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2001 PASTOR'S NOTES

[RETURN TO CURRENT MONTH'S NOTES]

[MARCH  APRIL  MAY  JUNE  JULY  AUGUST  SEPTEMBER  OCTOBER  NOVEMBER  DECEMBER]

DECEMBER  2001- An Advent Musing – I saw them on the truck and I could almost smell them while sitting in my car. They were Frazier firs verdant and fresh, right from the mountainside waiting to purchased and carried home by some excited child.. Seeing the Christmas trees filled me with anticipation of the magic in a child’s eye as they helped decorate one of those Christmas trees. The first shoeboxes for “Operation Christmas Child” were placed in the narthex and when I saw them I was filled with anticipation for the children who would open those boxes and have a Christmas joy. Ever since Clement Moore described how “the stockings were hung by the chimney with care” our spirit of anticipation is always about the children. The real anticipation of Christmas though is advent. Christmas will come but let’s not jump over the season of longing and expectation. It is time when there is only the hope of a whispered promise, the flicker of light in the darkness of the world’s soul, only the dream of aching hearts. A time when people looked expectantly for the long wait to be over and for the Messiah to come. Isaiah pointed to it, “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel – God is with us.” (Isaiah 7:14) We should spend some time during this dark season of longing – longing for God to come to a world broken by terrorism, broken by fear and anxiety, broken by sin. We should long for one to come who could reveal God to us. We should all allow that time to fill us with as much breathless anticipation as Fraser Firs and Christmas presents. Maybe if we did – when we got to Bethlehem it would altogether be a life-changing experience! 

NOVEMBER 2001 - Thanksgiving evokes a lot of memories for me. I remember banquets where the whole family gathered, the smells of cooking, and a break from school after a long stretch. I remember the persimmon pudding and the pumpkin pie. I remember that it was at Thanksgiving that I first met my future mother and father-in-law. Thanksgiving conjures up so many memories for me. What memories of Thanksgiving come back to you on that day? The Psalmist asked God “to remember him on that day when God showed favor to his people.” (Psalm 106) If we want God to remember us shouldn’t we remember God too? Thanksgiving should be a time not just to give thanks over a feast but also to thank God for all his blessings all of the time. It should be a time when we give thanks that we have a feast to eat, that we can gather in safety, that we are blessed beyond measure in our lives. It is a time to give thanks for all that God has done in our lives and in the life of our church in the past year. Some of you have healings to be thankful for, or new jobs, or new marriages or babies. Of all the memories that Thanksgiving should evoke for us the most important should be our memory of how much God loves us.  "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever.” (Psalm 106)

OCTOBER  2001 - Falling leaves and blue skies, crisp morning air and the migrations of birds, fall festivals and the State Fair are all signs of October. It is one of the prettiest months of the year. The weather is perfect, the colors are spectacular and the rush of the holidays has not yet started. Yes it is an exciting time. We are getting excited here at Hope Mills UMC. Our fall festival is coming October 6 and we will be launching our new "CareGiving Ministry" in October. The Holy Spirit is at work among the people of this church and the excitement is growing. The Psalmist lifted up his voice and said, "Praise the Lord oh my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live." (Psalm 104:1-2) Paul echoes the Psalmist when he says, "Rejoice in the Lord Always, and again I say rejoice." (Philippians 4:4) 

SEPTEMBER (2001) is a good month to rejoice and praise God for all of God's goodness. Get out and enjoy the beauty of September and then come to church and praise the one who created it all! Have you ever noticed that as the late summer days move toward fall the sounds change. When I go out on my deck in the early evening the song of the Whippoorwill is replaced by the drumming cadence of the Southview band. The quiet night is punctuated with rolling thunder and crackling lighting. The sounds of school bells ring and the sounds of pads and helmets hitting are heard. Yes September has its distinct sounds. The sounds of the church are changing too. We may come to the church with the melodies of the dirges of pain and sorrow playing in our hearts. We may have the rhapsodies of longing and despair playing within us. We may be humming the lullabies of self-sufficiency and contentment. But in this church a new song is breaking forth for all of us. It is the song of joy as we encounter the presence of God in this place and experience his love for us. All of the sounds of our lives change here so that we sing a common song. It is the same song that David sang so long ago. It is the song of love for the God whose love reaches out to us. Yes the sounds may be changing in September but the best one of all is the sound of people rejoicing. “I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 89 

AUGUST 2001 - Have you ever noticed that the stores put out the winter clothes in August? It seems somehow incongruent to buy a heavy coat or sweater while it is still 98 degrees outside. But the merchants know that August is a transitional month. We move from summer vacations back to school. It is also the time we begin thinking about fall and winter. We too begin our planning for fall and winter. Charge Conference, Fall Festival, and other events are getting a larger share of time and attention. We are also planning to begin training in September and October for two new ministries that are planning to start. We know that we must prepare for what lies ahead. In this transitional month I want to ask you to pray for our church and for all the upcoming events and especially for our new ministries of Caregiving and Outreach. Enjoy these last summer days but take time to pray. The church really needs your prayers. Remember, “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” James 5:16b NRSV) 

JULY 2001: The Dog Days of summer are days when high temperatures and high humidity have a tendency to make us a little lazy. We would rather lounge in the cool of the house or pool and eat homemade ice cream than do the chores on our lists. Church is no exception. We get lazy at church too. Once Vacation Bible School is over we take a break until fall. The writer of Proverbs says, “Go to the ant, you lazybones; consider its ways and be wise. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a vagrant and want, like a beggar.” Proverbs 6:6,10-11. The wisdom of Israel teaches us that spiritual poverty overtakes us if we become lazy in our worship. So join us during the dog days of summer and protect yourself from the temptation to be lazy in your spirituality. That way when fall comes you don’t have to get cranked up again you can just keep on going. Besides, we have air conditioning and refreshments!

JUNE 2001: It doesn’t seem possible. Already a year has passed since we moved here. So many exciting and wonderful things have happened in this past year. This is such an exciting place to be in ministry. I am so grateful for this past year and all the many acts kindness that you have shown to us through our ups and downs. Paul said to the Ephesians, “I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” I give thanks for all of you and for all that you are doing in ministry. I am so excited about the days ahead for us. I look forward to all the things that God’s Spirit will cultivate in the life of this church.  I am so blessed by God to be the pastor of a great church like this. Let’s keep praying, worshipping, and working together and God will bless us beyond measure.

MAY 2001 - It is May Pole Days again. When I was a student in elementary school we always had a May Day celebration. I always looked forward to it because it meant school was nearly over. It is hard to believe that already one quarter of this New Year is gone. But we have much to celebrate. The large confirmation class, new members joining our church, more baptisms, and the growing excitement in our church. As we move toward summer time we must not loose our momentum. Paul reminds us to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” I Corinthians 15: 58. As we celebrate the warm weather, longer afternoons, and school coming to an end, lets us keep working for Jesus. There is a place for everyone to serve in this church. Come and join the excitement that comes from serving the King of Kings. 

APRIL 2001 - I love the month of April. Cold, gray winter has given way to the unfolding beauty of spring. Dogwoods, azaleas, tulips and a thousand other flowers are like tiny orchestras announcing that God has brought life out of death.  Though April confronts us with the cross of death on Good Friday it carries us on to the tomb on Easter morning.  God brings forth life from death.  The bloom of spring is nature's way of celebrating and shouting the message of resurrection.  Death no longer has its way - Jesus Is Risen!  Jesus told the disciples that they could have hope because he had overcome the world.  His victory over sin and death was complete and final.  And so we should join the flowers of spring and rejoice with a triumphant spirit.  You know - I bet if you listen, you can hear the azaleas and tulips shouting, "Alleluia! He IS Risen Indeed!"  - Dennis

MARCH 2001 - The Winds of  March are blowing. When I was a kid, I looked forward to the winds of March so I could fly my kite.  Those strong winds would lift my kite high into the sky and keep it there.  You could feel the power in those winds. The winds of March signal a change in the seasons.  Winter is fading and Spring is coming.  Flowers are blooming, foliage is coming to life, and even a few bugs are stirring.  You can tell something is happening all around us.  In the same way a fresh new wind is blowing at Hope Mills United Methodist Church.  It is the wind of the Holy Spirit.  You can see it in the excitement of Bible Study, in growing numbers at worship, and on the faces of the people here.  We need to celebrate this fresh new breeze and let it fill us with a contagious attitude of joy.  Here is a place where weary lives can be renewed; a place where tired souls can find rest; a place where longing hearts can find a sense of belonging; and where hungry minds can feed on God's word.  The winds of March are blowing again - God is doing something exciting in this place.  You can feel the power in His wind.  Let's go get our kites and see how high they will fly!  Dennis