1 Senior Pastor writes... Southern hills united methodist church February - 2015 THE MESSENGER WHEN IS LOSING YOUR LUGGAGE A GOOD THING? Losing your luggage is a demoralizing, deflating experience. But if you think about it, there’s a flip side to this: There is some luggage we carry around with us all the time that we need to lose, that God wants us to lose. There is some problematic baggage in our personalities that can hurt us and hurt other people, baggage such as prejudice, resentment, bitterness, jealousy, envy—baggage that hinders us and burdens us and robs us of the joy of life. All of us have great things going on in our lives, but we also carry around troublesome baggage that is harmful and destructive, and it burdens and encumbers us and everyone around us. That baggage we need to lose. We need to lose it with the help of God. As we enter into the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 18, we traditionally seek to give up or let go of something. This is precisely what the Scripture in Hebrews 12 is talking about: 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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith… I need to learn to travel light. I like to take plenty of gear. My family will tell you when we go sailing or to a football game, I’m all about jackets and sun tan lotion and paddles and life jackets and sandwiches and coolers full of drinks and flashlights… I carry a Swiss Army knife just in case. I need to learn to travel light. You might be wondering why I can’t. You might be thinking you can’t enjoy the journey if you carry too much stuff. Why don’t you drop all that luggage? Funny you should ask. I’d like to ask you the same thing. Haven’t you been known to pick up a few bags? Odds are you did that this morning. Sometime before the first step out the door, you stepped over to the baggage carousel and grabbed some luggage. But the bags we grab are not made of leather or nylon; they’re made of burdens. The suitcase of guilt. A sack of discontent. You drape a duffel bag of weariness on one shoulder and a hanging bag of grief on the other. Add one backpack of doubt, an overnight bag of loneliness, and a trunk of fear. Pretty soon you’re pulling more stuff than a skycap. No wonder you’re tired at the end of the day. Lugging luggage is exhausting. God is saying to you, “Set that stuff down! You’re carrying burdens you don’t need to bear.” “Come to me,” He invites, “all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Mt. 11:28 (NLT) Jesus is our hope. He is our Redeemer. He is our Savior. He is the One who can deliver us from the dangerous and destructive baggage that burdens and encumbers us. How much troublesome baggage are you carrying around right now? How many bags do you need to lose, and what are they? What is it in your life that needs to be laid aside? Traveling light means trusting God with the burdens you were never intended to bear. Why don’t you try traveling light? Try it for the sake of those you love. Bill February 1- "Do You Have a Dream for Your Life?", Genesis 37:1-4, 12-24 February 8- "Consider the Source," Isaiah 40:21-31 Jill Ruhl, preaching February 15- "A Dream Fulfilled", Genesis 45:4-15 Lenten Sermon Series- "Journey to the Cross" February 22- "Hitting the Boss Key", Matthew 4:1-11
Transcript
1
S e n i o r Pa s to r w r i t e s . . .
So
ut
he
rn
h
il
ls
u
nit
ed
m
et
ho
dis
t c
hu
rc
h F
eb
ru
ar
y -
2
01
5
TH
E M
ESSEN
GER
WHEN IS LOSING YOUR LUGGAGE A GOOD THING?
Losing your luggage is a demoralizing, deflating experience. But if you think about it, there’s a flip side to this: There is some luggage we carry around with us all the time that we need to lose, that God wants us to lose. There is some problematic baggage in our personalities that can hurt us and hurt other people, baggage such as prejudice, resentment, bitterness, jealousy, envy—baggage that hinders us and burdens us and robs us of the joy of life. All of us have great things going on in our lives, but we also carry around troublesome baggage that is harmful and destructive, and it burdens and encumbers us and everyone around us. That baggage we need to lose. We need to lose it with the help of God. As we enter into the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 18, we traditionally seek to give up or let go of something. This is precisely what the Scripture in Hebrews 12 is talking about:
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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…
I need to learn to travel light. I like to take plenty of gear. My family will tell you when we go sailing or to a football game, I’m all about jackets and sun tan lotion and paddles and life jackets and sandwiches and coolers full of drinks and flashlights… I carry a Swiss Army knife just in case. I need to learn to travel light. You might be wondering why I can’t. You might be thinking you can’t enjoy the journey if you carry too much stuff. Why don’t you drop all that luggage? Funny you should ask. I’d like to ask you the same thing. Haven’t you been known to pick up a few bags?
Odds are you did that this morning. Sometime before the first step out the door, you stepped over to the baggage carousel and grabbed some luggage. But the bags we grab are not made of leather or nylon; they’re made of burdens. The suitcase of guilt. A sack of discontent. You drape a duffel bag of weariness on one shoulder and a hanging bag of grief on the other. Add one backpack of doubt, an overnight bag of loneliness, and a trunk of fear. Pretty soon you’re pulling more stuff than a skycap. No wonder you’re tired at the end of the day. Lugging luggage is exhausting. God is saying to you, “Set that stuff down! You’re carrying burdens you don’t need to bear.”
“Come to me,” He invites, “all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Mt. 11:28 (NLT)
Jesus is our hope. He is our Redeemer. He is our Savior. He is the One who can deliver us from the dangerous and destructive baggage that burdens and encumbers us. How much troublesome baggage are you carrying around right now? How many bags do you need to lose, and what are they? What is it in your life that needs to be laid aside? Traveling light means trusting God with the burdens you were never intended to bear. Why don’t you try traveling light? Try it for the sake of those you love.
Bill
February 1- "Do You Have a Dream for Your Life?", Genesis 37:1-4, 12-24
February 8- "Consider the Source," Isaiah 40:21-31 Jill Ruhl, preaching
February 15- "A Dream Fulfilled", Genesis 45:4-15
Lenten Sermon Series- "Journey to the Cross" February 22- "Hitting the Boss Key", Matthew 4:1-11
2
The scheduled dates for packing for the rest of the year are:
Thursday, Jan. 22; Thursday, Feb. 5; Thursday, March 5 (UMW); Wednesday, April 8;
And Thursday, May 7
We meet in the basement at Embrace Church on North Limestone. We set up from 10:00 -
10:30 and begin packing at 10:30. We are usually done by 11:30. If you are not on the
e-mail list for notifications, and would like to be, please email [email protected] or call
Lyn Bracken at 223-9830
Please note: My computer has deleted some e-mails. If you used to get a backpack e-mail, and you don't anymore,
please send your address again to [email protected]. Thanks! Lyn Bracken
Common Good needs 14 new
mentors for the spring
semester The commitment is
once a week for the
semester. The program runs
Monday-Thursday from 2:45
- 6:00 PM. Participating
students are in grades K-
12th. Mentors will build
relationships with students,
tutor and help lead small
classrooms. There is an
attached flyer with all of the details.
February’s Reward by Carlene Ott
February is a
complicated and
interesting month. It is American Heart month, with one
day National Wear Red Day and one week is Random Acts
of Kindness Week. If we work to combine these issues we
could be surprised at how many lives we could touch along
the way as we make lifelong habits. As we begin our Plan
for Prevention, let’s do so with a smile on our face and a
word of encouragement to someone who could be having a
difficult time trying to improve their health.
Check out simple strategies as plans are made for
Prevention.
Maintain a healthy weight
Exercise regularly
Don’t smoke
Eat a healthy diet
Monitor blood pressure
Do one act of kindness daily
The Health and Wellness Team suggests “28 Days to a
Healthier Heart”. These tips can inspire you for ways to
protect your heart and live a longer, healthier life.
Roadrunners
Feb. 12 Cracker Barrel on Brannon Rd.
Feb. 26, The Ketch on Regency Rd.
Meet at the restaurant at 11:30 a.m.
for good food and fellowship.
A thank you letter has
been received from the
Fayette County Migrant
Education Program and is
posted on the bulletin
board. Here is a portion of
their thank you letter.
“Than you for your generous and kind contribution to
the children and families of the Fayette County Migrant
Education Program (MEP). As you know, this time of
year brings joy, happiness, and fellowship. Because of
your efforts our MEP families engaged in a joyous
family fellowship, watching their children open presents
and playing with toys. Your gracious gifts are providing
opportunities for over 100 MEP children this year.
There is not way to fully express our gratitude for your
support. We at the Fayette County Migrant Education
Elementary-age kids are naturally curious and wired for discovery. Each day they are learning something new, and as a church, we have the unique opportunity to show our children God’s Big Story and help them discover the active part they can play in this life-long adventure. Our children’s ministry is in need of a team of 5-6 passionate volunteers to teach and lead our elementary-aged students on the third Sunday of each month. Leaders serve in the following ways:
Providing a welcoming environment by actively engaging with the kids in conversation and activity.
Modeling how to listen as the teacher shares a part of the Big God Story.
Interacting with children in a small group by asking questions, leading discussion, and praying. All setup and preparations are completed beforehand, so the volunteers need only to show up and build relationships with the kids. Commitment: The third Sunday of each month during the 9:30am service. If you have any questions about volunteering or attending an event, please contact Christina Bohn at [email protected]
Chris Bohn ~ Director of Children’s ministry
Brian Shumard ~ Director of Youth ministry
Snapshot: Sundays, Feb. 8, 15, & 22 from 5:30 -7:30 p.m. at the church, come and hang out, play some games, have discussion about the Gospel, have small groups, then eat! Finishing up the GOSPEL acrostic. We are wrestling through a bunch of big stuff & it has been amazing! Dare 2 Share: A conference that helps us find ways to talk about our faith in Jesus with our friends. It will be in Columbus, Ohio, March 6 & 7. The cost is $60 a person plus bring some money for 3 meals. Sign up deadline is Sunday, February 22. Go to dare2share.org to see more about what the conference is like. Middle School Small Group: Middle School will meet on Wednesdays, Feb. 4, 11, 18, & 25 from 6:30 -7:30 p.m. in the youth room. We will hang out, enjoy some snacks, & start a new series about 4 different ways to understand the word LOVE. (Yeah, you bet we’ ll have Valentines candy all month!) Backpacks for Arlington Elementary: Tuesday, Feb. 17 we have an opportunity to pack lunches for the students at Arlington Elementary School. Meet at Southern Hills at 5:30 p.m. We ’ll go down to Embrace Church on N. Limestone to pack the meals. If you need a ride let Brian or Samantha know. We should be back at SH by 8 to 8:30 p.m. Parents & little or older siblings feel free to join us! Confirmation: Sunday, Feb. 1. Join us for the 11:00 service in the Sanctuary. Afterwards we ’ll share a meal together in the Activities Room by the gym, then dive into our discussion time. Confirmation is a chance for us to dig deep, look at some major ideas behind Christianity and take ownership of our faith. This second session we will be covering the Holy Spirit, Church, & New Creation. We will be done at 2:30 p.m. Youth Band: Join us Wednesdays, Feb. 4, 11, 18, & 25 from 7:30 -8:30 p.m. in the youth room as we plan for Sunday nights and work on some songs to worship God and lead worship in the Source sometime in February or March!
