Lebanon United Methodist Church

05/29/2026

REV. RICH’S RITTINGS … MAY 29th, 2026
“Good news or bad news first?”
It would be easy to give you the bad news first since all one has to do is look at headlines from any news source and you can find plenty of headlines that show the darker side of politics and human nature. I would rather focus on some good news today. 😊 On the lighter side of recent events was a group of 100 seniors who “senior pranked” their principal the night before graduation. Working with the principal's family they were able to sneak into the house at 3:00 AM gather in the den and started singing “Pomp and Circumstance” (The song played at every high school graduation)! As the principal came down into his den you could tell that he was laughing at the prank and appreciated the effort his seniors had put into it. It was obvious that these seniors and their principal had a special relationship what you rarely get to hear about in the news. What a special moment for all that they will always remember and the fact that teenagers were willing to get up in the middle of the night to pull off this prank says a lot about humor, personalities, and love. We need to celebrate those moments that remind us there's so many good things that happen that don't make the news and aren't in the headlines. The same can be said about the Bible. There is a reason the New Testament is known as the Good News. From the Christmas story to the Easter story, from the parables to the Beatitudes, from Jesus’ interaction not just with his disciples but with the people that he encountered throughout his ministry, we're reminded of the good news. We are reminded that the “real” good news is that the Lord loves you, His grace covers you, and he walks with you in the valleys and mountaintops of our lives. 😊 If you're having a rough day or the events of the world seem to be dragging, you down remember that there is a lot of good news out there. It's not just the news of a high school principal and his seniors sharing a special moment it is the good news that the Lord loves you and we'll give you peace wherever you find yourself. Now to me that is really good news! 😊
Rev. Rich

05/28/2026

THIS COMING SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE – MAY 31st
This Sunday, May 31st is the last Sunday in May. That’s hard to believe, we are almost halfway through the year! THERE IS NO SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS. Worship is at 11:00AM. The sermon title this week is “If Jesus is the answer what is the Question?” 😊 The scripture is Mark 5:21-27. Come join us for a wonderful time of faith and fellowship. 😊

05/17/2026

05/15/2026

REV. RICH’S RITTINGS … MAY 15th, 2026
HOMECOMINGS
Across America one of the great fall traditions in high school and college are homecomings. Those moments where former students return to remember and celebrate their times at high school or college, to see old friends and maybe even make new friends. While not as common across America, in the South many churches have homecomings as well. In many ways it has the same theme where former members return to visit with the current members, memories are shared, faith is celebrated, and often a former pastor is invited back to bring the message that day. Following the worship service there is food shared, laughter experienced, and great times celebrated. In this little church I am serving in retirement we are getting ready to celebrate our 206th homecoming! Think about that; this church has been around since 1820, 41 years before the civil war began and only 37 years since the Revolutionary War had ended! Like many churches across America and the world, it has some fascinating stories, there are stories of struggles, hardships, celebrations and faith. In 1820 this church began with a tree stump as a pulpit and people standing outdoors to worship and celebrate Jesus. Over the years there have been funerals, weddings, baptisms, revivals, good preaching, and probably not so good preaching 😊. But it has been a place where people can find comfort, guidance, Bible studies, and Jesus. In 1936 the white framed church on this site was destroyed by a tornado. It leveled everything. THE ONLY THING THAT SURVIVED WAS THE PULPIT AND THE CHURCH BIBLE THAT WAS ON THE PULPIT. THE BIBLE’S PAGE WAS NOT EVEN TURNED FROM WHERE THE PREACHER HAD PREACHED HIS MESSAGE THAT DAY! I am still preaching from that very pulpit and that Bible is in a glass enclosed case for all to see. If I had been living in this area in 1936, I think I would have seriously considered coming to this church! 😊 The people of Lebanon Methodist Church in Mebane, NC (at that time it was not United Methodist, that wouldn't happen until 1968) built and paid for a new church in less than a year. We are worshipping in that building (as we do every Sunday) this Sunday for our 206th homecoming celebration. Now you might be wondering what the point of this devotion is. The point is simply to (1) partly celebrate a church’s life and witness, (2) to remind us that even when bad things happen God brings good, (3) to remind us that each one of us who say we follow Jesus is the living church today! The church is not the building we will worship in on Sunday. It is each one of us! Yes, homecomings are usually a yearly event that we all enjoy and hopefully can attend, BUT the truth is that every Sunday in the Christian Church should be like a homecoming event and we should remember and celebrate that it is helping us prepare for our final homecoming which will be far more wonderful than we can image right now. Amen & Amen 😊
Rev. Rich

05/13/2026

THIS COMING SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE – 206th HOMECOMING! 😊
This Sunday is HOMECOMING! (May 17th ). THERE IS NO SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS. The Rev. Jack Colenda is our guest preacher. Jack was the student pastor at Lebanon from 2014-2017. Jack’s sermon this Sunday is “Homecoming” and his scriptures are Psalm 8 & Isaiah 52:7-10. There will be special music provided by Michael Scarlett. Come join us for a wonderful time of faith, fellowship and memories. Lunch will be in the fellowship hall immediately following the worship service. Hope to see all of you as you see old friends and make new ones! 😊

05/07/2026

THIS COMING SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE – MOTHER’S DAY! MAY 10th
This Sunday is MOTHER’S DAYth, May 10th. THIS WILL ALSO BE THE LAST SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS BEFORE WE BREAK FOR THE SUMMER. W will wrap up Bob Crossman’s book, “Committed to Christ”. We will end our session with the 4th chapter, “You Shall be my Witness”. You may have thought you could never “witness” for Jesus outside the church walls. This chapter will change your mind and show you some easy steps for that challenge. Everyone needs to hear this chapter! Coffee is provided. 😊 My sermon this Sunday is titled “Mom’s the Word”. 😊 The scripture is Judges 4: 4-5. I hope to see all of you this Sunday! 😊

05/06/2026

REV. RICH’S RITTINGS … MAY 6, 2026
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
Tomorrow (Thursday, May 7th) is the 75th annual National Day of Prayer. The theme this year is “Glorify God Among the Nations -Seeking Him in All Generations”. The theme is based on 1st Chronicles 16: 24. This moment marks a special milestone for the National Day of Prayer because it is coinciding with the 250th anniversary / birthday of the United States. It seems like tomorrow is a special day of prayer set aside for us in our nation. Why am I saying that? Well consider that in the history of the United States four US presidents have been assassinated while in office. Most of us know about Abraham Lincoln who was assassinated in 1865 and many of us were living when John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. The other two presidents who paid an ultimate sacrifice were James A. Garfield in 1881 and William McKinley in 1901. Our current president has survived 3 attempts on his own life and of course Charles Kirk while not a President was a noted campus speaker who went on college campuses to have debates and was assassinated in 2025. Why am I bringing up these sad facts? Because I believe our nation is in desperate need of the power of prayer in the present climate, we find ourselves in. The scourge of hate seems to be overpowering at this time of history The word tolerance no longer seems to be in our language or our thoughts. Love seems to be a forgotten concept in many walks of life. Tomorrow, and truthfully for the rest of our lives, every Christian should be taking a moment somewhere at some time to pray. To pray earnestly, to pray expectantly, to pray faithfully, and to lift up our nation, our leaders, our communities, our schools, our military, our law enforcement, our first responders, and ourselves. This 75th anniversary of the National Day of Prayer may be the most important one in our lifetime. For me and others I will have our church open all day for anyone who would like to come in and pray in the sanctuary. Many towns and cities and communities will have events for the National Day of Prayer usually around noon. If you can't make one of those events or get to a church near you, find your own prayer closet. It might be at your work desk, it might be in your car, it might be stepping outside for a moment, it might be early morning, or late tonight but take a moment and talk with God. Amen & Amen.
Rev. Rich

04/23/2026

THIS COMING SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE – APRIL 26th
This Sunday is April 26th. Our Sunday School class will continue the study based on Bob Crossman’s book, “Committed to Christ”. We will pick up part way through the second chapter about the Bible and then go into the third chapter about “Going to the House of the Lord”, please bring your Bible with you this Sunday! 😊 This is a really good study and you need to join us Sunday morning at 10 AM in the fellowship hall for Sunday school. You will be so glad you did. Coffee is provided. 😊 My sermon this Sunday is titled “I’m Not a Fan of Jesus’”. The scripture is Mark 1:16-20. I hope the sermon title has you intrigued 😊 and I hope to see all of you this Sunday! 😊
ALSO REMEMBER THAT SATURDAY, APRIL 25th IS MOVIE NIGHT. IT IS AT 7:00PM IN OUR FELLOWSHIP HALL. THE MOVIE IS ABOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT JOSEPH AND THE COAT OF MANY COLORS. WE WILL HAVE POPCORN AND SOFT DRINKS. 😊

04/20/2026

REV. RICH’S RITTINGS … APRIL 20, 2026
HOW IS GOD EVERYWHERE?

Throughout my life I have always chuckled when there's been an archaeological discovery that proves something from the Bible that until that archaeological find was declared to be a myth. One of the interesting facts for Christians is that in the history of archaeology no one has ever found anything that disproves a claim in the Bible! Think about that for a minute. As much as the Bible is attacked and criticized and ignored by those who are atheist or agnostics, the words in the Bible are proven time and time again by Archaeological finds in the Holy Land! Recently there has been a discovery in physics that Continues this trend and has caused scientists to scratch their heads as they explain that while it's not possible it is happening. It is called” quantum entanglement” and it is a physical phenomenon where pairs or groups of particles are inexplicably linked, sharing a quantum state regardless of the distance separating them. In normal everyday language what that means is as a particle here on earth experiences something it is shared INSTANTANEOUSLY with a particle at the other end of the universe! It means that scientists have found something faster than the speed of light. It is the same concept as an omnipresent God! In other words, scientists have discovered what Christians have believed all along that God can be everywhere at the same second. The word omnipresent literally means that “God is fully present at every point of space and time simultaneously maintaining the natural order while remaining distinct from creation”! While all these sentences may be difficult to comprehend for many of us it simply means that God is who He said He is and the Bible is right, truthful, and amazing! 😊

Rev. Rich