Letter from Our Pastor
Dear Friends,
In the whirlwind of what we call “life” there are moments when it is good to stop and celebrate our blessings and answers to prayer. This past weekend was one of those moments. In the very early hours of Sunday morning something special happened in Israel of which all of you are a part. Our senior pastor, Lynn Hill, preached a Sunday sermon from a boat on the Sea of Galilee! There are witnesses to say it is true… members of our own congregation that were present to hear and experience.
This event is worth mentioning under any circumstance because it is a great blessing to have one of your pastors experiencing the land where Christ walked. But it is of special celebration for us because of the miracle it is that Lynn was able to go! Our church family has been united in prayer for Lynn on many different occasions over the past many weeks. And now, we are overwhelmed by the blessing of God in sustaining him for this experience. As we have asked you to unite in prayer for his health in the past few months, today I ask you to unite in prayers of thanksgiving for what God is providing. This is a blessing for all of us.
Do you have a story of answered prayer? Sometimes we hesitate to be so bold as to say a prayer was “answered” because we are aware of prayers that seem to go “unanswered” or “unresolved” in some way. Please be encouraged to share the blessings of God with others. These stories build our faith and remind us of God’s clear presence among us. We are in a season of collecting devotionals from our church family that connect in some way to prayer. Is it time for you to contribute to this ongoing story of God’s involvement in our lives? You can tap into helpful hints for writing on our website and even submit it online. Many people will be blessed by your sharing.
During Sunday worship on February 12, we will focus on prayer as a way of developing our spiritual muscles. We will also recognize the ministry of Scouting so expect to see gals and guys in their scouting uniforms when you come to church on Sunday. If you are a scout and have achieved special awards over the past year, please contact Sarah Carty at scarty@franklinfumc.org and let her know before Tuesday this week.
Our church is blessed. Many of you share your gifts of music, teaching , leadership and service every day in this place. Thank you for your generous expressions of God’s love and grace. May you be blessed in your giving and strengthened by the fruits of your sharing.
With Joy,
Vona
Lectionary for Sunday, February 5, 2012
Isaiah 40:21-31, Psalm 147:1-11, 20c, (UMH 859) I Corinthians 9:16-23, Mark 1:29-39
First Things First Newsletter January 30