Sticky and Stuck
These words at first make me think of glue and tape and things that are you want to keep together, to adhere to or attach to with the intent of some type of permanency.
But toss them around in your head a bit more and more things fall out like:
Sticky might refer to a situation that is difficult to manage, or cheese puffs or Doritos that are great to eat but leave their stickiness behind everywhere.
Stuck might refer to your car in the sand, or an inability to move on from one position to another.
As Christians, we want God’s word and His ways to stick to us like glue. We want to hide His word in our heart. We want it to be “stuck” to our hearts. When I think about that kind of sticking and “stuckness” (made up word?) It provides me with ideas of how to fuse God’s word and ways to my heart and into my life. We worship, service, study, fellowship and pray to increase our “stuckness” to God. It helps us to know Him better and to love Him more fully.
But there is a sticky point to this as well. When we find ways to serve and worship and learn about God, they can become sticking points., Because sometimes they become as important as the lessons, as the love, as the God we are desiring to know and stick with. We can get stuck in the methods the ways we learned about God. They served as conduits of His work and words, and we love how they have impacted us. This is a good and wonderful thing. But we are all so different and God desires for us to reach others for His kingdom any way we can.
Let’s look at Jesus example of letting others learn about Him. He demonstrates His love and His mission in so many different ways. He heals. He teaches. He prays. He listens, He shares, and oh so much more. In the short three years of His ministry, he gives us numerous examples of methods that He used to love and care for others.
When we come to worship, or to small groups, or to serve, we have certain expectations of how things were done before, and how we can lean in and help. And God desires for us to worship and learn and serve so it is good and right that we engage. We can learn about Him and share what we have learned with others.
But let us not become “stuck” with how things have been done before. We can get stuck on the ways, the methods that have in the past, reached us, that inspired us, that taught us. These were good things. But the methods were just that, methods. God love is the message, and it needs to be sent out to others in ways that help them to receive it. There are so many wonderful ways we can do that.
In I Corinthians 9:22b-23 the Apostle Paul reminds us to not get stuck in the way we share the Gospel; in the ways we share God’s love with others.
“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means, I might save some. I do this for the sake of the Gospel that I might share in its blessing.”
Let’s get stuck on sharing the love of God with others and unstuck in how we do it. Our methods are not holy, but the love of God is.
Share it anyway you can, with whom ever you can, as often as you can.
Stick that on your Refrigerator!
Blessings,
Lori Ferguson
God in the Movies
As a child, I was into movies that featured mystical creatures and titanic monsters. I still love them! "Clash of the Titans," "The Mummy," "Percy Jackson," and many more. Not that I'm about to bash these movies, but since I have given myself to God, I now have a whole different perspective when I watch them today. I don’t think differently about these movies. I still consider them some of my all-time favorites. Although, I do sometimes laugh at the old-school acting compared to today's standards.
So, does God exist in these movies? Well, of course. There's Zeus, Ra, Mercury, and many more. But my question is, does the real God exist in these movies? As in the Creator, the Father of the Great I Am.
It reminds me, in a way, of the Colossians. As Paul sat in prison constantly writing letters about the word of God and who He is, there were people worshiping a God who is in human form. So, for that, wouldn't God have created them too? As human beings, we are tested every day on our faith, trust, hopes, and beliefs. It's easy to trust and believe in something that is physically there, in your face, breathing. God's power is beyond anything we could come up with in human form. His test with us is the faith we have in Him. Would it be an easy test? I would say no. But faith and trust in Him can overcome anything. Paul loved and believed so much in our Lord that he was punished for it. His faith was so strong that nothing would stop him from spreading the gospel. God is so big; He is all around us. Look at the mountains, the skies, the oceans. Yet some still didn't believe. So, He sent us His Son. A beautiful version of Him in human flesh, and still, people denied Him. The only power He had was His heart and His Father backing Him up. He could see and feel the resentment, denial, hate, and all the sin. But He still loved us. He loved us so much that He died for us. He took all our sins and washed them away. God did not send His Son down here to punish anyone who doesn't believe in Him. Beheadings, spiritual sacrifices. Really?! Why would our God bring us pain? He sent us love in the form of a human to let us know He does exist, and He does love us.
Movies these days are great! I love them! They keep my imagination going, which leads to great fuel for songwriting. So, if your faith is in God and Jesus Christ, and you watch one of these movies featuring gods wielding lightning bolts and using the sun as a power source, wouldn't you say they should give our Lord gratitude? He created those too.
Outreach
My dear NUMC family, as we journey together in faith, it is imperative to recognize the profound impact of community outreach on our spiritual growth and the well-being of those around us. The essence of our faith lies not only in worship within these walls, but also in our ability to extend love, compassion, and joy beyond them. My hope this week is to convey the importance of seeing and fostering joy in our community outreach efforts, and the crucial role that each member plays in making a difference. Let’s, together, unleash the power of joy in Outreach!
A Reflection of God's Love: Community outreach is a reflection of God's boundless love for humanity. When we engage in acts of kindness, compassion, and service, we mirror the very nature of our Creator. The joy that accompanies these efforts is not only an emotional response but a spiritual connection to the divine love that flows through us.
Building a Bridge of Hope: As a church, our outreach opportunities essentially become bridges of hope, connecting people to the love of Christ. The joy experienced in community outreach is the manifestation of hope spreading like wildfire, igniting hearts and transforming lives. It is a powerful testimony to the life-changing impact of our faith.
Strengthening the Fabric of Community: Joy is the glue that binds a community together. When church members actively participate in outreach opportunities, they contribute to the strength and resilience of our collective spirit. Shared joy becomes a unifying force that transcends differences, fostering a sense of belonging and interconnectedness.
Church Members are essential in fostering Joyful outreach
Embracing a Servant Heart: Jesus taught us the importance of serving others with humility and love. Church members embody this servant-hearted approach in outreach, recognizing that true joy is found in selfless service to others.
Creating a Culture of Inclusion: Everyone has unique gifts and talents to offer. When church members participate in outreach opportunities, it creates a culture of inclusion. This is where each person feels valued and contributes to the overall impact of our endeavors. A byproduct of inclusion is the amplification of joy experienced in serving together.
Nurturing Relationships: Beyond the act of service itself, the relationships built during outreach efforts are invaluable. Church members play a vital role in nurturing these connections, fostering an environment where people feel loved, heard, and understood. The joy of community extends beyond the event, leaving lasting impressions on both givers and receivers.
Community outreach is not just a duty bestowed upon us by Jesus; it is an opportunity to witness and spread the joy that comes from living out our faith in tangible ways. As we engage in various outreach opportunities this year, let us remember that joy is not merely a byproduct, but an essential element of our collective spiritual journey. Together, as a church family, let's embrace the joy in community outreach and continue to be the hands and feet of Christ, making a lasting impact on the world around us. Christine has a few community outreach events planned this year, and we could use your help at all of them. We have a Valentine’s dance this Friday, Vacation Bible School, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace bed builds coming up - just to name a couple. None of these events require any “specialized” skill sets. Just let us know you’re coming and come as you are! We would absolutely love to have you!!
May the joy of the Lord be our strength as we step out in love and service!
Follow Me
Growing up as a child and young teenager, our family ritual on Sunday evenings was to eat dinner, wash the dishes, and then settle in to watch The Wonderful World of Disney. So many wonderful movies came on our television over those years. One of them was “Follow Me Boys”. It starred Fred McMurray, Vera Miles, and Kurt Russell. The main character, Lem Siddons, a saxophonist, wants to settle down and become a lawyer. He settles down in a small town and works at the general store. Trying to woo the lady at the bank, he volunteers to become the scoutmaster for the town’s rowdy group of boys. He picks up the scout manual, begins to read it and he and the boys set out to learn this Boy Scout thing together. They learn how to cook outdoors, set up tents, build and rebuild scout huts, patch canoes, and more. The town begins to see a change in these boys for the good (Spoiler alert, he does marry the lady from the bank).
The common thread throughout the movie, of course, is the phrase, “Follow Me Boys” which comes from the song the scouts sing as they march on their weekly; Saturday morning hikes (hikes that happen every Saturday for twenty-plus years). Lem has laid out for the boys what is expected for them to succeed as scouts and to succeed in life. As these boys step out and follow this man, wonderful things happen. Boys’ lives are transformed as are many others in the town. Hoodoo, the boy who had no sense of direction eventually became the governor of the state. Whitey, a boy who was seen as a bully and had a hard family life was taken in by Lem and his wife when his father died and he became a doctor. For twenty-plus years boys and others followed this man whom they loved and respected.
The lyrics to the movie theme song go like this:
Follow me boys, follow me.
When you think you’re really beat
That’s the time to lift your feet,
And follow me boys, follow me.
Pick ’em up, put ’em down and follow me,
Pick ‘em up, put ‘em down pick ‘em up.
There’s a job to do,
There’s a fight to win,
Follow me boys, follow me.
And it won’t be time till we all pitch in,
Lift your chin with a grin and follow me.
Jesus never promised that life would be easy, but he is inviting us into something big and meaningful that will change your life forever. Follow me all, follow me. Pick em up and put em down and follow me.
Making A Difference
At the Good Neighbor Thrift Store and We Care office we stay busy. Very, very busy. From dating cans of green beans, to shining glassware, to hanging up shirts, to testing blenders, we do it all. Every day. And with a super big smile. Somehow, hard work never seemed like so much fun. Meeting new people, finding treasures, discovering new talents, and eating stale pastries are all in a day's work here.
But where does this urge to get up in the morning and come to do this come from? Why spend valuable time, risking life and limb, to drive on hwy 98 to go somewhere and work and not get paid?
I remember watching a video series with my son, not so long ago, haha, when he was young, called "The Donut Man ''. The underlying message of this program is that each of us is made by God, and we are kinda like a donut. Each of us has a God given hole that needs to be filled. The catch is that only one thing can fill it. We can try to fill it with sports, work, tv. and lots of fun stuff, but that just won't do it. God made the hole, and only letting God back in can fill it. When we let God in and choose to work for Him, things change. I mean really change. That is when working for him is no longer work. It is service. And it is fun. That is what we do here. We work together and serve Him. And that makes us complete. With out a hole.