Tuesday, September 11, 2018

BENJI Good morning! I’m Benji Riddle – Director of Youth Ministry at Central United Methodist. Today is Patriots Day and marks 17 years since this nation witnessed the events of 9/11. This event shook the world with such magnitude and grief, that we still feel the gravity of it nearly two decades later. I recall watching the situation unfold on the classroom television in Ms. Bostwick’s English class. And what struck me almost as hard as what I felt seeing this tragedy as it occurred was watching the incredibly good things that began to happen afterward. The outpouring of support and love to those affected; the spirit of unity that crossed racial, political, financial, and social lines. When people could not find answers to this event on earth, they returned to churches and faith communities and turned their attention heavenward and were met with God’s consolation, peace, and comfort. May we take time today to remember what happened before, and may it spur us onward to become people of love, faith, and hope; and may we no longer let manmade divisions keep us from being One Nation Under God.

Monday, September 10, 2018

TIM Good morning, I’m Tim Wise, Senior Adult Minister and Sanctuary Choir Director at Central. As followers of Jesus, our ministry to the poor and outcasts is an important calling that I feel we often times neglect. We tend to take the mindset of negativity and have thoughts like, “Why don’t they go get a job,” or “Someone else can help them.” But this response is not what we are called to do. From as early as the Old Testament times, we are called to minister and work with the poor and lowly. Deuteronomy 15:7-11 guides us in this way. “If there is a poor person among you…you must not be hardhearted or tightfisted…instead you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him enough for whatever need he has. Be careful that there isn’t this wicked thought in your heart…and you are stingy toward your poor brother and give him nothing. Give to him, and don’t have a stingy heart…for there will never cease to be poor people among you…you must willingly open your hand to your afflicted and poor brother.” If you are blessed with more than enough, than why not share out of your abundance? And even when you think you don’t have enough to share, why not share out of whatever you have? You can go a day without your coffee or your new shoes or even those expensive groceries. How blessed you will feel when you surrender what you don’t need to someone who does and think about how much of a blessing you could be to that person.

Friday, September 7, 2018

SABRINA Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” The lazy days of Summer are officially over, and Fall is just around the corner. Seasons - seasons in the year and climate, seasons in our lives. We all walk through seasons. Some are happier than others. Some are more productive than others. Some quieter, more restful. No matter the season you or your family are in, just remember that all seasons shift. Winter to spring, spring to summer, and so on. When you fight the seasons, you wear yourself out, and all to no avail. Time will pass, seasons will change. If you are walking through challenges of winter right now, know that it will be no more than a memory one day- spring WILL come. Until that time, look to God, knowing that we are not handling this alone - God walks through all of the shifting winds in the seasons in our life. If you do not have a church home, I would like to invite you to come and walk through the seasons of life with us. We have worship at 8:30, 9:45, and 10:55 on Sunday, and Wednesday night dinner and activities for all ages beginning at 5:00. We are not a perfect people, simply imperfect people, seeking God’s will in our seasons of life! Have a blessed day!

Thursday, September 6, 2018

BENJI Good morning! I’m Benji Riddle – Director of Youth Ministry at Central United Methodist. When we seek to earnestly live our lives for God, we find that this road isn’t always easy. We have times of incredible joy and indescribable happiness, and times of great difficulty and hardship, as well. We find that we cannot travel through life without encountering both good and evil. Even the late Billy Graham had difficult times. He said “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’ It’s in this sentiment we find something beautiful because even in the midst of these hard times, we can go to God and find our help. Jesus, in John Chapter 16, says that we will indeed face suffering in this world, yet we will also find peace through Christ, and we should take heart and be courageous because Christ has overcome the world. You are not alone. God is with you. Seek Christ today, in the midst of trials, and find peace.

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

GLENDA Good Morning: There was man who had a dream. He heard God speaking to Him. “Press hard against the rock,” God said. The man did not understand until he walked outside and saw a huge rock that had rolled down the hillside. He did as God told him and pushed and pushed against that rock, but he could not budge it. Days and weeks went by and he still could not move the rock. Finally, he went to God in prayer and said, “God, you told me to move the rock, but the task is impossible.” God spoke gently to him, “My son. Look at your strong arms and legs; look at the rippling muscles in your back; Look at your increased strength. Look what has happened to you. You are a different man. I asked you to press against the rock and this you have done. I never asked you to move it.” Everything God asks us to do is for our own good. Even if at the time, we do not see it. Think about that and have a wonderful day!

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

TIM Good morning, I’m Tim Wise, Senior Adult Minister and Sanctuary Choir Director at Central. 1 Samuel Chapter 3 tells of a young boy named Samuel who kept hearing a voice call out to him in his sleep. He thought it was his mentor Eli calling. It was Eli that realized God was calling Samuel. Listening for God’s voice is an important skill. We have to remember that God is not silent. Our culture around us can be super noisy and hinder our ability to hear the voice of God, especially when we are so much more in tune to the voices of this world. Eli taught Samuel to respond to God’s voice by saying: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” God speaks to us in many different ways. He speaks through creation, through his Word, through leaders and mentors, through life situations and even through the Holy Spirit. How are you hearing God? Are you listening closely? May you become a person in tune with the voice of God. Seek his leadership in your life and listen for his direction. He will equip you if you listen and follow his direction.

Monday, September 3, 2018

JOHN Good Morning! I’m John Branning, the Lead Pastor of Central United Methodist Church. Did you know that the Labor Day holiday originally started in the late 1800’s? I can only imagine how excited the people were to take a day off from work. Some may have thought, “What a wonderful and new idea!” Created and implemented as a day of rest by those hardworking, blue-collar laborers in New York City, this day continues to be one, that we as a nation, look forward to every September. To put it rather loosely, Labor Day has become a man-made American Sabbath day. A yearly day of rest from our labor, to say goodbye to Summer, to go camping, to gather the family for a barbecue, and boy how do we Americans look forward to our Labor Day weekend! If you think about it, God has already created a special day for those of us who labor. As Christians, our very own Labor Day doesn’t come only once a year and it doesn’t only come on the first Monday of each September— that special day for us comes every seventh day of the week. If we are smart, we try very hard to honor it. Our bodies were made with Sabbath DNA. You need rest and spiritual renewal. Maybe today is a good start to becoming a person of Sabbath. I invite you to be a person of Sabbath with our Central community where life is better connected.