If You Do Anything This Sunday Morning . . .

You’re invited...

…to hear the inspirational story of a cancer survivor

Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012
         9:00 and 10:30 services       Palmyra First United Methodist Church 520 East Birch Street

                                                            Palmyra, Pennsylvania 17078

                                                            www.pfumc.us   Like Us on Facebook!

 

Allison Speck is a senior at Messiah College.  Allie, as well as her family, have endured an emotional roller-coaster as Allie battled two different types of cancer.  What makes Allie’s story inspirational is the faith she and her family have had in the three and a half years since her initial diagnosis.  Allie, and her family, have leaned on the Word of God, as well as prayer, to help them deal with the pain, agony, and suffering over this period of time.  You will be inspired once you hear Allie present her experiences of looking to the Lord for strength and perseverance as she lived through numerous surgeries, treatments, and setbacks.

 

 

I went to church last Sunday and the Church broke out.

This reminds me of the old joke where the person goes to the fights and a hockey game breaks out.  What I’m talking about is that I went to church – the place most Christians go one hour per week and the place that seems to be more important than those around us; and the Church – the holy, universal Church of Jesus – appeared in all its glory.  You see, when I got to church last Sunday, the most terrible thing had happened . . . there was no coffee.

But there was much weeping, gnashing of teeth, and wearing of sackcloth.  Well, maybe not the sackcloth.  But something else happened.  Someone got a pot of coffee brewing.  Another got out the cups.  Sugar and creamer appeared.  And some people got the cookies out of the freezer and carefully thawed them in the microwave.  People of our church were being the Church!

Now it seems that people at church fell into one of three groups last Sunday.  There were those that were concerned about who was on the list – the list where people sign up to make coffee.  Or they were concerned about whose job it was to make sure that there was someone signed up on the list.  Or they felt that we should just do without coffee as that would teach those who never sign up to make coffee to sign up in the future.  (Obviously, this person had already had their coffee at home.)

The second group wasn’t going to make coffee.  It wasn’t their job.  Besides, they had made coffee a long time ago.  It was time for someone else to make coffee.  But if someone did make coffee, they were sure to have a cup.  Reminds you of the story of the Little Red Hen.  No one wanted to help make the bread but everyone sure wanted to eat it.

And there was the third group.  These folks were more concerned about others than themselves.  They wanted to make sure that the visitor they hadn’t even met received the welcoming hospitality they deserve.  So they set aside their egos, serving without complaining, helping each other in the kitchen, and washing the dishes afterwards.

Which group do you think Jesus would have been in?  I’ll give you a hint.  It was the group where people were serving like Jesus did.  Matthew 20:28 says, “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”  We are the Church!  Romans 1:6 says that we are called by Jesus to be the Church.  We can be the Church!  But it’s a choice that each one of us needs to make.

Someone mentioned that maybe we are too concerned about things like the “list”.  They asked the question, “What would happen if we weren’t organized”?  Would the coffee get made?  Would we have worship?  Would we help those in need?  Would we do justice, love mercifully, and walk humbly with God?  (Micah 6:8)  Would we give the hungry something to eat, the thirsty something to drink, welcome the stranger, cloth the naked, take care of the sick, and visit the imprisoned?  (Matthew 25)  Would we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love others as we love ourselves? (Mark 12:30-31)  If we are the Church, we will!

The choice is up to each of us.  Will we be the Church or will we be more concerned about the church?

Welcome!

You may be wondering why this blog is titled Fish Out of Water (at least I hope you are).  The first thing that I can tell you is that as soon as I started to think about what to call it, Fish Out of Water popped into my head.  Funny how the Holy Spirit works isn't it?  So then I had to think, what in the heck is God trying to tell me!  Well, the fish symbol was used by early Christians.  And you may find this blog to be NOT like the Church as we have known it.  Thus, Fish Out of Water is all about doing Church Differently.  Secondly, I was reminded about Peter walking on the water (or at least trying to - see Matthew 14:22-36).  Peter was truly a "Fish" (Christian) "Out of Water" (Living the Faith to the Fullest).  And there you have it.  This blog - Fish Out of Water - is all about living our lives to the maximum Glory of God.  But getting back to Peter ... he seems to get a bum wrap for taking in all that was happening around him and for that split second, lost sight of Jesus and began to sink.  Sounds a lot like us doesn't it!  We let all the world get in the way of our relationship with Jesus and what happens?  We start to sink.  However, unlike Peter - who had the boldness and courage to step out of the boat, we are holding tight to the mast, never to let go, like our life depends on it.  And that my friends may be a topic for another post sometime.  But let me leave you with this thought - "If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me."  Jesus to the Disciples, Matthew 10:38-39 The Message