The First United Methodist Church
First Methodist Church Dublin, Texas
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December 28, 2014

12/29/2014

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     Many thanks to everyone who made the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service a success!  We had readers, they were Harlan and Eddie Raley, Jill Moore, and Laura Leatherwood.  Our hostesses for the refreshment table were Kathy Logan and Barbara Stevens.  Many in the Christmas Service congregation were moved to tears by the special music provided by Pat Beaty, Leta Sage, and Donna Starkey.  It had me shouting “Amen” from a back pew; we were moved! 

     This was the highest attendance for Christmas Eve we have had since Ken and I moved back to Dublin in 2004.

     Rev. Ken Lunsford preached from Luke 2: 1-14.   He said the story of the first Christmas tells us “She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”  This Bethlehem baby born in a stable identified with the least and lowest on earth even from the moment of his birth.  He was left out, he was rejected.  That is how he was born and how he died.  And those in this world who are also rejected are the very ones he came to seek and save, whether they be refugee children in Africa or someone in need in Dublin, Texas.

     We need to make room in our hearts for all those who are troubled, lonely and forgotten.  For when we make room for them, we make room for Christ.

     On Saturday, 12-27, Pastor Ken Lunsford and Wilma Davis drove to Fort Worth to visit Don Pendleton who is in Medical Plaza hospital there.  Don appreciated seeing them and I give thanks they got back home safely.

      On Sunday, 12-28 Stormy Armstrong served as Worship Leader.  She makes it a fun job.

      Laura Leatherwood gave the Children’s Lesson and told about New Year resolutions.  She said grownups make plans for the New Year but they don’t always turn out well.  Laura said if we all work to please God then the plans we make would go a lot better. 

      Our pianist Pat Beaty was home feeling ill.  Pat was mentioned in our prayers.

      Rev. Ken Lunsford titled his Sunday sermon “An Announcement in Song.”

      We all have our favorite traditions at Christmas but I suspect that for many of us would be the music.

      The Psalmist would have looked forward to the music of Christmas because many of the psalms were intended to be sung.  Part of Psalm 98 says “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn.”

     The music of Christmas is undoubtedly from God. Music can do things in our lives.  I hope you leave here today with the songs of Christmas ringing in your heart giving you hope, peace, and joy!

     If you need a warm winter coat, our church has some in the foyer, come by during the week between 9:00 a.m. and noon however the church office will be closed New Year’s Day.

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

 

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December 21, 2014

12/29/2014

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Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 6:00 p.m. We will enjoy a “Special” by Pat Beaty, Leta Sage, and Donna Starkey.  Other special music is scheduled also.   It will be beautiful.

     The Goodfellows report they made many food deliveries this Christmas season.

     Christmas gifts from our congregation to Debbie Hammonds, Elizabeth Young, and Wanda Patterson were delivered on Saturday, 12-20.   The ladies enjoyed the visit also.

     On Sunday afternoon 12-21, Pastor Ken and Judy delivered gifts to Travis and Melba Rasberry, Travis is in Stephenville Hospital.  Next they stopped by Senior Care center to take a gift to JoAnn Ragan.  The last stop was at Jack and Norma Parks home with a gift for Norma.         

     Judy Lunsford served as Worship Leader and gave the children’s lesson. 

     The children were led over to our “chrisom Tree” near the altar rail so they could see the decorations up close and touch them.  The fish, butterflies, and lambs were popular with the young ones.  Other symbols were the cross and crown, heart and crown, lamb and cross, and fleur-de-lis. 

     Joe Salinas pointed at the fleur-de-lis which also represents an iris flower and said “my grandfather grows these.” 

     Chrisom means “the monogram of Christ” and all the decorations have Christian meaning. 

     The Salinas family presented the Advent program.  Adrianne and Jaxson gave the reading while Raymond and Joe lit the candles.    

      Pat Leatherwood made presentations on behalf of the congregation to Pastor Ken and Judy Lunsford, Pat Beaty, Leta Sage, and to Doris Morton.

     They all appreciated their gift and thanked the congregation.

     A poinsettia was placed on the altar in memory of the anniversaries of the parents of Rev. Ken Lunsford and Judy Noel Lunsford.  Judy’s parents, Jack and Lois Noel, were married on 12-19-1926 and Ken’s parents, Leslie and Hilda Lunsford, were married on 12-21-1938.

     Prayers were requested for Norma Westmoreland.

     Rev. Ken Lunsford based his message on Luke 1:26-38, he shortened his sermon due to the length of the presentations and children’s time.

     Scholars tell us that Mary may have been 13 or 14 years of age when the angel Gabriel appeared to her.  Gabriel announced “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”  The angel tells Mary you will conceive and give birth to a son and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great, he will be the son of the most high and the Lord God will give him the throne of Davis, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.

     “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled” Mary answered.

      This is an amazing story but this is what we believe.  That God came to earth at Christmas.  From his birth to his baptism to his death on the cross, in Jesus Christ, God walked the dusty plains of this planet and experienced what it means to be human.  What it means to have family, what it is to laugh, what it is to suffer and face death.

       Mary was blessed, but that did not mean her life would be easy or trouble free.  It did, however, mean that God was always with her.  And if you are obedient to God, God will always be with you!

 

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December 14, 2014

12/17/2014

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     Remember your friends and family that are living in a nursing facility or shut in at home.  Send a card, take a gift, or go and visit.

     Mark your calendar for the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 6:00 p.m.  Everyone is invited and everyone is welcome.  The babies can wear their pajamas to the service and grandma can keep her apron on.  Let us remember why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.  Light refreshments will follow the service.

     Our church is decorated so beautifully and Stormy Armstrong did most of it.  Her husband, Rodney, brought his trusty ladder and did what he was told; a safe decision.  Rodney is the hardest working Catholic the Dublin Methodists have!

     The Goodfellows have been working like Santa’s elves to help people this Christmas season.  Several ladies I know are Goodfellows, how does that work?  But they all make an effort for their community and should be appreciated.

     Nancy Wooldridge served as Worship Leader, Cole Moore helped with the offering and David Cleveland and Conner Moore served as ushers.

     The entire Moore family came forward for the Advent program.  Brady read the message while his father, Sammy, lit the candles.

     Jo Ann Ragan is out of the hospital and mending at Senior Care rest home in Stephenville. Norma Parks is also out of the hospital and back home. Both of these ladies suffered a fall.

     The congregation extends deep sympathy to the family and friends of Sandy Hickey Harris.  We need to keep Sarah Harris in our thoughts and prayers.

     Pat and Paul Beaty will be celebrating an anniversary on 12-23, congratulations to a lovely couple.

     Laura Leatherwood told the children about getting the message out.  She said many years ago villages had town criers who rang a bell and called out the news.  Next people had newspapers to read to know what was going on.  Laura asked “What do you use to get the news?”  They answered the TV, radio, internet, and telephone.

     Laura told the children about John the Baptist being a messenger of God.  The people would come to hear John talk and then they would confess their sins and be baptized.  But John knew Jesus was coming.  John said a person greater than I am is coming, a man so special that I am not good enough to untie His sandals.

    We should be messengers too Laura said.  We should tell people about Jesus.

    The scripture lesson was from the Old Testament, Isaiah 61:1-4 & 8-11 but Rev. Ken Lunsford began to preach from the book of Luke.

    Luke tells of Jesus going back to Nazareth and reading from Isaiah in the synagogue there.

    Jesus read these words; “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 

     Then Jesus said “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  This last statement made the crowd furious and they drove Jesus out of the town.  It still upsets people today because in it, Jesus was meddling with issues like needs of the poor or people in prison or folks with handicaps.

     These words come as close as anything the Gospels have to offer as a mission statement from Christ.  It declares what He is about.  Christ has been anointed by God to bring good news to the downtrodden and afflicted.  If you think the modern church talks too much about the poor and disadvantaged, it is because Christ cared so much for them.  Christ calls us to be people of compassion.

      We are living in the light of the star of Bethlehem.  The message of Christmas is and will always be Good News for all humankind.

 

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November 30, 2014

12/3/2014

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     Our fellowship hall will be a staging area for Dublin Goodfellows organization this December so we will not have Community Table in December.  Please support the local Goodfellows and local Salvation Army and do it now!  Don’t wait till Christmas week to make a gift or monetary donation, give as much as you can as soon as you can.

     A large portion of the West District of the Central Texas Conference attended the Charge Conference held at Oak Dale United Methodist Church in Stephenville last Sunday afternoon.  Pastor Ken Lunsford, Judy Lunsford, Laura Leatherwood and Barbara Stevens represented Dublin First Methodist and Wilma Davis and Martha Starnes represented Laurel St. United Methodist Church.

     Laura Leatherwood gave a report on all the good programs our church has (by the grace of God) been doing this past year.  The Community Table, Vacation Bible School, the joint pool party with Deleon First Methodist and many other projects which I have written about through the year.

     Hico United Methodists reported they provided 100 pair of shoes for local children.  The Hico community helps with this expense.  Also the Hico Methodist church provides a location and volunteers to help the Tarrant County Food Bank distribute food once a month.  Congratulations neighbor for your care and concern.

     Greens Creek United Methodist support The Memphis’ March which raises funds for the March of Dimes.  Pastor Mike Hannah reported they raised over $12,000 this year, an astounding sum for a small, rural congregation!  Greens Creek continues to provide a home for Alcoholic Anonymous meetings and also is a consoling place for those experiencing a difficult pregnancy.

      We viewed a short video called “Ebola Prayer” at the start of services.  

      Juanita Duncan and her son Tommy presented the Advent program.  Juanita read from the Bible and Tommy lit the first candle on our Advent Wreath.

      Alford Havens and Neva Smith were back in church on 11-30 so our prayers were answered and we are thankful.  Both Alford and Neva are doing much better and thanked the congregation for the flowers sent and our cards and prayers.

     There were two guests for Sunday service and we hope they return often.

     Mary Haley once again served as Worship Leader and did a fine job.  Mary says we need to restock the Food Pantry with rice, beans, and peanut butter, plus any other dry or long lasting foods.

     Leta Sage sang “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” for the Offertory.  Leta did a beautiful job on this humble, yet powerful song.

     Reverend Ken Lunsford preached from Mark 13. He said he had “An Announcement About our Future.”

     Most people think of Advent as getting ready for Christmas, but the season of Advent is much more.  It is the announcement of a time when Christ shall return to establish His Kingdom.  It is a time of preparation for that final triumph over death and darkness. It is an amazing and wonderful promise about our future.

     Our scripture says “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”  But in this imperfect world we live in, the church on whom Christ relies is asleep.  If He comes suddenly, do not let Him find you sleeping.  What I say to you and everyone is keep watch!

 

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