A Summer to Shine
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Complaining about the weather gets a lot of energy in this town. It’s inevitable. Even though we know where we live and how the weather works in this part of God’s creation, we still need to let off some steam about the state of things. It’s been a particularly gray and cold year, leaving almost all of us longing for the feel of spring (especially since, by the time you get this, it will be June!). Buffalo averages only about 155 sunny days in a year, which, to no one’s surprise, ranks in the lower half of U.S. cities. For comparison, New York City averages 224 days, and the U.S. averages 205 days nationally.
As I write this, it’s gray and rainy again with the promise of sun and warmth to come, which is why I think God may have put the verse above on my heart. As we (like all our neighbors) look forward to our warm weather activities and traditions, let’s not forget that the clouds and rain of life are there no matter the weather outside. Jesus calls us to be the light of the world, not to complain about the darkness. When summer comes, and we know it will, we’ll have some powerful ways to experience and share the light of Christ.
I Love to Tell The Story Sermon Series: Have you experienced a powerful work of God lately? I’m planning a sermon series built around people sharing stories of how God has moved in their lives. We’ve had a few series like this, and they were meaningful and powerful. I'm inviting everyone to consider sharing a story with me. You can email me or sit with me for a few minutes. My hope is that some of these will reveal powerful lessons about who God is that will instruct and encourage us. People will be asked to share their stories in worship. They can deliver them live, record them, or I can read them for the congregation. If you have a story, send it to me by Sunday, June 7, and I’ll begin organizing the series. I’m looking forward to how we’ll encourage and inspire one another as God is moving among us. Anniversary Mission Drive: We have been blessed to be a blessing. After a tremendous time of celebration, we’re now seeking to honor God by blessing others because God has blessed us as a church. Between June 1 and August 31, people are asked to give $175.00 and 17 hours of service/ministry (beyond their regular giving and serving) to be a blessing to others and to praise and thank God for what God has done in this church family. The money will be divided between Pendleton Food Pantry and UMCOR. I’ll be sharing more about this in services soon.
Launch Fellow Travelers Ministry: When visitors come to church, they often have questions, and this ministry will address that need in a new way. This is a group of church members who are willing to talk with visitors or guests about their questions as they explore going further in their relationships with Christ and the church. The Travelers will make themselves available through the means they are comfortable with (text, phone, or other means). This is not about selling anything or putting pressure on people. This ministry is meant to offer people who are exploring relationships with Jesus and the church a safe way to get their questions answered without any pressure.
Revisit Prayer Partners/Prayer Ministry: Earlier this year, we explored ways to involve more of the church in prayer with and for each other and our community. This summer, we’re going to start a new round of these partnerships and begin regular prayer time that anyone can attend, both in person and online during the week.
All of this is in addition to the regular fun things we do during the summer months, such as Vacation Bible School and our church picnic. As a church family, we have experienced the real love and real hope only possible through Jesus Christ. He expects us to share it with those who don’t know Him. He has told us that we are the light of the world. In the middle of gray and cloudy seasons that our friends, communities, and world experience, let’s let His light shine in and through us!
Pastor Scott
