Off Track
By Larry Haley For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. Luke 19:10 NIV I used to teach Idaho Hunter Education to youth. I also went hunting each year with a small group of friends. One lesson I taught was what to do if you became lost. This included a discussion about how being lost would feel – panic, fear, anxiety. If left unchecked one could make bad decisions and possibly make the problem worse. To counter this I taught them a process to “chill” out. The process: Sit down, build a little campfire, eat and drink something. This would give them time to relax and be able to think and plan what the next step would be. One hunting trip my friends and I split up with a plan to meet at a certain point in the late afternoon and be picked up by another to drive back to camp. About mid afternoon I realized I wasn’t where I thought I was. Immediately those feelings I had taught about were happening to me! But I knew what to do. This calmed me down and I was able to get back on track and reach the meeting point on time. We’re always getting off track, lost, even with the best-laid plans. There are many things in life we don’t control. But there is one who is in control, our God, who has laid out a path for us and provided a spiritual guide and a written guide for us. When that “off track” feeling hits us we can immediately go to our spiritual leader and our written guide for help. Prayer: Lord, we your sheep are always getting lost. Watch over us and give us that push and prod that we need to get back on track. Amen
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Be a Light By Leslie Ward In the same way let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 I grew up in a church with the most amazing, kind, loving, and graceful people. No matter what the circumstance was, someone was always there to help; to show the way. As a kid I didn't understand the time, effort, and sacrifice it took to be the “someone there.” My parents were incredible role models. Church on Sunday, helping with the work days at church, teaching Sunday School and writing devotions to share as a deacon or deaconess, arriving early to prepare communion, and helping with Church Camp in the summers. That took a sacrifice of time and resources to help improve the bigger picture. Jesus knew the sacrifice. HE KNEW! And yet, he still did it. Even to this day the thought of how much he loves me - how much he sacrifices for me – is overwhelming. As an adult, I get the time, energy, and resources it takes to be “the someone who is there.” Is it worth it? Yes, I believe so! We could never be the light that Jesus was but we can be a light. Listen to Thomas Rhett’s “Be a Light" and then go BE a Light. Dear God, Thank you for your Son, thank you for the Light! Help me to reflect it in any way I can. Amen ~~~~~~ BE A LIGHT by Thomas Rhett
(go here to listen) In a time full of war, be peace In a time full of doubt, just believe Yeah, there ain't that much difference between you and me In a time full of war, be peace In a world full of hate, be a light When you do somebody wrong, make it right Don't hide in the dark, you were born to shine In a world full of hate, be a light (La-la-la, la, la, la, la) In a place that needs change, make a difference In a time full of noise, just listen 'Cause life is but a breeze, better live it In a place that needs a change, make a difference In a world full of hate, be a light When you do somebody wrong, make it right Oh, don't hide in the dark, you were born to shine In a world full of hate, be a light La-la-la, la, la, la, la La-la-la, la, la, la, la La-la-la, la, la, la, la La-la-la, la, la, la, la In a race that you can't win, slow it down Yeah, you only get one go around 'Cause the finish line is six feet in the ground In a race you can't win, just slow it down In a world full of hate, be a light (oh) When you do somebody wrong, make it right (make it right) Don't hide in the dark (don't hide in the dark), you were born to shine In a world full of hate, be a light Yeah, it's hard to live in color, when you just see black and white In a world full of hate, be a light Think About Excellent Things
By Pam Hardenbrook Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things. Philippians 4:8 Jim and I were serving our first full-time pastorate in Bellingham, Washington, and had completed our first year. It was time for the church board to review Jim’s salary package. I think they were paying us $600 a month and a motion was on the table to raise the salary by $50 a month. We really could use the raise. We were renting a dumpy little house with hot and cold running mice, and our first baby was on the way. I wasn’t at the meeting, but Jim told me all about it afterwards. One of the deacons on the board was a grouchy old miserly fellow. You could always count on this deacon to be negative and argumentative in most situations. Long story short, he convinced the board not to increase our salary. After that board meeting, Jim came home hurt and angry. He had a fomenting dislike of this man, and I could see that it could ruin his ministry. So we prayed about it and came up with a plan based on Philippians 4:8. We decided to apply that teaching to our attitudes about that deacon. We began to look for any true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy characteristics in him. It took some doing, but we came up with some. The deacon was faithful. He attended every worship service and event at the church. He was a hard worker and offered his muscle and expertise whenever something needed moving or fixing. We began to thank God for those attributes, but we also told him what we appreciated about him. I’d like to say that he became sweeter, kinder, and more generous, but that didn’t happen. What did happen was that WE became sweeter, kinder, and more generous toward him. His cantankerousness didn’t steal our joy. Do you have a cantankerous person in your life? This Lenten season is a good time to examine your thoughts and attitudes. Try applying this passage to that person; focus on things in that person that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, or worthy of praise. Maybe God can use that troublesome person to transform and purify you. Holy Lord, open my eyes to the true, noble, right and pure characteristics of people in my life. Instead of dwelling on negative things, help me to think about what is lovely and worthy of respect in the lives of others. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, give me the grace and boldness to speak of those things. To your eternal glory, amen. Thou art with Me
Written by Doris Homan The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. - Psalm 23 January 1, 2021 my sister, Mary Ann Crawley of Decaturville, Tennessee died. She was 88 years old and had been in poor health for the past couple of years. A few months ago she was taken to the hospital and tested positive for Covid. While hospitalized she was having trouble with her memory and was very confused. One day as I was trying to talk to her by phone, she began to recite the Twenty-third Psalm. It was word by word and from beginning to the end. When she got to verse 4 (Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…) she slowed and emphasized every word. I was shocked and pleased. Mary Ann recovered somewhat but eventually died. My relatives informed me she had recited the psalm to some of her children and grandchildren, as well. At the end of her graveside service, her pastor ended the service by having everyone recite the Twenty-third Psalm together. Since that time I have had a copy of the psalm in the front of my Bible so that when I do my devotion each night I can clearly recall her reciting it – especially verse 4. Loving heavenly Father, I will fear no evil for You are with me. Amen. Payette United Methodist Church
March 6, 2022 First Sunday of Lent Communion Sunday Prelude Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship “The Family of God” I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God I've been washed in the fountain Cleansed by His blood Joint heirs with Jesus As we travel this sod For I'm part of the family The family of God Hymn: “We Gather Together” UMH#131 all vs. We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; he chastens and hastens his will to make known. The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own. Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining, ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine; so from the beginning the fight we were winning; thou, Lord, wast at our side, all glory be thine! We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant, and pray that thou still our defender wilt be. Let thy congregation escape tribulation; thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free! Responsive Reading from Psalm 91 Leader: Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. People: They say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Leader: “Because they love me,” says the Lord, “I will protect them, for they acknowledge my name. They will call on me, and I will answer them” All: He will be with us when trouble comes. Unison Invocation “Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid…” Let us be honest with ourselves and you. Save us from believing we can live without you. Enable us to name our hopes and joys, guilt and fears. “That we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify your holy name.” Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray. Amen Hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” UMH#140 vs. 1,3 Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father; there is no shadow of turning with thee; thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be. Refrain: Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed thy hand hath provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! Refrain Offering Prayer Old Testament Reading - Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Gospel Reading - Luke 4:1-13 God’s Word for God’s People. Thanks Be To God Message “First Love” Revelation 2: 1-7 Sermon Notes: Toward the end of the First Century (AD) John the Apostle was imprisoned at the penal colony on Patmos, an island in the Aegean Sea between Greece and what is now Turkey. It was there that John wrote the Book of Revelation (the last book in the Bible). At the time of his imprisonment and the writing of this book, John was probably in his late 90s and the only living original apostles that Jesus chose. When called to follow Jesus he and his brother James were commercial fishermen who fished the Sea of Galilee. He is the Spirit-inspired author of the Gospel of John, the letters of First, Second, and Third John, and the Revelation of John. One Sunday morning John was “in the Spirt” (Revelation1:10) and experienced a visit from “the First and the Last,” (Revelation 1:17) and was commanded to write down what he was to see. John did just that. His first assignment was to write letters to seven churches that were in seven cities in the western part of Turkey. Today’s sermon takes it shape from the first of those letters. It was written to the church which was in the city of Ephesus. You can read how the Ephesian church came to exist by reading Acts 19. It’s quite a story! Paul wrote a letter to this congregation. It was to become an important and influence church in the early history of Christianity. Now, toward the end of the First Century (AD) the congregation receives another letter. This one came from Patmos claiming to be dictated to John (their beloved Bishop) by none other than Jesus, the Resurrected Messiah. Communion Hymn: “Eat This Bread” UMH#628 2x Eat this bread, Drink this cup Come to him and never be hungry. Eat this bread, Drink this cup, Trust in him and you will not thirst. The Communion Service The Apostles Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another. Let us confess our sin before God and one another. Prayer of Confession and Pardon Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart Our faith has been tested and we have stumbled. Forgive us, we pray. Our feet have strayed from the path of Christ and we have wandered from you. Forgive us, we pray. We have put our faith in the loud voices of this world, ignoring your whispers. Forgive us, we pray. We do want to follow Jesus, the Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. Hear the good news; Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. That proves God’s love for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Bread and Cup Please pray: Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Strengthen us in mind, body and soul for the days ahead. May your Spirit fill us as we live and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. Commitment Hymn: "He Leadeth Me" UMH #128 vs 1, 3 He leadeth me: O blessed thought! O words with heavenly comfort fraught! Whate'er I do, where'er I be, still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me. Refrain: He leadeth me, he leadeth me; by his own hand he leadeth me: his faithful follower I would be, for by his hand he leadeth me. Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine, nor ever murmur nor repine; content, whatever lot I see, since 'tis my God that leadeth me. Refrain Unison Benediction* May the peace of the Lord Jesus go with you wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors. *from Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals Postlude Thank you for Worshiping with us today! (CCLI License #1552544) 0 Comments
How Does Jesus Speak to You?
By Letha Essinger For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes may not die but have eternal life. John 3:16 (Good News Bible) I can't remember when my love of music wasn't there. My older sisters always sang harmony while doing dishes. In our one room school in Kansas, music was a bright spot every day. I could memorize anything set to music! In that same one room school we had Sunday school, and learned “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!” I could hardly wait for Sunday! What a wonderful experience! As an adult, singing in church and in church choirs has blessed my soul. How much I miss singing in church during this COVID shut-down! So I will be singing to myself all the beloved hymns of Lent and Easter. One that I particularly love speaks of Jesus love for each of us. It's one of the hymns that bring me peace. Sometimes I sing it in my mind as I'm going to sleep, or when I'm undergoing a medical procedure. O How He Loves You and Me O how He loves you and me! O how he loves you and me! He gave his life, what more can he give? O how he loves you; O how he loves me; O how he loves you and me! Jesus to Calv'ry did go; His love for sinners to show. What he did there brought hope from despair. O how he loves you; O how he loves me; O how he loves you and me! Take a deep breath, breathing in God's Spirit and calm, let the breath out slowly, releasing all that distracts you. Read or sing the words of the song in an attitude of Thanksgiving. Thank you, Holy Lord, for your wonderful gifts of love and grace and eternal life. Amen A Trip to the Dump
by Jim Hardenbrook But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. Colossians 3:8 I do enjoy a trip to the landfill or “the dump,” as we used to call it. As a youngster, I saw those trips as great adventures! I never knew what I would find or whom I would see. Some folks turn up their noses when you mention a landfill, but not me. However, something about a landfill never changes: a certain odor is part of the experience. Now don’t get me wrong – the folks who operate our local landfill do a great job, but it still has that certain smell. The smell is not as bad as it was in the old days, but it is still there. That is just the price you pay for having garbage around – even for a little while. It is the same way with moral garbage. It stinks. The longer you keep it around, the more it stinks. Garbage such as “anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language” piles up in our hearts and pollutes the whole environment around us. That kind of garbage not only smells bad, it injures families, neighborhoods, offices, churches and communities. How do we get rid of moral garbage? Some can be recycled, but that takes special handling. Some should be buried, and some should be destroyed, but the best approach is to haul it off to someone who knows how to deal with it. As a Christian, I believe that Jesus knows best how to handle the moral garbage of my life – and yours. However, that doesn’t happen automatically. We don’t just “get better.” It starts with seeing garbage for what it is, and then deciding to get rid of it. How about a trip to dump? Dear Jesus, take the garbage of my life and haul it away. Recycle my experiences – even the bad ones – and use them to teach me to be a better disciple. Amen. The Sacrifice
By Kay Haley And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice of God. Ephesians 5:2 (NIV) April 8, 2011, I was building two large stage props for a passion play to be performed at our church for Good Friday. To construct the props, I was forming wire mesh into the shape of a life size figure of Jesus, to hang on a tall cross in the church yard. As I was finishing up and was amazed of how lifelike he was, I realized my hand was bleeding. I had cut it on the rough edges of the wire. I wasn’t in pain but I felt at that moment I needed to sit down, not because I was bleeding but because I was profoundly shocked at the realization of the sacrifice that was made for me. It was as if time had stopped. I remember repeating this verse several times throughout the following days of working on this project: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (KJV) Each year during the time of Lent, 40 days before Easter, I recall this emotional time in my life. Today when I think about the Lenten season I give thanks for this season to focus my walk with Jesus and where I am going with Him this year. It’s a time to look at all the opportunities to grow, to learn, to pray, to sacrifice my “cluttered life” for a more meaningful God centered life. Lent is our opportunity to contemplate what our Lord really did for us on the cross. The cross is where we can place our faith, our salvation, and our hope fully in God’s hands. Loving God, Help me to open my heart and let everything I do come from you. Help me to be aware and thankful for the many ways you reach out to me to help me each day. Lead me think beyond my own wants and fill me with the desire to do your will, Amen. From Jim's Cluttered Desks
March 2, 2022 Today is Ash Wednesday. This is the day of the Christian calendar where we set aside some specific time to sit still for awhile. Many churches have worship gatherings. Some Christian traditions include placing ashes on each worshippers forehead reminding u “for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19) For some of us a discussion about our mortality (that we each will die) is not welcome. For others it can become a fearful expectation that dominates their life. Ash Wednesday helps balance those two extremes. It helps us admit to ourselves that there will be a day when that part of us that lives forever will leave these “wonderfully and fearfully made” bodies of ours. It also helps us prepare for this. advanced directives, wills, bequests, funeral arrangements are important and thoughtful. But then there is being prepared spiritually. “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many.” (Hebrews 9:27) Ash Wednesday offers an opportunity to prayerfully evaluate the “state of our souls.” On what and who are we depending as we live here and when we cross over? Knowing we should fill out an Advanced Directive, compose a will, or plan our funeral service doesn't get it done. Knowing you should make a decision to follow Jesus doesn't get it done either. Knowing and doing are two different things. Use this Ash Wednesday as a day to decide to follow Jesus; believing that he is the Son of the Living God, naming him as your Lord and Savior, letting his teaching and example become your guide, and become (or continue to be) part of a group of people who have decided the same thing. May your 2022 Ash Wednesday be a blessed time. Be not afraid, Pastor Jim Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blessed assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed his own blood for my sake. It is well with my soul. -Horatio G. Spafford Introduction: Please read first!
In the midst of a global pandemic, the United Methodist Churches of Fruitland and Payette, Idaho endured hardships never before experienced. Our congregations were not allowed to meet in person for thirteen months. Although the churches joined forces to provide recorded worship services each week, worship just was not the same as were used to, and the fellowship we craved was beyond our reach. Despite the strictures we faced, the congregations remained strong, generous and united. God's charitable people continued to support their congregations financially, and they found ways to reach out to others both in church and in the community. Out of their loving hearts, church members and friends provided thousands of dollars in the form of grocery gift cards to needy families in our neighborhoods. As the 2021 Lenten Season approached, we wanted to come together in another way. We decided to promote the idea of providing daily devotions written for and by our church people. The outpouring of support was nearly as inspiring as the devotions people wrote from their hearts. For the 40-plus days of 2022 Lenten Season, audible recordings of these devotions, along with the printed text will be posted once again on a daily basis for you to enjoy, meditate on, and be blessed. Now, start the recording and enjoy the first posting: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Doing Lent By Roxie Tolbert "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" Matthew 20:18-19 Our daughter-in-law, Wendy, got a phone call, a few weeks before Easter, from our granddaughter Trisha, who was away at college. Trisha was very upset and told her mother that she had just found out that she wasn't doing Lent correctly. She said that she had just learned that she was supposed to give up meat for Lent and instead she had been giving up her favorite daily fancy coffee drink from Starbucks. Trisha was attending St. Mary's College, a private Catholic college, and part of the requirement was attending worship services. Apparently it was suggested in the service that it was appropriate to fast from meat. Wendy explained to Trisha that, as she didn't care one way or the other if she ate meat, it would not be a sacrifice for her; so to give up her precious coffee drink was, of course, the right way to fast during Lent for her. I've had several interesting conversations around doing Lent—everything from being told that, as a Methodist, I can't do Lent because it's only for Catholics (and, no, this bit of wisdom did not come from someone who was actually Catholic) to friends asking me if I do Lent, how I do Lent and if they should do Lent the way I do. My first reaction when someone asked about doing Lent instead of observing Lent was that Lent is a Christian season, not an activity. After giving it a little more thought, I realized that I couldn't be more incorrect. Lent is something you do. Lent is our time of spiritual preparation before Easter. Preparation, any kind of preparation, requires activity. Some suggested activities are fasting, spiritual discipline, repentance, moderation, and self-denial. Lent is the time when we make an extra effort to draw closer to God – to really think about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifice that was made for us—the gift that was given to us. The suggested activities provide both time and constant reminders for us during Lent—something to keep us centered during this special time. So, how do we do Lent? We do it in the way that is the most meaningful to each of us. We do it in the way that brings us closer to our amazing God who loves us so much that he gave his Son to us and for us. However you do lent, do Lent. Lord, we seek to come closer to you through our Lenten disciplines. May they be a gateway between You and each of us. Amen From Pastor Jim's Cluttered Desks..
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is yet to come. Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 24:4-6) In light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine I encourage you to pray over the situation, especially for the people of Ukraine who are now suffering the devastation of war. It is hard to find words to shape our prayers so I offer this poem that fits the tune Finlandia (“This Is My Song”). Perhaps it will help you, as it has me, to have the words to bring before the Triune God during this crisis. We pray for peace, O God of love and justice, as once again, we face a time of war. The meek and humble try — amid the crisis -- to love and build, to nurture and restore. May leaders hear the truth the prophets teach us -- that gifts of peace are well worth struggling for. We pray for peace, O Christ who calmed the waters -- who stilled the storm, who stilled disciples’ fear. You spoke with love and with amazing power; be with us now when trouble is so near. May leaders see the miracle you offer -- that words and deeds can calm the nations here. We pray for peace, O Spirit here among us; your love emboldens, judges, and restrains. Take any hate and acts of impulse from us; make leaders wise, amid competing claims. May we seek peace, O God of love and justice; may love and mercy be our highest aims. Carolyn Jean Sibelius Additionally, we will be impacted by this war. May our words and attitudes reflect our commitment to follow Jesus. Be not afraid, Pastor Jim |
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