Beacon of Light Volume 6, Issue 2

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1 Ebenezer United Methodist Church February/March 2016 Beacon of Light Volume 6, Issue 2 I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12) Reminder: Sunday School 9:30 am Sunday Service 11:00 am Prayer Service Every Thurs. Night 6:30 p.m. Inside this Issue Pastor s Corner Pg.1 Monthly Sermons Pg. 2 Bible Insights Note from the Editor Pg. 3 Pg. 5 Thought Provoking Pg. 6 Youth Ministry Singles Ministry Calendar of Events Pg. 8 Pg. 9 Pg. 11 Birthdays & Anniver- Pg. 12 saries Upcoming Events: April 22, 2016 The Sensational Nightingales April 23, 2016 Women s Day Prayer Breakfast April 30, 2016 Witness/Visitation Community Walk Contact Us 4912 Whitfield Chapel Rd. Lanham, MD (301) church896@verizon.net Pastor s Corner Rev. Mark D. Venson A Journey with Christ to the Cross: Part 1 I remember well the day, a little over a year ago, I checked myself into the Bowie Emergency Health Center. I am not a superstitious person, but Friday, March 13, 2015 will always remain in memory as a very difficult day. It was, as I recall, a beautiful spring-like day on the outside. But, it was also the day I officially embarked on a very demanding spiritual, emotional, and physical journey. On March 12th, the previous day, I had already begun to prepare myself for the possibility of having to admit myself to a hospital for dizziness and a sudden loss of balance. These two symptoms, that were so conspicuously evident on that Thursday, were preceded by a headache and an unusual sense of fatigue on Wednesday. Thinking these were, perhaps, early symptoms of the flu or possibly the result of food poisoning, I hoped for the best-- thinking that with time and a good night s rest, these symptoms would soon disappear. Pastor s Corner continued

2 However, when I found myself stumbling into the walls on my way up the stairs that Thursday evening, I knew I would have to take action if I did not wake up the next morning feeling better. The decision to admit myself became unmistakably clear when I woke up the next day seeing double. So I fixed myself a good breakfast, packed an overnight bag, and then attempted to muster some extra energy by laying back down for a mid-morning nap. Once I arose later that morning, immediately after finishing off a cup of coffee and a glass of cranberry juice, I totally lost my ability to swallow. Little did I know then that these would be the last food items I would swallow for the next 46 days. When I arrived at the Bowie Emergency Health Center early Friday afternoon, I knew immediately that the Holy Spirit had led me to make the right choice. Amazingly, I was the only patient present at that time and was able to get checked in without much waiting. All of my vital signs were good, which was surprising to me given what felt like a major attack on my sensory systems. I laughed when the attending physician, seeing me expectorate repeatedly into a tall portable coffee mug I had brought with me from home, asked me why I was still chewing tobacco. I explained that I had only hours earlier, lost my ability to swallow. In addition to having the full attention of the medical personnel that afternoon, I was doubly blessed in that they were able to schedule me for my first MRI only minutes before the Diagnostic Center closed for the weekend. When the first results came back and began to reveal the true significance of my medical issues, I knew then that even before this became a physical matter, this was first a spiritual test. Stay tuned for A Journey with Christ to the Cross: Part II in the next edition of the newsletter February Sermon Topics/Scriptures Feb. 7th "Removing the Veil" 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:3; Exodus 34:29-35 Feb. 14th "The Blessings of Temptation" Luke 4:1-13 Feb. 21st "Do You Fully Trust God with Your Life?" Genesis 15:1-12; Pastor s Monthly Sermons March Sermon Topics/ Scriptures March 6th Where is your pig pen? Luke 15:1-3;16-32 March 13th Do you know what time it is? John 12:1-8 March 27th (Sunrise service) I have resurrection power (Bro. Angelo Brown) March 27th (Easter) From darkness to light John 20:1-18

3 BIBLE INSIGHTS God s Antidote to Anxiety "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my soul." Psalm 94:19 Anxious thoughts can flood your mind so fast you feel like three white river rapids are converging in your head. The thoughts seem to compete with each other for top billing. Before one is out the next is screaming, "no, no, this is much more awful than that silly thought. Now here's a worst case scenario for you " Soon your muscles are tense, your blood pressure is rising, your mouth is set in a grim line, and your eyes are flashing about darkly. Whoa be to anyone who happens upon you in this state, especially a child who spills a glass of milk or a driver who hesitates as a light turns green. Anxious thoughts; they multiply faster than little bunnies. God has an antidote for anxious thoughts. He wants to replace the anxious thoughts with his consolations which will delight your soul instead of terrorize it. The first time this scripture really grabbed me I was in a real stew and I could see that here God was offering a solution to me but I couldn't quite grasp what it was. What consolations was he talking about? I began to think and pray about it and ask him to reveal his consolations. God's Word is his consolation for anxiety. We can read any line of scripture and know it isn't just another opinion but it is the absolute bottom line truth. So when it says, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5) we can take that right to the bank. Or when we read, "I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11) we can face an uncertain future with real hope. And what about "Let not your heart be troubled"? (John 14:1) We can know it is possible to put away the troubles of the heart; we don't have to accept a destiny of worry or anxiety. God's character is his consolation God is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present and all-loving. What does he lack? NOTHING. Who wouldn't want to be best friends with him? Talk about an inside track. Thinking about the bigness of God causes us to see the smallness of our own troubles. God's sacrifice is his consolation If we have any doubt about God's love for us in light of whatever our current troubles are, we can dispel Bible Insights continued

4 that with thoughts about his incredible sacrifice on the cross in order to secure the most abundant life for us. "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." (John 10:10) Something that costly must have purchased a mighty big prize. We are his prize. Anxious thoughts should disintegrate as we meditate on that nugget. Knowing that God has an antidote for anxiety is the first step to our soul's delight and knowing what some of his consolations are is the second step. The third step is ACTUALLY PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE. I have that in caps because you need to shake yourself a little right now and re-read that line. If you have never tried to discipline your mind before you are in for a real battle. It is a battle you can win. If anxious thoughts have been riding roughshod over your mind for months or years or a whole lifetime you will need to build a new road. Imagine a one lane dirt highway with deep ruts where a car has been traveling back and forth for twenty years. Now you are told to ride that road and not hit those ruts. You are building new habits, developing new thought patterns. You are saying "NO" to some thoughts which try to enter your mind. You are placing a permission gate at the entrance of your mind which rejects anxiety and accepts God's consolations. Don't ask God to take away the anxious thoughts or pray that you won't have them anymore. YOU control it. That is not to say that you should not call upon the Lord to help you and to fill you with his presence which will dispel the darkness. Cry out to him and tell him of all of your struggles and ask for his strength which he will freely give. You are actually the one though, who has final authority over what thoughts you allow and disallow. As the weeks and months go by, you will see progress on your new road to stress and anxiety relief. I encourage you to keep trying. Fill your mind so full of truth and of your relationship with the Lord that there is not any room for anything else. Keep meditating on his consolations and post a "Keep Out" sign for anything else. insights.com

5 It is joy to answer the call as the editor of the Newsletter Ministry. Becoming the Beacon of Light s newest editor will be an honor and most humbling experience. I am looking forward to creating a newsletter that is inspirational, informative and uplifting. I am excited to share my talents with this ministry. My ultimate goal is to communicate truth for God s glory and to expand God s glory by spreading the good news of the gospel. This newsletter is a tremendous forum to plant seeds of hope and goodness for all of God s people. Together we can stimulate perspectives for all to grow. You may notice that some of the format has changed; such as the newsletter will be published bi-monthly instead of monthly; however, the reverent integrity established by Victoria Jones will be upheld as I take the role of the editor of the Beacon of Light newsletter. God inspires us in many ways and uses many vehicles to connect us to His kingdom. I was once told that faith makes things possible.not easy. So in faith and love we will continue to make the Beacon of Light newsletter one of God s inspirational tools. Thank you! Joyce R. Smith, Editor Reminder: Any future articles are to be sent to: joycereducates@yahoo.com by the 9th of each month.

6 THOUGHT PROVOKING I FIRST STARTED READING THIS & WAS READING FAST UNTIL I REACHED THE THIRD SENTENCE. I STOPPED AND STARTED OVER READING SLOWER AND THINKING ABOUT EVERY WORD. THIS IS VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING. MAKES YOU STOP AND THINK. READ SLOWLY! AND THEN IT IS WINTER You know... time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. But, here it is... the back nine of my life and it catches me by surprise...how did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that I was only on the first hole and the back nine was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like. But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray...they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me...but, I see the great change...not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd become. So, if you're not on the back nine yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit! So, if you're not on the back nine yet...just wait! It will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, nine or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!! "Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one. LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! HAVE A GREAT DAY Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. LIVE HAPPY IN 2016! (Continue on next page)

7 THOUGHT PROVOKING CONTINUED LASTLY, CONSIDER THIS: ~Your kids are becoming you...but your grandchildren are perfect! ~Going out is good. Coming home is better! ~You forget names... But it's OK because some people forgot they even knew you!!! ~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything like golf. ~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV 'ON' than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep. ~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch.. ~You tend to use more 4 letter words... "what?"..."when?"...??? ~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!! ~What used to be freckles are now liver spots. ~Everybody whispers. ~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet... 2 of which you will never wear. ~~~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS!! Stay well, "OLD FRIEND!" Send this on to other "Old Friends!" and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!!! It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived. Submitted by: Gloria Picket Daily Scriptures: Romans 8:28-31 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. KJV Submitted by Joyce Smith

8 Can you believe its been four years already? Congratulation!! Taylor Ware gradates on Saturday, May 7 th from Penn State University. Her parents along with her Ebenezer family are so proud of her. Taylor was inducted into the National History Honor Society of Phi Alpha Theta Below is a photo of the Middle and High School Youth group. They visited the Angels Alert III Nursing Home in Elkridge, Maryland in March. The youth enjoyed their first visit with the residents. They sang songs and listened to residents share their stories. The youth also shared their own stories. Angie Brown and Imani West performed a liturgical dance. In addition, Alex Porter sang a solo that was a favorite of his grandfather. The Youth Ministry Coordinators would like to thank Imani and her mother Jennifer, for helping to coordinate this activity. Articles submitted by Gloria Picket

9 Black History The SINGLE'S MINISTRY of Ebenezer United Methodist Church celebrated BLACK HISTORY MONTH with a visit to Publick Playhouse on February 24, 2016 to see Inauguration of Barack Obama. Following the program they enjoyed a hearty lunch. FYI APPLY FOR SENATE SCHOLARSHIPS! Do you know a high school senior or a college student from our community that is enrolled full time in a Maryland institute of higher education? Let them know they may be eligible for a Maryland State Senatorial Scholarship. The student must be a District 47 resident and attend or expect to attend a college or university in Maryland in the fall of Scholarships can be used for either undergraduate or graduate study. Access the application and instructions here. The application and all supporting documents are due on April 28, So lets get those applications completed! Good luck! New video details Black College Fund In a 2014 survey of 2,000 United Methodist church pastors and leaders, more than half had little or no knowledge about the Black College Fund (BCF). Answering this need for information, a new video, produced by The Black College Fund Office at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, details the fund s vitality and its continued need for support. Local congregations are invited to share the video in worship services, gatherings and social media posts so that all United Methodists can appreciate the fund s mission and history. Since 1972, The United Methodist Church s Black College Fund has offered support to eleven United Methodistrelated black colleges and universities, allowing the schools to nurture deep traditions and rise to new opportunities in today s competitive, tech-savvy collegiate landscape. (Continued Next page)

10 Legacy of Faith and Service Cont.inued The Black College Fund is a precious gift and I am thankful for the Church s continued investment and commitment to empowerment, leadership, service and transformation, said Cynthia Bond Hopson, Ph.D., Assistant General Secretary of The Black College Fund. The apportionments paid by local United Methodist Churches help to fund these institutions, where many of the 16,000 students struggle with the financial challenges that secondary education can bring. The students in the BCF-supported schools represent a wide-variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds, and they are training to be the next generation of leaders, both inside and outside of the church. Without the church we would not have existed. We have had 138 plus years of being connected to the church. Our service is making sure that we focus on the underserved. Without the church it would be very difficult to succeed in our mission, said Dr. A. Dexter Samuels, executive director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy at Meharry Medical College. Media Contact: Laura Buchanan lbuchanan@umcom.org To find out more, click on UMC.org. Paul Laurence Dunbar ( ) Paul Laurence Dunbar was an African-American writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries who wrote verse and short stories, many of which were written in black dialect despite the fact that he felt the marketability of dialect poetry was demeaning. He was one of the first black writers to attempt to make a living from his writing, and certainly one of the first to gain national prominence. We Wear the Mask By Paul Laurence Dunbar WE wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, This debt we pay to human guile; With torn and bleeding hearts we smile, And mouth with myriad subtleties. Why should the world be overwise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while We wear the mask. We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries to thee from tortured souls arise. We sing, but oh the clay is vile Beneath our feet, and long the mile; But let the world dream otherwise, We wear the mask! Submitted by Pearl P. Smith-Jones

11 Women in God s Service Women s Day 2016 Women s Day Service Sunday, May 15, :00am Exciting Guest Speaker Women s Day Prayer Breakfast Saturday April 23, 2016 Tickets $20.00 All are invited to attend! Sponsored by the Women of Ebenezer United Methodist Church United Methodist Men of Ebenezer The United Methodist Men of Ebenezer will sponsor a free concert featuring the Sensational Nightingales, Friday April 22, Doors open at 6:00 pm. Concert begins at 7:00pm. No tickets required. A free will offering will be collected. For additional information, please contact UMM Activities Chairperson, Brother David King. WITNESS/VISITATION MINISTRY The next Witness/Visitation community walk has been scheduled for Saturday, April 30, During this community walk/visit - we would like for as many members of our church family to come out and spend some quality time with us visiting our neighbors. The area to be visited is Saint Josephs Drive, located in Bowie, MD. At this time, we will be inviting our neighbors to come out to our church services, and Sunday School. We will meet at the church at 10:30 am. and we will depart from the church at 11:00 am. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Planning Team Committee Members. Peace and Blessings -- Sisters: Shirley J. Hopkins, Victoria Jones and Brother Donald Jackson

12 May God continue to bless you on your special day and may your day be filled with joy, love, and peace. Happy Birthday to All For the month of February 1 Eric B. Danielle B. Alice J. 2 Malcolm M. 3 William M. 4 Jocelyn S. Joyce S. 5 Joanne B. 6 Joilyn S. 9 Derrick D. Edith W. 10 Doug J. Jennifer W. 11 Naomi K. 12 Janet S. 13 Pastor Venson 14 Dorothy K. 18 Betty B. 19 Jobie B. 24 Carol S. 27 Angela B. 28 Pearl J. Happy Birthday to All For the month of March 3 Linda P. 4 John G. Aaron W. Jr. 6 Caprice B. 10 Eddimae T. 11 Suella W. Carolyn W. 13 William B. Melissa R. Nakita S. 14 Cordelia M. 15 Curtis M. 16 Jacqueline B. 17 Sonya R. Darrell J. 18 Alabama B. 19 Diane S. 21 Bernadette B. Kendra F. 28 Shirley H. Aaron W., Sr.

13 May God continue to bless you on your special day and may your day be filled with joy, love, and peace. Celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary on February 11th The Watkins Celebrating their 34th wedding anniversary on February 14th The Pittmons Celebrating their 42nd wedding Anniversary on March 30th The Jacksons

14 EBENEZER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 4912 Whitfield Chapel Road Lanham, MD Phone: Come see us on the web! Beacon of Light We are now on Facebook!! Check us out on Instagram and