THRIVE: Read God's Word

It is hard to believe that July is coming to an end!  We just held Christmas in July on the hottest Sunday of the year.  Despite the heat, it was a great time to celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord.

This week, our THRIVE focus is to Read God's Word.  We will be studying Luke 12:13-21.  Here, we learn that building up treasures on earth means nothing.  We are to build up our treasures in heaven.  Reading and studying God's Word is one way that we store our treasures with God.

It is interesting to ponder how we store things.  Many folks use storage spaces because everything they want to keep will not fit in their homes.  Others store things like documents and photos in the cloud, because our computers and devices cannot hold all that we have to save.  We are surrounded by so much abundance!  We are called to share what we have and to use our resources to bless others.  We must ask ourselves what we are doing with our many possessions.  We must also ask if we are storing up treasures on heaven as much as we are holding onto the treasures of earth.

Hold lightly to the things of this earth and tightly grasp the things of heaven.

Store up your treasures in heaven and be rich toward God!  This is the way to live a truly abundant life now and forever.

Blessings,

Pastor Linda

Christmas in July

As I write this, I am sitting in the office listening to Christmas music.  It is time for Christmas in July!

This week, we are celebrating the birth of our Savior.  Our services will be full of Christmas music and we will rejoice in the birth of the Baby of Bethlehem.  It is a wonderful time to connect with our community of faith.

The angels sang, "Glory to God in the highest."  We will  join in giving God all of the glory and thanking God for sending Jesus to earth.

Christ is truly the greatest gift ever given, and, as Adam Hamilton says, "a gift you will never outgrow."

Jesus is with us always and everywhere, as he lives in our hearts.  The immeasurable love of Christ fills us and flows out of us into the world.  We are called to serve Jesus by living lives of love and by shining his light in to the dark places of this world.

I hope and pray that you are filled with Christmas this week, and that you share the good news of our Savior.  The world needs to know that there is an answer to the problems of our times.  That answer is Jesus Christ.

Let us always cherish the Baby of Bethlehem and tell the world that the Savior is here!

Blessings,

Pastor Linda

THRIVE

Wow!  July is flying by quickly!  I hope and pray that you are enjoying the summer.

Last Sunday, July 10th, we started our THRIVE campaign.  The first way to thrive is to TALK WITH GOD.  Everything in our lives should begin in prayer, so that we follow God's will and not our own.  Our Scripture last week came from Colossians 1:1-14.  There, we encountered a Christian community that was known for its faith and love.  Paul prayed powerfully for these believers.  We were challenged to pray Paul's prayer for our own congregation:

     asking to be filled with the knowledge of God's will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding...

     praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience; and by giving thanks with joy to the Father.

This Sunday, July 17th, is the second week of our THRIVE series.  We will learn what it means to HOPE IN CHRIST, as we continue to study the book of Colossians.  Christ is our only true hope and we must place our faith and trust in him.  

God wants us to live an abundant life of faith.  We were not created just to survive; we were made to thrive.

If you are in the area, please come and thrive with us.  Worship starts at 9:30 AM at Verona United Methodist Church and at 11:00 AM at Rosedale United Methodist Church.

Thriving in His Love,

Pastor Linda

A Joyful July

It is July!  We are in the middle of the summer and much is happening at Verona United Methodist Church and Rosedale United Methodist Church.

This month, we are starting a new theme for the churches.  The theme is:  THRIVE.  For six exciting Sundays, we will explore what it means to thrive as a Christian and as a community of faith. 

We were made to thrive and to live life abundantly in Christ.  Come and join us as we learn and grow together in faith.

On Sunday, July 24th, we will be celebrating Christmas in July.  This will be a time to enjoy the music of Christmas and to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  There is a lot planned on this day.  Both congregations will have a time of food and fellowship following the worship service.  

Since we are celebrating Christmas in July, I have been thinking a lot about Christ's birth lately.  We are not really certain when he was born; it could have been during winter, spring, summer, or fall.  Here in Pennsylvania, we say that we dream of a snowy white Christmas.  I can't say for sure if that first Christmas was snowy; what I can say for certain is that it was the birthday that changed the world.

So often, we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.  We forget that we are celebrating a birthday, the birthday of our King.  That is why we are making time this July to focus on our Savior.  We will explore his birth and the eternal impact of the manger in Bethlehem.

As Jesus was physically born in a stable, may he be born in your heart.  Let us be a people full of God's Holy Spirit as we journey and grow together this summer.

Blessings,

Pastor Linda

 

It has been a long time since my last blog.  Since my last post, we have celebrated Easter, enjoyed Spring, and are about to enter Summer.  It is an exciting time for us!

Recently, I attended Annual Conference in Grove City, Pennsylvania.  For four days, United Methodists from Western Pennsylvania worshipped together, learned together, and conducted church business in legislative meetings.  It was a wonderful gathering!

Our teacher this year was Rev. Adam Hamilton, an expert in church growth and development.  He shared some interesting ideas and programs with us; they will definitely help us in the upcoming months.

During Annual Conference, we said, "Good-bye," to Bishop Bickerton, who will be leaving Western Pennsylvania this year.  Bishop Bickerton has spent twelve years in Western Pennsylvania.  He will be appointed to a different Annual Conference.

At Annual Conference, I was appointed to another year of service at Verona United Methodist Church and Rosedale United Methodist Church.  I think that it is important for us to view this time as a new year of new opportunities to serve together in God's Kingdom.

On Sunday, July 3, 2016, I will be presenting a new theme for 2016-2017.  This theme holds a powerful vision for both congregations.  Please be sure to be in worship, as we consider this theme and our challenges and our ministries for the future.

In His Love,

Pastor Linda

Lent 2016

We have entered the holy Season of Lent.  I hope and pray that it is a holy season for you.  This year, our theme for Lent is "Growing Stronger in Lent."

I hope that you will feast on God's Word during this holy season.  I hope that you will observe spiritual practices and disciplines that draw you closer to God.

Most of all, I hope and pray that you will see Jesus during this wonderful time of drawing closer to Him  Make time to reflect on who Jesus is and what He has done for you.  Invite Christ into your heart, your mind, and your life.  Spend time with the One who gave everything for you, and be changed in His presence.

Observe a Holy Lent!

Advent

A new church year has begun and we have entered the Season of Advent.  This year, our theme for Advent is, "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus."  Each Sunday morning in Advent, we will invite Jesus to come among us, as we worship our Lord and Savior.

Advent is a time for preparation.  Many of us are busy getting our homes ready for Christmas.  We are cleaning, decorating, baking, and sharing in many festivities.  We spend a lot of time preparing.

John the Baptizer came to prepare the way for Jesus.  The Greek words translated as "prepare" carry the meaning of building, constructing, furnishing, equipping, making ready, and getting everything done.  We certainly do a lot of that as Christmas approaches.  Yet, all of our external preparations are not nearly as important as how we prepare ourselves internally for the coming of Christ.

Is your heart ready to receive Jesus?  Is your mind open to the coming of the Christ Child?  Does the Messiah make a difference in your life?

John the Baptizer roars from the wilderness, "Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming!  Make a straight road for him!  Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills!  Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places!  And then all people will see the salvation sent from God." (Luke 3:4-6 NLT)

Are you preparing a path for the Lord?  Can you see the salvation sent from God?  During this Season of Advent, ask God to straighten the road to your heart.  Pray that your valleys will be filled, and your mountains and hills made level.  Ask God to straighten the curves and smooth out the rough places.  Prepare to receive the salvation sent from God.

We eagerly await the coming of Christmas.  We welcome the Baby of Bethlehem.  Yet, we are also called to await the Second Coming of Christ.  Jesus will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Our calling is to make him our King and to live with Christ as Lord of our lives.

So, get ready!  Be prepared!  Jesus is coming!  Welcome the baby of Bethlehem and worship the King of Kings!

Come, thou long expected Jesus!  Come and rule in our hearts, our minds, and our lives!  Come, Jesus, come!

Pastor Linda