Sunday Worship Preview - September 7

Sunday, September 7 (8:30 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. Traditional and 9:45 A.M. Contemporary)

Features -17th Sunday After Pentecost; Holy Communion; Grandparent/Grandchildren Sunday; & Noon Carnival on Church Front Lawn

Sermon Title - “Celebrate Grandparents”

Scriptures - II Timothy 1:1-9a & Matthew 18:15-20

Theme - We will celebrate the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren within the context of our faith. Pastor Rick will share stories about his grandmother Dorothy who set an example of the Christian faith for him. We will explore three points - 1) Jesus delights in children. 2) Parents and grandparents pass on their faith in Jesus to their children. 3) Jesus offers forgiveness and unites the church.

Labor Day Weekend - Prayers for the Unemployed

This year, I have encountered more people in the church who have lost their jobs or who will lose their jobs than in any other year in my ministry. This comes as no surprise since recent unemployment statistics in our region continue to be on the rise.

The unemployment rate in Ohio is 6.6%, the highest it has been since 1993. In contrast, the national unemployment rate is presently at 5.5% The Miami Valley area has been particularly hit hard because of several companies announcing job closings.

Every Saturday, the Jewish sabbath which reminds us to rest from our work, I pray the following prayer for those who are without employment. During this Labor Day Weekend, I invite all of us to make it a practice to pray this prayer every Saturday, keeping in mind the people in our community and church family who are unemployed and who are finding it very difficult to make ends meet.

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From "The Book of Common Prayer," Oxford University Press, New York, 1979

Prayers, Presence, Gifts, & Service - A Forty Day Journey

Congratulations to Barb Thompson on her newly published book, "Prayers, Presence, Gifts, & Service - A Forty Day Journey."

Barb is a member of Faith Community United Methodist and has written this book specifically for our forty day church wide stewardship campaign which begins on Monday, September 15 and will conclude on Sunday, October 26.

Our church will be distributing one book per family on the following Sundays - August 31, September 7, & September 14. We are invited to begin reading this book on Monday, September 15, and read one chapter a day. Each person will receive a "Prayers, Presence, Gifts, & Service - A Forty Day Journey" workbook containing reflection questions for each day's readings.

Each Sunday during our forty day journey will focus on the the topic of the previous week's readings. We are also encouraging each Sunday School Class, small group, and bible study group to use these materials beginning the week of September 15. Sunday School classes would begin on Sunday, September 21.

Pastor Rick and I will preach on the theme of each week's readings during our journey together. Here's the Sunday schedule:

• Sunday, September 21 - Introduction to the Journey
  
• Sunday, September 28 - Prayers


• Sunday, October 5 - Presence


• Sunday, October 12 - Gifts


• Sunday, October 19 - Service


• Sunday, October 26 - Commitment/Celebration Sunday

Barb has been so gracious to write this forty day journey book for the primary purpose of helping our church to reflect on the meaning of our membership vows in how we might best offer our prayers, presence, gifts, and service to the glory of God as we prepare for a new year of ministry in 2009.

On Sunday, September 21, Barb will be present at our church to sign books and she will offer a testimony at all three worship services on what it has meant for her to write this book for our congregation.

Mark your calendars - Our 40 day journey begins with the daily readings on Monday, September 15.

Democrats & the Mission of the Church

During an all day district meeting today, a pastor asked some of us, "What is the difference between the Democrat platform and the church's platform?"

In his speech Monday night, Senator Ted Kennedy talked a lot about helping people who are in need. Without touting one party over the other, this pastor's question was meant to get us to think of what sets the church apart from secular movements which seek to do good in our world.

As you might imagine, this pastor followed his own question with an answer. "The difference is that we believe that Jesus is Lord and that's why the church seeks to help people who are in need."

My friend was making an excellent theological point. The church's mission in the world is rooted in it's understanding that Jesus is Lord. When we believe that Jesus is Lord because of his resurrection from the dead, this empowers us to be his Easter people and to work toward having a world that is filled with peace and justice.

To be real honest...these political parties with all their balloons and fanfare don't motivate me to make a difference in the world. What does motivate me is found in three simple words:

"Jesus is Lord."

Bill Maher's Comments on the Bible

OK. I have been listening to Bill Maher, the comedian/news analyst on Larry King Live tonight. The interview prompts me to make a few comments regarding a comment Bill Maher made about the bible. I've heard him share this same opinion on another interview as well.

Basically, his argument goes like this: Why would an eternal God decide to have people from the bronze age write down eternal truths that reflect the social morals of that particular time period in history?

First of all, Bill Maher's comments are very patronizing toward the ancients which is a common assumption I hear many agnostists/atheists mention time and time again. The implication is that since the ancients were so below us, we are the superior ones, since we live in the post-modern age. I beg to differ that our post-modern world gives us reason to boast. Didn't the enlightenment bring us Hiroshima and the Holocaust? And this is the time period that Bill Maher believes the bible should have been written?

Second of all, I don't think Bill Maher understands the meaning of biblical authority. The bible isn't primarily a book about timeless truths as if it is a dictionary or encyclopedia to answer our questions. Like it or not, the bible is an amazingly coherent grand narrative which is rooted in different periods of ancient history. The bible is authoritative when we seek to understand the historical and religious context in which it was written and open ourselves to how God is speaking to us in our present context based on these ancient texts.

Of course, when we look at the interpretation of scripture from this perspective, that means we need to faithfully study the historical time period of when it was written, see how it fits in with the grand narrative, and prayerfully seek how this ancient writing speaks to us today.

I'm not sure if Bill Maher has simply chosen to not go to all that effort or if he's just really that closed minded about religion in general.

Having said all of this, I do think he makes some good points and is a great comedian.

Your thoughts?

Xenia Churches Enjoying Fellowship!

Yesterday, several churches in our community gathered for an old fashioned barbecue chicken picnic at the Shawnee Park pavillion.

The Xenia Area Association of Churches decided to sponsor this picnic to help the churches in our area enjoy Christian fellowship and offer prayers for the upcoming September 23 & 24 Impact World Tour, a revival designed to reach children, youth, and young adults in our community for Jesus Christ.

Common Cup, which represents 16 United Methodist Churches sharing in ministry together has been challenged to have at least 100 people receive training to become Impact World Tour Local Links. A Local Link is someone who will attend both of the September 23/24 Impact World Tour events at Xenia High School, come alongside someone who makes a decision to follow Christ, and provide support and encouragement through personal contacts with a new believer over an eight week period.

Local Link training will be provided immediately after our Wednesday Common Cup Food Court from 6:30 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. on September 10 and 17 at Faith Community. Both training sessions are needed to become a Local Link.

Check out the brief interview I had with Pastor Dan Jordan of Xenia Grace Chapel and our Director of Youth Ministries, Susan Fellie, about what this day of food and fellowship among our Xenia churches meant to them.

Sunday Worship Preview - August 31

Sunday, August 31 (8:30 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. Traditional and 9:45 A.M. Contemporary)

Features -16th Sunday After Pentecost

Sermon Title - “What Breaks God’s Heart: HIV/AIDS”

Scriptures - Exodus 3:7-12 & Luke 10:25-37

Theme - This is the final part of a four part sermon series on the topic, “What Breaks God’s Heart?” Today we focus on HIV/AIDS.