Lunenburg United Methodist Charge
Antioch UMC Williams UMC
On our walk. . . . .
April 23, 2008
Acts 17:22-31
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagusver and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men; that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.
In a “Peanuts” strip, Charlie Brown and Lucy were discussing theology. Lucy said, “On the great cruise ship of life, some people take their deck chairs to the bow. And some people take their deck chairs to the stern. Where do you put your deck chair, Charlie Brown?” Charlie replied, “Lucy, I can’t even get my deck chair unfolded.” What she is saying describes the human condition. We are all passengers on “the great cruise ship of life” moving from the stern where we strain our eyes over the trackless ocean for some sign of where we’ve already been in our life and to the bow where we try to peer into the empty distance ahead in hope of discovering where we are going in the future. Whether or not we realize it, we are looking for something we can count on to save us. We are really looking for God; but like Charlie Brown, we don’t know where to place our faith--we don’t even know how to get our “deck chairs open.” Paul addressed these same circumstances in Athens in A. D. 50. at the Areopagus. He looked around the area which was overflowing with people who were very religious, but never finding what they were looking for. They were actually soul-starved people “dragging their unopened deck chairs behind them.” Paul noticed that there was even a huge temple in the city dedicated to “an unknown god.” He was greatly distressed by all of the idols he saw in the city of Athens and the heaviness and emptiness that it brought these people in spite of all their attempts to be “religious.” The people of Athens were considered to be more “religious” than people in any other area. They would spend all their time sitting around discussing any new ideas or trends that came down the road. Yet it didn’t get them anywhere. They were just “dragging their unopened deck chairs from one place to another.” Paul took advantage of this opportunity to present Jesus to them. You might wonder what all this has to do with us today. According to recent research by church consultant Thomas Bandy, our North American culture today--especially since the 1990’s--compares more closely with that of Paul’s time than at any other time in history. Paul’s timeless message speaks to all of us as well. He opened by saying, “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious... I even found an altar with this inscription: To an Unknown God. Now what you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you.” Paul started where they were. The problem with mere religion is that we don’t know how to make it work. This is very evident everywhere we turn in our culture as well as in Paul’s day. People would rather not consider where they actually stand before God. Maybe you are like this also. It is easier to discuss ideas and brush it off it if it hits too close to home. We may excuse ourselves by saying, “I just don’t know. I don’t understand the Bible, I don’t have time to go to church, or it’s not that I think the gospel is not true but it just doesn’t do anything for me.” If our religion is superficial it probably won’t do anything for us. It won’t work in our day to day life. Therefore, people want to brush it off or find some kind of a loophole to make them acceptable before God. Maybe you are like this too.
For our “religion” to WORK in our daily life we need to realize that following Jesus is ALL OR NOTHING. We must be convinced in our hearts that He is who He says He is and that He can meet us at our point of need. At times I don’t think we have been fully convinced of this or our lives would not be lived in such a state of worry and turmoil as they often are. If that describes you, then get honest with God today. Bow your heart before Him and say, “Forgive me Lord for living such a superficial, shallow life. Put in my heart the thing that says there are no other options. I come to you right now and I won’t put it off any longer. I come to you for the first time or I come to you right now to make a rededication of my life to you.
Have a blessed week Rev. Ed
This Weeks Event:
Wednesday, April 23
Prayer Meeting @ Williams @ 5:45 PM
Choir Practice @ Williams @ 6:30 PM
Saturday, April 26
Ladies Tea@ Williams @ 3:00PM
Monday, April 28
Bible Study @ Antioch @ 7:00 PM
Tuesday, April 29
Bible Study @ Audrey Smith’s @ 10:00 AM
Charge PPR Meeting @ Antioch@7:00PM
Worship Events –April 27, 2008
Service Theme: 6th Sunday of Easter
This week’s reading will be: Sermon Text John 14:15-21
Hebrew Text Psalm 66:8-22
Pianists: Leigh Ann Bacon
Special Events:
Antioch Mother’s Day Program Needs Volunteers:
Sarah Stallings is beginning to work on the Mothers Day program, May 11th, for this year. If you would like to participate to please contact her by email sstallings@embarqmail.com or her home phone number is 434 676 6784.
Walkathon May 3rd.
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 Lunenburg Ministries to continue their work in our community. If you are interested, contact Brenda Barnes for more information. The walk starts at Central High at 9:00AM and ends at Kenbridge at the Farmers Market parking lot.
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 28 at 7:00PM at Antioch. We will be reviewing the Book of Ruth and 1 Samuel: 1-16. 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 29 at 10:00AM at Audrey Smith’s house. We will be reviewing the Book of Ruth and 1 Samuel: 1-6. 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.
Antioch Sunday School Special:
On Sunday May 4th all parents are asked to make sure your children are in attendance at Sunday School. Please have them dress casually as they are going to be planting flowers for the elderly, homebound, and those living in nursing facilities. If you have any questions please contact Brenda Barnes.
Please keep the following families in your prayers:
Marjorie Thompson
Christian Sutton
Bertha Arthur
Sarah Agnes Callis
Sheila Cage
Jeanette Smith
Kitty Matthews
Sara Sutton
Jeff Hendricks
Earl "Chucky” Barnes
Our Military
Nathan Hendricks
Family of Wilson Bagley
Mae Overby
Maria Kay
Dorothy Shields
Carolyn Moore
Frances Hawthorne
Ellen & John Gentry
Doug Winn
Elizabeth Biggerstaff
Becky Eades & boys
Gertrude Hite
Bernard Bottoms
Rev & Mrs Robert Day
Tommy Cage
Alphus Wells
Richard Barksdale,Sr.
Faye Seamster
Harry Smith
Aubrey & Ruth Pennington
Grace DiStefano
Wanda Chumney
Kenneth Mc Daniel
Joe Coleman
Alicia Clary
Rev.& Mrs.Walter Daniel,Jr.
James Saunders
Layton Powell
Junior McHenry
Mildred Carter
Dawn Bacon
CV & Agnes Thompson
Walter B. Moseley
Jackie Griffith
Mary L. Smith
Cynthia Peebles
Betty Reese
Jason Mc Daniel
Danny Horne
Margaret Smith
Aubrey & Allen Green
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 –
How often do churches in your area have Communion? Methodist congregations are not all alike in the frequency of Communion. For some, once a quarter is the standard; others have the Lord’s Supper on all special holy days; many congregations have monthly observances. For some denominations, Holy Communion is the regular service of worship each week. Increasing numbers of United Methodist congregations are offering this sacrament each week in some setting. The 2004 General Conference received a report encouraging weekly Communion in all United Methodist churches.
Because the Holy Communion is at its heart an event of the full Christian community, United Methodists are reminded that private observances of the Lord’s Supper violate that central truth. For example, the Book of Worship says of Holy Communion at weddings, not only the husband and wife but the whole congregation is invited to receive communion. When the sacrament is celebrated in hospital rooms or nursing homes, all Christians are included in the invitation
Being Methodist in the Bible Belt” F. Belton Joyner, Jr.
Remember: We don't change the message, the message changes us.
Have a Blessed Week
