First United Methodist Church News
November 25, 2018
Our congregation hopes everyone had a meaningful Thanksgiving. We have been posting little notes this past month on a cork board to say what we are thankful for. This past Sunday Leta Sage gathered the notes and read them to us. We learned most of us are thankful for our church, our families, good health or improved health, friends and the freedom we enjoy.
We learned that Pat Humphries, formerly of Dublin, celebrated her 90th birthday recently. She looked healthy and happy in the photos I’ve seen.
Our Church is decorated for Christmas now and it looks wonderful. Our sanctuary seems to be made for this glorious season.
“Cookies for the Troops” are due at First Methodist on December 16. Bring one dozen large cookies made without nuts and put them in a gallon size zip lock bag. If you have no plastic bags, I will donate a box of one gal. zip bags if you will bring the cookies. Put two bags in the boxes provided by our church.
The West District of the Central Conference of the United Methodist Church has three points of collection in our area for our cookies and they are: Central Methodist in Brownwood, Graham First Methodist, and Dublin First Methodist. The destinations for the filled boxes are Dyess Air Base in Abilene and Goodfellow Air Base in San Angelo. Pastor Ken Lunsford and Ray LaBaume have taken pickup and trailer loads of cookies for the past two years!
The food pantry is short on some items and we could use donations. Items needed are: cream soups, canned broth, peanut butter, jelly, dried pinto beans (1 lb. bag), rice in 2 lb. bags, corn bread mix, canned fruit, canned chicken, tuna, or chili, Ramen, oatmeal, and instant potatoes. Or give a check and mark “food pantry” in the corner and we’ll shop for you.
I gave the scripture reading from John 18:33-37 and Rev. Ken Lunsford took his lesson from these verses and titled his sermon “What Is Truth?”
Pilate could find no fault in Jesus. He summoned Jesus and questioned Him. Pilate asked, “What have you done?” Jesus replied, “My kingdom doesn’t originate from this world.” “So, you are a king?” Pilate asked. Jesus tells him, “I was born and came into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth.”
Our first allegiance is to Christ. That shouldn’t be a radical idea. But in today’s world it is. Our first duty is not to our political party, not to the opinions of family, friends, or neighbors. But to Christ. That is a risky thing to say from a pulpit in 2018. There are some people today who confuse their political views with their loyalty to Christ. They brand anyone who disagrees with them as enemies of the Gospel. We’ve seen it before in the battle to end segregation. In their view it was God’s will to keep the races separated.
Be careful when you baptize your political views. Remember to ask what would Jesus do? Don’t misunderstand. Christian people ought to be involved in politics and voting. Just don’t expect the Kingdom to come through the dealings of politicians. Pontius Pilate was a cautious politician, trying to come up with a compromise that would satisfy everyone he was dealing with. He was not pursuing truth. For truth is found in choosing Kingdom values over earthly values.
Thanks for reading, if you are not already going to a Bible based church, we would welcome you at First United Methodist Church, 630 Highland Ave., Dublin, TX. Our motto is “Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open doors. And we subscribe to “Making Disciples for Jesus Christ for the betterment of the World.
FUMC Vision Statement: Seek new ways to grow the works of God through reaching out to others by sharing His love; mercy; and compassion in worship and growing spiritual relationship with Christ. Reach Up and Out!
November 25, 2018
Our congregation hopes everyone had a meaningful Thanksgiving. We have been posting little notes this past month on a cork board to say what we are thankful for. This past Sunday Leta Sage gathered the notes and read them to us. We learned most of us are thankful for our church, our families, good health or improved health, friends and the freedom we enjoy.
We learned that Pat Humphries, formerly of Dublin, celebrated her 90th birthday recently. She looked healthy and happy in the photos I’ve seen.
Our Church is decorated for Christmas now and it looks wonderful. Our sanctuary seems to be made for this glorious season.
“Cookies for the Troops” are due at First Methodist on December 16. Bring one dozen large cookies made without nuts and put them in a gallon size zip lock bag. If you have no plastic bags, I will donate a box of one gal. zip bags if you will bring the cookies. Put two bags in the boxes provided by our church.
The West District of the Central Conference of the United Methodist Church has three points of collection in our area for our cookies and they are: Central Methodist in Brownwood, Graham First Methodist, and Dublin First Methodist. The destinations for the filled boxes are Dyess Air Base in Abilene and Goodfellow Air Base in San Angelo. Pastor Ken Lunsford and Ray LaBaume have taken pickup and trailer loads of cookies for the past two years!
The food pantry is short on some items and we could use donations. Items needed are: cream soups, canned broth, peanut butter, jelly, dried pinto beans (1 lb. bag), rice in 2 lb. bags, corn bread mix, canned fruit, canned chicken, tuna, or chili, Ramen, oatmeal, and instant potatoes. Or give a check and mark “food pantry” in the corner and we’ll shop for you.
I gave the scripture reading from John 18:33-37 and Rev. Ken Lunsford took his lesson from these verses and titled his sermon “What Is Truth?”
Pilate could find no fault in Jesus. He summoned Jesus and questioned Him. Pilate asked, “What have you done?” Jesus replied, “My kingdom doesn’t originate from this world.” “So, you are a king?” Pilate asked. Jesus tells him, “I was born and came into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth.”
Our first allegiance is to Christ. That shouldn’t be a radical idea. But in today’s world it is. Our first duty is not to our political party, not to the opinions of family, friends, or neighbors. But to Christ. That is a risky thing to say from a pulpit in 2018. There are some people today who confuse their political views with their loyalty to Christ. They brand anyone who disagrees with them as enemies of the Gospel. We’ve seen it before in the battle to end segregation. In their view it was God’s will to keep the races separated.
Be careful when you baptize your political views. Remember to ask what would Jesus do? Don’t misunderstand. Christian people ought to be involved in politics and voting. Just don’t expect the Kingdom to come through the dealings of politicians. Pontius Pilate was a cautious politician, trying to come up with a compromise that would satisfy everyone he was dealing with. He was not pursuing truth. For truth is found in choosing Kingdom values over earthly values.
Thanks for reading, if you are not already going to a Bible based church, we would welcome you at First United Methodist Church, 630 Highland Ave., Dublin, TX. Our motto is “Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open doors. And we subscribe to “Making Disciples for Jesus Christ for the betterment of the World.
FUMC Vision Statement: Seek new ways to grow the works of God through reaching out to others by sharing His love; mercy; and compassion in worship and growing spiritual relationship with Christ. Reach Up and Out!
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