Prints of Peace. January Church Office pm (Mon - Thurs) Phone Website

Transcription

1 Prints of Peace January 2014 Church Office pm (Mon - Thurs) Phone asburyada@sbcglobal.net Website Sunday Schedule Sunday School 9.30am Morning Worship 10.30am A New Start I will start anew this morning with higher, fairer creed; I will cease to stand complaining of my ruthless neighbor s greed; I will cease to sit repining while my duty s call is clear; I will waste no moment whining, and my heart shall know no fear; I will look sometimes about me for the things that merit praise; I will search for hidden beauties that elude the grumbler s gaze. I will try to find contentment in the paths that I must tread; I will cease to have resentment when another moves ahead. I will not be swayed by envy when my rival s strength is shown; I will not deny his merit, but I will strive to prove my own; I will try to see the beauty spread before me, rain or shine; I will cease to preach your duty, and be more concerned with mine.

2 Book Nook Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurdnard If you have something you would like to be included in the next newsletter please call or the office and we will make note for next month! What great book have you read recently?

3 Pastor s Corner: Rev. Temple Diehl Beloved, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. - John 1:1 As 2013 has come and gone, we reflect on what God has done, in both ministry and in us. As we begin 2014 let us resolve to draw closer to God. Trust God, as we plan ministries and faith building worship services. May we seek God s will for this church, this community, and ourselves in a deeper way. I personally can t wait to see what God will do in this place, in our lives, and in this community. We can pray, worship, humble ourselves, and go along for the ride, hanging on to the Holy Spirit. Happy New Year! See you Sunday, Temple

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5 Bishop s Corner: Bishop Robert Hayes Jr. It s a Conspiracy! "A green Shoot will sprout from Jesse s stump, from his roots a budding Branch. The life -giving Spirit of God will hover over him, the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding, the Spirit that gives direction and builds strength, the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-God. Fear-of-God will be all his joy and delight. He won t judge by appearances, won t decide on the basis of hearsay. He ll judge the needy by what is right, render decisions on earth s poor with justice. His words will bring everyone to awed attention. A mere breath from his lips will topple the wicked." (Isaiah 11:1-4, The Message) Words can betray us. We think we know their meaning, but we don t. One such word: conspiracy. Be honest with me it s likely you will think of a devious scheme. Even Mr. Webster defines the word as a plot, a secret agreement to do an unlawful or wrongful act. There you have it. It s the dictionary definition. It s not our fault that we believe conspiracy means some wicked activity, that we naturally conclude somebody is up to something sinister when the word conspiracy is used. However, there also can be a conspiracy of good! Read the dictionary s second definition of this word. You ll discover Mr. Webster has more to say. You will find that conspiracy also means to act in harmony toward a common end. I bring this to your attention during this Advent/Christmas season because the Great God who created heaven and earth and everything in it is up to something! There is a conspiracy going on. Don t miss it. It is nothing less than a conspiracy of goodness! Continued on following page

6 Continued from Bishop s corner on previous page God s plan gives us someone whose "words will bring everyone to awed attention, and whose mere breath will topple the wicked"! The prophets such as Isaiah knew this. They knew God was planning a spectacular, earth-shattering action for GOOD. They didn t know when, but they were convinced that God had been scheming since Adam s fall. Isaiah probably knew more than most, because he boldly proclaimed "a child will be born to us and a son will be given." He goes so far as to say that child will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) Isaiah even identifies the ancestry and place from which this gift of God was to come: "a shoot from the stump of Jesse" (the father of David), from a virgin s womb, in the city of Bethlehem. Sure enough, nearing that tiny town one night, two weary travelers stumbled their way to a crowded inn, only to find there was no room. And the plot began to thicken. A child was born, and suddenly a host of angels gathered to form a heavenly chorus. Ordinary shepherds were summoned to be witnesses, and wise men trekked to see the child, following a star. Some years later another prophet, whose name was John the Baptist, emerged from the wilderness and added to the conspiracy theories. He proclaimed someone would come "that is more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie." (Mark 1:7) I could write much more on all the details of this scheme. But let s return to Webster s definition that conspiracy means to act in harmony toward a common end. This so-called conspiracy didn t begin in Bethlehem. Not with a star in the East. Not with shepherds watching over their flocks one night. This scheme didn t start with an imperial decree about taxes. Not even with Mary and Joseph. This conspiracy of goodness began with a redemptive purpose in the heart of God. God plans nothing less than the restoration of the world. In holy harmony, the Most High works toward the common end of reconciling us unto God. Individuals and institutions can be redeemed and restored. Author James Reid said, "Jesus did not just appear for a moment, like a flash from across the frontiers of the world, and then vanish into darkness. He dwells among us, living our lives, sharing our troubles, entering our sorrows and our joys, and bearing our burdens. He identifies himself with humanity at every point." In this great demonstration of God s love, I realize that the light still shines from Bethlehem and that the darkness of our world has not been able to extinguish it.

7 Coming Soon! Can You Recognize the Signs of a Stroke? Do you know how to recognize the warning signs of a stroke? If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the below symptoms, call 911 right away. It is important to seek medical treatment immediately. Sudden Numbness Difficulty Speaking Severe Dizziness Loss of Coordination Sudden Loss of Vision Sudden Intense Headache Brief Loss of Consciousness Protect your health by finding out your risk of having a stroke by participating in the Life Line Screening that will be at Asbury United Methodist Church on Monday, February 10, Through ultrasound we evaluate the carotid arteries for the buildup of fatty plaque, which is the leading cause of stroke. Please note that you must sign up on either the provided registration sheet (available on the flyers) or by calling the special Helping Hands registration number, which is , in order for us to receive our $10 donation as well. If you prefer to visit the exclusive Helping Hands website to register, you may do so by visiting You must sign up one of these three ways in order to get both the $10 discount as well as the $10 donation for our organization. In addition, please take just three minutes to learn more about Life Line Screening by watching this short three-minute video: Re-Ignite Workshop: Hearts Afire Saturday February 15, 2014 Registration must be submitted by February 10th, with $12 fee. For more information contact: Kathleen Hatmaker (580) ; ardmoredistrict@sbcglobal.net Aly Shahan (405) ; ashahan@okumc.org (Registration forms are available at the church office)

8 January Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday New Years Day Offices Closed Food Pick Up No Food Pantry The WAY Choir Food Pantry Finance Meeting The WAY Food Pick Up Choir Food Pantry Spaghetti Pot Luck Offices Closed The WAY Choir Spectacular Food Pantry The WAY Choir Food Pantry

9 Birthdays & Anniversaries Happy Birthday! John Whelchel 1/10 Ron Ward 1/16 Glen Harris 1/19 Betty Binkley 1/21 Happy Anniversary! Paul & Cindy Keefer 1/6 Jason & Temple Diehl 1/9 If we missed your birthday or anniversary we apologize and wish you the happiest of days! Please contact our offices so we can make sure to include you in the announcements the next time.

10 January is. National Blood Donor Month: Blood is traditionally in short supply during the winter months due to the holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather and illness. January, in particular, is a difficult month for blood centers to collect blood donations. A reduction in turnout can put our nation s blood inventory at a critical low. Every 2 seconds someone needs blood. Go and donate today! Ditch the New Years Resolutions Day: January 17th If there's a day to celebrate New Years and to make resolutions for the upcoming year, then there should be a day to ditch those resolutions. That's the reason for today. Winnie the Pooh Day: Winnie the Pooh Day is an opportunity to enjoy your favorite bear and all of his friends. This day was created to celebrate the birth of A.A.Milne in He was an author of children's story books, and created Winnie the Pooh and his friends. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday: January 20th Born on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. grew to become one of the greatest Social Activists the world has ever known. At 35, he became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace prize. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 while making a speech from the balcony of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee. His birthday became a National Holiday by an act of Congress in 1983.