Devotional 12-25-22

When I was a student in college, so long ago, but that doesn’t matter—I took several of my electives in music because I love music, and word was that the department head was a great professor. The courses he taught were tough!  I chose classical music because I knew nothing about that genre.

Dr. Hamilton would pick three or four pieces a semester to teach, and I took two classes, one each semester, of The Fundamentals of Classical Music. It involved first, learning the composer and becoming very familiar with the music. On the final semester exam, as he played a brief recording—only twice, we were to identify the symphony and the composer. The hardest part was next, identifying which movement he was playing and the theme of that movement! Hard, but I put in the time needed and got a solid B. 

Dr. Hamilton was responsible for planning and conducting the performance of the Messiah each year, and my freshman year, it was the 100th performance at Marietta College. I signed up to sing even though I had never sung the Messiah before. 

The soloists came from the Metropolitan Opera, and it was a grand presentation. We practiced long and hard. Of course, the Messiah included the Hallelujah Chorus, which is the most familiar to most, and it was very exciting to sing it with more than 250 others. But the most challenging piece for me to learn and to sing, and my favorite piece of all, was from Isaiah 9:6:

For unto us a child is born,
unto us, a son is given.
And the Government
shall be upon his shoulders.
And his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor!
Almighty God, the Everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace!

After practicing in my dorm room over and over and over, with no more choral rehearsals remaining, I still was very nervous and I prayed quietly in my mind as we rose to sing: Please Lord, help me get it right this time! He did.

I sang the Messiah every year the next three years while I was in college. And every year since then, at Christmas time I slide in the CD or tune into YouTube and sing away. It’s a beautiful reminder to me that our Lord God is with us and all is well.  

Merry Christmas!

Diane Feaganes

Devotional 12-24-22

The Word

John 1:1-18

God
Three in One
Together from the beginning
Creator, Son and Spirit
Together, unified, One.

The Word was with God,
The Word was God.
The world was created by Father and Son
The world was created by God.
Nothing was created without the son
Present with the Father.
Through Him came life
Through Him came light
And the light was brought to creation,
To all of the beloved children of the Father.
The light shines,
Stronger than the darkness.

A messenger was sent, named John.
He was a witness to the light
He was sent so that we might believe.
He held up the light, proclaiming its brightness,
Proclaiming its presence.

The Word came to the world
And yet we did not recognize him
We were blind to the light.
Those who believed
Those who believe
Are claimed and adopted by the Father
Children of the light.
Born of God.

The Word became real,
Giving up God-status
To become one of us.
We, like John, become witnesses to the light
Proclaimers of the light.
We see the Word,
And we call it grace,
We call it truth.

Through the Word
We received grace
Grace upon Grace
Life abundant.
The people who were children of the law
Are now children of grace and truth.
We are spoken into being by God,
And receive life through the Word.
We do not see God.
We have not seen God,
But our blindness is lifted
By the Son
By the Word.
The Word, close to the Father’s heart,
Born of a Virgin,
Sent to live among us
To be light.
To make God known to us.

Kim Matthews

Devotional 12-23-22

Luke 2:1-20

During my childhood, our entire family would go to my grandparents’ house to eat, open presents, and spend time together on Christmas Eve. My grandparents would change the exact date and time depending on my mom’s church services that year; they loved and respected that she was a Pastor and never wanted her to feel rushed or overwhelmed. We were a pretty rowdy bunch, especially when all of the eleven grandchildren (myself included) were young. We would cram into the modest living room and kitchen area, shrieking and jumping around. It was my very favorite time of the year.

Before any presents were opened, my Papaw would take his Bible out. This was the only time that this bunch was quiet, but we managed to pull it off every year. He would read Luke 2:1-20 and then we would pray. In later years, after he was gone, my mom took over this duty. It is the one thing I can count on, no matter where I live or how old I get. Our group isn’t really the same anymore. We rarely are able to have everyone together in one space on any day. There are now great-grandchildren. Some, like my brother, have moved far away and don’t always get to make it home for the holidays. But Luke 2:1-20 is the constant. It always takes me right back to my Papaw’s living room, sharing in the warmth of the season with the ones I love the very most.

I’ve thought about change a lot lately. This Christmas will be the last one that my mother serves as a pastor of a church at. What will next year be like? Will it feel the same? I can always come back to Luke 2:1-20 for my answer. The people in the room with us might change, and the scenery might change, but the message is still the same. The comfort and the peace that this passage brings to me will always be there, ready for me to pick up. For that, I am thankful.

Prayer:  “In a world where worry, not peace, prevails, stir up that good news again. This Christmas, make it real in our hearts. Never have we needed Your joy and peace more than now. Thank You for the gift of Jesus, our Immanuel, the Word made flesh. Forgive us for forgetting—that Your love never changes, never fades, and that You never abandon the purpose for which You came: to save us from our sinful condition, and to give us life eternal, the joy of relationship with a holy God. Your birth—and Your death—sealed Your promise to us forever.”

Prayer by Rebecca Barlow Jordan

Lia Deane

Devotional 12-22-22

Luke 2:6-7:  While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom.

Who is the most overlooked figure of the Nativity?

I remember a sermon over 20 years ago when the pastor asked that question at the beginning of his sermon. It wasn’t a rhetorical question. The pastor paused until people in the congregation starting calling out answers. “The shepherd!” I heard one woman call out. “The animals!” said another. Still others, including myself, called out “Joseph.” 

It seemed like there was nearly a consensus on Joseph when an elderly man said confidently “The Inkeeper!”

The pastor was looking for Joseph to illustrate his sermon on the example of faith set by Jesus’s earthly father in accepting the unbelievable story of his pregnant fiancée, fleeing home with his new family to avoid Herod’s death threats, and raising the boy Jesus to follow in his own chosen craft of carpentry.

It was a good sermon, but I couldn’t quit thinking of the old man’s answer. Who is the most overlooked figure in the Nativity? “The Innkeeper!”

Until then, I had never thought much about the innkeeper. He is generally negatively depicted in Christmas stories and pageants for shutting his doors and refusing to extend hospitality to the couple. What is the truth about the innkeeper?

The biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus do not even mention the innkeeper. In fact, the only reference to a manger or an inn is in the verse above from Luke. On the basis of that single sentence, we convict the innkeeper of shutting Jesus out. Perhaps we have been too hard on him.

Perhaps the innkeeper is an improbable hero. He had no reason to know that the strangers at his door were about to bring the Messiah into the world. Had he known, perhaps he would have made room by displacing a less prominent guest. Yet, rather than making excuses, the innkeeper was resourceful, and gave what he could give—not a room or even a corner in his already crowded inn, but the stable that demonstrates that the King of the world is at home with the humblest of the humble. 

The arrival of the long-expected Messiah stood out in contrast to peoples’ expectations. He did not come in a manner befitting of a king. No pomp and circumstance, no great earthquake, no thunder and lightning, no burning bush, but humbly and anonymously in a barn to a young unmarried woman. The Jesus born in those surroundings would grow up to teach us to believe the unbelievable, to be prepared for the unexpected, and that the poor and meek will occupy a prominent place in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Less prominent than even the lowly shepherds and animals, the innkeeper is neither mentioned by the writers of the gospel nor placed in the crèches that adorn our mantels and tables during Christmastime. Rather, he was and is behind the scenes, humbly and anonymously playing a major part in God’s great plan. He serves as a reminder to us that God can use what we offer. Perhaps we should be more like the innkeeper.

Prayer:  Dear God, Give me the compassion of the innkeeper. Even when circumstances indicate that I have used up everything I have to give, give me the courage to stand out in contrast to the status quo, and the awareness and the resourcefulness to make room for Christ. Amen

Rev. Jeff Taylor

Devotional 12-21-222

Hebrews 11:1 NRSVUE -- “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

“Faith,” she said. “We really just need to have faith.” I was talking with a friend, and she was asking me how I was doing, and I asked how she was doing -- because we’d both been through some recent medical concerns. “My attitude was crummy today,” I confessed. “First day back at work, I was bumping into doors and chairs with my scooter, so I was lashing out at inanimate objects.” After weeks on a knee scooter, my frustration level was over the top.
So she reminded me that we really just need to have faith. 

I suspect having faith is a tough thing for many of us, faith that things will get better; especially when we are going through tough things like medical issues, or financial concerns, when we’re mourning the loss of a loved one, when our social media feeds are filled with junk, or perhaps when we look around at a sanctuary that is no longer full of people. 

Or maybe even an expectant mother having faith that her baby is to be messenger of God.

Can you imagine how much faith that must have taken? An unwed teenage girl was to have a baby that would change the face of the world. How much faith did Mary need to have to believe that? 
The word “faith” is used over 500 times in the Bible. We are encouraged to have more faith, but what does that even mean? I’m not sure, but I wonder if it’s closely related to the word “trust.” Trust that things will get better, and have belief that if things aren’t to get better, you will have the strength to forge ahead. That might be faith.

I don’t know that I’ll ever have the same kind of faith in God, in people, in myself — that Mary had. But I’m going to try, by taking one little step of faith at a time. One little tiny step. Or in my case, one half step, combined with a short roll. 

Prayer. Dear God, We know that you are worthy of our faith and praise. We know that you hear our desires to be better people, and we ask for a stronger faith, a faith to help in our Advent journey of anticipation. We thank you for the season of Advent, and we have faith that the season of waiting will soon become the celebration of the birth of your son. Amen. 

Bruce Rous

Devotional 12-20-22

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child, when I became an adult, I put away childish ays.    1Corinthians 13:11  NRSV

When I was a child, I looked forward, I anticipated, I expected material gifts. Paper dolls, baby dolls, roller skates, a bicycle, not so many clothes, although as I aged, I wanted clothes, too. Looking through the SEARS, J.C. Penneys, and any other catalog, making my list for Santa Claus. Material gifts, things, stuff.

 Now that I am older, I am downsizing, decluttering, repurposing material things, stuff. Since retiring, I do not need or want all this stuff in my home. I enjoyed having it at one time, but not anymore.

What I want and need now, are things like items to eat. good health, successful surgery that rids my body of pain, time with family and friends, a place to live, and warmth on these cold days and nights. I want and need simple things not stuff. I pray for hope, along with joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and love, to us all through Christ our Lord.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 RSV        

Jesus Christ, the greatest gift of all!  Amen

Kay Lewis

Devotional 12-19-22

Ah, the wars they will be fought again
The holy dove, she will be caught again
Bought and sold, and bought again
The dove is never free
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in
We asked for signs
The signs were sent
The birth betrayed
The marriage spent
Yeah, and the widowhood
Of every government
Signs for all to see
I can’t run no more
With that lawless crowd
While the killers in high places
Say their prayers out loud
But they’ve summoned, they’ve summoned up
A thundercloud
They’re going to hear from me
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.

From Anthem, by Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)

Submitted by Rev. Jeff Taylor

Devotional 12-18-22

Read Matthew 1:18-25

Does this passage speak to you? For me it’s one of the most beautiful New Testament examples of the interaction between God and humankind. On the one hand, we have dreams, angels, and the Holy Spirit - ways in which God is at work in this story. On the other hand, we have a good man, someone who is well-versed in both the law and prophets. Joseph is already putting himself in the right frame of mind to be ready when God calls.  He recognizes his duty to honor the laws and traditions of his people . At the same time, he is looking for a compassionate way to do that for the sake of the young woman to whom he is engaged.  When  he first found out that she was expecting a child that was not his, Joseph had many options —- he could have ruined Mary’s life ( or, in the strictest interpretation of the law, put her life in danger by accusing her of adultery). Instead, even before his encounter with the holy in his dreams, Joseph is a caring person who tries to balance justice and mercy. No wonder he is someone that God would choose to protect and love the coming Messiah! When God speaks to Joseph through an angel in his dream, Joseph listens. He follows through with protecting Mary and naming the baby Jesus. He takes on huge responsibility while at the same time trusting God and the promises that God made through the prophets.  Joseph is a shining example of the ways in which human beings cooperate with God and help to bring about the Kingdom.  He is a role model for all of us as we grow in faith and discipleship. We truly can make a difference as we listen to God and open our hearts.

Prayer for the day: God of hopes, dreams, and promises help us to listen to your voice in all the many ways that you speak to us. Help us to say yes to your plans for us and for our world. Thank you again for the precious gift of Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Rev. Terry Deane

Devotional 12-17-22

“The Great O Antiphons” – deep corporate prayers preparing for Christmas

One of my deepest expressions of prayer during the Advent season is shared with the universal Church – praying each evening The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) and for the seven days of the last week of Advent praying the antiphons known as “The Great O Antiphons”.

The O Antiphons developed during the Church’s very first centuries. Spiritual writers mention them in the 6th century; by the 8th century they were being used in the liturgy of the Church. There are seven of these special antiphons and their texts come from the Hebrew Scriptures, the Prophetic and Wisdom Books.

The O Antiphons are short prayers sung before and after the Magnificat, the prayer of Mary in Luke 1:46-55, when coming to visit Elizabeth her cousin, Mary praises God for God’s favor & wondrous deeds. The Magnificat is sung during Vespers, evening prayer. The O Antiphons begin on December 17th, seven days before the Vigil of Christmas (Christmas Eve). The seventh and last antiphon is sung at Vespers on December 23rd. They are called the “O Antiphons” because they all begin with the letter-word “O”: they address Jesus by one of his Hebrew Scripture titles. They are fervent and deep prayers asking Jesus Christ to come to us and into this world in which we live – a world fractured and broken.

Advent has been about the many ways in which the Lord comes. He came at Bethlehem as a baby – God choosing to become human. In the Church and our daily lives he comes to us through his holy Presence. He comes in the breaking of the bread. He comes in the words of Holy Scripture. He comes in the persons around us and with whom we live.  He also comes in the person of our neighbors, especially those who are in need. He will come again at the end of the world as Judge of the living and the dead.

The Latin versions of each of the titles of the Messiah are: Sapientia (Wisdom), Adonai (Lord), Radix (Root), Clavis (Key), Oriens (Rising Dawn), Rex (King), and Emmanuel (God with us).   Take the first letters of each of the titles, starting with the last and working back to the first.  They form an acrostic and spell: EROCRAS or “ero cras… I will be (there) tomorrow”.
The hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (UM Hymnal #211) is a hymn reworking of the seven O Antiphons. When we sing it, we are joining ourselves to Christians stretching back across centuries and throughout the whole world today who pray as all Christians do, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

Here are the traditional O Antiphons:
17 Dec.  O Sapientia (Wisdom), coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: come and teach us the way of prudence.
18 Dec. O Adonai (Lord) and leader of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flames of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: come and redeem us with outstretched arm.
19 Dec. O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse), who stand as a sign among the people, before whom kings shall shut their mouths, to whom the nations shall make supplication:  come to deliver us, and tarry not.
20 Dec. O Clavis David (Key of David) and scepter of the house of Israel; who open and none can shut; who shut and none can open:  come and lead to freedom the prisoner who sits in darkness and the shadow of death.
21 Dec. O Oriens (Rising Dawn), splendor of eternal Light and Sun of Justice:  come and illuminate those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.
22 Dec. O Rex Gentium (King of the nations) and their Desire, the Cornerstone who binds two into one:  come and save (humankind), whom you fashioned from clay.
23 Dec. O Emmanuel (God with us), our King and Lawgiver, the hope of all nations and their Savior: come and save us, O Lord our God!

Blessings to all in this holy season; may God alone be glorified, and let us prefer nothing to the love of Christ!

Rev. Dr. William Wilson
Retired, former District Superintendent & Assistant to the Bishop

Devotional 12-16-22

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So, he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” --Matthew 2:13-15

  

Recently, I was fortunate to take a trip to Türkiye (preferred spelling of Turkey) and Greece. A highlight of the trip was a sunrise hot-air balloon ride over the lava formations of Cappadocia, Türkiye. Ancient volcanic activity and years of erosion of the volcanic ash left a valley of tall peaks and deep crevasses. From the air, we could see what looked like doors and windows in the rock. Being the scholar I am, my first thought was, “That must be where the trolls and fairies live.” Over centuries, various people had carved caves and tunnels in the soft lava rock. These were people fleeing and hiding for one reason or another. Refugees. Jews, Christians, Muslims in turn, hiding for their very lives. 

From the Scripture above, we learn that Jesus and his parents were also refugees, fleeing into Egypt. Since they were able to return, we assume they received a level of hospitality while in Egypt. 

Today, the word “refugee” often has a negative connotation. We feel sorry for them but throw our hands in the air and proclaim we can’t do anything about the situation. Thoughts and prayers but no action.

My last year of teaching, I had a Syrian girl in my class. She, her mother and sister came to this area where they had some relatives while the father/husband was in Syria awaiting a visa. I got to know this mother and her sweet girls. A year later, the infamous photo of a dead Syrian boy on a Mediterranean beach made the news. When I looked at that photo, I thought it could have been my darling student. 

Perhaps we would look at refugees with different eyes if we transposed the faces of our loved ones onto their bodies. Or, the face of our Lord, who, himself, was once a refugee.

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” --Hebrews 13:2

Anita Gardner Farrell

Devotional 12-15-22

 Matthew 1: 18-25

Time after time, God has interrupted normal people doing their normal work with a challenge that changed their lives and tested their faith.  Think of Abraham, Moses, any of the prophets, all of the disciples, Paul, Elizabeth, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph.

God interrupted Joseph’s normal life while he was sleeping.  Can you imagine that dream? An angel appeared to Joseph saying, “Don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife because the child she carries has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.” Then we are told that when Joseph woke up, he did just as the angel had commanded.  That’s almost too unexpected to ever be expected.

I’ve wondered what it must have been like for Mary to share her news with Joseph and her family. There were three stages in normal Jewish marriages of that day. A match and agreement were made within the families of the man and woman. Often the man was a good bit older than the woman. Then when the woman was old enough, the betrothal period began. This was usually a yearlong time during which the couples ratified the engagement. The couples were known as husband and wife, though they did not live together. At the end of that betrothal period, the couple formally made their covenant of marriage and began living together as wife and husband. 

For Mary and Joseph, the match had been made. They were a couple in the midst of getting to
know one another when the Gabriel visited Mary and she said yes to God’s amazing opportunity. But there was Joseph, her husband. Joseph, a righteous man, honored the tradition. He knew what he had not done and still the announcement came to him that his betrothed was with child. 

Joseph had to be deeply hurt, humiliated, disappointed, and unbelieving that his Mary would do something like this to him and their relationship. Everything was so well planned. They had followed the expected customs. Joseph had done everything a good man was supposed to do. The character of Joseph shone through. He didn’t want to humiliate her. He didn’t publicly expose her, but simply decided to call off the engagement quietly. 

And then a dream came to him.  How do you trust a dream—especially a dream like that one? How do you let go of your anger and disappointment and learn to trust that relationship again? I don’t know how Joseph did it, but he did. He didn’t plan the Christmas story. There is no way he could have predicted it. But still he opened himself to it and allowed himself to participate. God needed Joseph. The prophecies of old needed Joseph who was of the house and lineage of David. Joseph got involved in something that went far beyond what he could see or understand. 
I confess that I find it difficult sometimes to trust in God –to act on something which I cannot fully explain or control. And yet, that is exactly what God asks from us. It is called having faith--believing that God can and will use people like us to change the world. When God is involved, expect the unexpected. Hear the angel say, “Do not be afraid.” Then just say yes to God’s hope for you. 

Prayer:  God of the unexpected, in all generations you have called persons to be in your service. Speak your call to us as you spoke to Joseph, that we may live to do your will. Renew us, so that we may welcome Jesus Christ to rule our thoughts and claim our love as Lord of lords, and King of kings.  Amen.

Rev. Mark Conner

Devotional 12-14-22

Lectionary readings: Isaiah  7: 10-16, Psalm 80:1-7, Romans 1: 1-7, and Matthew 1: 18-2.

Isaiah is most well known for his prediction of the coming of the Messiah, who would redeem his people from their sins. To him God is salvation. He is the prophet of judgement and hope.  Psalm 80: 1-7 expresses our longing for God’s face to turn towards us rather than away and to shine upon us with the light of grace. Matthew is stressing to his Jewish audience that Jesus is the heir of David, rightful King of the Jews.

But the reading of Romans touched my story. My daughter said to tell a story in writing the devotionals for Christmas. It reminded me of my medical plights over the last year or two .There was the pandemic of COVID in which I felt so alone: not being with my family except to accept my groceries, eating with the open windows, not sitting at the table with meals brought to my house on my birthday. Not feeling well with serious tests scheduled to get answers, all alone, I thought!  I am sure that many of you felt the same way. It was extremely difficult for me. Only seeing my family and friends in Zoom on my computer was something very foreign to me.

Then came the more serious medical problems after the COVID pandemic subsided.  Being told that you need by-pass surgery. Facing the possibility of death. I remember telling my daughter that I was ok with that.  I had recently surveyed my life. But had I? In reading the scripture of Romans in preparation to write this devotional, I found a statement that was the answer for me. “By confessing with our mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord and by believing this in our hearts, we are saved—nothing more, nothing less. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you are confessed and saved.”

The past was my nemesis.  I had to forgive.  With that act, I felt calmness in my soul. Romans 10 helped me understand that the Lord was forgiving me all along, only I had not been as forgiving as He was.

Carol Brown

Devotional 12-13-22

Read Matthew 1: 18-25

Joseph was betrothed to Mary, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph was a righteous man and didn’t want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying “Joseph, son of David do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will same his people from their sins.”

Joseph was faced with a difficult choice after finding out that Mary was pregnant. Joseph thought he had only two options, divorce Mary quietly or have her stoned,  but God’s third option was to marry her as the Angels had commanded him to do. Joseph chose to obey the Angels command to marry her. God often shows us that there are more options available than we think. Although Joseph seemed to be doing the right thing by breaking the engagement only Gods guidance helped him make the best decision. When our decisions affect the lives of others, we must seek God’s wisdom, then God may send an angel to guide us

What are Angels? 
They are sent by God to help certain people understand the significance of what was happening. The main role of angels will be to offer continuous praise to God. We know, according to the Bible, that they are created beings dignified, majestic and intelligent. They are personal beings who always represent God but are not omnipresent, which God is. Little is said of their appearance, but they can take on the physical form of a person and sometimes are mistaken for  another human being. “Angel” simply means “messenger.”  They are seen as protectors, messengers ordered by God to minister in a myriad of ways in the Bible.

At no time should an angel be worshiped. The Bible is very clear that only God is to be worshiped. We are not to pray to angels! You might ask God for help in an emergency, but we are never to pray to angels. Lets open our eyes and ears of understanding and ask God to help us develop a healthy balance in regard to His angels.

In Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels God’s Secret Agents by Billy Graham
“The Scripture says there is a time to be born and a time to die. And when my time to die comes, an angel will be there to comfort me. He will give me peace and joy even at that most critical hour, and usher me into the presence of God and I will dwell with the Lord forever. Thank God for the ministry of His blessed Angels.”       

Melanie Herr

Devotional 12-12-22

 A Blessed Arrival 

The following devotional is included in memory of Dorothy Turner-Lacy.  It was originally published on December 8, 2020.

1  Thessalonians 5:16-18

The overarching theme of this week’s lectionary is to rejoice and give thanks to God in all circumstances.  Paul instructed the church at Thessalonica to rejoice (be joyful) even in the face of persecution because a life of holy faithfulness and gratitude pleases God.
Written to new converts to Christianity, Paul’s instructions are to the point:

• Rejoice!  Pray without ceasing.  In everything give thanks.  
• Rejoice, because even in the worst of times and trials, God is with us and will sustain us.
• Pray without ceasing because only a constant connection to God through our prayer life will bring comfort and assurance;

In everything give thanks. Henri Nouwen, a Catholic theologian and spiritual writer reminds us that “every time we decide to be grateful it will be easier to see new things to be grateful for.  Gratitude begets gratitude, just as love begets love”. 

Why?  Because this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.

Most of us grumble about the changes in our daily lives made necessary because of the COVID-19 virus.  We focus mostly on what has changed: what we have lost; what we cannot do.  Do we appreciate the friends, family and neighbors who call regularly?  Do our daily prayers begin with thanks to God for all things?  All people?  All situations?  Are we truly leading a life of gratitude  if we only pray for those we like and who like us?

 It is easy to forget about God’s grace when things are going well.  When there is sickness or calamity, we are quick to call on God to “fix things”.   And when circumstances are improved, we soon overlook God’s grace on our behalf.  We are quick to tell all about ”our good luck”:  avoiding bankruptcy because a check came in the mail; getting good lab results when our chronic disease is under control; happy to accept God’s good will for us without acknowledging God as the source of that goodness.  

We receive this wisdom from Paul because he not only “talked the talk, he walked the walk.” Paul lived the kind of gratitude he taught us to embrace.  Imprisoned and maltreated, he witnessed repeatedly to the fact that to do the work of Christ, even in prison, was a joy.  To be imprisoned for doing God’s work was a joy. Thanks be to God.

Prayer:  Open our hearts and minds, God, to know and affirm your goodness in our lives and in the world around us. Help us to be joyful and celebrate daily because we can see your love in action, despite what we might face as trials and tribulations. Help us to live in gratitude each day.  Amen.

Dorothy Turner-Lacy 
(died August 14, 2022)

Devotional 12-11-22

 A Blessed Arrival 

advent- the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event ‘

Note* The dates and timeline of this story could be completely wrong, but it is how I remember it six years later.  

On Christmas Day, 2015, a fire broke out in the sanctuary of Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church. Luckily the flames were extinguished quickly, but not before smoke had damaged the sanctuary and its contents, including the massive pipe organ! It would be a year before we would be able to hold a service in the sanctuary. During that time, two events would change my life. First would be the arrival of Terry Deane, JM’s first female senior pastor. The second would be the death of Don Warren, my husband of forty-one years. 

When Don contracted metastasized kidney cancer in the summer of 2016, we knew the prognosis was not good. By late October, the end was near. It was then that I could see that he was filled with anguish and fear. He said that he was sorry for things he had done and was afraid that God would be angry with him. I tried to ease his mind, but he did not believe me, so as he slipped into a coma, I called Pastor Terry. When she arrived, she took his hand in hers and softly whispered to him that everything was going to be all right. “Don’t be afraid, Don. Jesus loves you and forgives you.” Don never regained consciousness, but I felt in my heart that he had heard her and knew that she was his advocate. It was for that reason that my daughters and I were happy to have her to narrate his Celebration of Life five days later. 

 As the years went by, Pastor Terry and the congregation grew to love one another. I was especially happy to have someone to talk to “woman to woman”! Terry shared my joy when I began to date again, she counseled me when I opened up about my survivor’s guilt, and when that boyfriend I talked about had two heart attacks and congestive heart failure in October, she checked on him and me every day! 

During the last few years, our congregation has weathered a pandemic; managed another major renovation and clean out of the church; and begun on-line church services. Terry did not shy away from Zoom meetings and YouTube sermons even though I suspect they made her a little uncomfortable! The result is a church where on-line services, Bible studies, and concerts are the norm! Yes, she had plenty of help to set up the new technology, but she also knew the time had arrived to reach those who could not come to the church building. 

Recently our congregation learned that Pastor Terry Deane will be stepping down to spend time with her family! During this Advent Season when we are celebrating the arrival of the Christ Child and the lessons He would later teach, let us remember to thank all who spend their lives sharing His message and who arrive to help us in our time of need.

Becky Warren

Devotional 12-10-22

The Prayer Box

In a recent moving sale at Woodlands’, I found a grubby little tin box, about 3 by 5 inches that read on the outside in capitalized black letters, PRAYER BOX.   

 
I opened it.  Inside the lid I read these words:

When your head starts to worry
and your mind just can’t rest
Put your prayers down on paper,
And let God do the rest.

 In addition, there was a little pad of paper and tiny pen.  I paid a quarter and bought the box.  I polished it vigorously and now it looks much better. Little blue flowers adorn it as well.  This box, though small,  has now become part of my devotion time.  After praying for people and concerns, I feel that I can leave them to God and his merciful care.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, New International Version: 
²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

My prayer box helps me remember those words.

Martha Casey

Devotional 12-9-22

A Season of Waiting, Hope and Preparation 

 
When I was pregnant with my first child (and past my due date), I can remember telling my husband that my brain knew that I would have this baby, but in my heart I felt like I would be pregnant forever! It was my new normal! I think that is in some small way how the Jewish people of Jesus’ time must have felt. They believed that their savior was coming, but they had been waiting for a very, very, long time. Just hoping was normal. Is it any wonder that many had trouble believing he had finally arrived? Add to that, he was a very different savior than they expected. Even John the Baptist, while in prison, questioned whether Jesus was their long awaited savior! (Mathew 11:2-6) 

Ours is a different problem. We know that our savior has arrived. We know when we will celebrate his birth. Advertisers won’t let us forget how many shopping days until Christmas! There are parties and family gatherings to attend, cookies to be made, presents to be bought and wrapped, and a special meal to prepare. It can all be overwhelming if we allow it. The difficulty we face is taking the time to prepare our minds and hearts to truly feel and celebrate the miracle of our Savior’s birth. 

Prayer: Loving God, please calm our hearts and minds. Open us up to the miracle of your love for us as we contemplate the wonder of a child born of a virgin, sent by you to redeem the world!

Margaret Williams 

Devotional 12-8-22

 Lectionary Readings:  Isaiah 35: 1-10; Psalm 146: 5-10; James 5: 7-10; Matthew 11: 2-11;   Luke 1: 46-55

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5: 14-16. (NIV)

I have been very blessed over the past few years to volunteer at Ebenezer Community Outreach in their after-school program for elementary aged children.  I tell or read a Bible story, help them with a related craft, play a game and share a snack.  I am positive that God uses this activity to help me become a better servant, but I hope I’m planting some seeds.  Earlier this Fall I was sharing the above verses from Matthew to teach them the song: “This Little Light of Mine”.
  
I had different lights to show them, such as a lamp, a lighthouse, a flashlight, a candle, etc.  We turned out the lights in the room to demonstrate how important it is to follow a light in the darkness and connect to the source. I said something like, “God loves us and sent Jesus to be the light of the world and because we believe in Him, He lives in our hearts and shines out to others when they see us sharing, being kind, loving one another, etc,….  One little boy looked very upset by all this and said, “What happens if you don’t believe in God or Jesus?”  I was a little shocked, but I’m sure that God gave me the answer: “God loves us anyway! He always loves us first and waits for us to love Him back!”  The little boy explained that he believed but his older brothers did not.  (I think he had talked about God at home and his brothers had been teasing him.) “God will always love you and all your family, even if someone doesn’t believe in him right now!”  

God loves us always. His grace and mercy are endless and everlasting.  He waits for us to awake to that love, even as we are distracted, unbelieving, shortsighted, and inattentive. He continuously sends His message of love to us in many forms and through many people –especially through a child’s eyes or a baby’s laugh. He is patient with us, just as the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crops, and for the rains to come to the dry land. (James 5: 7).  It seems that He gives us daily chances until we acknowledge that we walk in darkness and need his great, guiding light.

As we all prepare for the coming of Christ as a newborn baby, may we pause once again to ponder the mystery of the love that came to all humankind through His son. May we open our hearts to the coming of God’s Light and share the light with all we meet.

Christ Be Our Light
Longing for light, we wait in darkness,
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
Light for the world to see.
Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts,
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!  Shine in your church gathered today.
                                       ~~~Bernadette Farrell

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 12-7-22

Are you a Bridge?

John 17:20-26

I’m praying not only for them but also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me.  The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us.

When I was growing up, my Great Aunt Sue lived across the Kanawha River from Glen Ferris. Below the falls in the river was the creaky old bridge we would cross to drive to her house.  At the far end of the bridge was a small trailer where a man sat to collect tolls.  This was not a toll bridge, but he didn’t care.  To cross the bridge, you had to pay him money.  He was an unnecessary and unauthorized obstruction to reaching the other side.

What is the purpose of a bridge? According to the Googler’s friend, Wikipedia, a bridge is “constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually something that is otherwise difficult or impossible to cross.”  A bridge provides a way for us to reach something otherwise unattainable.

In today’s scripture from John 17, we are overhearing Jesus’s conversation with God.  Jesus is praying not only for his disciples, but also for those who will believe in Christ because of them.  If you think about it, Jesus, in this passage, is praying for us.  “The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind-just as you, Father are in me, and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us.”

I think it is more than amazing that Christ prayed for you and for me, for each of us and for all of us over 2000 years ago.  He prayed that we would be evidence to the world that God sent Christ to us and loved us in the same way God has loved Christ.  Did you catch that? He prayed that we would be evidence that God loves us the same way God loves Christ.    We are called to be the bridge so that other people can reach the unattainable conclusion that they are loved by God – beyond measure.

What kind of bridge will you be?  Will you be a bridge like Christ – opening the way for others to come to new life? Or will you be the obstacle like the man who collected tolls on the way to my Aunt Sue’s house? 

Prayer: Loving God, open the way for us to be bridges to the knowledge of your love instead of obstacles.  In your son’s name, Amen.

Kim Matthews

Devotional 12-6-22

 Patience My Children

Read: Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146:5-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11, Luke 1:46b-55

Isaiah 35:4 CEB   Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.”

Are you a patient person?  Well, I am sometimes and sometimes not, just ask my wife.  For me it depends on the situation and other factors that surround my life at a given moment.  

Recently we purchased a new mattress set but had to arrange for the delivery with a local service. When we first spoke with service, they were booked up for the week but could deliver the items the next week; I just needed to call back. I was patient with the delay.  Well, I did call back, and we worked out a day for the pickup and delivery which was a Saturday.  So, on that Saturday we received a call from the delivery service that the merchant was not yet open, but they would wait.  After an hour the merchant had not opened, and the delivery service’s patience was running thin as well as mine.  Just as he began to drive off, the merchant’s doors opened and the transaction was complete; our delivery took place but following some impatience.

As I read the passages for this week of Advent, the theme of patience kept appearing.  I thought of the Israelites walking through the desert for 40 years.  Their patience was put to a test, but by listening to Moses they reached their goal.  In the passage from Isaiah the prophet speaks of one to come, to show the glory of the Lord, that those afflicted will be healed, and they would be saved.  Several hundreds of years before Isaiah, the Psalmist had also written to this as well, and the Israelites were patient. 

The birth of the Messiah Christ Jesus was the answer many were waiting for to occur and many followed his call when he began his ministry.

Today we have the privilege of seeing what Jesus can bring to all who believe and wait.  Our salvation from sin, the healing of the sick, justice for the oppressed and mercy.  But we too still need to be patient for Christ will come again!! 

Prayer
O God of Isaiah and John the Baptist, through all such faithful ones you proclaim the unfolding of future joy and renewed life. Strengthen our hearts to believe your advent promise that one day we will walk in the holy way of Christ, where sorrow and sighing will be no more and the journey of God’s people will be joy. Amen.

Prayer “Reprinted from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts”

Fred Herr

Devotional 12-5-22

 The following devotional is included in memory of Charlie Lewis.  It was originally published on January 6, 2008.

Jesus, who are you?

At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered, ‘I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’

The scripture above and the title were used in a sermon last spring by the Rev. Jim Morrison of St. Andrew By-the-Sea UMC in Hilton Head, SC.

But, upon reading the passage again and thinking about the sermon title, “Jesus, who are you?”; I was trying to imagine how many people, not only in Jesus’ own time, but down through the centuries, have asked that very question. And, I wonder how many have gotten an answer as concise and meaningful as the one I received as a youth.

My recollection goes like this: many years ago I was sitting in the choir loft one Sunday morning (and, you know, I was in a seat about where I sit now) listening to Dr. Rolla S. Kenaston preach on this identical question, “Jesus, who are you?” His answer has etched itself in my mind, and I have remembered it all these years. He said, “Jesus was just as much of God as could be crammed into one human form.”

As a young man, I looked up to Dr. Kenaston as I have very few others in my life. I thought then, and still do – if that description of Jesus is good enough for Dr. Kenaston, it’s good enough for me.

Prayer

Oh, Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son to us –
To be our redeemer,
To be our savior,
To be our example for living, and
To being us the promise of eternal life.

It is with deepest reverence that we offer these thanks in the name of that self-same Jesus whom you sent to save the world. Amen.

Additional Scripture reading:
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12

Charlie Lewis
(died October 30, 2022)

Devotional 12-4-22

Matthew 3:1-12 

Something amazing and wonderful happened at the children’s annual Christmas pageant. The opening scene was at Nazareth, featuring the decree of Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And the second scene was in the little town of Bethlehem, featuring the innkeeper who had no room in his inn. The third act was to be around the manger in the hill country.

To everyone’s delight, the first act came off really well. And in the second act it was the same. Everything was going so well. And Joseph and Mary went to the inn and knocked at the door. And they were politely and quickly refused by the innkeeper, Danny. He spoke the words plainly and clearly, “There is no room.” It was what he was supposed to say. He had practiced and practiced. “When you hear the knock at the door,” said his teacher, “then you say, ‘There is no room.’” And that’s what he did! The first time he said it!

The second time he heard the knock, and he heard Joseph pleading for a room, and he hesitated. But he said it …only it was different this time. You could hear sorrow in his voice.… “There is no room.”  

The script called for one more knock, one more plea, and one more refusal. And this time Joseph begged with all his heart. And the little innkeeper said boldly, “There is no …” And he couldn’t say it. He stopped... And he looked at them with tears streaming down his face. “You can have my room,” he said.

The teachers tried to prompt them and get the play back on track. But they couldn’t. It was over. The director hugged the little innkeeper and told him that he was the best innkeeper ever. And she hugged the others and told them how wonderful they were. And then, with tears streaming down her face, she turned to the audience and said what they already knew in their hearts. “With the help of these wonderful children, we have just seen and heard the real message of Christmas.”

Isn’t that what John the Baptist is calling us to do? “Get everything ready. Prepare the way. Make room for the One who is coming,” he says. In a word, repent. It means turn around, change direction. Do what Danny the innkeeper did at the annual Christmas pageant. In this holy season of watching and waiting, make room in your heart for the One who comes. Through prayer and service, through love and devotion make room in your heart for the Christ who comes. 

Rev. Tom Nolan

Devotional 12-3-22

Matthew 3: 1-12

What a wonderful time of year this is!  We just finished Thanksgiving and most of us are anxiously awaiting with full hearts the Christmas celebration.  There are many preparations to be made, and we want to reach out to those that we care about and invite them to be a part of our celebration.  For some  it’s a time to let by-gones be by-gones; to let go of things of the past that might have angered us or annoyed us.  It is a time to concentrate on our loved ones and those around us, some who we might not even know very well, that need to be able to experience true warmth and love and caring.
For me and my house the only thing better than the food at Thanksgiving is the food at Christmas.  Many, years ago my sweet sister brought home a sugar cookie recipe from Home Economics.  It quickly became a family tradition that we still share to this day.  Only now we have shared it with extended family and friends, not just our immediate family.  That recipe has brightened a lot of holidays!  

This is perhaps part of the mindset John the Baptist had when he urged…”repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  He did not want anyone to miss the coming of the kingdom!  John wanted people to put away their evil ways and realize that something better was in the future.  He wanted everyone he could reach to know that something very special was about to happen.  

So, this Christmas, and every Christmas in your life, remember the mission of John the Baptist.  Try to remind everyone that the birth of Christ, while life altering for all of us, is just a sneak preview of the magnificence of the kingdom of heaven that is near.  Make sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ a tradition that touches the lives of your loved ones and even the people you do not know as well.  It will change your lives and theirs.  Praise be to God!

Angie Durbin

Devotional 12-2-22

 Read Romans 15:4-13

Focus verse  15:7 
⁷ Accept one another then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 

This fall, I have been honored to be one of the volunteers at our Thursday evening common grounds meals for anyone in the community who needs food.  A couple of weeks ago, after we had served dinner a man came up to me and handed me an envelope. He said “this is to help with the kitchen” and gave me a hug. After he left, I saw inside there was a $20 bill. I was surprised, but we never know which people we will impact when we do ministry, and we don’t know their back stories. We also don’t know how they will help to influence us and our community. I bless this man, who was offered a free meal and paid as if he was in a restaurant.

This fall, a group of us gathered on Wednesday evenings to talk about Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, for which this verse is one of the concluding parts. Paul had been writing to a divided community, made up of Jewish converts to Christianity and also gentile converts. The two groups did not always agree although they both believed that Jesus had done some thing amazing for them and for the world. This verse is one of Paul’s strongest statements about being inclusive. At Johnson Memorial we believe that God loves and calls all people. The people we serve on Thursday nights who may seem to be a different community than the one we see on Sunday morning, are loved and blessed by God. The people we see on the streets of Huntington are blessed and loved by God. During this advent season, when we remember that God has given this greatest gift to the world through his son Jesus Christ, let us remember again that this gift was given to all. Every person is sacred and beautiful. We are often given gifts that we don’t even realize or understand until after the fact; let’s try and be intentional about recognizing all our gifts now, and all the people who embody them. 

Let us pray: Amazing God, who loves and cares for us all, during this holy season help us to open our hearts and minds to your presence and power. Help us to go past our preconceptions and categories, and remember that your love and power is for everyone. Thank you so much for loving us, forgiving us, and offering us new life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Rev. Terry Deane

Devotional 12-1-22

Christmas Boots

Luke 2:15-20:   “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”   So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger.

I love Christmas. Notwithstanding the argument that the holiday has become very commercialized, I love Christmas. I love the smells and the sounds and the food and the crisp air and well, I love Christmas.

Believe it or not, I DO like shopping for gifts. I enjoy the challenge of selecting just the right present for just the right person, and I enjoy the happiness shown when the fruit of that research is unwrapped.

To say that our family had a Christmas tradition may be a misnomer. Raised as an Army brat, we traveled. As the high school years came along, the Army days had ended and things may have taken on somewhat of a pattern. As if it were a tradition, the question is asked of us and by us, “What do you want for Christmas?” We are almost petitioning for a list. 

We sometimes treat Christmas as a catalog ordering event. “Dear God, thank you for your Son, I would like more hours in the day, more money, less hassle, nicer co-workers, a new car, season football tickets, maybe a boat and, well, that’ll do for now. And, by the way, could we get some world peace and a slow down on that global warming thing?”

As a kid I was always asked. I never had a desire along the order of ‘If I don’t get a blue bike I w-i-l-l j-u-s-t d-i-e!!!’ I don’t remember everything I ever got, but I do remember NEVER being disappointed or unhappy on Christmas.

I have a special memory of our Christmas living in Germany when, on my list, I wanted a pair of cowboy boots. Christmas morning dawned and in a gleeful shredding of pretty paper, all of the presents were opened…. no boots. I remember that there were no boots, and I remember being a little deflated. When the dust settled, and we caught our collective breath, Mom pulled on the cord controlling the window drapes. There in the corner(s) of the window sill….. cowboy boots. A pair for me, and a pair for my brother Rob. Joy unspeakable!

Isn’t God that way with us? He fulfills our needs and even provides to us what we think we want. We are happy and about to move on with the day and suddenly he draws back the curtains on the window to the stable and reveals what we most desire – His Son.

Prayer: Lord, slow us down. May we take in all that you have given us this day…and always. When we least expect it, you reveal what truly matters. Amen. 

Steve Matthews