s our finance team met to plan for the New Year, the decision was made to put God First. What you may ask, does that mean? We always put God first don’t we?
In the simplest terms, for our church, it means that as a faith community we will begin by writing our tithe check of 10% of our budget gifts for God’s ministry beyond our walls (including apportionments). This check will be written first, each week, without fail. We will schedule our church building and activities with the focus of God First. Worship, faith development and small groups will be our first priorities. We will look for additional ways that we can give God the first of our time in service.
What might God First look like in our own home? Perhaps it might be that before we get out of bed we stop and give the day to God. “God, I want to put you first today. Show me ways that I can organize my time, and resources that put you first in my life. Help me to live so that others will see you active in my life.” It could be that you try a new spiritual discipline such as reading a devotional book each day, or reading a few verses of the Bible each day. It could be starting the day with a family devotion. It could also mean that when we get paid, the first check we write is for our tithe or pledge for God’s ministry.
I wonder what God First looks like in your life. I wonder what would happen if everyone in our church committed for one day, or one week, or one year in one way to put God First? Just imagine the impact we might have in our church and community.
I pray that 2010 is a great year for you. I pray that you encounter God’s presence and power in your life in dramatic and wonderful ways every day and I pray that you will join me in this adventure to put God First. God First,
Always In All Ways,
~Pastor Kathleen
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Time with Sharon: Like Jesus
January 2010
I joined an enthusiastic bunch of folks at The Bridge this past week to help cook and serve supper to about 200 men, women, and children of our city’s sojourners. These are folks who, for a bunch of different reasons, have found themselves gathering for shelter, camaraderie, and a hot, tasty meal at this warm facility, housed at our sister church, Centenary United Methodist Church at 16th and Olive. The Bridge serves three meals a day and is open from 6am to 6pm, providing warmth from the cold and a cool reprieve from the heat. LPUMC folk gather from 4pm-6pm to help prepare and serve supper there on the first Tuesday of each month.
It was a cold evening…with record freezing temps and snow expected the rest of the week. As the dining hall emptied out, I wondered, where will they all go now? My eye caught sight of a little boy, maybe 12-15 months old, bundled up in a stroller between his parents. I wondered about this little guy, and I’ve been wondering about him since.
I began pondering: what can I do for this little boy to keep him warm and safe? In a few years, will he go to school? What if he gets sick? My imagination has been concocting all kinds of dire circumstances for his fragile future. As a follower of Jesus, the One who fought for justice for “the least of these”, I went home thinking about what I could be doing for him, and those like him, facing a deep freeze in these uncertain times.
So I made phone calls. And I learned about emergency numbers to call for housing resources and warming shelters in our city. I learned about a blessed group of volunteers, called the Winter Outreach, who go out in the night armed with blankets, sleeping bags, and coats, seeking to help people who are cold. Yes, good people are doing much. Still, the thought tugged at me, what am I doing to love this little boy like Jesus?
Then, in prayer, God’s spirit reminded me that every time we pray for the children of our city, we are loving them. Every time we help a child read a little bit better, we are helping to pry open their potential so that they can be all that God wants for them. Providing new school supplies nurtures their intelligence and creativity. The donated coats, hats, and mittens we share help make these cold days and nights warmer. The hot meals we stir up and serve help them grow stronger. The financial gifts that we make to our collaborative United Methodist ministries help to provide training, housing, medical care, and spiritual support. At LPUMC, we are already part of God’s ongoing work to bring hope and wholeness to the children of our city.
A sense of peace covered me as I thought about how the little boy visiting The Bridge has been and still is in God’s care. And God will continue to provide for him and his family through the work of the many who share and care. I want to be part of that, and I bet you do too. May 2010 be a great year for him. And may 2010 be the year we reach out a little further to help make it so…for him, and for all the children of our city.
Can I get an AMEN?
~Pastor Sharon
I joined an enthusiastic bunch of folks at The Bridge this past week to help cook and serve supper to about 200 men, women, and children of our city’s sojourners. These are folks who, for a bunch of different reasons, have found themselves gathering for shelter, camaraderie, and a hot, tasty meal at this warm facility, housed at our sister church, Centenary United Methodist Church at 16th and Olive. The Bridge serves three meals a day and is open from 6am to 6pm, providing warmth from the cold and a cool reprieve from the heat. LPUMC folk gather from 4pm-6pm to help prepare and serve supper there on the first Tuesday of each month.
It was a cold evening…with record freezing temps and snow expected the rest of the week. As the dining hall emptied out, I wondered, where will they all go now? My eye caught sight of a little boy, maybe 12-15 months old, bundled up in a stroller between his parents. I wondered about this little guy, and I’ve been wondering about him since.
I began pondering: what can I do for this little boy to keep him warm and safe? In a few years, will he go to school? What if he gets sick? My imagination has been concocting all kinds of dire circumstances for his fragile future. As a follower of Jesus, the One who fought for justice for “the least of these”, I went home thinking about what I could be doing for him, and those like him, facing a deep freeze in these uncertain times.
So I made phone calls. And I learned about emergency numbers to call for housing resources and warming shelters in our city. I learned about a blessed group of volunteers, called the Winter Outreach, who go out in the night armed with blankets, sleeping bags, and coats, seeking to help people who are cold. Yes, good people are doing much. Still, the thought tugged at me, what am I doing to love this little boy like Jesus?
Then, in prayer, God’s spirit reminded me that every time we pray for the children of our city, we are loving them. Every time we help a child read a little bit better, we are helping to pry open their potential so that they can be all that God wants for them. Providing new school supplies nurtures their intelligence and creativity. The donated coats, hats, and mittens we share help make these cold days and nights warmer. The hot meals we stir up and serve help them grow stronger. The financial gifts that we make to our collaborative United Methodist ministries help to provide training, housing, medical care, and spiritual support. At LPUMC, we are already part of God’s ongoing work to bring hope and wholeness to the children of our city.
A sense of peace covered me as I thought about how the little boy visiting The Bridge has been and still is in God’s care. And God will continue to provide for him and his family through the work of the many who share and care. I want to be part of that, and I bet you do too. May 2010 be a great year for him. And may 2010 be the year we reach out a little further to help make it so…for him, and for all the children of our city.
Can I get an AMEN?
~Pastor Sharon
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