​Hebrews 11:29-12:2
29 The people of Israel trusted God and went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians chasing them tried it, they all were drowned.
30 It was faith that brought the walls of Jericho tumbling down after the people of Israel had walked around them seven days as God had commanded them. 31 By faith—because she believed in God and his power—Rahab the harlot did not die with all the others in her city when they refused to obey God, for she gave a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 Well, how much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah and David and Samuel and all the other prophets. 33 These people all trusted God and as a result won battles, overthrew kingdoms, ruled their people well, and received what God had promised them; they were kept from harm in a den of lions 34 and in a fiery furnace. Some, through their faith, escaped death by the sword. Some were made strong again after they had been weak or sick. Others were given great power in battle; they made whole armies turn and run away. 35 And some women, through faith, received their loved ones back again from death. But others trusted God and were beaten to death, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free—trusting that they would rise to a better life afterwards.
36 Some were laughed at and their backs cut open with whips, and others were chained in dungeons. 37-38 Some died by stoning and some by being sawed in two; others were promised freedom if they would renounce their faith, then were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in dens and caves. They were hungry and sick and ill-treated—too good for this world. 39 And these men of faith, though they trusted God and won his approval, none of them received all that God had promised them; 40 for God wanted them to wait and share the even better rewards that were prepared for us.
12 Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.
2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards; and now he sits in the place of honor by the throne of God.

Mark 1:4-11 (MSG)
4-6 John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.

7-8 As he preached, he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”

Some information to know about this passage of scripture:
The Jordan River is the setting of some of the most memorable miracles in the Old Testament. On their journey through the wilderness to the promised land, the Israelites walked across the Jordan River on dry ground because God parted its waters. Elisha, one of the prophets of God, healed Naaman by telling him to bathe seven times in its waters. Partly because of miracles like these and partly because of a growing wilderness spirituality, many of the Jews in John’s day are out to hear him and be ritually baptized in the Jordan’s cool, cleansing waters. They are looking for God to intervene miraculously in their lives as He has done in the past. What they don’t know is that God is about to intervene, for at that time Jesus leaves Nazareth and heads south.

9-11 At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”

Many years ago, a Philadelphia congregation watched as three 9-year-old boys were baptized and joined the church. Not long after, because of dwindling membership, the church sold the building and disbanded.
One of those three boys was Tony Campolo, who became an author and Christian sociologist professor at Eastern College in Pennsylvania. This short story as he tells it... "Years later when I was doing research in the archives of our denominations, I decided to look up the church report for the year of my baptism. There was my name, and Dick White's. He's now a missionary. Bert Newman, now a professor of theology at an African seminary, was also there. Then I read that church's report for the year of our baptism. It read: 'It has not been a good year for our church. We have lost 27 members. Three joined, and they were only children.'"
 
Now, not everyone who is baptized grows up to be a Tony Campolo or a Seminary professor like Bert Newman. And while we might not go on the mission field like Dick White, we all become missionaries through the water of our baptism because, that water is the water of life. It changes everything. It cleans us up and gives us a starting over point. And it reminds us just how much we are loved. And all we're asked to do is drink deep from the water of life.

As the gospel of Mark begins... "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ"... it tells each of us that every baptism is a beginning. Every Christian is a new chance to tell the story of the beginning of the Gospel.
My friends, this has been a difficult week in our nation with more civil unrest and a pandemic which continues to persist in different areas around our nation and the world. However, we are each reminded that we are loved by God and that we are not alone. From the moment of our baptism, we are each on a life journey, and whether you have thought it or not, we are each a missionary where God has placed us in our world.
​
On this day, take a slow breath in the midst of all the chaos that seems to surround us, and remember that you are loved by God. You are NOT alone. Hear God saying to you... “this is my child whom I am well pleased.”

My beautiful church family, let us this day and all the days of this new year, notice how God is revealing His presence to us in our personal lives, in our community, and how God is moving within the world around us. Remember, you are born of water, and you are not simply a human being on a spiritual journey... you ARE a spiritual being on a brief human journey.

And through your baptism, may you remember that you are transformed by the grace and love of God through Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God made flesh. Your life has been forever washed by the water, and your life has been born by the spirit.  Let us each continue to “Be the Church” to the world around us who desperately need to see, hear, and know the Good News of the Gospel.  And let us each through the words and actions of our lives, share the water of life to those around us. Amen.

Questions:
1. What from your life illustrates what it means to repent?
2. John the Baptist prepared “the way for the Lord.” Who prepared the way for the Lord in your life?
3. As Jesus came out of the water as he was being baptized, what did the voice from heaven say? What would you like to hear God say to you?

Isaiah 58:8-12 says...
“Then, oh then, your light will break out like the warm, golden rays of a rising sun;
in an instant, you will be healed.
Your rightness will precede and protect you;
the glory of the Eternal will follow and defend you.
Then when you do call out, “My God, Where are You?”
The Eternal One will answer,
 “I am here, I am here.”
If you remove the yoke of oppression from the downtrodden among you,
stop accusing others, and do away with mean and inflammatory speech...
If you make sure that the hungry and oppressed have all that they need...
...then your light will shine in the darkness...
And even your bleakest moments will be bright as a clear day.
The Eternal One will never leave you;
He will lead you in the way that you should go.
When you feel dried up and worthless,
God will nourish you and give you strength.
And you will grow like a garden lovingly tended; you will be like a spring whose water never runs out.
You will discover there are people among your own who can rebuild this broken-down city out of the ancient ruins;
You will firm up its ancient foundations.
And all around, others will call you
“Repairer of Broken Down Walls” and “Rebuilder of Livable Streets.”
 
Everyone wants to have 20/20 vision. We wear glasses, or contact lenses, or we have surgeries to correct our eyesight. With clear vision, we are able to observe the world around us with clarity. With 20/20 vision, we are able to each see the details of everyday life all around us. As we enter this new year of 2021, I am sure all of us are thankful that 2020 has ended. However, as bleak as 2020 was, not just for any of us, but for the world, I think we can learn from this past year. As we look back at 2020, I believe it can give us clarity about what is important in life.
 
Over this past year, we have each experienced loss of some kind. We have each dealt with a loss of worship in our sanctuary with loud singing, hugging close friends, and fellowship over coffee and donuts. We have been socially distancing and wearing masks in all public places. We have endured the constant news commentators with political banter. We have watched, heard stories, and read the news about the doctors and medical workers who are in their own “war zone” of a medical crisis dealing with the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19. And we have either heard of someone or actually know someone who has become ill from COVID-19, or extremely sick, or who have even died from this horrible virus.
 
And yet through all that has happened to us over this past year of 2020, we have the words of Isaiah 58 saying to us today...
“Then, oh then, your light will break out like the warm, golden rays of a rising sun;
in an instant, you will be healed.
Your rightness will precede and protect you;
the glory of the Eternal will follow and defend you.
Then when you do call out, “My God, Where are You?”
The Eternal One will answer,
 “I am here, I am here.”
 
Looking back at 2020 can actually give each of us 20/20 vision to look at our world with fresh eyes of clarity. We have learned that God is still with us when we worship virtually, or with others in our living room, or even when we have to be socially distant while wearing a mask in the sanctuary. Each of us now know how closely we are all to each other, not just here in our community, but throughout the world. COVID-19 has affected every nation around the world. All of us have been affected by a struggling economy with times of shutdowns, partial shutdowns, or even permanent closing of businesses. Each of have discovered just how much we rely on the manufacturing and shipping of everyday items such as milk, bread, eggs, meat... and especially toilet paper!
 
However, what is most important about the clear vision that this past year of 2020 can give us, is simply this... God has not wavered from us at all. In every aspect of this past year, we can see where God has been present in the lives of neighbors helping others in need. Churches and organizations helping to feed those in need. Health care workers holding up phones or iPad screens so that loved ones could say their “good-byes” to a parent, spouse, child, or friend who was dying. God has been present throughout this past year even during the difficulties of civil unrest. Members of communities helping businesses clean up broken glass and trash from riots. People holding hands with complete strangers in prayer circles while lifting each other and their communities for healing, peace, and a sense of brother/sisterhood to be restored. No matter what moment or situation from this past year... God has been, and still is saying to each of us... “I am here, I am here.”
 
My friends as we begin this new chapter of 2021, you can know without any doubt that God is with you at this very moment and the living presence of Christ is surrounding us. This year we have clarity and a sharp vision because of 2020. This year, we know how to help one another and weather our current situation of COVID-19. And this year, we will be restoring our communities and eventually taking off our masks and reuniting with hugs and laughter. So, as you begin this first long week of 2021, hear the words of God speaking to you in the midst of any current struggles you are still facing... “I am here, I am here.” Amen.
 
REFLECTION MOMENT:
I encourage each of you to write a letter to a “spiritual friend” sharing your memories of where you have experienced and seen God throughout this past year. Write down what you have learned about your own spiritual discipline of spending time with God, and how you have grown or struggled with your faith this past year. After you have written this letter. Read it out loud to yourself in a quiet space, and as you are reading your letter, remember that the living presence of Christ is with you, and be assured of his voice saying to you... “I am here, I am here.”

PLEASE spread the word... we WILL BE RETURNING for in-person worship on Sunday, January 17th.
Happy New Year and Blessings in all you do! Pastor K
 
 

Hello beautiful people! I hope you have been enjoying a wonderful Christmas weekend. Here is a link to a Christmas message from Bishop Carter of the Florida United Methodist Church Conference.
www.flumc.org/christmas-message-from-bishop-carter-20

I invite you to take time and read this devotion from the "21 Days of Advent" which I have been reading during this Season of Advent.
First, read Luke 1:5-25 (link for BibleGateway.com) or your favorite Bible, then read the passage again from a different translation and see how each one speaks to you. Read the passage slowly, deliberately, and discover what words are revealed to you that perhaps you have never noticed before. Now read the devotion below...

The Gift of Prayer

Are you asking some big questions of God right now? Maybe you have a lot of unanswered prayers like Zechariah and Elizabeth did. As I re-read their story in Luke 1, it reminds me of a time when I had to believe God was working in my situation but didn’t see any heavenly activity in the physical sense. 

Much like Zechariah and Elizabeth, I too waited upon God for a solution. I mean they really waited upon the Lord. They never lost sight of God and were content with living a life of devotion, even in the midst of their personal hardship. 

I’m encouraged this Advent season that God does indeed hear our prayers and sets to work immediately on providing a solution. Otherwise, to think that He doesn’t care, or is inattentive in any way, lessens His power to work in our lives. He’s not a cruel manager of our requests. He hears every word we utter. 

No doubt we enter seasons of life where we feel distant from God, or have sin in our lives, or feel unheard in those prayer circles. We’ve all been there a time or two. But to think that God, our Immanuel, abandons His own, is ridiculous! He is totally devoted to each of us and dedicated to growing us into His likeness. 

In talking to God regularly we move away from an entitlement attitude. Guilt and shame often get in the way of our relationship with God, veils our sight to how God is working, and robs us of simple trust in God. So dispense with these questions: God, do you care? God, do you hear? God, are you there?

Be consistent in prayer! Keep asking God for what you need. Prayer doesn’t always change your situation, but you will be changed by involving God in your situations. God’s power is the catalyst we all need to pursue our best life here on earth. God will act on your behalf and by His redirection, God brings His best protection. Talk to God about every little and big thing! 

Advent reflection:
Lean in, stay the course. Talk to the Giver of every gift. Praise Him for the gifts you have. Look to Him for what you don’t have, not to people. See yourself blessed and look to Him alone for answers. Seek, pray, and believe He is your answer. 

I pray that you have a wonderful week as we move toward celebrating a New Year of 2021! I am sure we are all looking forward to turning the page on this past year and are ready to start this new chapter of 2021. I am looking forward to us returning to in-person worship soon as we hope to begin again by February. May you feel the living presence of Christ surround you in all you do. Blessings, Pastor K