...Thank you, Pastor McDowell, for the article. It is a unique take on Wesley. I miss playing golf, was blessed to play from an early age when my grandfather introduced me to the game. Although he's been gone for nearly two decades, I miss him dearly. He would pick me up from middle school and high school a couple days each week to get in 9 holes. Living in Florida, he would say that with playing golf in the heat of Florida, it's not the heat that gets you, but the humility. I think Wesley would say the same thing about our walk with God.<br /><br />If you interest, I just finished my opening novel in a trilogy about Francis Asbury. The Asbury Triptych Series opens with the book, Black Country, detailing the early preaching circuits of a young Francis Asbury. My nearly twenty years of research on Asbury led me to write this book which attempts to shed some light on his early circuits. As you may know, this has not been attempted since his death in 1816. The website for the book Black Country and the series is www.francisasburytriptych.com. Feel free to browse the numerous articles on the website. Again, thank you for your post. Freebornghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07917567381835495780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-69910396110495616002015-07-08T08:27:58.853-04:002015-07-08T08:27:58.853-04:00Excellent idea. Will follow with interest.Excellent idea. Will follow with interest.bthomasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-18544400142235314972015-03-23T08:09:37.559-04:002015-03-23T08:09:37.559-04:00Yeah, I think ministry is the only occupation that...Yeah, I think ministry is the only occupation that uses that word. Ha!Robert McDowellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02932047276335921100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1371244606683666300.post-45683874364418663742015-03-23T08:00:33.049-04:002015-03-23T08:00:33.049-04:00"Partake" has always been my sister'..."Partake" has always been my sister's least favorite word in Christianese.Brian Vinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17221972114141282402noreply@blogger.com