Dear God,
Wow!
Thanks.
Breath.
Relax.
Thanks
and thanks again
for
Your Love
Patience
Peace
Insight
Silence
Words
and for
Believing
in me,
Your child.
Always,
Your child.
Amen
Dear Friends and Friends I have yet to meet, Happy 2012!
A new year filled with new resolutions, hopes, dreams (schemes),
a chance to envision new plans. Then comes the tough part – keeping those resolutions, making those dreams come true, turning the visions of new plans into actuality. We can do it. It may take some effort. It may take saying “I’m sorry, please forgive me.” Or “I forgive you.” It may mean being brave enough to put your hand up at a meeting and saying: “You know, I think we need to try something new here because what we’ve been doing just isn’t working.”
Wow. Making 2012 a Wow year may take courage; may take extra breath in-takes-out-takes. But if change needs to happen then one must have the courage to make it happen.
Change in a Maine church? Well, you know, change might simply look like having the Scripture reader be a child once and awhile (one who IS a good reader). Maybe it means serving not just white bread at Holy Communion but also offering gluten free blessed crackers. And maybe change might be having a collection of food and warm hats, mittens, scarves, new socks (in all sizes) as well as non-food items (that cannot be bought with food stamps) as a mission done all year and not just for special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
These are some of the plans being made at Ellsworth United Methodist Church as we work to be more inclusive and to reach out beyond our doors to do mission in our community. Two Monday nights a month all are welcome to join the growing number of Young Adults and others for “GPYes!” when we ReThink Church and enter the community: singing at Courtland Center (first Monday nights 6:30-7:30 and gathering at “The Meadows” on the third). As more children and youth have arrived at EUMC new ideas are being created as to how to serve them, how to listen, how to help them know the stories of our faith, the Old and New Testaments, to help them discover Jesus, to introduce to the path that Jesus made for us.
January. It may be cold outside but “baby it is warm” inside the hearts of EUMC members. I invite you to stop by at EUMC some Sunday at 11:00 and see for yourself what the “Mighty Mustard Seeds” are up to now, stay for yummy goodies, something warm to drink and I am sure you will enjoy meeting a congregation, who welcomes the stranger as a long lost friend or family member.
Worship snippets for January:
1/1/2012 Epiphany, Introit: “Carol of Epiphany”, Psalm 72, Opening Hymn: “We Three Kings”, Time for the Young at Heart: “The gift you would like to give baby Jesus”, Hymn of Preparation: “Once in Royal David City”, Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-13, Anthem: “There’s a Song in the Air” Sermon: “They Were Overwhelmed by Joy”, Holy Communion (with gluten free option), Closing Hymn: “Joy To the World”
1/8/2012 Introit: “Wade in the Water”, Psalm 29, Opening Hymn: “When Jesus came to Jordan”, Hymn of Preparation: “Spirit Song”, Scriptures: Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11, Anthem: “Spirit of God”, Sermon: “The Spirit descended upon Him like a dove” Closing Hymn: “Spirit, Spirit of gentleness.”
1/15/2012 Introit: “The Lone Wild Bird”, Psalm 139, Opening Hymn: “Savior, Like a Shepherd Leads Me”, Time for the Yong at Heart: “Hide and Seek”, Hymn of Preparation: “Be Thou My Vision”, Scriptures: 1 Sam 3:1-10, John 1:43-51, Anthem: “Oh, I Know the Lord’s Laid His Hands on Me”, Sermon: “Those Who Have Vision”, Closing Hymn: “Lord, Speak to Me.”
1/22/2012: Introit: “O God Beyond All Praising”, Psalm # 62, Opening Hymn: “Tu Has Venido a la Orilla (Lord You Have Come to the Lakeshore), Time for the Young at Heart: “What makes someone good at fishing?”, Hymn of Preparation: “Jesus Calls Us”, Scripture: Mark 1:14-20, Anthem: “Two Fishermen”, Sermon: “Why did Jesus pick fisher people to be his followers?” Closing Hymn: “the Summons.”
1/29/2012 Introit: “We Sing of Your Glory (Tuya Es la Gloria), Psalm # 111, Opening Hymn: “Blest Be the Tie that Binds”, Time for the Young at Heart: “God speaks through you.”, Hymn of Preparation: “Fairest Lord Jesus”, Scriptures: Deut. 18:15-20, 1Cor. 8:1-6, Mark 1:21-28, Anthem: “Wounded World that Cries for healing”, Sermon: “Not puffed up with selfish chatter”, Closing Hymn: “Wonderful Words of Life.”
I hope you have a wonderful January. Stay warm! See you next month? I hope so! May God bless all of you.
Yours,
Pastor Susan Yaruta-Young (Pastor Susan Y-Y)
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