Plans for our remaining Sundays at Kirkville
The remaining weeks of our time here at Kirkville will be busy ones. We have saved a few weeks vacation to help us have time to pack and visit our family in CT and western NY. I am also doing some reading in preparation for my new part-time position at Copper Hill UMC. You know what I always say, “If the leader is not growing, the people will not be growing either.” This chart tells you when I will be preaching here and who will be preaching when I am not. Thank you for your prayers during this time of transition. I am praying for you too.
|
Community Wesleyan Service Plans May 5- June 16 |
|||||
| Special Day | Speaker | Message | Scripture | Other Events that Day | |
| May 5 | Missions Sunday | Don & Cheri Floyd | 4 PM CLASS 201 | ||
| May 12 | Mother’s Day | Pastor Eric | Jesus and the Problem | John 6:1-14 | |
| May 19 | Pentecost Sunday | Pastor Kelvin | Secrets of Spiritual Power | Luke 3:21,33; 4:1-15 | MBK Christian Unity Svc. 6 PM |
| May 26 | Memorial Day Weekend | Pastor Eric | |||
| June 2 | Larry Nemitz | 4 PM CLASS 301 | |||
| June 9 | Communion Sunday | Pastor Kelvin | How Shall we Live? | 1 Thess. 3:11– 4:11; Titus 3:3-8 | Retirement Dinner 3PM |
| June 16 | Father’s Day | Pastor Kelvin | Be of Good Courage! | Deut. 31:6 | Reception following services |
A new assignment
My new assignment
Today it was announced at both churches that I have a new part-time pastorate in Connecticut starting in July after my retirement from full-time ministry here in Kirkville. I will begin serving as the pastor at a very old and historic United Methodist Church at Copper Hill, Connecticut. There is a very roomy parsonage that comes with the assignment where JoAnne and I will reside. The parsonage is 10 or 12 minutes from the church and both are about 30 minutes from Keely and Mark and Sam.
The sanctuary of the church is well preserved and was built in 1839—that’s four years before the Wesleyan Church was founded. It was near the site of a famous camp-meeting grounds. Like my home church in Haskinville, NY, it was built at a country crossroads. However, today the hills and vales are thick with modern houses so there is a great opportunity for expanded ministry. There is also a golf course across the street and a rails-to-trails trail a few hundred yards away as well.
The best part was the warmth and genuine sense of ministry anticipation that we saw in the staff parish committee with whom we interviewed. They made us feel very welcome and appreciated from the start. I could sense the faithful perseverance in the Christian faith that has enabled the church to survive all these years. I think they will be very receptive to our ministry there.
This position for us is an answer to prayer. We were looking for the good works prepared in advance for us to do after retirement. This will be very meaningful without being too draining. The economic boost will help us to handle Connecticut costs as well. So we are very thankful for this provision and looking forward to serving God together with the folks at Copper Hill.
An interesting graphic about giving
The generous will themselves be blessed. (Proverbs 22:9 NIV2011)
Are those who tithe better off financially?
How much people choose to give to charity is a very personal question. Certainly no one should have to compare their giving to that of another. And we also resist the idea that our giving could be guided by some universal standard. But in biblical times there is little doubt that such a standard did exist. It was the tithe, ten percent of the yield of field and flock (Lev. 27:30-32). The concept shows up early in the Bible narrative when Abraham sets the example by giving a tithe of the plunder to the priest of Salem, Melchizedek (Gen. 14:20). Later, it was standardized in the Levitical code. Research says that few people today practice this Biblical idea. Most probably feel that if they were to use such a rule in modern times it would impoverish them. But according to the interesting study of tithers summarized in the graphic below, that is apparently not the case. The chart is impressive.
Somehow, we should not be surprised
In the last book of the Old Testament God had promised, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” (Mal 3:10 NIV2011). It is the only area of life where God ever invites us to test him. In the New Testament we find a parallel truth. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Lk 6:38 NIV2011). So the principle of God’s economy is this. God honors generosity. And his standard for giving raises the bar for us as to what generosity might look like.
Is it an investment scheme?
We’ve all heard of crass preachers who misused this principle by promising earthly financial rewards, sometimes even with percentage gains attached, for gifts to their ministry. What charlatanry that is! While God has promised to bless those who are faithful to Him, God’s blessings are often of different character than money. And even when God’s rewards are financial, they sometimes do not coincide in timing or mode with the financial sacrifice made by the offerer. For example, there was a time in our ministry as pastor and wife when we felt led to make a significant gift (for us) to a special project of the church. It was a sacrificial gift that did draw down our finances. Now God didn’t refill our coffers per se, but it just so happened that we “co-incidentally” during that time frame received several unexpected non-monetary gifts of things we needed to help us along the way. One such blessing was a huge scholarship that our daughter received to go to graduate school. But giving, like deeds of service, is definitely a future investment. The Bible does say, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:20-21 NIV84).
Investigating the Principle of the Path
I have just finished outlining our Sunday morning message series for April. It actually takes off from the Easter Celebration service message. It draws some topics and resources from Andy Stanley’s book The Principle of the Path.
|
The Principle of the Path |
||||
| Date | Sermon title | Text | Speaker | Suggested Hymn |
| Mar 31 (10 AM) Celebration | Power for the Path | John 20:19-31 | Pastor Kelvin | Christ the Lord is Risen Today (231) |
| Apr 7 | The Principle of the Path | Proverbs 7:6-27; 27:12 | Pastor Kelvin | Trust and Obey (320) |
| Apr 14 | Grace and Truth for Our Path | Jer. 17:9; John 1:17; 8:32 | Pastor Kelvin | How Deep the Father’s Love for Us (Stuart Townend) |
| Apr 21 | The Harmful Path | Prov. 3:5,6; Col. 3:5-17 | Pastor Kelvin | Cleanse Me (317) |
| Apr 28 | Staying on the Wholesome Path | Prov. 1:1-9; 12:15 | Pastor Kelvin | Go, Make of All Disciples (571 UMH) |
A new place in cyberspace for my blog
A new domain name
In preparation for my retirement from Community Wesleyan Church in a few months, Steven Sgroi, my web technical guru, and I are working to untangle my internet presence from the church’s internet site. As a part of that process, my blog will have a new location in the future. For now, if you try to access it from the old address it will redirect you to the new one just fine, but eventually, you will want to find me at the new address site—learntobewise.com.
Living wisely is the focus
I am excited about the possibilities of this name too. Just think about the fact that one whole section of the Old Testament is devoted to wisdom. I think also about the last words of Psalm 107 which might just be good mission statement for my blog at learntobewise.com. I should be writing in such a way that my reader would want to take the Psalm writer’s advice. “Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord” (Ps 107:43 NIV). I have always felt that one of the jobs of a pastor is to live wisely and help others live wisely also. So I think this new domain name will be a great fit. I also like the idea in the name that we are not wise all at once. Rather, we are always learning and becoming wiser.
Conflicted spring leads to unusual birding
Some signs of advancing spring.
This afternoon as we drove back from visiting our daughter and family in Connecticut, I noticed numerous robins foraging on the ground wherever they could find an open spot in the snow cover form the recent storm. As I drove in my driveway here in Kirkville, one flew away from the portion of lawn that had been exposed by the plow blade. Last week I had seen grackles and a couple blue herons. This afternoon my wife also remarked on how the buds on our red maple were expanding and turning their characteristic spring hue.
But winter is hanging tough
But seeing the robins was a small comfort after hearing the weather reports predicting more cold and another potential weekend storm. As if the piles of snow were not enough to indicate exactly how bad the contradiction is this year between the lingering winter and the emerging signs of spring, I was sitting on my porch watching the birds for a few moments while putting on my shoes late this afternoon and suddenly realized that those birds on the thistle feeder were not goldfinches or purple finches. They looked different and they had little red topknots–those were redpolls! They are Canadian birds that only occasionally irrupt into the states when the winter is bad in Canada. I could not believe I had just seen a flock of redpolls and a robin in my lawn on the same supposedly spring day! Now there’s a once in a lifetime birding event for this area, I would say.
Italian Dinner was a Fun Event
Italian Night, a great theme event
One of the things JoAnne and I will miss from Community Wesleyan is the themed fellowship dinners. Over the years we have attended many of them from Valentine Dinners with intimate settings for two to grand senior buffets with all kinds of themes. Last Saturdays’ Italian night was a bunch of fun, not just in my opinion, but from the reports of many who have commented on it to my wife and me both privately and publicly.
Bible Trivia contests were fascinating
The occasion was the long delayed wrap-up of the Big Bible Bonanza emphasis we had in the late fall. The two teams – the Goldfish under the leadership of Rhett LaForte and the Blue Angels rallying behind Mark Boswell — battled for points that could only be earned by consistent daily Bible reading. Bonuses went to those who did not miss a day and to teams with more than sixty percent not missing a day. After many weeks, the Goldfish prevailed. So the Blue Angels had to prepare the dinner, while the Goldfish picked the menu. To keep with the Bible knowledge goal, at the dinner, we played Bible trivia in three ways. Two games were written quizzes. One was a paragraph containing hidden names of Bible books. Several people found all sixteen. The second was a matching test. Again, a few whizzes aced it. The final trivia contest was a live rematch between the two teams. Pastor Kelvin emceed the game and the Blue Angels won by just one question.
Thanks to the organizers and artists
Thanks go to JoAnne Jones who thought up the Big Bible Bonanza emphasis to encourage daily Bible reading and who also planned the Italian feast. Thanks also to Lea Harrington and Keely Stater who lent art work and to Lea for decorating so beautifully. The artwork was so elegantly set as you can see in the pictures. Thank you to all who cooked and all who helped make this fine event happen.
Lenten & Easter Series Planned
Walking with Jesus today
Pastor Eric kicked off our Lenten Easter series called Walking with Jesus this past Sunday. He and I have been working behind the scenes on the entire outline for this series. Our goal is to focus our thoughts in the Gospels on the ministry of Jesus and our reaction to it. This will help us all to be powerfully confronted again by Jesus in person through the pages of Scripture. We are always changed for the better by such an encounter, just as his disciples were.
Walking With Jesus – Lenten/Easter Series for 2013 |
||||
|
Date |
Sermon title |
Text |
Speaker |
Suggested Hymn |
|
Feb 17 |
Temptation in the Wilderness |
Matthew 4:1-11 |
Pastor Eric |
Tell Me the Story of Jesus (203) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feb 24 |
Called to Follow |
Matthew 8: 18-22; 9:1-13 |
Pastor Kelvin |
Follow On (440) |
|
Mar 3 Communion |
Considering the Cost |
Mark 8:27-38 |
Pastor Kelvin |
Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken (447) |
|
Mar 10 |
An exemplary Convert |
Luke 19:1-10 |
Pastor Kelvin |
Redeemed (557) |
|
Mar 17 |
Confronted by Humility |
John 13:1-20 |
Pastor Kelvin |
How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (78) |
|
Mar 24 |
Jesus Before Pilate |
John 18:29-38 |
Pastor Eric |
O Zion, Acclaim Your Redeemer (209) |
|
Mar 27 (5:15 PM) Soup and Scriptures |
The Weeping Savior |
Luke 19:41,42 |
Pastor Kelvin |
|
|
Mar 29 (7 PM) Good Friday |
Seven Last Words |
|
Pastor Kelvin leading |
Were You There (228) |
|
Mar 31 (8 AM) Sonshine |
Jesus Conquers Death |
John 20:1-18 |
Pastor Kelvin |
Great Victory |
|
Mar 31 (10 AM) Celebration |
Power for the Path |
John 20:19-31 |
Pastor Kelvin |
Christ the Lord is Risen Today (231) |
A little inside winter fun
Puzzle fun
What do you do in winter when the snow is flying and the temperature is dropping? Well, among my wife’s and my favorite pastimes for winter evenings after Christmas are jigsaw puzzles. We have a collection of them and we put several together every year. Once one is together we look at it for a short time—the harder it was—the longer we look at it—then we tear it apart again and box it up again, storing all the pieces carefully in a plastic bag tied securely with a twisty so no pieces are lost. The season must always begin with JoAnne’s old favorites from childhood. They are thick Tuco ones with a piece or two missing, but what they don’t have in looks, they have in memories. Then we progress to the harder and bigger ones. We just boxed back up this one; it was 1000 pieces. The black sections were fairly tough. Now we are starting one that focuses on America’s National Parks.
Expository Preaching Course Concludes
Teaching Preaching
Once again this winer I took my turn in serving as teacher for the Burmese Bible School, Syracuse location. My assignment was a new one—to teach a course in expository preaching. I accepted since preaching is a favorite discipline of mine and I felt well prepared both by my years of formal training and by my own practice of study and preaching. I also felt that I might be able to build on the foundation I had made last year when teaching Introduction to Homiletics. There is a huge amount of preparation and the course delivery is concentrated—three weekends, Friday evening and all day Saturday. So it is draining but also exhilarating. For most of the sessions I prepared PowerPoint outlines and handed out printed notes. This helps the interpreter to follow me too. In addition, in this course Pastor Than and myself each preached exa
mple sermons for the class. I also shared many example sermon outlines.
Pastor Than Aung Assisted
It was my privilege once again to have Pastor Than Aung as my interpreter. Since he is a Princeton grad himself, he is a very capable assistant as well as interpreter. This is what is needed as much of the grading responsibility falls to him due to the need for him to read the students’ homework and test answers in Burmese. I very much enjoy teaching prospective pastors and teachers and am energized by it. I was also extremely gratified by the beautiful encouraging words I received from the students at the close of the last session.
The pictures are my class this year.
