Getting the Giving

You've all surely heard the familiar holiday cliche:

"Its better to give than to receive."

I'm not a big fan of cliches because they have a tendency to generalize. For instance, I can think of an exception to this cliche: Go Fish. You know...the card game. Its much better to receive the cards you need than to give them away. A more Christmas-appropriate example: No one playing the Dirty Santa or White Elephant gift exchange game wants to keep the socks. They would much rather give them to the dude with the $15 gift card to Blockbuster so they would get the gift card that broke the $10 limit.

But you can ask my mom: When it comes to Christmas, I am much more passionate about what I give to others than what I ask for myself. I try to be thoughtful and specific with the gifts I give. When my mom asked me for what I wanted this Christmas I told her (verbatim): "One of those ceramic spoon-holder thingies you set in the middle of the stove so that when you're cooking you have a place to rest your spoons."

The reason I am more passionate about the giving is because I get more satisfaction from the joy of the recipient than I get from the joy of receiving. On Christmas morning, the novelty of receiving for me ends when the cleaning up of the piles of wrapping paper begins. But the joy of giving carries over every time I see someone using or enjoying what I gave them. And almost invariably I feel that no matter the gift I gave, I receive more joy from the giving than the recipient gets from the gift.

I wonder if God is the same way.

We spend the Christmas season praising God for the gift of Himself in the form of a babe in a manger. We marvel at the paradox of God being a helpless baby born among the animals. We reflect on that birth's fulfillment of generations of prophecy and the promise of the prophecy yet to be fulfilled:

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities. - Isaiah 53:5, 7-11

As we are filled with the joy of His gifts during this season, I wonder if He is not even more happy to have given. After all, since before there was time He had been planning this gift. Dropping hints about it. Twiddling His thumbs in anticipation. He knew this would be the perfect gift.

Our smiles fade as Christmas Day passes further and further into the past.

I'm willing to bet that His smile has not and will not ever fade.

Take the time this Christmas season to get God's giving. To imagine our own joy concerning His gift multiplied infinitely and not even coming close to the joy God experiences in the giving.

Cast Iron Christmas

I love to cook.

I don't do it nearly enough, but I do love it.

I love to cook with a lot of heat. I love to sear and stir fry. I like to hear the sizzle and smell the great things that happen as the deep flavors are drawn out.

I think my favorite cooking is kind of like taking the grilling mentality and bringing it indoors to the stovetop for the winter.

I don't really like recipes. I'd much rather cook on the fly.

I refuse to ever willingly make a casserole (but I will definitely eat them).

To me, improvisation is where it's at. And there is one cooking medium that I love more than any other.

Cast iron. Accept no substitutes.

Man, what a thing a cast iron skillet really is. I have watched 3 generations of family cook in cast iron, and for us southerners, there really isn't anything else that comes close.

Think about it: you can fry bacon, or make cornbread, or do a million other tasks in between, right in the same pan. Cultures throughout the world have known the utility of cast iron cooking for thousands of years.

The best part of all? Cast iron only gets better with time, if you use it regularly. It grows darker, and smoother, and even more non-stick as time goes by. Carbon builds up on it, and it just becomes an aged and seasoned thing of beauty.

Every time I take my favorite cast iron out of the cabinet, it's like meeting an old friend once again. Treated right, that skillet will outlast me. No matter what technology comes...I feel sure I'll be cooking in that same cast iron, God willing, in 2059.

I just got a brand new cast iron grill pan, and when Holly gave it to me, she realized the serious nature of the gift.

This pan is a new, but long-term member of the family, and it will take time to build the relationship. But oh, the stories of steaks and fish and chicken and pork chops we will one day be able to tell.

Cast iron reminds me of Christmas. Really, it does.

When I was a child, the story of the baby Jesus was shiny and new.

I can remember those childhood Christmas pageants in those tiny country churches. We stood still as statues. Clad in our fathers' bathrobes, we were 6 year old, twentieth century, American shepherds who had never seen a single sheep.

I think I can remember hearing Silent Night for the first time...and I know I can remember the first time that I really listened to the words and took in the beauty of the gentle melody.

Little did I know then that the song...and much more, the story of Jesus' birth was already a perfectly seasoned old skillet.

Even though to me the story was shiny and new, 2,000 years of carbon had been deposited upon that nativity scene, and it had only grown more powerful and beautiful with time.

My first Christmases found me more concerned with Santa Claus than baby Jesus...but it's the baby who has the staying power. Eventually, the old man in red becomes a cartoon and novelty. He burns up easily in the scorching heat that the tests of time bring to us all.

But the star, the shepherd, the manger...those people and places only deepen with complexity as life unfolds.

In the decades (really?) since my childhood, I like to think that I've become a little more seasoned myself. But I know that I have many miles left to travel.

And that's ok.

We need to let the fact that we're not finished be ok for all of us, and we don't give ourselves that freedom in grace often enough.

No great skillet that I know of ever got seasoned overnight.

And though the grace and forgiveness of God is instant...discipleship takes a lifetime.

It's wonderful to know that we are neither what we were...nor what we will become.

No matter what the future holds, some things won't change. God willing, I'll be reading this very same Christmas story come December of 2059. What great tales of Christmas grace we'll be able to tell by then!

Luke 2:7-14 (KJV)

⁷And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. ⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Grace & Peace,

Adam

Salvation Army Santas

Its that time of year again. You know the time well: The time when you cant walk into most stores without hearing that oh-so-familiar ring-aling of the Salvation Army Santas.

Ive had some beef with those people over the years. They make me feel bad about my personal financial decision to never carry cash. They plant themselves at the entrance AND exit of every store I frequent and their bell lays on the guilt. And if that isnt bad enough, they wish me "Merry Christmas" as I both enter and exit the store.

But the Salvation Army Santas hold a very special place in my heart. I know of very few people who are on par with or more humble than the SASs. They stand for hours in public often dressed in full Santa garb and ring their bell for a good cause. They greet all who pass by. I admittedly have done zero research on the SASs, but Im guessing they are volunteer. Even if they are not, no amount of money could motivate them to be so engaging to those who pass. I mean, look at the people who are paid to hold signs advertising out of business sales or new homes near the roads. Very rarely will you find one who does not sequester him- or herself off from the passers-by with an mp3 player or, sometimes, a book.

The SASs have huge hearts. It is love that drives them to ring that bell without ceasing. As Ive matured and come to focus not on their annoyance but on their purpose, I have come to respect the SASs. Beyond that, I have come to engage them. I dont always have cash, but I do have a firm handshake and words of thanks.

And, as a side note, I have discovered a newfound respect for the SASs. Not that I ever considered it, but now I know better than to mess with them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeY83qBMSps&annotation_id=annotation_261210&feature=iv

"For I Know the Plans..."

From Jamie Blankenship, Reflections on the flood...and the recovery...

We each have our flood story, in some way, this event impacted all of us. So, why did it happen? Was a dark force at work that day? Or was it God?

When I first saw the flood damage, I winced, heaved a sigh, and a “Really? Again?” It is sad that my life experience had brought me to a place where I knew exactly what to do to extract the water, what to throw away and what to dry, how to remove baseboard and sheetrock… I began to wonder if God was training me for a career in water damage restoration. But I never once thought this was something the devil did to me.

I firmly believe that God is always in control.

But why, God? Why?

Yes, I didn’t know – and when you don’t know stuff– you pray. Then, you go chin up and shoulders back. You fake confidence and take baby steps to go forward one day at a time.

But then I got sick. Some nasty virus that drained my energy, stole my voice and wore me down. And it just went on and on, with no relief.

At this point, I was falling behind in every aspect of life. I was letting people down. They were letting me know this, too…I “dropped my basket,” family terminology for breaking.

This involved hosting myself a big pity party, recounting everything unlovable about me and believing that I deserved every bit of misfortune that had come my way. I am an unruly child of God. I sin. God should punish me. Insert sobbing. I was a blubbering blob. Not an attractive look.

In God’s view, a blubbering blob is probably pretty good. He can easily shape a pliable blob. Once you are in a “malleable” state, the Master can really work.

In hindsight, I see the bigger picture. I don’t think God was punishing me. He was preparing me.

See, without pressing the pride right out of me and reducing me to a blubbering blob, I wouldn’t have been prepared. I would not have been able to accept the help offered until I was in a place where I really believed I couldn’t do it by myself. People, it took a lot of pressing to get that belief out of my bones.

I don’t really believe God punishes people. I do believe He disciplines us. Discipline is a process. Discipline teaches and refines with the goal of making us better. I believe God uses discipline to transform us into the servants we need to be to carry out His plans.

For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD.
"They are plans for good and not for disaster,
to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

The mission this weekend was incredible. Not just because a whole bunch of stuff at my house was fixed –that is incredible- but because we could see the hands of God working. Not just literally raking leaves and laying tile, but changing lives.

So many people were instruments of restoring lost hope and providing a glimpse into the future that God has promised. New relationships were born, deeper relationships were grown. God’s love was abundant. I believe everyone that participated knows for sure we were where God wanted us that day. I don’t believe there is anything more powerful than knowing you are exactly where God wants you to be.

Was the mission this weekend from God? There is no doubt.

Could it have happened without the flood? No.

Is His plan always perfect? Yes.

Grace & Peace,
Jamie Blankenship

Now, That's Awesome

I’ve been thinking about young people a lot recently. Keep in mind that my hands-on experience is limited so if my observations neglect to mention the horrors of raising children, feel free to laugh out loud at my ignorance.

This past weekend was awesome. A friend asked recently if there was an age at which the word “awesome” becomes inappropriate. My answer, not if you go to SOTH. This is a House where the Pastor has actually been heard to say “whoot, whoot.”

Friday night at SOTH, I saw one of the most amazing, moving things I’ve seen in a very long time. I saw more than a dozen kids (ahem, some older than others: Cindy, Tracey, Andrea, Lynn) rocking out! Anyway, these kids were lined up in front of the altar, singing, dancing, and touching with more abandon than I’ve ever seen at any concert ever. My immediate thought “now THAT is the future of our Church.” These kids LOVE God, each other, and us. Wow. Now that indeed is awesome!

If ever I needed reminding that I can trust in God for all things, it’s been in the last 4 months. Those kids were only the icing on the reminders I got last week. Funny how the minute you actually let go of things you can’t control anyway and trust, grace happens.

Our youth, our family – that’s love, that’s grace. I’ve heard it takes a village. What it really takes is a Church.

Peace --- Joy Shaver, SOTH UMC Prayer Ministry

Pre-Sunday November 22

This week's Pre-Sunday Event is LIVE! Check it out!

http://www.youversion.com/groups/sothumc

Your help this week will actually help outline a series I am starting this Sunday called "Our God is a God of ___________." YOU fill in the blank at YouVersion!

It's Raining Men, Hallelujah

At my house today it is raining men.

It started sprinkling earlier this week, and before Sunday, I am anticipating a downpour…I know, I need to explain!

Recently, in the September flooding my house was damaged. It wasn’t devastating. We didn’t lose anything we couldn’t live without. Our house was still pretty much liveable. A little unstable, but liveable… As I described it, it was just going to take some work…and since there was no insurance or FEMA funds (they said I had “insufficient damage” to qualify) it was also going to take money…and time.

Since I am a team of one, this flood really was overwhelming. Discouraging. I used all my energy and strength to remove the damaged stuff and try to save the crazy carpet. I did get some help from my dad…he helped me take everything to the dump, and started working on cutting up the fallen trees. I had just decided to work on it bit by bit as I saved for the materials to replace the damaged drywall and gathered ideas on how to replace the damaged sunroom supports…

During this time, many people in my area were facing the same situation, or worse. My pastor (Shepherd of the Hills UMC) kept asking me if we were ok, and what our damage was…I always gave a funny or sarcastic remark and never got into the details. Finally, he said, look this is what is happening. I served as an associate Pastor at a church in August that has a Disaster Relief Ministry…they have trailers of tools and a teams of workers. (Wesley UMC, Augusta, GA) They want to come here. And, quite honestly, I don’t really know what to do with them. But they told me to get it figured out because they were coming.

We need to come to your house, so, you have three weeks to get ok with accepting this. Oh, and by the way, we have a goal of raising $10,000.00 for this project-repairing 4 flooded homes completely. We are already half way there and I am confident the rest will come.

That was three weeks ago. I am almost there. See, I don’t like taking help. Especially when it is something I can do…of course, I can do everything. And I am sort of a control freak. I don’t really think I am, but I do solidly believe I am always right and my way is best…and that is sort of the same difference, right?

And, I don’t hire people to work on my house. I figure out how to do it and do it myself. One, I save money. Two, I do it my way. Three, no creepy guys in my space. And, I don’t have to clean the house for company.

But, on last Saturday when the “Scotts” Scott Samples and Scott Buchanan came to my house to see what needed to be done, I got really excited. I couldn’t imagine TEAMS of people working on my house. Since then, I have been preparing – also know as – PRAYING for me to accept this blessing and for the people helping me to be blessed. Prayer is really all I can offer them.

Wednesday, as soon as it stopped raining, two men from our church, Wendell Felch and John Ellison came to my house and began preparing and working on some of the projects. These men are so dedicated!! Did I mention their combined ages equal 156? I hope I live so long and can keep serving others as faithfully as they do!

Today, more men have appeared to work! And Saturday, there will be even more. I am so thankful to God for this, even though I am not completely convinced that I “deserve” it or “need” it, I have such an overwhelming sense of relief. A weight has been lifted. And it is so awesome to see the love of Christ pouring out through all the hands of the people serving in this ministry. This gift is so beautiful in so many ways!

I have tried to tell everyone about this amazing gift, at least this week. (Yes, it really has taken some time to come to terms with it, understand it, and embrace it.) And, I actually was telling this story to a man in Macon, Georgia, that was familiar with this ministry of disaster relief – his life had been touched through it as well after tornadoes went through their town…how cool is that?

Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Psalm 105:1

Enough writing, I need to go pitch in- but I wanted to take a moment to share this miracle in my life. I am so thankful. God is so Great.

Grace & Peace --

Jamie

Jamie Blankenship, LRE (Listening, Relating, Encouraging Ministry) Leader

A Special Challenge

Dear SOTH Family,

I am sending this e-mail as a long time member of a church that I am proud to call home. I am so excited about our Grace of Giving Banquet this Friday night.

I have seen this church go through many ups and downs since our first pastor, and I am very happy to still be a member of this church. We have a wonderful Pastor with a great family who truly has God at the center of his heart and family.

We have so many wonderful new things happening at Shepherd of the Hills, and if you have been at church over the last couple of months, you have seen the programs we are celebrating.

Our Children's Ministry is growing, our women's group is awesome, the prayer team is strong and getting stronger, LRE is going great, we have a wonderful youth director and great youth group, our outreach team and outreach services in the community are phenomenal.

We have learned much from PEM on how we need to direct each of our committees, groups and ministries that support our church. We have been putting those lessons into action, and it all starts with Prayer.

So, here is my challenge to all of you as it was to Jim and myself.

Let's make this year be the best ever in the life of our church! Let's turn the corner so to speak.

Jim and I have always given to the church but after going through some training as a member of the finance team and after much discussion and prayer between us, we have decided to put in to action what we have always known and should be doing.

We are putting our FAITH in GOD when it comes to Tithing. We are just trusting God that we will be able to pay all the bills, but his has to be first this year, and we have to commit.

If we all Tithe on Friday night whether it is $10.00 a year or $10,000 a year, this will help our church put the budget together to make even more changes in our programs and outreach services to make disciples for Christ.

If you are not involved or connected in some way, get involved.

Don't wait for someone to come to you and ask for help, volunteer and say where do you need me! We have many opportunities at SOTH just open your eyes and your heart and look around. God is in the center of this church, and I am very excited.

I hope I will get to see you all on Friday night and you will bring your cards to pledge with you. Let's celebrate Shepherd of the Hills UMC and all the wonderful Blessings God has given us!

I am proud to call you all my brothers and sisters in Christ.

In His Service,
Cindi Bartlett

YouVersion Live

Every week from Wednesday at 12:00pm until Sunday at 4:00pm, you can help supplement the talk I give to the youth the coming Sunday. Its easy! Just click on this link, then click "Enter This Event." From there, you can answer questions, take polls, read Scripture, and leave prayer requests.

Everything is anonymous, so you can answer the questions as honestly as you care to!

Go ahead and bookmark the link so you can return to it every week the youth meets!

Participation the two weeks I have done this so far has been PHENOMENAL! We've averaged 35 participants each week with an age range of 16 through 62! Keep it coming, guys! Your input on the Pre-Sunday events is being utilized in powerful ways on Sunday nights!

And, hey, if you arent doing anything on Sunday evening between the hours of 5:30pm and 8:00pm, you can even jump in on the actual Sunday event LIVE and see what additional pieces of Scripture, notes, and whatnot Im using to teach that night.

Did you miss last Sunday? Its not too late! Just head to our YouVersion page (via the link above) and click the "Events" button on the right hand side and click on the "Past" tab to visit (or re-visit) the lessons from weeks gone by!

Its all free. You dont have to sign-up for anything to participate. And it helps in a huge way!

Thanks!

I Know that Church...

I am fortunate to be one of the many people that are helping with the upcoming "Grace of Giving" celebration banquet.

We were looking for entertainment and I contacted a husband and wife team from Carrollton that has a small business booking Christian artist throughout the country.

While I was speaking with one of the owners, Mark, I mentioned that it was for Shepherd of the Hills in Douglas County. He stated "I know that church, it is on the corner of Chapel Hill and Anneewakee".

The next day I met with Mark and he was telling me that when he informed his wife that they are working with Shepherd of the Hills, she stated "I know that church, it is across from that new Publix." She would not have known any other church in Douglas County, but she knew that one.

That got me thinking, on a few occasions I have had the opportunity to help out at The Pantry. When speaking with other volunteers and staff, they will usually ask which church are you from. When I reply "Shepherd of the Hills" they will say "I know that church, they are here often".

There is a community not far from the church building that the Community and Congregational Care team works with during the summer, you can bet that they say "I know that church" whenever they hear Shepherd of the Hills.

After the recent flooding, we met a roofer that lost everything to the floods. After I sent a letter to the church asking if they could help, the Women of SOTH didn’t hesitate to start a collection and wrote a check to help meet that family’s, along with others, immediate needs. They also provided guidance on where to obtain other help. Those families are now saying "I know that church, they were there when we needed help".

Families in neighborhoods and communities all around are saying "We know that church" whenever they hear Shepherd of the Hills, because of the people involved with the LRE ministry that is reaching out to them with love.

A director for the company I work for lives in Cumming. We were talking some time back and I mentioned that I attend Shepherd of the Hills. He stated "I know that church; my mother-in-law from Florida saw a news report about "Baby Nora" and wanted to give a donation." Not only does a lady in Florida know that church, but a family in Iraq, an army unit serving our country and many others can say "I know that church".

I guess my point is, when Mark and his wife said they know that church, they were speaking of the building. If they are able to join us on Friday night, I know that on Saturday morning that if someone mentions Shepherd of the Hills, they will say "We know that church and we worshiped with that church in the building on the corner of Chapel Hill and Anneewakee, across from Publix". They will also say, 'that building cannot hold that church, her ministries are moving out to the communities and beyond. We were there to witness the bar being raised and saw how they celebrate what Paul calls "The Grace of Giving"

Thank you for being that church.

Grace, Peace, and see you there Friday night --- or on the work sites we take on this weekend!

Randy Baskin
Chair, SOTH Finance Team

Veterans

Today is Veterans’ Day.

This is one of the occasions when many of us take time to reflect on our own service - who we were then and what it meant to be a solider. I like to go to the American Legion and listen to old warriors tell their stories and tell me they never met a “lady” paratrooper.

I once had the honor of escorting a WWII veteran during a reunion of the 82d Airborne Division. He wanted to know how many jumps I had, a common question. I gave my answer with great bravado and pride and he replied “I have 5… but they were all combat jumps.” It was 1986 and not many soldiers as young as I had ever jumped into live combat. I laughed and kissed him on the cheek and told him I was glad he was there. I never did make a combat jump. Desert Storm came and went and we declared victory and I came home safely, relatively unscathed.

It makes me think of the men and women serving in the Armed Forces today. They are dedicated, loyal, fierce, and brave. Sometimes they feel invincible. Sometimes they are afraid. They are, each and every one of them, ready, willing and able to make the ultimate sacrifice should duty require that of them. I’d rather that these fine warriors never be required to sacrifice so much.

Please thank a vet today but, more importantly, pause and, in whatever way you chose, honor tomorrow’s veterans as well. Personally, I’m praying they’ll all come home to tell stories.

Joy Shaver, SOTH UMC Prayer ministry leader

Radical

Luke 2 NIV

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. ³¹You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.

For nothing is impossible with God."

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

What does it take to be obedient?

It takes radical trust.

Right now, SOTH is challenging its members to embrace radical trust of God. This Friday night, folks from our church will make their financial pledges for 2010. Those pledges will support staff and facility and supplies and commitments that we have made to ministries around the world. The money will allow us to more perfectly fulfill our mission...making disciples.

For the last 6 weeks, we've spoken of "The Grace of Giving." It's God's grace that changes the world when we give anything freely to his Kingdom.

It's also God's grace that changes us within when we engage in trust and radical obedience by giving away what we've worked hard to obtain.

We're utterly dependent on God.

But most of the time, we try not to admit it. Giving changes all that.

Mary gave herself in the most incredible way. Nothing was held back. She was at personal risk. Her life was changing forever. The message seemed beyond improbably. She rightly points out that what Gabriel told her wasn't even possible.

But, "nothing is impossible with God." Nothing is impossible...if we are courageous...if we trust...if we give...if we are dependent.

It's a radical, counter-cultural act to give. It's radical not to hold back. It's radical to trust. Pray that God may give us that radical obedience.

Grace & Peace,

Adam

Links!

Hello, SOTH family! I trust you are all having a great week. Some things I hope will brighten your day whether its going well or not:

1) I have finished uploading pictures and a couple of videos to the church's Flickr account for both the Berry Halloween Bash and Trunk or Treat! Just click here and you should be directed to that page promptly.

2) Last week I posted a link to the SOTH Youth's YouVersion page and asked you all to log on and participate in the construction of the talk for the coming Sunday. 45 OF YOU DID JUST THAT! Thank you so much for participating! Wow, we had users ranging from age 16 to age 52. That is an incredible range that I am quite proud of! You all made that possible.

Just to be fair (in case you are not aware) you can click here to see how I used that information in Sunday's talk. You will be able to do so every week starting at 5:30pm the Sunday I am giving the talk at youth.

The Pre-Sunday events will also be a weekly occurrence, and the newest one is up! So please check the following link out and actively participate in the youth group!

http://www.youversion.com/groups/sothumc

You can use the link above to access not only the events that are LIVE each week (the Pre-Sunday events are live from Wednesday at 12pm til Sunday at 4pm and the actual Sunday events are live from 5:30pm to 8:00pm), but you can navigate to past events and check them out by clicking on the "Events" button on the right hand side and choosing the "Past" tab.

Thank you all so much for being a part of the youth ministry!

YouVersion

Ive set up an account for the youth ministry on YouVersion.com, a ministry tool that will provide a window into the youth ministry that would otherwise not be involved!

Its easy:

1) Click on this link: http://www.youversion.com/groups/sothumc

2) Click on "Events" to your right.

From here, you can choose to look at the lesson for the up-coming Sunday in the Current tab or browse previous lessons under the Past tab.

This new tool will allow you not only to view the Scriptures we are visiting on Sunday night, but also the notes being taught alongside the Scripture. You will also be able to answer questions associated with the material!

My goal is to have something labelled "Pre-Sunday (Insert Date)" accessible by Wednesday night of each week will serve as a prep tool for the coming lesson. There might be questions, polls, videos, thoughts, Scriptures, etc., for you to access and participate in - youth AND adults, alike.

The actual Sunday night material will not be available for viewing until 6pm the evening of, but even then you can log in and participate! Its all done live and if you answer a question during my talk or the time leading up to it, we, as a group, will be able to view your submission.

I hope you will participate in the teaching of the youth in this interactive environment!

After all, we ARE on the path of life together!

- Adkins

What the Pumpkins Teach Us

Ephesians 4:15-16 (The Message)

No prolonged infancies among us, please.

We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors.

God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything.

We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do.

He keeps us in step with each other.

His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.

"God wants us to grow up..."

What a great line of scripture. And it's a lesson that we all have to learn in God's time.

"Pumpkin day" is such a reminder of this for me. A mountain of large pumpkins fills the trailer. As the sun is starting to rise, the volunteers assemble.

My kids are absolutely overflowing with excitement. "Pumpkin day," for whatever reason, is right there with Christmas morning and birthdays for them. It builds anticipation like almost nothing else.

And without fail, they have one question..."can we get in the trailer?"

This year, my oldest, Will got to get "in the trailer" and help the line of men who passed the pumpkins from one to another.

He must have passed a good dozen pumpkins (of about 1500). Then he had enough. He quickly jumped down, back into the patch to play with his friends. He wasn't quite ready to grow up just yet (it's work after all), and I'm not really ready for him to grow up, anyway.

What about the rest of us?

The pumpkins teach us that it's a wonderful thing to be surrounded by a family who's willing to do grown up work.

Without each and every person, the pumpkin task would be near impossible.

We learn to "keep in step with each other" as the pumpkins pass from hand to hand. We learn that when part of the team breaks down, everybody has to stop. We see firsthand the incredible value of team work and a shared goal.

For a couple of hours, we truly have to be one body. And this is the picture of church.

There is a trailer full of potential ministry opportunity that greets our church family, each and every morning.

We give, serve, and push one another...because it is our calling. We work together, because in grace, that work is our very identity.

"His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love."

This is what the pumpkins teach us. May we learn new lessons like this one every single day.

Grace & Peace,

Adam

Meet Your Maker, Vol. VIII

Are you ready to believe this statement?:

"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."

Sounds radical, doesnt it? When we first read that, our first reaction might be (and mine was), "I believe myself to be 'born of God' and I know that I still sin."

Well, the statement in question is actually a bit of Scripture (1 John 3:9) that Wesley addressed in a sermon in 1748.

He breaks it down into two parts - first addressing what it means to be "born of God" and secondly addressing what it means not to sin thereafter.

Born of God

Wesley describes this process as "a vast inward change; a change wrought in the soul by the operation of the Holy Ghost, a change in the whole manner of our existence; for from the moment we are 'born of God' we live in quite another manner than we did before; we are, as it were, in another world."

To flesh this description out some, he compares being born of God to the process of the natural birth we are all familiar with. He explains that before we are born of God, we exist in a similar state to that of an unborn child. We live, to be sure, but our senses are dulled and we know not what exists just beyond the womb. But the process of being born of God is just as drastic a happenstance as that of being born naturally. Senses are heightened and strengthened and it is unfair to make a comparison between that life and the one experienced in the womb; that simply is not an apples to apples comparison.

For Wesley, being born of God means that where we were once unable to see, we now are capable of seeing "Him that is invisible." Where once we were unable to hear, we are now "know the voice of [our] shepherd." Where once our senses were incapable of experiencing or imagining the world on the other side of the womb we now know "more and more of the things which before "could not enter into [our] hearts to conceive."

Put simply: We become distinctly aware of and connected to God.

Cannot go on Sinning

Wesley is careful to address what our hang-up with this phrase most certainly is: that those born of God most certainly do go on committing sins. He explains the discrepancy in this way:

"I answer, what has been long observed is this: so long as 'he that is born of God keepeth himself' (which he is able to do, by the grace of God) 'the wicked one toucheth him not.' But if he keepeth not himself, if he abide not in the faith, he may commit sin even as another man."

He gives a nine step digression from grace to sin (The following quoted directly but with the omission of quotation marks):

1) The divine seed of loving, conquering faith remains in him that is 'born of God.' 'He keepeth himself,' by the grace of God, and 'cannot commit' sin.

2) A temptation arises, whether from the world, the flesh, or the devil, it matters not.

3) The Spirit of God gives him warning that sin is near, and bids him more abundantly watch unto prayer.

4) He gives way in some degree to the temptation, which now begins to grow pleasing to him.

5) The Holy Spirit is grieved; his faith is weakened, and his love of God grows cold.

6) The Spirit reproves him more sharply, and saith, 'This is the way; walk thou in it.'

7) He turns away from the painful voice of God and listens to the pleasing voice of the tempter.

8) Evil desire begins and spreads in his soul, til faith and love vanish away.

9) He is then capable of committing outward sin, the power of the Lord being departed from him.

So it comes down to this:

Once being born of God, we are capable of committing sin. Our free will is not removed from us during the birthing process. And so it is with our will that we sin. Conversely, though, it is with our will that we can avoid falling into temptation. The phrase Wesley uses to describe this utilization of our will is "keeping" ourselves to God. It is when we choose to turn our attention to God and His desires for us that we necessarily turn away from other desires and, therefore, away from potential temptation and sin. And it is in those moments that we are sinless, if only for a moment.

9/27 worship preview

It's been quite a week in Douglas County. Flooding like we've never seen. Tomorrow morning at 8, folks will begin being helped at The Pantry (if you get the SOTH emails you know the details). A Gift of Love and Faith in Action are also working hard to help those in need and SOTH will support their efforts 100%. The future will hold mission teams and wonderful stories of the way that God works.

Wednesday night we gathered and had a powerful time of prayer for the community.

This Sunday we'll be having services of healing at both 9:30 and 11:00 am. Now really, anytime that Christians gather for worship, what happens should have a healing quality. I'm very excited about this Sunday. God's timing is amazing. We planned this service weeks ago --- little did we know how much healing our community would need after these floods.

So, here's a peek at some of the songs, the scripture, the sermon and a time of prayer and anointing.

See you Sunday!

Adam

James 5:13-15 (NRSV)

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.

Sermon thoughts: what's this anointing with oil all about? Do prayers in church somehow work better than when I do it on my own? Why do some folks not get better? How does forgiveness really work? What does it mean to let someone pray for me?

If you've ever had those questions...they're the ones we're diving into this Sunday.

Some thoughts on the United Methodist healing service from Daniel Benedict, former worship resources director with the General Board of Discipleship:

Ours is a hurting and broken world. It is no wonder that there has been a very positive response to opportunities for healing prayer and anointing.

Many United Methodist congregations now include healing prayer in worship services. Some offer healing prayer as part of services of Holy Communion. Some schedule weekly, monthly, or quarterly services of healing, depending on the needs of their particular church and community.

Basic Understandings of Healing and Worship

The Bible affirms spiritual healing.

"Are any among you sick? They should call the elders of the church and have them pray for them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord" (James 5:14).

When pastors and laity pray for people with the laying on of hands or anointing with oil, they are not claiming that they are doing something for the sick. They are not claiming that God will make everything better. They are seeking to be faithful to continue Christ's threefold ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing.

The Bible clearly calls disciples to pray with and for one another, and this faithful ministry of touch with prayer pleads and performs (enacts) the grace of God. This touch bridges alienation, swallows isolation, breaks suffering, and opens discouraged human spirits.

Services of healing are not services of curing. Rather they "provide an atmosphere in which healing can happen." (See The United Methodist Book of Worship, 613-614.) All healing is God's work, and worship settings where God encounters people are intrinsically healing.

When people are hurting, and when there is an invitation to share the pain, people respond. It is very natural and an act of hope in God. The ritual practices of healing prayer in the context of worship do not embarrass or expose people. United Methodist healing services use a simple sacramental approach to healing that expresses compassion, hope, grace, and a quiet confidence in God. There we can bring our insufficiencies to the all-sufficient Christ, who understands our need for wholeness.