July 3

Today we celebrate the liberty to follow God that Scripture speaks of in James and that our country was designed to protect.  Even though it is a paradox, there are laws and truths that set us free.

The book of James in the New Testament states:
If any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are life those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.  But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. James 1:22-25

When I place God first in my life, I am free to order all other things in accordance to God’s will and direction.  The things I do and don’t do relate to the love and grace God gives to set me free.  The hardships I face, I can face knowing that God surrounds me with love.  The life I live, I can give to others because I know who I am and whose I am.  I am free to show love.  I am set free by God to have the liberty to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  I am set free to practice hospitality, love, and peace and to bring people closer to God because of Christ’s love that shines through me.  So are you!  When we practice the law of liberty in Christ, people experience the reflection of God in us.

We will celebrate the Independence Day of our country on the Fourth of July with a celebration at Eastminster which features the Melbourne Municipal Band and Festival Singers at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary  which will lead up to the opportunity to watch fireworks over the river at 9:00 p.m.  Fellowship time over ice cream will be provided before and after the concert.  This is a perfect time to welcome the community to Eastminster and let the “law of liberty,” the law of reaching out to others with the love of Christ to shine through.

Our country was founded on premises that we serve together, unite together, and reach out together as “one nation under God.”  This is a continuation of the ethic set forward by Jesus and the New Testament Church.  May our love of God in Christ Jesus set us free to be Christians and citizens that reflect the perfect law of “liberty and justice for all.”

We are blessed to be claimed by Christ and citizens of America.  May our actions reflect and pass on that blessing this holiday weekend and beyond.

Blessings,

Tim

 

 

June 26

Today Julie and I are at a family reunion with 43 of our favorite relatives.  It should be delightful chaos.  All three of our boys will be there, so this is really exciting for us!    We will return Monday.  Thanks to Rev. Juliann Whipple for closing out the Jonah series!

As I think about the book of Jonah, it reminds me that life has rhythms just like the ocean has tides.  The book opens with Jonah being called into a new season of life.  He is on dry land, then a boat, then a stormy time, then down to the depths of the sea, back to dry land, and in today’s reading, sitting on a hill reflecting, still learning and growing and needing God to lead him deeper in life.  The constant in all the rhythms is that God is there and God is providing.
The leaders of our church recognize that we have rhythms in life here as a community as well.  As we head into July, we suggest a month of communal worship and intentional spiritual renewal.  The business of programs and committees will cease for this month.  We will take a Sabbath from “busyness” but not a Sabbath from God and others.
Here is a gentle challenge:  During July, set aside one day per week to make a date with a person or small group of people you don’t know well and want to know better.  Invite them to your home if possible.  Or go out to eat, walk, play.  Weave new or deeper relationships into your life.

Attend worship every week, here or as traveling.  Nourish your soul in worship and in daily scripture reading.  Here is a link to a variety of devotions if you want to try some:  www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/. 

Write a “letter to God” telling God where you are now in your walk and what you see ahead.  Write a prayer asking for God’s guidance and direction as you go forward.  Place the prayer in your Bible and refer to it over the coming days.  Share it with me or another trusted Christian friend and pray together.

Finally, one of the most important Scriptures for many is “Be still and know that I am God.”  Try it regularly this month.  Just be… in God’s presence.  Ask nothing but to know God and to be willing to follow God’s path.  Enjoy as God’s Spirit cleanses, renews, and brings life to the parched places in your soul.

See you next week,

May 22, 2016

Today is Volunteer Ministry Appreciation Sunday!  It is a day in which we are grateful to God for the gifts God has given in you, the worshippers and followers of Jesus here at Eastminster! 

The church is the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4).  God anoints Christ to be the head of the body. God gives spiritual gifts and talents to all of us in varying form and fashion.  We are together the “parts” of the body of Christ.    We are called to serve and to grow and to enrich the world together.

I Corinthians 12:7, 12-24 says:

 

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 

 

For all who so generously give of your time and talents as well as your treasure here, thank you!  Being part of God’s family at Eastminster is a meaningful and powerful experience because of the competency and cooperation, the faithfulness and openness to the Spirit that is so evident at Eastminster.  May what we do be in response to what God has done for us in Jesus.  May our acts of service in and beyond the church be as acts of worship in response to the love of God!

 

Blessings,

Tim

 

 

 

 

 

May 1, 2016

The Book of Acts is incredible!  The more I read it, the more I see how God is in charge of the spread of the Gospel.  Over and over God’s people seem to hit barriers.  Over and over God’s Spirit overcomes them.  The Book of Acts shows how God overcomes barriers of culture, economics, politics, and religion to bring healing and hope.

In Acts Chapter 1 God uses the faith of Jesus followers and prayer to prepare a people to spread the Good News.  Ordinary men and women, people we might even think are “beneath us” are used to form a community of life change (Acts 2) and healing (Acts 3).  These ordinary people proclaim the good news to leaders (Acts 4), care for the underprivileged (Acts 6), and share how the God of creation works through history, even to the risen Christ and outpouring of God’s Spirit (Acts 7).  We see how God makes enemies friends (Acts 9) and breaks cultural boundaries (Acts 11) and leads us out into new territory (Acts 13).  And this is just the first half of Acts!

As you consider what God would have you do with your life and what mission God leads Eastminster to embrace, take a minute to read Acts and reflect on the great things that God does through prayerful, faithful people open to the Holy Spirit.  As we humble ourselves before God in prayer and worship, God will lift us up and guide us.  God will strengthen us send us out in service.  God will use ordinary acts done in Jesus’ name to heal, to encourage and to change lives.

The early believers faced barriers like we do.  They suffer like we do.  They endure hardships like we do.  Yet as they are faithful God, is glorified.  As they are faithful, that is intended for evil is used for good.

Sounds real to me.  Looks like Good News.  And it begins in prayer.

We have several occasions to join in prayer together this month.  Today as we take communion pray that God makes us one in the Spirit.  This Thursday pray for our country at one of the National Day of Prayer sights.  After church sign up to be part of the Prayer Vigil here May 12-15.

God does extraordinary things through ordinary people … who gather in faith and … prayer!

Blessings,

Pastor Tim

April 17, 2016

Today we continue the series “Breaking Barriers through the Power of the Holy Spirit.”  This series is based on the book of Acts.  Acts is the book of the New Testament that immediately follows the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  It is written in excellent Greek by the Gospel writer, Luke.  Acts is the history of the early church and shows how the Holy Spirit gave life and direction to the Christian Church and how it expanded from a small group of believers to about 2 billion believers today.

One of the most important verses of the bible is Acts 2:42.  It reads:  “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. “  We will look at this verse in depth on May 22.  Until then, I recommend that you read the book of Acts and prayerfully ask that same Spirit to enliven our lives and lead us forward.  We can do amazing things through the power of God’s Spirit!

There are many ways to devote ourselves “to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. “  The announcements today list many such opportunities.  There are new Bible studies going on many days of the week, habitat Builds where we reach out in fellowship and concrete assistance of others, choir practices where scripture is sung and the teachings of the church ring true, fellowship meals such as the Pot Luck this Wednesday at 5:30 to gather in fellowship, and soon there will be a three day prayer vigil (May 12-15) which leads to Pentecost, the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit.  I hope each of us engages in at least two activities of choice outside of worship for personal enrichment.  As we grow, the life of our church body will be much richer as well.

Today, we will receive new members at the conclusion of our services of worship.  I look forward to getting to know those God sends to Eastminster!  This is a very exciting place to be as God calls others to worship, grow and serve here.  Welcome!

Next week the children will present their musical, “Legends of Camp Garner Creek.”  They are having excellent practices under the direction of Mrs. June Leech and have a real message to share.  Pray for them as they add “life to our body” as well.

One of the roles of a pastor is to pray for and counsel members.  Know that I am up for a visit and a cup of coffee as any have desire.  May God work with and through us to “Break Barriers by the Power of the Holy Spirit.”

 Blessings,

Tim

 

April 10, 2016

Names are powerful.  In Biblical times it was widely believed that if you knew a person’s name, you had some control over that person or power.

Names also identify.  Many times in the Bible God is identified as “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”  The quality, conduct and histories of these men and their families said a lot about the God they worshipped and served.

In the account of Moses being told by God to liberate the Israelites from Egypt, Moses says to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ And they ask me what is his name?  Then what do I tell them?”  God replies to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”  In this God is expressing that God is the Name above all Names, the ultimate Power.  Importantly, God makes a promise then and through all the generations, even now, In Exodus 3:12 God says, “I will be with you.” 

“I will be with you.”  This is the very character of God and promise to us now.  God is and will be with us.  We can bank on that.  We can draw comfort and support and strength from that.  God is with us!

Jesus fleshed out the nature of “I AM” through seven statements in the Gospel of John.  He says I AM:  The Bread of Life (John 6), The Light of the World (John 8), The Gate (John 10), The Good Shepherd (John 10), The Resurrection and the Life (John 11), The Way, The Truth and The Life (John 14), and The Vine (John 15).  Jesus is present for us now.  He says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

The way I read this is that when we prayerfully request that which is accordance to who Jesus is and when we align our wills with God’s, powerful things happen.  In our scripture for this morning in Acts 3 Peter and John heal a crippled beggar.  Peter says, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  We will see the result in this passage in worship.

The takeaway for us today is that God’s name, God’s being, is powerful and present.  As we journey forward together, the best we can do is to seek to align our wills with the will of God revealed in Christ, asking boldly in prayer and proclamation.  As we do that, Amazing things are possible!

Blessings,

Tim

 

 

March 27, 2016

Welcome to worship with Eastminster on Easter morning!  A special welcome goes out to those who are visiting for the first time or returning to worship after an absence.  May you find joy, hospitality, faith and love as you encounter the risen Lord and relate with God’s community here.

Eastminster exists to glorify God, to know God more deeply and to serve God in the world.  Our mission statement is “Led by the Holy Spirit, Eastminster exists to invite into Fellowship, Equip for Service, Reach out in Support and Serve our World for Jesus Christ.”  It is our expectation that the web of caring relationships will continue to grow as new visitors, friends and members bring life to this community and to the world.  Let me know how Eastminster might enrich life with you.  Welcome again!

Easter is the most important day of the year.  It is a day when life conquers death, love overcomes fear, and faith grows from doubt.  The event of Jesus’ resurrection opens the pathway to God now and forever.  That event, two thousand years ago, is still being worked out in history.

The early visitors to Jesus’ tomb and his disciples were fearful and doubtful.  Many of us have been or are the same way.  We are in good company.  God’s love flows to us in different times and seasons.  That’s why community is important.  When we gather together, we remember together and we grow together… all in God’s design.

Amidst doubt and fear the question, “What if what they say is true?” arose.  It is a legitimate question.  If Jesus is God’s Son and the resurrection a validation of his divinity, what does that mean for my life?  Your life? Our lives together?

There are a lot of barriers to coming to Jesus Christ and a lot of power unleashed when the barriers are broken.  The women encountered a physical barrier that first Easter morning.  Mark 16:3 says “They asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb?’”  As we look at life, there are large “stones” ahead of us too.  Stones of health issues, job/financial security, social inequality, safety, mental stability, relationships, meaning and purpose in life.  We see that a Power much greater than the women rolled the stone away on Easter.  In the coming weeks, your pastors will be preaching on “Overcoming Barriers by the Power of the Holy Spirit.”  We will observe how God is a “stone mover,” a barrier breaker, a leader into New Life.  I hope everyone here today comes back next week, perhaps with a friend or family member facing a barrier who needs some hope, courage, inspiration, and a supportive community as it is faced and overcome.

He is Risen.  He is Risen Indeed!  Because He lives, we claim life, love and the faith that it all works out in the end.  That’s the Truth!

Blessings,

 Tim