Author Archives: taylorsvilleumc
Psalm 129
A first read of this Psalm can leave one a bit confused and scratching their head. It seems to be a Psalm that doesn’t make much sense to us and so we can easily think to just skip over this one.
Yet, there is some power and beauty in this Psalm hidden in its context. This is a community song of thanksgiving and/or trust. The communal people are recounting their long history of being oppressed and how God has freed them from their evil oppressors.
What does this mean for us today? That can a difficult question, but I think for me it is another reminder that God has a heart for the oppressed. God is in the process of bringing liberation and freedom to those who are being oppressed by poverty, human trafficking, racism, classism, sexism or any other form of societal evil. A beautiful thing is that God uses us to be the instruments to bring freedom and justice in this world. May we celebrate the ways in which God is bringing freedom and may we find ways how we can join in God’s work of liberation so that all will be able to offer a Psalm of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance.
The Story Chapter 31 Reflection Questions
Use these reflection questions for your personal study time of Chapter 31. (Taken from the Adult Study Guide.)
- Why might Christians resist studying this book? According to this chapter, what are the benefits connected to studying Revelation? (Hint: p. 379, 387; Rev. 1:3, 22:7)
- Make a list of the various ways God the Father and God the Son are described throughout this chapter of The Story. For example, on page 379, the Father is him who is, and who was and who is to come; Jesus Christ is the faithful witness. After completing your list, discuss what one or two of these descriptions mean.
- Jesus’ messages to the seven churches usually follow a general pattern: a description of Himself, a commendation, a rebuke, a warning or instruction, and a promise. Compose a letter to your church using this format.
- Notice the description of the throne room of heaven (p. 382, Rev. 4:1-6). Look up Ezekiel 1:26-28, Exodus 19:16 and 20:18, Job 37:4 and John 12:27-28. What do these images communicate about God?
- What four-fold reason makes the Lamb worthy to open the scroll and receive praise (p. 383)?
- Read Matthew 24:29-44, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 and Titus 2:11-14. How should you live in anticipation of Christ’s return?
- From what you have learned in this chapter about the great white throne judgment and the lake of fire, how might you respond to the person who does not believe that a loving God could ever sentence anyone to hell (p. 385-386, Rev. 20:11-15, 21:8)? See also Revelation 20:10 and Matthew 25:41 for further insight.
- Find at least three similarities between the original creation (Genesis 1-2) and the new heaven and new earth (p. 385-387; Rev. 21-22). How do these sections of Scripture contribute to our understanding of God’s Upper Story and what would we be missing without them?
Knock Knock….Again
Knock-knock. Who’s There?
“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Luke.
Luke who?
Luke through the peep hole and find out.
Knock, knock jokes are a familiar part of childhood. Just say the words “Knock, knock” and we automatically know what they are suppose to say next, “Who’s there?” The thing that makes knock-knock jokes work is not the “punny” punch line. It’s the “Who’s there?” Without someone to ask the question “Who’s there?” there is no joke.
As a shy, overweight, and awkward child I was obsessed with knock-knock jokes. It was the one way I was sure that people were listening. So when I prayed I would begin, “Knock-knock, God.” In my young heart I knew God was listening because I said, “Knock-knock, God,” and I imagined God answering, “Who’s there?” As an adult my prayers have changed, however, there are still times I say, “Knock-knock, God.” Whenever I feel that my prayers are only making it to the ceiling or I need to assurance that God is listening I begin my prayer, “Knock-knock, God.” Instead of imagining God answering, “Who’s there?” I imagine God saying, “Come in.”
Jesus said in Luke 11:9 that if we knock the door will be opened. When we pray we can have assurance that God is listening and invites us in.
Reflection: Have there been time you felt that God did not hear your prayers? What did you do? How do you experience God hearing your prayers?
Prayer: Knock, knock, God. I know you are listening and invite me in. Help me to search for you and hear you when you say, “Come in.” Amen.
Itinerancy and the UMC ~ Authorship of this Blog
Pastors in the United Methodist Church belong to the larger United Methodist Church; pastors are members of the Annual Conference. Pastors are under appointment by the Bishop and move churches as the Bishop appoints. As such, this blog and the one who will continue to create content for this blog is about to change authorship. This blog was originally created by Rev. Sarah B. Dorrance for Taylorsville UMC. As such, the contents prior to July 2015 were (mostly) written and updated by Pastor Sarah since she was the presiding pastor of the church.
From August 2015 forward, this blog will have postings written or created by Rev. Sherri Comer-Cox, the newly appointed pastor at Taylorsville UMC.
The picture above, taken in Alaska, is the last gift posting by Pastor Sarah. Soon you will be able to enjoy some original devotionals written by Pastor Sherri.
Thanks for following, please continue to enjoy reading.
Many blessings,
From Pastor Sarah and Pastor Sherri
Change of Leadership
Yesterday was the most difficult day I have had since being an Elder in the United Methodist Church. I have been with people in their most intimate times, I have buried those who should not yet have needed to be buried, yet yesterday was the most difficult day of them all. Yesterday was the day I had to tell the church that I have been serving that I was leaving to go to another church.
Itinerancy is the hallmark of the United Methodist Church; and for good reason. Itinerancy can teach us to rely on God as the faithful one, not on any one person. Itinerancy can teach faith communities to grow in their own leadership abilities and help them stand strong as a mighty force for God. But nowhere is it said that itinerancy is easy.
As Elders of the church we are to love those whom we serve. I love this congregation, just as I will love the new congregation. The Apostle Paul is very clear as we read in Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in love.” When we love, it is difficult to let go. Yet our lives are so much richer for having loved, and having loved well.
My own relationship with the Apostle Paul has been this love-hate thing going on, but more recently the love has prevailed. I have grown to respect Paul as such an authentic voice of God that it is overwhelming–and convicting. Paul who planted church after church in the known Roman world, and then, just when he got to a point of loving a new church community, he left them on their own so that he could go plant another church. Why? His love for God was more overwhelming, more demanding, more powerful and more convicting than any other love. It was agape love that empowered Paul to leave those whom he loved to go start all over again. This was a love for fellow humans so that they too would come to know Jesus in a new, profound way.
And so, as much as I love the current congregation that I serve, I want to follow in Paul’s footsteps. I want to empower as many to know Jesus as possible, and I want to love new people. In turn, those new people can love new ones, and they in turn can be all that God is calling them to be. Love is hard, but God’s love prevails.
I am excited about the new possibilities that God has in store at the new place where I will be serving. They, too, are feeling loss as their beloved pastor is retiring.
And so, we all go forward, knowing that change is difficult, but that God’s love prevails. God is always at the helm, for both congregations. We will all be faithful in witness and service. And God’s love will lead us into new, undiscovered possibilities!
Footsteps of Paul ~ 5 Big insights ~Mars Hill Athens
What does it mean when you are so influential that people want to retrace your footsteps? Saint Paul was that kind of man. I wanted to walk in Saint Paul’s footsteps; To maybe come to know a little of what drove and empowered him to share the Gospel of Jesus to “the ends of the earth;” to understand a little of what the Roman world was like at that time in history; and to better understand how one person can, literally, “Change the world.”
Over the next few weeks I will be sharing some insights from this journey. The Christians near Jerusalem say that the land is “the fifth Gospel.” In other words, when you see the land and understand where the historical places are located, what the citizens were doing and what the geography looked like, then we can have a better understanding of the biblical witness. This is definitely true of Paul’s witness in the New Testament.
Can we change the world too? Paul believed that he was making a difference in the known world. He was commissioned by the resurrected Jesus to preach to the gentiles. We are all commissioned by Jesus, just sometimes that commissioning is less obvious than a blinding light and a stay in Damascus. An encounter with Jesus changes lives, and in turn, we are to be God’s agents to transform the world. What has Jesus commissioned you to do?
So, here are five big insights (amongst a dozen of them):
1) The area in which he traveled was so expansive! Yes, we know this in our heads, but to actually travel in the seas and go where he went by ship from Greece to Turkey; that gives new meaning when he tells the Corinthians he was shipwrecked three times.
2) Paul was always adapting the gospel message to the local culture. Once again, we know this in our heads, but there were new insights in Corinth, Athens and Ephesus to some of the local customs which I will share in my next post. He spoke of those customs in his letters. For today, enjoy the picture from Mars Hill where Paul preached the sermon about the Unknown God; and explained that this God can be known, and his name is Jesus.
3) Paul was always looking to grow the Christian community. Community was important to Paul. You cannot be a Christian on your own. Paul worked hard to grow community in each city in which he preached the Gospel message. You cannot be a Christian on your own. The brothers and sisters of community help each other grow and help each other stay accountable. This is still as true today as it was in Paul’s day.
4) Paul was in tune and listening to the Holy Spirit in all of his work. If he had not heard the spirit’s calling in a vision he would not have gone to Greece (Macedonia). If he had not been listening he might not have been willing to go to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey even though the Spirit had told him that prison awaited him. We always need to be listening for the Holy Spirit’s voice, which is still alive and well today. Leadership is important; using our God given talent is important; but we always need to be listening for God’s still small voice and not do what “we want to do.” How do we practice the discipline of listening to God?
5) Paul died a martyr’s death for political reasons. While he was arrested in Jerusalem for seemingly breaking Jewish customs, ultimately he was beheaded for saying, “Jesus is Lord.” Mike Slaughter brought this home in his teachings. Jesus is Lord is a political statement. There were many gods in the Roman world, all of them could be worshiped, but there was only one lord, and that was the Caesar. If Jesus was Lord, then Caesar was not. This was a political statement which cost Paul and many other Christians their lives.
I wanted to walk in Paul’s footsteps because the Risen Christ had commissioned him to change the world! Paul was commissioned to go and tell. Each of us is to go and tell; each of us is commissioned. How is Jesus commissioning you to change the world?
The Gospel of John Chapters 1 – 2
Sea of Galilee
We have begun the study of the Gospel according to John. We wish we knew it was according to John, but reality is that the writers were ascribed AFTER the fact. Still, there is a good chance this was written by the disciple John himself or one of his disciples recording what John had taught them.
This gospel, which means “Good News” is full of contrasts: Light and dark; Heaven and earth; descending and ascending; evil and good. There are also many phrases that are used over and over again. When you read this gospel try to underline some of these contrasts and other special words in different colored pencils. Look for the words “witness” or “Testimony”. Look for the sayings that Jesus frequently says in this gospel such as “Truly, truly I say to you….” Look for the “I am” statements that Jesus says. Many of these sayings are only found in this gospel.
As with each gospel telling the life story of Jesus, this gospel, after the spectacular “In the beginning was the word” poetry, takes us to the Sea of Galilee. It is here where Jesus calls his disciples. We hear Nathaniel ask, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Not only has something good come out of Nazareth, but that something good is God in the flesh. This gospel is always pointing to Jesus, always pointing to who this man really is, God in the flesh, Emmanuel, the Son of Man! We will see a series of 7 miracles that are part of the “signs and wonders,” another set of words used frequently by John, that will point to who this historical figure truly is.
You are invited to join along as we make these discoveries together. Last week we began in chapters 1-2. This week we will pick up in chapter 3 – 6. Join us in a video conference, Tuesday night, August 12 at 9 pm. Please click this URL to start or join. https://zoom.us/j/204416397
Or, go to https://zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID: 204 416 397
See you on-line,
Pastor Sarah
Unchained ~ Philippians 2
This picture, thanks to Mary Jane, is of the ruins of the jail in which Paul was imprisoned in the city of Philippi. We can read the story in Acts 16 of how the very jailer who was in charge of Paul’s incarceration also accepted Jesus into his life because of Paul’s witness. The church at Philippi was special to Paul’s heart. Hence we have the tone of love and thanksgiving in his letter to the Philippians. (If you missed last week’s sermon in Philippians 1 you can catch it here, click on sermon from July 27~ “A Life Worthy of the Gospel.”
As we embark on chapter two this week, I was wondering why this particular church and not the others that Paul planted, sent someone to look after Paul’s needs while he was in prison. After all, Paul wrote this letter to them while he had been in prison, probably in Rome. It suddenly struck me that the church in Philippi fully understood what Paul’s situation was because he had also been imprisoned in their own town. And it was the very jailer who had Paul in chains who then accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. That jailer and his entire family were now members of this church. Now this church in Philippi, who understood what it was like for Paul to be in jail, had sent one of their own to take care of Paul’s needs while he was, yet again, incarcerated. Paul says, 25 “But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.”
Is that not like our modern day churches too? Sometimes it takes us an experience of one being marginalized to fully understand what it means to be marginalized. Sometimes we do not really understand the suffering of others until we have experienced first hand what that suffering looks like. Once we understand, then we can get fully mobilized to send out a team to help.
Jesus calls us as his followers to be mobilized at all times. If the church waits, then what will happen? Nothing. Jesus says, “I have served you, now go and do likewise.” Paul calls us to have the mindset of Christ, who emptied himself to be nothing in order to be one of us. That is what the incarnation is all about. Jesus, who is truly God and there from the beginning, made himself to be wrapped in flesh to be with us in the world. How can we, the church, follow that example and be incarnational to others who are suffering in our world? Let’s not wait until we have an experience of suffering to be fully mobilized for God. Let’s move into action now. Think of how powerful we would be if all of God’s people moved out into the world sharing the love of Christ now!
Unchained-Philippians 1
Chapter one of Philippains finds the Apostle Paul in prison writing to this church that he began. This is a church full of people he knew by name. This is a church that is dear to his heart. This is how he begins his letter: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
We often find it difficult to find joy in our hardships, yet Paul, who is in prison writes about joy. He is “always praying with joy!” I don’t know about you, but joy is often the last word that comes to mind when I am in a position of affliction. There are many emotions, but joy is usually not the one that I am fixated upon. Yet we will see over and over in this letter to the Philippians that Paul speaks of joy. Joys and chains, all tied together! Joy and chains do not go together in my mind, yet here we will see them side by side.
Where can you find joy in the midst of hard places? We will not only be looking for joy in the hard places during this sermon series called “unchained,” but we will also be looking at the things that Paul thinks are critical for those who call themselves followers of Christ.
Paul reminds us that God’s word does not go back empty. God’s word is faithful and, “He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion.”
Personally, I am looking forward to being “unchained” in this world so that I can be a better follower of Jesus. How about you?
5 basic steps in dealing with grief
Waves of grief: I remember it well, and it is coming again, over and over again. Washing over me and my family. Its like the ocean. You think the water has stopped, all is calm, and suddenly wave after wave begins to splash all around you, above you, and sometimes carries you away. I had forgotten how grief comes in waves.
One of my call verses to ordained ministry comes out of my first story of grief. When my own young husband died suddenly in a car accident 22 years ago leaving me behind with two babies the unbearable grief almost got the best of me–but God was there all along. God is with you too, though you may not feel it at this time.
2 Corinthains 1: 3 has the Apostle Paul’s greeting the people from Corinth with these words:, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Now I am here to help others in their own grieving process. In all that experience it still does not “prepare” you for the next time when you will be in the midst of grief. The second worst day of my life came a little over two weeks ago, when my brother-in-law, the very one who had stepped in to help me when my husband had not been there, died suddenly of a massive heart attack. This kind of heart attack is called the widow maker, and virtually there is nothing anyone can do when it strikes. One day he was healthy, working out in the pool and helping strangers in the nursing home, the next morning he woke up not feeling very well, and died shortly thereafter. Ron was only 61, loving life, and serving others.
So how do we cope? How do we survive? How do we go on living when sometimes there seems to be very little to live for? Over the next few weeks I will be writing about grief. For today, here are 5 basic steps, a very good place to begin. Sometimes in the beginning of grief, we need to go over these basic steps daily for a long time:
1) Grief is a process, it takes time. While this seems basic sometimes we forget that grief is not something we “get over” quickly. We can be grieved over many things: Loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, kids moving out of the house, divorce, a change in our own health status or that of one we love. I remember when I attended a grief support group for young widows and they told me I would not feel whole again until 5 years. I remember thinking, “There is no way I can make it that long in this condition.” 5 Years was right, I did not feel fully alive again until 5 years later. (Sorry to be the bearer of that bad news, but keep reading there are things you can do NOW.)
2) Take time to grieve. Give yourself space and permission. Some circles call this the “white space.” This is unplanned time to allow yourself to be, to remember and to be sad.
3) Tears are healthy. Use them. Take time to cry. It might seem that you have already been crying far too much, maybe it seems that there are no more tears left. Tears also help you process. There is a chemical element of tears that is cleansing. After the two year point when my tears no longer came at regular intervals several times a day, I would take some space and listen to music that would MAKE my cry. This did two helpful things: It helped me control my emotions in public, and it allowed the grief process to continuing working in me.
4) Find out how you “process” things and DO it. I have discovered that I process life events with pictures. So I pull out pictures of my loved ones and go over them and remember. (I even did this when my dog died, I loved my dog!) Maybe you process by telling your story. Find a trusted friend or a pastor who will listen to your story. Tell it over and over again, this helps the processing. I have also found that writing to my loved one in a journal helps me process. This had an added benefit in that months later I could reread my journaling and really see that I HAD made progress in my grief work even though sometimes it FEELS like you are standing still.
5) Don’t leave God out of the mix. The Risen Christ Jesus promises to be with us until the end of the ages. (Matthew 28:20) The biblical witness reminds us from the beginning to the end that we have a God who loves us, who cares for us and who will be an abiding presence with us. (I will delve further into these references in a future post.) But in the midst of our grief sometimes we feel that God HAS abandoned us, we feel that God has forgotten us and we feel like God doesn’t care about us. God is big enough to hear your cries of pain and hurt. There are very real persons of faith, particularly in the Psalms of Lament (Psalms 22, 88 and many others,) who cry out in their pain and they ask the question, “God where were you and where are you now?” (Psalm 22 is what Jesus cried from the cross, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me.”) Cry out to God, and when you cannot seem to pray for yourself, ask others to pray with you and for you. (Get on a church prayer list, have faithful friends pray for you, find a Christian prayer and healing service near to you.)
This is a contemporary praise song that helps me in times of being in the desert by Hillsong United entitled, “The Desert Song.”
Grief work is hard, but whatever you do do NOT do nothing. Doing nothing will only help you become bitter and self destructive. REALLY! May the God of all comfort comfort you in your pain and grief.
In Christ,
Pastor Sarah
taylorsville umc 