Christ Church Fort Lauderdale Blog

Saying Thank You and Offering an Opportunity

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:38:10 GMT

Saying Thank You and Offering an Opportunity

Grace and peace to you through our risen Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus.

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the resignation of Paige Darnell, our Coordinator of Outreach and Parkway Pantry. Paige has been amazing in this role over the past year, using her gifts, and passionately offering her heart, hands, and feet in ministry. Paige will be missed as she leaves this position of leadership. Although Paige is stepping back, she hopes to continue volunteering at Parkway as time allows. Thank you, Paige, for all you have done, as together we partner with God to bring God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven!

As we look ahead, praying for the right person to join the staff of Christ Church as our Coordinator of Outreach and Parkway Pantry, I take this opportunity to thank the volunteers who weekly help to make the ministry at Parkway possible. Thank you for committing your time and energy in answering God’s call to make a difference in the lives of our brothers and sisters in need. As you walk alongside those we serve, you are a part of offering the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to all God calls beloved!

Although Paige will be missed, this opens an opportunity for you or someone you may know:

Part-Time Coordinator of Outreach and Parkway Pantry

Christ Church is seeking a dedicated individual, with a passion for outreach ministry, to coordinate the ministries of Christ Church at the Parkway campus. The Coordinator of Outreach and Parkway Pantry will oversee daily pantry operations and community outreach initiatives to foster a welcoming, hopeful, and loving environment. This role includes managing volunteers, ensuring smooth pantry processes, maintaining compliance with supporting agencies, and implementing impactful community events and meals. The position is part-time, 24 hours per week. Please email your letter of interest, and resume, to Rev. Doug Johns, djohns@christchurchfl.org , by April 30.

You will find a complete job description here.

May God’s blessings abound as we continue to follow God’s calling to offer the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to one another and our community. See you in church.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Continuing Easter's Laughter

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:42:15 GMT

Continuing Easter's Laughter

Easter is more than a day! The Easter Season begins on Easter Sunday and continues for 50 days until the day of Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit breathed on the first disciples and gave birth to the Church.

The season of Easter is one of great joy! St. Augustine wrote, “A Christian should be an Alleluia from head to foot!”

Joseph Bayly, in Psalms of My Life , wrote this wonderful Psalm of Easter (adapted as shown):

“Let's celebrate Easter with the rite of laughter.
Christ died and rose and lives.
Laugh like a woman who holds her first baby.
Our enemy death is (will soon be) destroyed.
Laugh like a man who finds he doesn't have cancer, or he does,
but now there's a cure.

Christ opened wide the door of heaven.

Laugh like children at Disneyland's gates.

This world is owned by God, and he'll return to rule.

Laugh like a man who walks away uninjured from a wreck in which his car was totaled.

Laugh as if all the people in the whole world were invited to a picnic
and then invite them.”

This Sunday we begin a new sermon series Signs of the Kingdom . Jesus told parables, stories with a hidden meaning, to help people unwrap a deeper truth and get a fresh glimpse of the kingdom of God. The first sermon, The Rich Man and Lazarus , based on Luke 16:19-31 , will take a fresh look at a parable that many have misinterpreted.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in church! May your Easter season be filled with deep, abiding joy and an abundance of hearty laughter! Christ is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Joy in our Risen Lord,

Past or Cathy

Special Jamaica Hurricane Relief Offering

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:13:32 GMT

Special Jamaica Hurricane Relief Offering: April 12

The Jamaican people continue to recover from Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the Caribbean island last October. Hurricane Melissa was a category 5 storm, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms to make landfall in the region in recorded history. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) was one of the first relief agencies to address the devastation.

On February 15 a group of people gathered between worship services to explore options for helping our brothers and sisters in Jamaica, as they rebuild their lives and communities. It was decided the best way to help at this time was to take up a special offering to support the ongoing work of UMCOR (Jamaican Advance special #10116A).

The special offering request was taken to the Church Council on March 9. The Church Council approved the special offering, to be scheduled for a Sunday determined best by the worship team.

Jamaica Hurricane Relief Offering: April 12

On April 12, we will offer the congregation the opportunity to give to the ongoing relief efforts in Jamaica. Together we make a difference; the health, safety and well-being of our brothers and sisters will be better through the funds we are able to raise.

You may give in the following ways:

Place your extra-mile offering in an envelope,write Jamaica on the offering envelope, and place it in the offering plate on
Sunday, April 12. There are also wooden boxes where you may place your offering as you leave worship. 
Give through our website, christchurchfl.org .
Use the QR code below
Mail your extra gift to the church office or drop it off during the week.

Thank you for your willingness to be a part of the healing and restoration of others. May God’s blessings abound!

Easter Blessings,

Pastor Doug

God > Fear

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:20:07 GMT

God > Fear

Growing up I attended church camp every summer from third grade through the summer of my senior year in high school, and then I worked two summers at the same camp while in college. Spending time at camp was the highlight of my year. One of the indelible memories of time spent at camp was singing the song, They Will Know we are Christians by our Love :

“We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord;
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored,
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

So, the question as we live day in and day out: How are we known? Are our lives an example for others? ... Do we love others as Christ loves us? ... Does our love for others facilitate a common journey grounded in unity? Or are we fear driven and anxiety ridden?

Howard Thurman writes:

“God is present with me in the midst of my anxieties . . . God makes immediately available to me the strength of His goodness, the reassurance of His wisdom and the heartiness of His courage. My anxieties are real; they are the result of a wide variety of experiences, some of which I understand, some of which I do not understand. One thing I know concerning my anxieties: they are real to me. Sometimes they seem more real than the presence of God. When this happens, they dominate my mood and possess my thoughts. The presence of God does not always deliver me from anxiety, but it always delivers me from anxieties. Little by little, I am beginning to understand that deliverance from anxiety means fundamental growth in spiritual character and awareness. It becomes a quality of being, emerging from deep within, giving to all the dimensions of experience a vast immunity against being anxious. This calm is the manifestation in life of the active, dynamic presence of God.” ( Meditations of the Heart , p. 50)

May the prayer of Julian of Norwich be ours: “God of goodness, give me yourself, for you are sufficient for me.” Bathed in God’s presence, we are delivered from our anxieties and fear, and we love as God loves us. Bathed in God’s presence: “We are one in the spirit; we are one in the Lord, and they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

See you in Church,

Pastor Doug

The Explosion of Choice

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 21:13:59 GMT

The Explosion of Choice

A research study recently asked 100 Japanese and American students to write on a sheet of paper the decisions that they would like to make for themselves. On the other side they were asked to write down decisions they preferred others choose for them.

When Americans wrote their entries for decisions they preferred to make themselves, the page was filled quickly. It included items such as where to live and the type of job they would pursue. The flip side was almost empty; the only decision most Americans wanted to pass along to someone else was the time of their death.

The Japanese had very different results, filling up the side with the things they preferred others would choose for them, including what they wore, what time they would awaken, and their occupation.

The researchers concluded that Americans desired to make their own choices four times more than the Japanese. David Brooks, a New York Times columnist, notes: "Americans now have more choices over more things than any other culture in human history." He adds that it is "becoming incredibly important to learn to decide well."

Our Lenten series “Greater Than” is all about choice. We have studied how God > Self, God > Community, Generosity > Greed. This Sunday we will consider God > Discouragement. We can choose to embrace God, or we can choose the alternative. Please read Hebrews 12 to discover how God offers us strength when we feel discouraged.

Sunday worship is another choice; I hope that you will choose to join us this Sunday. Invite a friend to join you!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Parkway Study Group Update

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:36:24 GMT

Parkway Study Group Update

Isaiah 43:19 proclaims. “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Indeed, God is “doing a new thing” at Parkway, our second campus. On May 12, 2025, the Church Council received a report from the Parkway Vision Taskforce as it related to the viability and sustainability of our ministry at the Parkway Campus. The recommendation was two-fold:

1. Maintain a ministry presence at the Parkway location; and 2. Form a Study Group to ensure the future of our Parkway ministry by converting the Parkway property into affordable housing, while retaining space to continue our outreach ministry at Parkway. This would include but not be limited to engaging a developer to purchase the land, build affordable housing, and provide space for the current and future ministry of Christ Church at Parkway. The Study Group is to bring a recommendation to a future Church Conference.

The Study Group was formed with the following persons: Brian McComb (chair), Laura Bailey, Paige Darnell, Barbara Driscoll, Erin Hopkins, Cynthia Metzger Phipps, Susan Spragg, and Pastor Doug Johns. The group met on July 8, 2025, to begin their work, and the team is ready to provide an update to the congregation. Join us for Information Meetings on Sunday, March 15, at 10am and 12:15pm in the fellowship halls.

In addition, the following is an update from Paige Darnell, coordinator of outreach and The Blessings Food Pantry:

Parkway campus has been able to joyfully serve up to 200 families a week, (800 a month) with our Blessings Food Pantry. We also serve 70 hot meals a week to our guests.
Monthly Congregational food drives and the Souper Bowl of Caring, a food drive led by the Christ Church School Student Council, were hugely successful, ensuring the food supply is available for the community.
The blanket/sweater drive through Christ Church was a huge success!
Parkway has a new and exciting program! Sheila, a college student, is working on her graduate practicum from the Center for Arts. She is outside during the pantry hours with art projects for our guests while they wait.
Fruitful Fields is offering a “farm to table” experience, providing freshly harvested produce to the community.
Our partnership with United Way is thriving.

Join us for the Parkway Information Meetings on Sunday, March 15 at 10am and 12:15pm in the fellowship halls for a time of sharing and answering questions.

See you in Church, through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Holding Hands

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:15:16 GMT

Holding Hands

Consider all the ways that we connect with others by holding hands:

a mother holding the hand of her baby for the first time
a father holding the hand of a child as they cross the street
walking with a special friend holding hands
holding hands as you leave the church after your wedding
holding hands in prayer around the dinner table with family
holding hands to reassurance a friend who is struggling
holding hands with an elderly parent as they receive hospice care

30 Lessons for Loving , a new book by gerontologist Dr. Karl Pillemer, concludes after 700 interviews that older adults “place intimacy as a high priority” in their marriages. One recent widow, Jennie B., who was married for 47 years, says that what she missed most is holding hands.

This week I invite you to use your hands to extend the love of God to others. The touch of Jesus brought healing to many. Teresa of Avila wrote: “Christ has no body now but yours….no hands, no feet on earth but yours.”

May our hands extend the hope, love, and joy of Christ to all.

This Sunday we continue our Lenten sermon series Greater Than with the message: Community > Self . Please read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 to prepare your heart for worship.

I look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Walking Feet

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:11:27 GMT

Walking Feet

On any given weekday, it is possible that one might hear the sounds of children running down the hallways of our church with a gentle yet firm voice trailing after them, calling, “Walking Feet.” It is with that kind of tone and purpose that we slow down for the next forty days of Lent to walk in the path of Jesus. With Ash Wednesday upon us, we remember that life is precious, and all of us are beloved children of God made from dust and love.

As a church, we have claimed the importance of raising children through the significant ministry of our school as we provide a safe and loving place for children to grow and learn of their belovedness. It is one special way in which we live out our baptismal vows as we promise to be a church that teaches the children to “walk in the way that leads to life.” It is a calling to have such a school on campus, and I am so thankful for those who came before us who claimed this intention and carved a place on this campus for the ministry we call Christ Church School.

Everyday, we welcome close to 300 children on our campus. We walk alongside their families. We provide a place for them to gather weekly for worship, offer opportunities for them to learn about prayer and scripture, and provide the tools they need to serve others in need. Indeed, it is an honor to be a part of such a ministry and provide a path for children to walk on the journey of discipleship.

I hope you will join me this Sunday at 11am in the Sanctuary as we celebrate the ministry of Christ Church School and provide an opportunity for the children to lead us in many ways as we worship together.

With Love,

Pastor Monique McBride

Pastor of School & Families

Can I Really Choose Joy?

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:06:39 GMT

Can I Really Choose Joy?

James Moore, the writer of Your Attitude is Your Paintbrush would say “Yes!” He writes that no matter what life sends our way, we can choose joy over despair and faith over doubt.

Henri Nouwen, a beloved priest and scholar wrote:

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep on choosing it every day.”

It is tempting when we are in a challenging chapter of life to fall into the trap of believing that abiding joy is some silly pipe-dream. Even when life seems to be going our way, some people experience a sense of coming dread; for no apparent reason they believe that soon everything will fall apart.

The psalms, most of them written over 3,000 years ago, still hold wisdom to help us today. The psalms reveal what it means to be human: to give thanks in good times, to cry out in times of pain, and suffering, and to sense hope as God’s hand leads us out of darkness into light.

This Sunday’s message, Wisdom from the Psalms: Joy , is based on Psalm 33:1-7, 20-22 . This psalm provides a road map for joy, no matter what kinds of detours and challenges come. Please pray for God to help you identify and then invite a friend, neighbor, or co-worker to join you this Sunday.

I look forward to sharing God’s Word with you this Sunday. Have a joy-filled week!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Loved With an Everlasting Love!

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:04:12 GMT

Loved With an Everlasting Love!

The bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is about relationships, God’s relationship with humanity, and humanity's relationship with God. Foundational to embracing, maintaining, and sustaining this relationship is Love. The unconditional, no-strings-attached, self-giving love of Jesus is not only our example, but also our calling as followers of “The Way”!

This month we celebrate “Valentine’s Day,” a day commemorating a bishop’s love for God and God’s people, a love that cost him his life. As we take this opportunity to express our love for those we love, I encourage us to also take this opportunity to remember God’s never-ending and all-encompassing love for you and me, and Jesus’ call to love those who God loves.

Proverbs teaches, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.” (Proverbs 10:12) Paul reminds us, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7) Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment, that you Iove one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Love is how we partner with God to bring God’s kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

Chuck Swindoll in Wisdom for the Way reminds us of “The ABCs of Love:”

“I Accept you as you are; I Believe you are valuable; I Care when you hurt; I Desire only what is best for you; I Erase all offenses. ... There is nothing shallow about authentic love. Nor is it a magic wand we whip out and wave over a problem with a whoosh, hoping all the pain will go away. Real love has staying power. ... It refuses to look for ways to run away. ... While the world around us gives the opposite counsel, love stands firm.” (p.19)

This is the everlasting love of God we are loved with and the way of love we are called to live. I look forward to seeing you in church as we embrace God’s everlasting love. Invite a friend, relative, acquaintance, or neighbor to join you.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

When You Face Something New

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:09:10 GMT

When You Face Something New

In Canoeing the Mountains , by Tod Bolsinger, we read about adaptive leadership. Explorers Lewis and Clark were seeking a waterway from the east to the Pacific Ocean, journeying by canoe. What they discovered instead were the Rocky Mountains. They needed to leave their canoes behind to find new navigational tools for the days ahead.

Unexpected surprises happen in life; we need to adapt. There can be many reasons why our plans did not materialize. We find ourselves asking the question: “What do I do now?”

The good news is our God specializes in leading us to a bright and new future. God know our hearts and longs to point us in the direction that will bring deep, lasting joy and abiding peace.

Rev. Vidalis Lopez, South East District Superintendent of the Florida Annual Conference, will preach this Sunday at Christ Church United Methodist. Rev. Lopez grew up in a missionary family that cared deeply about offering Christ to the community. Rev. Lopez is a dynamic preacher and visionary who formerly served as the senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Coral Springs.

Her message, What awaits you? Embracing God’s Promise through Renewal , is based on I Corinthians 3:6-13 .

Holy Communion will be celebrated this Sunday. Please welcome her this Sunday at the 9am or 11am service in a spirit of love, joy, and thanksgiving!

Your Servants in Christ,

Pastors Cathy and Doug

What Quenches Your Thirst?

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 16:13:08 GMT

What Quenches Your Thirst?

Have you noticed that going to the store to purchase water is not a simple task? There are a lot of options: vitamin water, fruit-flavored water, “Smart Water,” sparkling water…the list goes on and on.

Water is life-giving. Without it, we die.

David, the shepherd boy who became the king of Israel, was being chased by King Saul. As he took refuge in the Judean wilderness he wrote this beautiful psalm:

“You God, are my God, earnestly I seek you: I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”

God waters our souls and refreshes our spirits. Rev. Brian Carr, director of Church Relations, serves Christ at Residing Hope, formerly known as the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home. He will offer the message “Have You Ever Been Thirsty?” based on Psalm 63:1-5 .

Come and be refreshed this Sunday morning at 9am or 11am! The writer of Psalm 107 writes: “He also can turn a barren wilderness into an oasis with water! He can make springs flow into desert lands.”

Peace,

Pastors Cathy and Doug

Aladdin's question

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 20:40:55 GMT

Aladdin's question

In the Disney film Aladdin, there is a scene where he is trying to escape his pursuers. Aladdin is running through the streets of the market with Jasmine, the princess.

As they stand on top of a wall, he extends his hand to her and asks: “Do you trust me?” She apparently does, and a few seconds later they escape their pursuers. Sometimes life is tough, and we can feel broken. We wonder how we can move forward.

Charles Spurgeon wrote: "We cannot always trace God's hand, but we can always trust God's heart."

George Matteson wrote a beautiful hymn in 1882. The title of the hymn is O Love, That Will not let me go . His words reveal that he understood the challenges of trusting God in difficult seasons:

“O Joy that sleekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain,

and feel the promise is not vain, that morn shall tearless be.”

Rev. Eddie Barber, who is part of the Christ Church United Methodist family, will offer the message Nothing Broken Beyond Repair , based on Isaiah 61:1 , Matthew 11:28-29 , and Luke 4:18 .

Come and join in worship and praise this Sunday at 9am or 11am.

God’s love for you will never let you go!

Your Servants in Christ,

Pastors Cathy and Doug

All Things New!

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:01:24 GMT

All Things New!

Happy New Year! With a new year comes new beginnings. John Wesley, founder of Methodism, created a “Covenant Service” in 1755 to guide the faithful in the re-committing of themselves to God and God’s leading. Today, the “Covenant Service” is most commonly held on New Year’s Eve or Day. At the heart of the service is Wesley’s Covenant prayer:

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,

Exalted for thee or brought low by thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.

And the covenant, which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

As we begin a new year I encourage you to commit 2026 to God, commit to deepening your relationship with God and others. We serve a God who makes all things new. Let us commit ourselves to partner with God in God’s acts of new creation. I look forward to seeing you in church as we lean into God’s new creation in a new year!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Christmas Joy and Puppies

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 16:59:45 GMT

Christmas Joy and Puppies

On April 1, 2019, I was introduced to three puppies (from a litter of 12) that were seized from their owners in court because of neglect. A rescue organization had pre-approved me, and I was invited to come and meet these three puppies. As I sat on the floor getting to know them, one of the puppies kept coming over to sit on my lap. I anticipated adopting a female, but there was something about this male puppy; he seemed very loving and affectionate.

The woman who was assisting the rescue organization asked me to pose for an “adoption day” photo. Several minutes later I was driving away with a puppy on my lap. He looked up at me with his caring brown eyes and seemed so incredibly happy.

I chose to name my new puppy “Caspian,” after Prince Caspian of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. Prince Caspian was once a refugee who summoned the kings and queens back to Narnia to restore the land and save the people.

As I played with Caspian I noticed something change in me: I was laughing more. His love and energy started to bless me in a way that is hard to explain. A few days later I saw a bumper sticker on a car with a paw print. It read: “Who rescued who?”

Caspian, my wonderful yellow lab mix, may not realize it, but God has been working through him to rescue me. When I am tempted to take things too seriously, Caspian wags his whole body, not just his tail, and makes me smile! When life feels “heavy,” managing some of the challenges that come my way, Caspian’s presence delivers unbridled joy and I find myself laughing out loud. This bouncing, happy dog is indeed a conduit for the joy of the Lord! Nehemiah was right: “The joy of the Lord is my strength!”

We sometimes forget that animals were some of Jesus’ first visitors when he was born! Donkeys, cows, and likely dogs were there in the manger with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus.

Our God, who created this wonderful world and all creatures within it, wants us to be filled with love, joy, and peace. This Christmas, may you discover anew that the joy of the Lord is your strength!

This Sunday, join us for a unique celebration of the joy of Christmas: Gloria! Christmas Angels at 9am and 11am. I look forward to seeing you in church.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy

Advent/Christmas season message

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:05:06 GMT

Advent/Christmas Season Message

Dear Christ Church Family:

We pray this Advent/Christmas season is uplifting. Advent is a time of preparation, a time to make our hearts and homes ready to receive and celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ, the One who has come, is present, and will come again.

As we approach the end of another year we write to encourage you and seek your support with regards to your financial investment in the mission and ministry of Christ Church. Because of your generosity, Christ Church has been able to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families in our Faith Community, Fort Lauderdale, and the World! Through your extravagant generosity, people we know by name, and those who remain nameless, have come to know the love, hope and joy of Jesus, whose birth we embrace and celebrate. Thank you!

As we come to the end of another year, may Christ Church end the year strong financially. If you have fulfilled your 2025 financial commitment, and can give a little more, we pray God will direct you in taking this step of extravagant generosity. If you have yet to fulfill your 2025 commitment, we encourage you to do what you can prior to year's end. Thank you for your commitment to Christ Church and our Lord.

In addition, we leave you with a reminder that the IRS is very clear that donations must be postmarked by December 31 in order to be eligible for your 2025 tax deductions. You can make your end of year donation in multiple ways:
place it in the offering plate in worship; mail your donation by Wednesday, December 31; bring your donation to the church/school office (Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm); give through the Christ Church website: christchurchfl.org/give .

It is a privilege to serve in ministry with you. May God continue to bless you this Advent/Christmas season, and may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts and in our world!

Christmas Blessings,

Pastors Cathy and Doug

Advent: The Joy of His Coming

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:13:25 GMT

Advent: The Joy of His Coming

The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word "ad-venire;” it means “to come.” The season of Advent is the four Sundays prior to Christmas. It celebrates the comings of Christ: His first coming (birth) and His second coming (return).

Madeleine L’Engle, in Cry Like a Bell , wrote a beautiful poem:

First Coming

He did not wait till the world was ready,

till men and nations were at peace.

He came when the Heavens were unsteady,

and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.

He came when the need was deep and great.

He dined with sinners in all their grime,

turned water into wine.

He did not wait till hearts were pure.

In joy he came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.

To a world like ours, of anguished shame

he came, and his Light would not go out.

He came to a world which did not mesh,

to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.

In the mystery of the Word made Flesh

the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane

to raise our songs with joyful voice,

for to share our grief, to touch our pain,

He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

In the carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” we sing these words: “O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today.”

My prayer is that Christ is born in your heart anew this advent season. I look forward to seeing you in church and sharing this holy season with you.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

A Litany of Thanksgiving

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:17:41 GMT

A Litany of Thanksgiving

As we prepare our hearts, minds, and table for Thanksgiving, Psalm 100 is the perfect Psalm:

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Psalm 100 reminds us that Thanks-Giving enlarges our hearts! In this season of Thanksgiving I share with you Howard Thurman’s Litany of Thanksgiving :

“Today, I make my Sacrament of Thanksgiving. I begin with the simple things of my days: Fresh Air to breathe, Cool water to drink; the comforts of home. For these, I make an act of Thanksgiving this day!

I bring to mind all the warmth of humankind that I have known: My mother’s arms, the strength of my father, the playmates of my childhood. For all these I make an act of Thanksgiving this day.

I pass before me the mainsprings of my heritage: The fruits of the labors of countless generations who lived before me, without whom my own life would have no meaning; The seers who saw visions and dreamed dreams; The workers whose sweat has watered the trees, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations; For all these I make an act of Thanksgiving this day.

I linger over the meaning of my own life and the commitment to which I give the loyalty of my heart and mind: The little purposes in which I have shared with my loves, my desires, my gifts; The big hope that never quite deserts me, that I and my kind will study war no more.

All these and more than mind can think and heart can feel, I make as my sacrament of Thanksgiving to Thee, Our Father, in humbleness of mind and simplicity of heart.” ( Meditations of the Heart , p. 147-149)

Thanksgiving day is a time to pause and reflect, a day that launches us into the days ahead with Gratitude. Embracing a lifestyle of gratitude, we live a life of love as we’ve been loved. Have a blessed Thanksgiving, see you in Church!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Giving Thanks . . .

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:15:49 GMT

Giving Thanks . . .

Members and Friends of Christ Church:

Thanksgiving begins a season of celebration with family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. From Thanksgiving, through Advent and Christmas, to the New Year, we will spend time counting our blessings, expressing gratitude, and sharing God’s love.

Hence, we take this moment to express our thankfulness for you: for your faith, for your service and for your willingness to share your resources for the growth of God's kingdom. Your example gives us a great deal of excitement about Christ Church's future.

As November comes to an end, we write and ask those who made a 2025 pledge to take a look at where you are, and if needed "catch up" so you can fulfill your pledge by the end of the year. If you've already done this, thank you! If you need to look at where you are relative to your pledge amount, contact Cynthia Whitney, finance director, at cwhitney@christchurchfl.org .

We appreciate you, and your commitment to Christ Church and our Lord. As we look to the year’s end, if you can “go the extra mile” and contribute beyond your 2025 financial commitment this will help ensure we end the year in the black.

As we gather around the Thanksgiving table next week, let us give God thanks for the many ways in which we have been blessed. Give God thanks for the many ways in which God has led you through times of danger, discouragement, and disappointment this past year. Thank you, Lord; and thank each of you for being such a vital part of our community. God's grace and peace to you,

Cathy Johns
Senior Pastor

Doug Johns

Senior Pastor

Laura Bailey
Finance Chair

Making Sense of Suffering

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:11:10 GMT

Making Sense of Suffering

We all have seasons of life that are difficult. In 1636, Martin Rinkart, a German pastor in the midst of the Thirty Years War, buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year. The average was fifteen burials daily. Death, War, and economic hardship flooded their lives.

In the midst of the bleakest times amid cries of fear and sorrow outside his window, he sat down and wrote this simple table grace for his children. It remains a popular hymn, often sung around Thanksgiving:

“Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices. Who wondrous things hath done in whom His world rejoices. Who from our mother’s arms hath led us on our way, with countless gifts of love and still is ours today.”

How was he able to give thanks in the midst of all the terror? The strength that God provided to him to simply get out of bed and offer hope in the midst of despair is incalculable. When difficult times come, most of us ask the question why. Suffering opens us to question God and to seek answers. Sometimes well-meaning people tell us things that are not actually in the Bible, hoping it will somehow comfort us when life is filled with suffering and pain.

This Sunday we begin a short sermon series: Things Jesus Never Said . The first message, Everything Happens for a Reason , is based on John 9:1-9 . Jesus and his disciples encounter a man who was born blind. They wanted to know the cause of his suffering. Jesus’ response is both surprising and refreshing.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday; invite a friend to join you.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy

God is at Work

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:37:06 GMT

God is at Work

Paul writes in Philippians: “ If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete ... Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." (2:1-5) In this age of extreme anxiety these are life giving words.

But it’s hard to hang on to these words some days. When our lives get stuck in worry and anxiety, our default is to live our life inward focused and self-absorbed; and when we spend too many days in this state, we begin to confuse compassion with pity. Howard Thurman says it well in his book: Meditations of the Heart :

“God is making room in my heart for compassion. There is already a vast abundance of room for pity. It is often easy to be overcome with self-pity, that sticky substance that ruins everything it touches. My list of excuses is a long list and even as I say it, I know that under closest scrutiny they disappear, one by one. There is pity in me – pity for other. But there is something in it that cannot be trusted; it is mixed with pride, arrogance, cunning. I see this only when I expose myself to the eyes of God in the quiet time. It is now that I see what my pity really is and the sources from which it springs.

"God is making room in my heart for compassion: the awareness that where my life begins is where your life begins; the awareness that the sensitiveness to your needs cannot be separated from the sensitiveness to my needs; the awareness that the joys of my heart are never mine alone – nor are my sorrows. I struggle against the work of God in my hear; I want to be let alone. I want my boundaries to remain fixed, that I may be at rest. But even now, as I turn to him in the quietness, his work in me is ever the same. God is at work enlarging the boundaries of my heart." (p.49)

God is always at work enlarging the boundaries of our hearts. It is through this experience of God’s active presence in our lives that we find the fulfillment of God’s call on our lives: to let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus. ... It’s from this state of mind that compassion moves us from self-focus and pity to Other-focused and Compassion. I look forward to seeing you in church!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Lost and Found

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:34:28 GMT

Lost and Found

Growing up my family took amazing vacations. We travelled to all 48 states by the time I was in high school. Because my parents believed in education, we were always stopping in at museums and places like Kitty Hawk, NC, where the Wright brothers flew for the first time. We always had a budget. Sometimes we had our meals at parks along the road with a Coleman stove and picnic table. We stayed in modest motels, and it was a real treat to stay in a motel with a swimming pool.

When I was five years old, we headed to Niagara Falls to enjoy the unique beauty and majesty of the pounding water. No one knows how it happened, but at one point I found myself standing at the Welcome Center tent with a nice lady who had brought me there. Then the announcement: “Will the parents of Cathy Warner please come to the Welcome Center tent?”

Fortunately for me, my parents showed up! I do not remember feeling frightened or concerned. I knew somehow that we had just gotten separated and that they would come and claim me. There was no anxiety; I knew they would show up and they did.

Our series Unstuck continues with the message, Claiming our Belovedness . It is based on Romans 8:31-35, 37-39 . Paul’s letter to the Romans addresses separation anxiety and assures us that we are part of God’s family – today, tomorrow, and forever. God will always love us as beloved children; God will always claim us.

This Sunday we celebrate All Saints Day when we remember the faithful departed who now dwell with God. We will celebrate the promise of Jesus in the last words of Matthew’s gospel: “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

I look forward to celebrating our faithful God with you this Sunday.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Jesus had Zack's Back

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:53:35 GMT

Jesus had Zack's Back

Tax collectors were not beloved individuals in the Roman empire; if fact, they were despised. On behalf of the Roman emperor they would visit the homes of citizens to collect all the taxes that were due. People hated tax collectors; it was also a very dangerous job.

Jesus has an incredible conversation with a tax collector named Zacchaeus who lived in Jericho. His name meant “pure,” but coupled with how onlookers labeled him as “sinner” it produced a less than desirable image: “pure sinner.”

Something changed, however, when Jesus saw Zacchaeus. The man of small stature had climbed into a large tree, perhaps a sycamore, to get a better view of Jesus. Jesus invited Zack to come down from the tree. Zack took the initiative, made the choice to be “unstuck,” and let go of the branches he clutched so tightly, and gladly came down!

The surprises kept coming….. Jesus goes home with Zack and announces to everyone that “salvation has come to this house,” and claimed Zacchaeus as a son of Abraham.

This Sunday we begin a new sermon series called Unstuck . Many of us hold onto things that we have learned or believed in the past, sometimes even about how we view ourselves (good, bad, successful, disappointing). We find comfort in what is familiar, even if it false. Each week we will explore a way that God wants to free us, helping us to become “unstuck” from things that weigh us down.

You are invited to join us this Sunday for the sermon: “Unstuck: Take the Initiative,” based on Luke 19:1-10 .

I am thankful that Jesus had Zack’s back. He has mine and yours too.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Health Benefits of Giving

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:18:46 GMT

Health Benefits of Giving

As people who follow Jesus we know that part of discipleship is giving. When we join the United Methodist Church, we promise to support the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.

Stanford University reports: “When we act kindly, the systems in our brain associated with reward light up, the same ones active when we eat chocolate. They make us want to do that same awesome thing again.” -Jamil Zaki, associate professor of psychology at Stanford University.

So that answers the question about why giving feels good. But what about long-term health benefits of giving?

Rush University in Chicago’s study revealed the following health benefits of giving:

1. Greater self-esteem and satisfaction with life
2. Lower risk of depression
3. Better physical health Middle-aged and older adults who volunteered have less belly fat, better cholesterol, lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke compared with non-volunteers.
4. Longer life

I would add one more: ABUNDANT JOY! The happiest people that I have encountered in a lifetime of parish ministry are also the most generous.

This Sunday’s scripture lesson, Mark 10:17-27 , highlights a man who is seeking joy. We are committed to sharing the love, hope, and joy of Jesus with our neighbors near and far, making ripples that change lives with God’s love. I will be praying for you as you respond to God’s invitation to you to enjoy the benefits of joyful giving.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy

The Ripple Effect . . .

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 23:49:21 GMT

The Ripple Effect . . .

Greetings in the name of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ! Together, through the mission and ministry of Christ Church, we are a Ripple Effect of God’s love in the world as we reflect the love, hope and joy of Jesus to one another and the community!

The great hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness proclaims: “Great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see, all I have needed thy hand hath provided, great is they faithfulness, Lord, unto me!” Amen! Thus, in response to God’s faithfulness, with joy and thanksgiving, we have the opportunity to faithfully commit our financial resources to God on October 19.

October 19 is Commitment Sunday. With grateful hearts we have the opportunity to invest in the ministry and mission of Christ Church in 2026. As we invest, the words of Solomon in Proverbs 11:25 ring true: “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

As we creatively seek to “refresh others,” each commitment made for 2026 is invaluable. Your generosity is a tangible way to embrace God’s call to partner with God in God’s acts of new creation. Thank you in advance for your commitment to invest in the mission and ministry of Christ Church in 2026!

The week of October 12 you will receive in the mail a brochure celebrating the mission and ministry of Christ Church. Included in the mailing will be a commitment card. Please complete the Commitment Card, and return it to the church one of the following ways:

Mail the card to the church; an envelope is included in the mailing.
If you will be worshiping with us in-person on October 19, bring it with you to worship and place it in the offering plate; or
Bring your commitment card to the church office.
Alternatively, you can make your commitment online at www.christchurchfl.org/pledge .

If you need a Commitment Card, please call the church office, 954.771.7300, and ask that one be mailed to you.

With glad and generous hearts, Cathy and I invite you to join us in making a Commitment for 2026.

Thank you for your faithfulness. You will be in our prayers as you determine how you will invest in the mission and ministry of Christ Church in 2026; it is a privilege to serve in ministry with you. May our God of resurrection, bless you abundantly with resurrection living!

Though Christ,

Pastor Doug

The Ripple Effect . . .

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:12:23 GMT

The Ripple Effect . . .

In our Gospel lesson for this Sunday ( Mark 10:32-45 ) we find two of the disciples jockeying for power and glory, and the other ten are “angry.” Jesus, as only Jesus can, sees this as a teachable moment: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”

Following the Christ, we too are called to cease our constant and futile power grab, driven by our ego. As we humbly seek to serve rather than be served, we experience an anointing of divine power that propels us into the world, like a pebble into a pond, participating in the transformative ripple effect of God’s new creation.

At Christ Church we value the unique giftedness of all God’s beloved, and the part God calls each of us to play in God’s acts of new creation. Therefore, it is a priority for our faith community to be provided opportunity to use our gifts in service, so that others may experience the transforming power of God’s light and love! This Sunday, you have the opportunity to make your service commitment to God and receive the power of God through communion at the Lord’s supper. (Throughout the month of October, you can complete your service commitment on the website.)

You are encouraged to complete the service commitment form by clicking the following link: christchurchfl.org/called-to-serve . Explore the many ways available to use your gifts in service through Christ Church. Identify how you would like to serve, then complete the service commitment form. Using your gifts in service you become part of the ripple effect of God’s love!

Mother Teresa said it well: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” I look forward to 2026 as we come together and cast our stones across the waters, creating ripples of God’s light and love! May God’s blessings abound!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Antony’s Story and Your Story

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:31:08 GMT

Antony’s Story and Your Story

The monks stood and watched in amazement. The monastery was expecting a group of youth who would be visiting the monastery soon. They would be eating pizza and sodas.

Antony, one of their brothers, was busy setting the tables. Watching him set the tables is like watching an artist at work.

Antony sets the places for the guests with the same meticulous care as when he prepares the altar table for the sacrament of Holy Communion.

In Benedict’s Way of Love , by Father Daniel Homan, OSB and Lonni Collins Pratt we discover the reason for Antony’s care:

“Antony understands that in preparing a table, he is not just setting a place to eat. He is making room for one of God’s children. He is creating a space for a human being, and human beings are sacred. The monks take care in the little things – like Brother Antony setting the table as if he were creating a work of art.”

You might not be an artist like Antony, but God has a unique role for you as a member of the Body of Christ. You have a set of gifts and experiences that no one else in the past possessed, no one living today is made like you, and no one in the future will be designed like you are.

This Sunday we will explore Matthew 25:11-30 , The Parable of the Talents. The sermon title is The Ripple Effect: Openness .

When we open ourselves to be used by God, amazing things happen! God specializes in doing extraordinary things through ordinary people.

Here is a link to express they ways you would like to serve Christ in the coming year; thank you for sharing your talents and abilities to bless others in Christ’s name: How I am called to serve

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy

The Main Thing

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 00:02:58 GMT

The Main Thing

You have heard it said (may have said it yourself): “The Main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” For the Christ follower, the foundation of life is love: love of God, love of self, and love for those God loves. John, in his first letter, writes: “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them . . . because as God is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:16b-17) This love becomes tangible in the world when we love as we have been loved by God through Christ Jesus. The “main thing” is God’s love for you and me, and how we mirror that love to others.

Father Richard Rohr writes, “It takes great inner freedom to be a follower of Jesus. His life is an option, a choice, a call, a vocation, and we are totally free to say yes or no or maybe. You do not have to do this to make God love you. That is already taken care of. You do it to love God back and to love what God loves and how God loves!” ( Eager to Love , p. 23)

When I love God and love those God loves, it’s a self-surrender to the One in whose image and likeness I’m created. I find an anointing to love and accept the unique “me,” which in turn empowers me to love and accept the unique you. It is in this loving we find ourselves living in the eternal flow of abundant life that Jesus came to offer.

It is in knowing (experientially, as well as intellectually) our “belovedness” that we are moved to love those God calls Beloved. John puts it this way: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” In God’s love, we find a “Oneing” with our creator, and we become participants in the eternal flow of God’s love.

See you in church!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

How much time do we spend choosing what to wear?

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:56:30 GMT

How much time do we spend choosing what to wear?

Glamour magazine contributor Tracy Lomrantz Lester wrote:

“ According to The Telegraph , a recent study found that the average woman, in the course of her lifetime, spends almost one year standing in front of her closet deciding what to wear. The study -- which polled 2,491 women and was based on an adult lifetime from age 16 to 60 -- found that women spend an average of 16 minutes deciding what to wear on weekday mornings and 14 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays, for a whopping 287 days spread out over their lives.”

This Sunday we will explore The Anatomy of Love: And the Truth Shall set you Free . The scripture, 2 John 1:4-8 , is one of three letters attributed to John. We will explore the vital life-giving connection between love and truth.

Loving one another is so critical to a follower of Jesus that it is not something we can put on a shelf in a closet or in a donation box. Love defines us as followers of Jesus, who taught us this simple rule for life: Love God. Love people.

United Methodist Bishop Sue Halpert-Johnson once shared: “Regardless of what else you put on, put on love. It is your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in church! Invite a friend to join you.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Anatomy of Love

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 23:46:03 GMT

Anatomy of Love

Jesus says in John 14:15-17, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

“If You love me you will keep my commandments.” And what are the commandments of Jesus? The Great Commandment and the New Commandment. When we love God with our “all” it is a self-surrender to the One in whose image and likeness I’m created; I find an anointing to love and accept the unique “me,” which in turn empowers me to love and accept the unique you. This is life lived in the eternal flow, the abundant life Jesus proclaims he came to give.

Father Richard Rohr writes, “Your life is not about you; you are about Life. You are an instance of a universal, and even eternal, pattern. ... This realization is an earthquake in the brain, a hurricane in the heart, and a monumental shift in consciousness. Yet most of us do not seem interested in it. It is too big to imagine and can only be revealed slowly: You have never been separate from God except in your mind. ... Life in the spirit will feel like being caught much more than being taught about any particular doctrine. Henceforth, your very motivation and momentum for the journey toward holiness and wholeness is simply immense gratitude – for already being there!”

“Your life is not about you; You are about Life.” ... It is in this experiential knowledge of the forever presence of the Holy Spirit that we find a “Oneing” with our creator – unequivocally entering the eternal flow of God’s love. Jesus says: On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you (14:20).

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

The Funny Thing about Love

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 14:20:12 GMT

The Funny Thing about Love

Kim Caselli, a New Zealand native, was a cartoonist who wrote love notes to her future husband in the late sixties. Her cartoons shed light on what love is all about. Here are a few of my favorites:

Love is……having your picnic indoors on a rainy day

Love is.... accepting that no one is perfect

Love is….. someone to get goofy with

Love is….. putting some money in his pocket when he's tapped out

Love is…. what overcomes everything

This Sunday we begin a new series, The Anatomy of Love . Each week we will do a deep dive into love, seeking to understand love, why love is sometimes challenging, and to learn how to express love more fully and completely.

Sunday’s sermon, The Anatomy of Love: Do Love , is based on Luke 10:30-37 . Invite a friend to join you as we explore God's Word together.

I’m looking forward to seeing you this Sunday!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy

Recipe for Life: Wisdom in Church Cookbooks

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 18:27:20 GMT

Recipe for Life: Wisdom in Church Cookbooks

I own many church cookbooks, dating all the way back to the late 1950’s. One includes this wisdom:

Recipe for Life

Mix together:

1 cup good thoughts

1 cup kind deeds

1 cup consideration for others

Add:

3 cups forgiveness

2 cups well-beaten faults

Mix thoroughly with:

Tears of joy and sorrow, and sympathy for others

Flavor mixture well with little gifts of love and kindly service.

Use 4 cups of prayer and faith to lighten the other ingredients, and to raise the texture to great heights in daily living.

Bake well in the heat of human kindness.

Serve with a smile.

This Sunday’s message, Remember and Repeat , is a helpful recipe for joyful living. Phil Woodard, Christ Church School instructor of music, will offer the message. Please read Exodus 3:13-15 to prepare your heart for worship.

Invite a friend, neighbor, or family member to join you in worship. You will both be blessed.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Imagine Unity with John Lennon and Desmond Tutu

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:49:37 GMT

Imagine Unity with John Lennon and Desmond Tutu

It is no secret that we live in a divided world. The danger is believing that this is a new thing.

During the time of Jesus, there were many divisions among people: Jew, Greek, slave, free, male, female, Roman citizen and non-Romans.

Here are thoughts from John and Desmond about unity:

Musician John Lennon’s best-selling single “Imagine,” was released in September of 1971. Lennon wrote: “Imagine there's no countries. It isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for. And no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace.”

Desmond Tutu, South African Bishop and theologian: "My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in what is yours." For Christians, who believe they are created in the image of God, it is the Godhead, diversity in unity and the three-in-oneness of God, which we and all creation reflect.

This Sunday, please join us as Bishop Jane Middleton preaches a message based on Luke 12:49-56 and Hebrews 12:1-2. Her sermon, A Good Word for Hard Times will encourage us to claim our identity as children of God, faithfully following those who have gone before us during difficult chapters of our lives.

Invite a friend; you will both be blessed.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Trust in the Lord ...

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 19:16:22 GMT

Trust in the Lord ...

The Apostle Paul teaches us much about trusting God. When it comes to Paul, opinions of the man, and the theologian, span the spectrum. Author of 13 of the 27 New Testament books, we have a love/hate relationship with Paul. Nonetheless, Paul epitomizes what it means to have a relationship with God through Christ!

For Paul it was all about the proper attitude. Paul, despite his faults and failures, was a man who possessed an attitude grounded in God’s faithfulness, and an abiding trust in God to be faithful. The proper attitude is the difference between success and failure.

John Maxwell, in his book Leadership Promises for Every Day, writes:

"Author Denis Waitley says, ‘The winner’s edge is not in a gifted birth, in a high IQ, or in talent. The winner’s edge is in the attitude, not aptitude.’ . . . Plenty of talented teams never amount to anything because of the attitudes of their players.

Abilities + Attitudes = Result

Great Talent + Rotten Attitudes = Bad Team

Great Talent + Bad Attitudes = Average Team

Great Talent + Average Attitudes = Good Team

Great Talent + Good Attitudes = Great Team

If you want great results, you need good people with great talent and awesome attitudes.” (p.29)

Everyone needs that person in their life who refuses to allow the world/culture to rob them of a positive attitude; one who unashamedly trusts in God’s faithfulness and stands on God’s promises, and helps us do the same.

May we be that type of person to one another. See you in church!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

An Adventure Quiz

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 15:35:09 GMT

An Adventure Quiz

Who said, “Who do we ask for help when we don’t know which way to go?”

Who said, “I need your help. Will you check the map to find out?”

Who travels with her best friend, a monkey named Boots?

Who turned 25 this year?

If you said, “Dora the Explorer” and her friends, you are correct! Dora the Explorer, a bilingual Nickelodeon character, turns 25 this summer. Her adventures (in English and Spanish) from the jungles to the city have delighted children and adults for two and a half decades. One of her favorite tools on her adventures is simply: “The Map.”

Maps help us navigate our way. While plans are helpful, sometimes the Holy Spirit calls us to move off the map! It has been said, “If you want to hear God laugh, tell God your plans.”

This Sunday we begin a new sermon series called “Traveling Off the Map.” When Jesus called the first disciples, it was a new adventure for them. By the Sea of Galilee Jesus invited fishermen to follow him. After hearing Jesus’ invitation, they dropped their nets and immediately followed Jesus.

How would our lives be different if we tuned in to listen for God’s voice? Would our lives have more adventure, meaning, and purpose? Please read Colossians 1:9-14 to prepare your heart for worship.

I am looking forward to seeing you in church on Sunday! Please invite a friend to join you.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Amazed by, and Becoming, Grace

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 16:14:53 GMT

Amazed by, and Becoming, Grace

Grace is transformative and transforming. Grace is at the core of our spiritual center. Grace is created through love, the empowering force that moves us to love. In his book Immortal Diamond: The Search for our True Selves , Father Richard Rohr writes:

“Basically, grace is God’s first name, and probably last too. Grace is what God does to keep all things he has made in love and alive – forever. Grace is God’s official job description. Grace is not something God gives; grace is who God is ... an unexplainable goodness is at work in the universe.”

Made in the image and likeness of God, we mirror God's grace to the world. As new creations through Christ, as followers of “The Way,” all that we are and strive to become is grounded in grace. Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not the result of works, so no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Embracing this reality I share with you nine great benefits of grace that a good friend once shared with me:

We’re saved by grace. The way into a transforming relationship with our God is through the doorway of grace. You can’t earn it. You can’t work for it. You can’t buy it. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We’re forgiven by grace. Though we don’t deserve it, God wipes our slate clean by God’s grace. (Isaiah 43:25)

We’re sustained by grace. God will never ask you to do anything God doesn’t give you the ability and the power to do. That power and ability is called grace. (Philippians 2:13)

We’re healed by grace. God heals our broken hearts and binds up our wounds even though we don’t deserve it. (Psalm 147:3)

We’re liberated by grace. Our relationship with Jesus isn’t a bunch of chores to do. Instead it’s about resting in what the Lord has already done. If your Christian life is not a life of resting in Christ, you’re moving into legalism. (Matthew 11:28-30)

We’re given talents by grace. God has given each of us the ability to do something well, and we’re to use those abilities for God. (Romans 12:6)

We’re used by grace. God uses us to fulfill God’s purposes in this world, not because of anything we’ve done but simply through God’s grace. (Ephesians 3:7)

We’re transformed by grace. Through God’s grace, God makes us new through the renewing of our mind. (Romans 12:2)

We’re matured by grace. God’s work of making us more like Jesus happens not because we’ve earned it or by our own effort but by the grace of God. (2 Peter 3:18)

As the great hymn proclaims: “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound ... ‘tis grace that hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”

I look forward to seeing you in church.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug Johns

The Holy Spirit: A New Lens

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 15:34:56 GMT

The Holy Spirit: A New Lens

When we get our eyesight checked the optometrist adjusts the lenses and then asks, “This is A; This is B…which is better?”

As we continue our series Working on our Core , we will explore The Holy Spirit, probably the least understood member of The Trinity. We have tried our best to create some symbols to see and understand God who is “Three-in-One.” Richard Rohr, in The Divine Dance , lifts up our attempts to comprehend our Triune God. St. Patrick offered the shamrock, a single clover with three lobes. Rohr writes about the inadequacy of the shamrock, namely that it is static and not moving. We have used water’s three forms (steam, ice, fluid) but one substance. Rohr lifts up the image of three dancers who move and flow into one another and reminds us that we will never fully understand The Trinity because it is a mystery!

Here are new lenses for The Holy Spirit:

Whatever is going on in God is a flow, a radical relationship, a perfect communion between Three – a circle dance of love.

– Richard Rohr, 21 ^st Century

Effortlessly,

Love flows from God into man,

Like a bird

Who rivers the air

Without moving her wings.

Thus we move in (God's) world

One in body and soul,

Though outwardly separate in form.

As the Source strikes the note,

Humanity sings --

The Holy Spirit is our harpist,

And all strings

Which are touched in Love

Must sound.

-Mechthild of Magdeburg, German mystic, 13 ^th Century

Please read John 14:15-27 to prepare your heart for worship. I look forward to seeing you in church!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

“Life Changing Attitude: Forgiveness”

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 20:25:20 GMT

“Life Changing Attitude: Forgiveness”

Attitude is everything! Our attitude is one of the few things we have total control of, but sad to say we fail to control. Too often we walk around carrying unhealthy thoughts and feelings that shape our attitude. No matter our circumstances we have a choice: positivity/negativity, good/bad, optimism/pessimism. The attitude we choose to embrace will bind us or free us; attitude is everything!

A life-changing attitude Jesus invites us to make part of our lifestyle is forgiveness. We are created in the likeness and image of God. Created in the likeness and image of God has nothing to do with our physical characteristics and everything to do with our character. Created in the image and likeness of God we possess the characteristics of God. We possess the capacity to love as we are loved, to show grace and mercy as we have been shown grace and mercy, to forgive as we have been forgiven. As Paul puts it, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

Author, and Pastor of the largest United Methodist Church in the United States, Adam Hamilton, writes in his book, Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go , “When we choose to show mercy, the image of God is seen in us. Our willingness to forgive has the power not only to change us, freeing us from bitterness and resentment but to change those who receive mercy from us, just as we are changed when finally we see and comprehend the vast and wonderful mercy of God.” (Page 138)

In many ways forgiveness is counterintuitive. For multiple reasons that seem logical and reasonable we convince ourselves that forgiveness either makes us weak and/or more vulnerable; when in reality it makes us stronger and releases us to live life abundantly. I look forward to seeing you in church.

In Christ,

Pastor Doug

Working on our Core

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:24:35 GMT

The Mayo Clinic has the following statement on its website:

“Core exercises improve your balance and stability.”

People in the health care industry and physical trainers are all in agreement: Working our core is critical to our physical health. Millions of dollars have been made selling programs such as “Abs of Steel.” Strengthening exercises for our core are abundant and easily accessible.

What would happen if we apply the statement above to our minds and spirits, examining our faith and values?

What would happen if we were willing to step back and examine what we believe so that we solidify our core – our core beliefs?

This weekend I invite you to join us as we begin a sermon series designed to strengthen our core. We live our lives, day to day, based on what we believe. We respond to what is happening in the world because of the values that we hold dear. Jesus, the Christ, taught us to love God and neighbor, set the oppressed free, and work for healing, hope, and peace for all.

Each week we will take a deep dive into central beliefs of the Christian faith. This week we explore the meaning of “The Glory of God,” and the scripture from Exodus 40:34-38 , studying both the biblical understanding of the glory of God and what it teaches us about how to live today.

The times we live in can threaten to shake us, to throw off our balance. I pray you will join us for this sermon series that takes us back to the basics: the core beliefs of a follower of Christ.

May God richly bless you this week and always!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy

The Places We Will Go . . .

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 18:28:03 GMT

The Places We Will Go . . .

At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus commissions the disciples with what has come to be known as “The Great Commission.” It is a commission that all who claim to follow Jesus have taken seriously to this day:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Oh, the places we will go – Living the Great Commission! As disciples of Christ, we are “commissioned” to make disciples for Christ, teaching and living the commandments of Christ; and what are the commandments of Christ? Only three: 1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; 2. Love your neighbor as yourself, and 3. Love one another as I have loved you!

At Christ Church, by offering the Love, Hope and Joy of Jesus to our community, we live the Great Commission. Christ Church is a disciple-making church for the transformation of the world. To this end I am pleased to make the following announcement:

The Christ Church Staff Parish Relations Committee has approved and offered Paige Darnell the position of Coordinator of Outreach and Parkway Pantry. Paige has accepted the offer and begins her ministry on Sunday, June 22. Please join me in welcoming Paige to our staff, as together we strive to live the Great Commission, faithfully obeying everything Jesus has commanded us. See you in Church.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

The Places We Will Go ....

cmetzgerphipps@christchurchfl.org — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:42:33 GMT

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

A Father’s Day Lesson from Katherine Hepburn’s Dad

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 01:34:56 GMT

A Father’s Day Lesson from Katherine Hepburn’s Dad

Katherine shared: Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus.

The family in front of us had eight children, all probably under the age of 12. The way they were dressed, you could tell they didn't have a lot of money, but their clothes were neat and clean. The children had never been to the circus before. The father and mother were at the head of the pack; she held her husband's hand, looking up at him as if to say, "You're my knight in shining armor." He was smiling and happy to see his family so happy.

When he went to buy the tickets, the ticket lady stated the price. The man's wife let go of his hand, her head dropped, the man's lip began to quiver. Then he leaned a little closer and asked, "How much did you say?" The ticket lady again stated the price.

The man didn't have enough money. How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight kids that he didn't have enough money to take them to the circus?

Seeing what was going on, my dad reached into his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill, and then dropped it on the ground. (We were not wealthy in any sense of the word!) My father bent down, picked up the $20 bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket."

The man understood what was going on. He wasn't begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a desperate, heartbreaking and embarrassing situation.

He looked straight into my dad's eyes, took my dad's hand in both of his, squeezed tightly onto the $20 bill, and with his lip quivering and a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied; "Thank you, thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family."

My father and I went back to our car and drove home. The $20 that my dad gave away is what we were going to buy our own tickets with.

Although we didn't get to see the circus that night, we both felt a joy inside us that was far greater than seeing the circus could ever provide.

That day I learned the value to give. The giver is bigger than the receiver. If you want to be large, larger than life, learn to Give. Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get -- only with what you are expecting to give -- which is everything.

The importance of giving, blessing others can never be over emphasized because there's always joy in giving. Learn to make someone happy by acts of giving.

-- Katherine Hepburn from Everything Good in the World

I look forward to celebrating Father’s Day with you in church! Invite a friend to come and enjoy the presence of our kind, generous, forgiving, and loving God.

Peace, Pastor Cathy Johns

Charge Conference Elects a Building Committee

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:36:13 GMT

Charge Conference Elects a Building Committee

On Monday, June 2, Christ Church held a called Charge Conference for the purpose of electing a building committee to address the Christ Church School master plan. The meeting was called to order by the South East District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Simon Osunlana, and the following motion was made by the Church Council Chairperson, Nathan Hickman:

Pursuant to Paragraph 2544 of the 2020-2024 Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, as Chair, and on behalf of, the Church Council, I move that the Charge Conference of Christ Church United Methodist authorize a Building Committee to determine the facility needs for implementing the Master Plan of Christ Church School. The Building Committee will develop preliminary architectural plans, preliminary cost for facility renovation and/or new construction; and develop a preliminary financial plan.

The Building Committee will present in a timely manner a recommendation to a future called Church Conference. The recommendation will include drawings and other conceptual materials to clearly communicate the scope and purpose of the projects for consideration by the congregation members present at the Church Conference.

Furthermore, I nominate the following slate as the Building Committee;

Chair:

Randall Vitale (Church Member, School Board Chair)

Connie Bookholt (Church member)

Norliza Batts (Church member)

Connie Booth (Church member)

Dick Behn (Church member)

Ryan McBride (Church member)

John Elleston

Shane Grabski

Thomas Manos

Jeff Suiter

Ex-Officio:

Doug Johns

Cathy Johns

Tane Bonham

Monique McBride

Mike Gartland

Stacey Spencer

The vote was unanimous (14-0) in favor of establishing the building committee. As Christ Church/Christ Church School moves into the future it is exciting to witness the Spirit of our living God moving in our midst.

I look forward to working together as we claim our place in our partnership with God and God’s acts of new creation! See you in Church,

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug Johns

The World's Smallest Quiz

Wed, 28 May 2025 18:40:57 GMT

The World's Smallest Quiz

“All Creatures Great and Small” contains stories from the work of the beloved veterinary surgeon, Dr. James Herriot. The title of his book also contains a portion of the hymn, All Things Bright and Beautiful, penned by Cecil Frances Alexander. Her goal was to help children understand the meaning of God as “Maker of Heaven and Earth” (Genesis 1:31)

I started wondering:

1) What is the tiniest flower?

Water meal of “Wolffia globose,” is the tiniest flowering plant. One individual plant measures 1/42 inches long and 1/85 inch wide. To fill a thimble you would need 5,000 plants.

2) What is the smallest bird?

The Bee Hummingbird, found only in Cuba, is the smallest bird. Weighing less than 2 grams (less than the weight of a dime) it measures 2 ¼ inches long and is often mistake for a bee. The eggs of the female are the size of a coffee bean.

This Sunday we begin a sermon series that examines biblical texts and some helpful perspectives from stories by Dr. Seuss. This week’s sermon, Sizeable Matters , explores Matthew 10:29-31 and reminds us that everyone is important to God.

I look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday as we celebrate our incredible God who made all creatures great and small -– from the tiny wings of the bee hummingbird to the massive blue whale. God’s eye is not only on the sparrow; God is also watching and caring for you and me.

Joy in our Risen Lord,

Pastor Cathy Johns

God’s Trustworthiness and Our Future

Sun, 18 May 2025 21:21:43 GMT

God’s Trustworthiness and Our Future

One of my favorite contemporary theologians is Father Richard Rohr. When it comes to our relationship with God, and God’s trustworthiness he writes:

“Your life is not about you; you are about Life. You are an instance of a universal, and even eternal, pattern. The One Life that we call 'God' is living itself in you, and through you, and as you!

"This realization ... is a monumental shift in consciousness. ... You have never been separate from God except in your mind. ... Henceforth, your very motivation and momentum for the journey toward holiness and wholeness is simply immense gratitude – for already being there!” ( just this, p.45-46)

God has been leading Christ Church through a period of change, and throughout this journey we remember that God is living in us, and through us as we faithfully make the journey toward holiness and wholeness with gratitude. Embracing this season of change, standing on the Trustworthiness of God I offer the following update on two staff changes at Christ Church:

Pastor Peytyn . . . On Announcement Sunday, April 27, we learned of Pastor Peytyn’s new appointment to Fulford UMC. Pastor Peytyn has blessed us through her effective ministry among us, and she will be a blessing to the Fulford community. On June 1, 10am, we will show our appreciation for Pastor Peytyn’s ministry and honor her at a reception in the Fellowship Hall. June 1 will be Pastor Peytyn’s last Sunday at Christ Church. In this season of Christ Church’s life, the decision has been made not to receive a new associate pastor. The Staff Parish Relations Committee is hard at work discerning the staff needs for Christ Church and securing appropriate leadership.

Jeff McNeil . . . Jeff, Director of Operations, has announced his retirement effective May 16. Please see his letter below. We are thankful for Jeff’s ministry among us over the years, and with gratitude pray for him and Rene as they begin this next chapter of life. The Staff Parish Relations Committee is hard at work reviewing Jeff’s responsibilities and creating positions that care for the work Jeff performed with excellence.

As ministries are cared for and positions are filled, we will communicate details with the congregation. Until then please pray for your Staff Parish Relations Committee, the Church Council, the staff, and those who call Christ Church home as we embrace God’s presence in us, and through us, faithfully making the journey toward holiness and wholeness with gratitude for our trustworthy God! See you in church.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Things Children Say about God

Sun, 18 May 2025 21:17:54 GMT

Things Children Say about God

CNN writer Kelly Wallace posted an article about Monica Parker, who grew up in a home where religion was not discussed. As a child she was envious of other children who would enter houses of worship with their families.

When her son, Remy, turned 7, he asked her, “Who is God?” She replied; “God is inside everything, from spiders to trees to humans.”

The next morning her son announced, “I know who’s seen God. Doctors, when they cut people open.”

Monica Parker was inspired and started asking children what they thought about God. Her book includes many thoughtful responses. Here are a couple of my favorites:

“God doesn’t have a house. He doesn’t need one except on Sundays ‘cause that’s the day he likes to rest,” said Ethan, age 8.

“I call God when I need help with things but not my homework, because my mom says I have to do that by myself,” said Jackson, 7.

This Sunday we begin a new sermon series, Finding God . We begin with Shattering Myths about God, based on Psalm 145:8-21. This is a great series to invite friends, neighbors, and co-workers to hear. Most people we know are trying to connect with God whether they are aware of it or not!

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday morning in worship. Invite a friend to join you!

Joy in our Risen Lord,

Pastor Cathy

Pastoral Announcement

Thu, 01 May 2025 18:56:02 GMT

PASTORAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Dear Christ Church family,

It’s hard to believe that two years could go by so quickly. In what feels like the blink of an eye, so many authentic connections and deep relationships have been formed—each one a blessing I will carry with me always.

As I prepare to leave Christ Church to serve in a new appointment, please know how deeply I love you and how faithfully I will be praying for the work, mission, and ministries of this incredible church.

From trivia nights, Pride & MLK parades, serving and preparing meals, our beautiful ministry in our Parkway community, and the places we have visited —we’ve shared laughter, purpose, and moments that will live forever in my heart. As I reflect on all that we’ve done together, so many faces and names come to mind, each one reminding me how God has been at work among us.

Back in January, Psalm 16:11 was placed on my heart. I don’t think that was an accident. “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” God has indeed made known the path forward—and as I follow in faith, I trust that same joy will continue to overflow here at Christ Church.

As the Apostle Paul once wrote, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” (Philippians 1:3) I am so thankful for the time we’ve had to know one another, to grow together, and to share in the ministry of Jesus. I am especially thankful for you—each one of you, precious, beloved, a child of God.

You are loved beyond measure… and I love you, too.

“Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)

With all my heart, Xoxo,

Pastor Peytyn

Each year the Florida Annual Conference observes Announcement Sunday, a day when churches learn of new pastoral appointments. On Sunday, April 27, Holly Aragon Jones, chair of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, made the following announcement:

Beginning July 1, Bishop Tom Berlin has appointed Pastor Peytyn Tobin to serve as senior pastor of the Fulford United Methodist Church in North Miami Beach. Christ Church United Methodist has been blessed by Pastor Peytyn’s faithful leadership and servant heart. Please pray for Pastor Peytyn and her family during this season of transition. Please keep The Staff-Parish Relations Committee and church leaders in your prayers as we work to ensure that the mission and outreach of our congregation remain strong as we serve as the hands and feet of Christ.

A Conversation: The Cross and the Resurrection

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 15:23:50 GMT

A Conversation: The Cross and the Resurrection

Archbishop Fulton Sheen (1895 – 1979), theologian, scholar, and evangelist wrote the following:

“The Cross had asked the questions; the Resurrection had answered them. ...The Cross had asked: "Why does God permit evil and sin to nail Justice to a tree?" The Resurrection answered: "That sin, having done its worst, might exhaust itself and this be overcome by Love that is stronger than either sin or death."

It is a phrase to hang onto: “Love is stronger than either sin or death.”

As we journey through Holy Week:

we hear echos of “Hosannas!” from the streets of Jerusalem
we remember Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane
we sit together to remember the last meal Jesus had with his friends
we remember the love that held Jesus to the Cross

And finally we remember the truth of Easter: “Love is stronger than either sin or death.”

As you walk through Holy Week, from the garden to the table, from the Cross to the empty tomb, may God’s love enfold you and fill you with love and abiding peace as you remember the depth of God’s love for you.

I look forward to celebrating Holy Week and Easter with you.

Joy in our Risen Lord,

Pastor Cathy

Remain In Me

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:50:27 GMT

Remain In Me

Jesus uses the powerful metaphor of the vine and branches to convey the importance of remaining connected to Christ, our spiritual center. We are spiritual beings, always seeking a deeper connection to our spiritual center, Christ. Christ is the vine, and we are the branches, apart from the vine we wither, become irritable, angry, discouraged and, simply put, lose our joy; a slow spiritual death. On the other hand, connected to the vine we flourish, our lives become a beacon of light and love.

This is evident in the Palm Sunday/Holy Week events. The events of Palm Sunday/Holy Week underscore how volatile the emotional roller coaster of life can be; and how important it is to stay connected to our spiritual center, the vine – The Christ. Choose any of the people in the Palm Sunday/Holy Week narrative, and you’ll see what I mean. In the chaos of life it is hard to remember to stay connected to the vine, where our spirit is nurtured. Connected to the vine we gain new perspective, and possess strength for the journey. Jesus is always reminding: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.”

When it comes to remaining a part of the vine, grounded in Christ’s love, author and pastor Michael Yaconneli offers some insight:

“What landed Jesus on the cross was the preposterous idea that common, ordinary, broken, screwed-up people could be godly! ... The shocking implication of Jesus’ ministry is that anyone can be spiritual. ... Spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test. It is a relationship. Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. Spirituality is not about perfection; it is about connection. The way of the spiritual life begins where we are now in the mess of our lives. Accepting the reality of our broken, flawed lives is the beginning of spirituality not because the spiritual life will remove our flaws but because we let go of seeking perfection and, instead, seek God, the one who is present in the tangledness of our lives. Spirituality is not about being fixed; it is about God’s being present in the mess of our unfixedness.”(Messy Spirituality, p. 22)

God is present in our “unfixedness,” indeed it is connected to the vine, Christ, that we experience the unconditional love of God through God’s eternal presence. Connected to the vine we bear fruit, despite and in spite of our messiness (and the messiness of our world). Yes, “Spirituality is not about perfection or competency; it’s about intimacy and connection.” ... Grounded in love (the Vine), our spiritual being thrives, and we find ourselves fulfilling the New Commandment from Jesus, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” I look forward to seeing you in church!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Join us for Palm Sunday worship at 9am Praise and 11am Traditional services for the message, "The Victory of His Defeat, based on Matthew 21:1-10 and 27:27-31 . All children are invited to wave palms as they the services.

Beyond “Man vs. Wild”

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 01:54:15 GMT

Beyond “Man vs. Wild”

Bear Grylls, an international television star, has made his living by surviving in the wilderness. His episodes include eating creepy, crawly insects and even rappelling down a cliff to retrieve a dead animal that had fallen off the cliff to its death. He was able to salvage some of the meat and eat it. His battle with the elements shows up in some episodes, including surviving the harsh, frozen wilderness of Iceland and coming face-to-face with a large, adult brown bear in the forest of Transylvania.

Jesus battled evil in the wilderness; the devil tempted him three times. Immediately after his baptism, Jesus entered the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days. Jesus, who is both human and divine, faced great evil yet rose above the temptations.

It is tempting to believe that somehow Jesus was able to do this because He is not like us. C.S. Lewis wrote: “Christ, because he was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means—the only complete realist.”

Join us this Sunday to get real tools for battling the times of spiritual wilderness in your life. Jesus’ story of temptation offers practical help for us so that we can thrive, not just survive in the wilderness! Please read Luke 4:1-13 to prepare your heart for worship.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday; invite a friend to join you.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy

Salt and Light!

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 16:09:08 GMT

Salt and Light!

Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, describes who we are and how we are to live. Created in the image and likeness of God, we are God’s light in the world; God’s salt as we live in relationship with one another. Theologian and author Howard Thurman helps us to reflect upon this call:

“Are you a reservoir or are you a canal or a swamp? The distinction is literal. The function of a canal is to channel water; it is a device by which water may move from one place to another in an orderly and direct manner. It holds water in a temporary sense only; it holds it in transit from one point to another.

The function of the reservoir is to contain, to hold water. It is a large receptacle designed for purpose, whether it is merely an excavation in the earth or some vessel specially designed. It is a place in which water is stored in order that it may be available when needed. In it, provisions are made for outflow and inflow.

A swamp differs from either. A swamp has an inlet but no outlet. Water flows into it but there is no provision made for water to flow out. The result? The water rots and many living things die. ...

The dominant trend of a person’s life may take on the characteristics of a canal, reservoir or swamp. The important accent is on the dominant trend. There are some lives that seem ever to be channels, canals through which things flow. They are connecting links between other people, movements, purposes. ...

Or are you a reservoir? Are you a reservoir which may be drawn upon in times of other’s needs and your own as well? ...

Are you a swamp? Are you always reaching for more and more, hoarding whatever comes your way as your special belongings? ... Canal, reservoir or swamp – Which?” ( Meditations of the Heart , p.86-87)

As we continue our journey of these 40 days of Lent, may we embrace the courage of Jesus and be Salt and Light – Canals and/or Reservoirs. God calls us to be God’s partner in God’s acts of New Creation. With courage grounded in Love, hope and joy, embrace God’s call! See you in church.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Jesus and the Law . . .

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 19:39:01 GMT

Jesus and the Law . . .

Jesus teaches: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”. The laws of Moses and the teachings of the Prophets had one purpose, and the entirety of scripture reflects this purpose. Jesus said all the commandments are summed up in the “Great Commandment”: Love God and love those God loves! Likewise Jesus in John’s Gospel gives us a new commandment, one that encompasses the great commandment and reframes it for all who claim to follow him: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

Michael Yaconelli in his book, Messy Spirituality writes,

“When Jesus and his followers show up, it isn’t long before people start pointing fingers and calling names. Jesus was called all kinds of names: wine-bibber (what is a wine-bibber, anyway?), Sabbath breaker, blasphemer. Over the centuries, religious people have refined name-calling to an art. The name most commonly used today? Unspiritual!. . . One day we decided to become a follower of Christ, to seek his presence in our lives, and were doing our best to keep Jesus in our sights when we were shocked to discover our fellow “classmates” calling us names. “Ungodly. Uncommitted. Poor example. Unspiritual. Carnal. Unbiblical.” In other words, “you are ‘doing God’ all wrong.” (P.45 and 47)

The Pharasitical voices are many and sometimes unrelenting, telling us we are “doing God all wrong”. As we begin our Lenten journey our sermon series will examine who Jesus is and what Jesus has to offer. As we make our journey with Jesus this Lent, listen to the only voice that matters, Jesus. Journey with Jesus and hear His call of redemption, and restoration; His call to be loved and to love. The journey we make this lent will take us from the road of ridicule, name calling, and spiritual bullying, to traveling the way of Love. Jesus reminds us, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35). See you in church!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

This Sunday we have two special services. At 9am, we will celebrate the ministry of Christ Church School led by Pastor Monique McBride and our CCS Pastors of the Day. At 11am, Pastor Doug will begin the series, Jesus , with the message, The Transformation of His Call.

Did Horton the Elephant read the Bible?

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:37:22 GMT

Did Horton the Elephant read the Bible?

In 1954 Dr. Seuss wrote an amazing story about an elephant named Horton. Horton hears a cry for help from a very unusual place. Leaning in with his big ears, he hears a cry rise up from a tiny speck of dust. Even though his eyes cannot see anything on top of the speck of dust, he decides to help it. It turns out the speck of dust is an entire town: Whoville. The Whos, the residents of Whoville, reside together on this speck of dust. Horton steps forward and agrees to shield them from harm.

Horton’s neighbors make fun of him, refusing to believe that anything could possibly be living on the speck. Horton’s response to his critics, rings of God’s love for all people: “After all, a person’s a person no matter how small.”

Elephants are amazing creatures! They are very strong, smart, and loyal. Horton was very strong, smart, and loyal, too. It may seem silly to think that Horton read Micah 6:8 but his actions certainly reflect a heart that lived it in word and deed.

This Sunday’s message challenges us to be people who live out Micah 6:8:

What does the LORD require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?

I look forward to celebrating our amazing God with you this Sunday. Invite a friend to join you!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Loved With an Everlasting Love!

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:56:49 GMT

Loved With an Everlasting Love!

The bible, from Genesis to Revelation is about relationships, God’s relationship with humanity, and humanity's relationship with God. Foundational to embracing, maintaining, and sustaining this relationship is Love.

Living love, Habakkuk confirms: “God, the Lord, is my strength.” (Habakkuk 3:19). As followers of “The Way,” Jesus teaches us an unconditional, no-strings-attached, self-giving love; it's an Agape Love, through which we find God is our strength.

Proverbs teaches, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgression.” (Proverbs 10:12) Paul reminds us, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7). Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment, that you Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Love is what we are created in; Love is how we partner with God to bring God’s kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.”

Chuck Swindoll in Wisdom for the Way reminds us of “The ABCs of Love:”

“I A ccept you as you are; I B elieve you are valuable; I C are when you hurt; I D esire only what is best for you; I E rase all offenses. ... There is nothing shallow about authentic love. Nor is it a magic wand we whip out and wave over a problem with a whoosh, hoping all pain will go away. Real love has staying power. ... It refuses to look for ways to run away. ... While the world around us gives the opposite counsel, love stands firm.” (p.19)

This is the everlasting love of God that we are loved with and the way of love we are called to live. I look forward to seeing you in church as we embrace God’s everlasting love, and proclaim with Habakkuk: “God, the Lord, is my strength.” Invite a friend, relative, acquaintance, or neighbor to join you.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Another Dirty Job

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:08 GMT

Another Dirty Job

Mike Rowe, the host of Dirty Jobs , works alongside people who are employed doing tasks that are described as “difficult, strange, disgusting, or messy.”

Some of my favorites from the episodes list:

Sewer Inspector
Hot Tar Roofer
Bat Cave Scavenger
Avian Vomitologist (apparently this is studying what birds spit up)

Being a prophet of God certainly would have been a dirty job. Amos, a shepherd, was chosen by God to tell a disobedient nation to return to God. God was unhappy with them because they had forgotten they were God’s people; they had lost their moral compass. Amos was calling them back to righteousness, justice, and to be peacemakers. Most people do not enjoy hearing about all the countless ways they have broken God’s heart; Amos definitely had a dirty job!

When we consider deeply how we may have lost our way today, I find God calling me back to a simple principle: Real love requires real listening.

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read that there is a time for every purpose under heaven. Included in the list is: “a time to be silent and a time to speak.”

Here are a few of my favorite quotes on listening:

“The first duty of love is to listen.” -- Paul Tillich

“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.” -- Dalai Lama

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” -- Winston Churchill

I look forward to exploring with you God Still Speaks , based on Amos 5:14, Amos 5:23-24, and Amos 7:7-8 this Sunday. Invite a friend to join you; I look forward to seeing you in worship!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Distributive Justice vs Retributive Justice

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:50:17 GMT

Distributive Justice vs Retributive Justice

When it comes to God’s justice we need to be clear on what the scriptures mean by “justice.” Our 21st century, sacred understanding of “justice” has hijacked 1st century understanding of “justice.” We’ve turned God’s call for “Distributive Justice and Restorative Righteousness” into our demand for “Retributive Justice” and in doing so make the scriptures say something the writers (and God) never said.

It is to this point the latter chapters of the book of Jonah speak. Too often we focus on the first act of the book of Jonah (Jonah’s call and response), at the expense of the final act of the book of Jonah (anger and disgust at God’s mercy). It is to this human condition that the book of Jonah speaks in the final chapters of the book. The nature and character of God is in question for Jonah and, if we are honest, for us. God acts as God always acts -- with Distributive Justice and Restorative Righteousness. However, like Jonah, instead of taking our place as God’s partner in offering grace, love and mercy, restoration and reconciliation, we’ve embraced an attitude of exclusivism and disdain.

We are not the judge and jury, determining guilt and handing down the sentence; we are partners with God calling all of creation to reconciliation and restoration, celebrating and rejoicing in God’s acts of love, grace and mercy toward those we’ve determined unworthy, unredeemable. This is what Micah means when he says, “Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.” (Micah 6:8). Jonah is our example of how not to act as we strive to embody the words of Micah.

I look forward to seeing you in church as we strive to embrace our partnership with God, extending Distributive Justice and Restorative Righteousness to the world in which we live.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug Johns

The Never-go-Anywhere-Without-it Garment

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 18:05:14 GMT

The Never-go-Anywhere-Without-it Garment

In Colossians we read these instructions:

“….clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience….above all, clothe yourselves with love….”

Love is the all-purpose garment that we all must put on daily.

In The Message , by Eugene Peterson, we are reminded to be kind and forgiving, but to love:

“And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”

Imagine how different the world would be if we saw love as indispensable as our smart phones! We would never dream of going anywhere without love!

People have written songs, books, and movies about love. It may be the

most misunderstood word in the English language.

People like to believe that love is soft and tender ... sunshine, butterflies, and flowery meadows.

I disagree. When you love someone you are always willing to go the extra mile, uphill, in a thunderstorm, barefoot.

This week we will conclude our sermon series on Resolutions with Live Lovingly . Please read I John 4:7-11, 19-21 to prepare your heart for worship.

I look forward to connecting with you online or seeing you in church this Sunday.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

'Oneing' Through Christ

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 18:02:34 GMT

'Oneing' Through Christ

Paul says in Romans: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

Jesus says in Matthew: “But strive first for the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

At an early age we have been taught to think dualistically -- either/or, black or white. Early in life dualism is ingrained in us with an occasional reminder and challenge to embrace the “both/and" of life. However, Paul reminds us do not conform to this way of thinking; instead embrace the way of God.

“Oneing” of spirit, mind, and body: Be transformed through the “renewing of your minds,” Jesus says. It’s in our “Oneing” we’re able to discern the will of God. Either/or thinking tends to lead us in a downward spiral, whereas a both/and approach to life empowers relationship building, relationship deepening, and relationship sustaining. To this point Father Richard Rohr shares:

Non-dual consciousness is about receiving and being present to the moment and to the Now, exactly as it is, without splitting or dividing it, without judgment, analysis, negative critique, mental commentary, liking or disliking; without resistance; and even without registering your preferences. In other words, your mind, heart, soul, and senses are open and receptive to the moment, just as it is. That allows you to say, “Just this,” and love things in themselves, as themselves, and by themselves, regardless of how they benefit or depend on you. . . . You gradually learn to hold everything – attractive and non-attractive alike – together in one accepting gaze.” ( Just This , p. 29)

Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness.” Our “seeking” does not mean we look into the future to “find;” it is a present. So, now gaze and in this moment, embrace – and God’s kingdom and righteousness will come alive. I look forward to greeting you in church.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

New Year’s Resolutions with a Twist

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 16:19:00 GMT

New Year’s Resolutions with a Twist

Roger Rosenblatt asked teenagers:

“What will you do - right now, this week, this month - to make a better world?

His article, This Year: Make a Resolution About Something Bigger Than Yourself, posed an interesting challenge. The young people responded in many different ways: some suggested small, bite-sized goals while others thought the whole idea of crafting resolutions for “self-improvement” was a colossal waste of time, noting the high percentage of failed attempts. Others appreciated his challenge and replied:

“Lend a hand. Offer a word of comfort or inspiration or support or love. Donate money or time. There are so many ways to move this world, right within reach.”

While I appreciate the idea of self-improvement, I also believe that too much navel-gazing is not good for the soul! An unknown writer puts it well: “Now, I’m no astronomer, but even I’m pretty sure the Earth revolves around the sun, not you.”

Perhaps my New Year’s resolution could simply be adjusting where I look. What blessing would I receive if I spent more time looking up to God and looking around for ways, as Rosenblatt writes, “to move this world?”

Our new sermon series will invite us to live our lives in 2025 with focus and purpose. This Sunday’s message, Resolutions: Living Expectantly, will explore what the Bible has to say about living fully as we enter the new year. Please read Hebrews 10:23-25 and Hebrews 11:1-3 to prepare your heart for worship.

May 2025 bring you deep, abiding joy as you step into your 2025 adventure of moving the world. I’m looking forward to seeing you this Sunday; invite a friend. All are welcome.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Is Christmas Really Over?

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:39:45 GMT

Is Christmas Really Over?

All the presents may be unwrapped. You may have started to put away your decorations.

The liturgical answer to the question: “Is Christmas Over?” is not yet! Christmas Day is the first day of Christmas; the twelfth day of Christmas is January 5, followed by the feast of the Epiphany on January 6, the day we celebrate the arrival of the Magi with their gifts for the Christ-Child, Jesus.

Howard Thurman wrote a beautiful reminder to us in these days after Christmas Day. Here is The Work of Christmas composed by Howard Thurman, an African-American theologian, educator, and civil rights leader:

When the song of the angels is stilled,

when the star in the sky is gone,

when the kings and princes are home,

when the shepherds are back with their flocks,

the work of Christmas begins:

to find the lost,

to heal the broken,

to feed the hungry,

to release the prisoner,

to rebuild the nations,

to bring peace among the people,

to make music in the heart.

Please take a moment to listen to this anthem, music composed by Dan Forrest, to remind us of the blessing of Christmas and the work of Christmas that has been entrusted to us. The link is provided here; you will need to press “skip ad” and then listen to the anthem. It is sung by the Stetson University Men’s Chorus:

I look forward to continuing to celebrate the Christmas season with you this Sunday; our celebration will be through the eyes of Simeon. Please read Luke 2:21-33 to prepare your heart for worship. Please invite a friend or relative to join you.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy

Love Came Down At Christmas!

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 05:45:41 GMT

Love Came Down At Christmas!

As we make our final preparations to receive The Christ the classic carol comes to mind: “Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love divine; Love was born at Christmas; star and angels gave the sign.” Preparing to receive such Love, otherwise known as the “Incarnation,” we, in the depths of our being, sense a stirring in our soul to become incarnational; bathed in love, we become love to the world!

The early church father, St. John Chrysostom (born in Antioch 349AD) wrote:

“I behold a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the shepherds’ song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The angels sing. The archangels blend their voice in harmony. The cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The seraphim exalt his glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth . . . God who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised up.” ( Watch For The Light, p. 225-226)

Love came down at Christmas, and we “behold a new and wondrous mystery.” In God’s descending we experience the holy, invited into the flow of creation and God’s acts of new creation!

With anticipation we wait, and with humility we receive, Love came down at Christmas! I pray that you are able to give yourself over to this holy mystery of incarnation. Allow yourself to experience God’s love in a new way, become a participant in the flow of God’s love, and in our becoming we become God’s incarnation to the world.

Christmas Blessings,

Pastor Doug

The Fine Art of Wrapping Presents

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 22:05:15 GMT

The Fine Art of Wrapping Presents

In some families, it is an endless debate:

“Do we really need to put ribbon and bows on a package? Does it really matter?”

In my family of origin, David, my brother, was an artist. He enjoyed painting and drawing and made some beautiful works of art. When he sat down to wrap Christmas presents, it was not a quick and easy task. He took the time to carefully wrap ribbons and attach handmade bows that matched the gift perfectly. As the younger sibling I was impatient and could not believe that it took him F O R E V E R to wrap gifts! Beauty, not speed, was his objective. He wanted the recipient to feel loved and appreciated.

My great aunt Edna also practiced the fine art of wrapping gifts. She would tie fun attachments to our gifts: jingle bells, glittery snowflakes, Santas, and reindeer.

Today, I confess that while I enjoy wrapping presents, I do not always put beauty over speed. I do attempt to make the package pleasant looking, occasionally using hand-tied bows and ribbon, but I do not consistently treat each gift as a potential work of art.

I wonder how God would answer the question about wrapping as God considered how to come to earth. Somehow, I think it mattered. God chose to send our Savior in special “wrapping,” choosing Mary, an obedient teenage girl to give birth to Jesus. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase, The Message , helps us see the importance of how the “wrapping” God chose that first Christmas mattered:

“The Word became flesh and moved into our neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.” (John 1:14)

Our Advent series, A Charlie Brown Christmas, continues this Sunday. Please read Luke 1:46-55 to prepare your heart for worship. We will explore Mary’s response to Gabriel’s announcement that she would give birth to God’s Son and call him Jesus.

As you wrap your presents this season, I invite you to give thanks to God, rejoicing that God chose to come wrapped in human skin as a baby who could be held by a mother and his earthly father. As Mary and Joseph held him and sang to him, they held the Hope of the World, Jesus.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday; invite a friend, relative, or neighbor to join you!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Come Home This Christmas!

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 01:39:04 GMT

Come Home This Christmas!

Paul writes in Romans 12:9 and 18: “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. . . . If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

One thing I think we all can agree on is that we live in a competitive society.

Knowingly or unknowingly, out of the dualism we’ve been taught and embrace, we’ve set up systems that celebrate winners and losers, and make no mistake, I will be found on the winning side. It’s to this reality the peace of Christ speaks this Advent/Christmas season. The words of Paul refocus our competitive nature, offering a path of “Oneing” through Christ: “outdo one another in showing honor; let love be genuine.” Howard Thurman writes:

"I will make of my talents, whatever they are, a High Priest of Truth. This I do when I use them to enrich life, to render life more human, to make life more gracious and personal than it was otherwise. ... I will make of my remembering a High Priest of Truth. I purpose in my heart that I shall not use my memory to store up those things which fester, poison and destroy my living, my life, or the living and the life of others. ... I will make myself a High Priest of Truth. I will recognize the supremacy of the Ideal of Godlikeness to which more and more, by God’s help, I will give myself. ... I will make of my life a High Priest of Truth.”

Come home this Christmas to Peace; receive God’s peace, and be a presence of God’s peace in the world around you! “Let love be genuine ... outdo one another in showing honor.” Strive to make life a High Priest of this Truth. I look forward to seeing you in church!

Advent Blessings,

Pastor Doug

Join us this Sunday for the 9am praise and 11am traditional services when we continue the series, A Charlie Brown Christmas , with the message, Longing for Peace , drawn from Matthew 3:1-12 .

Unwrapping Advent

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 20:46:08 GMT

Unwrapping Advent

Advent comes from the Latin word “adventus” which means coming. During Advent we celebrate the two comings of Christ: Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and His promised return in final victory.

In churches and homes, several symbols appear:

Advent Wreath: evergreen branches in a circle, a sign of eternal life

Four purple candles: Royal blue or purple signifies the royalty of Christ. In the ancient world these colors were the finest and most expensive; today these colors invite us to offer Christ our very best.

White Christ Candle: The central candle in the Advent wreath is white, signifying the purity of Christ who is the Light of the World. We light it on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Christ.

It is possible to journey through Advent only thinking about the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. The Christian Church has viewed Advent with a very similar understanding to Lent. They are historically periods of prayer, fasting, and reflection that invite us to walk more closely with God. They are both seasons to prepare our hearts to receive Christ anew, celebrating the gift of His birth at Christmas and the gift of His life, death, and resurrection at Easter.

The themes of Advent are the gifts for those who walk the journey through Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Our sermon series A Charlie Brown Christmas will lift up each theme, exploring how the Peanuts characters give us a glimpse of the hope, peace, joy, and love that is ours through Jesus, The Christ.

This Sunday Charlie Brown points us toward hope. Please read Isaiah 2:1-5 to prepare your heart for worship. Ask a friend to worship with you; Advent and Christmas are great times to invite someone to join you.

I am looking forward to this Advent journey with you!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Hands

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 20:42:53 GMT

Hands

Every day we choose to use our hands in many ways: to lift a baby, to push a child on the swings, to play an instrument, to cook, to write, to stroke a dog or cat, to text a friend, or to work outside. How we use our hands matters to God.

In the book of Exodus we read about the account of the Hebrew midwives who defied The Pharoah. He ordered them to do one thing; The God of Israel gave them a different directive.

Dwight Liles wrote these powerful lyrics:

“We lift our voice We lift our hands We lift our lives up to You We are an offering Lord use our voices Lord use our hands Lord use our lives they are Yours We are an offering

All that we have All that we are All that we hope to be We give to You We give to You" *

Join us for worship this Sunday as God invites us to discover new hands: hands that lift, hands that love, and hands that work for justice, peace, and mercy in our world. Please read Exodus 1:15-21 about the choice two Hebrew women made to prepare your heart for worship.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday; invite a friend to join you.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Ambassadors for Christ!

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 20:07:45 GMT

Ambassadors for Christ!

If we are to be Ambassadors for Christ, it will involve a change of attitude in how we approach life; it will involve making the shift from an attitude of “scarcity” to one of “abundance.” The problem with living life bound by an attitude of “scarcity” is that it shackles our perspective on all of life. Thus, we are imprisoned by fear; bound by fear trust deteriorates; lack of trust diminishes our ability to step out in faith and embrace God’s blessings.

On the other hand, when we can see and claim that we are a people of “abundance” we find freedom to be the people Christ calls us to be. Thus, we live by faith not fear; faith and hope go together, and we possess a hope that, as Paul proclaims, “will not disappoint us;” free to trust in God’s promises, an attitude of “abundance” moves us to invest in God’s kingdom: Loving God, and those God loves!

Commitment Sunday on October 20 was a day of celebration. Celebrating who we are: God’s Beloved children and Ambassadors for Christ! As Ambassadors for Christ, on October 20, we committed ourselves to helping others embrace their identity as God’s beloved children!

To date we have received 60 commitments, which represents an average commitment of $6,073. The people of God have spoken. No longer will we live imprisoned by a mentality of “scarcity,” but in Jesus Christ, we are a people of “abundance”!

Thank you to all who have made a commitment to the vision, mission, ministry, and outreach of Christ Church United Methodist. You have chosen to invest in changed lives and transformed communities, and the dividend on your investment is priceless!

If you have not yet made a financial commitment, I encourage you click here to join those who have . Invest in sharing the Love, Hope, and Joy of Jesus Christ with one another and our community.

God is “doing a new thing” at Christ Church, “don’t you perceive it?” I look forward to serving in ministry with you in the months ahead: Ambassadors for Christ. See you in church!

In Christ,

Pastor Doug

The Platform of The Cross

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:17:15 GMT

The Platform of The Cross

A pastor in Knoxville,Tennessee, Rev. Catherine Nance wrote an incredible article quoting her preaching professor’s book entitled: Just Tell the Truth: A Call to Faith, Hope, and Courage . This is from a sermon of Dr. Richard Lischer, focusing on John 1:29-34 where John the Baptist is testifying to the truth:

It goes without saying that Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat (there, I said it), but he does have a platform, and it’s been published! We know it as the New Testament. His platform does not support the idolatry of power, nor does it feed on self-aggrandizement. The religion of the cross is not about winning. It begins with sacrificial love – Christ’s love for us and for all people. It includes welcoming the stranger, caring for the sick, forgiving enemies, forgoing violence, upholding life, and glorifying God in all that we do. The planks in his platform do not represent optional lifestyle choices for Christians. They are the hallmarks of those who claim his name.

Rev. Catherine Nance adds the following: “Dr. Lischer goes on to talk about presidential inaugurations and the new president swearing in with a hand on the Bible. I hope and pray that as the new president takes the presidential oath, Christians everywhere will lay a hand on the Scripture or make the sign of the cross on our hearts and remember that we too have testimony to give. Not just in relation to one president or one administration, but for the rest of our lives.”

I, like Rev. Nance, am thankful that I live in a nation where we have the right to vote. My prayer is that all of us will vote prayerfully, seeking to be people who support the platform of Christ, the One whose compassion and love is still changing the world.

As we celebrate All Saints Day this Sunday, we will remember that we are the children of God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Holy Communion will be served as we celebrate the saints who have gone on before us and now dwell in the eternal light of God. Please read Ezekiel 36:24-28 to prepare your heart for worship.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Are We Able?

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 17:47:48 GMT

Are We Able?

When Jesus was confronted and questioned by the religious elite about which law/commandment was the greatest (there were about 897 individual laws at that point) Jesus proclaims that the entirety of the law is summed up in two, “to love God with your whole heart and your whole soul, and your whole mind (Mark adds strength); and to love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-40) Earlier in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims in the Sermon on the Mount : “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)

The Christ comes to fulfill the law: Love God and love those God loves. In doing so Christ invites us to follow. Are we able? In answering the question one 20th century theologian invites us to consider, “Remember, as soon as your ‘love’ needs or wants a reward in return, you have backed away from Divine Love, which is why even our common notion of a ‘reward in heaven’ can keep us from the actual love of God or neighbor! A pure act of love is its own reward and needs nothing in return. Love is shown precisely in an eagerness to love.”

This Sunday is Commitment Sunday, when you are invited to make a commitment investing in the ministry and mission of Christ Church. From now through the end of the year hundreds of individuals and families will show their “eagerness to love” through their investment of their financial resources, so that the Love, Hope and Joy of Jesus is shared with our community, our state, nation and world. We look forward to receiving your commitment, an extension of Jesus’ love. Mail the commitment card you received to the church, use the QR code on the card, or make your commitment online through our website. If you did not receive a mailing you can call the church office or go to the church website: christchcurchfl.org/pledge to make your commitment.

Let us answer the call to follow Jesus in this way of love. Let us embrace a love for “the other” that reflects how we have been loved by Christ. Let us embrace a love for our enemies, and those who persecute us, that reflects the unmerited, undeserving love of God. As we embrace our own belovedness, let us embrace all God has created and calls beloved! To this end we are in this together; it is a privilege to serve in ministry with you. See you in church!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

The Marriage of Heaven and Earth . . .

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 03:17:43 GMT

The Marriage of Heaven and Earth . . .

Jesus often taught about the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God was not something far off and otherworldly; the Kingdom of God is here and now. As beloved Children of God we are called, encouraged, coaxed into a relationship with God that leads to our participation in God’s “new creation.” Begun at Jesus’ resurrection, God’s new creation continues through you and me; “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation : everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new ! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

As partners with God in revealing God’s new creation, we are participants in the Marriage of heaven and earth. Thus, the kingdom of God is a reality that we lean into as we love God and love those God loves. However, too often our human condition gets in the way. Father Richard Rohr says it best: We live in a “winner-takes-all society,” and we’ve embraced the secular teaching, “dignity must always be ‘acquired’ and earned."

Father Rohr says, “We live in an affluent society that’s always expecting more, wanting more, and believes it even deserves more. But the more we own, ironically enough, the less we enjoy. ...If you don’t live from within your own center of connection and communion, you’ll go spinning around things.” ( Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation , Tuesday, October 4, 2016)

As we love God with all of who we are: our finances, our time, and talents, in our work and relationships, we love holding onto hope, a hope that draws us back to the center of who we are, God’s beloved. It is in this hope, grounded in God’s love, that we begin to experience God’s new creation and become partners in revealing God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven!

All that we have, and all of who we are, belongs to God, When we live life from the center of this reality we possess a peace that the world cannot give, nor take away; we possess a joy that transcends our circumstances; we are a new creation participating in God’s new creation!

See you in church!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug Johns

Would the Cheshire Cat be a Methodist?

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:52:47 GMT

Would the Cheshire Cat be a Methodist?

It is oddly a fascinating question: Would the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll’s Adventures in Alice’s Wonderland follow the path of John Wesley? Before we rush to judgment, let’s take a look at some of the things the grinning Cheshire cat “says:”

Cheshire Cat: “Not all who wander are lost.”

The cat’s statement is gracious and not condemning. ...

John Wesley: “We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others.”

Wesley was supportive of strict self-examination but warned of the dangers of judging others.

Score 1 for the Cheshire Cat.

Cheshire Cat: “Every adventure requires a first step.”

The cat’s words are encouraging. It might help a person who feels stuck to move forward.

John Wesley: “Let me do all the good I can, to all the people I can, as often as I can, for I shall not pass this way again.” Wesley saw each moment as an opportunity and encouraged people to take a step forward in faith.

Score another one for the Cheshire Cat.

Cheshire Cat: “Well, some go this way, and some go that way. But as for me, myself, personally, I prefer the short-cut.”

John Wesley: “Reading Christians are growing Christians. When Christians cease to read, they cease to grow.” John Wesley taught and practiced rigorous spiritual disciplines.

This one also goes to the Cheshire Cat!

Why? John Wesley would not judge the Cheshire Cat for preferring the short-cut but would see it as a creature who was searching for meaning. This is a little “playful” of course, but Wesley would invite the cat to be a part of a class meeting where the Cheshire Cat could worship, pray, and study the scriptures with others.

This Sunday we continue to explore The Methodist Way with the message, Living God’s Grace. Please read 1 Peter 1:13-16 to prepare your heart for worship. Invite a friend to join you; all are welcome!

Pastor Cathy Johns

Amazing Grace!

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:41:17 GMT

Amazing Grace!

"Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature’s night; thine eye diffused a quickening ray; I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; my chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee.”

The fourth verse of Charles Wesley’s hymn, And Can It Be that I Should Gain , reflects one of the pillars of Methodist theology: a life bathed in God’s grace!

John Wesley (1703-1791), the founding father of Methodism and brother of Charles Wesley, says, “It was free grace that formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into him a living soul and stamped on that soul the image of God. ... The same free grace continues to us ... for there is nothing we are, or have, or do which can deserve the least thing at God’s hand.”(John Wesley’s Little Instruction Book, page 34-35).

God’s “means of grace” leads to a transformational experience of God’s grace. Transformed through the grace of God, we are compelled to partner with God in working to bring the kingdom of God on earth, as it is in heaven!

For the Wesleys (John and Charles) and United Methodism today, our relationship with God and our relationship with others is defined in Ephesians 2:8-10:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” It’s God’s amazing grace that redeems, restores, and makes us whole. It’s God’s amazing grace that clothes us in love, to be ambassadors for love!

This week, The Methodist Way: Understanding God’s Grace , focuses on the stages of God’s grace as we live in relationship with God. The following week, Living God’s Grace , will focus on the fruits of God’s grace as we live in relationship with one another.

Invite a friend, relative, acquaintance, or neighbor to join you for worship!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Two Ears, One Mouth

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 20:35:58 GMT

Two Ears, One Mouth

When I was in seminary Rev. McAlister, one of the pastors at my home church, shared this counsel: “Always remember, Cathy, God gave us two ears and one mouth. Preachers sometimes forget that we need to listen twice as much as we speak.”

Experts say that 45 percent of our day is spent listening. Hearing and listening is not the same activity. When we listen fully, we meet and accept someone wherever they are in the moment; it is a gift of radical hospitality.

Dr. Emma Justes writes: “The greatest gift we bring to the listening process is ourselves. And the most important thing to do in order to listen well is to keep ourselves out of the way.”

This Sunday we will explore a powerful conversation from John’s gospel. Jesus listens intently to another person, got out of the way, and extended radical hospitality by listening with his heart. Read the fourth chapter of John this week to prepare your heart for worship.

I look forward to seeing you in church; invite a friend. All are welcome!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns

Stay in Love with God

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 02:15:14 GMT

Stay in Love with God

In Luke’s account of Jesus’ teaching on judging others (Luke 6:37-42), we see with new eyes, and hear with new ears, what it means to “stay in love with God.” Judgment, we have convinced ourselves, is a way to marginalize those unlike us and to disenfranchise others based on stereotypes, accusations, rumors, and perceptions. Consequently we all judge others, but yet we dislike being judged. (Yes, this involves both sides of the political spectrum.)

If we’re to “stay in love with God” we will embrace God’s call to love as we’ve been loved. Bishop Job writes: “The question Jesus asked of Peter in John 21:15, 'Do you love me?' reveals a great deal about the essentials of our relationship with God. Three times Jesus asked, 'Do you love me?' And three times Peter answered in the affirmative. Staying in love with God was the primary issue of a faithful life then, and it is today. For from such a life of love for God will flow the goodness and love of God to the world.” (p.57)

Practicing Radical Hospitality moves me away from a life of exclusion to a life of embrace. Embracing the stranger, the disenfranchised, the marginalized, the lonely, the vulnerable, and, yes, those we like to demonize, is the way of love and a way of “staying in love" with God! In love with God, there’s no room for judgment and condemnation.

I look forward to seeing you in church as we strive to stay in love with God by embracing God’s call to radical hospitality! Invite friend, relative, acquaintance, or neighbor to join you!

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Light of the World

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 00:42:42 GMT

Light of the World

Jesus not only said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), Jesus said, “You are the light of the world!” (Matthew 5:14).

What does it mean to be an extension of the persona of Jesus, the Christ? The following piece provides an answer.

I can't make the world peaceful, I can't stall tanks from roaring down roads, I can't prevent children from having to hide in bunkers.

I can't convince the news to stop turning war into a video game, I can't silence the sound of bombs tearing neighborhoods apart.

I can't turn a guided missile into a bouquet of flowers, I can't make a warmonger have an ounce of empathy, I can't convince ambassadors to quit playing truth or dare.

I can't deflect a sniper's bullet from turning a wife into a widow, I can't stave off a country being reduced to ash and rubble; I can't do any of that.

The only thing I can do is love the next person I encounter without any conditions or strings. To love my neighbor so fearlessly that it starts a ripple that stretches from one horizon to the next.

I can’t force peace on the world, but I can become a force of peace in the world because sometimes all it takes is a single lit candle in the darkness to start a movement.

"Lord, make me a candle of comfort in this world let me burn with peace" -- by John Roedel

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. ...” “You are the light of the world. ...” We are the Body of Christ! As the children’s song proclaims: "This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!"

I look forward to seeing you in church.

Through Christ,

Pastor Doug

Hope: More than a Last Resort

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 23:01:37 GMT

We have all seen television shows where the doctor walks in and says, “Well, all we can do now is hope.”

It is as if hope is a weak, unstable thing that we cannot fully count on.

Hope is hard to define yet it is a critical foundation of the Christian faith. The Resurrection of Christ is a central foundation of the Christian faith. In fact, Dr. Leander Keck wrote, “Without the Resurrection there is no Christian faith.”

But what happens when we feel caught in a storm and threatening skies seem to overwhelm us? During difficult season of our lives we find ourselves reaching for hope. We can feel powerless and stuck, unable to see past our current state of loss and grief.

Remember these days when we all grasped for hope:

+In the spring of 2020 we hoped for a return to work, school, and church

+In the summer of 2020 we hoped for an end to the isolation and longed for community

+In the fall of 2020 we prayed and hoped for vaccines that would end the global pandemic

+During Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2020, we hoped for change, longing for a way to see our families

+In the winter and early spring of 2021, people in many parts of the country continued to hope for a return to in-person worship with their church families

It was a season of deep loss: loved ones died, become ill, or were isolated from us. Our grief was real, deep, and complex.

This Sunday we will examine what it means to experience deep hope today. It is the kind of hope that weathers a storm, stands up to the wind, and holds us firm no matter what comes.

Please read 1 John 2:28 - 3:3 to prepare your heart for Sunday’s sermon. This is a great week to invite a friend who is discouraged to connect online or to join you for in-person worship.

This Sunday, I look forward to celebrating our God with you, the One who is both our help in the past and our hope for all the days ahead.

Peace,

Pastor Cathy

New co-lead pastors for Christ Church

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 20:49:57 GMT

Bishop Tom Berlin has appointed Rev. Dr. Cathy Johns and Rev. Doug Johns as co-lead pastors for Christ Church United Methodist. Cathy and Doug are ordained elders in the West Ohio Annual Conference and have served as co-senior pastors for most of their pastoral ministry. Pastor Monique McBride, pastor Christ Church School and families, and Pastor Peytyn Tobin, associate pastor, have been reappoint to serve at Christ Church.

Pastor Cathy Johns is a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and a graduate of Manchester College (B.A., 1981), United Theological Seminary (M. Div., 1984), and Chicago Theological Seminary (D. Min., 2003).

Pastor Doug Johns is a native of Lansing, Michigan, and a graduate of Ohio Northern University (B.A., 1983), United Theological Seminary (M.Div.,1986), and recipient of the Executive Certificate of Religious Fundraising from Lake Institute/Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis, School of Philanthropy.

Pastors Cathy and Doug served churches separately for about 18 years before co-leading churches in 1995: First United Methodist Church, Warsaw, Indiana; and Church of the Saviour and Hyde Park Community, both United Methodist churches in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Each brings their own strengths to ministry. Pastor Cathy’s strengths are preaching, spiritual formation, and pastoral care. Pastor Doug’s gifts lie in administration and finance. After being in ministry in the West Ohio Conference, they moved to the Fort Lauderdale area in 2023.

The Johnses have a daughter and son-in-law who live in Cincinnati and a son and daughter-in-law who live in Lexington, South Carolina. They are blessed with three grandchildren.

The Johnses offer these words to us: “It is with great joy that we come to join you in ministry! God has blessed Christ Church United Methodist with a blessed past and a faithful present. We look forward to seeing the words from Jeremiah come alive: ‘For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.’ (Jeremiah 29:11)

“Please join us in prayer for God to guide our steps as we begin this journey together. We look forward to a vibrant ministry of loving, leading, and learning with you as we strive to be faithful to God’s call to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

Pastoral Update

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 21:14:53 GMT

November 27, 2023

Dear Church Family,

Greetings to you in the precious name of Jesus. It was a joy for me to worship with the Christ Church family on Sunday.

Barbara and I feel it’s important that we share the announcement that was made in church with everyone of you. Please find below the information regarding interim pastoral leadership for Christ Church between now and June 30, 2024.Should you have any questions, please reach out to either Barbara Driscoll, chair of the church Staff Parish Relations Committee, or me, Rev. Dr. Simon Osunlana, the South East District superintendent, through our email addresses listed at the end of this announcement. God bless you.

Following is the announcement shared in worship on Sunday:

"It is an honor to be present in worship today at Christ Church United Methodist in Fort Lauderdale, in a city where I served for 15 years as the senior pastor of St. John’s.

Before I bring the message, I wanted to give you an update on the transition here at Christ Church.

As Pastor Alex Shanks shared last week and as I shared previously by email, Pastor Nathan Adams, your lead pastor since July 2022, requested a transitional leave of absence to transition to his next appointment within our United Methodist connectional system. We, as a conference, are grateful for Nathan’s leadership in Christ Church and in Fort Lauderdale and continue to keep him and his wife Alicia in our prayers.

This past Monday night, I met with your Staff Parish Relations Committee, which is your leadership team related to the work of your staff and personnel.

We prayed together for Christ Church and for this transition and thought carefully about what is needed in this moment.

We took into account your commitment as a United Methodist Church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and your strong faithfulness related to our conference priorities related to being a vital and sustainable local church, a church that reaches all people in your community, a church that is passionate about missions and a church that creates and expands the beloved community and much more.

Any time there is a moment of transition, it is essential that we provide just the right leadership in this moment.

I am pleased to announce that both Rev. Peytyn Tobin, who is a licensed local pastor and has been your associate pastor at Christ Church since July 2023, and Rev. Monique McBride, who is an ordained deacon and has been appointed to Christ Church and Christ Church School for nine years, are both fully committed to serving this church and working with the leaders of the church and school staff during this season of transition until the Bishop and Cabinet and I discern who will be the new lead pastor to begin in July 2024.

In this in-between time, I wanted to share three important notes with you:

I am personally committed to doing all I can to assist you in this transition. My role as your District Superintendent is to care for you and for your pastors and staff and to do all I can to help. That is why I am here today. I look forward to talking with you and meeting you as together we face this moment.
I have asked my fellow cabinet colleague, Rev. Alex Shanks, who preached last Sunday, who is the Assistant to the Bishop, and who is a former pastor of Christ Church, to provide interim pastoral leadership and coverage between now and December 31, 2023. Pastor Alex will be in Sunday morning worship during the month of December and will be here next Sunday as Pastor Peytyn preaches the first Sunday in your advent worship series. Pastor Alex will then preach on December 10 and December 17, as well as the evening Christmas Eve services. Pastor Alex will join as many virtual meetings and be available to support Pastor Peytyn, Pastor Monique, and the church staff and leadership as needed.
Bishop Berlin and I have prayed long and hard about who the interim lead pastor would be to serve from January 2024 through June 2024. We knew we needed just the right person, and we believe an interim lead pastor for the first six months will be essential to the next steps. We have listened to the needs of the church leadership and consulted with our cabinet and the consistent name that came to us to serve Christ Church as the interim lead pastor is the same person who the appointive cabinet also discerned and your SPRC confirmed. I want to share with you that Rev. David McEntire will join you beginning in January 2024. I want to share some information about him AND assure you that he will be here next Sunday for Pastor Alex to introduce him.

About Pastor McEntire

David is a native of Atlanta, Ga., and has lived in diverse communities around the world.
David has faithfully served in ministry in and through the United Methodist Church for four-plus decades before retiring about a year ago in December 2022.
David has pastored churches in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church for more than 42 years.
He is a graduate of Florida State University, majoring in psychology and religion. He attended seminary at The Divinity School at Duke University.
David has served churches in Plantation, Ocklawaha, Fort Pierce and West Palm Beach, and most recently he served as the senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Lakeland, Florida, one of the largest and most complex churches in Florida. .
He has been a delegate to the South East Jurisdictional Conference and the General Conference of the United Methodist Church.
David has served on several Florida Conference Boards and agencies, including the Board of Ordained Ministry and the Florida Southern College Board of Trustees, and he has previously served as the chair of the Florida United Methodist Children's Home Board, The Florida Conference Board of Trustees and the Florida Conference Board of Camps and Retreat Ministries
David is married to Nancy Curran, who grew up in Pompano Beach. Nancy and her family were active members of First United Methodist Church of Pompano Beach, the church where David and Nancy were married and where David served as youth director.
Nancy and David have three adult children, Katie, Andy and Molly, who are all active in The United Methodist Church and are incredible leaders. They have two grandsons, Crosley and Jude.
David is firmly grounded in his Wesleyan roots and theology. He is passionate about mission and evangelism and, most of all, loves to preach.
David’s greatest joy is knowing that a person has come to know the love of Christ in a personal way."

Peace of Christ be with you,

Rev. Dr. Simon Osunlana Barbara Driscoll

District Superintendent Chair, Staff Parish Relations Committee

ds-se@flumc.org jbdriscoll@aol.com

Multiethnic Conversations Study Groups

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 18:59:43 GMT

“I looked again. I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there—all nations and tribes,

all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb and heartily singing: ‘Salvation to our God on his Throne! Salvation to the Lamb!’”

- Revelation 7:9-10 The Message

September 22, 2023

Hi Christ Church and Friends,

We hope you are having a great week!

We believe that God calls us to our mission as a church: to be a diverse and inclusive community that is experiencing and reflecting the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to one another and to our larger community. We believe that our mission is helping us individually and collectively to fulfill and live into God’s hope for what we usually call the Kingdom of God. As described in the book of Revelation in the Bible, one day in the Kingdom of God everyone and all of creation will worship God with one another. At Christ Church United Methodist we are striving to live into this, our future reality, today and trying to help others to do the same.

This work is hard though.

It takes intentionality, practice, patience, humility, and a lot of prayer!

Because we know this work is hard, this past Sunday, we kicked off our new worship series: Multiethnic Conversations: Unity in Our Church. Our hope is that this series will help us to continue to grow into the church and people God is calling us to be. It is based on the book with a similar title by Mark DeYmaz and Oneya Fennell Okuwobi. This book functions as a workbook and facilitator for deeper conversations.

As such, we are asking all Christ Church members and friends to participate in a small group study of this book over the next eight weeks.

Members of our Anti-Racism Task Force studied the book together over eight weeks or so earlier this ummer. We found it hopeful, challenging, inspiring, and even humor inducing. We had rich conversations and forged new friendships. We became a little more like the Kingdom of God.

You can read more about the various times you can join a small group and how, below. Also below are details on the book itself.

We believe this worship series and these small groups have the potential to transform our individual lives and our church community. We believe, through the work we do and the way we live our lives, that our extremely diverse region of our state and country, which many of us call home, will also be transformed.

Join us on Sundays for this important worship series and join one of the many small groups studying this book. As your pastors, we are praying for you individually and our church as a we take this journey together over the next several weeks as we continue to strive to live into the people and church Christ calls us to be now and forever more.

We’ll see you soon! Have a great day.

Peace,

Pastors Nathan and Peytyn

Summer Together

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 18:26:44 GMT

“The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community,

to their shared meals, and to their prayers.”

- Acts 2:42 CEB

July 17, 2023

Hi Christ Church and Friends,

I hope the summer finds you and yours doing well.

Here at Christ Church, we are in the middle of our Summer Together theme for Summer 2023. Throughout the summer, we are focusing on being together with one another and with our larger community. We are intentionally spending time together to get to know one another and to get to know our larger community and the people who are a part of it. This is the model offered to us by the early church in the book of Acts in the Bible.

As part of Summer Together , we’ve worshiped together in combined worship, had our first potluck in several years, enjoyed delicious food at an ice cream social, welcomed our new Associate Pastor, the Rev. Peytyn Tobin with a great reception (Welcome Pastor Peytyn. We’re so glad you are here with us)!, and gathered members of our online Christ Church community via Zoom. We also marched in the Pride Parade in Wilton Manors for the first time as a church. During the parade, countless people thanked us along the route and openly hugged many of us who marched. We are also preparing this weekend to host a mobile health clinic and lunch with our friends at TaskForce Fore Ending Homelessness.

In the coming weeks, we’ll also be putting our knowledge to the test at Trivia Night at Funky Buddha Brewery, playing at our game night with adult kickball on our Fort Lauderdale campus field, and enjoying a delicious churchwide dinner.

All of this is, of course, in addition to all of the other activities and ministries that are ongoing each week.

We are spending Summer Together intentionally for several reasons.

First, as I enter my second year as your Lead Pastor, one of the things so many of you have told me over and over again the past twelve months is that we don’t know each other well, and we don’t have enough opportunities to be together. Our Summer Together events are helping to address this directly.

Secondly, one of our priorities for our church is People. One of my visions for our church is that we will be a church that values people, especially people who have otherwise been devalued by other parts of society, including, perhaps, our church in the past. Diverse and inclusive aren’t simply buzzwords I and others say. They are descriptive of who we are and who we are becoming.

You’ve heard me say and will continue to hear me say that “relationships change everything.” Relationships help us to become more diverse and inclusive, which of course is reflective of God’s Kingdom and desire for our church and all of Christ’s followers. Indeed, it is hard to put into practice prioritizing people if we aren’t taking and making time to spend with one another intentionally. Summer Together activities are helping us to do this important work (and they are a lot of fun)!

Finally, Summer Together is helping us to be church.

Perhaps that sounds redundant, but hear me out. Summer Together and its various components are helping us to be church. I believe firmly that a church can do a lot of things, but who we are as we do those things and how we do them are as important as what we do, if not more so. When we say we prioritize People, it means we value people before other areas of our church, including our own preferences and even our own comfort. This is what the early church in Acts did. As it did so, it was Church, and it thrived! I believe God wants us to thrive, Christ Church!

So again, a church, including our church, must not simply do church, but it must also be church. Who we are as a church matters.

Part of my vision for our church and what we are creating together is not that we are simply a group of individuals who gather for various activities to do stuff that then disperses back to our individual lives. Instead, I see us becoming a group comprised of people (disciples of Jesus) who are earnestly seeking together to follow God through Jesus, to know and care for one another, and to do the same for our greater community. To fully be church, we must invest our time, talents, and treasures in following Jesus and in one another and our larger community. We are selling ourselves, our church, our community, and even God short if we do otherwise.

Many of you are already taking advantage of Summer Together . I’ve seen your smiles and heard your laughter. I’ve gathered around tables full of diverse people with you as we’ve enjoyed a delicious dessert and told stories of how we’re spending our summers. I’ve seen you step up to prepare and serve chili and offer a reminder that God loves everyone.

Summer Together wouldn’t be possible without so many of you who have generously shared your time, talents, and treasures. Thank you to our staff, Church Council, Rainbow Alliance, Staff Parish Relations Committee, Anti-Racism Task Force, choir, praise band, and so many others for helping us all to be church.

If you haven’t taken advantage of our Summer Together activities and gatherings, there are plenty more chances to do so. Again, we can’t fully be church without you! Click here to read about upcoming opportunities.

As always, thank you for being part of this diverse and inclusive community we call Christ Church. Together we are experiencing and reflecting the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to one another and our larger community!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Nathan

Lead Pastor

Living and Growing Together

Fri, 05 May 2023 12:52:30 GMT

May 1, 2023

“ 47 They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved. ” – Acts 2:47 CEB

“ 34 There were no needy persons among them. Those who owned properties or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds from the sales, 35 and place them in the care and under the authority of the apostles. Then it was distributed to anyone who was in need. ”

– Acts 4:34-35 CEB

Dear Christ Church,

Pastor Josh preached a great sermon on the above passages about the early Christian church recently as part of our ongoing worship series on Acts. In these passages, we read about the early church’s growth and daily life together. It is clear as we read about the Holy Spirit’s movement in this community that extraordinary things were happening as people worshiped together, ate together, studied scripture together, shared with one another and generally “did life together.” As Pastor Josh shared, the power of Jesus’ resurrection is in the power of relationship; God’s relationship with each and all of us and our relationship with one another.

We live out this Good News about relationships every day in our individual lives and in our collective lives as part of Christ Church United Methodist. We were able to do this in a powerful way during Holy Week and Easter. What a great experience it was to see more than 80 Christ Church members and friends come together during this time to serve one another and our larger community so that we could together celebrate and live out the Good News of Easter: the tomb is empty, and love and life prevails over sin and death. It was good to see so many of you in worship throughout the week, whether it was in our sanctuaries at either campus or in the gym or on the field at our Fort Lauderdale campus. Hundreds of people from our community of all ages and a wide range of demographics came to be together and to celebrate. Thank you for making it happen!

Last month, I shared that we have been working on key priorities of who we are as a church, specifically our identity and areas of focus. It is our hope that who we are guides and impacts what we do and how we do it. Here is a reminder of what our staff came up with:

Our Priorities

Our Mission Statement – We are an inclusive and diverse community experiencing and reflecting the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to one another and our community.
We are grateful.
People first
Growth – numerical and spiritual depth

As part of that work, we said that there are several catch phrases that will help us live out and be the church we all desire to be. Here are those as a reminder:

Our Catch Phrases

Our Mission Statement
We get to!
70/30! (I’m willing to be uncomfortable 30% of the time so that others might have a chance to be comfortable).
Relationships change everything.

During Holy Week, Easter, and really always, we try to live into these priorities and catch phrases. We intentionally try to connect with our community and one another because, as the passages from Acts show us, “relationships change everything.” As Pastor Josh reminded us in his recent sermon, the key to relationships is making time to be in the same proximity with others. The more you, and we, are intentional about making time to show up and be with one another, the more we and our church will grow. I generally try not to make too many broad promises, but I am convinced that this statement is true. If you, me, and we prioritize showing up and being with one another, we will grow. Growth, as the staff pointed out, is also one of our priorities as a church.

Also, on display during Holy Week and Easter were our other two priorities.

One of my favorite conversations was with one of our volunteers. I thanked him for his time and being present with us. Without hesitating he responded, “Thank you for having me. I’m so grateful to be here on Easter doing this.” He was grateful and indeed was experiencing and reflecting the love, hope, and joy of Jesus.

Friends, God is moving in our midst, and you and others are responding. As one quick example, we recently celebrated two adult baptisms in the life of our church, nine adults joined our congregation, five youth were confirmed, and eight more adults plan to join our church this month!

I recently had a lunch with a leader from the LGBTQIA+ community here in South Florida. At the end of our conversation he said, “It is so refreshing to have a conversation with a Christian like you.” Wow!

Christ Church and friends, we are a church community that is full of “Christians like you.” I am honored to help lead us all. I’m excited that I get to do this critical work. Why? Because there are millions (literally) of other people here in South Florida looking for Christians who love them, who accept them, and who are filled with and willing to share the love, hope, and joy of Jesus. We get to do this, everyone!

I teased last month that in addition to catch phrases that we want to use, our staff also came up with a few phrases that we DO NOT want to use; we want to STOP using them. Here they are:

Us/Them – (we are one)
We used to…
Before COVID…
That’s not my job.
We/I don’t have enough….time, money, people, etc.

Have you caught yourself saying these? I know I say and think them from time to time. I encourage you to join our staff and myself and take these phrases out of your language. These are phrases that, if we say them, we then believe them, and they then shape us into a different people and church than what God is calling us to be. These phrases, and the mindset that accompanies them, do not foster growth, relationships, or gratitude, let alone love, hope, and joy. So, join me in getting rid of them.

As we do so, I am convinced that God will continue to work through us in extraordinary ways just like God did in the early church.

Let’s get to it!

Have a great day, everyone.

Peace,

Nathan Adams

Lead Pastor

Living into our Priorities

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 16:47:55 GMT

April 3, 2023

“He isn’t here, because he’s been raised from the dead, just as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him.”

- Matthew 28:6 CEB

Dear Christ Church and Friends,

It is finally here! Holy Week and Easter are here!

Everything changes with the above verse echoed in Matthew’s Gospel when the angel pronounces that the tomb is empty and that Jesus is risen! Death, sin, nor anything else have the final say on our lives or any part of creation. Instead life is the final answer. Specifically, life made possible by God’s unconditional love for all has the final say! Life defeats death even when death had looked like it had won.

This is what we celebrate during Holy Week and on Easter: Life and love have the final answer!

I hope you are making plans to join us this week at any of our worship services and activities. You can read more about everything happening in the life of our church on our website.

Hundreds of people will be joining us for this life-changing celebration. They’ll get the opportunity to experience a little of who we are and who we are becoming at Christ Church United Methodist, just like many of you do each week.

I shared a couple of weeks ago in one of my sermons that I have been reading a lot more this year than I have in past years. One of the books I read recently is Daniel Coyle’s The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups. I’ve been working with my clergy coach to apply in the life of our church some of what the book discusses.

So far, we have used and are using some of what the book offers in our staff meetings. Recently the staff took time to discuss catchphrases we sometimes say or hear that identify who we are as a staff and as a church. It was a lively conversation. After much discussion, we came up with not only catchphrases that help us identify who we are, but also priorities that are driving us in our work.

Here’s some of what we came up with:

Priorities:

Our Mission Statement – We are an inclusive and diverse community experiencing and reflecting the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to one another and our community.
We are grateful.
People first
Growth – numerical and depth

Catchphrases to embrace and embed to help us live out our priorities and identity!

Our Mission Statement
We get to!
70/30! (I’m willing to be uncomfortable 30% of the time so that others might have a chance to be comfortable).
Relationships change everything.

This is just a first working draft of this work with our staff. I know there is a danger in sharing unfinished work, but what do you think? Do these priorities and catchphrases describe who we are as a church? What are we missing? What would you add? What might our church look like if we all fully embraced these priorities and catchphrases, and they became a natural part of who we are and the language we use?

Don’t worry, we developed a list of negative catchphrases that we sometimes find ourselves using or hear others using. I’ll share those in a future post. Those are the phrases that we want to stop using immediately because they do not describe the church we are now nor the one we wish to be.

My hope is when you or anyone else joins us -- whether it be for Holy Week, Easter or another time; whether you join us in person or online; whether you are at our school or either of our campuses -- that you will experience these priorities and positive catchphrases. Indeed, it is my hope, prayer, and vision that this is who we will fully become.

We have more work to get there, but I believe we are on our way. I’m delighted that we get to be on this journey together.

I am pumped to celebrate my first Holy Week and Easter with you as your Lead Pastor. I can’t wait to celebrate this life-changing week with you, your friends and family, and our larger community.

He is risen, and the tomb is empty. Praise God! The tomb is empty!

Grace and peace,

Nathan,

Lead Pastor

a special Serve Easter edition

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 16:58:26 GMT

March 22, 2023

Dear Christ Church and Friends,

I hope that you are all doing well.

I shared this week in our worship services about spiritual disciplines and that we need your help as Easter approaches. We need your help to welcome all of the people who will be joining us on Easter to celebrate the Good News of the Resurrection.

Easter remains a day for many who don't usually visit church/worship to check us out and spend some time with us. As such, our whole morning of Easter on both of our campuses will be focused on having a festive and joyous celebration to welcome both those who usually worship with us and all of the guests who will join us!

At our Fort Lauderdale Campus, one aspect of this celebration will be to make use of our beautiful field and location by having a mini-Easter festival, if you will, on the field. This will be in addition to our Sunrise service and our 9am service, which will both be on the field. The festival will be simply for people to linger a bit longer and visit with one another between services that morning and to show our community as they walk, drive, cycle, etc. by the field that we are here and that they are welcome to join us, whether it is on Easter or at any other time throughout the year.

We are planning to have simple games and light refreshments on the field to help facilitate this. A Kona Ice food truck will us join us for part of the morning too! We are also working to incorporate other Easter traditions into this morning, such as the Easter egg hunt and the Easter flower cross. Those details are still being finalized.

We will also be creating a great celebration at our Parkway Campus on Easter morning. We will worship that morning as well as have an Easter egg hunt after the service there!

So, this is where you all come in!

We need your help to make all of this happen, so we can serve and connect with as many people as possible on Easter and share Christ's love, hope, and joy with them. As I talked about this week, this is a powerful way to practice the spiritual discipline of sharing your time, talents, and treasures with others. Easter and Christmas are our Super Bowls, if you will. They are the most holy and important times in the life of our church and in our lives as Christians.

We are looking for team leads for various areas such as set up, welcoming and clean up. If you lead one of these areas, you'll have the freedom to lead this area as you see fit. Of course, we'll also need people to serve in these various areas. We have created a form where you can sign up to serve in the various areas that are needed. It can be accessed here: christchurchfl.org/serve-easter You may note your interest in leading a team in the comments box on the form.

Please let me know what questions you might have. If you have suggestions for people to serve as team leads or to serve in another capacity, please ask them to sign up!

Thank you all for all you do in the life of our church. I appreciate it and you. We're going to have a great Easter here at Christ Church United Methodist. I can't wait to celebrate my first one with you!

Have a great day.

Peace,

Pastor Natha n

No "have to" here, we "get to"

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 16:42:53 GMT

March 2, 2023

Dear Christ Church and Friends,

I hope that you are having a great day!

Be forewarned, this blog post is going to have a lot of “get to” in it because the past week or so has made me so grateful that I get to serve as your Lead Pastor.

Some of you have heard me tell the story of my first Christmas Eve at the church I served in North Miami Beach. I can’t quite explain what happened that evening, but as each person shook my hand or gave me a hug and we wished each other Merry Christmas, I couldn’t help but thinking to myself, “These are my people. I am their pastor.” Like most appointments in the United Methodist Church, I had been there since the previous July, but it was that evening when it finally all came together if you will. There had been other moments, but not quite like that. Indeed, as I headed home that evening, I left contented and filled with peace.

Well, that type of moment happened for me again recently at the conclusion of our Ash Wednesday service. I have been proud to be your Lead Pastor, and obviously have been since July, but for me that special and familiar feeling of “These are my people. I am their pastor,” came rushing over me in a powerful and different way on Ash Wednesday. It wasn’t just after service, but really throughout the day.

As a church we had a great Ash Wednesday; one worth celebrating! It started with administering ashes in our sanctuary and in our parking lot on Commercial Boulevard. The Sun Sentinel even got pictures of this! Then we had a great chapel for our school, Christ Church School (CCS) led by Pastor Monique. It was a joy to place a cross on our little ones’ heads or hands and to see how eager they were to receive it. Later that evening, Pastor Monique led our family Ash Wednesday event and administered ashes at our Fort Lauderdale campus, while Pastor Josh and I (and our great choir) led the Ash Wednesday service at our Parkway Campus. We even brought out extra chairs to make sure we had enough seating!

I often leave our Parkway campus on Wednesday nights after service with a full heart, but I found it even fuller on Ash Wednesday. I mean, read that paragraph again, friends. We had an awesome day in the life of our church. Thank you to everyone who played a part in making it happen. I couldn’t help but think what I so often think, “I get to do this! We get to do this!” I left that night with that same sense of contentment and peace that I did many Christmas Eves ago in North Miami Beach.

Honestly though, that was just the start of what was quite a great week of “getting to do this.” Check out just some of the highlights of what I got to do and all of the fantastic people who I (and we) get to meet, serve, and be in relationship with:

On Thursday, clergy folks in the SE District of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church got to meet with our new Bishop, the Rev. Tom Berlin, for a question-and-answer session and lunch. It was extra special for me as it was my first such clergy gathering in the district since returning from five years of service in Colorado.
On Thursday evening I got to have dinner with members of our Rainbow Alliance in Wilton Manors as we dreamed and planned future opportunities for our church to continue to grow as an inclusive community.
That Friday afternoon my dog, Chance, and I walked over to the field on our Fort Lauderdale campus for a food truck rally hosted by CCS and to cheer on the CCS Flag Football team. Go Cheetahs! We won! I hear we’ll be playing for the championship soon. It was great to see and chat with many of our students and families.
Saturday, I got the opportunity and honor to celebrate the life of Mona Thiem with her family and friends as we gathered for her memorial service. I consider honoring you and your loved ones in this manner one of the most sacred acts that I get to do as a pastor.
Later that evening, my wife Alicia and I got to get all dressed up and visit with our CCS parents and great faculty for the annual auction. It was great to get to meet folks in a different setting, and the event raised a lot of money for our great school. Thank you to everyone who donated.
Sunday, February 26, was CCS Sunday. What a joy it was to get to be led by our two wonderful guest pastors for the morning! They did a great job. Well done, Quinn and Rylan!
On Monday afternoon, I got to spend some time with one of our most dedicated servants at our Parkway Campus. She walked me around the campus and told and showed me all of the great ways we are helping people in real and tangible ways to experience the love, hope, and joy of Jesus. I was quite moved by the time I left. Wow!
Tuesday afternoon, brought a lunch meeting on the beach. Seriously, lunch on the beach? I get to do this as part of my job?
Finally, on Wednesday evening, I got to spend the evening with more than 70 of our neighbors on the Fort Lauderdale Campus as we hosted the annual meeting for the Coral Ridge Country Club Estates Community Association. You better believe I loved getting to greet folks in the room as your Lead Pastor. It was an honor to get to represent you all and meet some of my neighbors since the Lead Pastor parsonage is in the neighborhood.

So, why did I take the time to write all of that out? Well for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted to give you just a glimpse of what a week or so in my life looks like as your Lead Pastor. More than that though, I hope you hear my joy and gratitude in the words above. I’m still amazed that I get to be your Lead Pastor. It isn’t imposter syndrome. Promise. Instead, it comes from a deep place of gratitude for this opportunity and for each of you who make it possible. None of what I listed above is possible without you. That is especially true of our incredible staff and lay leaders throughout our church and school. (Also, props to my wife, Alicia, for all she does in public and behind the scenes to support me).

Here’s the thing though, I also shared this because you too get to be a part of the great things happening here at Christ Church and in your individual life. Remember, you “get to.” To me, it all boils down to our mission statement: we are an inclusive and diverse church family that is experiencing and reflecting the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to our community. That’s our job individually as Christians and as a part of Christ Church. We get to do this. Seriously, we get to experience the love, hope, and joy of Jesus and then reflect it with and to others.

When you as an individual and we as a church make the shift from “have to” to “get to,” I promise you, it will change so much. No longer are you obliged to do something, but you get to, and wow, what a joy it is to be able to get to do something rather than having to do it. Even the hard stuff.

Again, Christ Church and friends, thank you for allowing me to get to be your Lead Pastor and for you to be my people. I’m honored to get to do this thing we call church together.

Now, let’s get to it.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Nathan

The 70/30 rule and discomfort

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 12:31:56 GMT

February 2, 2023

Hi Christ Church and friends!

As I typed the date of this blog post, I realized it is Groundhog Day. I also realized, Groundhog Day is a little less important for me than last year when I lived in a slightly different climate. Ok. I really didn’t pay attention to Groundhog Day when I lived in Colorado either. My apologies to those of you who anticipate February 2nd every year (and to Punxsutawney Phil, of course). ☺

Groundhog Day means though that we are nearing the start of the Lenten season. You read that correctly, Lent begins in less than three weeks, on Ash Wednesday, February 22. Then it’ll be on to Easter six weeks later.

Before we look forward, let’s take a moment to look back. We had a joy-filled Advent and Christmas season here at Christ Church United Methodist. We had great concerts, various events for our School and Parkway and Fort Lauderdale campuses. We had parties and, of course, meaningful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship services. One of my favorite moments of the year as a pastor is being able to greet you all with a hearty “Merry Christmas“ before and after services those days. I hope you found the season inspiring and comforting, especially after two years of not being able to celebrate Christmas in more familiar ways due to COVID.

During Advent, we also moved the worship service at our Parkway Campus to Wednesday evenings. I’ve enjoyed getting to know better those of you who call the Parkway Campus your church home. I love the opportunity to worship each week with you all. If you haven’t worshiped at Parkway yet, I encourage you to check it out. We worship at 6pm, after the free community meal at 5pm. The service is informal and intimate. You’ll recognize many of the hymns and songs as those we sing at our Fort Lauderdale Campus. Parkway is located at 100 NE 44th Street in Deerfield Beach.

This January we continued the great work of experiencing and reflecting the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to our community. In worship, we dove deeper into our values of being a social justice-seeking church, anti-racist church, and a reconciling and inclusive church as part of our Bloom worship series. This series gave us the opportunity to discuss these important parts of our discipleship and our lives together, as we proclaim that Jesus calls us to love one another and to this work specifically.

I must admit that some sermons are easier to preach than others. The sermons from the Bloom series did not fall into that category. Honestly, they were exhausting to write and even more so to preach. Yet, I believe wholeheartedly they were critical in our continued work and growth as a church.

We must be aware of why we are doing what we are doing and where we are currently, before we go where God is leading us. This series was one small way to help us in this work. I’ve had several of you quote back to me the 70/30 concept I shared in the sermons. This concept simply states that in order for our church to grow more diverse and inclusive and otherwise, we have to be comfortable with being comfortable 70% of the time and uncomfortable 30% of the time, knowing that when we are in our comfort zone, others may be in their respective “discomfort” zone and vice versa. If we can make this not simply a concept, but our reality, I am convinced that God will do things with and through us we could never imagine. Let us never forget the discomfort Jesus was willing to, and did, experience for each and every one of us. We can do the same for others.

At the end of January, we started a new worship series, It Takes a Forest. Our Bad: When the Christian Church Got it Wrong. The intent of the series is to acknowledge that we need each other, that we and the Christian Church haven’t always acknowledged that, and to offer hope for how to move forward as we do better. We kicked off the series with a challenge and invitation not to live in fear and scarcity, but instead to use our time, talent, and treasure to live and reflect the abundant life of love, hope, and joy that Jesus offers us all. This is, after all, what we get to do!

I am also proud and excited to share that we marched in Fort Lauderdale’s King Holiday Celebration parade on MLK Day. This was a simple, but powerful way for our church to show up, be in our community, and show that we care about our community. Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for this powerful witness of the love, hope, and joy we share with our community. We hope to participate again next year with some options for those who aren’t physically able to march.

There were many other great things happening in January as well. We launched another Grow Group on Sunday mornings, had a great Worship Workshop on baptism, held our annual Church Council Orientation, continued our excellent ministries for children, youth, those with food and housing insecurities, and so much more. Also, have you heard our praise band, choir, or handbell choir recently? Almost every week I am delighted by the top-notch music we get to hear and sing and by the musicians who lead us in worship. I am incredibly grateful that they are sharing their time and talents with us all.

As we look ahead to February and Lent, we have much to anticipate. Ash Wednesday worship for the life of our church will be held at our Parkway Campus at 6pm on February 22. Our choir will lead us in worship, I’ll give a message of repentance based on Psalm 51, and we’ll have an opportunity to have ashes imposed. Check our Facebook page for other events taking place on Ash Wednesday in the life of our church and school.

As February has arrived, we continue to be reminded that it is Black History Month. Recent events in our state and nation, including the death of Tyre Nichols, remind us of why we continue to need to celebrate Black history. To put it plainly, black and brown lives and our history, continue to be devalued. We are a church that believes God values all life, especially those who are often overlooked, because we are all created in God’s image. Our Anti-Racism Task Force is organizing several opportunities to celebrate Black history this month and to continue the conversation and work of anti-racism. Our Rainbow Alliance is meeting this month to discuss our next steps and plan future activities. Check out the “serve” tab on the church website for more information on both of these areas in the life of our church.

Finally, I want to extend a special invitation to the South East District annual training event on Saturday, March 4. The event is entitled Eliminating Racism Through Change: Being the Body of Christ. We are hosting the event at our Fort Lauderdale Campus. Pastor Josh Beaty, lay member Susan Spragg and I are part of the planning team. Jason Campbell and our praise band will lead music. I will be one of the keynote speakers, along with my friend and colleague, the Rev. Chip Freed, lead pastor of Garfield Memorial Church in Ohio. The event will feature great music and conversations on becoming, being, and growing as an anti-racist and diverse church with many workshops related to this. It promises to be a powerful morning. I’d love to see many Christ Church folks present, not only to support the Christ Church team that is helping to make it happen, but so that we can continue to learn and grow together.

I offer a word of appreciation for our many staff members who will be working tirelessly in the weeks ahead to make sure the day, including the district youth event we are hosting that evening, goes well. You can register for the training event and read more about it here.

I’m also excited to share that Rev. Freed will join us in our Sunday morning worship services on Sunday, March 5. Rev. Freed is a dynamic preacher and pastor. I can’t wait for you to get to meet and hear from him.

Thank you for being a part of the great work God is doing here at Christ Church, everyone. I am so grateful that you are. Let’s continue to use our time, talent, and treasure to experience and reflect the love, hope, and joy of Jesus Christ to our community. This is indeed what we get to do. Let‘s continue to do it!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Nathan

The Kingdom of God Now!

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 04:00:22 GMT

December 5, 2022

“The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.”

- John 1:14a The Message

Dear Christ Church Members and Friends,

I hope that this holy season of Advent and Christmas finds you and yours doing well as we journey together toward Christmas and the celebration of Jesus’ birth.

Speaking of journeys, I recently had the opportunity to journey with one of our staff members to the Mosaix Conference outside of Dallas. The conference was for those who are either already part of a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-racial congregation or those hoping to help to lead their current congregation to become one. It was a great and inspiring gathering of leaders, both clergy and non-clergy, from across the country and various denominations who seek to help lead congregations to be reflective of the Kingdom of God here and forever more. After all, the book of Revelation teaches us that the Kingdom of God will be a place where everyone will be – all nations and tribes, all races and languages (Revelation 7:9 The Message).

Alongside passionate and diverse worship, we heard inspirational and challenging speakers throughout the conference. One thing that stuck with me was also about journeying. I heard several speakers say, “You’ve got to let people know where you (and they) are headed so that they know whether or not they want to go with you, and then you can go”

One of the speakers harkened back to a time when flight attendants announced the final destination of the flight before take-off and then invited folks to exit the plane if that wasn’t their destination. I never flew when this was a common practice, but I have seen enough movies to be familiar with the concept.

It is a powerful reminder for us all. For a flight, it reminds us that we are headed to a specific destination. Other destinations may be lovely, but those aren’t where this particular flight is headed. This also communicates clearly to everyone the purpose of the flight and offers an opportunity for folks to choose whether they wish to be a part of the flight. The destination, though, doesn’t change.

The illustration is a powerful one to me. I’ve mentioned it several times to many of you and our staff has and is discussing the metaphor as well.

I shared recently in our stewardship worship series that I am convinced (convicted even) that God is calling us to be an inclusive and multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural church that is doing its best to experience and reflect the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to our community. Our community, South Florida (and beyond), is an inclusive and diverse place. I believe wholeheartedly that God expects our church to be reflective of the community we are a part of. This is the direction and destination our church has been on and continues to be on.

I have had conversations with so many of you. You have shared that you are excited that this is where we are headed as a church. You are excited and proud to be a place that takes seriously the call of God to serve and love all people, especially those who have historically been overlooked or excluded from full participation in the life of the Christian Church.

We aren’t there yet, of course. We have much work to do together.

One of the things we heard over and over at the conference was that this work is hard. This work is uncomfortable. This work is gradual. So, as we continue to journey toward Christmas and beyond, we are reminded to follow Jesus’ example; to be present and to show up, to spend time with people where they are, and with all types of people especially those who have been overlooked by others. After all, Jesus came as one of us humans. Born to unwed and likely poor parents, Jesus came and lived with us humans. In fact, Eugene Peterson’s The Message says that Jesus came and moved into the neighborhood.

Over and over again throughout Jesus’ ministry and life, we see him proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is here, now! Now! We see Jesus breaking the social and religious boundaries of the day, inviting others to be a part of and to experience the Kingdom, now. We are called to do the same. This is where “our plane” as Christ Church has been and continues to be headed.

As we journey together, we’ll be doing our best to follow our discipleship practices and stated values as listed on our website. Pastor Josh and I have preached about these over the past several months to make it clearer where we are headed together. All of these predate me as your Lead Pastor, but I’m excited to help us live them out, because they will be life- and community-changing if we practice them together.

Here are the values again so that you can see just how life-giving they are. They also hang on the walls of our gym lobby as reminders for us all.

The core values of our ministry are:

Driven by the Holy Spirit -- We want to be where God is leading us.
Courageous Change -- We want to have the courage to change to reach new people in new ways, as God leads.
Outwardly Focused -- We want to serve our community before we serve ourselves.
Intentional Discipleship -- We want each ministry to help others take the next step in their faith journey.
Congregational Ministry -- Ministry is to be carried out by the congregation, equipped by pastors and staff.

In the days, months, and years ahead, these values along with our discipleship practices will continue to guide us as we use and share our collective time, talents, and treasure and make decisions around these areas.

Indeed we are doing this work already!

We are using our time, talent, and treasure to pour into our community and the various neighborhoods we are a part of. This work includes investing in worship on Wednesdays at our Parkway Campus. We are buying more than 400 gifts this Christmas season for abused, neglected and abandoned children in our community. We continue to feed people throughout the week. We are raising awareness of and advocating for those in our church, school, and greater community who are marginalized because of who they love or how they identify. This is to say little of the ways we have been doing this work in areas such as worship at our Fort Lauderdale Campus, our ministries with children and youth, our school and partnership with Tedder Elementary, our various small groups, Grow Hour, Anti-Racism Task Force, Rainbow Alliance, and so much more.

As we concluded our stewardship worship series, Grow Together and Lift, based on the book The Gift of Lift, by David York, I invited each of us to name our own values. It is our values that will ultimately guide our daily lives and the direction of where we are headed. You can catch the interview we were able to have with David York here. You can also watch the sermon on values here . If you haven’t had a chance yet to do so, I invite you to take time to determine the values that drive and motivate you and how you use your time, talent, and treasure. Our values drive each of our decisions, whether we can articulate them or not. The same is true of our church.

Based on the values you all named years ago, I’m convinced that we will continue to grow into the church and the people God is calling and expecting us to be. As we do this, more and more folks will be able to experience and reflect the love, hope, and joy of Jesus.

Finally, a big thank-you to all of you who have filled out your 2023 Commitment Card! If you haven’t had a chance to do so yet, please take a moment to fill out one. You can fill out a hard copy the next time you are at either of our campuses, or y ou can fill one out online here . If you give regularly already and plan to do so in 2023, we’d still love for you to fill out a Commitment Card so we are aware of your commitment and can thank you better.

As Christmas comes near, I’m excited for us to continue to head toward the inclusive and diverse multi-ethnic, multi-racial, and multi-cultural church that God is helping us become. We’ll do so as we live out our stated values. We’ll do so by showing up and being present with one another and others as Jesus modeled for us.

I look forward to seeing you in person or online for one of our many Advent events or for one of our worship services for Christmas Eve, Christmas, or New Year's Day.

Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Year's, everyone.

Peace,

Pastor Nathan

Fully invested in something greater than ourselves

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 04:37:28 GMT

Dear Christ Church Community and Friends,

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:21 CEB

I hope the fall season finds you and yours doing well.

Across Christ Church United Methodist we are in the middle of our Stewardship Worship Series and Campaign, Grow Together and Lift. In worship, we have been using the book The Gift of Lift, by David R. York, as a jumping off point for our conversation and work.

York defines stewards as those who are fully invested in something bigger than themselves. My hope throughout this series and beyond isn’t that we simply practice stewardship, but that we grow into the stewards God asks us to be, and that we do this together, as we lift up ourselves and others.

As Christians and part of the Christ Church community, we are invited to be fully invested in the work that God is doing through our church, its ministries, and people. Indeed, the investment isn’t simply in Christ Church. It is in the work God is doing through us all, the work God is doing through you. It is also the way our work as a church, combined with that of others around the world, is helping to usher in the Kingdom of God.

In my short time as your Lead Pastor, it has been a joy to see how your commitment to be stewards investing in something bigger than yourselves is having a huge impact in the lives of so many. Each week hundreds of people learn about Jesus’ love for all. More than a hundred people a week receive hot meals and groceries at our Parkway Campus. Hundreds of students and their families are touched by our great Christ Church School as students learn and play into adolescence. We are building relationships across the life of our church and into our community through worship, times of fellowship such as Holy Grounds, the Grow Hour between services, and our dynamic partnership with i9 Sports.

All of these great ministries and so many more require the work of stewards. Because you are investing your time, talents, and financial resources into the life of our church, it is changing the lives of countless people. Thank you to all of you who are already the stewards God asks us to be. Keep up the great work.

Our stewardship campaign each year is an intentional time when we are invited to examine and pray about how God wants us to live our lives as stewards. During this time, we consider how we are fully investing our time, talents, and financial resources into the work of God at and through Christ Church. I also hope it is a time when we dream and ponder the question, “What might happen if more of us were invested in this work?” and “What would happen if I were even more invested than I am?”

Those are the questions I invite you to ponder and answer this season.

I believe wholeheartedly that living out lives as stewards isn’t simply something God invites or asks us to do, but it is the life that God created us for. We are created to fully invest in the work of God around us. When we do this, not only are we growing into the people God created us to be, we are also helping others do the same. We may also save lives, their lives; we are growing together and lifting. This is where Jesus is asking us to place our hearts and our treasures as mentioned in the scripture above.

If you feel the same, I invite you to fill out the enclosed Commitment Card where you can indicate your financial pledge for 2023 to the work that God is doing at and through Christ Church. My wife, Alicia, and I are proud to join you in this work. You can also indicate on the card if you’d like to give of your time and talents in 2023. Cards can be brought to worship on Commitment Sunday, November 20, or on any Sunday after that. You may also return it to the church office at our Fort Lauderdale Campus at your convenience or fill it out online at christchurchfl.org/pledge.

A big thank-you to all of you who already give so much to make Christ Church the great and growing church that it is today. Thank you to those of you who already pledge or regularly give financially. For those of you who give regularly but haven’t previously pledged, thank you for your generosity. I encourage you to make a pledge for 2023 as you continue to give. Finally, for those who don’t currently give, I invite you to begin giving in 2023. We become stewards and experience the joy of growing together and lifting as we align our treasures with something bigger than ourselves.

Let us work together through being stewards as we do our best at Christ Church United Methodist to experience and reflect the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to our community.

Have a great day.

Peace,

Nathan Adams

Lead Pastor

The Holy Work of Relationship Building

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 03:29:39 GMT

Dear Christ Church Family and Friends,

I hope the start of a new month finds you and yours doing well.

I just got to experience my first Trunk or Treat at our church! Wow. What a great evening it was. It was so much fun seeing people from our church, school, and larger community gather and have a fun evening. More than 2,000 people participated in the event!!

Thank you to all of you who served in so many ways and who made it possible. A special thank-you to Pastor Monique, Susannah, Kerry, Lisa, and the rest of our staff and various leaders who worked so hard to make it a reality. I’m told that more than 100 volunteers from our church community and beyond made it happen. Talk about working together for something bigger than ourselves! Thank you all. If you didn’t get a chance to participate this year, make sure you take advantage of the opportunity next year.

Events and experiences like Trunk or Treat leave me so incredibly grateful to be your Lead Pastor.

In addition to Trunk or Treat, over the past month I have enjoyed spending time reading with our second graders at Christ Church School and with first graders at Tedder Elementary near our Parkway Campus. I’ve been inspired by our conversations and planning with our anti-racism group. Led by our Rainbow Alliance group, several of us went together to a film at the Fort Lauderdale OUTShine LGBQTIA Film Festival. Candidly, we all agreed that the film wasn’t that great, but the company and experience together certainly was. While we didn’t have much of a turnout from the immediate neighborhood when we handed out candy on Halloween at our Parkway Campus, those of us who were there enjoyed chatting with one another. I also enjoyed the opportunity to continue to get to know several of our key leaders at this campus. Our Grow Group between worship services in Fort Lauderdale has restarted. We had great conversations about the Bible over the past several weeks. Finally, our various administrative teams have been working hard over the past month to get ready for our Charge Conference on Monday, December 5, and to set us up as best we can for the start of a new year in 2023. (Yes, the holidays are here!!!)

Indeed, as I shared last month, I think relationships are the key to so much. The opportunities mentioned here (yes, including our committee meetings, lol), plus so many others, allow me to continue to get to know you all and hopefully you all, me. I’ll keep doing my best to not simply meet you but to actually get to know you. Feel free to reach out for a one-on-one if you’d like. Many of you have done that. I have enjoyed them!

In addition to building relationships with one another, all of these various opportunities create in me a sense of awe (I recently preached about this. Check out my sermon from October 30 , if you are interested in hearing more about this.) However, it isn’t just awe.

This sense of awe leads me to a sense of gratitude. I am grateful because I genuinely am excited that I get to be here with you all serving as your Lead Pastor. I shared recently on my personal Facebook page that I have the best job. I’ve heard our Head of School, Tane, and Pastor Monique say this as well. (I think I’m right, but I digress). What leads me and others to say this isn’t that we love everything about our jobs or that every day is the best day ever. If only.

No, it comes from, I think, a place of gratitude. It is a recognition that we get to serve and lead with you all. It comes from a place that recognizes that you entrust us with helping to lead your spiritual lives, you entrust us to help teach and lead your children, you invite us into your lives to celebrate the high moments, to cry with you when you mourn, and clink glasses when we together recognize a job well done. This is holy and sacred work. How could I (and we) not be grateful?

The great news is that it isn’t just work that clergy or church staff members get to experience. This is the work that Jesus calls us all to do. We are all called and invited to recognize and experience the sacred work entrusted to us, as we uplift and care for one another, learn and play with one another, and share our lives with one another.

As we turn to a season of giving thanks, know that I give thanks for you. I am thrilled at what God is already doing with and through us all, Christ Church. I can’t wait to see what is next.

Have a blessed, safe, and restful Thanksgiving.

Peace,

Pastor Nathan

An Early Perspective

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 22:50:04 GMT

An Early Perspective

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.”

- 2 Peter 3:18b

Hi Christ Church and Friends!

We’re well past two months now of me getting to be and serve as your new Lead Pastor! What a joy it has been so far.

As I shared recently in a sermon, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve with and among you all. When I think about all of the twists and turns my life and the life of our church have taken to get us ready for one another, I’m awed by God’s movement.

Throughout our most recent worship series I shared about my vision for our church: that we would be a place that takes seriously and lives out our mission statement of reflecting the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to our community. Furthermore, I emphasized that we would do this across the life of our church, including our Parkway and Fort Lauderdale campuses as well as in and through our school, Christ Church School. We are fortunate to have such great staff, leaders, laity, and facilities across our various ministries. Thank you for being a part of it!

Because I believe so strongly in the work and service we are doing on both of our campuses and in our school, I’ve spent intentional time trying to meet as many people as possible throughout our church community. This has included one-on-one meetings with the majority of our staff and with our Church Council members, as well as with leaders of our Welcome Ministries and Care Team. I believe the best way to help our church grow, both in depth and number, is through relationship. So, if I haven’t gotten a chance to meet you yet, shoot me an email or give me a call so we can connect.

This need to build relationships isn’t unique to me or our other pastors, Pastors Josh and Monique. No indeed. We are all called to relationship building. As we all together are creating and building relationships across our campuses, in our school, and in our larger community, we will impact countless lives, and we can’t help but grow and help connect people to Jesus.

After all, God gave us the greatest example of the power of relationship and presence that we have through Jesus’ coming. We call that the incarnation, which simply means “in the flesh;” God came to be in relationship, in the flesh, with us so that we and all might grow.

“Grow” is our overarching theme for this year, both in the life of our church and in our school. 2 Peter 3:18 quoted above is our focus scripture. Our hope and work always as Christians is to grow in God’s grace and in our knowledge of God, and to help others do the same.

Earlier this spring, prior to my arrival, our Church Council took three votes that I believe wholeheartedly will help us to do exactly that: to grow in the grace and knowledge of God and to share it with others. In those votes they affirmed that we are a social justice seeking church, a Reconciling church, and an anti-racist church. Said another way, earlier this year they affirmed that our church believes that all people, regardless of their race or ethnicity, sexuality or gender, economic status, or otherwise, are loved and created by God and will be fully welcomed as they are. More simply, these votes, I believe, make a public statement that you, your child or grandchild, sibling, partner, co-worker, neighbor, or friend will be fully welcomed just as you and as they are. As many of you are well aware, this just simply isn’t true at every church. Your commitment to living out these values is a large part of why I said yes and accepted this appointment.

Having said that, we have much work to do to make this truly our reality on both of our campuses, as well as at our school. Thankfully you all and we have been working to live out these values. We live them out because we aren’t just talking about values, we are talking about people created in the image of God. We live them out because, while it makes some uncomfortable or maybe even ourselves uncomfortable, we recognize that for far too long so many others have been uncomfortable, and it’s past time that we as followers of Jesus change this.

I’ve been proud to begin my work with you all spending some of my time working with both our Anti-Racism Task Force and our Rainbow Alliance as they help guide and lead our church in these areas so that we all can more fully live into these values individually and as a church and school.

Our Anti-Racism Task Force hosted its first in-person meeting recently and hosted a discussion of the book His Name is George Floyd. We’ll have our next planning meeting on Wednesday, October 19, to see how we can continue to live into our three pillars of this work: to educate, build community, and advocate. Our next book discussion will be on Killers of the Flower Moon on Wednesday, October 26, at 7pm. Make plans to join us for one or both of these.

Our Rainbow Alliance is working hard to make our church community a safe place for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I’ve enjoyed getting to meet with this leadership team and am grateful for them. If you haven’t gotten a chance to read their recent newsletter, I encourage you to check it out here .

I’ve also enjoyed spending time getting to know our great staff, students, and families who are a part of our school and those who are part of our Parkway Campus.

Related to our school, I’ve been trying each week to greet our families and students on Tuesday mornings at drop-off to get to know them better. I’ve enjoyed popping into our teachers’ classrooms regularly to hear about the daily lessons and to meet our youngest Christ Church friends. I look forward to continuing to do this as we move forward. Pastor Monique, Head of School Tane Bonham, and all of our staff are doing such a great job.

Pastor Josh and our leaders at our Parkway Campus are doing great work as well. I’ve been so impressed to see the powerful work happening with our food pantry, Wednesday night dinner, and Sunday morning breakfast. I look forward to preaching there in worship in just a few weeks. If you haven’t been to our Parkway Campus yet, or are looking for a place to serve, you should check it out soon.

A final thank-you to our staff, members of Church Council, other lay leaders, and really all of you. I know you all have been through A LOT as a church over the past couple of years. Thank you for helping us to get to where we are today. Holy Grounds (fellowship time between services) started back in August, and we’ll be resuming Grow Group time and discussion starting Sunday, October 9, between worship services. We’ll have more opportunities coming soon too.

You don’t have to wait though to get more involved in all that God is doing here at Christ Church. There is plenty going on right NOW for you to continue to build relationships and help reflect the love, hope, and joy of Jesus to our community as we grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus.

And remember we’re able to do this, we GET to do this work, because we too are experiencing the love, hope, and joy of Jesus.

I’m so grateful I get to be your Lead Pastor. God has been moving here at Christ Church long before I came (back) to South Florida. I can’t wait to see how God is going to move through us in our time ahead together.

Have a great day, everyone. See you soon.

Peace,

Pastor Nathan,

Christ Church United Methodist

P.S. I wrote much of this letter before Hurricane Ian’s arrival here in Florida. Honestly, I contemplated scrapping much of this newsletter to offer a different word. I decided to not to, as I think what I’ve shared is important for you to know.

Having said that, we continue to keep all of those who have been impacted by Hurricane Ian in our prayers. We are working with the Florida Conference of the UMC to help and serve as they guide us. You can read more here about the efforts we are partnering with them on flood kits and the Hurricane Ian fund that has been set up.

Sunday in our worship services we also lifted up prayers and words of encouragement throughout the service related to Hurricane Ian. As part of the sermon I preached on our Fort Lauderdale campus, I offered a song of wisdom, reflection, and hope: “Anywhere We Are” by Nichole Nordeman. You can listen to it here.

We’ll update you as we have more information as how we can support those recovering from Hurricane Ian. Thank you all.

A Reconciling and Justice-Seeking Community

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 00:37:15 GMT

Christ Church United Methodist: A Reconciling and Justice-Seeking Community

“Maintain justice and do what is right…” (Isaiah 56:1, NRSV)

“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks,
the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8, NRSV)

This week, the Church Council at Christ Church United Methodist, took several important and faithful actions to equip us as a church to live out our calling to be a reconciling and justice-seeking community.

The first action was to adopt the statement of welcome to become a Reconciling Congregation. This statement from the Reconciling Ministries Network is a way to let all persons, and particularly LGBTQ+ persons, know they are welcome and included, and that Christ Church UM is a safe space for them to worship God and serve as a disciple of Jesus Christ. The Reconciling Ministries Network is a network of United Methodist individuals and congregations working to advance justice and inclusion for LGBTQ+ persons in the United Methodist Church.

The statement reads: We celebrate God’s gift of diversity and value the wholeness made possible in community equally shared and shepherded by all. We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, who are also of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, level of education, and family structure, and of every economic, immigration, marital, and social status, and so much more. We acknowledge that we live in a world of profound social, economic, and political inequities. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed.

I am proud to be a part of a church that both proclaims and lives into this statement. In the Matthew passage above, Jesus says for all who knock, the door will be opened. If Jesus welcomes people in this way, without qualifications, we should too. Anyone who seeks to follow Jesus and grow in grace is welcome at Christ Church United Methodist. Of course, adopting a statement is the easy part, now we as a community must live into it. This is our calling.

After adopting this reconciling statement, the Church Council also adopted the Anti-Racist Pledge of the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. This initiative comes out of the Conference Anti-Racism Task Force, a part of Bishop Carter’s larger Anti-Racism initiative. You can see the full statement and sign as an individual by clicking here: Bishop's Anti-Racism Task Force

Finally, the Church Council adopted the covenant for Christ Church United Methodist to be named as a Justice-Seeking Congregation, through the Methodist Federation for Social Action, another network of Methodist people and churches dedicated to the prophetic call of justice. The covenant begins in this way: As a Justice-Seeking Congregation and justice-seeking people of faith, we call ourselves, our community/congregation, and our church to expand its understanding of the call of the Gospel to be the inclusive, anti-racist/anti-oppressive, justice-seeking, risk-taking Body of Christ. We will live out our belief that to be faithful witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be involved in the transformation of the world. You can read the entire covenant here: Justice-Seeking Congregation Covenant

Being a community dedicated to justice, particularly with oppressed, marginalized, and excluded persons, is spiritual and biblical work. While it sometimes involves political issues, the work is not primarily political, but faith work. As the prophet Isaiah declares in the passage above, maintain justice and do what is right. If we truly believe that every person is made in the image of God, as Genesis 1 teaches, then we must uphold that divine birthright in every single person and speak out when it is being taken away from certain persons and/or groups. In the Gospels, Jesus identifies with the “least of these” (see Matthew 25:31-46). So must we stand with and for them if we are to know the risen Jesus.

In the end, being a reconciling and justice seeking community is about doing our part to make the world look a little more like the Kingdom of God. As Jesus taught us to pray, on earth…as it is in heaven. Thank you for being a part of this amazing community called Christ Church United Methodist, dedicated to embodying the love of Jesus for all the world!

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus!

Brett

Worship Service

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Bread for the Journey: Receiving and Giving

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 23:20:00 GMT

A Letter from Pastor Brett

Bread for the Journey: Receiving and Giving

Christ Church Family and Friends,

In 1992, the great Christian spiritual writer Henri Nouwen gave an address on spirituality and money. In that talk, Nouwen spoke of fundraising for ministry, saying,

“…we are declaring, ‘We have a vision that is amazing and exciting. We are inviting you to invest yourself through the resources that God has given you-your energy, your prayers, and your money-in this work to which God has called us.” (Henri Nouwen, A Spirituality of Fundraising)

It is in this spirit that we are inviting you to give to God’s work through Christ Church United Methodist in 2022!

Our next worship series Bread for the Journey is all about stewardship. Stewardship is how we are called to become partners with God, to invest our resources to participate in God’s work in the world, especially through the Church community. The title, Bread for the Journey, reminds us that God has been generous in our lives and provided what we need for the journey of life. It also speaks to how God asks us to share that same bread, so that others will know God’s blessings on their journeys.

We begin this stewardship season here at Christ Church with the truth that we have financial challenges. We have come through a two-year pandemic that turned Church and nearly everything else upside-down. We have come through a major church division connected to the larger split happening in the United Methodist Church over the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons. Christ Church, I believe has taken a bold stance that we will work to ensure that all people are fully included…and that has cost us. Many left Christ Church over this issue and took their money with them. Some did not leave, but instead withheld giving, or gave simply to designated projects, rather than the operating budget.

Both factors, in addition to the general overall decline in American Christianity, have made it particularly difficult to fund operating costs. We have reserves, but they will not last long and our church leaders are working hard to adjust to ensure minimal impact on those reserves. The funds to operate must come from some place, though. There will likely be budget cuts this year; the depth of those cuts may depend on the response of this stewardship season.

My fear in talking about this so directly is that often it leads people to despair, a sense of helplessness, crisis, and withdrawal. My hope, though, is that it leads to a place of re-dedication and commitment. We are not in a place of crisis, not yet. There is something we can all do to turn things around. However, if we don’t make the investment now, we will be in a place of crisis in years ahead. That doesn’t have to be our story. It is up to us.

Please know that I am not saying this to bring added pressure or guilt. Healthy stewardship should never come from a place of pressure or guilt. I am only trying to be transparent about where we are and invite you into the joy of investing in God’s work through the resources God gave you in the first place.

God has an amazing future for Christ Church! This I know because the church belongs to God…and there are no challenges greater than the grace of God. God has a future…and we get to be a part of it.

So, I am asking you to fill out your online pledge card for 2022 by clicking here:

PLEDGE NOW!

Your giving will make a difference in the Church and the community. Children will learn, marginalized voices will be heard and welcomed, hungry people will find a table of grace, lonely persons will find a home, grieving families will be cared for, and so many other blessings…all because you filled out a pledge card.

Thank you!

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

Reminder: Beginning this weekend in worship, Christ Church United Methodist will be mask "optional". Please continue to you to hold love of God and neighbor as your guiding principle. If you are not feeling well, please stay home and join us on the virtual campus. Christ Church will continue offering both in person and online worship services. So join us this weekend, either in person or on the virtual campus!

We Are Open for All: The Welcome of Jesus

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 14:44:00 GMT

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

Recently I visited First United Methodist Church, in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. It is a beautiful, old Methodist church that in recent years has experienced stagnation and decline but is now starting to find new life again. My niece had recently joined and started serving in the church and she was excited for us to attend, so she could show off her new church home and family.

As I was leaving worship that day, I picked up a postcard that congregants are invited to take with them and pass along to others during the week. It read:

First Church Welcomes You! No matter the color of your skin, whether you are rich or poor; a high school drop-out or a graduate from the Ivy Leagues; gay, straight, or anything in between; love the Church or have been wounded by the Church; are male, female, transgender, or anywhere on the spectrum; Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, New Age, spiritual, or non-religious; conservative, liberal, or somewhere in the middle; have kids or don’t have kids; certain of many things or full of questions; able bodied or differently-abled; young or old, love Alabama or Auburn or neither; are happy, sad, or mad; an immigrant or a refugee; in a relationship or not; considered a big deal or no deal at all…our doors are open to you because we are OPEN for ALL!

For me, this statement of welcome truly represents the Church of Jesus Christ, at least what we strive to be; a place where anyone is welcome, where people are valued and treated as beloved children of God, a place that is “open for all”.

This statement of welcome truly captures the radical inclusion of Jesus who said things like, “Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens…” and “…for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” There are no exclusions or qualifications. There are no litmus or holiness tests, all we do is come and seek him, and Jesus gives us welcome. No one is excluded, all who seek will find. That is the heart of Jesus.

First United Methodist Church is finding life again. The numbers are not what they were back in its heyday, and maybe they never will be again, but there is something moving in the halls and hearts of that church. People seemed happy and excited to be there. They wanted to bring others to experience something of what they were finding. It was good. It was holy. It was healing. It was welcoming. I saw it on my niece’s face and heard it in her voice. Life was stirring.

We shouldn’t be surprised by this. Jesus told us it would be so, “…everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

True Religion: It’s Not About How Good You Are

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 23:47:00 GMT

“We love because God first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, CEB)

“God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”
(Romans 5:8, CEB)

One of the great errors we make when it comes to religion is that we make it all about us.

There once was a man who wrestled mightily with faith and where he stood in the eyes of God. Something inside drew him towards God, but something also kept him away. He felt that he had made too many mistakes, had too many shortcomings, had been too unfaithful. So, he remained at arm’s length, from God, Church, and religion. He felt unworthy to be too close. Maybe something in this story is your own.

The problem with this way of thinking is that the man places himself at the center of God’s story. It makes his behavior the primary factor, the variable, in the story. It makes the faithfulness, grace, and love of God conditional upon his actions and attitudes. The story becomes about how good, or bad, he is. It is a test that none of us could pass.

The scriptures do not introduce us to a God who is controlled by the variables of our lives. God’s faithfulness and love is not conditional or limited by us. To make God one who is blown about by the winds of our unsettled lives and egos is another form of self-idolatry, making us the center of the story. The story of our faith is not a story of how good we are, but how good God is. That is the beginning and the end, the alpha, and the omega.

God does not love because we love first or because we prove worthy. No, the scriptures painstakingly teach of a God who is faithful, even when God’s people are not, a God who is the first One to show love, especially when God’s people do not. The journey of the Hebrew people is a story of God never giving up on God’s people, even when they gave up on God. It is true for so many other characters in the Bible; David, Solomon, Jonah, and even the Ninevites. In the passage above from Romans 5, the Apostle Paul reminds that God came to humans not when humans were perfect or mostly good, but when we were at our worst, while we were yet sinners. True religion, then, begins not with us, but with God.

Here is the mystery, though. Once we realize this truth about God, it starts to change us, too. We become more loving, forgiving, accepting, and gentle. Our hearts become more like God’s heart. When we put this grace of God above all else and it allows us to be humbler and more honest about ourselves and less judgmental of others. It gives us space to grow. We don’t have to prove ourselves to God or to others. We don’t have a need to show how good or bad other people are to make ourselves feel worthy. We are simply free to be loved by God and to let that love gradually change us.

I hope this is liberating for you. You don’t have to prove yourself any more…just simply rest gently in the surrounding grace of a faithful God. The story or our religious/spiritual journey, is not to find out how good we are, but to experience how good God is…and that changes everything else.

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

7 Prayers for the Church

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 20:12:00 GMT

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing…” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17)

Alice Nolan was over 100 years old when I went to visit her many years ago now. She had been a member of the church I was serving at the time since the 1930’s. In fact, she served as the organist for the church when she was in her teens. By the time I knew Alice she was home bound and moved about with the assistance of a wheelchair. She was no longer able to physically come to worship services, but she was still passionate about her faith and her church.

I learned much that day about her life, the church, and the community. The thing that stays with me about that visit, though, is what she taught me about prayer. As I was getting ready to leave that day, she asked if she could pray for me. I readily agreed…and fifteen minutes later we said “Amen”. It didn’t feel like 15 minutes though. She prayed with her whole being and it seemed as if the Holy Spirit had suspended time as her words poured forth. I just remained quiet and still and received her blessings.

Following the prayer, Alice told me, “Pastor, I pray every day for the church and for you. I can’t come anymore but I can still pray. That is my ministry. Late at night, when I can’t sleep, I just lay there and pray.” I realized in that moment she was sustaining the church through prayer. That was her calling, her gift, her joy. I saw how important that simple gift of prayer is for the health of a church community. She couldn’t give much in the way of time or money, but she could pray…and she did so generously.

It is a simple gift to pray for the church. It is something that doesn’t take a great deal of time; only intention, commitment, and passion. Here at the beginning of a New Year, I am rededicating myself to praying for Christ Church United Methodist and I would love for you to join me. Below, I have listed a prayer for each day of the week that I invite you to pray with me throughout this year. The prayers are offered on behalf of our church community/family.

Paul reminds us to pray without ceasing and Jesus promised that for all who knock the door will be opened. Therefore, let us dedicate ourselves to this simple work of prayer on behalf of the church, and trust the movement of the Holy Spirit across our lives and the church. Amen.

Sunday:

God of great deeds, on the first day of the week you wondrously called forth light out of darkness. On the first day of the week you graciously raised Jesus from the dead. On the first day of the week you powerfully formed the church through the gift of your Holy Spirit. By this triple witness you testify to us concerning your covenant love. Grant that all who worship you this day may do so in spirit and in truth, and present to you a living sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving through Christ our Savior. Amen. (“This Day”, by Laurence Hull Stookey)

Monday:

O God of all times and places, we pray for your Church, which is set today amid the perplexities of a changing order, and face to face with new tasks. Baptize her afresh in the life-giving spirit of Jesus. Bestow upon her a great responsiveness to duty, a swifter compassion with suffering, and an utter loyalty to your will. Help her to proclaim boldly the coming of your kingdom. Put upon her lips the ancient gospel of her Lord. Fill her with the prophets’ scorn of tyranny, and with a Christlike tenderness for the heavy laden and downtrodden. Bid her cease from seeking her own life, lest she lose it. Make her valiant to give up her life to humanity, that, like her crucified Lord, she may mount by the path of the cross to a higher glory; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Walter Rauschenbusch, United Methodist Book of Worship, #504)

Tuesday:

Lord, make us an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

(adapted from the Prayer of St. Francis)

Wednesday:

May God our Creator protect us this day and circle us with the fragrance of peace.
May Christ our Lord and loving friend protect us this day and circle us with affection and love.
May the Spirit of truth who dwells in our hearts protect us this day and circle us and fill us with joy. Amen. (adapted from The Caim/circle prayer from A Celtic Liturgy)

Thursday:

God of herons and heartbreak, teach us to love the world again. Teach us to love extravagantly knowing it may (it will) break our hearts and teach us that it is worth it. God of pandemics and suffering ones, teach us to love the world again. God of loneliness and longing, of bush fires and wilderness, of soup kitchens and border towns, of snowfall and children, teach us to love the world again. Amen (Sarah Bessey, from A Rhythm of Prayer)

Friday:

God of multitudes, ruler of the universe:
Look with favor upon Christ's flock in this place.
Cause our congregation to be
an effective witness to your love and power.
To this end, banish from us
pettiness and rivalry,
speaking ill of one another,
seeking to serve ourselves rather than you.
Guide the leaders of the congregation, both lay and ordained,
that in turn they may guide us also into your ways.
Bind us together by your love
and cause us to know ourselves to be
a people called out of darkness into your marvelous light.
This we ask through Christ who himself is head of the church. Amen.

(from “This Day”, by Laurence Hull Stookey)

Saturday:

Prepare our hearts, O Lord, to join together with your whole congregation
to praise and serve you. Reveal your presence to all who will gather in adoration and self-offering. To those who cannot for good reason go gladly into your house, give your strength and consolation, that they may know of the concern of their communities of faith. Make us receptive to your word for us, and enable us to know and do your will. Bind your people together in a shared faith, a common witness, and compassionate service to the world; through Jesus our Savior. Amen. (from “This Day”, by Laurence Hull Stookey)

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,
Brett

Why Is the Church Talking About Race?

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 15:05:00 GMT

Anti-Racism as Discipleship

“So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, NRSV)

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6 NRSV)

Recently I was asked why the Church is talking so much about racism lately. Shouldn’t the church be talking about more spiritual things, focusing more on discipleship? Doesn’t anti-racism belong more to the political sphere?

There is a simple answer to such questions. The Church is talking so much about racism because it would be unfaithful not to.

Let me explain. The work of anti-racism is not primarily political. It is theological, spiritual. As the Genesis passage above reminds, people…all people…are made by God, in the image of God. There are no exceptions. Thus, anytime someone is treated as less than that, particularly in when such treatment is systemic, the Church must stand up and do what it can to heal the brokenness and restore people to their God-given identity. In this way, anti-racism work is “God-honoring” work. It is discipleship that builds a God-intended community of equality and mutuality.

The Bible is very clear that standing up for the marginalized and oppressed, practicing justice, is an important part of faithful living. Both the Old and New Testaments contain instructions for God’s people to work for a more just world. The above passage from the prophet Isaiah makes clear that God does not want our religious piety if we are not willing to heal injustices towards the marginalized and oppressed. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus clearly states that his mission is related to social justice: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) He is actually quoting from the prophet Isaiah here. These are just a few of many passages calling God’s people to the work of social justice and standing against oppression.

Further, we United Methodists have a foundation of advocacy related to race. John Wesley and the early Methodists were outspoken critics of the slave trade in both England and America. In the name of God, they called for a swift end to the slave trade and the institution of slavery, itself. John Wesley’s last letter was sent in 1791 to William Wilberforce, a British member of Parliament working tirelessly to end the slave trade, urging him to keep the work going for the sake of God, reminding Wilberforce that God was with him and had indeed called him and equipped him for such a bold stance.

For too long, the Church has been silent in the face of racism, preferring the peace of neutrality to the hard, uncomfortable, and often unpopular work of anti-racism. It has done so by relegating anti-racism to the realm of politics. For too long, the Church, through silence, has maintained the privilege of some at the expense of others. Yet, the Church will always speak to such matters, even when it says nothing. For silence itself is a statement, and not a faithful one.

I am proud to be a part of a United Methodist Church that continues that Biblical and Wesleyan tradition of standing with the oppressed and marginalized by engaging in the work of anti-racism. Here at Christ Church United Methodist, we have an Anti-Racism Task Force whose aim is to become informed on issues and matters related to race, build beloved community, and stand ready to respond to racial injustice in our community and the world. I am also proud that Christ Church United Methodist is part of the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, which, under the leadership of Bishop Kenneth Carter, has named Anti-Racism as Discipleship as a major initiative of Florida United Methodist Churches.

In the end, anti-racism work is spiritual work with political implications. When we are faithful to it, we become part of God’s healing and restoration for the world. It is hard work that requires brutal honesty, a willingness to acknowledge and cede privilege, and a dedication to the theological premise that all people are made in God’s image. Still, in this dedication we find the joy and beauty that God intended for creation.

And that is why the Church is talking about race today.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Brett

A Grateful Life

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 18:44:00 GMT

“The one who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving is the one who honors me. And it is to the one who charts the correct path that I will show divine salvation.” Psalm 50:23, CEB

The writer Anne Lamott says when you whittle it down, there are really three essential prayers: Help, Thanks, and Wow. “Help” is recognizing our own limits and our need for God’s care, protection, and guidance. “Wow” is standing in awe at who God is and what God has done. We often experience “wow” when watching a sunrise, holding a newborn child, or some other moment that reveals the glory of God and we are beyond words. “Thanks” is that daily recognition of God's presence in our lives and the world and the humility to stop and recognize the holy.

My mother has always been good at writing “thank you” notes. It is something she required of her children, too. Whenever we received birthday or Christmas gifts, it was expected that we would send a note of gratitude. We hated it! We just wanted to play with or use whatever gifts we received. We even came up with elaborate arguments to get out of writing “thank you” notes: if it was truly a gift, then the person wouldn’t expect a thank you note…or, whenever I give a gift, I don’t expect a thank you note. No matter how well reasoned our arguments, at least in our own minds, they never convinced our mother.

What I see now is that my mother was not simply giving us busy work, or a task to meet some sort of societal expectations. No, she was cultivating a heart of gratitude in us. She was teaching us never to simply receive or take, but to stop long enough to be grateful, to recognize the kindness and generosity of others. The mystery is that when we can recognize the kindness of others, it changes something inside so that we grow in kindness and generosity, too.

Gratitude, in the Bible, is essential to living a faithful life. As the writer of Psalm 50 reminds, gratitude is the way that we honor God and the pathway to recognizing God’s work in our lives and the world. Thanksgiving makes us stop long enough to pay attention to the kindness and generosity of God all around.

Giving thanks to God is a way of acknowledging that we can’t control all of life. Much of what we receive comes from the generosity of God, not simply what we produce. Giving thanks slows down our striving and consumption. Instead of always seeking more and more, we gradually learn to be grateful and recognize the abundance in what we have, not simply the scarcity in what we don’t. Gratitude is also a pathway to joy. As I look back on people I have known across the years, the most grateful people have also been people of great joy. They see the goodness and generosity of God in all things, even in the most difficult situations.

So how do you practice gratitude? What are you thankful for right now, in this moment? Make thanksgiving a daily practice. Perhaps start a gratitude journal where you write everyday about things you are grateful for. Another approach is to make a list each day of three things that you want to thank God for that day. It can be for big things, like a birthday, new job, etc., or small things like the afternoon rain or the kind word from the cashier at the store. Another simple way to practice gratitude is to get in the habit of saying, “thank you” to God first thing before you get out of bed in the morning, and last thing before you go to sleep at night.

The important thing is to make gratitude a pattern in your life, a way of being. A grateful life is the way we honor God and gradually live into the joy and freedom that God offers. Taking time to give thanks also slowly changes our hearts to become more like the generosity for which we are thankful.

In this way, may thanksgiving truly be more a way of life than a once-a-year holiday.

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

Post-Halloween Devotion: A Model for Discipleship

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:26:00 GMT

Read: Mark 5:1-8

This week at our monthly church council meeting, one of the members started with a short devotion, as is customary. Some of the opening words caught me by surprise, “Halloween brings out the best in us”. Immediately, I thought back to the previous night when a variety of monsters, clowns, princesses, movie characters, etc. came parading to our door holding out bags for candy. They were cute, sometimes creepy, and mostly harmless, but still, I wondered where the devotion was going.

It continued by saying, in essence, Halloween is the night that people come to us sometimes at their most frightening, wearing their cruelest masks…and they are met with free candy, a tangible expression of love and grace. Sometimes they come to us donning their greatest dreams and hopes, like those dressed as princesses or doctors. They too are met with grace, smiles, and encouragement to keep dreaming. Even the creepy clown who knocked on my door received candy. Halloween, though, becomes the occasion for radical hospitality in the way of Jesus.

When Jesus met the man of the Gerasenes, it was not a holiday, and it was not a costume. The man had been possessed by an evil spirit. He was frightening and a grave threat to both himself and others. When he approached Jesus, Jesus didn’t dismiss the man or go in the other direction. No, Jesus met him where he was and offered him unexpected grace and love, and the unclean spirit came out of the man. This was a pattern with Jesus. He met people at their worst and raised them to health and wholeness.

When I reflect on this story and on Halloween, there is a correlation. One of the reasons we give candy on Halloween is we know that beneath even the scariest costume, there is a human being, someone made in the image and likeness of God. That is why we are not afraid when monsters knock on our door. Likewise, Jesus recognized that beneath the mask of brokenness and pain, people like the man of the Gerasenes, were human beings, also made in the likeness of God. That is why he could love them through and beyond their brokenness.

The council member’s devotion was spot on. When we stop to think about it, Halloween really is a model for faithful discipleship in the way of Jesus. Fear, cruelty, creepiness, hopes, dreams, all of it is met with grace. Even with the brokenness of those wearing the costumes of everyday life, beneath it all there is a child of God, a person made in God’s likeness.

So, to pirate a phrase from Tiny Tim (A Christmas Carol), may we honor Halloween in our hearts and try to keep it all the year! For it can show us the path of true discipleship in the name of Jesus.

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

Posting Peace - Dealing with hate online

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 18:40:29 GMT

Posting Peace - Dealing with hate online

10/31/2021|00:10:58

Our mission is to share the love of Jesus with everyone, including those who are hateful on social media. But what if that means muting, blocking or unfollowing? Join Mrs. Kerry for Week 6 of "Posting Peace," how we can use social media in a positive, Christ-like manner.

When All You Can Do is Show Up: A Healing Presence

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 19:32:00 GMT

Read: Acts 5:12-16

Part of my training as a pastor was serving as hospital chaplain for a time. It was hard work. It shattered my notions of security, making me acutely aware of how fragile and vulnerable life really is. I learned both about myself and what it means to be with people amid suffering, when the unthinkable happens.

One morning I was called to the emergency room when a young college student had been found unconscious in her apartment. Her twin sister found her. At the emergency room the young woman was pronounced dead. As I came onto the unit, I was quickly sent into the room of the deceased student, where her parents were gathered around the bedside. After a prayer and a few attempted words of comfort, they told me the twin sister who found her was in the next room and asked if I could go and see her.

As I walked into the room, the sister quickly recognized that I was a chaplain by the clergy collar we were required to wear. Immediately she began screaming out in anger, “How could God let this happen?”, “Where was God, now?”, on and on… I was not sure what to do, so I just sat in an empty chair across the room and said nothing, just listening to her cries and screams coming from the deepest regions of the soul.

Later I told my supervisor about the visit and how it felt like a failure to me. I didn’t say anything inspiring or particularly comforting. I didn’t even pray with her. I was in something of shock and my silence was more a resignation to the futility of the moment than a way of pastoral care. I was scared, sad for this woman and her family, and it felt like a raw and paralyzing pain was hanging over all of us.

After a moment my supervisor gently replied, “what else could you do?” He pointed out that this was not the time for a theological discussion on the presence of God amid suffering. Forced prayer probably not the most compassionate act. No, it was just a time for being in the pain of the moment. He then went on, “When we can do just this, we become visible reminders of the presence of God. We let hurting people know that when they are angry, scared, doubting and full of questions beyond easy answers…God will not walk away from them. Even when they scream out at God, God sits patiently and lovingly with them. Our simple presence can point people to this faithful love of God.” That last sentence changed my whole approach to being with people in painful times.

Sometimes there is nothing we can offer people but our presence and the love of Jesus. We don’t have to bring the answers. We don’t have to fix the problem. All we must do is show up and let people know they are not alone, and that God won’t walk away from them, and neither will we. It is what is referred to as the ministry of presence.

In the short story of the Apostle Peter above, we catch a glimpse of the power of presence. As Peter simply showed up in the presence of hurting people, the healing of God came to rest upon them all. Discipleship, then, is often not about having all the right answers, the greatest abilities, or the most knowledge. It is simply showing up to be present with people, to love them where they are, and trust that the healing power of God will fill the space.

This is the reason one of the membership vows in the United Methodist Church is “presence”. We promise to be present to God and one another. It of course implies showing up, being an engaging and supportive presence in the congregation. At a deeper level, though, it means promising to be a living reminder of the faithfulness and love of God. It means showing up for one another to let the healing grace of God fill our church and our lives.

How are you living out your promise of “presence” to God and others? To the church? This era of COVID-19 has made physical presence difficult, but how have you been present online and shown up in the ways you could? How might God be calling you to be more present in the future?

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

Posting Peace - Reconciling

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 18:50:05 GMT

Posting Peace - Reconciling

10/17/2021|00:14:17

How can we reconcile with the people we disagree with on social media? In this study, based on the book "Posting Peace," Mrs. Kerry helps us discover how we can use social media in a positive, Christ-like manner.

God’s Wind is Blowing!

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 22:55:00 GMT

Read: Luke 5:36-39

“The news is that God’s wind is blowing.”

This line comes from a prayer by Old Testament professor, Walter Brueggemann. Every day before class he would write a prayer or blessing for his students, and this is part of one titled “Blown by God toward Newness”. It speaks to the creative, wild, and sometimes disruptive movement of God in our lives and the world.

When we speak of God’s wind blowing it can be both promising and unsettling. It is promising because it means that God is still doing something new, God is at work, and we get to be a part of it. It is at the same time unsettling because it may ask of us to move away from what is comfortable, what we know, where we find stability. In the end, faith can be disruptive because it involves stepping out in trust into what we cannot yet see or explain.

The truth, though, is that whether we embrace or reject the movement of God, the wind still blows. So, the question becomes are we open enough to look for the signs of God’s newness and brave enough to move beyond what we have come to know and even hold dear?

I think that history is going to look back at the COVID pandemic and see it as a marker of transformation for so many things in society, Church and churches included. The Church and churches will forever be different; the ways that people worship, connect, serve, and practice community. For some this is cause for despair. For me, though, it is a moment for contemplation, a holy curiosity that looks for God at work among all that feels broken and different. Although some mourn the loss of Church/church as we have known it for a long time, God’s good work is stronger than our brokenness and its adaptability is greater than the structures of comfort and familiarity we spent years building.

The news is that God’s wind is blowing! Do you sense it? Do you feel it?

I look at our own church community. Christ Church United Methodist is different, but in new and exciting ways. We worship both in person and virtually, expanding the fellowship of Christ Church beyond our geographical limitations. We have an online community of people from all over that prays together every weekday morning at 7:30 a.m. This has been happening for a year and a half. Most mornings 15-20 people join live and then 60-75 people will usually watch the video later. That is God’s wind blowing…people praying together every day.

We have recently opened the ministry and outreach center at the Christ Church Parkway Campus. Blessings Food Pantry moved to the new location and the number of people being served has remained steady. Indications are that it will increase even more in the days ahead. There is a shared meal at Parkway every Wednesday evening and a breakfast on Sunday mornings for anyone in need of food and loving community. The Fruitful Field (a six-acre garden on the Parkway Campus) provides fresh fruits and vegetables for the food pantry and other organizations serving food insecure individuals in the community. There are also small garden plots for people in the neighborhood to grow their own produce, as well as a mentoring program (Grow City) for youth in the community. There are so many new opportunities to serve at the Parkway campus.

As we continue to make disciples of Jesus Christ through the regular practices of worship, prayer, study, and service, we have also sensed God calling us to practice discipleship by standing with and for the oppressed and marginalized. The Anti-Racism Task Force has become a leader in the community hosting book studies, speakers, advocacy, and conversations about the impact of racism and how disciples of Jesus Christ can work against it both in the church and the world.

Further, the Reconciling Ministries Group has made inroads in our call to be allies and siblings to the LGBTQ+ community. Not only does the group advocate for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in the United Methodist Church, including marriage and ordination, it has been the hands and feet of Jesus in the local community by being a supportive presence at this year’s Pride Parade. You should hear the stories about people present at the parade expressing their gratitude that Christ Church United Methodists was present and showing God’s love in such a positive way.

God’s wind is blowing…and it is different. It is exciting and it is unsettling. Movement and change are rarely easy, but they are inevitable, at least it is if we truly believe the Spirit of God is still at work. Maybe that is why Jesus said new wine can’t be put into old wine skins. It just won’t work (Luke 5:36-39).

BUT…the news is that God’s wind is blowing…and it is good news. So, may we live boldly into these changing times. We don’t have to live by a spirit of fear and despair. We can rather choose grace and wonder, and live scanning the horizons of life for movements of the Holy Spirit.

I want to finish with the full prayer, “Blown by God toward Newness” (by Walter Brueggemann, Prayers for a Privileged People):

The news is that God’s wind is blowing.

It may be a breeze that cools and comforts.

It may be a gust that summons you to notice.

It may be a storm that blows you where you have never been before.

Whatever that wind is in your life, pay attention to it…

And the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Spirit, will abide with you always.

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

Beyond Burnout: Being and Doing

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 12:33:00 GMT

Read: Matthew 11:28-30

“I just can’t take on anymore! I am overwhelmed, over extended, at my wit’s end!” In the busyness and complexities of modern life, I have heard so many people proclaim some variation of this statement. Have you ever expressed, or at least felt, this sentiment in your life? I have at different times. I suppose we all have known “burnout” at some point. It is when we are tired, frustrated, and just need to step aside for a time if we are going to maintain some level of sanity.

Sometimes burnout comes because we are physically tired. We have been working, “doing”, for long periods of time and our bodies and souls just need rest. Sometimes, though, burnout comes for other reasons, deeper reasons. Maybe we are doing things, even good things, for the wrong reasons: to allay guilt, to live up to someone else’s expectations, to please others, to try and fit in with what seems relevant or popular. This kind of doing will leave us exhausted. It will suck the joy out of our lives and leave us with a feeling of emptiness and frustration, simply because it is not coming from a place of passion. It is important to recognize what kind of burnout we are experiencing at any given time.

This past week in worship, we talked about “Being and Doing”. “Doing” is the activity, the actions, that we carry out as part of life. “Being” refers to the deepest parts of the soul, who we are, who God made us to be. They are both important. We are probably better at “doing”. However, “doing” without any sense of “being”, recognizing who we are or why we do certain actions will leave us burned out, exhausted, and wanting to step away.

As people of faith, we believe that our “being” is a deep connection with God. It is who God created us to be, our truest self. It is that divine seed, the image of God, in every person. While Jesus certainly calls his followers to be a people of action, “doers of the word”, he also asks for the “doing” to come not from a place of busyness, self-promotion, or even people pleasing, but from a close connection with God, our inner “being”.

A prayer book that I often use, This Day: A Wesleyan Way of Prayer, has a line in it that makes me pause every time I read it: “Could it be that the lack of joy we call ‘burnout’ is related to our neglect…of contemplation and conversation with the Divine, as we seek to aid others through our own strength and wisdom alone?”

Perhaps one of the reasons that we experience burnout in life is because we have a lot of “doing” that is outside of our “being”. We just get busy with a lot of things because they seem good or because someone else wants us to do them. We don’t ask if this is something I am doing as part of a God-given passion, part of my inner being, my ongoing dialogue with God. God does not call us to do everything, even everything that is good, but to act from our inner “being” and to use our unique gifts and passions in a meaningful way.

To do this well, though, we must slow down enough to allow our “being” to grow, to be in dialogue with God through things like prayer, worship, study, and silence. We must listen in order to discern the unique “doing” God has for us.

When Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest…” (Matthew 11:28), he is speaking to those of us experiencing burnout. He is inviting, us to turn to our “being”, to connect with him, to rest in him. As we do this, we find balance between “being” and “doing”, and we find life beyond the burnout. Then, we are better able to know the unique “doing” that God wants for us and in that doing we will find life and joy.

Where are you experiencing burnout? What type of burnout is it? How can you stop “doing” long enough to attend to your “being”?

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

A Season for All Things

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 13:20:00 GMT

Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a season for everything…

I have been thinking a lot about seasons this week. This weekend Andra and I will be dropping off Emily, our younger daughter, at college. It marks both an end and a beginning, for her and for us. It holds joy and sadness, anticipation, and nostalgia. This is what God entrusted us with this child for in the first place, to help her grow into the woman God made her to be, to step out courageously when the time would eventually come. Still, I find myself this week thinking back to when she was just a baby, a toddler, a new teenager, wondering how the time passed so quickly. I think what I am experiencing is a changing of life’s seasons.

We are made for seasons, all of creation is. That is the way that God ordered the universe. We feel it as we move from the gentle and birthing days of spring, to the long, hot, growing days of summer, to the gathering and ever so slow, and beautiful, death that comes with autumn; to the dormant and often harsh days of winter, only to cycle back to the newness of spring. Obviously, depending on location, one feels the change of seasons more distinctly in some places than others. Even in the warmth of south Florida, one can still feel the subtle changes in the air.

These seasons of creation remind us of seasons in other parts of life, too. Time moves on from season to season. People age, jobs change, families move to new cities, children leave for college. There are days of grief when a loved one dies, and days of rebirth when we learn to live in new ways on the other side of that sadness.

The change of seasons in life often brings nostalgia and anxiety, particularly if the previous season was a particularly good one. In those cases, something in us would prefer the seasons pause and let us just sit a while, perhaps for a long time. In other seasons, especially difficult ones, the change brings hope and the potential for re-birth. In both cases, we move beyond what was into something new.

The reading above from Ecclesiastes remind us of this seasonal nature of life. There is a time for things to begin and end, to build up and to tear down, to laugh and to cry, a time to hold on and a time to let go. It is inferred in this passage that we will find contentment as we make peace with the seasonal nature of life and try our best to live faithfully into the appropriate moments, seasons. It is also inferred that we move through seasons in the care of a faithful and loving God. We are not alone.

What season do you find yourself in right now? Spend some time today thinking about this question. What is ending? What is beginning? What would you love to hold onto for a long time? What is God asking you to gently let go of?

In the United Methodist Hymnal, there is a beautiful modern hymn called, Hymn of Promise, by Natalie Sleeth. She wrote this hymn while her husband was experiencing a life-threatening form of cancer. He asked that the hymn be sung at his funeral. The third stanza proclaims:

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
in our doubt there is believing; in our life eternity.
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Hymn of Promise captures the seasonal nature of life, but also the promise that we are not alone, and that God can be trusted. We don’t have to be afraid or give into nostalgia or despair. We are in the hands of a good God who wants to usher us through life’s many changes, for, in the cold and snow of winter, there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season…something God alone can see . (from v.1)

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

When Reading the Bible Keeps Us from God...and Leads Us Back

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 20:51:00 GMT

Read: Mark 3:1-6

The Bible is an important book to me. I read the Bible every day, both morning, and evening. I pray through the Psalms each month. I have translated and read the scriptures in original languages. The Bible has been, and is, a central part of my faith journey.

That said, as a United Methodist pastor who advocates for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in the life of the Church, including marriage and ordination, I have been asked how I reconcile such views with passages from the Bible. Some have accused me of not believing the Bible, minimizing the redemptive work of Jesus, rejecting standards of Christian orthodoxy (although neither human sexuality nor a particular method of biblical interpretation is in any of the historical creeds of the Church), or surrendering the Church to political correctness and cultural trends. Other clergy and lay persons, who have faithfully sought to follow the Holy Spirit by standing for full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, have had similar charges cast at them by fellow Christians and in some cases it has cost dearly.

Let me start by affirming what I believe. I believe the Bible contains all that is necessary for salvation and redemption. I believe the grace of God, as revealed in Jesus, is the most powerful force at work in the world. I believe that Jesus is the image of the invisible God and thereby the lens by which our understandings of God are to be measured. I entrust myself, and others, to the healing, redemptive, and saving life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I believe people are made by God, in the image of God, and we are called to recognize such in every person. In line with this, I also believe that human sexuality is not a choice, but the way people are made. People will certainly disagree, but there has been too much in the way of science and the personal experiences of LGBTQ+ persons I have known to deny this reality.

What I do not believe in is a reading of scripture that keeps people from the heart of God. This may sound strange to some. Can one really read the Bible and still miss God? The answer is clearly, “yes”. At one time, people opposed the scientific fact that the earth was round because of passages from the Bible that suggested the earth was flat. Holding to a literal reading of those passages of scripture would keep us from understanding God and creation.

Further, there are harsh examples of violence and degradation through history justified by appealing to scripture. For too long, slavery and white supremacy have been upheld by certain, isolated Bible passages. Women were for too long treated as second-class citizens and denied ordination in the church based on reading passages from the Bible. Today, very few Christians would defend slavery as something consistent with God nor deny the work of the Holy Spirit in so many of our women clergy. No, we must be careful that reading scripture does not keep us from the heart of God.

This is no way diminishes the nature of the power of the Bible. It simply makes us faithful, just, compassionate, and responsible readers. The purpose of scripture is not to create a strict adherence to a set of rules or codes, or literal interpreters of every passage. It is to usher us into the presence and love of God, to lead us into a deeper and ongoing dialogue with the Sacred.

The Bible itself contains numerous stories of reinterpreting and applying passages of scripture to conform to the heart of God. Look at Isaiah 56, where God insists that eunuchs and foreigners are to be welcomed into the worshiping people of God, even though they are forbidden in Deuteronomy 23. The apostle Paul declared that physical circumcision is no longer the requirement for admission into God’s covenant, only faith working through love (Galatians 5:6), a reinterpretation of the clear instruction regarding circumcision in Genesis 17:9-11. When Jesus is confronted about doing work on the Sabbath through healing (Mark 3:1-6), something strictly forbidden in the scriptures (see Exodus 20:8-11), he is reconsidering the understanding of what it means to work on the Sabbath to bring people more in line with the heart of God. In each of these cases, following the strict reading of Scripture would have missed the heart of God, something the Bible itself seems to correct so that we, as readers, don’t miss God.

As it pertains to human sexuality and LGBTQ+ persons, there are a few passages readily applied to deny full inclusion. Although some of these hold a pejorative view of same-sex practice, the passages of inclusion and welcome for all who have faith in Jesus and seek to worship him, just as they are, are far more prevalent and better reflect the heart of God. In addition, there are other stories in scripture, like Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10, that demonstrate the wideness of the Holy Spirit and that people previously considered excluded are now welcomed into the people of God, as they are. Thus, those few pejorative passages must give way to the larger purposes of Scripture; following the Holy Spirit and living into the inclusive love of Jesus for all who have faith. Otherwise, we risk missing God by a strict adherence to scripture.

For those who fear that this approach to scripture could be too subjective, a person could just “pick and choose”. I agree. This is always a legitimate concern, but the truth is any interpretation of scripture runs the risk of being subjective. That may be inevitable since we are only humans with unique life experiences. That said, the standard that I propose is as follows: Our reading of the Bible must be consistent with the grace of God as revealed in Jesus, recognize the beloved image of God in others, and make a way for people to live that identity to the fullest by simply having faith in the grace of God offered through Jesus.

This seems, to me, in keeping with what I know of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the tenor of all scripture. For Jesus once said, “Whoever seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks the door is opened” (Matthew 7:8). That scripture alone is enough for me to make way for the inclusive love of God.

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

Changing the Conversation on COVID

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 22:44:00 GMT

Wisdom from the Apostle Paul

“So let’s strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up.”
(Romans 14:19)

“You have been called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let your freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. All the law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
(Galatians 5:13-14)

Data indicates that COVID numbers are on the rise again as the dangerous Delta variant becomes the predominate strain. As we continue to try and live faithfully into these days, what is asked of those who are followers of Jesus?

A short time ago, I was checking out at Publix when I suddenly heard a loud angry voice proclaiming, “What’s the matter with you people! Your being duped, you are stupid…I don’t have to wear a mask…you don’t have to wear a mask!” There were also a few expletives thrown in for good measure. He was yelling at others in the grocery store who happened to be wearing a face mask. I was one of them.

It angers me that our national conversation on safe practices during COVID has become hijacked by those wanting to use COVID precautions, safety protocols, and vaccines for political identity or loyalty markers. Some have even refused a vaccine out of fear that it might give a political opponent credibility. Keeping people healthy and safe, both conservative and progressive persons, should be a priority regardless of political affiliation. It should be an area where people of diverse views can find common ground.

For some, though, safety practices, like wearing a face mask, are an intrusion on personal freedoms. I get it, wearing a mask is uncomfortable and hot. I can’t wait to reach the point where it is safe, for self and others, to go to public places without having to worry about a face mask. Still, there is more at stake than personal liberty and comfort and we need to change the conversation as it relates to COVID and how we as followers of Jesus are called to respond.

The Apostle Paul is a helpful guide for us in this highly charged political climate. Paul knew issues in his day that held personal freedoms and communal responsibility in tension. In his letters, Paul addressed questions such as, “can a follower of Jesus eat meat sacrificed at a pagan temple?” or “if salvation is of Christ and not the Law, can a person do whatever they want?”. These issues may be different than ours, but the tension between personal freedom and communal obligation is similar.

For Paul, personal liberties were not the priority with the freedom of Christ. Rather, it was love for God and others. While individuals could do certain things, like eating meat from a pagan temple, without offending God, one must still consider if it causes harm to others. Rather, than personal freedom and preference, Paul argues, followers of Jesus should strive for what builds others up. In essence, what is most caring towards other people. Similarly, even though Paul understands salvation to come through faith in Christ, that doesn’t mean one is free to disregard the basic spirit and principle behind the Jewish Law, love of neighbor. All the law can be captured in that one phrase, Paul writes, love your neighbor as yourself.

If Paul were to message us today, I believe he would instruct the people of God to change the conversation from, “What is best for me?” to “What can I do to be caring and considerate towards others, particularly the vulnerable?” These are the guidelines for followers of Jesus in these strange days of COVID. How can we live in a way that has the most benefit for others, not just self?

In this spirit, the next time your mask feels hot and scratchy, or you feel frustrated about even having to wear it, I invite you to change the conversation in your mind. See it as a way to practice love of God and neighbor, a way to show Christian hospitality and care to others. I also invite you to see vaccinations in the same light. A vaccine is more than a way to care for self, it helps keep others safe, too.

Of course, we all must choose. That is the thing about freedom, we make the decision on who we will be, for good or bad. Paul seemed to understand that and knew we could either become focused on personal wants or we could live in a way that was a blessing to others. May we choose the way of blessing, the way of love for others. May we change the conversation.

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

Parkway Campus Update

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 01:51:00 GMT

We are pleased to report that the transition from the Pompano Beach campus to the Parkway campus is well underway. You may recall that, back in May, our church voted to sell the Pompano Beach campus to the City of Pompano Beach to be used as a school. At the same time, we approved a merger/adoption with Parkway United Methodist Church, allowing us to continue the vital serve ministries taking place at the Pompano Beach campus in more long-term, cost effective, and sustainable ways. The Pompano Beach campus is scheduled to transfer to the city in late September.

The Parkway Transition Team, charged with overseeing moving the ministries from Pompano to Parkway, is made up of staff and pastors from Christ Church, leaders of Christ Church serve ministries at the Pompano Beach Campus, and members/leaders from Parkway UMC. We have been meeting almost every two weeks since May.

We have put a priority on moving the Blessings Food Pantry to the Parkway campus in a seamless way to try to ensure a continuity of service. It is our hope to have the pantry up and running at Parkway, with no disruption of service, by the end of August. Information, including directions to the Parkway campus, will be made available to clients once a firm date is established.

In addition, Shared Meals ministries (like the shared meals at Pompano Beach) have started at the Parkway campus on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. Currently these are smaller in scale than the meals served at Pompano Beach, but the next step after relocating the Blessings Food Pantry to Parkway is the expansion of this ministry to a capacity like the meals served at the Pompano Beach campus.

Sunday morning worship services have also resumed at the Parkway campus (10:30 a.m. every Sunday). Jim Walling, the former pastor of Parkway United Methodist Church, has officially retired from ministry in the Florida Annual Conference. However, he has agreed to stay on in a part-time staff capacity to help through this transition period. He brings a wonderful knowledge of the community and the facilities that are vital for a good transition.

There are many opportunities for you to connect and participate in God’s work through the Christ Church United Methodist Parkway campus: volunteer to serve at one of the Shared Meals on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, be ready to serve at the Blessings Food Pantry when the transition is complete, participate in one of the monthly workdays at the Fruitful Field Garden, attend a Sunday morning worship at the Parkway campus.

You can sign up for serve opportunities at the Parkway campus immediately by clicking Parkway Serve Opportunities .

In addition to the Transition Team, a second team, led by Brian McComb, is overseeing the details of leaving the Pompano Beach campus, including distribution of furniture and equipment. You will be hearing more about that soon. There will be a service of decommissioning for the Pompano campus on Sunday, August 1, at 3:30 p.m. You are invited to come and celebrate the faithful work that has been done on the campus, first through First United Methodist Church of Pompano Beach and later through Christ Church United Methodist. We will also celebrate and ask God’s guidance for the next chapter as we transition the ministries to the Parkway campus.

We will keep you updated on our progress as we move forward. Please continue to keep this work in your prayers. Together, we follow the Holy Spirit into a new season and chapter in the story of Christ Church United Methodist, Parkway United Methodist, and First United Methodist Church of Pompano Beach. Part of faith is stepping boldly into the unknown, with the trust that God is greater than our uncertainties, fears, and timidity. Even more, it is having the trust that God is up to something beautiful, and we get to be a part of it.

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

Knowing God’s Direction

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 23:26:00 GMT

“I will instruct you and teach you about the direction you should go.
I’ll advise you and keep my eye on you.” Psalm 32:8, CEB

We worship and serve a God who is invested in our lives. The above Psalm is just one of many passages that remind us of this truth. Still, it can be difficult to determine exactly what God wants, what direction you are to go, what God’s call, God’s will, is for your life.

This is particularly true when life is changing and things feel chaotic, beyond our control. Perhaps you can think of a time like this in your story (a relationship or job unexpectedly ending, illness, accident, normal life transition, etc.), a time when what you have known seems to be fading away and life feels precarious.

In moments like this, some have so many ideas and possibilities swimming around in our minds that it becomes overwhelming. It is hard to know which of these possibilities are from God and which are from self. This has a paralyzing effect, and we find ourselves uncertain about what exactly to do next.

For others, the opposite is true, it feels like there is a complete lack of possibilities, like drifting in a boat with no oars, no current, no wind, no motor. No matter how hard one seeks, prays, or tries life is just stagnant. In either scenario, questions or prayers for clarity creep up: Where are you God? What path should I take?

One thing we learn from the Bible is that God guides us through life. We are not alone. God is present in our struggles and cares deeply about what we experience. This however does not mean that we will always have clarity and a strong sense of direction. Sometimes God’s guidance for us comes over a long period of time. I have heard it said that God speaks very slowly, and we may not understand the full picture all at once. God does not work on our timetables or within our expectations.

Further, God’s silence does not mean that God is absent or disinterested in what is happening. No, sometimes God just lets the silence shape us. We can be still, rest in God’s grace, and trust the promise that we are not alone. Again, it is in God’s time. We may be anxious for answers, but sometimes that anxiety needs the peace and pause of silence to better comprehend what God has in mind.

Sometimes it is tempting to expect God’s direction to come in an explosive moment of clarity or vision. While God can certainly work in this way, in my experience God’s direction is usually much more subtle. It begins as a gentle nudge, a stirring in the soul. Over time it slowly grows and will not let go of you. My call into ordained ministry was something like this. It took time.

I am beginning to better understand why the Psalm writers speak so frequently about “waiting” for God. Still, even in the waiting, we can trust that God is faithful and when the time, the season is right, God will give us direction.

So, what can we do in the meantime, in the waiting? I offer a couple of suggestions. First, keep following those inner nudges to see where they lead, what they teach you about God and yourself. They may be from God, they be from you, but you won’t know until you step out to see. Second, be open to God’s direction when it comes. It may lead you to surprising places and outcomes. God’s guidance may be beyond what you can dream or imagine right now. Just remain open and see where God leads. We will never know God’s direction if we are closed off by comfort, convenience, or familiarity.

If you don’t have all of life’s answers right now or if you feel directionless, that’s alright. God often works slowly. All that is needed is trust that we serve a guide who promises to guide our lives in a good direction.

I offer you this prayer of the monk and spiritual writer Thomas Merton:

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen.

- Thomas Merton, from Thoughts in Solitude

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

A Christian View of Freedom - Fourth of July

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:03:00 GMT

Read: Galatians 5:13-15

We are getting ready to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday this coming weekend. There is something about Fourth of July that has a nostalgic feel for me. I think back to sitting on the trunk of a car as a child to watch fireworks, eating corn on the cob, baked beans and watermelon, swimming with cousins and friends. It brings back images of waving flags, sparklers, and red-white-and blue colored banners hanging from street lampposts. What memories come to mind for you?

The Fourth of July, though, is about more than nostalgia or even patriotic fervor. It is the day we celebrate the sacred concept of freedom (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), for which people have bravely fought and died. We have written books, poems and songs dedicated to freedom. It is a time-honored ideal that gives America its identity.

Still, it is an imperfectly embodied ideal, kept from far too many in our past. Our American story, even with our emphasis on freedom, also reveals an economy built on slavery and racism, Jim Crow laws, a denial of voting rights for women, cruelty towards native persons, LGBTQ oppression, and even the internment of persons of Asian descent during World War II. We are still journeying towards a more perfect union, realizing the truth that ALL people are created equal, and freedom is for ALL.

So, I find myself pondering this Fourth of July weekend the concept of freedom that we celebrate and build our national identity upon. Further, I am asking what it means for those of us seeking to follow the ways of Christ.

For some, freedom is, simply put, the inherent right to say and do what one wants without impediment. It is mostly about self-interest and what one has the right to do, often with little regard for the impact on others. There are, of course, legal limits. One’s freedoms cannot infringe too much on another person’s freedoms. However, it is not always clear when such is the case. Many Supreme Court cases are spent in deliberation of this dilemma. In the end, the problem with regarding freedom as primarily one’s personal rights is that it makes us very self-focused.

There is a balance when it comes to freedom. While it is important to recognize and claim basic freedoms for self, we also must be concerned enough to ensure others, particularly oppressed and minority groups, also experience freedom. We can’t simply be motivated by self-interest.

This is especially true for those who follow the way of Jesus. Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Apostle Paul wrote, “You were called to freedom brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses but serve each other through love.” (Galatians 5:13, CEB) For Paul, freedom lived well is not just doing or saying what we want, but looking out for others, creating space for others to thrive. Freedom for Paul, and for those following the way of Christ still today, is not about selfish indulgence or self-focus. It is about being a blessing for others in the name of love.

This can be a difficult word for some. This approach to freedom means that the privileged will sometimes have to surrender some of their privileges to ensure that both they and others can pursue life, liberty, and happiness. It means that we are as concerned with the freedoms of others as we are with freedoms for self. For the Christian, freedom brings both the opportunity and the responsibility to serve and stand for others, not simply to amass personal rights and privileges at the expense of others.

So, as we head into this Fourth of July weekend, I find it helpful to spend time reflecting on freedom, this beautiful, even if imperfect, ideal expressed in the Declaration of Independence. How can you be both grateful for the freedoms that you experience and empathetic towards others still crying out for freedom? How can you use your freedoms to serve out of love, rather than pursue selfish indulgence? These are the questions that we, the followers of Jesus, must ponder as we head into the Fourth of July weekend.

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

Praying: The Practice of Sabbath

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 12:53:00 GMT

A Sabbath poem from Mary Oliver:

Praying
It doesn't have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

( Mary Oliver, Devotions )

5 Suggestions for practicing Sabbath:

(suggestions from: J. Dana Trent, For Sabbath's Sake: Embracing Your Need for Rest, Worship, and Community)

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

A Sabbath Mood

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 12:47:00 GMT

The Practice of Sabbath

Every Sunday writer and farmer Wendell Berry goes into the woods and writes a Sabbath poem. This is one of them:

Whatever is foreseen in joy
Must be lived out from day to day.
Vision held open in the dark
By our ten thousand days of work.
Harvest will fill the barn;
for that the hand must ache, the face must sweat.

And yet no leaf or grain is filled
By work of ours; the field is tilled
And left to grace. That we may reap,
Great work is done while we are asleep.
When we work well, a Sabbath mood
Rests on our day, and finds it good.

(Wendell Berry, A Timbered Choir : The Sabbath Poem 1979-1997)

7 Suggestions for practicing Sabbath Rest:

(suggestions from: J. Dana Trent, For Sabbath's Sake: Embracing Your Need for Rest, Worship, and Community)

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

Holy Rest: The Practice of Sabbath

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 16:07:00 GMT

“Work can be done for six days, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of special rest, a holy occasion.
You must not do any work on it; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.” (Leviticus 23:3, CEB)

I go among trees and sit still.
All my stirring becomes quiet
Around me like circles on the water.
My tasks lie in their places
where I left them, asleep like cattle.
(Wendell Berry, from A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems, "I")

Every Sunday, the writer and poet Wendell Berry honors the Sabbath by walking in the woods to simply be in the sometimes gentle and sometimes wild presence of God. Sitting in the shade of a tree or beside a flowing river he writes a “Sabbath” poem to commemorate what he is learning of himself, the world, and God through this sacred stillness, this holy time of rest.

I love the intentionality and priority that Wendell Berry gives to Sabbath. He reminds me that Sabbath is not something to do if time is left over, for I too easily fill empty space on the calendar with busy work, tasks and errands. Rather, it is priority. It is something that I must choose. It is the thing I must do if I am to be whole, at peace, living in connection with God.

Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat, which means “to cease”. It refers back to the first creation story in Genesis and God choosing to rest on the seventh day, when the work of the first six days is completed. Of all the things created in the first six days (light, animals, plants, people), this rest is the first thing that God calls quadosh, or “holy”.

Later, the Hebrew people are instructed to practice Sabbath as a way to renew their own souls, to give laborers and the earth a needed rest, and to honor God. It was the practice of Sabbath that would keep people in balance with themselves, others, creation, and God. That is why it is one of the ten commandments, “Keep the Sabbath day and treat it as holy…” (Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

Sabbath, then and now, is a time for ceasing from our work, productivity, busyness, buying and selling. It is not a time to catch up on “to-do” lists. No, Sabbath is a time for intentional rest and stillness in the presence of God, a way to reconnect with the Creator of the Universe.

In my own spiritual journey, I am feeling an increasing need to re-discover (or maybe for the first time truly discover) the beauty of Sabbath. As we start to come through a year of global pandemic and life turns back towards pre-COVID patterns, I don’t just want to go back to the busyness and the hectic pace of life. I want to live in a way that is deep and full, healthy and whole in body, mind and spirit. I want to live well, with myself, with God, with my neighbors and all of creation. I want to do good meaningful work, but I also want to slow down enough to watch a bee land on a flower, to be present to an evening sunset, to pray in quiet and stillness, or to have a meaningful conversation with a loved one.

This is why I have decided to use this summer, these days and weeks before the busyness of the fall begins, to better understand the practice of Sabbath and how I can make it a more intentional part of my life. I want to invite you along for the journey. The summer blog series will be about some aspect of living a life in which Sabbath is a priority. I will share practices, ideas, and resources that I stumble across.

I have a sense that practicing Sabbath is a key to discovering a meaningful and abundant life in God. Let’s see where God leads us on this journey together.

Practices:

1. Select an intentional time of Sabbath. Maybe it is a full day (Saturday or Sunday), maybe it is a half a day, or maybe even two hours. Just find some time that you can set aside intentionally and regularly to stop doing, to just rest in the presence of God. Don’t just say I will do it if there is time left over. There seldom is. Select your Sabbath time and then make everything else work around that.

2. Use a prayer to begin and end your sabbath time. Here is a suggestion:

BEFORE: God of Sabbath rest, I/we come to you now to find wholeness, healing, restoration and renewal. I/we enter this Sabbath as a way to honor and worship You. I/we come as I/we am/are, no pretenses or illusions. I/We set aside tasks and duties, busyness and striving, in order to pick them up again later in ways that give greater glory to you. God of the Sabbath, grant me/us your peace as I/we now begin this time of Sabbath rest. Amen.

AFTER: God of peace. Thank you for all of the ways that you have met me/us in this Sabbath peace. I/We trust in the slowness of your work. Do your work on your terms and in your good time. This has been holy time. Thank you. Now send me/us back to work and service so as to give greater honor and glory to you. Amen.

Resources: Here are some books I am reading this summer about Sabbath and I invite you to join me in reading some or all:

1. Wendell Berry, A Timbered Choir: Sabbath Poems 1979-1997.

2. Wayne Muller, Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in our Busy Lives.

3. Marva Dawn, Keeping the Sabbath Wholly: Ceasing, Resting, Embracing, Feasting.

4. J. Dana Trent, For Sabbath’s Sake: Embracing Your Need for Rest, Worship and Community.

5. Lauren F. Winner, Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Discipline.

6. Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy.

7. Celeste Headlee, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving.

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

Promises to Keep: Service

Thu, 20 May 2021 14:18:00 GMT

The Meaning of Church Membership

“…the Son of Man didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.”
Matthew 20:28 (CEB)

A note on the blog series: We live in a time when people are less institutional, less inclined to join organizations. There are multiple reasons why, some better than others. Where does that leave churches, though? Why should people even consider joining a church? Membership in a church, I would humbly suggest, is different than membership at a country club or a charitable non-profit. Church membership, in its truest form, is about being part of a covenant community where people promise to model the way of God’s love and grace together, through practices like prayer, being present with and for one another, sharing gifts and resources, serving others, and engaging the world by taking a stand for love and justice. This article explores the membership promise/practice of service.

In almost twenty-five years as a pastor, the sermon I recall getting the most response from (both negative and positive) is one I preached here at Christ Church United Methodist, early in my time, where I said something to the effect that the Church is not a buffet and the purpose of faith is not simply to be fed. These words struck a chord with some and a nerve with others. Still, I stand by these words today.

What I did not mean by this sermon was that we never receive anything from the church or that Christians shouldn’t grow in faith through God’s grace, which we freely receive. What I did mean was that faith is never just a self-serving endeavor, it leads to a posture of working and caring beyond ourselves. Getting past self-interest and focus to give ourselves away for God and others. In essence, to be Christian means to serve. A Christianity that is not about denying self to serve others is a false gospel.

I think this is what Jesus is getting at when he says he didn’t come to earth to be served, but rather to serve others…to give himself away in the name of love. This core trait of Jesus explains why service is at the heart of a Christian life, why it is part our membership promises. We covenant to serve God, each other, and the world in the name of Jesus, who came to serve us. If service is the chosen way of Jesus, then it must be our chosen way, too.

Service, though, does not begin with action. It begins in the heart. Service is not just doing nice things. It is doing them from a place of deep love. Notice how Jesus constantly correlates a person’s relationship with God to how much they love others…neighbor, enemy, children, tax-collectors, sinners, etc. We can do good things, but if it is not from a place of love, something important is missing.

Love is recognizing the image of God in another person, seeing them as a beloved child of God. When our work of service is done for others because we recognize this truth, the act becomes a way of upholding basic human value and worth. It becomes holy.

Without such love, any act of service can easily become about making people feel dependent or less than. It can become self-serving, making us look impressive to others because of our charity. Love, though, binds people together in a way that is holy. It is where the image of God meets in the one serving and the one being served, and both know they are held by an even greater love.

To be part of a Church family/community is to be a person of service. This is who we covenant to become; a person who looks beyond self to God and others in the name of love. Whether our service is to others in the church (singing in the choir, serving as an usher, leading an administrative committee) or in the world (serving meals to food insecure persons, visiting the sick, hurting or dying, teaching children, advocating for the marginalized and vulnerable), service is essential to following in the way of Jesus.

A heart of service does not mean we should try to do everything, but it does mean we can do something out of great love for God and others. That is one of promises God asks us to keep.

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

If God is calling you to become a member of Christ Church United Methodist, we would love to share this discipleship life with you. Please visit Christ Church UM Membership for more information and next steps.

Promises to Keep: Gifts

Fri, 14 May 2021 00:28:00 GMT

A Reflection on Church Membership

“The community of believers was one in heart and mind. None of them would say, ‘This is mine!’ about any of their possessions…There were no needy persons among them. Those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds from the sales, and place them in the care and under the authority of the apostles. Then it was distributed to anyone who was in need.” (Acts 4:32-35, CEB)

A note about this blog series: We live in a time when people are less institutional, less inclined to join organizations. There are multiple reasons why, some better than others. Where does that leave churches, though? Why should people even consider joining a church? Membership in a church, I would humbly suggest, is different than membership at a country club or a charitable non-profit. Church membership, in its truest form, is about being part of a covenant community where people promise to model the way of God’s love and grace together, through practices like prayer, being present with and for one another, sharing gifts and resources, serving others, and engaging the world by taking a stand for love and justice. This article explores the membership promise/practice of gifts.

What does it mean to offer our gifts to the church? It is nothing less than fully giving of ourselves.

In the Christ Church Anti-Racism reading group this month, we read the book, The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song, by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. There was also a recent PBS documentary by the same name ( (see the trailer here: The Black Church ) is more than a book/documentary about church history or even black history. It is American history.

The Black Church came to be through the evils and injustices of slavery and the discrimination of ante-bellum America. Although white persons prohibited slaves from reading the Bible or meeting together separately, for fear that the Christian faith would give ideas of equality and stir up demands for justice and freedom, black persons would worship in secret, sing spirituals filled with messages of Biblical love, justice, and hope, and give everything they had, even risking their lives, to be a part of this Christian community called the Church. I am inspired and humbled by their faith and determination.

In the above passage from Acts, we learn that the earliest Christian communities, also an oppressed and marginalized people, found power in giving everything to be a part of this community called The Church, as well. So much did the earliest Christians believed this that they sold land and possessions, put them in a common fund, and shared among the community. They each gave fully of themselves, sometimes at great cost, to join with others in doing the work of Jesus. As a result, the passage says, “an abundance of grace was at work among them all.”

Today, still, we are asked to give ourselves fully when we join a church community. That is why part of our membership vows include supporting the church through our gifts. These include everything from money, to time, to special skills and abilities that we have. We may not adhere to the practice of giving all of our resources like the earliest Christians did, but we do promise to share our financial resources with the church community, the standard being a tithe, or 10% of our income.

We also promise to give our time to be involved and build up the community. Going to a church is not like going to a restaurant where we expect to be served or catered to. No, church is about giving ourselves, our time, to do the hard work of God through a particular community of Jesus followers. Further, we can also use any special skills or talents we have to build up the church: the choir member or musician who shares their gift of music, the accountant who sits on the Finance committee, the editor who checks the pastor’s blogs for correct grammar, or the teacher who gives an hour a week to teach children’s Sunday School.

This is what it means to promise God, and one another, our gifts.

How can you use your gifts of money, time, and skill to build up the church? If you are not already doing so, what holds you back?

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

Promises to Keep: Presence - A Reflection on Church Membership

Fri, 07 May 2021 14:21:00 GMT

Read: John 15:1-17

We live in a time when people are less institutional, less inclined to join organizations. There are multiple reasons why, some better than others. Where does that leave churches, though? Why should people even consider joining a church? Membership in a church, I would humbly suggest, is different than membership at a country club or a charitable non-profit. Church membership, in its truest form, is about being part of a covenant community where people promise to model the way of God’s love and grace together, through practices like prayer, being present with and for one another, sharing gifts and resources, serving others, and engaging the world by taking a stand for love and justice. This article explores the membership promise/practice of presence.

Showing up is important. To be a part of any team, organization, church, or community, you have to be in regular attendance. Presence is a little different, though. Presence is showing up with a heart of love. It is not only being present but also engaged, caring deeply. Showing up is good, but presence is life-giving.

As I look back on the church of my childhood, my faith journey was shaped by the simple presence of many faithful people: the usher who passed out pieces of candy to the children each week as we came into the worship service, the kind smile of the pastor, Dr. Rowan (I don’t remember any of his sermons, but I do remember his smile), the Sunday School teacher who showed up week after week and endured with grace our awkward transition from childhood to teenage years, the ones who came and served meals at the youth dinner each week. There are so many others.

Think back on your own journey. Name the people who were present for you. Say a short prayer of thanks for each one of them.

True presence is a promise to give ourselves to one another in a community of love and grace. It doesn’t mean we are perfect or that we will always agree. It just means we will honor one another, respect one another, and disagree with love above all else. Presence gives room to one another for growth and change. A presence that is holy transcends political rivalries and differences, theological debates and ideas, even petty conflicts that arise in the ordinary events of life. It holds together in good times and exhibits its strength in difficult times.

This is why we promise our presence to children when they are baptized. When a person joins the church community, they promise presence to the church, and the members of the church promise it right back to them.

Presence comes from the very heart of Jesus. In Jesus, God chose to be present with human beings. He wanted to share our humanity, our grief and struggles, as well as our joy and celebrations. He wanted to run with us into the hope of a good future and walk with us down the roads of this world’s sufferings. He wanted, and still wants, to be present in love.

When Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” (John 15:5), he was talking about a life of being present to one another. It was as if he was saying, “Remain in me…stay with me…I care so much for you and my joy will be so much more complete when our lives are connected.” Jesus is present to us and wants us to be present to him.

Jesus takes this even further. He wants us to be present to one another in the same way. In what would be one of his last commandments, his final words to friends and disciples, he said, “love each other just as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) Being present with Jesus leads to a relationship of presence with others.

In a world of so many shallow, superficial relationships, where people have only agendas or needs to be met, presence asks us to invest in authentic and mutual relationships that don’t ask, “what’s in it for me?” Presence asks us to go beyond relationships limited by agreement on any particular topic or idea. It asks us to consider perspectives of difference, to hold one another in love, and to give space to grow. Anything less is a fragile relationship that, in the end, fails to trust the power of love.

This is why the promise of presence is in our membership vows. It is also why such a promise is counter-cultural, radical really. It invites us into the presence of Jesus and thereby into a community of grace with others, one in which loves transcends all other things. This kind of community, with Jesus and people, is healing and life-giving. It can shape lives. It can stand across the tragic gap that divides so many people from one another today.

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

The Intersection of What Was and What Will Be

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 12:55:00 GMT

(These remarks were shared at the beginning of the Christ Church UM Townhall on Sunday, April 18 to discuss the Pompano/Parkway proposal. To learn more about this, please visit Pompano Proposal

Our story here at Christ Church United Methodist is a part of God’s larger story.

Long ago, the prophet Habakkuk wrote: “There is still a vision for the appointed time; it testifies to the end; it does not deceive. If it delays, wait for it; for it is surely coming and will not be late.” (Habakkuk 2:3, CEB)

The prophet shared these words in a changing time, when the faithful people of God were experiencing sadness and grief over the end of what was, along with the hope and excitement of what could be. The God who had been with the Hebrew people from the beginning would not only walk with them through these changes of life, but also give them a new and exciting future, one that honored the past and anticipated a hope not yet realized. The prophet’s words, though spoken long ago, have a timeless quality to them. They give direction to God’s people and communities across time (including us today) who find themselves at the intersection of what was and what will be in a changing world.

This proposal brings together three stories: First United Methodist Church-Pompano Beach, Christ Church United Methodist, and Parkway United Methodist Church. For many years, these three congregations have faithfully done God’s work and changed lives. All three have raised up children into faith, cared for the hurting and broken, buried the dead, and baptized into new life. All three came into existence because someone risked stepping beyond what was to live into something new.

Today, all of us are experiencing a changing church environment: COVID 19 and debates over social issues only accelerated and highlighted changes that have been happening in churches for many years now. Many congregations know the difficulties of trying to maintain large buildings at a time when people are giving less to churches. Almost everyone, even without data analysis, has a sense that we are in changing times. The church is not the same as it was 30, 15, even 5 years ago.

Change is not always bad, though. It can be creative, the canvass for God’s newest designs and expressions. These changing times are allowing churches to have a smaller property footprint in order to focus on ministry. Like the people in the times of the prophets, it has provided us an opportunity to refocus on growing deep, rather than wide, to focus on things like compassion, justice, spirituality, and service. It has made space for creative and innovative ways of living out these ministries.

Today, we will have the chance to learn a little bit more about this Pompano/Parkway proposal, to ask questions, and have conversation. We will try to respond to as many questions as we can either today or in the days ahead. Still, we don’t have all the answers to all of the questions, yet. We can’t. Even though much thought, prayer, planning, and anticipation has gone into all of this, we know that we are following the movement of the Holy Spirit and we can’t know or anticipate everything. It will require faith and trust in God’s guidance.

The Holy Spirit never promised to make us risk averse…only to give what is needed for the next faithful step.

While in some ways we are walking into the unknown…we do so with these grounding principles:

1. The God who did something new by forming FUMC-Pompano Beach, Parkway UMC, and Christ Church UMC is the same God working now, inviting us to consider something new.

2. We carry a call and a passion to serve the poor, vulnerable, broken, forgotten, excluded, and marginalized people of our community.

3. We have a passion to be more ministry than property focused. In the end, God did not call us to be caretakers of property, but caretakers of people.

For me, the benefits of the proposal are twofold: 1. To be able to do the serve and justice ministries that we are called to in new and creative ways, with a smaller footprint. 2. It will provide more financial stability for doing the work of the church. In this era when people are giving less to churches through offerings, but increasingly needing the church, income from an endowment established with proceeds from the sale will be a source of financial security for years to come. It becomes a way of honoring the legacy of these three congregations and continuing the work and ministry that God has asked of them.

Thank you for taking the time today to come and be a part of this Townhall, and even more, this discernment process. Your voice is important and though we may not all agree or see things in the same way, we honor God in our honest, gentle and respectful dialogue. May we pray and wonder together about all that God is doing in these changing times.

“There is still a vision for the appointed time…for it is surely coming and will not be late.” Amen.

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett

A Vision for the Appointed Time: Pompano and Parkway

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:37:00 GMT

Promises to Keep: Prayer

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 16:37:00 GMT

Read: Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35

There is power in prayer.

One, of the many things, I admire in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is his dependance on prayer. His work for social justice and civil rights had a direct correlation to his prayer life. King would even pray for his enemies and opponents, those who wanted to kill him. Following the example of Jesus, he didn’t want to defeat or destroy his opponents, he wanted them to be transformed by love. He felt genuine empathy for self-caused suffering/harm that came from prejudice and hate. Martin Luther King, Jr. prayed for his opponents from a place of love and because he knew the transformative power of prayer.

When we join a United Methodist congregation, one of the things we promise is that we, too, will be people of prayer. We will pray with and for the congregation, the world. Like King and his social justice work, our congregational life and work has a direct correlation to our prayer life, as a church and as individuals.

What is prayer and what is prayer not? Let’s start with what prayer is not. First, prayer is not an activity we do to try to “wake God up”, if you will. Prayer does not imply that God is passive and sitting by until we raise our voices and put God to work. No, the belief that God is called to action only by our willingness to pray is founded upon a premise that God is inactive and working and needs to be stirred to attention. This is contrary to the God we meet in the Bible.

Similarly, prayer is not about saying the perfect words, praying enough, or getting enough people to pray with us. This idea comes from the insecurity that we have to prove to God that our prayer concern is compelling or worthy enough or that there is a critical mass who agrees with us. If we can show these things, then maybe God will be responsive to what we hope will happen.

Prayer is much deeper than this. It doesn’t begin with a passive, inactive God waiting to be awakened or cajoled into action. No, prayer is the awareness that God is a life force working in the world bringing, love, compassion, justice, healing, mercy, and renewal. God is not sitting by idly but is busy building and growing the Kingdom of God in all of creation.

Prayer, then, is when we put ourselves, our loved ones, our church, our community and the world into the stream of God’s activity. When we pray for others, we are bringing them and us into the wonder and mystery of the God who is working out ahead of our understanding. For every person we lift up in prayer, God knows them and all they are going through far better than we do. God is already working and prayer makes us a part of God’s ongoing activity.

That is why we promise to pray for the church and one another when we make the vows of church membership. There are many different and creative ways to pray: sitting in silence, journaling, reading scripture, taking a walk, practicing yoga, using a prayer book or devotional, etc. There is no one right way of prayer. Everything we do, everything we are, though, must come from this moving stream of God’s activity in the world. Prayer, in whatever form, is the way that we put our boats into the gently flowing waters of God’s love and then trust where the current takes us.

How often do you pray? How are you doing at that part of your church membership vows? Do you have a set pattern, practice, place, or time of day for prayer? What keeps you from being more intentional about prayer? How often do you pray for the church? Others? The world? Yourself? Do you pray or criticize more? What do you need to do right now to grow as a person of intentional prayer?

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett