First United Methodist Church News
October 13, 2019
Please drive by our church to view our decorated hay bale, it is wearing a halo!
The church received a short letter form Carl B. Sanders and he included a donation to go towards repairing the north door to fellowship hall. We thank Carl B. and the Sander’s family.
The Hesters continue to recover from their auto accident; Darwin has been discharged from the hospital.
I served as the Worship Leader last Sunday. Jordan and Jackson Cardoza were our acolytes.
It is encouraging to see children serving at church.
I read this past Sunday’s scripture lesson from Luke 17:11-19 in the Common English Bible.
Luke tells us that Jesus was traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee. He entered a village where ten men with leprosy (skin diseases) approached Him. They called to Jesus and said, “Jesus, Master, show us mercy!” Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests. As they left, they were healed. One man returned to thank Jesus and praised God. He was a Samaritan. Jesus asked the man, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? No one returned to praise God except this foreigner.” Jesus told the Samaritan that his faith healed him.
“Giving Thanks to God” was the title of Rev. Ken Lunsford’s sermon
We all know and appreciate the importance of gratitude. It can radically change relationships. One of the first things we are taught is to say, “Thank you.” We teach our children the same thing, to be polite and say thank you. Yet when it comes to giving thanks to our heavenly father, we so often miss the mark.
Jesus’ healing of the ten lepers is timelessly appropriate. These men walked the earth, they could breathe and eat and had hopes and fears just like you and me. But with leprosy they were like walking dead. Their disease ate away at their body and there was no known cure. It was believed that leprosy was highly contagious. Today, we know that is not true.
Some of you today are dealing with problems that seem overwhelming and feel there is little to be grateful for. And that may be your reality. But friends, no one here today has had it worse than these ten men. They had a hellish, impossible, situation and yet they were healed! But only one returned to give thanks. Are we different from them? I wonder. A recent poll reports that nine out of ten families will not even say a prayer at their Thanksgiving dinner.
The Samaritan, who was an outcast, considered unholy, showed how holy his heart really was. He gave his gratitude to Christ.
Let us remember the words of the apostle Paul: Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything: for this is the will of God in Christ concerning you. I can imagine some of us are long, long overdue in expressing our thanks to God.
We need to remember our shut-ins and give them a visit.
October 13, 2019
Please drive by our church to view our decorated hay bale, it is wearing a halo!
The church received a short letter form Carl B. Sanders and he included a donation to go towards repairing the north door to fellowship hall. We thank Carl B. and the Sander’s family.
The Hesters continue to recover from their auto accident; Darwin has been discharged from the hospital.
I served as the Worship Leader last Sunday. Jordan and Jackson Cardoza were our acolytes.
It is encouraging to see children serving at church.
I read this past Sunday’s scripture lesson from Luke 17:11-19 in the Common English Bible.
Luke tells us that Jesus was traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee. He entered a village where ten men with leprosy (skin diseases) approached Him. They called to Jesus and said, “Jesus, Master, show us mercy!” Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests. As they left, they were healed. One man returned to thank Jesus and praised God. He was a Samaritan. Jesus asked the man, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? No one returned to praise God except this foreigner.” Jesus told the Samaritan that his faith healed him.
“Giving Thanks to God” was the title of Rev. Ken Lunsford’s sermon
We all know and appreciate the importance of gratitude. It can radically change relationships. One of the first things we are taught is to say, “Thank you.” We teach our children the same thing, to be polite and say thank you. Yet when it comes to giving thanks to our heavenly father, we so often miss the mark.
Jesus’ healing of the ten lepers is timelessly appropriate. These men walked the earth, they could breathe and eat and had hopes and fears just like you and me. But with leprosy they were like walking dead. Their disease ate away at their body and there was no known cure. It was believed that leprosy was highly contagious. Today, we know that is not true.
Some of you today are dealing with problems that seem overwhelming and feel there is little to be grateful for. And that may be your reality. But friends, no one here today has had it worse than these ten men. They had a hellish, impossible, situation and yet they were healed! But only one returned to give thanks. Are we different from them? I wonder. A recent poll reports that nine out of ten families will not even say a prayer at their Thanksgiving dinner.
The Samaritan, who was an outcast, considered unholy, showed how holy his heart really was. He gave his gratitude to Christ.
Let us remember the words of the apostle Paul: Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything: for this is the will of God in Christ concerning you. I can imagine some of us are long, long overdue in expressing our thanks to God.
We need to remember our shut-ins and give them a visit.
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