Lunenburg United Methodist Charge

 

Antioch UMC                                                              Williams UMC

 

On our walk. . . . .                 

September 5, 2007

Pastor’s Message –

Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-18

 

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.  You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.  Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.  You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.  For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.  In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.  How weighty to me are your thoughts, O GOD!  How vast is the sum of them!  I try to count them --- they are more than the sand; I come to the end ---- I am still with you.

 

The Psalmist in this reading has a hard time realizing just how much God truly loves him and knows him. Have you ever experienced that feeling; is it comfortable or uncomfortable?  Knowing that God knows ALL about you have you changed over time?  Isn’t it awesome to know that everything we say and do, EVERYTHING, is laid out in front of God.  What is even more awesome is the fact we will have to answer for all that we do, say, and think.  Sometimes we feel like we should runaway, especially when God gets to close to us.  The only problem is you can’t hide from God!  Oh, you can stay away from worship, Sunday School, all the church activities.  You cam immerse yourself in your worldly, secular activities; you can think you are hiding from God, but guess what, it isn’t happening.  God KNOWS all about you.  If you run from God, he runs after you.  If you run to him, he embraces you.  Wherever you are, and wherever you go his eyes of love will follow you.  Its time we stopped running and hiding from God and run to him for his love is what we need.

       God Bless.

 

 

Upcoming Events – September 5– September 13, 2007

 

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

   Prayer Meeting @ Williams @ 5:45 PM

   William’s Celebration Choir practice @ Williams @ 6:30 PM

  

Saturday, September 8, 2007

   Men’s Breakfast @ Williams @ 8:00 AM

   Youth Group @ Williams @ 3:00 PM

 

Sunday September 9, 2007

   Charge Pastor Parrish Relations Committee Meeting@ Antioch @ 12:30 PM

 

Monday September 10, 2007

    Bible Study@ Antioch @ 7:00 PM

 

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

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

   Administrative Council Meeting @ Antioch @ 7:00PM 

 

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

   Prayer Meeting @ Williams @ 5:45 PM

   William’s Celebration Choir practice @ Williams @ 6:30 PM

   Administrative Council Meeting @ Williams @ 7:30PM 

 

 William’s Heritage Days. 

 

Keep Saturday and Sunday, September 15 and 16 open on your calendars.  William’s is planning to have a Heritage Day weekend.  Plans include a yard sale, bake sale, Brunswick stew sale, an antique farm equipment display, live entertainment and free games for the children.  And that’s only Saturday.  On Sunday there will be a special worship service at 11:00AM, special music and an old fashioned covered dish Homecoming on the grounds, weather permitting.

 

Lunenburg Charge Revival

 

A Revival will be held for the Lunenburg Charge on October 1st, 2nd and 3rd at Antioch at 7:00 PM.  Rev. Ken Thrasher will be our guest speaker.  Please mark your calendars for this event

                                

Cookbooks are still available.  If you would like to purchase one, please contact Susan Moseley at 676-2081, Gayle Grant at 676-3531, Trudy Wilkins at 676-4458, or anyone at Antioch.  Any church member can get a copy to you for $10 each.  Over 700 copies have been sold & there are less than 20 left.  Get your copy now -- or some to give as gifts -- while they're still available!

 

150th Anniversary Throws   Throws are still available. These beautiful throws will make a great present for a family member. 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

 

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 September 10, at 7:00PM. We will be continuing to read and study Genesis with a particular look at the historical view of the writers.  If you would like to join us come on over, Monday @ 7:00PM at Antioch.

 

 

The Methodist Way

 

Methodists have a clear understanding that all persons sin; that is, think and act in ways that are shaped by personal self-service rather than by the will of God: “There is no one who is righteous, not even one.”  Rom. 3:10. God does not want things to stay this way.  On our own, we human beings cannot do anything about breaking our bondage to sin.  The power of sin can be broken by the grace of God.  Grace is at work in every human being.  Methodists call it “prevenient grace”  This is the grace that God gives to every human being, and it is how we are able to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.  Before we knew it, before we claim it, before we name it, that grace is at work in our lives.  Prevenient grace comes before one believes in Christ.  This grace  ----- God’s free undeserved gift ---- makes it possible for people, in their free will, to accept(or not) the gift of faith.

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

                                                                  

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

Eddie Slagle

Bertha Arthur

Frances Hawthorne

Sarah Agnes Callis

Jeffrey Hendricks

Earl "Chuckie” Barnes

Rev. Al Green

Paul & Argy Turner

Edna & Wilson Bagley

Christian Sutton

Maria Kay

“B” & Teewah Hayes

Paul Willis

Grace DiStefano

Elizabeth Biggerstaff

Sheila Cage

Micky Narron

Robert & Virginia Overby

Sara Sutton

Tommy Cage

Marvin L. Crutchfield

Bernard Bottoms

Our Military

Ellen & John Gentry

Gertrude Hite

Dorothy Driskill

Alexia Hatzopoulas

 Neil Barnes

Allie Daniel

The May Family

LaVerna Matthews

Joe N. Coleman

Henry Lee Cundiff

Kitty Springer

Peggy Stone

Mary Ann Cundiff

James Wood

Garland Parham

The Nash Family

Gayle Grant

Virgie Gillispie

Jeff Bacon

David King

Diane Overby

Nannie Sue Dawson

Wayne Hendricks

Jimmy Chumney

If you have anyone who is in need of prayer, please place their names on the Prayer List and lift up their names in prayer during worship service and throughout the week.

 

 

Welcome:

On Sunday September 2, 2007 we welcomed a new member at each church.  At Antioch we welcomed Brenda Barnes as an affiliate member and at Williams we welcomed Betty Yerby as a professing member.  Let us all remember our own vows of membership: “As members of this congregation we will faithfully participate in its ministries by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, and our service that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”

 

In the Library

 

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

 

The Red Tent retells the story of Dinah, which is found in the Biblical book of Genesis, Chapter 34. This episode, usually known as the "Rape of Dinah" has been a difficult passage for bible readers for centuries because of the murderous behavior of Jacob's sons. In Genesis, Dinah does not say a single word; what happens to her is recounted and characterized as rape by her brothers. In my retelling of the story, Dinah finds her voice. The Red Tent is told entirely from her perspective and the point of view of the women around her.

The Red Tent is historical fiction, but because it is based on a story in the Bible, many readers feel an extraordinary connection to its cast of characters, whose names and tales are part of our culture, and our families, too. After all, many of us have parents named Jacob or Rachel, and many of us have children named Joseph or Leah.

The amazing word-of-mouth support from readers and from book groups, has made The Red Tent a publishing phenomenon. First printed in 1997 with no advertising budget and few reviews in major newspapers or magazines, this book only found its audience through the loyalty of readers, the support of independent bookstores, and help from clergy, some of whom even preached about The Red Tent from the pulpit.

The Red Tent has been published in 25 countries with translations into 20 languages including Finnish, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Portuguese, and Swedish.

"My heart is a ladle of sweet water brimming over."

 

 

Remember:      Dear God:  I have a problem.  It’s ME.

 

 

Have a Blessed Week