UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Transcription

1 UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Our Gifts & Presence Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018 Total Worship Total Sunday School...16 Budget....$745 WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE, BUT.... On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, Let us go across to the other side. 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace! Be still! Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith? 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? Mark 4:35-41 RAIN! HURRICANES! FLOODS! It seems that everywhere we look be it TV, Newspaper, Internet, or we hear it on the radio.... there is NEWS about Water! As I was coming to work this morning, the lake by our house, Lake Arlington, is for the 5 th time since BJ and I have lived there.... out of its banks! Harvey. Irma. Sandy. Ike. Katrina. Andrew. Agnes. Sounds like names from people at work or the names of old college friends. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1953 began giving women s names (and in 1979 alternating with male names) to what have been some of the most devastating hurricanes and storms in history. These are storms whose impact on the lives of people continue long after the clouds have parted, the floods receded and the winds died down. Perhaps we have given a donation through our church or the Red Cross to help victims. Perhaps, we have said prayers for the people, but then we go on with our lives while the victims of such storms deal with repairing and rebuilding their homes Cont. next page (817)

2 cont. from front page and lives for years. The word "hurricane" is itself derived from the Spanish word huracan, which was likely inspired by the Mayan storm god Hurakan. Ancient peoples often put names to forces of nature that were mysterious and destructive as a way of attempting to control or manipulate them. Of course, we know you can't control a hurricane, but naming it at least gives us a way of identifying a common natural enemy. The Fishermen in the boat that day with Jesus, were Jews from Galilee not pagans, and they believed in the one Creator God, but they also knew that these storms were a real threat to their lives and livelihoods. In reading in the first books of the Bible, we remember that the sea represents chaos. We also remember when we read further, God brought order out of the chaos. We also remember how God brought storms to destroy evil in the world, but that God saved Noah and his family and that the sign of a rainbow in the sky was God s promise that the earth would never be destroyed again. When we become afraid because of hard times, debilitating disease or health, we need just to look to God through Jesus Christ and remember that we do not face these hardships alone, God is with us, and God is in control.... EVERYTHING will be ALL RIGHT..... We just don t always know what All Right looks like.... We have to Believe.... We have to have Faith! Put on Christ as your Life Jacket and remember whose Boat we are in! In God s Love, Pastor Judy I am saddened to hear of the closing of Handley Methodist. Like many families, we celebrated major life events there; Weddings, funerals, family worship time, Fall Festival just to name a few. My parents were an integral part of the church family there for many years. I know my mother would be the first to say that a church is not a building but the people in the building. I pray for each of you during this difficult time. Christi Spracklen Ragsdale Dear Judy and members of Handley UMC, There are tears in my eyes as I read the first page of today's newsletter...just the thought of not having Handley to go home to whenever I return to Ft Worth just hurts so much. There's so many wonderful memories...god has done so much in SO many lives through the members of this precious church. I came there with My daddy, John McClung, and my precious Jean. And our Bud and Dorothy Claiborne...yes, daddy, Bud and Memaw are gone, but the treasured memories never will be. I loved sitting too with Pat Hill and Bette Perot and so many others that I've known all my life...bill and Wade. Handley is coming HOME to those who love you with the love of Jesus Christ. I'll be praying for His will on the Vote. God Bless You All. Love you, Paula McClung Camp

3 Bruce s Bible Study In this series, I've been doing a history of worship (ours in particular, and why we do what we do). It's not a "direct" Bible study, but good worship is always Biblically based! There; I have spoken! Our previous two columns have been on the Wesley brothers, and there's more to come. You can tell I'm a true Methodist by the care I give to them! They would also definitely agree with my definition of worship! In the last column, I wrote about John Wesley's famous Aldersgate Street (London) experience, when he felt his heart "strangely warmed." He had believed previously (after all, he was an ordained Church of England minister) that Christ had definitely died for the sins of the world, but the church in his time thought that one could never know for sure that sins were forgiven, but could only live in hope, living the best-behaviored life possible. The Moravian Brethren he encountered enroute to his unpleasant stay in America (Georgia) and when he returned to England convinced him otherwise, and the Aldersgate Street experience was when he received that absolute assurance that not only did Christ die (generically) for the sins of the world, but He had died for the personal sins of Rev. John Wesley! That was the beginning of the Methodist movement (later, Methodist denominations). John's brother Charles had had the same experience three days earlier. He became the great hymn writer and was evidently the more passionate preacher, whereas John was the steady, systematic, logical theologian. Their doctrine of personal assurance caused them to be branded as "enthusiasts" (some said fanatics), and a lot of churches were closed to Wesley's preaching so he preached in the fields or wherever he could The result was that he reached hundreds of people who had not darkened the doors of churches for a long, long time. John Wesley preferred a Church of Englandstyle worship service---what we would call moderately "high church." The librarian in my seminary once did Wesley's service for morning prayer in chapel, and one of my classmates asked another as they came out, "Did you go to Mass this morning??" He refused to let his Methodist preachers separate to form a separate denomination, and the buildings where they met were always very simple in architecture so that people would not confuse them with churches of a separate denomination. The Wesleys emphasized biblical preaching, and Charles's magnificent hymns, which usually used familiar ballad tunes, with the words of the hymns set to them, played a large part in that..and, as you know, hymns are always a big part of Methodist worship! On my birthday back in 1977, I met a delightful couple in Glencoe, Scotland. He was Scottish by birth, and his wife was English. They lived in England (Lichfield). He was Church of England, but she was Methodist, and he said he loved to go to the Methodist services because the singing was so good! In the Wesleys' time, there were always those who thought that they were out to undercut the national church (Episcopal) and were traitors in disguise. It was said that you could always spot a Methodist chapel or meeting hall by two signs: the rotten eggs and tomatoes thrown at the outside by those who were suspicious of the Methodist movement----and by the spirited singing that was going on inside! Incidentally, many of the hearers of the Wesleyan message had little or no education, and Charles's superb hymns helped educate them. He and John both always strongly emphasized the importance of education--- and, since I teach at Texas WESLEYAN, I could not agree more! More next week! Please continue to bring pantry, diapers, and hygiene items for Eastside Ministries. Thank YOU!

4 New Date! Sunday, November 4 Please be thinking about bringing nice items or gift baskets for silent bidding. At the request of the Cut-ups, this year s quilt sale will instead be a drawing from names of those who are currently attending Handley UMC. We will not be selling raffle tickets after all. Good luck everyone! There will be a Charge Conference here at Handley United Methodist Church. It will be immediately following worship on Sunday, October 28, All of those in attendance who are Full Members of Handley UMC will be given a paper ballot to vote YES or NO on the one item being voted on. Life Line Screening is coming here Tuesday, Oct 30, 2018 All Day Event in Fellowship Hall This Health Fair is conducted by an independent group that does charge a fee for the services and I have registration flyers in the office that include a discount. The state of Texas requires you to preregister a minimum of 48 hours ahead, so please Don t Just Drop In!

5 Thought you all might like to read this if you haven t in a while... This signage is on the church property by the Handley St. driveway.

6 October 15, Forest Ave Ft. Worth, Texas Address Service Requested Church Office: Church Fax: Meetings & Events Schedule Handley United Methodist Church October 17 Backpack Buddies Wonderful Wednesday October 22 Friendship Circle October 23 Grace Circle October 24 Backpack Buddies Wonderful Wednesday October 28 Called Church Charge Conference October 30 Lifeline Screening October 31 Backpack Buddies Wonderful Wednesday November Highlights November 4 HUMC Fall Festival Daylight Savings Time Ends FALL BACK! November 6 Elections /Voting November 18 Thanksgiving Lunch Usher Schedule 10/21 Nedia Dryden s Group 10/28 Mike Williams Group Sunday s Service: The GREATEST Mark 10:35-45