THE SOLAR ECLIPSE and GOD’S HOPE

"What has come into being in [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:3-5)

One of the great experiences that I had with fellowship staff, family, and friends this past Monday, April 8^th was to watch the partial solar eclipse together outside from the church parking lot.  While we here in Georgia did not have a total (100%) eclipse like some places experienced around in the U.S. west and north of us, it was still an impressive sight and experience! (You’ll see in this article some of the pictures I took of the partial eclipse with my own telescope).

For the 10 or so minutes that the sun was blocked 81% by the moon, we all noted that even though it was not a total eclipse, there was still a palpable temperature drop, and the sky was noticeably dimmer – it felt sort of like dusk on a Fall evening.  Perhaps you were outside that afternoon during the time of maximum blockage (3:01pm here in Georgia) and experienced something similar! 

But as awesome as this was, its transient nature reminded me of the very first Easter… just as the life, love and hope of God’s “Son” got “eclipsed” by the “darkness” of death and evil from the cross on Good Friday, the reality was that was only temporary.  Instead, just as the sun eventually reappeared shining at full strength on Monday afternoon after the end of the solar eclipse, so God’s “Son” resurrected Jesus reappeared on Easter morning “shining” his full light, love and hope again, as well.

In the same way, just as there are times in which the light, love and hope of God gets eclipsed in our own lives by “dark” things like tragedy, death, disease, division, racism, violence, war, fear, and so much else, those things do not last either – the “light” of God’s love, hope, and peace eventually win out and drive the dark away! 

So, when God’s light is “eclipsed” by darkness in your life, don’t give up hope – its only temporary; his “Son” will soon shine again!  Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

 

Jesus Is On the Loose!

“The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.” (Luke 24:34-35)

A number of years ago, now deceased United Methodist Bishop Mike Coyner shared an experience he had while leading a  children’s moment during worship in which he was talking with the children about Easter.  He asked “What did it mean that the tomb was empty?”  And without missing a beat, one of them  replied enthusiastically “It means that Jesus is on the loose!”

Mike takes it from there:  “That child was right.  Easter is not about worshipping a Risen Christ who is captured in our stained-glass windows, or in our wonderful choir cantatas, or in beautiful Easter lilies, or even in dynamic sermons proclaiming ‘Christ is Risen!’  No, Jesus cannot be contained in our celebrations of Easter.  He is on the loose!  He is out ahead of us!  He is already leading the way into new life.  In fact, the message of Easter seems to be, ‘You just missed him.  He was just here, but he is gone already.’  What do we do with such a Jesus?  He won’t stay long in any one place.  He is always moving on to the next place of need.

I heard a story a few years ago about a church that voted to open its doors to a homeless shelter.  This caused quite a controversy in that staid, respectable, religious congregation.  In fact, one woman who opposed the idea confronted her pastor in great anger by yelling, ‘If Jesus knew you were letting those dirty people into our church, he would roll over in his grave!’  She had missed the whole point of Easter:  Jesus isn’t in his grave.  He is on the loose.  And he is leading us to do ministry in hard places, with difficult people, in circumstances that are not easy…..

So, let’s take time to celebrate Easter.  But then let’s hurry on to try to catch up with Jesus, because he’s still on the loose!”
            [--Bishop Mike Coyner, cited in the newsletter of Trinity-on-the-Hill UMC (Augusta, GA) April 20, 2001]

My prayer is that wherever you find yourself this holiday season, you would remember that Easter is not a holiday on a calendar, but a spiritual event that should impact and guide all that we do and say as his followers.  Despite the reality of sin, turmoil and evil in our world, Jesus is still “on the loose”, working in the lives of those who will claim him.  Is he “on the loose” in YOUR life?

Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

The Old Rugged Cross

“For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

“On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For' twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

Refrain:
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, ‘Til my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,  And exchange it some day for a crown.”

[--Verses 1-3 of hymn “The Old Rugged Cross,” #504 in The United Methodist Hymnal, by George Bennard]

This Holy Week, it is good for us to remember how God used the cross of Christ as a tragic and ironic instrument for the salvation of all humankind, and how through that cross, God’s great, wondrous love was shown to/for each of us! Jesus suffered and died there so that you and I might have victory and life today as Christians. Our salvation might be free to us, but it cost Jesus everything! Blessed is Jesus, who allowed himself to be nailed to a cross for your sake and mine! Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

What Is God Saying to You?

Who am I? Where am I going? How does God fit into my life? How can my relationship with God help me through tough times?  These are a few of the questions we’ll be exploring at Cornerstone United Methodist Church in a new worship series called “VOICES OF LENT.”  

Shared during worship February 25-March 24, we’ll explore some of the spiritual themes of the Christian season of “Lent,” and how these can sustain and empower us in our lives today.

February 25 -- The Voice of Belonging (Mark 1:9-11)

Discovering our identity in Christ

March 3 – The Voice of Invitation (Matthew 14:22-32) 

                                    Learning how to answer God's calls

March 10 -- The Voice of Awe (Exodus 20:1-20)

Discovering the purposes of God’s law

March 17 -- The Voice of Forgiveness (Psalm 51:1-17)

Discovering the power of forgiveness

March 24 (Palm/Passion Sunday) -- The Voice of Silence (Mark 15:34-39)

Learning to trust God through difficult and trying times

 

L E N T

“Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus....” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

LENT.  No, it’s not just something that sticks to your clothes.  Instead, Lent is also a season of the Christian year in which we not only prepare our lives for the Easter message of life, death, suffering, and resurrection, but are also encouraged to identify with Christ by allowing us to be used by him as vehicles of God’s grace to others.

The word “Lent” itself comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten, which means "spring" -- a reference to the "new life" that Christ brings to us, just as spring brings new life to nature.  For the forty days prior to Easter (beginning this coming Ash Wednesday, February 14th and culminating with Good Friday, March 29th), Christians are invited to focus upon how we practice following Christ in every arena of our lives: home; on the job; at church; in our finances; and in our relationships with others.

And because of its emphasis upon the sacrifice of Christ, Lent has traditionally been a time in which Christians are encouraged to give up worldly things in order to replace them with spiritual things.  As the above scripture reminds us, we are to “lay aside the weight(s) and the sin” that keep us from being the spouse, the friend, the work/schoolmate, etc. that God desires us to be.

What things hinder and interfere with you being the person who God created you to be?  worry?  jealousy?  envy?  bitterness?  pessimism?  fear?  pride?  a bad habit?  gossip?  a judging spirit?  Whatever it is, Lent invites us to give it up -- to junk it -- and, in its place, “look to Jesus” to equip us with those things (love, joy, patience, kindness, forgiveness, etc.) that can help us to “run with perseverance the race [of life] that is set before us.”

Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

1 Corinthians 13 for Today

 “Now faith, hope, and love remain—these three things—and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, CEB)

Today in worship, I invite our congregation to read together in unison a re-write of the famous “love chapter” from the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 that I wrote.  Here are its words in case you want to re-read it or share it with others…

            “If I worship God in a certain style that I know to be the ‘appropriate’ one, but look down my nose at others who worship differently, or have different skin color, politics, or cultural heritage, then I’m nothing more than a loud, ringing, obnoxious cell phone in a quiet, romantic restaurant.

            If while at church, I speak to all my closest friends each and every week, but fail to go out of my way to welcome the stranger and the guest, then I’m like a tourist at the Grand Canyon who’s only concern is that there’s no WiFi in my hotel room.

            If I do things ‘by the book’ in my church committee or ministry meeting, but ignore the spirit of love that that book represents, then I’m no better than a freight train intentionally running over an innocent bystander.

            If I’m convinced that I’m theologically ‘correct’ about what the Bible says, but don’t manifest those beliefs through my respect and love for others with whom I disagree, then in the eyes of God all my ‘correct’ beliefs count for precisely nothing.

            The heart of Christianity is love and humility in all things.  Acting in love is more important than being ‘right.’  Sharing Christ’s love is more important than whether or not we always get our way.  Love will never fail -- it’s to be the primary motivation for all we say and do in God’s church.

            In the past, when we were young Christians and a young church, we took pride in being gatekeepers of tradition; in not allowing new ideas, new ways of thinking, and new, different people from affecting us too much.  But now that we’re growing up and maturing in our faith, we know we can’t continue to act the way we used to.  Love requires that we give up our old, immature ways.

            So now these three remain: FAITH to trust God through changes and new things and new people; HOPE that we don’t have to be who we used to be; and LOVE which enables us to live and act more Christlike along our life's journeys.  But the greatest of these is self-giving, self-sacrificing, God-like LOVE.”

Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

Back to the Basics

Who is God?  Why believe in Jesus as God’s son?  Why do we need the church?  How is the Bible to be an authority in our lives? Invite your friends and family January 7 - February 11, 2024 as we explore answers to these questions and more in a new six-week sermon series called “Christianity 101." Come rediscover how the basics of Christian faith can help guide you in life!

 January 7 -- I AM  (Exodus 3:13-15)

The character and nature of God in our lives

 January 14 -- Who Am I?  (Mark 8:27-30)

The purpose and role of Jesus in our faith

 January 21 -- Got Spirit? (Luke 3:15-17,21-22; Acts 1:8)

The function and role of the Holy Spirit

 January 28 – Navigation (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

The Bible as God’s navigation system for life

 February 4 -- Body Parts (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)

The purpose and need for the Church in our faith

 February 4 – The Heart of It All (Matthew 22:37-40; John 13:35)

The heart of Christianity as a love of God and neighbor

O God, Our Help In Ages Past

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations…” (Psalm 90:1)

January 1st marks the beginning of new year.  But where is the future going?  What unknowns await us?  What will happen this coming year in our community? …in our church? …in our nation?  What will happen in our personal and family lives?

Whatever happens, I am comforted by the fact that there is nothing that we might face that’s bigger than the God we serve.  In 1708, Isaac Watts wrote one of the most famous of his hymns to remind people of his day of the faithfulness of God in the midst of the unknowns of the present:

God, our help in ages past,

our hope for years to come,

our shelter from the stormy blast,

and our eternal home.

Under the shadow of thy throne,

still may we dwell secure;

sufficient is thine arm alone,

and our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,

or earth received her frame,

from everlasting, thou art God,

to endless years the same.

A thousand ages, in thy sight,

are like an evening gone;

short as the watch that ends the night,

before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,

bears all who breathe away;

they fly forgotten, as a dream

dies at the opening day.

O God, our help in ages past,

our hope for years to come;

be thou our guide while life shall last,

and our eternal home.

            [--Isaac Watts (1708), UMHymnal #117]

As we begin this new year, always remember that the same God who has been with and for us all in our past will guide and direct us in our future, no matter what it holds.  And never forget that God loves you and I do, too!   

Sing We Now of Christmas

"The Shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen…” (Luke 2:20)

“Sing we now of Christmas, Noel sing we here
Sing our grateful praises to the maid so dear.
Sing we Noel! The King is born, Noel!
Sing we now of Christmas Sing we here, Noel!

From the Eastern kingdoms come the wise men far
Bearing ancient treasure following yonder star.
Sing we Noel! The King is born, Noel!
Sing we now of Christmas Sing we here, Noel!

From the distant mountains hear the trumpet sound
With angelic blessings on the silent town.
Sing we Noel! The King is born, Noel!
Sing we now of Christmas Sing we here, Noel!

Come let us surround him on this magic night
Gather here around him wondrous babe of light.
Sing we Noel! The King is born, Noel!
Sing we now of Christmas Sing we here, Noel!”

[--Traditional French Carol, The United Methodist Hymnal #237]

Whether you can “carry a tune” or not, I pray that you will have a song in your heart as you listen for hope in the coming of Christ in your life this Christmas!  Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

WAITING...

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)

I don’t know about you, but I have never been very good at waiting. Whether it is waiting in those long lines at stores or waiting on a parking space in the parking lot, it often seems that the closer something is, the more difficult it is to wait for it. In fact, our impatience seems built right into our culture and society – these days, Christmas carols and decorations appear even before Halloween!

Yet, the Christian season of ADVENT (from the Latin adventus, “coming” – a reference to the “coming” of Jesus in the past, present and future) encourages us to learn the hard and difficult lesson of waiting, of watching, of anticipating, and of expecting good things still to come. It encourages us to learn to wait for God to reveal Himself in His own way and time.

In the weeks leading up to our daughter Jennifer’s birth over twenty-eight years ago, Trish and I both were very much on edge. The due date arrived, then passed, and I remember thinking constantly, “How much longer, Lord?!” I’m sure it was the same for the early Hebrews as they waited for the Messiah to be born, probably also thinking, “How much longer, Lord?!” And it’s the same for us today as we often ask of our problems, “How much longer, Lord?!” Maybe it’s God’s way of trying to remind us that some of the best things in life (including true, genuine fulfillment, contentment, and joy) often come only through long, hard waiting.

So, during this Advent season (which begins this coming Sunday, December 3rd), I invite us all to let God teach us to wait… with patience, anticipation, and joy. One tool that can help us “wait” and prepare for the coming of Christmas is through our use of what is called an “Advent Wreath” — a circle of four candles which are progressively lit during the four Sundays of Advent, culminating in the lighting of the central white (Christ) candle on Christmas Eve. CLICK HERE for an order for an Advent Wreath lighting that you can download and use each week leading up to Christmas.

Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

Ba, Humbug Christmas?

Do your holiday preparations ever leave you feeling like “Bah Humbug!?” Does it sometimes seem like a challenge just to celebrate at all?  If this has ever been you, then join Pastor Brian and your fellow church family and friends in rediscovering the real meaning of Christmas through a holiday worship series called A ‘DICKENS’ OF A CHRISTMAS.  Offered at all of our Sunday worship services December 3 - 24, you’ll experience the power of Christmas like never before as we relate Charles Dickens’ familiar “A Christmas Carol” to the biblical Christmas story.

December 3 -- The Chains We Forge (Isaiah 61:1-3; Galatians 5:1)

Learning how to break the “chains” of our past

 December 10 -- Needing A Little Joy (Philippians 4:4-9)

   Discovering the Joy of Christmas through Music  

     (presented by our Music Ministry)

December 17 -- The ‘Business’ of Humanity (Micah 6:6-8; Luke 1:46-53)

   Remembering our task of serving the needs of humankind

December 24 -- The Person That I Was... (Isaiah 6:1-7; Matthew 2:1-18)

    Celebrating the power of Christmas to change us. 

Three Ways To Be Thankful

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.” (Psalms 92:1-2)

Back when I was still living at my parents' home in Fayetteville, I remember hearing my pastor share a Thanksgiving sermon that was especially meaningful to me -- enough that I wrote down the main points and have kept them all these years!  As we prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I share with you these same “Three Ways To Be Thankful” in the hope that they will inspire you as they did me.

During Thanksgiving, we are challenged to have…

1) Thankful Minds - learn to become aware of all the blessings given to you by God… your family, friends, health, and for people that helps us be the best we can be.  In the words of a famous hymn, “Count your many blessings, see what God has done.”  In other words, learn to acknowledge the outward blessings of God.

2) Thankful Hearts -- Philippians 4:6 says “Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking Him with a thankful heart.” Learn to be thankful for the inner, spiritual “gifts” of God in our lives… blessings that may not be outwardly apparent, but which one can choose to see as blessings with the right perspective.  This could include things like being “thankful” for being laid off, for an illness that causes us to see our need for (and reliance on) God even more, and even learning to be thankful for the troubles and trials of life that help us grow.  In other words, learn to acknowledge the inward blessings of God.

3) Thankful Hands -- James 1:22 says that we are to “be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”  “Hands” here represents our actions and deeds.  In other words, we are not called to keep our thankfulness of “mind” and of “heart” to ourselves.  Instead, we’re called to show thankfulness through what we do…  through our loving and caring for others, sharing their joys and sorrows, their good times and bad.

My prayer is that this Thanksgiving holiday, despite any challenges and hardships that you've faced lately, you’ll remember and enjoy God’s blessings in your life.  But more than that, I pray that you’ll also allow those blessings to inspire you to practice your thankfulness in the three ways above.  Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

Give Thanks for God's Saints

“To the church of God that is in... [Coweta County], to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, 

called to be saints...” (1 Corinthians 1:2)

“Rejoice in God’s saints, today and all days; a world without saints forgets how to praise.
Their faith in acquiring the habit of prayer, their depth of adoring, Lord, help us to share.

Some march with events to turn them God’s way; some need to withdraw, the better to pray.
Some carry the gospel through fire and through flood; our world is their parish; their purpose
is God.

Rejoice in those saints, unpraised and unknown, who bear someone’s cross or shoulder their
own. They shame our complaining, our comforts, our cares; what patience in caring, what
courage, is theirs!

Rejoice in God’s saints, today and all days, a world without saints forgets how to praise.
In loving, in living, they prove it is true: the way of self-giving, Lord, leads us to you.”

[--Fred Pratt Green, from the United Methodist Hymnal, #708]

Each November 1st is “All Saints Day” on the church calendar -- a day for God’s people to celebrate and remember the lives of all God’s “saints”: those living now who call Jesus their Savior; and those who’ve gone on to be with the Lord this past year.

I pray that you will join me this Sunday (November 5th) as we celebrate and remember the lives of all God’s “saints,” including those of our church membership who’ve gone on to be with the Lord this past year. Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

Football Faith

“Tell them to do good, to be rich in the good things they do, to be generous, and to share with others. …That way they can take hold of the life that truly is life”  (1 Timothy 6:18-19, CEB)

In the game of football, the ultimate goal is to get the ball into the end zone.  No team ever wins a game without moving the ball forward, and -- likewise -- no quarterback can advance the cause of the team without distributing the ball to others. 

So it is with the Christian faith:  growing and maturing as disciples of Jesus Christ requires us to share the “ball” that God has given to us. In the scripture above from 1 Timothy 6, the apostle Paul advises his young apprentice Timothy that sharing is necessary not only for ourselves, but also in order for God’s “team” (the church), to move forward on the “playing field” of life. 

From October 15-29, through a spiritual journey called Football Faith, we as a church will be exploring the value of being part of God’s “team” through the practice of generosity:  the sharing of our resources and lives for the work of God’s kingdom.  We’ll learn the difference between ownership and stewardship, the importance of being a “team player,” the great benefits of at least one God-given tool for sharing, and the joy that results from generosity itself.

And by the time we celebrate “Touchdown Sunday” in our one combined worship service on October 29, our hope is that we will have been challenged to understand and claim how true life – true “victory” -- is not found in what we have (i.e., in “keeping the ball”) but in what we give away (i.e., in “passing the ball to others”).  You won’t want to miss a single Sunday in this unique and special spiritual journey!

In the meantime, however, I ask you to join me and your church leadership in praying that God will prepare our hearts to hear His message of transforming generosity, and to commit to being present in worship each week as we do so!

Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

        Pastor Brian
 

“REVIVE: to return to consciousness or life; to become active or flourishing again.” 

All things in life from time to time go through periods of stagnation, dryness, and lifelessness, where we “go through the motions” of work and living, but lack energy, passion, and meaning. In those times, for life to continue and thrive, we must experience revival.

Join me September 3-October 1 as we share in a new worship series called “REVIVE” in which we’ll be using the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt to remind us of lessons about what it takes to experience personal and corporate revival, and for us all (like the Israelites eventually did) to find and live in our own “promised land.”

September 3 – “There’s A Burning Bush Near You” (Exodus 3:1-12)
        Experiencing revival by answering God’s call(s)

September 10 – “Cloud and Fire” (Exodus 13:20-22)
        Experiencing revival by trusting God’s protection

September 17 – “Manna and Water” (Exodus 16:2, 11-15 & 17:1 & 6-7)
        Experiencing revival by claiming God’s provision

September 24 – “Following God’s Directions” (Exodus 20:1-17)
        Experiencing revival by allowing God to guide and lead us

October 1 – “Remember” (Exodus 12:1-14)
        Experiencing revival by remembering God’s presence in all situations 

        and circumstances

Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

How to Live "The Great Life"

What are the essentials of a “great life” with God?  And how do we go about practicing them?   When Jesus was asked these questions, he didn’t share a statement of faith to sign, or give an elaborate set of rationale propositions to adhere to.  

Instead, he simply gave two commands for us to follow. 1700 years later, the founder of Methodist Christianity, John Wesley, expressed these commands as three simple guides that have remained at the heart of the living and practice of faith ever since then.  

During the first three weeks of August, join myself and your fellow Cornerstone UMC family in this 3-part series as together we explore what it takes to experience THE GREAT LIFE with God.

         August 6 – Do No Harm  (Matthew 22:34-40; Romans 13:9-10)

         August 13 – Do Good (Luke 10:25-37)

         August 20 – Stay In Love With God (Matthew 22:34-40; Col.2:6-7)

 Remember that God loves you and I do, as well!

Faith Of Our Founders

“Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord….” (Psalm 33:12)

As we celebrate our nations founding, it is good for us to also recall the faith of those who were our founders. By no means could all of them be consider stalwart and orthodox church-goers. However, most of them did espouse and presume a Judeo-Christian spiritual context for America that is often either ignored or downplayed today. For example, consider some of the writings/sayings of our founders:

--George Washington’s First Inaugural Speech (April 30, 1789): “It would be peculiarly improper to omit, in this first official act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe... that His benedictions may consecrate to the... peoples of the U.S. a government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes.... No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the U.S.”

[Jared Sparks, ed., THE WRITINGS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, 12 vols. (Boston: American Stationer’s Company, 1837, NY: F. Andrew’s, 1834-1847), Vol. XII, pp. 2-5]

--Thomas Jefferson’s SECOND INAUGURAL SPEECH (1805): “I shall need the favor of that Being in whose hands we are, who led our fathers, as Israel of old, from their native land and planted them in a country flowing with all the necessities and comforts of life.” [March 4, 1805 in Saul K. Padover, ed., THE COMPLETE JEFFERSON, CONTAINING HIS MAJOR WRITINGS, PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED, EXCEPT HIS LETTERS(NY: Duell, Sloan & Pearce, 1943), p. 412]]

--Benjamin Franklin: “There is one God, Father of the Universe. That He is infinitely good, powerful, and wise. That He is omnipresent. That He ought to be worshiped, by adoration prayer and thanksgiving both in publick and private. That He loves such of His creatures as love and do good to others: and will reward them either in this world or hereafter... That knowledge and learning is to be cultivated, and Ignorance dissipated. That none but the virtuous are wise, that man’s perfection is in virtue” [Leonard Labaree, ed., THE PAPTERS OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1959), Vol. I, p. 213]

In response, some have argued that statements such as these represent only pro-forma (i.e., “politically correct”) acknowledgements of religion from their authors, and do not therefore represent their personal views. However, the fact that they were written or said at all is significant – their authors must have believed enough truth about them to write or state them, whether they believed everything in them personally or not. As historian Noman Cousins explains, “Not all of the founders acknowledged a formal faith, but it was significant that their view of [humanity] had a deeply religious foundation.” [Norman Cousins, ‘IN GOD WE TRUST: THE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND IDEAS OF AMERICA'S FOUNDING FATHERS (Harper and Brothers, 1958), p. 10]

The point here is that regardless of their own personal beliefs, our founders obviously recognized the truth that nations are only as strong as the moral and religious life that undergirds them, and that when that is threatened, the fabric of society begins to unravel.

So, as we celebrate our nation’s birthday, may we celebrate by also remembering the God who has made it all possible, and by each of us helping to keep firm our commitment to being “one nation, under God.” Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

The Gospel According to Dogs

“Dogs do much more than just keep us company and give us love and attention -- they are models for how we can live better lives as humans.”  So writes Robert L. Short in his book “The Gospel According to Dogs: What Our Four-Legged Saints Can Teach Us (HarperOne, 2007).

It's this book that I've used as inspiration for a new four-part sermon series of the same title that I'll be preaching at our worship services at Cornerstone U.M.C. June 25-July 23 (with the except of July 2).  

This light-hearted, yet genuine, exploration of a few lessons we can learn about Christian faith from “man’s best friend” will give us all things to “chew on” as we go through the “dog days of summer!”

June 25 -- Woof! Goes the Christian (2 Corinthians 5:17; Matthew 15:21-28)

                Remembering the Christian values of humility, obedience & surrender

July 2 -- Patriotic Sunday Sermon and theme

July 9 -- Did Someone Say Food?!  (Matthew 5:6; Hebrews 12:1-2)

                Recalling the importance of singleness of purpose/devotion to God

July 16 -- Handsome Without Clothes (Matthew 7:6-8; Luke 12:1c-3)

                Learning to be real/transparent with others and God

July 23 -- Faithful and True, Happy to See You! (Luke 15:1-10; Zephaniah 3:17)

                Celebrating God’s unconditional love

To watch these sermons either live or via recording, visit our church's YouTube channel HERE.  In the meantime, remember that God loves you and I do, too!

Cruise Ship Christianity

"Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit...” (Acts 8:17

There once was a widowed woman who more than anything wanted to experience the enjoyment of just one, single cruise aboard a luxury cruise ship before she died. So, she saved up her hard-earned savings and finally bought a ticket for a trip on a famous cruise line.

The day arrived for her departure, so she got on board and the ship set sail. Once seaborne, however, the woman never left her cabin. She ate food that she had smuggled aboard, and entertained herself in the cabin with games she had brought. All of this she did thinking that because she’d spent all she had on the cruise ticket, she wouldn’t be able to afford the high cost of the ship's meals or entertainment. What the woman didn't understand was that the price of her cruise package already included all these things. Consequently, she was living like a miser when she could have been “living-it-up” like a queen.

All too often, we Christians are like this: living life in our OWN strength and power, all because we aren't aware that when we “purchased our ticket to heaven” by accepting Jesus, the Holy Spirit was already included “in the package.” The Spirit is imparted to each and every Christian in order to give us the strength and power and wisdom to actually help us to LIVE our Christian lives.

Sometimes we need special experiences to help us understand, acknowledge, or “actualize” His presence, but it’s not like he’s never been within all the time -- when we become a Christian, we automatically receive the Holy Spirit. The question then becomes NOT “Do we have the Holy Spirit?” but “Does the Holy Spirit have us?” That is: have you allowed the power and presence of God’s Spirit to have free reign and access in your life? Or are you just skimping along, trying to live your Christian life and faith in your own strength and ability (and most often failing)?

Well, this past Sunday was Pentecost Sunday, the day we celebrate that part God’s Holy Trinity who we all too often hear little about, but who is absolutely indispensable to our spiritual life. He is, after all, that part of God’s being whose constant presence helps and empowers us to be God's people. So, my prayer is that each day, you’ll remember and celebrate His power and presence within you and within each of us! Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

New Mission/Purpose for Cornerstone U.M.C.

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.” (Psalms 138:8)

I am pleased to announce that our church’s top leadership group (Church Council) recently received and adopted a recommendation from our new Vision Team for a newly articulated Mission/Purpose for Cornerstone UMC, which is as follows: 

Creating a community that reflects the love of Jesus by

 

1) Nurturing individuals through healing and spiritual growth;

 

2) Connecting groups through relationships; and

 

3) Impacting our diverse world through acts of service

 

The mission we’ve adopted above describes what we feel to be our church’s DNA and “reason for being” -- it captures the essence of Cornerstone’s current ministry and work as a congregation of Jesus Christ.  Our members and friends will start seeing and hearing more about this new mission (and perhaps even some further renditions of it that are shorter and more “marketable”) in future church communications.

 

However, I wanted to share its adoption with you today as a new articulation of the foundation out of which – over the next few months -- our church’s Vision Team will be prayerfully discerning God’s Vision together for the next 2-5 years of our future.

 

Remember that God loves you and I do, too!