Biker Dude At Worship

If you were at worship this past Sunday, you know that we had an unusual “guest” with us. For those of you who missed out, here’s some pictures of our Biker friend from that day.

Jesus put it this way: “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). So, the question I want you to wrestle with is this: if he were “for real,” would you have welcomed him? Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

In the Works #4

“Without a vision the people perish...” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV)

Over the last year or so, I’ve shared several “In The Works” articles about various ministry and facility-related initiatives that are currently in various stages of development at East Cobb UMC. Today I again want to share a brief update about just a few of these that may be of interest to you:

● First, let’s remember a few Recently Completed Initiatives that I hope you’ve already been enjoying, including our e-newsletter (launched last summer 2010); our new logo and some initial pieces of marketing for it (like our car magnets, shopping bags, and pens); and our new Education and Activities building doors (installed last December 2010 as part of our long range facility development plan).

● In preparation for our new permanent outdoor monument sign, our church property was recently rezoned “commercial” so that we could obtain permits for an LCD/color electronic sign that will be a focal-point of our property from Roswell Rd. The sub-committee working on this project is currently soliciting plans from three companies and will be meeting soon to decide on one that we will bid out. It is possible that work could then begin on construction of this new sign as early as this summer. The new sign is a second part of our long-range facility development plan.

● Redevelopment of our church website– currently we are researching companies that are offering comprehensive, integrated “Content Management Systems” that would help us overhaul not only the website content itself, but potentially offer us an improved online giving site, interactive online calendar capability, a confidential congregational directory, a new communication platform for our e-newsletter, cyberspace document storage, a cell phone app, and more. The Web Design Ministry Team hopes to have some kind of recommendation for a new site by summer, with implementation as soon as funding for the project can be found (this is not in our annual ministry budget)

● Georgia D.O.T. Roswell Road Construction – our top (west) entrance is almost complete, with the sidewalks poured and deceleration lane and entrance initially paved. Final pavement will come after they complete the Roswell Rd. median. Also still to come is work on a new two-way commercial lower (east) entrance, as well.

● Our Strategic Planning Team continues its work on a 5-year Strategic Plan for our entire church. We have met with an architect who helping provide us with a process by which we can determine what facility development and expansion priorities are most needed, and in what order. Our plan is to have some recommendations ready to share with the congregation by late Spring or early Summer of this year. As mentioned above, two pieces of the plan that are already in place or in progress are the new doors and our upcoming new outdoor/monument sign.

● Narthex Bathroom Renovations – the long-range facility development plans will most likely include recommendations for a new set of state-of-the-art restrooms near our Sanctuary. In the meantime, however, our Trustees this year are currently working on plans to renovate the current Restrooms located just off the Narthex. Look for these renovations to occur later this Spring.

● Parking Lot Blacktop Resurfacing and Restriping -- now that we have a new single top (west) entrance, we are exploring what it will take to both resurface the entire parking lot (or at least temporarily patch pieces) and to restripe the parking areas to reflect our new traffic patterns entering from and exiting to Roswell Rd.

● Fellowship Hall Wi-Fi... is now available! Complimentary use is now open and available to any individual or group who needs use of Wi-fi in that facility, upstairs and down. Thanks to Richard McCauley and Robert Mantell of the Tech Support Committee for making this possible.

As I’ve said before, all of these are in various stages of development, and some will require approval from various levels of our church’s leadership along the way. To find out more detail about any of these initiatives (or if you have input, ideas, or expertise that you’re willing to share to help accomplish them), please email or call the church office (770-971-3643 or email here), and we’ll have someone from the appropriate group respond to your specific question(s).

In the meantime, continue to pray for your church leaders as they seek God’s will and wisdom for all of us, and remember that God’s mission for us of being “A Mosaic of God’s Family: Gathering, Growing, and Going” is one that will require all of us to do our part in order for it to be accomplished. Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

A Prayer with the People of Japan and Pacific Coasts and Islands

"God of all compassion,
Our hearts and bodies shake
With the earth
And all who dwell upon it.

We cry to you for help
For lives, roads, homes, and livelihoods lost,
And coastal regions washed away
In Japan
And all who this day wait in fear
On other coasts and islands
On an ocean that betrays its name.

Have mercy on them, on us
And all who wait for better words
And help.

We pray in the name of Jesus
Who stilled the wind and waves. Amen."

by Taylor Burton-Edwards
Copyright General Board of Discipleship. www.GBOD.org
Used by permission.

Are you struggling to understand why a good a loving God would allow such destruction from nature? Two of Pastor Brian's Sermons in his 2009 series "WHERE IS GOD WHEN?" deal with these issues. Click on the title to read each one: (#1) "Katrina, Tsunamis & Acts of God" ; (#2) "How God Really Works in Our World"

Our "Besetting Sin"

“One is tempted by one’s own desire.... Then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my beloved.” (James 1:14-16)

Today I began a new series exploring the life and teachings of Jesus as found in the gospel of Luke. We began with the story of the “temptations” of Christ found in Luke 4 [Read the complete sermon here]. Along these lines, several years ago a friend gave me the poem below by Irene Holsted which speaks of the dangers of temptation, and how we humans tend to minimize it until it becomes too big to handle:

“There came a gentle tapping ‘let me in!’
I opened and beheld a very little sin.
He entered with apologies and scarcely raised his eyes
As if abashed to contemplate tempting one so wise.

I found myself amused at this and set out to explore
This little cunning sin I’d let inside my door.
I petted him and teased him & gave him bread & wine,
Grew fond of him, then adopted him, this little sin of mine.

He twined around my heartstrings & grew so very dear
I loved him & assured myself he was too small to fear.
He soon spied out my weakness & therein was the rub,
He built himself a treadmill, my weakness at the hub.

With every revolution my darling little sin
Enlarged himself and multiplied over and over again.
At last he stooped & lifted me & placed me on his knee,
Now he is my besetting sin and makes a pet of me.”
[--Author Irene Holsted]

My prayer is that whatever “temptation(s)” or “besetting sin(s)” you are facing, you’ll trust Christ to walk with you to victory over them, lest you become a victim of them -- and always remember that I and all of our church’s pastors are available to help you privately and confidentially if you are struggling with something in particular, as well. Never forget that God loves you and I do, too (no matter what your “struggle” is)!

Two Ways to Heaven?

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

Several weeks ago I shared a message in my series "Christianity and World Religions" on the relationship between Judaism and Christianity that I’ve received a number of emails asking me to clarify [Read the sermon here]. The gist of the questions dealt with the perception by some that my sermon was implying that there are two ways to heaven: one for Jews (through the keeping of the Torah); and another for Christians (through faith in Christ). To help clarify what I meant, let me share a few thoughts from a response I gave to one group:

If you read the sermon carefully, you notice that nowhere in it did I say that there are two ways to heaven. What I said is that the Bible is clear that God does not nullify or cancel the old covenant (Judaism) simply because there is a new one (Christianity). To describe this, the sermon referred to Romans 11:28-29 in the body of my message, but also Endnote #22 in the sermon also addresses it from the standpoint of Romans 4:3, 5, 9 & 22, as well.

These scriptures essentially say is that God finds a way to look at the good intentioned faith and works of Jews who are under the original covenant and -- to the extent possible -- credit them with "faith in Christ" where possible (the Romans 4 passage talks about faith being "reckoned as righteousness", which is a biblical metaphor for salvation). Most who hold this view, for example, would still say the Jews' keeping of the Torah is therefore counted as a form of "faith in Christ" by God, so it's still salvation "through Christ," even though these two methods of “faith” are not to be understood as equals.

What all this basically means is that there is, in reality, only one way to heaven – through God’s covenant with His people, and Jesus (conveyed through Christianity) is merely the fulfillment of that one way (Read Matthew 5:17). Judaism, therefore, is NOT a "second way" -- it was the one and only "original" way. When Jesus came, however, he demonstrated a better version of that one way.

Sermon #1 and #6 in the series also talk about the best way I’ve found to talk about this whole subject is in the context of the three ways Christians have traditionally viewed other religions: Exclusivist; Universalist; and Inclusivist [You can read about these three ways on page 4 in the body of the first sermon here and also briefly mentioned on page 4 in the body of the last sermon in the series found here].

What the view above describes is an example of the “Inclusivist” view which says that salvation does come only through Christ, but that it's up to God to determine what that is and what it looks like -- and if God decides to credit someone from another religion with a type of "faith in Christ" (even though we Christians might not call it "faith in Christ"), then that is God’s business and not ours. Our job is to share the gospel of Jesus and love people with the love of Jesus, not judge them based on their acceptance or rejection of our particular understanding of what "faith in Christ" is. After all, how do we know that they have really rejected "Jesus"? Perhaps they've merely rejected our Western culture's warped view of Jesus (which may or may not be the biblical "Jesus" at all).

Some have asked how this view relates to the John 14 scripture quoted at the top of this entry. I would encourage you to read Endnote #8 in the first sermon that addresses this by talking about the misreading that is often given to that scripture [Find the sermon here]. It essentially says what I've said above -- yes, "no one comes to the Father except through me" Jesus says. But what does "through me" mean exactly? Through the historical person of Jesus of Nazareth? Through faith in that literal person? Through faith in God that's illustrated in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus? If "through me" means the first of these (that's the Exclusivist view), then 2/3 of the world is going to hell, which does not seem consistent with a God of love. But, if God can credit a person with "faith of Christ" in some mysterious way even if they are not a practicing member of the Christian religion, then that would certainly come closer to the meaning of the latter definition of "through me."

So, it's all in the interpretation of the scripture, acknowledging that the literal, surface reading may not be the “correct” one at all. After all, the context of John 14:6 has absolutely nothing to do with how one views the religious faith of others – it deals with Jesus' teachings about life after death for one who is already a follower of Christ. To therefore apply John 14:6 as a way to exclude other religions/faiths from heaven or salvation may actually be a fundamental misreading of that scripture [For further reading that addresses New Testament texts often used to talk about other religions click here - the book is called THE GOSPEL AMONG RELIGIONS - read page 7 for comments on the John 14 scripture referenced above]

The point of the Inclusivist view is not to water down salvation by faith in Christ alone, but to merely help us all not be too cocky or arrogant about it as some seem to do. This view allows God to be God, and not for us to presuppose our understanding of WHO will be saved and who WON'T is correct or more important that what GOD thinks (which we will not really ever know this side of heaven)

Clear as mud, huh? Hopefully this at least gives you some further thoughts to mull over. Sure, I acknowledge that the Inclusivist view could be wrong, too. But then again, it could be right. Or perhaps the truth is somewhere in between. This is simply why I believe this whole subject matter calls for a great amount of humility on our part. Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

What Is Stephen Ministry?

“[God] consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

Stephen Ministry is a lay caring ministry of our church that enables fellow members to care for one another in the way Paul describes above. With nearly one-thousand members, it’s impossible (and impractical) for our Pastors to be able to take care of all the congregational care needs of our church. So, our Stephen Ministry is therefore one of the vital complementary components of our overall Pastoral Care system.

Stephen Ministers themselves are fellow church members who’ve gone through 50 hours of training to provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care for people who’re facing a crisis or simply going through a tough time. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, loneliness, cancer, a layoff, relocation, divorce, a spiritual crisis, recuperation, single parenthood, or any of countless other life challenges or hurts, our Stephen Ministers are here to care for you!

Your Stephen Minister will meet with you once a week for around an hour to listen to you, care for you, pray with and for you, and provide emotional and spiritual encouragement. Men are matched with male Stephen Ministers, and women are matched with female Stephen Ministers. The caring relationship is free, and lasts for as long as you need care – it’s a powerful way either to receive help yourself, or also a great way to help a friend, neighbor, co-worker, or relative who’s been struggling in any way.

To find out more about how you or someone you know could be matched with one of our church’s confidential Stephen Ministers, either email our Stephen Ministry, speak in person with one of our Stephen Leaders (Jackie Short or Jody Kerschner), or to Pastor Jim or Pastor Brian. Our Stephen Ministers are here for YOU! Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

When I Say 'I Am A Christian'

“Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions… Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister?... For we will all stand before the judgment seat… [and] be accountable to God.” (Romans 14:1, 10 & 12)

Last week as we concluded our series “Christianity and World Religions,” I shared my own thoughts about what this series has taught me about my own faith, and a few of the many reasons why I am a Christian, as opposed to some other religion (Read the complete sermon here).

Along these same lines, several years ago, a poem made its rounds on the internet called “When I Say “I Am A Christian’” that I believe captures a sense of some of these reasons. Although the poem was incorrectly attributed to Maya Angelou (it’s true author was Carol Wimmer), the original, unaltered words are worth sharing here as a reminder to all of what it means to be a follower of Jesus in our world today…

“When I say... ‘I am a Christian,’ I’m not shouting ‘I’ve been saved!’” I’m whispering ‘I get lost! That’s why I chose this way.’

When I say... ‘I am a Christian,’ I don’t speak with human pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble – needing God to be my guide

When I say... ‘I am a Christian,’ I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say... ‘I am a Christian,’ I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed and cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say... ‘I am a Christian,’ I’m not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I’m worth it.

When I say... ‘I am a Christian,’ I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartache which is why I seek His name.

When I say... ‘I am a Christian,’ I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority – I only know I’m loved.”

[--Carol Wimmer first wrote this poem in 1988, and it is cited here from the book Chicken Soup for the Christian Family Soul. Read about the origins and history of this poem here ]

Whether or not you are a follower of Jesus Christ, my prayer is that these words will help you understand what we truly mean by “Christian” (as opposed to the arrogant judgmentalism that is often ‘sold’ to our popular culture as “Christianity”). For those of you who are already followers of Jesus, may these words also encourage and challenge you to remember our calling to be people of grace, humility and (above all) love as we share the good news of Jesus with the world! Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

What Other Religions Can Teach Us About Being Better Christians

“Live in harmony with one another…. So far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:16 & 18)

During the six weeks of our series "Christianity and World Religions," we’ve learned about the origins and beliefs of four other major world faiths, and we’ve discussed numerous differences between these other faiths and our own. As we wrap up the series, however, I want to once more highlight a few of the things we share in common – things these other faiths do well that might perhaps remind/teach us how we can be better Christians. For example…

…From Hinduism, we can learn to have a more open mind and heart regarding the faith of others without the need to pass judgment, even when we disagree. We’re also reminded of the importance of respecting and honoring the presence of God in all people. Doing so transforms the way we interact with others, challenging us not to treat them as objects to be exploited or taken for granted, but as children of God to be valued and cherished.

…From Buddhism, we’re reminded of the dangers of attachment -- of having inappropriate desire/craving for things that are not of lasting importance… things like success, pleasure, wealth, and even good health. When you and I give inordinate attention to such things, we’re essentially making them into God and worshiping them. Needless to say, that always causes problems.

…From Islam, we are reminded of the value of being passionately “sold out” (e.g., submitted) to God, and the great value of using various spiritual disciplines/tools (like prayer, fasting, and generosity) to help us grow in and practice that “submission.”

…From Judaism, we are reminded that you and I are loved dearly by the one God of Creation, and that He desires a relationship with us (covenant) so that the actions of our lives (moral living) would point others towards the reality of His power and grace in the world.

[To read my sermons about the relationship of each of these faiths to Christianity, click here]

Obviously, each of these concepts from other faiths actually have counterparts within our own, and the focus on them in other faiths can actually help encourage us to highlight their importance in our own practice of Christianity, as well. So, my hope and prayer is that you’ll use these ideas to encourage you in your own walk with God -- to lovingly challenge you to be the very best follower of Jesus that you can be, so that God will get the glory, and others will be drawn to Him through your example. Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

Christianity & Islam: More Differences & Similarities...

“Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” (Romans 12:11-13)

This past week in worship we focused on the religion of Islam during our series "Christianity and World Religions" in an attempt to better understand our Muslim cousins so we can dialogue and share faith with them. During the sermon, time only permitted me to share one point of difference (#1: the nature of salvation and how we achieve it) and one point of commonality (#1: their commitment to prayer). However, here is a summary of several more such issues for your own consideration and further discussion (Read more detail about each of these in Endnote #22 and #25 in the sermon found here).

ADDITIONAL DIFFERENCES:

(#2) God’s relationship to humans – In Islam, Allah is a personal being (as in Christianity) who is understood and related to mainly as a transcendent “Sovereign Lord.” We Christians believe this, as well. But we also add that God is “immanent” – Jesus invites us to relate to Him intimately as our “Abba/Father/Daddy.”

(#3) How God speaks to humanity – Muslims believe that God spoke definitely and directly through Muhammad in the words of the Qur’an. We Christians, on the other hand, believe that when God wanted to speak a final, definitive word, it didn’t come through a prophet. Instead, we say that God Himself “became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14). This is why the equivalent of the Qur’an in Christianity is not the Bible, but Jesus – for us, Jesus is God’s Word incarnate; for Muslims, God’s Word incarnate is the Qur’an itself.

(#4) The place and role of Jesus in faith – In Islam, Jesus is considered to be a great prophet of faith, but they deny that he was God’s son, that he died on a cross, or was resurrected. Of course, for Christians, these beliefs are at the core of our faith, as we believe these truths were affirmed and shared by eyewitnesses at the time of Jesus, rather than by a personal vision of one man (Muhammad) 500 years later.

ADDITIONAL SIMILARITIES (Please note that all of these -- plus commitment to prayer that was mentioned in my sermon – are mentioned in the Romans 12 scripture above):

(#2) Wholehearted submission to God – the Muslims that I know are deeply committed to following the will and ways of Allah in ways that often put us Christians to shame. In contrast to what often seems to be our tendency towards shallow, superficial faith, they are radically sold out to God. If more of us as Christians would capture that kind of wholehearted passion for God, it would transform the world with love.

(#3) The priority they place on generosity –Remember that Muslims are expected to give the zakat – 2.5% of their income each year to the needy, and most actually do that! What’s sad is that even though our Bible calls on us to give God at least a tithe (10%) of our income to God’s work, the latest data seems to show that we American Christians don’t even give as much as our Muslim friends – we only give a little more 2% . Perhaps we Christians can learn better generosity from their example.

I hope these insights will help you better understand your own faith and how it relates to that of our Muslim neighbors as we seek to find peace for our world through constructive dialogue. Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

Your Church Staff

“The gifts he gave were… to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith… to maturity, …to the full stature of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Your church staff works diligently to implement the scripture above, so that each and every member and friend of our church can reach the full maturity of faith in Christ. But from time to time we all need reminding of how to do that in our local setting. That’s why we recently created a new Staff Mission Statement to more accurately communicate to others (and remind ourselves) of our “reason for being”: “To glorify God together by Empowering and Encouraging East Cobb UMC members and leaders to be God’s Church in our world.”

Let me unpack several phrases to help us all see what this means for each and every church member and friend:

• To Glorify God means that we view our work not primarily as a “job” that has set hours and boundaries, but first and foremost as a “calling” and as a “ministry” that gives us opportunities to glorify God through what we do. It means that we will be responsible to attend to our own spiritual walk with God, and that the ministry of “glorifying God” will at times be more important than individual tasks we may do. It means we will work to identify our own spiritual gifts, passions and abilities, and will place a priority on cultivating and developing these.

• Together refers to “teamwork” — it means we believe our calling and ministry can best be achieved as we work together as a “team,” rather than merely as a collection of individuals who happen to work in the same organization.

• Empowering refers to equipping, training, educating and commissioning others with the spiritual authority to act

• Encouraging refers to affirming other leaders/members in their work, helping them to embrace a “teachable spirit” (a willingness to grow/improve), and helping them to critically evaluate progress towards specific goals

• To be God’s Church means that we believe that our church’s members and leaders (not just “staff”) are “God’s Church.” It refers to the fact that we are “God’s” church, not “our” church (hence God’s plans and visions need to take priority over our own self selfish wants)

• In the World means we are to be “God’s Church” not merely within the walls of our building, but within our local and world community — it refers to the fact that if we expect church members and leaders to do ministry “outside the walls,” then we as staff must do this, as well.

Our prayer is that as we work to carry out our mission as God’s church, we’ll all remember these as we partner together – staff and members, guests and friends, clergy and laity -- to be the church of Jesus Christ in our community and world. Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

State of the Church

“And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47)

One of the responsibilities that all United Methodist churches have at the first of each year is to give a statistical accounting of their annual ministry. As this data was prepared for our “2010 Year-End-Report” to the North Georgia Annual Conference, I thought you might be interested in what I consider to be some of the highlights (with important increases highlighted):

* Total number of new members in 2010: +36;
* New members joining in 2010 by profession or reaffirmation of Christian faith: +16 ;
* Church membership as of December 31, 2010: 965 (the highest thus far in our church’s history, +9 from last year);
* Average attendance for all worship services during 2010: 359 (+12% from 2009);
* Number of diverse nationalities/ethnic groups represented within our total membership: 5
* Total number of “giving units” (persons/families) financially supporting our church’s mission and ministry: 277;
* Average attendance in all Sunday School classes during 2010: 184 (+14% from 2009);
* Amount spent in 2010 on program ministry and operational expenses (excludes salaries): $193,981 (+5%);
* Amount spent during 2010 on buildings and improvements: $20,778 (+59% from 2009);
* Amount given during 2010 for local, state, and world mission projects: $168,495 ;
* Financial giving to all causes in 2010: $1,088,167
* Current value of all church-owned buildings & property: $5,611,708

As you can see, the statistics reveal that great things are happening at East Cobb U.M.C., with more great things still to come. So if you haven’t already, I pray that this year you and your family will “get in” on what God is doing in our midst as we seek to carry out our mission of being “A Mosaic of God’s Family: Gathering; Growing; and Going”! Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

Respectful Dialogue… Not Just "Co-Existence"

“Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders…. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:5-6)

This past Sunday we began a new sermon series exploring what it means to be a Christian in the midst of a multi-religious world. Throughout the next six weeks, we’ll be learning about several other major world religions – their origins, fundamental beliefs, how those are similar to or different from our own Christian beliefs, what we as followers of Jesus can learn from them, and how we should interact with them in our world today.

Though I’m excited about offering this series, I recognize that it will not be easy one – the subject matter itself is very complex and extensive, and you may at times find that you don’t agree with all (or any) of what’ presented, or that it challenges your current thoughts about the relationship between Christianity and other world religions. I must confess that I myself have been challenged in many ways – good ways, but challenged, nonetheless – and have found my own Christian faith and walk sharpened and strengthened through my preparation for this series. My hope and prayer is that the same will happen to you as we unpack a different major faith each week.

The key to our growth in this area, I believe, is to maintain an attitude of prayerful openness and humility as we explore these topics together. And as we do this, we need to recognize that the best way for us to witness our faith in Jesus Christ is not by looking down our noses at the faith of others, or denigrating their beliefs and practices. It’s also not in simply (in the words of a popular car bumper sticker) “Co-Existing” with them – as if we must strain to barely tolerate one another.

Instead, the best way we can relate to those of other faiths – the way I believe modeled by Jesus, and the way the apostle Paul challenged us to do in the above scripture from Colossians 4 – is to engage in RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE with those of other faiths. Properly understood, dialogue treats others as equal “neighbors,” while at the same time recognizing the validity and importance of our differences. (Find out more about the biblical nature and practice of Dialogue in the “Christianity and World Religions” links here)

When we dialogue with others in this way, our lives are enriched by the differences of the faith of others, a new sense of community can emerge, and others may receive the gift of God in Christ, while we receive the gifts God gave them to share with us. Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

What's Your VISION?

“Where there is no vision the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18)

Vision is essential if any person or group is to ever achieve its fullest potential. Having, sharing, and implementing a biblical Vision can give us a direction to shoot for, a goal to move towards, and can harness the energy and power of God to get us there. And, as the scripture above indicates, the lack of Vision can effectively destroy us.

That’s why, during our morning services this past Sunday, we took most of the sermon time asking congregants to respond to the following question: “What is your Vision for our Church?” If you were there, you’ll remember hearing a variety of thoughtful, creative, and forward-thinking answers. While many shared their responses that day, if you weren’t able to share for whatever reason, you can still share by emailing your thoughts and visions to our church lay leaders.

All of the responses we receive over the next few weeks (including those from last Sunday mornings’ services) will be shared with our Strategic Planning Team as they continue the process of further defining and articulating what we feel to be the strategic plan (or “Vision”) for our church’s future. Their hope is to have something further to share this year that we can begin to implement as soon as possible.

Until then, remember who you are (A Mosaic of God’s family… Gathering, Growing, and Going) and let that be a starting point for where we’re going and who we’re becoming. And never forget that God loves you and I do, too!

The Snow of Forgiveness

“Return to the Lord, that He may have mercy… and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7)

As I watch (and play in!) the beautiful Georgia snow outside our home, I’m reminded of God’s promise of daily forgiveness and mercy in our lives.

Isaiah 1:18 says “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they shall become [clean] like wool.” God longs to help us live a life that honors him and honors others. That’s why His promise of forgiveness is so generous and gracious.

So, whatever it is in your life that needs grace and forgiveness, just ask and He’ll give it willingly. I hope you’ll stay in and stay safe as you enjoy the snow today! Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

Wise Persons and Epiphany

“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?’” (Matthew 2:1)

Last Thursday (January 6) was the official beginning of the Christian season of “Epiphany.” The word itself means “manifestation” or “revelation,” and it’s a reference to the fact that in the person of Jesus, God manifested/revealed Himself to humanity in a way never before seen. In Jesus, God’s nature and character was shown and modeled for us, and in his life and actions we see an example of how we are to live and act.

Throughout this season, we’re encouraged -- like the “wise men (magi) from the East” in scripture above -- to seek out Christ in all that we say and do. We’re encouraged to think about and consider the many ways that God through Christ “manifests” or “reveals” himself to us in our daily lives. And we’re asked to let others know of our great find!

A number of years ago, my home church had the following article in their newsletter that challenges each of us to follow the example of the Magi in seeking Jesus each and every day. I hope it speaks to you, as well!

“Wise [persons] do not always come from the East
Nor do they always follow stars.
But they do cross boundaries,
And pay attention to what is happening
In the rest of the world....

Epiphany is a revelation:
Things hidden in plain sight are made manifest,
Unobserved except by those with eyes trained to see...
Even now those who are to be kings on earth
A generation hence are hidden among us, unrecognized.
We do not know their names or time or place.

There is no natural order of succession.
God stores up His own surprises in hamlets,
In all the hovels of history.
When Messiah comes, stars will know.
Magi, too.
But Herod will not know
And his scribes will be caught napping.

When Christ comes again
Must Christians, too
Wait for strangers to tell us?
Must each Epiphany come as a surprise
Because we weren't watching?
[–Wayne Saffen, cited in Fayetteville (GA) First United Methodist
Church Newsletter, January 8, 1995]

My prayer for each of you is that we open our eyes to see the living Christ in and among us always! Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

Christmas Presents for God

“[And] opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)

Christmas is all about gift giving, right? It’s a time we celebrate the gifts we give to each other, and (if we are people of faith) the greatest gift of all – the one God gave to us: Jesus. But have you ever considered what gifts you might give to God this holiday season (and really the whole year long)?

As we continue our series “Advent Conspiracy”, consider this list shared with me several years ago containing 10 suggestions from Jesus about just a few ways that we can give back to God:

“1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way my birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of my birth and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then, stop shopping there on Sunday -- if the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes my love and Good News to those who have never heard my name. You may already know someone like that.

9. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food and a few gifts and give them to your church, the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in my presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.”

You see, the real gifts that God wants from us don’t come from a store, but from our hearts. This Christmas, give the gift of “love in action” to all those around! And always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

(CLICK HERE for ideas and sermons which have been being shared during our “Advent Conspiracy” series, or visit the links to the right of this article)

Advent Conspiracy Coming...

Are you tired of the hectic rat race of the holiday? Are you frustrated with how consumerism has stolen the soul of Christmas, reducing it merely to a retail circus that depletes our pocketbooks and defeats our spirits?

Well, this year take a stand! Join the growing movement of Christ-followers who are choosing to make the holiday season what it should be – a joyous celebration of Jesus’ birth that enriches our hearts and the world around us.

This Sunday (November 28th), we’ll begin a new series called Advent Conspiracy that will continue through Christmas Eve in which we’ll learn how to substitute consumption with compassion by practicing four simple, but powerful, countercultural concepts. I hope you’ll join us for these very special services as we prepare for Christmas 2010. Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

WATCH THE PROMO VIDEO WE SHARED LAST SUNDAY AT THE CLOSE OF WORSHIP...

In The Works #3

“Without a vision the people perish...”
(Proverbs 29:18, KJV)

Twice this year already (in February and June) I’ve shared articles about some of the ministry and facility-related initiatives that are currently “in the works” and in various stages of development at East Cobb UMC. Today I again want to share a brief update about just a few of these that may be of interest to you:

● We hope you’ve been enjoying the new weekly e-newsletter. Although we’re still printing and mailing paper copies to any who request them (as well as all our homebound members), the online version is enabling more people to have access to the events and activities of our church in a more timely manner. If you have suggestions or ideas for its improvement, please email nancy@eastcobbumc.org.

● Hopefully you’ve been noticing our new church logo appearing on a variety of communication materials. While we’ve shared a “soft” rollout of the new logo so far, in January we’ll have a more aggressive campaign to officially acquaint our entire congregation with it, and to help you see how it can be used as a great evangelism tool for us as God’s church.

● Now that the new logo has been adopted, work will begin early next year (2011) on a comprehensive redesign of our church website.

● The week of November 29-December 3, the new doors for our Education and Activities buildings (11 doors total) will be installed. This work is just one part of our long-range facility development plan.

● Although the temporary outdoor signage for our church keeps getting torn down by the constant DOT roadwork, our sign sub-committee is continuing to work on temporary solutions to clearly identify our church from Roswell Rd.

● In the meantime, work continues as we prepare both plans and permits for a new permanent outdoor monument sign. The rezoning of our facility that we’ll need for our new sign is currently on the docket to come before the Cobb County Zoning Commission later this month. After that, we’ll better know the kind of sign we’ll be able to build. The new sign is also part of our long-range facility development plan.

● You’ll notice that the DOT has already poured the curbs for the new deceleration lane and top commercial entrance to our upper parking lot. We are thankful to Steve Ragsdale, Steve Hughes, and Stan Lassiter for their work through our attorney on behalf of our church to acquire these additional accommodations from the DOT for their road expansion. The DOT will soon also begin work on a commercial lower entrance, as well.

● Our Strategic Planning Team continues its work on a 5-year Strategic Plan for our entire church. We have now acquired the expertise of an architect to help us phase our long-range facility development and expansion, and in early 2011 we’ll be sharing the initial thoughts about this phasing with the entire congregation for input, suggestion and comment. The two pieces of this plan that are already in progress are the new doors and our eventual new outdoor/monument sign.

As I’ve said before, all of these are in various stages of development, and some will require approval from various levels of our church’s leadership along the way. To find out more detail about any of these initiatives (or if you have input, ideas, or expertise that you’re willing to share to help accomplish them), please email or call the church office (770-971-3643 or office@eastcobbumc.org), and we’ll have someone from the appropriate group respond to your specific question(s).

In the meantime, continue to pray for your church leaders as they seek God’s will and wisdom for all of us, and remember that God’s mission for us of being “A Mosaic of God’s Family: Gathering, Growing, and Going” is one that will require all of us to do our part in order for it to be accomplished. Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

Veterans & the "Armor of God"

“Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)

If you are reading this on November 11th, then you’re reading it on “Veteran’s Day” – the day we honor and remember the sacrifice and selflessness of those who serve and defend our country in our armed services. It was originally celebrated as “Armistice Day” -- November 11, 1918, the day that ended what was once called “war to end all wars” (World War I) – and its purpose was to remember those who had died in that conflict. In 1954, Congress changed the focus and scope of the day, and renamed it “Veterans Day.” Since that time, it’s purpose has been three-fold: remembering those who fought and died in all wars; celebrating all veterans; and promoting an enduring peace for all time.

In the Bible, the apostle Paul described the Christian life in military terms: in Ephesians 6, he says we should “put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

While Paul’s words here are meant to be understood metaphorically (rather than literally), it’s worth noting that Paul chose military language at all to describe a life of faith. His point is that life is very much a “battle” against the harmful spiritual forces of our world (things like fear and hopelessness), and that the disciplines of our faith are very much like the hard discipline and training of military personnel.

We have many veterans in our own congregation who we want to honor. So, as we celebrate and remember them, let’s also remember that we’re all called to be “veterans” of faith by “fighting the good fight” (1 Timothy 1:18). Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

I invite you to pray this prayer for our Veterans: “Righteous God, you rule the nations. Guard brave men and women in military service. Give them compassion for those who confront them as enemies. Keep our children from hate that hardens, or from scorekeeping with human lives. Though for a season they must be people of war, let them live for peace, as eager for agreement as for victory. Encourage them as they encourage one another, and never let hard duty separate them from loyalty to your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

[-"Prayer for Those In Military Service” found in the United Methodist Book of Worship #542]

Daylight Savings Ends This Weekend

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25)

On Sunday, March 13, 2010, we started “saving daylight.” On that day we set our clocks, watches and electronic devices ahead one hour, “giving” ourselves an extra hour of daylight. We “lost” an hour of sleep on that Sunday, but for the next eight months we were able to stay outside a little longer by simply manipulating the clock. The number of hours in the day were not actually increased, but it seemed as if the days were longer. This coming Saturday night/Sunday morning (November 6th) we will finally get to set our clocks back one hour, thereby “retrieving” the hour of sleep that we “lost” in March.

While on earth, Jesus taught about the senselessness of worrying about the times. He illustrated his point in his “Sermon on the Mount” when he said “Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?” (Matthew 6:27). While worrying may not add any time to our lives (in fact some studies reveal that worrying can actually take it away), nevertheless years have been added through the combined efforts of medical science, proper nutrition and exercise, and education. Not only are we living longer, but the quality of life has improved significantly in many ways.

And yet, even with all this advancement, we cannot actually “retrieve” time. It is fleeting. It cannot be stopped by adjusting a watch, nor can it be speeded up simply by marking off a day ahead on a calendar. Instead, today is what we have. Yesterday is already a cancelled check. Tomorrow is merely a promissory note.

So, this Saturday night when you set your clock back an hour, what do you plan to do with that extra hour other than sleep? Watch more TV? Spend more time on the computer? Why not take extra time to talk and converse with your family members? What about reading your Bible that’s been collecting dust, or spending an extra hour in prayer? And in addition to these, what about adjusting your clock appropriately so that you won’t be late for Sunday School and worship the next morning -- nothing in this life is more precious and valuable than the brief time we spend together in fellowship with one another and in worship of God. Think about it (I hope you agree), and then… do it! Remember, God loves you and I do, too!