|
Ed.
Note: These musings appear on the
front page of the Trinity Newsletter
that is published weekly. I post
here some of the ones which don't
address the news about things going on
at the church, but, rather, reflect our
Pastor's philosophy and pastoral care.
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January 3, 2012 . . . . . . . . .
rejoice...
The end of a year and the beginning of a new
year always brings mixed emotions. There
is joy over the good things of the past year
and sadness over the things that we wish would
not
have happened. There is also anxiety
concerning the new year, mixed with optimism
and anticipation. Charlie Brown once
told Linus, “You know how I always dread the
new year? Well, this year, I’m only
going to dread one day at a time.”
Philippians 4:4 says, “Always be full of joy
in the Lord; I say it again, Rejoice!”
(The Living Bible) This is such a
positive statement, yet it is very difficult
to live up to. So many things seem to
get us down. Many of these are trivial
things that we face daily, but we still “make
mountains out of molehills.” However,
Jesus said that we can move mountains with the
faith of a tiny mustard seed. We need
not be overwhelmed by the mountains that we
face.
We should praise the Lord at all times.
The Bible tells us that God inhabits
praise. When we praise Him, we naturally
feel closer to Him. When we feel far
away from God’s presence, or forgotten, hurt,
or depressed, we should praise the Lord.
It is difficult, but His presence is more
evident when we are praising Him than when we
forget about Him and worry about things.
If we didn’t praise the Lord, the rocks and
trees would shout His praises (for heaven and
earth are full of His glory). Let us
remember to be full of joy in
all that we do in 2012. I say it again,
rejoice We have much to rejoice about.
God has been with us throughout the last
year. Sure, there have been difficulties
and pain. All of us were touched in some
way or another by the tornadoes (some much
more so than others). Some of us
experienced losses of some kind or
another. Through it all, God has been
with us. God has been walking alongside
of us, guiding us and giving us opportunities
to be in ministry. Members have shared
their time and talents for God’s Kingdom
through Trinity. God has used them to
better the lives of others.
2012 can be even better.
It will take our faithfulness for it to be
better. We all must be faithful to the
Lord and seek to do His will as individuals
and as a church. If we allow God to work
through us, He can work miracles. We
must be faithful to our vows made before God
and His people to support the church with our
prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service,
and our witness. By standing by our
word, Trinity U.M.C. can be known as a vital,
growing church!
Blessings,
Bro. Ron
December 18, 2011 . . . . . . .
How to Treat a Mugger
Michael Garofalo reported a story for all
of us to take note.
Julio Diaz, a 31-year-old social worker,
usually ends his hour-long subway commute to
the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat
at his favorite diner. One night, as
Diaz stepped off the train and onto a nearly
empty platform, his evening took an unexpected
turn. A teenage boy approached and
pulled out a knife. Diaz says, “He wants
my money, so I just gave him my wallet and
told him, ‘Here you go.’” As the teen
began to walk away, Diaz told him, “Hey, wait
a minute. You forgot something. If you’re
going to be robbing people for the rest of the
night, you might as well take my coat to keep
you warm.” The robber looked at him,
“like what’s going on here?” Diaz says. “He
asked me, ‘Why are you doing this?’”
Diaz replied: “If you’re willing to risk your
freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you
must really need the money. I mean, all I
wanted to do was get dinner and if you really
want to join me ... hey, you’re more than
welcome.” “You know, I just felt maybe
he really needs help,” Diaz says. He and
the teen went into the diner and sat in a
booth. “The manager comes by, the
dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to
say hi,” Diaz says. “The kid was like,
‘You know everybody here. Do you own this
place?’” “No, I just eat here a lot,”
Diaz says he
told the teen. “He says, ‘But you’re even nice
to the dishwasher.’” Diaz replied,
“Well, haven’t you been taught you should be
nice to everybody?” “Yea, but I didn’t
think people actually behaved that way,” the
teen said Diaz asked him what he wanted out of
life. “He just had almost a sad face,” Diaz
says. The teen couldn’t answer Diaz — or
he didn’t want to. When the bill
arrived, Diaz told the teen, “Look, I guess
you’re going to have to pay for this bill
‘cause you have my money and I can’t pay for
this. So if you give me my wallet back,
I’ll gladly treat you.” The teen “didn’t
even think about it” and returned the wallet,
Diaz says. “I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe
it’ll help him. I don’t know.” Diaz says he
asked for something in return — the teen’s
knife — “and he gave it to me.”
Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what
happened, she said, “You’re the type of kid
that if someone asked you for the time, you
gave them your watch.”
“I figure, you know, if you
treat people right, you can only hope that
they treat you right. It’s as simple as it
gets in this complicated world.”
The angels sang at Jesus’ birth, “Glory to God
in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill
toward men.” (KJV) Diaz’s story brings
the message of Christmas home. Jesus
treated the world with compassion and love,
despite the fact that the world would put Him
to death. We are to love, even when we
are mistreated. We are to meet our
enemies with actions that express Christ’s
love in such a way that they know that there
is a difference in our lives. It isn’t
our natural response, but it is the witness of
the living Christ.
Let Christ be born in you and borne through
you each day!
Blessings,
Bro. Ron
December 11, 2011 . . . . . . . . . .
Making Room...
We are coming up on the third
Sunday in Advent. Advent is the first season
of the Christian liturgical year. “Advent” is
derived from the Latin word for “coming.” It
is a season of preparation before Christmas in
which we remember the Jews’ anticipation of
the coming of the Christ Child. It is a time
to celebrate the coming of Jesus in Bethlehem
and to prepare for His second coming.
Often, the time before Christmas is a time of
preparation. We make all kinds of
preparations, but preparations for what?
Preparations for trips, parties, meals,
Christmas shopping, gift wrapping (and/or
assembling), etc. become the focus of our
concern. We reach a point in which we
anticipate the end of the holidays, rather
than the celebration of these holy days. Our
schedules can become so busy that we become
like the people of Bethlehem— unaware of the
wonderful event happening in their midst. We
become so preoccupied with our own lives that
we, like the innkeeper, have no room for
Jesus.
There are several opportunities left to make
room for Jesus in your Advent/Christmas
season. In addition to quiet times with God
and special performances on television or in
person, we will have a Christmas Eve communion
service at 1:00 pm on December 24th. The time
was chosen because many will be off work by
that time and many traditional family
gatherings won’t get in full swing until later
in the day. On Christmas day, we will
not have
Sunday School, but we will have worship at
10:30 am. We will take a time out of our
hectic Christmas mornings to celebrate God’s
great gift to us. We become so consumed
by Christmas shopping, etc. that we forget
about the greatest gift ever
given—Immanuel—God With Us. Have you ever been
disappointed in a gift that you’ve received?
There is one gift that will never
disappoint—Jesus. This is a season of
giving gifts. Offer a loved one the
opportunity to accept this wonderful gift. Let
them experience this gift through you.
Blessings,
Bro. Ron
November 1, 2011 . . . . . . . . . .
The
Greatest day...
What a great day we had celebrating Brandon
Memorial/Trinity’s 100 years of
ministry! The band did an outstanding
job playing some of the great hymns of the
Church. Dr. Ralph Bates, a former pastor
of Trinity, brought laughs and inspiration
during his message. He reminded us, “The
church is the only institution that keeps
telling us we ought to love one another — that
there’s a second chance.” He also
reminded us that everyone needs the church.
Following the worship service, we celebrated
more in the fellowship hall. Sarah
Caldwell and the Archives Committee had
decorated the fellowship hall
beautifully. The displays were
creative and engaging. Carol Taylor and
others made sure that the food was organized
and ready to be served. Louis Buettner
led us in a time of remembrance. It was
indeed a time of
celebration and inspiration! Jason
Morton, staff writer for the “Tuscaloosa
News,” wrote, “A lot of things can change in
100 years, but the spirit of hope and love
found at Trinity United Methodist Church is
not among them.” Morton did an excellent
job on his article about our Centennial
Celebration.
Clarence W. Cranford writes about a
conversation that Dr. Roy Burkhart had on a
trip to visit relatives in Pennsylvania.
He says that Burkhart was met in Harrisburg
and taken to his home. The
relative who was driving pointed to a river
that they were crossing and said that he was
baptized in that river forty years
before. He went on to say that
it was the greatest day of his life.
Burkhart replied, “I’m sure it was a great day
in your life. But do you want
to know the greatest day in my life?”
The other man said, “Yes.” Burkhart
turned to him and said, “Tomorrow.”
Trinity has a great history, but we have a
future before us. God isn’t through with
us. He calls us to reach out in His name
with His love to the campus and our
community. God will bless us as we
remain faithful to His calling. It is
important that we live out of the past and not
simply in it. We do honor to those who
have gone before us when we build upon what
they have so faithfully done before us.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a
great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so
easily entangles. And let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us.”
(Hebrews 12:1-3)
Blessings,
Bro. Ron
October 12, 2011 . . . . . . . . . . .
The Only Jesus Some Will Ever See...
Last week, there was a flurry of activity
at Trinity. Along with our usual church
activities, there were many other things going
on.
Monday morning, there was a group of older
adults having a line dancing class. Zumba, a
Latin-style aerobics class, was being taught
in the evening, after a group from the Capitol
School met. The Delta Gamma Sorority was
working on their homecoming yard display in
the fellowship hall as well. On Tuesday,
Alcoholics Anonymous and a support group for
those dealing with depression and bi-polar
were meeting. The Wesley Foundation held their
weekly worship service on Tuesday night.
Wednesday was a busy day. The girls from the
sorority were hard at work on their yard
display throughout the day. We had Wednesday
night supper and an interesting program. The
sorority and some young men worked while we
ate and had our program. The thing that
impressed me (and I think it impressed our
guests) was the way that our members included
these young men and women. When we asked who
had a birthday during the week, several of the
students pointed out one of their group. We
sang “Happy Birthday” to our members and to
the student. At one point, Martha
Strickland walked over to the student and
handed him a birthday cupcake. It was a nice
moment of hospitality and reaching out in
Christian love. Thursday, a group of china
painters
enjoyed their craft. Our noon soup lunch was
enjoyed by a group who went upstairs and heard
Laryne Williford perform beautiful pieces on
the piano. There were several from the
University and Laryne’s family as well there.
Thursday evening, a group of students met for
a time of worship. There were other activities
and groups that met during the week.
One of the things that I have been hearing
lately is that Trinity is a place where people
can feel welcome. I was approached last week
by someone whose Bible study group has
outgrown their current location and wanted to
know if it was possible to check out what we
may be able to offer them. The man, a
professor at UA said that he had heard that
Trinity welcomes people.
We are to welcome people into our church,
worship services, groups, and our lives in the
name of Christ. We are to reach out to them
with the love of Christ. Someone once said,
“You’re the only Jesus some will ever see.
You’re the only words of life some will ever
read.” Remember that we are the Body of Christ
in the world today. Each of us is a part of
the Body of Christ. Let’s reach out to this
community and the world for Christ!
Blessings,
Bro. Ron
October 2, 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It’s All About
Choices...
Erwin
McManus says that the divine potential
of each moment is unlocked by the choices we
make. Each moment’s personal, historic, and
eternal value is directly related to the
choices we must make within it. “When we talk
about spiritual activity, we think of praying,
meditating, or reading God’s Word, but there
is nothing more spiritual than choices,” says
Erwin. “All other activities we describe as
spiritual are a result of choices.” Choices
unlock divine moments. Some choices in a
moment change our lives forever.
“Everything
comes out of choices,” says Erwin. “Many of us
don’t realize that
we were created to make choices.” Once
on a family vacation on a beach in Florida,
Erwin spotted a double amputee making his way
down the beach on crutches. After one crutch
slipped, the man fell in the sand. ‘It all
happened in an instant, long enough for me to
see him to my right and choose to turn to my
left,” says Erwin. His son, Aaron, saw the man
and said, “I have to go help that man.” The
words pierced Erwin, and all he could say was,
“Then go help him.” Erwin watched his son pick
the man up. As Aaron struggled to help the man
to the hotel deck, a crowd moved toward them.
Someone from the group picked up the crutches;
others helped the man. Because of Aaron’s
initiative, the others came to his aid. Aaron
seized on his divine moment; Erwin was stuck
in a moment he couldn’t get out of.
The abundant life that Jesus promises is
ushered in through the choices we make in the
ordinary moments of life. “Those who
change the world, who make a difference in
history….have at least one thing in common:
they do something,” says Erwin. “If there is
one secret to seizing your divine moment, it
is that you must take initiative.” We
think that what the human spirit needs is the
promise that everything is going to be all
right. Erwin reminds us that we are to trust
in the character of God and follow Him into
the unknown.
In the Bible, Jonathan was certain about some
things, yet he was able to operate in the
realm of uncertainty. Come let us go
over to the outpost of those uncircumcised
fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act in our
behalf. “If we are going to seize our divine
moments, we must accept the reality that we
have no control over many things,” says
Erwin. “We must instead take
responsibility for what we do have control
over: how we choose to live.”
God gives us opportunities every day.
Listen for His nudges and leadings and make
the choice to act. Experience God’s presence
and power every day.
Blessings,
Bro. Ron
September 2, 2011 . . . . . . . . . . .
Coming To Life...
I
have to admit that I like the fall when
students get back and
things start coming back to life
around here. This year, I’ve been
better able to know what’s going on
around campus and Trinity.
I
volunteered to help students move into dorms,
one day last year. This year, I was
able to help two days. I was thrilled that
some of the students that I had met the
day before actually came to worship.
It was good to see some familiar
faces among the students, but it was great
to see new students come to worship
with us. I was also thrilled
to see
how Trinity members reach out and welcome
these students that God
has
gifted us with.
A
number of Trinity members showed up at the
Wesley Foundation’s “block party” that
was held in the yard at Trinity.
It was
great seeing these members
welcome
students and answer questions that students
had about Trinity.
Our Wednesday Night Suppers and programs have
been wonderful! Lynette Versace has
done an outstanding job preparing
the meals. Attendance has improved
dramatically over last year. In addition to
having some guest speakers sharing some
interesting topics, we’ve started a
four-session study called “ReThink Church”.
This study
examines the areas of church life that relate
to the message and mission of
Jesus.
Our newest endeavor is the Noon Bible Study on
Thursdays. This is an opportunity for those
who work near Trinity (as well as students) to
come and have an inexpensive meal and a short
Bible study. This study is based on the book,
The Parable of Joy: Reflections
on the Wisdom of the Book of John by Michael
Card. It’s an interesting look at the powerful
gospel. We had a good first study. Those who
participated enjoyed some good soup, salad,
and dessert for $2.00. I was very encouraged
that Trinity folks have invited others to come
and these visitors said that they would come
back!
I haven’t even mentioned how generous members
have been with their time and money to help
with tornado relief. It has been a blessing to
me to see what God can do through those who
open their heart to Him. Continue to
pray for Trinity. We are at an important time
in our history. We must reach out in the name
of Christ and bring others to this place where
they can “belong, believe, and become in
Christ Jesus.”
Blessings,
Bro. Ron
June 12, 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Every
Key
I
came across an old newsletter article that
I had read years ago. It caught my
eye then and caused me to stop and
think. The message is plain, even though
the words may not be “Xvxn
my typxwritxr is an old modxl. It
works quitx wxll, xxcxpt for onx kxy.
I havx wishxd many timxs that it workxd
pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx
46 kxys that function wxll xnough, but
just onx kxy makxs all thx diffxrxncx.
“Somxtimxs it sxxms to mx that thx church
is somxwhat likx my typxwritxr. Not
all thx kxys arx working
propxrly. You may say to yoursxlf,
‘Wxll, I am only onx pxrson. I won’t makx
or brxak thx church.’ But it doxs makx
a
diffxrxncx becausx thx church
nxxds thx activx participation of xvxry mxmbxr.
So, thx nxxt timx you think
you arx only onx pxrson, and that your xfforts
arx
not nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr my typxwritxr
and say to yoursxlf, ‘I am a
kxy pxrson in thx church and I am nxxdxd
vxry
much.’” Almost
everyone is guilty of thinking that
their contribution of time, talents,
or
treasures won’t be missed. A
little thing here, a little thing there—little
things everywhere prevent a
church from moving forward,
Trinity
has a long, rich history of committed
Christians who followed God’s leading
and stepped forward in faith to
do things to further His kingdom in this
community. Don’t allow yourself
to think that your contribution isn’t important.
According to 1 Corinthians 12:21-23a;
27, “The eye can’t say to
the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the
head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need
you!’ On the contrary, those parts of
the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
and the parts that we think
are less honorable we treat with special
honor…Now you are the body of
Christ, and each one of you is a part of
it.”
Remember, in the Body of Christ, xach onx
of
us is important!
In
Christ’s love,
Bro.
Ron
May 11, 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The
Songs of Zion
The recent tornadoes have struck at more
than the homes and businesses that were
damaged or destroyed. They struck at more
than
the people who were injured, killed,
or lost property. They struck our
sense of security.
Our sense of security is precious,
yet often taken for granted. I understand
that one of the emotional
traumas of earthquakes is the loss
of security. When you can’t trust
the ground beneath you, what can
you trust? We have lived so long
with the notion that so many things
can’t happen to us that when one
of those things actually does happen,
our whole sense of security is
threatened. Besides the generosity
of many people from around the
country, I think that one of the reasons
for the out-pouring of money
and supplies is that people can see
that something like that can happen
to them.
In Psalm 137, the Psalmist speaks
of a time the Hebrew people experienced
an attack on their sense of
security when foreigners captured
Jerusalem and exiled them to Babylon.
They were taunted by their
captors who told them to sing the
songs of Zion. The songs of Zion
spoke of Jerusalem and God’s protection.
Their faith was shaken in
the God spoken of in these songs.
They couldn’t sing because they
were heartbroken. They could remember
Zion though. They held
on to that sacred memory. It helped
them through their time of exile.
We have a sacred memory too. We
know that Jesus died on the cross
and has gone before us. He has
conquered sin and death. Chris
Waddle wrote, “Christianity is a
faith based on a disaster—the
Crucifixion.
But, there is always a last
chapter in the gospel. It is the
Resurrection
and eternal life. We do
not remain forsaken.”
Blessings,
Bro. Ron
April 24, 2011 (Easter Sunday) . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
Victory!
With computers being able to create
amazing special effects, we have come to a
point in which seeing isn’t always believing.
When I see a picture or a video of something
that’s amazing, my first thought is to
question whether or not it’s real. We
sometimes say, “If I hadn’t seen it, I
wouldn’t have believed it.” Now, we don’t
always believe it when we see it.
In Jesus’ day, they didn’t have special
effects to trick the mind into believing
things that aren’t real. Most people trusted
their eyes, so it’s no wonder that the
disciple, Thomas, said that he wouldn’t
believe that Jesus had risen from the dead
unless he could see the wounds for himself. He
said that he would have to put his finger in
the nail holes and his hand in Jesus’ side.
Then, a remarkable thing happened. Jesus
appeared to Thomas! He offered His wounds to
Thomas. The Bible doesn’t tell us that Thomas
touched the wounds. We’re told that Thomas’
response was to proclaim, “My Lord and my
God!” He saw the risen Christ and believed.
It’s interesting that after the
crucifixion, the disciples were huddled
together, hiding in fear. They were despondent. They had lost
their master and teacher.
Their hope was shattered. They felt lost.
After the Resurrection, the disciples boldly
proclaimed the Good News to all who would
hear. They were so passionate about sharing
that victorious message that they were willing
to die for their faith (and most did).
They knew victory! Their master would be with
them, no matter what. They had experienced the
risen Christ for themselves!
It makes me wonder… on which side of
Easter do we live our lives? Do we walk
around with joy? Do we have a sense that we
have victory? Have you ever seen ball
players who know that they have a big victory in hand? They can
barely sit or stand still!
They smile and have a joy that is obvious.
As Christians, we have victory! Sin and
death have been conquered! Think about that.
We don’t have to fear death. Death couldn’t
hold Jesus and it won’t hold us! Our master is
alive and with us!
Let’s live on this side of Easter.
Let’s tell the Good News and live our
lives with the victory of the
Resurrection in our hearts and attitudes.
Happy
Easter!
Blessings,
Bro. Ron
January 4, 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
A
Light In the Darkness
Epiphany is a season of light. The Savior, the
Light of the World, broke into this dark world
and was made manifest to all the world. We begin
this season with the remembrance of the wise
men. We celebrate that Christ came for all the
world.
When I was serving another church, it usually
fell upon me to lock the doors and turn off the
lights before going to the parsonage (which was
next door). The last thing to do before
leaving was to turn on the burglar alarm. I had
a choice between going out the front door and
walking all the way around the building or
walking to the other side of the lobby (about
thirtyfive feet) to the back door. The problem
with going the short way through the building
was that the light switch was next to the front
door. In addition to that, the alarm allowed
only thirty seconds before becoming activated.
My dilemma was how to turn on the alarm, go to
the front door and turn off the light, and make
my way through total darkness to the back door
before the alarm was activated. I didn’t
always make it in time and had to go back and
disable the alarm and start over again. In order
to get to the door, I looked up on the wall to
the alarm sensor. As it sensed movement a light
would come on. I watched the light until I got
close to the door. Then I would feel for
the door, find the door knob and get out. The
alarm sensor light kept me on course and guided
me to my destination. It made the whole
task much easier.
As we begin a new year with all its unknowns,
it’s good to know that we have Jesus, the Light
of the world, to guide us and keep us on
course. The Hebrews in the wilderness
looked at their problems instead of the One who
had delivered them. They were worried that
the giants in the land before them were too big.
They didn’t think about the fact that their God
(our God) was bigger than any giant. When
Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and began to
look at the winds and waves, he began to sink
and was terrified. With the assurance of
God’s presence, we can face whatever the new
year brings. With the assurance of God’s
presence, we can do whatever He calls us to do.
This is true for our church as well as for us
individually.
Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, the Light of the
world. My prayer for you is that you will
have a blessed and wonderful new year.
In Christ’s love,
Bro. Ron
October 31, 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
Noah...A Good
Sailor?
Someone once called a preacher to say that
he wanted to become a member of the church, but
he did not want to worship every week or study
the Bible or visit the sick or serve as a leader
or teach a Sunday school class. The pastor
commended him for his desire to be a member, but
told him that the church that he was looking for
was located in another section of town. The man
took the directions and hung up.
When he arrived at the address, the man came
face-to-face with the logical result of his
apathetic attitude. There stood an abandoned
church building, boarded up and ready for
demolition.
If the Committee on Lay Leadership (formerly the
Committee on Nominations) calls you to ask you
to serve in some leadership position for next
year, what will be your response? Will you fit a
living, vital church or an abandoned, boarded up
one? The Bible tells us that all of us
make
up the Body of Christ. Each of us has a place to
serve in the Body. Without all the parts,
the Body
doesn’t function as God intended. When we
all serve, God can do amazing things. You don’t
have to be a “super Christian” to be a
functioning part of Christ’s Body. As has been
said many times, “God doesn’t choose on the
basis of ability, but on the basis of
availability.” God didn’t choose Noah because he
was a good sailor. God chose him because he was
available to be used. Make yourself available
and see what God does. You may be amazed!
In Christ’s love,
Bro. Ron
October 24, 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
A Lesson from My
Dad
Mr. Burks owned about fifteen
acres of land behind my house as I was growing
up. He had a garden on about half of the land
and the other half was woods. The
neighborhood kids enjoyed playing in the woods
without fear of Mr. Burks running us off his
land. We blazed bicycle
trails, built forts, watched squirrels, birds,
and bugs, and we tried to dig to China. Many
of my fondest childhood memories are of the
times we spent in Mr. Burks’ woods.
As Mr. Burks grew older and less able to work
his entire garden, he let those who lived next
to his garden grow their own gardens. My dad’s
first garden was about twenty by twenty-five
feet. Each year, it grew larger, as Mr. Burks
let him use more land. My dad spent countless
hours working his garden. My brother and I
also spent more time than we cared to throwing
rocks out of the garden.
My dad never forgot who let him use this land.
He always carried some of the “first fruits”
of his harvest to Mr. and Mrs. Burks. He
always gave them the best that he had to
offer. He periodically took them vegetables
when he thought they might be getting low. My
dad was also very generous with his crops to
others. Whoever stopped by went home
with at least one sack.
This true life story is a parable of God’s
blessings and our response to Him and His
blessings. My dad’s approach to sharing his
vegetables with the man who entrusted him with
a little land is the approach that God
commands of us-- to share our “first fruits”
and the best that we have with God (to whom
they belong in the first place). Are you
remembering God’s generosity and love by
returning a tithe (the Hebrew word for
“tenth”)? Are you giving God the first fruits
and the best that you have? Or are you
sharing what’s left over and unwanted? What
size tomatoes are you returning to God (the
giver of all you have)? Anything less than a
fair share of every dollar of your income is
giving only the “nubbins” from your
garden. My dad loved to share the fruit
of his labor. He especially loved to visit Mr.
Burks and his wife and give to them a portion
of the bounty that they made possible. Let’s
experience that same joy with the Lord.
Pray for me as
I pray for you,
Bro. Ron
October 24, 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .
A Part
of the Body
Yesterday, I learned of the tragic
deaths of a high school classmate and his wife
in a motorcycle wreck. They were killed Sunday
afternoon. By Monday morning, word was
spreading throughout the social network
Facebook. I was saddened by Jim’s
death. I didn’t know his wife. Jim
(we called him “Jimmy” back then) was our
class president and a great guy.
He was not only popular, he was
respected. Jim was a Christian.
There is no doubt about that. He was one who
cared about people. When you spoke to him, you
got the sense that he genuinely cared about
what you were saying. I always remember how he
took seriously everything that I said to him.
He was a fun-loving guy too. Underneath it
all, I never doubted his relationship with
Christ.
I hadn’t seen Jim in twenty years before our
30th class reunion a few months ago. I almost
left the reunion early, but found some friends
and hung around for several more hours. I was
glad that I did because I eventually ran into
Jim. He asked me if I was still a pastor
and I told him that I was. He smiled and
talked about how great it was that I was in
the ministry. He asked about my family and we
chatted another minute or two. I left our
conversation so glad that I ran into him.
When I look back at that reunion, so many
things stick out in my mind. That brief
conversation with Jim was one of them. I
shared on Facebook that I was saddened at the
news of Jim’s and Ida’s (his wife) deaths and
I asked people to pray for their
family. They leave children
behind. Within moments of sharing that
“status” on Facebook, I started receiving
messages from my Facebook “friends.” While
some of my friends on Facebook are relatives
and former classmates, the vast majority of
them are people who I know from Camp Sumatanga
and churches that I have served over the
years. Their quick response reminded me
of the Church and of Trinity, in particular.
It is such a blessing to have people to turn
to in times of need as well as with whom we
can share our joys. I feel very blessed
indeed.
Let us not forget that we are part of a
churchfamily. Not only are we part of the Body
of Christ on earth (the Church), but we are
part of His Body at Trinity. As members of the
Body, we have our part in it. We are to serve
Him with our prayers, our presence, our gifts,
our service, and our witness. Are you being as
faithful to His Body as God calls you to
be? If not, He’s there, ready to pick
you up and help you to be all that you are
called to be. Remember, with Christ, all
things are possible! Like Jim, let’s be the
presence of Christ to this world. With
all its tragedies and difficulties, the world
needs the love, joy, peace, and hope that
Christ brings.
Peace,
Bro. Ron
August 22, 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
Do
We
Inspire
Those Around Us To Worship?
Trinity has a
beautiful sanctuary that immediately
creates a sense of awe and worship when
you enter it. However, I haven't always
found sanctuaries so awe-inspiring.
I was the pastor
of a church that out-grew its sanctuary.
The existing sanctuary was very small and
ill-equipped for worship in the 21st
century. As the new building started
taking shape, a decorating committee was
selected to choose carpet colors, etc. We
visited a number of other churches in the
process. I was struck by the fact that
none of those empty sanctuaries were
particularly awe-inspiring. They
were nice. I'm sure that those
congregations are proud of them (and they
should be). What impressed me was
that I have been in VERY few sanctuaries
that caused my heart to burst forth in
worship when I stepped into them when they
were empty. I have visited a few chapels
out in the woods (such as at Camp
Sumatanga and Callaway Gardens) that moved
me to lift up a prayer of praise when I
entered them. As I reflect further, even
at those times, I was not alone--there
were usually others sharing the moment
with me.
There is something
special about human contact. I went to a
church about ten years ago that averaged
(at the time) about 3,600 a weekend for
services. The room that was used for
worship could be converted to a ban- quet
hall and looked little like a tra-
ditional sanctuary. Yet the moment I
walked in, I felt myself surrounded by the
Spirit of God. Not only was that event
bathed in prayer, but I was greeted by
smiling faces. I knew that those greeting
me were genuinely glad that I was there.
It set the tone for the rest of the day--I
was ready to worship and join with others
who were ready to worship.
Our sanctuary may
inspire people to some degree, but the
real inspiration and motivation to worship
will come from those of us who fill the
room and greet those who come along side
us to worship. Be in prayer for the coming
opportunities that God will be placing
before us. Don't forget the covered-dish
lunch after Sunday's worship ser- vice.
We'll be welcoming new and returning
students, so come to worship and welcome
this week!
In Christ's love,
Bro. Ron
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