Pastoral Prayer (April 17/Music Sunday) - Athens First UMC

O God, sometimes words alone cannot adequately express our love for you. Thank you for the gift of music. On this Music Sunday, we are grateful for bell ringers, pianists, singers, trombonists, hymnals, choir directors, praise teams, congregational singing, and many other musical expressions of our faith.

From Tuesday’s concert, “These are a Few of My Favorite Sings,” to this morning’s opening hymn, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” music has helped us to smile and sing your praises throughout this week, and we are grateful.

Thank you for the privilege of being your church in this particular place. Over this past week, our church was able to feed the hungry, provide space for a desperate organ student to practice, host a new member class, offer a nurturing environment for pre-school children, and serve in a number of other vital ways. It has been a wonderful week to be your church!

O God, thank you for those times when out of the blue, we are reminded of a melody that we heard in church, and it inspires us throughout the week. O God, thank you for the gift of music.

We pray for those who may find it difficult to sing today because of uncertainty, loneliness, worry, grief, pain, or sickness. Remind us that there is always a song, always a lyric, always a tune, that can speak to our hearts in any given moment, even songs for heavy hearts.

We especially pray for the people of Japan and Ecuador as they seek to recover from recent earthquakes. Bless the rescue workers, medical workers, and leaders of these countries during this difficult time. We offer to you our song of lament for the brokenness and pain that we see throughout your creation.

Hear the songs of your people today, whatever songs you may be calling us to sing; songs of peace, songs of healing, songs of justice, songs of hope, and songs of praise. For those of us who can’t sing harmony, or who even feel self-conscious when singing a hymn during a worship service, thank you for the bible verse that says that a “joyful noise” is pleasing to you as well.

And now, with one united voice, we pray the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples and now teaches us to pray…

“Our Father, who art in heaven…” 

Dave's Deep Thoughts - A Pippy Faith

Here's Pastor Dave McDowell's weekly devotional that he sends out to members of his church. Dave is my brother and serves as the Music Minister at Stewartstown UMC in PA.

Some cowboys just go riding off into the sunset,

others prefer more glorious exits.

His name  was Pippy.

We met him on the first workday of our mission trip

a couple of years ago.

Our workgroup was assigned a roofing project on the outskirts

of Charlotte NC. Early that morning, as we were assembling our tools at the site,  

we heard the rumble of a lawn mower as it came down the lane.

We turned and saw a small dog riding in a crate attached

to the lid of the mower engine.

He sat upright at complete attention despite the roar of the mower.

He could not have been more proud if he had been the grand marshal of the Rose Parade.

As if it were a Pavlovian bell, the sound of the engine turning off

prompted the little guy to hop out and make his introductions

to everyone in the group.

It only took a couple of licks on the hand and a few playful barks 

for Pippy to win the hearts of everyone.

It took only a few minutes longer for Pippy to be voted  group mascot

and despite the complaints of the head human,  

general contractor of the work project.

I would like to think that Pippy loved us out of an

altruistic love for mankind, but truth be told,

I think Pippy just knew where he could get a free meal, treats, and a lot of attention.

Throughout the day, someone was always giving him a snack

or a piece of their sandwich, or playing fetch with him.

But the feeling of joy was mutual.

Pippy made it a little easier for us to lift supplies onto the roof,

to keep working despite the hot sun, and to smile when we were feeling exhausted.

Without us realizing it, we had all been Pippinized.

Each morning of the work week, shortly after our arrival at the worksite,

Pippy would make his grand entrance upon his motorcade.

But one morning,  Pippy did not ride in on his lawn mower chariot.

Everyone in the workgroup wondered and worried 

about what had happened to our canine captain.

Shortly before lunch break, our furry little fearless leader

came prancing down the driveway.

You simply have to respect a boss that considers the lunch hour

to be the most important hour of the day.

On the final day of our week at the worksite,

everyone felt disconsolate about saying goodbye to Pippy.

In five days, the little fur ball had transformed our work project

into a full blown celebration of everything that is good about life and metal roofing.

The moment that we all dreaded came in late afternoon of day five.

Each group member gave their final hugs to the canine commander-in-chief.

Before it could turn into a full blown cry session,

Pippy scurried to his kingly throne atop his John Deere tractor,

and as if to signal his chauffeur, gave one final bark command.

The princely pooch nodded his approval as his driver started the engine

and he began to exit from our lives. It was then that His Majesty hit a bump……..

literally.

The chariot hit a bump in the road, and before you could say ”Hail Prince Pippy”  three times, the little fur ball of friendship launched headfirst over the hood.

Now I do not have much admiration for cats, but in this case,

I am sure that a feline would have landed on all fours.

Not so much with Pippy.

The little tyke did a somersault and a reverse pike with a twist but did not stick the landing. He did meet the ground however, snout first.

It is not often when monarch and mishap meet.

Maybe a crooked crown on occasion, but a full blown face plant?

Not so much.

To his credit, Prince Pippy dusted himself off,

hopped back on his mobile throne, held his bruised snout up high,

and rode off into the sunset with his joy fully intact.

What do I do when I hit a bump in the road?

Life is very much like a road, filled with bumps, some little and some big.

What is more important than the bump itself, is how we navigate through it.

Jesus instructed that we should not think it strange when we encounter temptations.

We will have trials and just like valleys, they will end and we will  move on to mountaintops. But  eventually, we will encounter more valleys and mountaintops.

We have a choice, we can stop along the way and take in the fresh air,

or we can grit our teeth and see only the obstacles rather than the opportunities that God has for us.

Much of it is about perspective.

Do we see life’s road as a journey to enjoy and to grow from?

Or is it merely a pathway of problems.

There is no doubt, we will hit those bumps in our road,

but God’s promise to us is that the road will eventually level,

and His greatest promise is that the final destination is seeing Jesus.

And there is simply no bump in the road greater than that blessing.

If the little fur ball can do it, so can I, and so can you.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all 

comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

                                                                                                Phillipians 4:6-7

Pastoral Prayer (April 10) - Athens First UMC

[We welcomed our "Growing Tree" pre-school staff, family, and children to our worship service yesterday. Pictured above is our pre-school director, Cathy Bigger teaching the children how to praise the Lord with different kinds of instruments. It was a good kind of noise!]

O God, help us to take the “not so subtle hint” of Psalm 150, and praise you at every opportunity. Help us to be generous with our praise.

We thank you for our Growing Tree pre-school, for the children, their families, and our dedicated staff. Thank you for story time, for crafts, for field trips, for lesson time, and for the many ways that our children are learning throughout the week here at Growing Tree.

Thank you for calling our church to be a haven of blessing and peace for pre-school children, for college students especially as they prepare for final exams, and for all people who enter these doors, or who even just pause at our outdoor prayer cross to let us know of a prayer need in their lives.

In this Easter season in which we celebrate your mightiest of deeds, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, may we share this good news with the people around us. Thank you for the hope and promise that we have thanks to an empty tomb and the words, “He is risen.”

We especially pray for those who might be finding it difficult to offer their praises to you because of sickness or health issues or a time of sadness and heartache in their lives. As our Chancel Choir reminded us in their beautiful anthem a few weeks ago, there WILL BE joy in the morning no matter what we may be facing in life. Thank you for the joy of Easter.

There is joy for the pre-school child who just can’t wait for story-time. There is joy for the person struggling with addiction because of the support she receives through an AA group that meets here in our church. There is joy for the father, whose daughter reminded him of Jesus’ cross at just the right time. There is joy with the new member who loves attending his new small group. There is joy with the pastor who couldn’t believe how large the offering was last Sunday. 

And yes, there is even joy when it snows in April, because life would be boring without Ohio weather. We praise you, Lord because we can always know that there will be joy in the morning thanks to Easter.

Lord, help us to be generous with praise. And now, teach us to pray the prayer that you have taught us to pray together, “The Lord’s Prayer…”

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Sermon (April 10) by Rev. Robert McDowell - "Be Generous with Praise"

     Let me begin by saying that we are so blessed to have our Growing Tree pre-school.

     To our pre-school director, Cathy Bigger and her dedicated staff, on behalf of First United Methodist Church, we just want to say thank you for all you do to make this a safe and fun place for the children who attend our pre-school.

     In a ranking of occupations according to the degree of importance and lack of appreciation, guess which occupation was at the top of the list?  Being a preschool teacher. 

     What job can be more important than the task of caring for a class of young children and helping those children to grow and learn in a safe environment where they are loved and nurtured?

     And to the children, their parents, and family members who are part of our Growing Tree program, thank you for choosing this place to bring your children and for being with us this morning in worship.

     We all know how important it is to offer praise for a job well done. We are to be generous in our praise. The same is true in giving praise to God.

     Psalm 150 is the very last Psalm found in the Book of Psalms.  It is a wonderful concluding Psalm.  In this very short Psalm of just six verses, the word “praise” appears thirteen times. 

     In fact, the final five Psalms, Psalm 146 through Psalm 150, all begin and end with the phrase, “Praise the Lord.”  It’s like the Bible is sending us a strong message.  Be generous with your praise to God.

     Psalm 150 answers four questions about what it means for us to praise God.  It answers where, why, how, and who.

     Let’s begin with the “where.”  The Psalmist begins by saying, “Praise God in his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty firmament!”

     When the Psalmist wrote this, he was thinking about the Temple as the place to worship God. The Temple was the central place where the people of Israel believed God resided. The Psalmist isn’t saying that we shouldn’t praise God in other places, but he is saying that there is something special about worshipping together in one place as God’s people.

     I’m told that the steeple of our church is 130 feet from the ground. That’s up there really high! It’s so tall that you can easily see our church when you’re driving on the highway around Athens. We want people to know that we are a church where all are welcome to come and worship.

     I still remember what one of our former pastors, Rev. Dan Kiger here at Athens First said about this place a few weeks ago when he preached a sermon here. He said that because of our unique location next to the university that God wants our church to be a haven of blessing and peace.

     This is a place where college students can come and know that God is present in their life as they are away from home and working on their degree. And at the same time, our church is also a place where preschool children can come to grow and learn. Actually, this is a place where all of us can come and grow in our faith together.

     In one of the churches I served, I received a note from a church member who wanted me to know how much our church meant to her. She shared how she was going through a really difficult time in her life. She had been discouraged and feeling really down.

     She went on to write that she decided to come to the church late one night, because she knew that the church was a special place for her. So, she parked her car in the lot where she had a full view of the church building. As she sat in her car and focused on the church, she was able to feel a sense of God’s peace and reassurance that God would help her overcome the problems she was facing at the time. That church was a haven of blessing and peace for her when she needed it the most.

     There is something very special about coming to church every Sunday and I’m not just referring to our hazelnut coffee and pastries that we have here in between our worship services. God seems to always show up in this place that we call church. No wonder that the Psalmist tells us to praise God in the sanctuary.

     So, the Psalmist answers the “where” question.  Where?  In God’s sanctuary.

     The Psalmist also answers the “why” question.  Why praise God?

     For the why, we go to verse 2 of our Psalm.  “Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness.”

     We are to praise God for his mighty deeds. One of the reasons that this Psalm falls so close to Easter Sunday is because the good news of God raising Jesus from the dead qualifies as one of those mighty deeds. God raising Jesus from the dead ranks at the top of “The Might Deeds” list.

     When the Psalmist wrote this, he was probably thinking about a number of mighty deeds over the course of Israel’s history like when God parted the Red Sea to lead the Israelites to freedom, or like when God led the people into the Promised Land. We often think of these kinds of mighty deeds when we think about God.

     Many of us have participated in small groups during our recent season of Lent. These small groups are designed to help us share with each other how God is at work in our lives.

     Some people like to refer to God’s mighty deeds as “God sightings” or “Closest to God” moments. They are also known as “Thin Place” moments which refer to how heaven and earth often overlap each other, creating a thin place and we experience God in a very real way through our day to day living.

    Where have you been made aware of God’s presence in a very real way?

     Several years ago, a man is getting ready to head off for work.  He is anxious about many things and on top of that, he was running late, and he still needed to drop off his two kids at the preschool. 

     And as he stands in front of the mirror in his bedroom and is frantically putting on his necktie, he can’t help but notice, as he looks over at his closet, that his little four year old girl has taken the shoestrings out from several of his shoes, including the pair that he was going to wear that day. 

     All he can think about is how this will make him even more late for work.  As he continues to put on his necktie, he feels a tug on his pant leg.  Annoyed and still in a hurry, he says to his four year old, “Sweetie…Daddy doesn’t have time for this.  We’re going to be late getting you to preschool.”

     She tugs again at his pant leg a second time and he says, “Please, not now.”  She taps him on the leg yet again, and this time, his four year old daughter points toward the middle of the bedroom floor and with her eyes beaming, she says, “Daddy, look!  I made Jesus’ cross!” 

     And sure enough, there in the middle of the floor were two of the shoestrings she had taken out of a pair of his shoes.  She had one over top of the other, forming the shape of Jesus’ cross.

     Thanks to a little girl who reminded her daddy of the importance of Jesus’ cross, somehow, all of those many distractions and worries of life didn’t seem so important to him anymore.  In that unexpected holy moment, that shoestring cross reminded him that Jesus Christ was his Lord and Savior.

     And you know what?  That day ended up being one of the best days of my life, thanks to my daughter who reminded me of Jesus’ cross.

     “Thin Place” moments, “Closes to Christ” moments, “God sightings,” whatever you want to call them, happen to us all the time. Children seem to notice them better than we adults. Sometimes we notice them and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes, it’s only when we look back on something that happened in our lives that we are able to recognize how God was present in a very real way.

     Why are we to be generous with our praise to God? The Psalmist from Psalm 150 tells us. We are to be generous with our praise because of God’s mighty deeds.

     Well, that’s the answer to the “where” and the “why” questions.  What about the “how” question? 

     The Psalmist gives us a list of musical instruments to help us praise God.  In verses 3 through 5, we hear about trumpets, lutes, harps, tambourines, strings, pipes, and cymbals.  We even hear about dancing. But it's disappointing there's no cowbell listed here, and I really wanted some cowbell. You can't can't have enough cowbell!

     Anyway...

     It’s interesting to think about the instruments that are listed in our Psalm.  It’s a rich variety which I think is intentional on the part of the Psalmist.  A tambourine.  A harp.  Cymbals.  Loud crashing cymbals at that.

     The Psalmist says that we are to offer our praises to God in a variety of ways.

     The Psalmist answers the question of “how.”  How? We are to worship with a variety of instruments to help us offer our praises to God.

     And the final question.  Who?  Who is to praise the Lord? 

     Verse 6 – “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”  That narrows it down, doesn’t it?

     If you have a pulse, then you are welcome to praise the Lord.

     Our denomination, the United Methodist Church has a great slogan which you might have seen on TV over the last few years.  “The United Methodist Church:  Open Hearts.  Open Minds.  Open Doors.”

     Our church is open to all people because God’s invitation is offered to everyone!

     Democrats. Republicans. Independents. Undecided.  “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”

     Long time Christian.  New Believer.  Seeker.  Agnostic.  “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”

     Senior Citizen.  High School Senior.  College student. Preschool child.  “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”

     White.  Black. Latino.  Native American.  “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”

     Rich.  Poor.  Somewhere in between.  “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”

     Methodist.  Pentecostal.  Catholic.  Non-Denominational.  “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”

     Hymn lovers.  Praise Singers.  Organists.  Drummers.  “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”

     Bobcats, RedHawks, Buckeyes, Nittany Lions. “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.”

     Not too long ago, I was having a conversation with a member of another church and he said to me, “You know how you and I really like it when someone shows their appreciation to us?  Now, just imagine how God feels when his people praise him every Sunday in worship.”

     One of the last things John Wesley, the 18^th century founder of Methodism said before he died was, “I’ll praise my maker while I have breath.”  And he did.

     I can’t think of a better ending to the Book of Psalms.  And it’s a perfect way to end today’s sermon.

     “Praise the Lord!”

Be Generous with Praise

Small Group Questions

Psalm 150

April 10, 2016

This past Sunday, our worship theme centered on Psalm 150 which is a Psalm of praise.

Have someone read Psalm 150 or read it together as a group.

Pastor Robert shared a story about a child who helped her father remember that God was with him at the start of his stressful day.

Share a time when you were having a stressful day and you were reminded that God was with you.

Psalm 150 reminds us to praise the Lord often.

In what ways do you praise the Lord throughout the week?