Tuesday, January 23, 2007
From the Lighthouse Keeper 7.04
Greeting, saints and lighthouse keepers all!
In case there was any doubt about it, there are signs that winter is here: we’ve had some snow!
When Sashi got out of bed on Friday I told her to look out the window, then I watched with delight as her face lit up to see even the thin dusting of snow on the rooftops.
“Snow, Daddy! Who made the snow?”
“God made the snow, Honeybun.”
“I’m so happy! Can we say ‘thank you’ to God for the snow?”
“Sure, Kiddo, we can say ‘thank you’ to God any time.”
Sure enough, a minute later my daughter looked out the window and up at the sky and said “Thank you God for the snow!” She then told me, “I said ‘thank you’ to the sun, because God lives in the sun.”
“God is in the sun, you’re right. But do you know where he likes to live best? In your heart,” I replied.
Said Sashi: “And he lives in the moon, and in the ground!”
God love her. She’s right, of course. God is in the sun and in the moon, in our hearts and in the ground. In the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas Jesus says, “Cleave a piece of wood, I am there; lift up the stone and you will find Me there.” Indeed, he was there in the beginning with God, and nothing that exists came into being without him.
There’s nowhere we can go where God isn’t. I don’t know about you, but that makes me feel pretty good. And it makes me want to do good. To praise God with my very being and living.
Thank you, God, for being You
Hoping to see you soon at the lighthouse –
Pastor Kerry
p.s.: Our newsletter crew is pretty thin this week. Would you be able to come in Thursday morning to help assemble it? Please call the office or respond if you’re able.
In case there was any doubt about it, there are signs that winter is here: we’ve had some snow!
When Sashi got out of bed on Friday I told her to look out the window, then I watched with delight as her face lit up to see even the thin dusting of snow on the rooftops.
“Snow, Daddy! Who made the snow?”
“God made the snow, Honeybun.”
“I’m so happy! Can we say ‘thank you’ to God for the snow?”
“Sure, Kiddo, we can say ‘thank you’ to God any time.”
Sure enough, a minute later my daughter looked out the window and up at the sky and said “Thank you God for the snow!” She then told me, “I said ‘thank you’ to the sun, because God lives in the sun.”
“God is in the sun, you’re right. But do you know where he likes to live best? In your heart,” I replied.
Said Sashi: “And he lives in the moon, and in the ground!”
God love her. She’s right, of course. God is in the sun and in the moon, in our hearts and in the ground. In the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas Jesus says, “Cleave a piece of wood, I am there; lift up the stone and you will find Me there.” Indeed, he was there in the beginning with God, and nothing that exists came into being without him.
There’s nowhere we can go where God isn’t. I don’t know about you, but that makes me feel pretty good. And it makes me want to do good. To praise God with my very being and living.
Thank you, God, for being You
Hoping to see you soon at the lighthouse –
Pastor Kerry
p.s.: Our newsletter crew is pretty thin this week. Would you be able to come in Thursday morning to help assemble it? Please call the office or respond if you’re able.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
From the Lighthouse Keeper 7.03
Greetings, saints and lighthouse keepers, all!
I was chatting with my daughter’s dance instructor today. Her name is Miss Sheila, and I tell ya, she’s the spitting image of my friend Kathy – they could be sisters. As I was telling Miss Sheila that I knew a woman who looked like her, I recalled that I knew another woman who looked like both of them. Three people from three different areas of the country, who bore each other’s image.
I have been told a few times that I have a twin. Someone I look like, someone who acts like me. Have you ever been told you have a twin? Has someone ever looked at you and told you “You look like a friend of mine…”?
When God looks at us, he sees a few things. One, he sees our sin. That sets us apart from God, even as it sets us apart from each other. But by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who takes our place, when God looks at us, he sees Jesus. Because of Jesus, God is able to offer us eternal life and fellowship with him.
Jesus’ hope and prayer for us is that we’ll be like him. He tells his disciples in John 13:15, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:1 to “Be imitators of Christ.”
My hope in this world is for people to look at me and see the grace and the love of Jesus. My hope for you is that when people look at you they’ll say “You remind me of someone. You remind me of Jesus.”
Would you remember in prayer our new District Superintendent, the Rev. Gary George? He takes the mantle on February 1 from our interim DS Herb Palmer. I have told Rev. Palmer of our prayers and thanksgiving for him and his service.
Would you remember the children of our church, as we seek a Director of Children’s Ministry? Pray that God would move in the heart of the one that we seek.
Thank you for these prayers and many others. I look forward to seeing you soon at the lighthouse –
Pastor Kerry
I was chatting with my daughter’s dance instructor today. Her name is Miss Sheila, and I tell ya, she’s the spitting image of my friend Kathy – they could be sisters. As I was telling Miss Sheila that I knew a woman who looked like her, I recalled that I knew another woman who looked like both of them. Three people from three different areas of the country, who bore each other’s image.
I have been told a few times that I have a twin. Someone I look like, someone who acts like me. Have you ever been told you have a twin? Has someone ever looked at you and told you “You look like a friend of mine…”?
When God looks at us, he sees a few things. One, he sees our sin. That sets us apart from God, even as it sets us apart from each other. But by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who takes our place, when God looks at us, he sees Jesus. Because of Jesus, God is able to offer us eternal life and fellowship with him.
Jesus’ hope and prayer for us is that we’ll be like him. He tells his disciples in John 13:15, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:1 to “Be imitators of Christ.”
My hope in this world is for people to look at me and see the grace and the love of Jesus. My hope for you is that when people look at you they’ll say “You remind me of someone. You remind me of Jesus.”
Would you remember in prayer our new District Superintendent, the Rev. Gary George? He takes the mantle on February 1 from our interim DS Herb Palmer. I have told Rev. Palmer of our prayers and thanksgiving for him and his service.
Would you remember the children of our church, as we seek a Director of Children’s Ministry? Pray that God would move in the heart of the one that we seek.
Thank you for these prayers and many others. I look forward to seeing you soon at the lighthouse –
Pastor Kerry
Thursday, January 11, 2007
From the Lighthouse Keeper 7.02
Greetings, saints and lighthouse keepers, all!
I don’t know about you, but I have been busy lately, and I have felt really blessed lately.
I am very excited about the Bible-Based Money Management Seminar that our church is hosting for the next three Wednesdays. I think about times when I’ve known that events were going to happen and I kind of dragged my feet half-heartedly to the event, and found that God had some incredible blessing for me in spite of me. So if you’re dragging your feet on this one, give it a shot. I firmly believe God will bless you and this fellowship if you come and participate. If I didn’t believe that I’d be a liar, and that’s just not one thing that I am. I hope you’re able to make a way to find out for yourself.
I spent Thursday afternoon at Valley Forge Christian College at their Job Fair, talking to some students about our need for a children’s minister. I had some blessed conversations, friends, and I’d like to ask you to pray for three individuals that I would consider excellent candidates. In the name of prudence I won’t share their names or initials, but God knows which three I lift before you, and I just ask that you’d lift them and pray for their discernment and for the Spirit to guide them. When they come through our doors, I want to you to be able to truthfully say “We’ve been praying for you”.
I am excited about a discipleship training event that the denomination is doing (I’ll be attending a workshop on Friday) and about a Staff-Parish training event that the conference is doing (Saturday).
God has much planned. I see a harvest that God is preparing and I look forward to one day saying “remember in 2007 when…”
What do you see?
Oh friends. It is good to be among you. May you be found to be a faithful servant of God –
Pastor Kerry
I don’t know about you, but I have been busy lately, and I have felt really blessed lately.
I am very excited about the Bible-Based Money Management Seminar that our church is hosting for the next three Wednesdays. I think about times when I’ve known that events were going to happen and I kind of dragged my feet half-heartedly to the event, and found that God had some incredible blessing for me in spite of me. So if you’re dragging your feet on this one, give it a shot. I firmly believe God will bless you and this fellowship if you come and participate. If I didn’t believe that I’d be a liar, and that’s just not one thing that I am. I hope you’re able to make a way to find out for yourself.
I spent Thursday afternoon at Valley Forge Christian College at their Job Fair, talking to some students about our need for a children’s minister. I had some blessed conversations, friends, and I’d like to ask you to pray for three individuals that I would consider excellent candidates. In the name of prudence I won’t share their names or initials, but God knows which three I lift before you, and I just ask that you’d lift them and pray for their discernment and for the Spirit to guide them. When they come through our doors, I want to you to be able to truthfully say “We’ve been praying for you”.
I am excited about a discipleship training event that the denomination is doing (I’ll be attending a workshop on Friday) and about a Staff-Parish training event that the conference is doing (Saturday).
God has much planned. I see a harvest that God is preparing and I look forward to one day saying “remember in 2007 when…”
What do you see?
Oh friends. It is good to be among you. May you be found to be a faithful servant of God –
Pastor Kerry
# posted by Spring City UMC @ 9:00 AM
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
From the Lighthouse Keeper 7.01
New Years’ greetings, saints and lighthouse keepers all!
I thank God every time I think of you, and I remember you in my prayers. I am excited as 2007 kicks off. That excitement comes from God, my friends. Let’s call it for what it is: enthusiasm (which is literally akin to God-injection). I am enthusiastic about Spring City UMC and the year 2007.
Thank you for remembering so many folks in prayer last week. A brief update:
Joanne M. is still in the hospital, adjusting to the meds. I saw her today, and she does expect to go home soon.
Irma M. is doing well at Beverly, and also hopes to be home soon. I saw her today too (and visited Naomi as well, who is getting over a cold).
I have plans to visit Sadie W. this weekend. I know that the chaplain at Reading Rehab (HealthSouth) has visited with her, and she is progressing along. I hope you’re able to remember her with cards and calls.
Willie B. was in church on Sunday, praise God.
I look forward this weekend to celebrating Holy Communion as a congregation again, and to another luncheon, and I pray you’re able to join us.
I don’t know if you heard this in the news recently, but I found it very moving. I’ll include a link if you want to read the story online. Yesterday a New Yorker was waiting for the subway with his two daughters when they witnessed a young man fall onto the tracks. There was a train coming. The man told his daughters “stay here” and then jumped down onto the track. There was no time to get the fallen man out, so he threw him down between the tracks and covered him with his own body, just before the train rushed over them both. Neither man was injured, though the train sped by a mere inch or two above them. (click here for the news story)
I don’t know whether this man is a Christian or not, but he certainly lived the actions of Christ in that moment, risking his own life for the life of another. I pray that the young man who was saved realizes the value of his life, that a stranger would do that.
Your life is valuable, friends. Precious enough that God’s own Son laid his life down so that you could live. You are invaluable to God.
Let others know, friends, that they are too.
Hope to see you soon –
Pastor Kerry
I thank God every time I think of you, and I remember you in my prayers. I am excited as 2007 kicks off. That excitement comes from God, my friends. Let’s call it for what it is: enthusiasm (which is literally akin to God-injection). I am enthusiastic about Spring City UMC and the year 2007.
Thank you for remembering so many folks in prayer last week. A brief update:
Joanne M. is still in the hospital, adjusting to the meds. I saw her today, and she does expect to go home soon.
Irma M. is doing well at Beverly, and also hopes to be home soon. I saw her today too (and visited Naomi as well, who is getting over a cold).
I have plans to visit Sadie W. this weekend. I know that the chaplain at Reading Rehab (HealthSouth) has visited with her, and she is progressing along. I hope you’re able to remember her with cards and calls.
Willie B. was in church on Sunday, praise God.
I look forward this weekend to celebrating Holy Communion as a congregation again, and to another luncheon, and I pray you’re able to join us.
I don’t know if you heard this in the news recently, but I found it very moving. I’ll include a link if you want to read the story online. Yesterday a New Yorker was waiting for the subway with his two daughters when they witnessed a young man fall onto the tracks. There was a train coming. The man told his daughters “stay here” and then jumped down onto the track. There was no time to get the fallen man out, so he threw him down between the tracks and covered him with his own body, just before the train rushed over them both. Neither man was injured, though the train sped by a mere inch or two above them. (click here for the news story)
I don’t know whether this man is a Christian or not, but he certainly lived the actions of Christ in that moment, risking his own life for the life of another. I pray that the young man who was saved realizes the value of his life, that a stranger would do that.
Your life is valuable, friends. Precious enough that God’s own Son laid his life down so that you could live. You are invaluable to God.
Let others know, friends, that they are too.
Hope to see you soon –
Pastor Kerry
