Devotional 11-20-15

We have a dog.  She is a beagle, and her name is Molly.  She is quite possibly the sweetest animal I have ever known. We met her when she was about two weeks old; she joined our family at six weeks old, and has been here ever since.  She is beloved.

Molly is not without flaws, and one of them is that she pretends, when it suits her, that she does not understand English.  She can't fool me; I know she understands me when I speak.  I say, "Back," and she turns around and walks the other way.  I say, "Let's go downstairs," and she runs full speed down the stairs.  If I say, "Treat," well, you can imagine her reaction.  But when it's time for bed, and I say, "Let's go upstairs," she just stares at me as if I am speaking Portuguese or Cat.

She knows my voice, she understands the words, but she doesn't like them.  So she ignores me.

This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday. Like any seeker of knowledge, I googled it this evening. The Feast of Christ the King was established in 1925 by Pope Pious XI.  He wrote in December of that year that even though World War I was over, there was still no true peace. He believed that true peace could only be found in the recognition of the Christ as King.

John 18:37, from this Sunday's lectionary, says, "Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

"Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Do we listen to Christ's voice?  Or are we as stubborn as our family's beagle, ignoring words we understand but choose not to obey?  When Christ says to feed the poor, do we?  When he says, "Forgive that person so many times that you can't keep count," do we? When he says that the most important action we can do with our lives is to love God and love each other, do we?

Or do we stare at our savior as if we don't understand him at all because it's not the words we want to hear?

Kim Matthews

Devotional 11-13-15

Recently, my husband Tim and I were at the doctor’s office. There was a little blue-eyed blond boy sitting in the waiting room. He was about 6 years old. I wondered why he was there alone. Suddenly the door between the waiting room and the examining room flew open. An even smaller, younger boy with exactly the same blond hair and blue eyes came sailing through.

He ran to the first little boy waiting in the chairs. “I have to get a shot!” he said, as tears welled up in his eyes. They were clearly brothers.   As difficult as it must have been, the older boy took the younger into his arms. “Well,” he said. “You’ll be OK. Do you want me to come with you?” The younger one nodded. Holding hands, they started for the door. As soon as it door opened, I saw their mother. She showed no surprise at the way they interacted. The boys relied on one another.

Their relationship made me reflect on some of mine. It takes courage to ask for help. Sometimes it takes great love and understanding to offer it. No one is every really sure how help will be received.

I thought of the time Jesus said that if we want to inherit the kingdom, we have to become like a little child, perhaps like these two boys. Sometimes, we have to be vulnerable and willing to let our fears show.  We have to be unafraid to show other people we love them. We have to risk a willingness to help and be helped. We have to walk with people, even into tough situations.

Dear God, help us always to be willing to give and to receive your love, however you send it to us. Amen.

Rev. Dorcas Linger Conrad

Devotional 10-30-15

 MY FRIENDS

 “ No longer do I call  you  servants, for the servant does not know what his

Master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all I have heard from my 

Father I have made known to you.”  John 15: 15

A trip in September to see a Cincinnati Reds baseball game with friends from church brought back a memory of long ago.  As a youngster I loved watching major league baseball, particularly with my dad, and I knew uniform numbers and statistics for many players. One summer we went to Cincinnati to see the St. Louis Cardinals and spent the night prior to the game at a downtown hotel.  While at the registration desk I spotted four men dressed in business attire chatting in the lobby.  I said to my dad: “I believe that is Stan Musial in the group.” He replied: “You are right; it is.” “Will you go over with me to ask for his autograph?”  “No, he replied, but I will wait right here while you go.”

For those who have no idea of whom I am writing, Stan Musial was an outstanding player during the 1950 ties and 1960 ties whose entire career was with the Cardinals.   Know as “Stan the Man,” he was well liked and respected, an exemplary person both on and off the field,   So, I approached him.  “Mr. Musial, may I interrupt to ask you to sign my autograph book?”  He replied: “I would be glad to do that but first, let me introduce you to my friends.”  One was another player for St. Louis whom I would have recognized had I seen his uniform number.  The other two were umpires in town, I assume, to officiate.

While umpires are essential to the game of baseball, they are probably the most unappreciated, frequently criticized or ignored persons on the field.  Their work demands impartiality as they make critical calls in split second decisions.   Their schedules require frequent travel.  Beneath the protective gear, these persons were probably like any others who appreciated respect and casual camaraderie.  It seemed an unlikely group, yet without hesitation he said: “First, let me introduce you to my friends.”

In our scripture passage, we encounter Jesus with his disciples, another unlikely group of ordinary people from various walks in life, yet each chosen for a purpose. They have been with Jesus for some time now, listening to his teachings, witnessing healings and discovering who He is.  Jesus knows that his time on earth is drawing to a close and there is much to impart to them.  “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. You are my friends if you do what I command.”  What follows are the words above.  Jesus tells the disciples that they are not servants who have no idea what the master is about, but friends with whom He has shared all that He has heard from the Father. The disciples have been chosen for a purpose: to bear fruit by witnessing God’s love to others.                                                                                                                                  

We are called to do likewise.  This can seem intimidating, so how do we go about it?  Certainly and importantly by the example of the life we live but also, I believe, in small intentional decisions we make along the way.   Several weeks ago a couple from a Sunday School class invited friends to a class dinner in a home.  I enjoyed meeting these persons for the first time, hearing a little of their story and sharing a little of mine.  As I observed them mingling with others, words from long ago echoed in my mind.  “First, let me introduce you to my friends.”

Prayer:  Loving God, you call us to be witnesses to your love. Empower us now to do just that.  In the name of Christ, we pray.  Amen.  

Sue Darlington Woods

Devotional 10-22-15

It only takes a spark to get a fire going. I learned this as a 4H kid sitting around a camp fire at 4H camp. I sang the words but learned later what they meant. With a little spark I learned I could do things to help others. I volunteer at Hospice of Huntington and meet all kinds of people .I make no judgments and just listen as I sit with their loved ones so they can have some time out. I help to give them prayer shawls as a touchable item that let them know they are loved. I guess the thing I try to do most is greet new people when they come to JM. I try to make them feel welcome and listen to them as I ask them about why they chose to be with us. The spark is there let us all try to get the fire going.

Jean Ramsey

Devotional 10-16-15

He’s My Brother

Mark 12:41-44 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Last year my husband, Don, and I decided it was time to get piggy banks for our grandchildren. Since we have a date with them every Saturday night, we have always made sure to have two dollar bills, eight quarters, or twenty dimes to be stuffed into the heads of Darth Vader of Star Wars and Starlight Sparkle of My Little Pony fame.

Recently we had noticed that it was getting more difficult to make a deposit, so we unplugged Darth and Starlight and let the contents spill out onto the floor. As we exchanged the ones and change into five and ten dollar bills, we explained to Ruby that she had the same amount even though it looked like less. Landon, the older of the two, nodded his head to assure her that we were telling the truth.

Just before we replaced the plugs, Landon extracted a bill. We saw Abraham Lincoln’s face and then Landon’s. He smiled and asked if he could take it home to his brother, Jesse. “He’s trying to save up for a new bike,” he said.

I could feel my mouth forming the word “no” when I heard Don ask Landon if he was sure that was what he wanted to do. Landon explained that Jesse had helped him get his bike. This would at least get Jesse closer to his goal.

When Anna picked the kids up the next morning, Don made sure that Landon had his five dollar bill. I was so glad that I had not been allowed to ruin a moment when my grandson felt the need to give to another.

Prayer - lyrics by Frances Ridley Havergal

Dear Lord,

Take my silver and my gold;

Not a mite would I withhold;

Take my intellect and use

Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Amen

Becky Warren

Devotional 10-9-15

God’s Messenger

Romans Chapter 12, verse 12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Like many of you, I’m sure, I watched with great interest a lot of the coverage of Pope Francis’ visit to our country recently.  I was eager to see and hear this Pope of the People, and I wasn’t disappointed.  It was quite evident that he seemed most comfortable when he was among those who had waited with great anticipation to see and hear him in person.  There were frequent moments that tugged at my heart as the Pope blessed the disabled, the children who were handed to him by security, or whom he greeted along the street as he traveled from one location to another.

I think Pope Francis is a very wise and intelligent man.  He carefully addressed our country’s controversial issues, yet offered much for us to seriously think about.  He shared quite directly his concerns about immigration, the homeless, the imprisoned, the economy, the environment, as well as others, and of course, the state of the Roman Catholic Church. While there is contention and division among our politicians about most of these matters, Congressional members of the House and Senate listened with respect and responded to this Pope’s visit in a very positive way.  We like to think that perhaps Pope Francis made an even greater impact on Congress than we thought.

If I were to summarize what I learned from watching and listening, I would say that he has urged us to simplify our life and to responsibly care for this place God created for us.  He has urged us to more actively help those in need.  He reminded us that most of us were also once foreigners to this country. He said we must be more responsible in helping the poor and more forgiving of the sinful.  Our children and our young people, he said, deserve our attention so they are more challenged to share their gifts within their communities, and guided to have more concern for others.  Perhaps most importantly, he took time to remind us to follow the Golden Rule—to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Pope Francis, during his visit, became for me God’s messenger of hope.  If we take this message to heart, if we are constant in prayer and follow through with this humble man’s advice, surely our world will be a better place.

Hebrews Chapter 11, verse 1:
 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” 

Diane Feaganes

Devotional 10-2-15

James 1:3  Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

As I am writing this devotional,  I am vacationing at Ocracoke, NC in the Outer Banks. When Kim gave me this date, I had every intention of writing this before I left.

So, here I am, in the quiet of a sunny Wednesday morning writing.

We, my sister Judy, niece Melinda, and our friend Sharon, and I, started driving Saturday, stopping overnight. It sprinkled rain off and on, but Sunday when we arrived for a 2 and 3/4 hour ferry ride to the island of Ocracoke, it was becoming a pretty day. Yea!  We could tell it had been raining a lot on Ocracoke because there were puddles and standing water on some roadways and in yards.

Nevertheless, with key in hand we made our way to the rental house and found disappointment in many ways.  One way was the parking situation which left us in a puddle of water.

It rained off and on Sunday night through Monday and the forecast predicted rain for the whole week. Why God, why???  We came to relax, eat at different local restaurants, enjoy ourselves, not to avoided puddles and use our umbrella all the time. My patience, as well as that  of others, was wearing thin.

As it was raining again Tuesday morning, I said to a worker in the gift shop a museum, "I think this is God's way of letting me know He is still in control." I had been praying for the rain to stop; it did that afternoon bringing sunshine.  It rained some during the night, but now the sun is shining and with a grateful heart I know God is in control.

Thank be to God!!!

Kay Lewis

Devotional 9-25-15

Nature’s Jewelry Store

   

My father was in the jewelry business in north central W. Va. It was a joy to grow up in stores where I saw beautiful things every day. Pearl earrings, ruby necklaces, diamond rings and opal bracelets were something I got to look at whenever I wanted. The people who owned the stores where he worked always let me try things on if business was slow. They laid the piece I wanted to look at on a velvet pillow just as if I were a paying customer! I was five or six years old.  I could touch them and see what they looked like on me. I thought I was pretty special because I got to do that. I especially loved being in the store when all of the clocks struck the hour. Chimes, bells, and alarms joined to create a melody that was pleasing to me.

Dad repaired watches and clocks. I knew that this was a job that only a few people could do. I was proud of him. Several times a year, he, my mother, my brother and I would travel to other jewelry stores to see their friends and to see what things were selling well in other places. We went to Clarksburg, Fairmont, Buckhannon, Philippi and Spencer regularly. It was a special time for us as we renewed relationships and made new friendships. The late 50’s and early 60’s were good days. The economy was healthy, people were working and all seemed good at least in my young eyes.

Almost fifty years have come and gone. Times are different.  Work has been outsourced. Factories and plants have closed. Neighborhoods have changed.  Some people have left our state. When I walk down those same sidewalks I walked as a child, I remember where those jewelry stores were. Some have closed. Some are open. Those that have stayed in business still sell wonderful things. I find that comforting. In the midst of life’s ups and downs, people still enjoy things which look good. Appreciation for loveliness itself has not changed.  

I believe that W. Va. is one of the most gorgeous places on earth. Our rushing streams create music more melodious than any bell or chime. The amethyst and pearl blossoms of our hillsides in the spring when the dogwood and redbud bloom take our breath away every year.  The emerald colors of high summer tell us again that crops are planted and maturing.  Plants grow as they have for centuries to provide food. The rubies and topaz of autumn remind us that we have been taken care of as we prepare for winter. Finally, the cycle begins again with the diamonds we see in snow and ice.

Those jewelry stores of my childhood may be gone. The things of real value, the continuance of nature itself, last. We are cared for. Evidence of nature’s bounty is all around us, amazing to behold. All we have to do is open our eyes to see it, our ears to hear it, and our hearts to appreciate and honor it.

Rev. Dorcas Linger Conrad

Devotional 9-18-15

They Welcomed This Child

Mark 9:33-37 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”  But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”  Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

The summer of 1970 was one I’ll never forget.It was the only time I would take part in a summer play with my friends at Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church. Our choir directors were Carolyn and Henry McDowell. I sometimes thought of them as Beauty and the Beast, but I would never have said it aloud. I don’t remember what year they came to JM, but they had been in charge long enough for me to know that I would need to be at the practices, know my one line, and be able to sing the selections with enthusiasm and skill. I remember that my favorite anthem was “There’s a Church Within Us," and it would be during that trip that I would learn what those words meant. I came back with a renewed faith and great joy.

But my life was undergoing change as I enrolled in Marshall University. As the next four years flew by, I saw little of my church family. After graduation, when I finally decided to get back to JM, I was devastated to find that the McDowells had moved to Georgia. The little girl in me couldn’t believe that they had left. That was pretty ironic considering I had not even popped in to say hello following the wonderful summer experience they had provided, nor had I said good bye before they left. I never found the nerve to contact them; I left so much unsaid.

Forty-five years passed. One day I posted a picture of some of the cast members/friends who were in that play in1970. Who saw the posting? Carolyn McDowell. As face book friends posted comments, I took the opportunity to thank her for the love she and Henry had shared with us, the time they had invested in us, and the skills they had taught us. Others also wrote, and there was an outpouring of gratitude and love. Carolyn said her only regret was that Henry hadn’t lived long enough to read our posts. They had often wondered if they had made a difference.

Made a difference? They changed our lives. We didn’t just learn to lead a church service. We took responsibility for making worship more meaningful. We understood that we were there to glorify God . The McDowells put themselves last and welcomed each child. They helped us build a church within us and then sent us out into the world.

What about you? Who helped you in your search for the living God? Who answered your questions and kept you on the right path? Tell them today how much you appreciate them. Forty-five years is too long for anyone to wait.

Prayer: There’s a church within us, O Lord. There’s a church within us, O Lord.

Not a building, but a soul, Not a portion but a whole. There’s a church within us, O Lord.

Amen

Becky Warren

Devotional 9-11-15

Hearts a Walkin’

The role of the first time expectant father is glorious – and easy. We get to strut around, smirking and saying things like, “Yea. I’m gonna be a dad.” And woe be to the bystander who doesn’t get away in time when the ultrasound pictures come out. Our toughest task is most likely painting the nursery or a midnight run to 7-11 for a Slurpee. But…once the baby is born >> well now the race is on!

There is so much to teach our little ones. And once they start daycare and public school – so much to un-teach them. (Ha) Children are sponges. No action is ever wasted. They will learn something – good or bad!

Author Elizabeth Stone writes, “Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”

With that said I wonder what people think when they see my two hearts out there walking around. Do they see a heart raised in a household full of love? Do they see a heart that respects others, that gives up its seat on the bus/metro/train, that abhors litter bugs, that holds the door open for others, that is kind to animals, that loves and cherishes their mother more than any creature on the planet, that gives a ride to a stranger, that gives a dollar to someone on the street – regardless of what they think it will be used to buy, that doesn’t gossip, that keeps a secret, that values friends, that is a courteous driver, that has a positive moral compass and knows right from wrong, that believes in God, goes to church and whether or not wearing the bracket or sporting the bumper sticker WWJD – will silently ask themselves the question, what WOULD Jesus do?

Oh my how I wish the answer could be yes to all. My two hearts – my boys – our boys are young men now. Fully capable of making their own decisions. I so hope that they have taken the best and will discard the worst.  The airwaves are full of angst and hate and exclusion and certainty as to the mind of God – much of it not painting God in a very good light. Is our conscience the voice of God speaking? If the world is saying HATE THEM, EXCLUDE THEM, CAST THEM ASIDE and my heart’s conscience is saying “That doesn’t feel right.” “Who did Christ hate? Who did Christ exclude? Who did Christ cast aside?” And the answer comes back NO ONE >> well then…

Our sons are wonderful. Strong, kind, dependable, compassionate and giving. When they were little they would ask what I had wanted to be when I grew up. My answer was always the same, “Your dad.” I am so very proud of them and do truly believe that they have the power to change the world. I also believe that as God looks down from His heaven he says, “See those two? Good hearts.”

Steve Matthews

Devotional 9-4-15

Isaiah 41:13

The child, new to the world,
walked starry-eyed through the mall.
Dangers were all around.
He could have been lost,
He could have been injured,
He could have been afraid.

His father held his hand,
walking with him through the crowd.
The father did it for protection,
He held his hand to guide him,
to direct him,
to ensure his obedience.
He held the child's hand as an extension of his love.

And the son knew it.
He was loved.

Isaiah recorded God's words,
"For I, the Lord you God,
hold your right hand:
It is I who say to you,' Do not fear,
I will help you.'"

God's beloved creature,
walks starry-eyed through the world.
Dangers are all around.
He could be lost,
He could be injured.
He could be afraid.

God holds his hand,
walking with him on his journey.
God does it for protection,
God holds his hand to guide him,
to direct him,
to ensure his obedience.
God holds the son's hand as an extension of God's love.

And the son knows it.
He is loved.

Kim Matthews

Devotional 8-28-15

VISITING MARY’S HOUSE

High on a mountain outside of the ancient city of Ephesus there is a small stone house that is known as Mary’s house. When my husband, Steve and I visited it a couple of years ago, we knew very little about it. We only knew that the Apostle John was reported to have taken Mary with him to Ephesus after Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19: 25-27) and that this was where many believe she spent her final years. Our tour bus was the first to arrive there that day. Steve and I were among the first people off the bus and the fastest walkers by far! This made us the first people to enter that day and gave us a few minutes alone before the crowds started to arrive.

It was a simple 2 room house. The first room was a very small chapel lit by candles. There was a table altar with a Turkish rug on the floor. A circular alcove containing a statue of the Virgin Mary was built into the wall behind it. On the left side of the altar in a small brick alcove is a Turkish Bible open to John 19:25-27. On the right side of the altar, in a similar alcove, is an icon of Mary. 

These details I looked up later. At the time I had only the impression of a simple chapel and an overwhelming sense of the presence of Mary! The feeling was so strong that I just started talking to her in my head. I have never experienced anything like it before or since. She was there! We went on into the second room which was set up as a small bedroom--again very simple. Then we went out. We had not spoken since entering the house. I looked at Steve and asked if he had felt it. “Oh, yeah!” was his heart felt reply. This confirmed my feelings, To say that Steve is a skeptic about such things would be an understatement. This was not my imagination.

In my last devotional (August 8) I quoted an article about how Mary’s house was discovered. God used a poor, uneducated, German nun. He gave her a vision of where Mary’s house was located. Nobody listened when she spoke in her own language. So  God made her speak in Aramaic. God finally had the church’s attention! The foundation of what had been Mary’s house was discovered and rebuilt. This was a true miracle!

Steve’s and my experience was our own personal miracle. Would our experience have been the same if we had been part of a large group? I don’t know. I just know that it was a powerful “God moment” in both of our lives.

Margaret Williams

Devotional 8-22-15

WILL I EVER GET IT RIGHT?

Ephesians 2 :4-8

Courtesy of my dear little cat, Calli, there was a carpet stain in a very obvious  place in the hallway. No big deal you say.  I found I had a spray can of carpet cleaner in the junk cupboard along with a lot of other stuff, tile cleaner, tub cleaner, furniture polish, etc. (If you need any kind of cleaner just come and see my seldom used supply).

Okay, let's get to it. Read the directions first. Now this is my problem whether it is a spray can of some kind of cleaner or a recipe card. I read the directions carefully, not once, not twice, maybe three times. Even a recipe I have used many times, I have to keep reading the directions. Really stupid, right?

Sometimes I even wonder about my faith. Am I getting it right? The Upper Room scripture today was from Ephesians 2:1-10. After reading this passage I found my answer to getting it right. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast".

We don't have to get it right. Jesus has taken care of it. All we need to do is to believe and keep on believing even in our weakest moments. Oh, the wonder of God's grace.

PS. The carpet cleaner worked!

Jean Dean

Devotional 8-14-15

God, It’s Me

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

God, it’s me, Becky. I’m in trouble. Can you help me? I don’t know what to do!

Now just calm down. What seems to be the problem?

I’m ...anxious,EXTREMELY anxious!  I can’t sit down. I can’t lie down. I can’t even sit still for a foot rub! That never happens. SOB, SOB, SNORT, SOB...

When did your problems start?

Earlier in the week I noticed that my blood pressure medication was a different shape. I checked the label and it was the right generic name, so I thought nothing more of it. Later I felt dizzy a few times, but I blamed it on the heat. I am getting up there, you know. I felt claustrophobic in my own house, but going outside didn’t make me feel much better. And the crying! I sobbed during Last Comic Standing. That’s just not normal!

So when these things happened, what did you do? Did you go to the doctor to check it out? Did you go to the pharmacy to be sure you had the right prescription? 

I prayed to you... I figured you could fix me much faster than those other guys. Don’t you remember me asking for help? I was the one weeping in the Walmart parking lot.

As a matter of fact I do recollect something about that now. I also know what I answered. You know, prayer is a two-way conversation. If you ask me for something, wait for the answer!  In your case, I told you to see your doctor! Now you’ve waited until late evening, so you’ll need to go to the ER. I’ve seen your tithe, so I’m fairly certain you don’t need to be spending that kind of money.

Will you go with me?

Do you really need to ask? I go everywhere with you. But Don’s going to have to go, too. He will wait in the waiting room, wait when you fall asleep in the hospital room, and then wait to pay the bill. It’s a good thing you listened when I answered about him! Now let’s go get you straightened out. We all need our beauty sleep.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you have given us everything we need to have a wonderful life. When we are anxious and ask for your help, don’t be afraid to put a neon sign and arrow next to our brothers and sisters. The sign might say, “ Because I love you, I trained these people to help you. Let them. Your loving God.”

Amen
Becky Warren

Devotional 8-7-15

Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. (NIV)

“The invalid German nun had never traveled outside of her home country. The daughter of 18th-century peasants, she was no scholar. Yet, awaking in a trance, she was speaking in a language no one knew.

A linguist was called on the scene. The nun, he revealed, was speaking Aramaic. And she was describing the house where the Virgin Mary spent her final days.

This was not the first vision of Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich, who conversed with the Child Jesus and received the stigmata. But it was the first time that many began to give credence to her descriptions of a house near Ephesus (in modern-day Turkey) where Mary spent her final days — descriptions she had previously given in her own dialect.

What she described, recorded in a book called “The Life of The Blessed Virgin Mary,” was a small stone house, built by the Apostle John who, according to popular belief, brought Mary with him from Jerusalem to Ephesus. The house had a fireplace, apse, round back wall, a bedroom for Mary, and a spring that ran into her bedroom. After Mary was taken to heaven, said Emmerich, the house was turned into a chapel.

Sure enough, a late-19th century expedition to Nightingale Mountain (near Ephesus) revealed a site with holes in the ground for a cistern and a well, along with a destroyed chapel whose foundations likely dated from the first century. In the minds of many, Mary’s house had been found.

Today pilgrims from all over the world travel to Bülbül Dag (Nightingale Mountain) to see the site where Mary may have spent her final days. They come as faithful Catholics, as Christians, as Muslims (who revere Mary as Jesus’ mother), as curious tourists. They come to pay homage to the Virgin Mary, to attend Mass in the chapel built at the site, to drink the waters of the spring, and to leave heartfelt petitions — on handkerchiefs, scraps of paper, even leaves — at a wall constructed for the purpose.“*                                                  
God used Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich. By earthly standards it would seem a strange choice. But God often uses people who would seem a strange choice by our standards. What about you and me? God uses each and every one of us. Maybe not in quite as dramatic a way as he did Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich. But, He still uses us. When I pray I sometimes feel God pushing me to do things that take me out of my comfort zone--sometimes way out! More often, I think God  puts us in situations where we help someone and may never know the difference we have made. Embrace God, pray, and let God work through you!

Source

Margaret Williams

Devotional 7-31-15

Maturing as Christians and the CHURCH

Read Ephesians 4:1-16

Paul is writing this letter to the believers in Ephesus some 60 years after Christ’s Resurrection.  In Chapter 4, he speaks of maturing as Christians. How we have been called to live as Christ lived his life? One of love, gentleness, patience and acceptance. We are of one body and one spirit.  We have all been given different gifts to use as one body. Some preach, some teach, some prophecy and some are evangelists.  We are called to use all of these for the CHURCH and to bring others into the CHURCH.  And to continue doing so until we mature as adults in the fullness of Christ.  We are to no longer be as a child who can be tricked into other beliefs.  We are to:

¹⁵Instead, by speaking the truth with love, let’s grow in every way into Christ, ¹⁶who is the head. The whole body grows from him, as it is joined and held together by all the supporting ligaments. The body makes itself grow in that it builds itself up with love as each one does its part. Ephesians 4:15-16

But what is the church?  Is it a building? A steeple? Is it a place of rest?  No “It Is THE PEOPLE”. The church Johnson Memorial UMC would not have existed if it were not for the people who started it over One Hundred and Thirty years ago.  It would not still exist today if it were not for the PEOPLE of JM.  The building is not the CHURCH, the CHURCH is wherever the PEOPLE of JM gather.  Just as the Refrain from “I am The Church” says:

I am the church! You are the church!
We are the church together!
All who follow Jesus,
all around the world!
Yes, we're the church together!

JM is not a CHURCH all alone, we are a part of the Universal Church, in every corner of this vast world of ours.  We may not always agree with each other, but the message from God is that we are to love one another, accept one another, live in one Spirit and become like Christ.  And as we bring others into our CHURCH we bring them with: Love, Gentleness, Acceptance and Patience. All of the qualities of how Christ LIVED !!!

The song “One Bread One Body” written by John Michael Talbot is one which we have sung at JM many times.  It is special to me because it sums up how I feel about the CHURCH.

Refrain
One bread, one body,
one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many,
throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.

1. Gentile or Jew,
servant or free,
woman or man, no more.

2. Many the gifts,
many the works,
one in the Lord of all.

3. Grain for the fields,
scattered and grown,
gathered to one, for all.
Pray for the CHURCH………… that we will all be one in Christ and like Christ.  Amen

Have a very blest week.
Fred Herr

Devotional 7-17-15

“ ‘With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’
He has told you, O mortal one, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:6-8

As I write this, it has been a week since I had the blessing of attending the Wednesday evening Bible Study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.  We had planned a family vacation in Charleston to visit and hold two new month-old babies:  a great granddaughter (our third) born June 1 and a grandson (our 17th) born June 2.  Since we would be there, I determined that I would attend the Wednesday Bible Study at Mother Emanuel AME Church, called “Mother Emanuel” because it was the first AME congregation in the south from which others were born.  The Johnson Memorial congregation sent with me nine prayer shawls into which people wove their own prayers as the shawls draped from the prayer rail during the Eucharist the Sunday we left.

The United Methodist Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Church are siblings in the broader Methodist family.  That makes JM and Emanuel first cousins.  It was a holy joy to meet my cousins.

The group was studying the prophet Micah.  Chapters 5 and 6 are full of God’s judgment against those who refuse to live in the ways of God.  The conversation often turned to events three weeks earlier when 9 members were gunned down and a 10th wounded.  The memory of the event was still fresh and raw, though the Emanuel folk exhibited remarkable grace and hope.  At one point, a woman stood and very quietly but directly said, “Our church is getting a lot of credit in the media and across the country for how we have handled this tragedy.  But we don’t deserve the credit; God did that.”  She sat down, and there was a moment of palpable stillness.  I know that in my feebled attempt to write this, I cannot capture the deep and wide spirit of that moment. But her comment, and the grace of the Emanuel congregation, are bringing redemption to a sacred space that had been fouled by violence and hatefulness.  Perhaps the lesson beyond that evening’s study is that wherever we are, there is the opportunity to sense the fresh blowing of the spirit’s wind, cleansing what humans have soiled.  Further, there is the lesson that we are all called to be redeemers in a troubled world.

“Breathe on me, breath of God.  Fill me with life anew,
That I would love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do.” – Edwin Hatch, 1878
     
Rev.. Jack Lipphardt

Devotional 7-10-15

WAIT A MINUTE…WHAT???

 

This week's lectionary readings ranged from King David's exuberant joy in returning the ark of the covenant (the presence of God) to the city of Jerusalem; to David's Psalm proclaiming God's holiness and sovereignty over all creation; to Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus, exhorting them to remain strong in their faith because they have been adopted as children of God; to Mark's Gospel which records people's responses to the miracles and healings performed by Jesus and His disciples. I'm sure there is a common thread in this mix of Scripture… I just can't seem to grasp it… try as I might.  As a consequence, I've chosen to focus on one portion of the Gospel reading, which is quite jolting after reading the first 16 verses of Mark 6.

 

Mark tells of some people saying, "'John the baptizer has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him.'  But others said, 'It is Elijah.' And others said, 'It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.'  But when Herod heard of it, he said, 'John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.'" (Mark 6:14b-16).

 

"For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her.  For John had been telling Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.' And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him.  But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him.  When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him." (Mark 6:17-20)

 

Wait a minute…what???  Herod recognized John's righteousness, his holiness, feared him, imprisoned him, and liked listening to him. Yet Herod let his own self-importance, reputation, and power overcome that small piece of light beginning to appear in his dark soul ("and yet he liked to listen to him."), and allowed himself to be manipulated to the point of having John beheaded!

 

I believe God, through Jesus Christ, and the indwelling Holy Spirit, has given each of us that wonderfully amazing small piece of light to help us during those dark seasons we all have at one time or another. The causes of the darkness run the entire spectrum of human emotions and human circumstances.  Our response to the darkness is our choice.  Sadly, being human, it is often much easier to indulge in the seductive power of the darkness, which requires no effort to sustain.

 

Because we have all been adopted into the family of God, we must do everything possible to encourage and enable our little pieces of light to become brighter, so they may help eliminate the dimming of others' pieces of light.  As Jesus reminds us, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40).

 

My prayer is for us all to be aware of each member of our holy family – of each other's little piece of light. When there is a dimming, offer a piece of your light, and, in the giving, I'm sure your light and my light will burn a little brighter. 

     

Linda Summers

Devotional 7-3-15

ENOUGH GRACE

Lectionary Readings:  2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10; Psalm 48; 2 Corinthians 12:  2-10; Mark 6:1-13

And then He told me, “My grace is enough; it’s all you need.  My strength comes into its own in your weakness.”  Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen.  I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift.  It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size---abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks.  I just let Christ take over!  And so the weaker I get the stronger I become. (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10. The Message)

I think that I speak for the majority when I say that celebrating a weakness is not an easy thing to do.   Human nature leans closer to celebrating accomplishments, joys, achievements and wins.  The idea of appreciating a weakness is as radical as “the last will be first” or “you must lose your life to save it”.  And yet, that is exactly what Paul advises.  The theme of this chapter of the second letter to the Corinthians is “Surrender to God and God will provide all you need, even enough strength to overcome any weakness”.

Surrendering control of our lives to God is such a radical idea that most of us have great difficulty in accomplishing the surrender.  The act of surrendering control is difficult because we like making decisions and choices, planning and implementing, creating and directing. We are encouraged to become independent in all thoughts and actions. Surrendering has a negative connotation when we think it means “giving in” or “giving up”.  Even dealing with a full-fledged handicap is not usually welcomed as an asset even though many of us compensate effectively for multitudes of different and varying degrees of handicap.But Paul is talking about spiritual surrender not an abandonment of self-control.

The blessing of this radical change of thinking is that God already knows what we need.  The marvelous grace of God is the gift given freely because of the sacrifice of his Son on Calvary.  Surrendering to God—Letting Christ take over—gives us the strength we require for any situation or activity. God promises to accept us as we are, with our limitations and handicaps, with no strings attached.  Ah, the mystery of love!!!

This hymn about God’s grace is one example of the depth of God’s love for us(#365 in the Methodist Hymnal):

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace

Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt! Freely bestowed on all who believe!

Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, You that are longing to see his face,

There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt, will you this moment his grace receive?

Grace, Grace, God’s grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within,

Grace, Grace, God’s grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Julia H. Johnston (1911)

Dear Loving God, We humbly ask you to forgive us for our sins.  We thank you for your amazing gift of love and acceptance—love beyond our wildest imagination.  Help us to surrender to your guidance and plan for our lives.  Help us to accept the grace that you so freely offer.  AMEN

Chyrl Budd
P.S   Happy Independence Day Weekend, everyone.  Celebrate responsibly!!

Devotional 6-26-15

Each one should use what ever gifts he has received to serve others, 

faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that  in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 

To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. 1 Peter 4: 10

As a christian, a child of God, we have always been taught that we should praise the Lord God. Thank him for the things we have been given.

It is right  to give thanks and praise Him In all we do. When you are traveling on a trip and you are setting down to eat a meal in a public place, such as an airport, don't forget to give Him praise. When we were at the Charlotte airport, on our way to D.C., we had a layover and were at a fast food establishment for breakfast. After we got our food, Fred and I joined hands and bowed our heads and said a prayer over our food and asked for a safe journey. We then ate our breakfast. Before we boarded the plane, I went to the restroom. While i was washing my hands a lady came up to me and said, "Oh, you are the ones who were praying earlier, I just think it is wonderful for you both to do that in public! It was a reminder to me that we should also be praying and praising Go. Thank you so much for being an example!"  I said, "Well that's what it is all about, God, and we must give it all to Him."

So the next time you want to give God all the glory, just pray to him in public, and maybe you will reach someone you don't even know. We don't know  who will be watching all our actions, so we must give Him the praise for all He has given us.

Let us Pray,

Dear Lord,

Thank you for all you have made possible for all of us to be able to praise your name.

Hold all of us in your loving hand and comfort us as we travel and go out in the world so that we can spread your word by our actions. May those who see us be reminded of the things they may have if they just trust and have the faith in God that we have. May we all be an example of what a Child of God is like by your grace as you guide us throughout your world.

Amen,

Melanie Herr

Devotional 6-19-15

Into the storm

The lectionary Gospel reading for this week is Mark 4:35-41.  It tells the story you may have heard many times about Jesus telling his disciples that they should cross the lake, late in the evening.  This is after a day on the lake already - a day that such large crowd had gathered to hear what Jesus had to say, he had to get in a boat and get away from the shore to be seen and heard.

During the day, Jesus shared with the disciples and all those gathered several parables - the parable of the soils, a parable about lamps, parables about what God’s kingdom is like.  We read that Jesus have the listeners “as much as they were able to hear.” (Mark 4:33).  Jesus spoke to the crowds that day only in parables, then explained everything to his disciples when he was alone with them.

After all this, Jesus suggests to his disciples that they should cross over to the other side of the lake.  This might sound like a reasonable request.  However, things quickly went wrong.  While they were underway, a storm quickly came up.  The disciples, most of whom were fishermen and familiar with sailing for most of their lives, panicked.  Jesus, however, slept through the event, until they woke him and accused him of not caring that they were “drowning.”

Jesus calmed the sea, and then asked the disciples why they were frightened.  Did they not have faith yet?

On the one hand, this is a story about faith - about trusting in Christ to be with us in the storm, and watching over us and caring for us.  But perhaps an equally important lesson is that Jesus will send us INTO storms.  It was not uncommon for storms to come quickly at night here.  Perhaps Jesus even knew that there would come a storm.  His mission of getting to the other side of the lake was what he asked the disciples to accomplish.  It was his plan, and his timing.  If the disciples knew this, they should not have been frightened or concerned about drowning.

It was uncomfortable for them.  And it was clearly frightening for them, as it would be for us.  Most of what we are called to do is like that.  Sometimes I think we expect our road of discipleship to be easy.  Perhaps though if we find ourselves too comfortable, we should begin to ask if we are where Jesus wants us to be.

In the end, the disciples learned a valuable lesson that evening - that though it felt scary and though it seemed as though Christ had forgotten about them and their predicament, he was in it with them, but had the peace and assurance of living into the Kingdom plan, as dangerous as that seemed.  When we are faced with that same storm, remember that Christ is there with us too.

“Gracious God, give us the peace and assurance of your comfort in the storms.  We know that we are called to a radical discipleship, out onto the stormy waters.  But we know that you are always with us.  Let us lean into that peace as we go and make disciples of all the world.  Amen.”

Rev. Alan Williams

Devotional 6-12-15

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

--Anita Gardner Farrell     Photo by Mary Marmett McDaniel

Devotional 6-5-15

Ever Learning

I remember learning to ride a bike. First training wheels on – then off. I shared a snippet about that on FaceBook a while back > complete with a picture of that very bike. I still have the bike and seeing it in the garage makes me smile. I rode a bike all through my elementary years and well into high school - mainly around the neighborhoods where we lived.  In 2010 an opportunity presented itself for me to ride my bike as part of a fund raiser. 100 miles one day and 50 miles the next. Well, I had ridden a bicycle practically all my life, how hard could it be – really? Did I mention that the first leg of the trip was ONE HUNDRED miles? I trained for a couple of weeks racking up far too few miles to be considered ‘training.’ I took off on that fateful June day and nearly d-i-e-d! It was awful. I was out of shape and parts of me hurt that I didn’t really know could hurt. The only thing on my mind as I neared the end was SELL THE BIKE!! When the same event rolled around the next year I said, ”Oh, no. NOT me.” The ride date drew closer and the thought crossed my mind that if I trained and practiced more than the year before perhaps the ride would be easier and more enjoyable. That’s what I did, and yes, it was. On the second day of that ride years later I had spent many miles riding and talking with a new friend. We approached a particularly steep climb near the end of our journey. As I prepared myself to gear down and grind it out, it became apparent that he was going to have to dismount from his bike and walk. I did likewise. (I had walked up hills on this ride before). We had come this many miles together, why ride on up the hill without him? As a result of our ‘walk’ I got to see and hear the most wonderful little waterfall hidden behind the brush beyond the guardrail. Had I ridden on ahead – alone – I would have missed it.

I have attended Sunday school and church for as long as I can remember. To say that the Bible on my shelf dated 1971 was my first Bible would probably not be entirely accurate, neither would saying that the 08/27/1972 date on a certificate of baptism was my first acceptance of Christ in my life.  I sometimes find myself in a situation where I need to refute a statement made – I believe – in error. “It says so in the Bible.”  I remind myself that I have gone to church all my life. How hard can this be – really? Well, then comes the humble realization that I have not trained or practiced my theology and/or my Christianity nearly enough to engage in such an exercise.   It’s time to dismount and walk. I am ever grateful for those strong Christians and leaders in my life who could have blown right by me…but didn’t. They saw my struggle, got off their bikes and walked. They taught me where to look, what to ask and to know that I’m allowed to believe what I believe and not what I’m supposed to believe because someone tells me “It’s in the Bible.”

I’ve ridden some 10,000 miles since that “awful” June 2010 day. I hope to tell you in a later devotional that I’ve read and studied some 10,000 Bible verses.

The joy is in the journey.

Steve Matthews

Devotional 5-29-15

Thinking out of the Box

Read Romans 8:12-17

We have been given the Spirit, and we are to give that spirit to others.  So who are the others? Are they the ones sitting next to us in the pews, in Sunday school, the person that missed the service because they were out of town?  No, they are the ones not in any of those places.  They are the ones that don't know God, that have not found the love of Christ and are not filled with the Spirit.  But how do we show them God, the love of Christ or the Spirit?  Our church and most churches are seeking that answer.  Well, I don't have the answer, but the answer is out there, and it may be by thinking out of the box.

Recently I met the Pastor of several small churches in the Portsmouth area.  During our conversation we discussed the growth of the church or the lack thereof.  And to that he made a comment about one of the churches he pastors.  He mentioned that it was growing but not because of anything he necessarily said or did.  He said it was the younger aged members of the church that "he couldn't keep up with," and that he had learned he needed to keep out of their way and let the Spirit lead them. Then I thought of the bible studies that we have recently had at JM -- one by Rev. Mike Slaughter, and others by Rev. Adam Hamilton.  In those studies one of the messages was that we need to be thinking box of the box to reach those not inside the walls of our churches.  That to full fill the great commission to "love our neighbor as we love ourselves" and to be the disciples we are called to be, we have to take the message to those outside our walls.  We have to think-out-side-the-box; we have to get out of the way of anyone that may have an idea to do just that. We may just have to change tradition.

Prayer:
Come Holy Spirit come, fill me, feed me, show me, lead me.  Come Holy Spirit, show me how to spread the Love of our God and that of Christ Jesus to those that do not know.  Help me get out of the way.  Amen.

Devotional 5-15-15

From Adam Hamilton's book, Revival:

We have forgotten how to listen, as individuals, as churches, and as a nation. Liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats, progressives and fundamentalists find it easy to demonize others.  The mark of those early Methodists, and a key elements of personal and corporate revival in the twenty-first century, is a willingness to see the good in others, hold our positions with humility, and treat others with respect.

I enjoy Facebook.  I like catching up on what is going on in friends' lives, I like to see their pictures of their families, I enjoy articles people post, and I like the funny shared stories. For the most part, it is a nice addition to my day. What I don't like are the judgmental posts or the political posts that strive to manipulate.  I don't like the unsubstantiated posts.  For me it seems to be a more widely spread form of gossip at the least, and slander at the most. I don't like the comments people make when they don't have – and don’t want - all the information. And I dislike the status updates written with the voice of arrogance. For the most part, I don’t read any of these posts.
Many years ago, an author of one of the blogs I read, whose name is Stephanie, asked her readers to consider her blog to be her living room.  She asked her readers to ask themselves if they would say what they post in comments to her while sitting in her living room.  Would they say it if their mothers were sitting there, too? The problem with online conversation is that we perceive a distance between us and the reader, but it's a distance that really isn't there. I think we should extend Stephanie's test to a much wider venue (ie, all of social media, and beyond).

I posted the above quote on Facebook a few days ago, and wrote that it should be the personal rules we use when posting and commenting. Our Christianity - how we love people - doesn't stop when our fingers meet the keyboard. Are we demonstrating the love of Christ to others with what we write?

Kim Matthews

Devotional 5-8-15

A Letter to My Daughter

This is a letter that was written to my daughter when she was having some difficulty with relationships. It has been changed somewhat so that it could be addressed to many others with similar problems. 

To my dearest daughter,

Please read this entire letter and take what I say as my love and concern for your happiness and well being. I hope what I say will give you some comfort and support in your times of loneliness and despair.  It is not meant as any criticism of what you have said or done in the past.

I have prayed for you, your mother has prayed for you, and hopefully you have prayed for yourself. Does God answer all prayers? It may often seem to us that He does not answer our prayer requests, but just remember that He loves you and always knows what is best for you in the long run. That is why prayers often end with the words “but not my will but your will be done.”  Prayers are in fact answered, but not always when or in the way we may want or expect. Just like a mother or father may answer a request from his or her son or daughter or a teacher from his or her student, so the answer from God may be in the form of a “yes,” a “no,” or simply a “not now” or “wait.”  The time for His answer has not yet come.

So how does this all fit in with your own feelings of loneliness and heartache, brought on to a great extent by difficulties you have had with several of your guy friends? When you opened up your heart to us and confessed your loneliness and despair, I thought of some of my own past experiences to better understand and  empathize with what you are going through right now. Unfortunately, we are separated by time and distance so little can be said over the phone or by short text messages. Accordingly, I am resorting to this old fashioned letter so I can carefully consider the best words and advice to give you.

Everyone of us has experienced periods of loneliness, depression, and despair. When I am troubled about hurtful things in my life, I have tried to steer away from thoughts about people or things that have caused the pain and move in a direction that is more positive, happy, and fulfilling. To do otherwise, to continue to pursue the old relationships and the old hurts of the past, can only bring greater pain and heartaches in the future. Of course, the times when you are most focused on these memories and most depressed about them is when you are in the house by yourself at night.  This is when you are in most need of a friend, a companion, or change in your entire outlook or perspective on life. But, I ask you dear daughter, are you really alone?  Even Jesus’ own disciples felt such loss and despair after seeing him die on the cross. They scattered in all directions, believing that all they had loved and hoped for was gone. Yet, three days later, they experienced a joy and celebration they had never experienced before. They saw Jesus in person, alive. He had risen from the dead.  Weeks later, before the physical body of Jesus left this world and ascended into heaven, he told his followers to make disciples of all men by teaching people everywhere to love one another as he had loved us.  But, they asked themselves, how could they do this without their leader by their side?  Jesus assured them that he would not leave them as orphans. They would not be left alone in this world with no one to care for them. Rather, he would empower them with a great comforter, a companion, an advocate; one who would tell them what to say and what to do whenever they needed him. This comforter or companion is still with us today. He is with you my daughter. We call him the Holy Spirit. That spirit is what empowered a few frightened followers of Jesus in Jerusalem and thousands of Christian followers through the ages to spread the Christian gospel to persons throughout the world.

Whether you call this the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, or the Spirit of Jesus, he may not be one you can see with your eyes or hear with your ears, but when the Spirit comes upon you, you will know that you are not alone. Pray and follow that Spirit whenever you profess the need to do so. Listen with your heart. When you are depressed, pray for guidance on how you can conquer these negative feelings. That guidance may be as simple a thing as being told to pick up a “feel good” book and begin reading. Many of Mark Twain’s books are great for this, such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, or books written by those who have had similar relationship issues in their own lives and what they did to overcome these problems. The Spirit has told me in the past to stay away from books (or movies) that are tragic or otherwise depressing. You may be told by the Spirit to play peaceful, stimulating, or happy music that makes you want to dance or sing or simply sit there, to enjoy, and listen. If the mood strikes you, get out of your chair and sing and dance by yourself. By doing so, you can cast out some of those negative feelings in your life. During daylight hours, you may be told by the Spirit to take long walks or visit parks or places where there are beautiful views of mountains, rivers, flowers, and trees. Breathe in the fresh air and look around you. The message by the Spirit is clear: with such beauty and splendor, how could anyone not believe that there is a God who created all of this for us; a God who loves and accepts each of us despite the many times we have been weak or shown lack of faith. Look around you and be thankful for everything you have been given in life. Try going to different churches until you find one that makes you feel comfortable. The church is a place where you can learn about our God, thank him for all that he has done for you, ask him for love, guidance, and help in any area of concern in your life, and develop friendships with those in the church who can pray with you and for you. This is a love that will support and strengthen you and other persons in the church who are facing other difficulties in their lives. When you pray, the Spirit will tell you when to read, when to take walks, when to play music, and when and where to meet new friends. The Spirit of God will give you guidance on what to say or do in every situation you may face.  The point I have learned from these experiences with the Spirit is to wait patiently for an answer to my prayers. Then, when the answer comes, take whatever action is appropriate.  I find that I cannot  isolate myself from all professional and social activities because of my own sadness and loneliness. To do so, only aggravates or increases those negative feelings. Instead, I have learned to become more active so as to shut out or block the darkness of such feelings so that more positive light may come through. When one door is closed another will be opened sooner or later. This has guided me through school, in my different relationships through the years, in my work history, in my marriage, in raising you and your brother, and in growing old.

With these thoughts in mind, know that we love you, we support you, and will never abandon you. Know also that Our Lord and Savior and His Holy Spirit will do likewise throughout your life.

Love,
Dad

Dan Kemper

Devotional 5-1-15

I’m Covered

My husband and I were married on May 2, 1975. We shared a Plymouth Duster, so our first apartment in Spring Valley was too far from work to be convenient. Next we moved into the second floor of a house on 8th Avenue in Huntington. Unfortunately it was already occupied by a family of mice, so in 1977 an upstairs flat on Lincoln Place became our home.

Life was good, but like all married couples, we had disagreements. When we had an argument, I found that I could have the last word if I went to another room and closed the door firmly. Very firmly.

One day we had a heated difference of opinion.  I yelled “something ugly” as my mother used to say, ran into the bathroom, and slammed the door firmly. Very firmly.  Immediately I was covered in white powder, and pieces of the ceiling were on the floor and hanging from the rafters above.  When the reality of the situation set in, I did the reasonable thing. I opened the door and squeaked, “Don, can you help me?”

As he turned the corner, ready to continue the argument, he looked at my ashen face and wrapped his arms around me. My door slamming days were over. My hero had saved me.

On May 2, 2015, Don and I will celebrate forty years of marriage. I started to write “marital bliss”, but anyone who knows us knows that it would not be blissful to live with either of us. 1Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” I love this scripture. It is so timeless.  Don and I have deepened our love with every high and low we’ve shared. The birth of our children, the death of parents, the welcoming of in-laws, and the births of grandchildren make up for any angry word or inconsiderate act. It was true in Peter’s time. It is true today.
 
Please pray this prayer for all couples who are striving to live a life blessed by God.

O Perfect Love by Dorothy Gurney, 1883

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
lowly we kneel in prayer before thy throne,
that theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
whom thou forevermore dost join in one.

O perfect Life, be thou their full assurance,
of tender charity and steadfast faith,
of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance,
with childlike trust that fears no pain nor death.

 Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow:
grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
and to life’s day the glorious unknown morrow
that dawns upon eternal love and life.

Amen

Becky Warren

Devotional 4-24-15

RESOURCES

Frequently we hear talk of "resources", usually in relation to funding a project, sometimes referring to volunteer  help and occasionally in reference to the environment.

Word meanings  can be fascinating and so I went to my trusty American Heritage Dictionary to find the definition of "resource". The dictionary says, "Something that can be used for support or help. An available  supply that can be drawn on when needed." That's exactly what I want to share with you from my own experience.

No, not "something" but "Someone", that Someone being our Lord Jesus Christ. He is always there for us, not just in life's big matters, the big decisions we have to make but also in our little everyday happenings. Things that are so very personal I wouldn't share them with anyone. Strength for each day, physical strength, emotional strength. Do we really believe that "...all things, whatsoever  ye shall ask in prayer, believing,  ye shall receive." Even a simple prayer, "Lord, help me" will be answered.

I think that life has to be lived in a state of constant contact with Him, sort of a  heavenly texting. Every moment of every day He is there for us, listening for our calls for help, sharing the joys and pleasures as well as our sorrows and pain. Just put your trust in Him, He is always there for you, every minute of every day.

Jean Dean

Devotional 4-17-15

Deuteronomy 33:27 -- The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, "Destroy him!"

I like to eat at China Garden Buffet on 6th Ave. in Huntington.  On a recent visit I got, what was to me, a puzzling fortune. "It doesn't take guts to quit." I just was not sure what that meant and thought, yes and no.

At first, I thought, 'what a strange fortune.' "It doesn't take guts to quit."  Well, I thought, that is true but not true.  Have you ever tried to quit a bad habit? Such as, smoking, drinking, drugs, overeating, biting your nails, or any other habit that is not good for you.  It is hard to quit.  I think it takes guts to quit. It takes a higher power to be my guts. I go to God. Sometimes, I have to go to God over and over.  But I know within my heart that God is there to provide the guts. What a comforting and empowering knowledge, to know that I am not alone and can turn to my Lord.

John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Kay Lewis

Devotional 4-10-15

One Sunday in February we sang the hymn, “It’s Me, It’s Me, Oh Lord” standing in the need of prayer. It’s me. I am in need. It’s not my mother, my father, my sister, my brother, or anyone else. It’s me. I need to make that connection to God that comes only through prayer. Prayers seem to spew out of me in times of stress. Prayers of gratitude are also easy. I have much to be thankful for and telling God makes me more aware of my blessings and a happier person.

I find it much easier to pray for others than to pray for myself. Being honest with God and myself is difficult. What are my strengths and weaknesses? How do I use my strengths and overcome my weaknesses? The answers come from connecting to God in prayer. I have come to truly appreciate The Holy Spirit being there to guide me and even speak for me when I am unable to find the words I need to express my thoughts and feelings. When I am totally confused, upset by a situation and don’t know what to pray for, it is often to the Holy Spirit that I turn. When I do, I experience a sense of peace.

It’s me, oh Lord. I need to make that connection with You.

Margaret Williams

Devotional 4-5-15

Rev. Joseph Casey, a retired United Methodist pastor, died on the afternoon of Good Friday. Although his light has gone out, “countless other candles, lit from his, still burn.¹”  One such candle is mine.

When my family moved to Logan in 1971, Rev. Casey was our pastor. We moved in a few houses up from the parsonage in Midelburg Addition, so Joe and Martha and their children, Tom and Peggy, were also our neighbors and, soon, friends. I was sad when, just a few years later, it was announced in church that they would be leaving to serve another church. There were tears at church and in the neighborhood. Other parsonage families came and went, and other rich relationships developed with the Savilles, the Turleys and the Chenoweths. But Rev. Joseph Casey was always special to me.

Rev. Casey taught my confirmation class. Five or six of us would meet after school in the pastor’s study at church. I recall that Rev. Casey took the task very seriously, teaching us about the Wesley brothers, Methodist classes and bands, and about United Methodist beliefs. I was confirmed and joined the congregation of Nighbert Memorial United Methodist Church on Sunday, March 25, 1973.

I ran into Joe and Martha again in the late 1990s, when I attended Annual Conference for the first time as a lay member from Johnson Memorial. By then, they had retired to North Carolina. I looked for them at the Conference sessions each year thereafter.

After I started working at the United Methodist Foundation, I reconnected again with Joe and Martha when they created a scholarship trust for seminary students. That’s Joe and Martha Casey; they know well the sacrifices involved in answering God’s call to ordained ministry, so they have given generously to provide help for others on that path.

I was pleased when I learned a few years ago that Joe and Martha would be returning to West Virginia and moving into a retirement community in Huntington. Then I was especially glad when they began attending Johnson Memorial. I liked seeing Joe in his clergy vestments on special Sundays like Convocation Sunday.

Then, as if coming full circle, my mother became neighbors again with the Caseys when she moved to The Woodlands in 2011. While I was having lunch with my mother at The Woodlands in the spring of 2013, Martha Casey stopped by our table with a gift for me: a photocopy of a couple of pages from one of Joe’s journals. It was dated March 25, 1973—the day I was confirmed. In the pages, Joe described a visit I made to his study that morning. I left Sunday school crying and went to his study because my Sunday school teacher, obviously not a Wesleyan, had told me that I would have to be baptized before I was confirmed. She said my baptism as an infant didn’t “count.” Rev. Casey explains in the journal entry that he calmed my concerns, and that I was confirmed and “received into the church but not” baptized again. (Emphasis in original).

Although I have no surface recollection of the subject of his journal entry, I must have a subconscious memory of it, and of his pastoral response to me, entrenched in my soul. I confess that my insistence on the sufficiency of my infant baptism was more likely a result of my stubborn precociousness than it was based upon any faithful understanding of baptismal theology.  I evidently paid attention during Confirmation Class and was not going to let the Sunday school teacher trump the preacher.  Yet, as I reflect on the contents of the journal entry, and Rev. Casey’s concern for me, even to the point of convening a group of church leaders that very evening to discuss the problem of this particular Sunday school teacher’s misleading and upsetting remarks, I give thanks for the life and ministry of Rev. Joseph Casey, and I remember my one baptism.

Jeff Taylor

[1] Quoting a remark from Bishop William Boyd Grove upon the occasion of the death last month of Rev. Frank Shaffer.

Devotional 4-3-15

As we come to the end of this Lenten season, and progress through these difficult days between Jesus’ triumphant entrance to Jerusalem and his death upon a cross, we come to the story of Mary Magdalene, who stands with Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the foot of Jesus’ cross, and then again at the tomb where Joseph and Nicodemus had placed Jesus’ body.

Mary Magdalene, the young woman who was possessed by at least “7 demons”, lived in the town of Magdala.  One day, when Jesus was passing through that area, a relative brought Mary Magdalene to Jesus, explaining to him, that she was possessed and needed Jesus’ healing touch. Jesus took one look at the very mentally ill woman, and did touch  her.

Immediately, Mary Magdalene was healed, and began her journey with Jesus, supporting his ministry in every way she could.  She became a part of the group which travelled with Jesus, as He taught and performed miracles in many locations throughout the country side.  She sat at His feet and listened to His teaching; she provided monetary support: and she cooked and served meals as well.  She loved Jesus; He had healed her physically, so she was able to grow spiritually and mentally, as she served Him daily.

How have you been touched during this Lenten season - this time we as Christians take to search ourselves, and open our heats and minds to God’s transforming love and grace?  God loves us just as we are, but God loves us too much to allow us to stay the same.  We are constantly in need of God’s healing – God’s cleansing of the dark places in our hearts and minds, so we may share God’s light and love to every person we encounter each day of our lives.

Reread Mary Magdalene’s story in John 20:1-18, and see how richly she is blessed by Jesus again at the tomb.

We too have a story to tell, and love and light to share.  Allow God to work on you and through you every day, so you may be blest and a blessing to others.   Amen.

Rev. Suzanne Ellis  

Devotional 4-2-15

You who fear the Lord
Praise him.
All you offspring of Jacob,
glorify him.
stand in awe of him, 
all you offspring of Israel!

For he did not despise or abhor
the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me,
but heard when I cried to him.

I sat at my desk,
and I read the Psalm,
and I thought,
"Of course that's so.
Why would God ever
hide his face from those
who are suffering?"

And then I remembered
the man on the street
whose eyes I did not meet,
who stood, cold and shivering,
needing help.
And then I remembered
how I had walked by,
ignoring him,
hiding my face.

And then I remembered,
the children on the news,
hungry, abused,
needing help from someone
who cared.
And then I remembered
how I had thought
"What could I possibly do?
The problem is too big;
the solutions are beyond my grasp."
And I hid my face,
and changed the channel.

And then I remembered,
the man in grief.
I don't know what he needed,
or how I could help.
And then I remembered
that I had thought,
"I don't have the words,
I don't know how to help,"
so I hid my face,
and said nothing,
instead of showing love.

Is it any surprise
that the Psalmist is shocked
that God does not hid God's face
to the pain and suffering of the afflicted?
Why would his expectations be any different?
He would not have seen God
in the likes of me.

Two opening stanzas from Psalm 22:23-24

Kim Matthews