Lunenburg United Methodist Charge

 

Antioch UMC                                                           Williams UMC

 

On our walk. . . . .                 

April 9, 2008

Acts 7: 55-60

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.  Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul

    While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."  When he had said this, he died.

In the story of Stephen we find the largest sermon in Acts, the detail and theology far exceeds what we learn from Peter.  Stephen is a bright guy called by God to do both church work and the work of the church.


He has a ministry to feed the Widows and to preach the gospel in the Greek community.  God calls him to a job and he responds.  His daily actions make what we know about him to be like that firework that is burning full and bright then suddenly after this one fiery sermon he is snuffed out.

Makes you wonder what kind of disciple he would have been if he had not been stoned by the Sanhedrin.

So what do we as readers of the word and especially as Christians today need to find in Stephen’s story?


Don’t talk about Jesus or you might die? No! Definitely not…Stephen was not afraid to die.
None of us should be afraid to die.


The quick answer is that God calls all of us to serve in the ministry of the church.  Each of us will have a specialty which we will do and almost no one will even notice.  The Grass gets cut, People are visited, the Light bulbs get changed, the communion table gets set.  Our ministry to the church itself goes on with minimum notice and attention.

 
However we are all called to minister to people outside the church.  We are called to preach the Gospel and sometimes that means with words.  We are called to a life of service inside and outside the church.  We are called to be fireworks that bring people’s attention to the good news.  We are called as the body of Christ to live in the world, to love the sinners, to reach the lost.


We are called to live a life that includes at least a little risk, so that others will notice the brilliance and beauty that the infilling of the Sprit gives each of us.


Are we burning for Christ or are we a dud of God?

 

Have a blessed week      Rev. Ed



This Weeks Event:

 

Wednesday, April 9

      Prayer Meeting @ Williams @ 5:45 PM

      Choir Practice @ Williams @ 6:30 PM

Saturday, April 12

      Men’s Breakfast @ Williams @ 8:00 AM

      Youth Group @ Williams @ 3:00 PM

Monday, April 14

     Bible Study @ Antioch @ 7:00 PM

Tuesday, April 15

    Bible Study @ Audrey Smith’s @ 10:00 AM

 

 

 

Worship Events –April 13, 2008

 

 Service Theme: 4th Sunday of Easter

 This week’s reading will be: Sermon Text    John 14:1-14

                                               Hebrew Text    Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

Pianists: Leigh Ann Bacon

Special Events: Transfer of Membership - Williams

                                             

.

Report from the Mission Committee.

 

 The Antioch Mission Committee is looking for volunteers to take part in a Walkathon to take place on May 3rd.  Maybe you would like to form a team to do this walk. All pledges will be given to the Lunenberg Ministries to continue their work in our community. Attached is a pledge form and additional information in you are interested. Contact Brenda Barnes if more information is needed.

 

Sunday School is available each Sunday morning.  The importance of Sunday School is that, though you may think hearing the word will suffice for you, you really need to be in attendance at Sunday School to gather all the information that you can in an open discussion classroom.  Jesus’ word cannot be totally understood just by listening to a sermon.  You have to interact with it and with other Christians to learn what He was saying to us.  This is a life long study and you should take part.  There is a class for every age so please plan on joining us to learn more about our Lord, Jesus Christ.   Sunday School at Williams begins at 10:45 AM and at Antioch at 10:00 AM.

 

Evening Bible Study. Evening Bible study will continue on April 14 at 7:00PM at Antioch. We will be reviewing the Book of Ruth and chapters 1-6 of 1 Samuel. We will discuss the events depicted in the book. If you are looking for a study of God’s word join us not only for the study, but good fellowship.

 

Morning Bible Study. Morning Bible study will continue on April 15 at 10:00AM at Audrey Smith’s house. We will be reviewing the chapters 11-21 of the Book of Judges. We will discuss the events depicted in the book. If you are looking for a study of God’s word join us not only for the study, but good fellowship.

 

If you cannot reach Rev. Ed at the parsonage, you may call him on his cell phone:  252-532-0952.  He can also be reached via e-mail at revedumc@yahoo.com .   If you would like to receive e-mail messages from the pastor send an e-mail to him at revedumc@yahoo.com and we will add you to our list.

Please keep the following families in your prayers:

Marjorie Thompson

Christian Sutton

Bertha Arthur

Sarah Agnes Callis

Sheila Cage

Jeanette Smith

Connie Dunnvant

Sara Sutton

Jeff Hendricks

Earl "Chucky” Barnes

Our Military

Nathan Hendricks

Edna & Wilson Bagley

Mae Overby

Maria Kay

Dorothy Shields

Doug Winn

Frances Hawthorne

Ellen & John Gentry

Nancy Grant

Elizabeth Biggerstaff 

Becky Eades & boys

Gertrude Hite

Bernard Bottoms

Shelton Lilies

Tommy Cage

Paul & Jing Turner

Howard G. Hendricks,Jr.

Tom Tanner

Harry Smith

Cephas &Alma Pennington

Grace DiStefano

Wanda Chumney

Margaret Smith

Joe Coleman

Alicia Clary

Kitty Springer

Dorothy Driskill

Layton Powell

Rev. Allen Branson

Alyene Neal

George Womack

CV & Agnes Thompson

Rev. Al Green

Nan Clemmons

Mary Hayes

Cynthia Peebles

Betty Reese

Jason Mc Reynolds

Virginia King

David King

Lawrence Webb

Thomas Clegg

James Saunders

Tyve, Tyre Pernell & Family

Family of Megan Smith

Danny Horne

Lou Tullon

Dawn Bacon

Ellen Saunders

Wendy Ripberger

Laura Price

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a note:

 

150th Anniversary Throws   Throws are still available.  The cost is $45.00 each.  Please call Jane DiStefano if you would like to order a throw or have any questions.  434-676-2314

 

Cookbooks are still available.

 

The cost is $10 each. . If you would like to purchase one, you may contact any member of Antioch Church, or call Earl or Barbara Callis at 676-3063.  

 
Prayer gram.
 
 Please, when putting somebody’s name on our prayer list, PRINT their names and addresses if you have them.  This will help us get the prayer grams out sooner and it will, also, make it easier to read during services.
 

The Methodist Way –  

 

          Almost all congregations of in the Methodist tradition use grape juice for Communion instead of wine.  This practice is fairly recent, showing up in a Book Discipline first in 1876.  A dentist named Dr. Welch was a Methodist layman who developed a way of preserving unfermented grape juice.  His church began to use this juice; soon many churches wanted to use it.  Methodists have continued to use grape juice in large measure as part of its social witness against alcohol abuse, as pastoral support of those who cannot drink alcohol, and a way to maintain a Table open to children and youth.  (It seems common to the Methodist experience to blend worship and witness for social justice.)  Just to make sure that this pattern of using grape juice for Communion was continued, the 1996 General Conference of the United Methodist Church passed a resolution (still in effect) that called for “the pure, unfermented juice of the grape” in this sacramental life.

 

         Some Christian denominations say that one must be a member of that tradition in order to come to the Lord’s Table for Holy Communion.  Other groups insist that one be a member of the congregation that is serving Communion.  In some practices, one has to have made a profession of faith (be confirmed) in Jesus Christ in order to take Communion.  Some groups have said one needed to have been immersed in order to be eligible for Holy Communion. Methodists offer what can be called “an open Table.”

 

      Being Methodist in the Bible Belt” F. Belton Joyner, Jr.

 

 

Remember: People are funny; they want the front of the bus, middle of the road and the back of the church.

 

 

Have a Blessed Week