Blog Archives

March 22

3/25/2015

     March 29 is Palm Sunday, it is also Fifth Sunday Singing and Covered Dish luncheon. So come to services and “shout out” a favorite hymn and we will help you sing it; there will be no preaching! Then stay for the meal, we always have some extra food for guests. This is the start of Holy Week for Christians all over the world.

     There will be Maundy Thursday services on April 2 at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend.

     Good Friday is April 3 and the First United Methodist Church will be open for “come and go” prayer and meditation from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

     Easter Sunday is April 5 and the Dublin Ministerial Alliance Sunrise Service will be in our Prayer Garden at 7:15 a.m. and Pastor Gerald Freeman of the Congregational Methodist Church will bring the message.

     Last Sunday afternoon Pastor Ken, Judy Lunsford, Pat Leatherwood, and Barbara Stevens traveled to Comanche First United Methodist Church to attend the West District Church Leadership Training.   They got to see many old friends and partake of some great cookies and coffee. Next they broke into study groups and went to the session of their choice.

     “The God of Second Chances” was the titles of Rev. Ken Lunsford’s sermon. He based it on Jeremiah 31: 31-34.

      God had called Jeremiah to “tell it like it is” to a people who had disregarded God’s law. They rejected his Teachings and they suffered for it. Jeremiah suffered as well because of their rejection, so it is refreshing to read todays scripture. There is no scolding of the people of Israel, Jeremiah’s tone is changed.

      This section of the Bible tells us “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.” “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. For I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.”

      The hard truth of the Gospel is that God’s love in Jesus Christ is not just for those worthy of love. It is not just for good people. The cross is for those we consider to be unloved and unlovely. Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you. I want to say, “Lord, do you know what these people are like? Do you really mean that you died for them? But I know that a person’s life can be changed by the power of Christ.

       Take the opportunity to make a new start today. Just say “Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. Please come into my heart and change me; fill me with your loving Sprit and guide me in your ways!” Christ has the ability to wash away our sin and make us new persons.

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March 15, 2015

3/18/2015

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     Pastor Ken announced that the church did not make much money from parking cars on the parking lot for the Luke Wade Concert. However, the workers had more fun than expected. The whole crew kept laughing and joking about what a good time they had. Pastor Ken said, “We need an excuse to do it again and then build a camp fire and bring guitars!”

     In all seriousness, thank you to the workers who helped with the parking lot fundraiser.

     March 22 is Church Leadership Training at Comanche First United Methodist Church. These training sessions are beneficial to anyone serving on a committee.

     March 25 is Community Table at 5:00 p.m. and we hear it is going to be Mexican Food!

     Pat Leatherwood’s birthday is March 26. Be sure and give him a call or drop Pat a card.

     Many prayers and much concern are offered for Lon Laquay and his wife Janey. Lon has broken a wrist on one hand and then a couple of days later he broke a bone on the other arm. Janey is getting well versed on the emergency room in Stephenville.

     Our scripture lesson was John 3: 14-21, this is one of the most well-known parts of the Bible. Most of us memorized John 3:16 when we were children; “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life.”

      “The Condemning Heart” was the title of Rev. Kenneth Lunsford’s sermon.

      We are so familiar with John 3:16 but what about John 3:17? It tells us “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

      The dictionary says to condemn means to “express complete disapproval of someone, typically in public. It can mean to sentence someone to a punishment.”

       When the adulterous woman was brought to Jesus for Him to say her punishment, Jesus said, “let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” When all the accusers had gone away, Jesus told the woman “Then neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.” Why is it that followers of Jesus so often ignore this clear example?

       In Matthew 7 Jesus says “Do not judge, or you will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

       We are not to condemn ourselves either. There are those who do not come to Christ because they do not feel worthy enough. Well friend that is the kind of person church was designed for!

      There is a “Grief Recovery” support group that meets every Monday night at Stephenville First United Methodist Church, 328 W. Washington St. They gather at 6:00 p.m. in the Two or More Sunday school classroom. For more information call Carolyn Martin at 214-708-7672 or call the church at 254-965-5046.

     Everyone is touched by grief in their lives, don’t suffer alone, there are people willing to help you through it.

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March 8, 2015

3/11/2015

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     The Men’s Bible Study was held last Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. They had a pizza supper and a good time. This is a monthly study and is open to all men in our community.      The Ladies Bible Study continues every Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Ken is teaching a Confirmation Class during after school hours.

     Prayers were requested for Patsy Tidwell who has an injured shoulder. Also for Lon Laquey who fell and broke a wrist.

     Our church is doing a fundraiser for the Luke Wade Concert on Friday night, March 13. We will charge for cars parked on our lot and run a shuttle to the concert.

     The scripture reading was Exodus 20: 1-17. Pastor Ken Lunsford took his sermon, “A Guide to a Rich and Joyous Life,” from this ancient text. It contains the Ten Commandments.

     The Ten Commandments were given to us by God for our protection. Can you imagine a society where stealing and murder were rampant and not against the law? The Ten Commandments are not an obstacle to fun but they channel us directly toward the goal of a full and joyous life.

     The first three deal with our relationship with God. The fourth deals with our relationship with our self. The final six commandments deal with our relationship with others. These are common sense rules for organizing a society and we could not live together without them.

      St. Augustine said that all ethics can be summed up in this: “Love God, and do what you will, for the soul that truly loves God will want to do what God loves.”

      See us on line at http://dublintx.weebly.com

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March 1, 2015

3/4/2015

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     We had church services last Sunday with several hardy souls braving the cold and ice. Pastor Ken Lunsford called our members who lived in the country and told them he would delay communion till Sunday, 3-8.

     Mary Haley was our Worship Leader and Joe Salinas served as acolyte.   David Cleveland and Raymond Salinas were the ushers.

     Our congregation extends sincere sympathy to the family and friends of Lane Jones, Wyette Jurney, Blayne Williamson, and Gene Westmoreland.

     On a happier note, Jaxon Salinas had a birthday on 3-1 and JoAnn Ragan celebrated on 3-4.

     Lee and Betty Lusk enjoyed another anniversary on 3-3, congratulations!

     The Methodist Men are beginning a new Bible Study on 3-8. They are to meet at the church on Sunday evenings, it’s tentatively set at 6:30 p.m. I know Pastor Ken will have coffee and treats waiting for you because he is religious about that.

     Remember daylight savings time begins at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, 3-8.

     Pastor Ken gave the Children’s Lesson to two little boys and he talked about playing marbles. He said you can play for fun or for keeps. If you play for keeps you may lose your marbles to another player. Pastor Ken said Jesus plays for keeps with you, Jesus loves you and cares for you when you give your heart to Him.

     “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” This was the title of Rev. Lunsford’s sermon.

      In today’s scripture from Mark 8: 31-38 Jesus tells His disciples that He will soon suffer and be put to death. “He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again.” Jesus spoke plainly about this and Peter rebuked Jesus! Peter did not want to receive this news.

        One of the reasons Jesus had to die was to fulfill prophecy. In Isaiah 53 written some 500 years before the birth of Jesus it says, “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

        Christ also had to die to ransom us from Satan. Christ was a sacrificial lamb slain in our place. Another reason is that He could not ask His followers to do anything He would not do Himself. Jesus knew many of His followers would give their lives as martyrs.

     To follow Jesus is a call to a radical lifestyle. We are to offer our lives as a living sacrifice. How far will we go in our devotion to Christ? Remember Christ’s words: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

     Email Pastor Ken at fumcdublin@embarqmail.com or contact our office secretaryoffice@embarqmail.com

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March 22

March 15, 2015

March 8, 2015

March 1, 2015

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