Holding the Center Sacred

10/17/2024

In fairness, and with no disrespect to Pooh, I do think Jesus actually said this first. This is not just good advice, this is the call for all of us who are walking in the grace of God. Let's be honest, it is not an easy walk, but it is a faithful one. Being kind to those who are not kind is tough, but it says far more about who we are in Christ than being a reflection of the unkindness we may receive from others.

10/15/2024

Faith and Family Night tomorrow at Fulton First United Methodist Church! Dinner is at 5:30, and will be delicious. Worship and Biblestudy will be at 6:15 and we will be comparing Genesis and Revelation. Bring your Bible and RSVP to Amanda for dinner 270-472-3514. See you tomorrow!!

10/13/2024

We just met and prayed, and asked God to focus our hearts on the Kingdom this morning. We are finishing our Kingdom Builders series with a new creation, and how grateful I am that God's Kingdom does come! You are invited to join us, we are saving a seat just for you.

10/06/2024

Good morning, Peeps! It's going to be a beautiful day, made all the better when you start it in worship. Find a church, (we would love to have you here), and let the Word of God soak into your soul. You will find it challenging, sometimes convicting, but always transformative. See you soon! Fulton First United Methodist Church

09/17/2024

Power Hour is coming tomorrow at noon. What is Power Hour, you ask?! We will be meeting in the sanctuary of Fulton First United Methodist Church at noon, and spend an hour, or as much time as you have, to have a little silence and a little space to talk with God and have God talk with us.

You will be invited to write a letter to God tomorrow. Yes, that does sound odd, but it's a good way to both talk and listen. On one side of your paper, you tell God whatever is on your heart, and then you flip it over and listen and write what God is saying back to you. Maybe it is a scripture promise, maybe an answer you have been afraid to believe, who knows what God may prompt you to write.

When you are finished, you put the letter in a self-addressed envelope, seal it, and leave it at the church. In the weeks/months to come, God will prompt us to send your sealed envelope back to you. Sounds easy? It is!

Of course, the altar will be open for prayer, as always. We hope you will take the time to join us tomorrow for a little respite for your soul. Located on Carr and Second Street, come to the Atrium door in the back parking lot. We will be looking for you!

08/19/2024

Fulton First United Methodist Church peeps, and all of my local friends, we have some good stuff happening at the church this week. We are trying our second Wednesday night worship service (8/21), at 6. Greg Barclay will be leading us in study, Mark Kevin Paitsel will share a God story, Casey Jones will lead us in some music, and of course, we will have time to celebrate and share prayer concerns.

Then Sunday morning we are starting a new sermon series based on John's writings called Revelation: Kingdom Building. I know there are lots of questions around Revelation, and I am sure we will not be answering them all, but its a great opportunity to jump in and see how John's words speak to the world we serve currently.

I hope you will mark your calendar and join us for a great week. Wednesday at 6, Sunday at 8:45, and 10:45 (small groups in the middle).

07/10/2024

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” 9 And he said, “Go and say to this people:

‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend;
keep looking, but do not understand.’
10 Make the mind of this people dull,
and stop their ears,
and shut their eyes,
so that they may not look with their eyes
and listen with their ears
and comprehend with their minds
and turn and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said,
“Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,
and houses without people,
and the land is utterly desolate;
12 until the Lord sends everyone far away,
and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land.
13 Even if a tenth part remain in it,
it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak
whose stump remains standing
when it is felled.”[c]
(The holy seed is its stump.)

Thanks to Amanda Crice I have been living with these words for the last week. I have always quit after "Here I am, send me!" I haven't spent much time looking at the mission. It isn't a fun mission. Having also just finished large chunks of Judges, I realize that while we love the seasons of new life, birth, and creation, there are seasons where God tears down to rebuild. When we become people who "continue to do evil in the eyes of the Lord" a fresh start seems to be coming. The holy seed is always ready for new life to begin again, but for a while, it seems to get our hearts aligned with His, he has allowed a "winter" to make way for the coming spring.

Wait, I hear you all say, that's Old Testament, God isn't like that anymore. I am going to beg to differ. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We use far different words to express a similar process, but the history of the Church proves that there is a tearing down and a rebuilding process that happens over and over again. Does that mean God stops loving the Church and withdraws? I don't think so. I do think we have seasons where we see a change of direction, perhaps even the death of some systems we have grown to love and find comfort in. Perhaps that's the season we are in now. If so, my prayer is that God will complete the good work begun, and bring us to a place where our worship is acceptable and our hearts, mission, and minds are aligned with His.

What do you think?

05/22/2024

At times, when I feel no clarity or sense of direction, I just hold for a bit. I confess this is a relatively new spiritual discipline for me, but I like it, when I can manage to be still long enough and not react before God has a chance to speak. Do you know how the idea began to take root in my thoughts? Do you imagine that it was because people suggested it to me? (They sure did) It was not that. Do you suppose it was because, after flailing around making a bigger mess than the mess I was in, I learned a lesson? That certainly happened a lot, but that wasn't it.

I learned to wait on the Lord a little longer when I picked up my cell phone after a long conversation that required my complete attention several years ago. I had many text messages waiting for me...many. I panicked at first, especially when the first messages were all from people who had some timely decisions to make and they were waiting for input or information from me. But as I kept reading, I realized in the few hours I was off the grid, they found what they needed, resolved the challenge, and didn't need a response from me at all. Hmmm.

It happens frequently now. Every time it does, I remember that I may not be anywhere near as important as I think I am. While a response may be needed, waiting to hear from God, waiting to get input from the people God has placed in my life, is the best recipe for a response that honors others. I don't mean that I get the "right answer" or I make everyone "happy" because that is beyond my capacity. What I can and will do is always try to speak whatever truth I think I have, wrapped up in God's love, and with the awareness that my ability to see truth is limited. I will always pray faithfully that God will use me as a means of grace, not harm, and that amid chaos, God will give us all islands of peace.

I am fairly sure if you are an action person, go go go instead of wait, wait, wait, you will probably not be any more motivated to wait on the Lord because I said so. But, if you ever notice that your emergencies resolve themselves without your help when you are unavailable, you might just find yourself waiting a bit too. Come and wait with me. We can talk about all the great ideas that have led us astray through the years together! The waiting is easier with friends.

05/06/2024

These guys are coming!!! May 17th and this skit is one of the many that has spoken to me over and over again. Watch and see. Hope you will join us at Fulton First United Methodist Church 5/17 at 6:00 p.m.

God's Chisel: Download this video at http://skitguys.com/videos/item/gods-chisel-remastered When God chisels the dead weight out of our lives it can be quit...

03/05/2024

I have been creative this week, getting ready for tomorrow, and I have decided that while I am not gifted artistically (and by not gifted, I mean...NOT), I have the desire to play with the art supplies, anyway. I like owning yarn...though I do little with it. I have lots of ideas, and I even go looking for ways to communicate without words. But really, not kidding when I say I am not artistic. So why do I do that?

I have often thought it was the "grass is always greener" thing, and perhaps it is. But I also wonder if it isn't that something in me longs to experience God/life/love/relationships in deeper ways. You know, those places where words just don't say what you mean. Or maybe I don't know the words yet. Maybe making something invites you to dig deeper...

Meanwhile, I am back to wanting to write a book. What should I write about?

02/28/2024

So what does a Christian look like? During Lent, we are talking about all the things we may be called to give up. This week the word is superiority. Giving up superiority.

I would never say that I am superior to anyone. But I am not sure that I have always been the guy in the middle. Maybe a little more like the people on the right and on the left.

As I prepare for worship this week I wondering just how often I am focusing on Jesus or being distracted by just how often I am evaluating the rest of God's children...

02/01/2024

For all of you who tried to tell me this was Hosana Wong, and I said…no…I don’t think so…Well you were right…again!

The scriptures she is quoting are here:John 15:15, IThess 1:4, Ephesians 2:10, ICorin 6:19, Acts 1:8, Galatians 3;26, Romans 5:8, John 8:36, 2Corin 5:17.

Our PowerHour homework was to read these, maybe the whole passage, and listen for the Hily Spirit.

Can I tell you what I heard? I heard people tell me I am inadequate, and they are right, so I feel defeated. But in Christ even my inadequacy is a strength because I need to depend on God. Some people tell me I am so strong, but my gut tells me I am not, and God says I have all the power, authority, and resources I will ever need because the Holy Spirit lives in me. And some people come and sit with me when my heart is broken, or my dreams have crumbled, or I have failed miserably. Then God whispers, receive the love they bring, it’s a gift from me. You are my child and in you I am well pleased.

Take a moment. What do you hear?

A spoken word about what God says about you. Streaming now on all music platforms under Hosanna Wong. -Written by Hosanna WongMusic/Composition by Mike Kopul...