Come and find some great treasures this Saturday, August 26th, at Hope UMC’s yearly tag sale. You know what they say about “one man’s trash”! The tag sale will be held in our Fellowship Hall. Doors will open at 8:30 AM and we will close at 2:30 PM.
Tag Sale
Sunday Service, August 20, 2017
Rev. Joy brings us on a family reunion!
A Message from the Bishop
Following are messages from our bishop, Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar and from Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling in response to yesterday’s events in Charlottesville, VA.
Aug. 13, 2017
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“Where do we go from here?” That is the question being asked by the people of Charlottesville, VA, and those who are fearful and hurting in Kenya, in Venezuela, on the Korean Peninsula – anywhere hatred and violence are escalating.
Today’s lectionary gospel text reminds us of an another storm brewing and one disciple’s fearful plea … “Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:30).
Jesus was right there in the boat with him, and reached out a hand of support and a word of calm. As people of faith, we remain steadfast in our belief that the one who was with Peter in the storm continues to reside with us through all the storms of life, no matter how chaotic they become.
And while we believe that with God all things are possible, and the storms will cease, as baptized Christians, we are called to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves. When we are witnesses to storms of violence and hatred, what hand of support and word of calm can we offer? We must not tolerate or encourage the kind of behavior that we witnessed in Charlottesville or anywhere lives are devalued.
Dr. Cornell West was present in Charlottesville yesterday, and during a morning prayer service at First Baptist Church said he had come “bearing witness to love and justice.” While our nation enjoys certain freedoms, we are also a nation that values justice. We cannot tolerate the injustice of those who would devalue the lives of some based on the color of their skin.
As Jesus’ followers may we honor the sacred worth of all God’s beloved and seek to live in love with one another. And as the storms of life rage, may we lend our hearts, hands and voices to build God’s beloved community here in our nation and around the globe.
Of course we cannot do it alone. So may we join our prayer with Peter’s and say, “Lord, save us!”
In Christ’s love,
Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar
And from Bishop Easterling of the Baltimore-Washington Conference
Beloved,
I greet you in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. The wisdom of Scripture teaches us that there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9). As we watched the rally unfold today in Charlottesville, Va., we were reminded that hate, bigotry, bias and prejudice are not new to the American landscape. These vile concepts have reared their ugly head in every generation. While we should not be surprised, those who are Christ-followers should find it repugnant and incompatible with our core beliefs.
Scripture expressly states that, “God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:27) These words captured in the first creation story proclaim that we are all created in the image of our Creator. This Scripture does not reserve that sacred image for a privileged group, or claim it for just a few; rather, it pointedly affirms that every human being on earth is created in God’s image. Out of this common heritage, we celebrate that we are one in image, likeness, soul, and spirit. Our sacred writ also calls us into practices of unity, fellowship, peace and reconciliation.
As United Methodists, we have also taken vows and entered into a covenant that compels us to act in the face of evil. In our baptismal vows we affirm, when asked:
Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin?
I do.
Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?
I do.
These questions do not presume that we will simply reject evil, injustice and oppression quietly in the confines of our own hearts and homes. Rather, these questions imply, in true Wesleyan fashion, that we will actively resist this wickedness. We are called to action through prayer, standing in solidarity with those being persecuted, preaching and teaching love and inclusion, and denouncing acts borne out of hatred.
Recently I read about the actions of one person leading to a collective movement to silence messages of hate. New Yorkers boarded a subway car to find swastikas and other symbols of fear and intimidation drawn on the windows and walls. As the passengers looked in quiet disbelief, someone said, “Well, hand sanitizer has alcohol, and alcohol removes Sharpie.” Soon everyone in the car was using this liquid on napkins and tissues to remove the symbols. The actions of one person led to a moment of constructive community activism and engagement. One person can spark a movement of love and healing.
I am attending the 25th celebration of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, and the 46th Assembly of MARCHA. During our opening worship, we sang the beautiful song by Hezekiah Walker, I Need You To Survive. This gospel song reminds us that we are all a part of God’s body, and it is God’s will that we care for one another. May we all join in caring for, praying for, supporting, encouraging, and loving one another. But even more so, may we work, actively work, to resist hatred, prejudice and discrimination in our heads, hearts, homes, congregations and communities.
Your servant in Christ,
Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling
Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Rev. Joy takes on the plunge into Romans with Paul
