I am looking forward to this Sunday! It's Palm Sunday, and we will remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We will remember that the crowds welcomed Jesus by waving palm branches and shouting, "Hosanna." We will remember that Jesus entered the city in a most unexpected way, riding on the back of a humble donkey. We will remember that those welcoming cheers of Hosanna soon turned to jeers, sneers, and angry voices shouting, "crucify him."
As we prepare our hearts for Palm Sunday and for the start of Holy Week, let’s prayerfully pause and remember that Jesus, our King, comes to us every day as we experience ups and downs on the road of life. In times of joy, celebration, sorrow, challenge, or peace, Jesus, our King, comes to us and is with us on the journey every day! May we welcome his presence and rejoice!
Palm Sunday also begins Holy Week, the week that we journey with Jesus from the shouts of “Hosanna” on Palm Sunday, to the Upper Room and the Garden on Thursday, to the horrific events of Good Friday, and to the joy of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
As we prepare for Holy Week, please pray that God will draw us and others in the wider community closer to Jesus. I also want to encourage you to invite someone you know to come with you to Union during Holy Week. The vast majority of people who begin attending a new church have been specifically invited by someone that they already know in that church.
Holy Week is an excellent time to be intentional about inviting your friends and neighbors to come and experience God's love at Union. Below you will find a calendar of events for Holy Week at Union. You can pick up printed copies of this invitation card on Sunday to share with your friends and neighbors, too. We will also be posting our Holy Week calendar on social media so you can share it on your page as an easy way of inviting others to Union.
I look forward to experiencing Holy Week as we remember Jesus' life, death, and resurrection together!
The Prayerful Pause - March 22
During Lent, we've been exploring some meaningful conversations that people had with Jesus during his earthly ministry. Prayer is our primary way of talking and listening to God. Yet, in our busy and noisy lives, it can sometimes feel hard to stay focused in prayer with so many things competing for our time and attention.
What helps you focus your mind and your heart when you pray? Here are a few things that help me focus when I seek to talk and listen to God.
I often pray out loud, just as if I am talking to a dear friend. Sometimes these prayers are just a few sentences, and at other times, I have much more to share with God. Over the years, I have found that the length of my prayers or the words that I say don’t matter. It is the regularity of my out loud conversations with God that are important. The more we talk to God, the deeper our connection with the Lord grows.
Sometimes I write my prayers out in a journal. These prayers are penned like a letter to God, but I never worry about correct spelling, good handwriting, or proper grammar. I write out whatever is on my heart, knowing God understands.
I've also drawn and doodled my prayers when I don’t have the words to pray. I am not an artist, but God understands what I am trying to communicate.
Praying with other people often helps me focus, too. At times, I have met weekly with a prayer partner. Now, our family spends time together in the evenings, reading a few chapters of Scripture and praying before bed. Our Tuesday Night Meet and Greet and our Saturday morning Prayer Call are two ways to connect with others in prayer each week, and there is always room for more folks to join in. Making prayer with others a routine is a wonderful way to cultivate a habit of prayer.
Listening to God as we pray can at times seem elusive. I've found that listening to Christian music throughout the day helps me focus my heart on listening to God. The music helps me quiet myself enough to listen for God’s voice but sometimes God even uses the lyrics of the music I am listening to teach me important things.
Often, I find myself listening to God when I am doing something else like driving, brushing my teeth, or walking around. I’ve never heard the audible voice of God, but I usually hear God’s voice as a gentle nudge in my heart or as a surprising idea that springs to mind unexpectedly. I’ve heard God's stirring in my spirit and sensed God’s leadership in my gut. God has even spoken to me through the encouragement or questions of God's people. I think the key to listening to God is simply being open and available for God to speak to us. So, this week, I want to encourage us to regularly open ourselves up to God using the word that the young prophet Samuel did by simply telling God, "Speak, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3: 10).
Prayerful Pause - March 15
Signs of new life are beginning to blossom all around us. Spring comes with a colorful beauty that delights our eyes but also disturbs our sinuses. Spring comes with both warmer days and cooler days with rain. As we did last Sunday, Springing Forward is another part of spring with pros and cons. We don't relish the thought of losing an hour of sleep or the impact the time change has on our sleeping patterns, but we enjoy the extra daylight in the evenings. As the seasons change, we embrace both the wonderful and the challenging aspects because it's part of growth and new life.
At Union, we have signs of life and new growth all around us. New ministries are sprouting up and growing. Our GriefShare ministry is off to a great start, with 17 people present last week, including participants and leaders. Our new CommUnity Groups@Union are off to a great start with three groups enjoying fun and fellowship together. Our children's ministry, youth ministry, and young adult ministries are also growing!
Even around the church building, we can see signs of restoration and renewal. Our Building Committee has done some amazing work in selecting the materials for the Fellowship Hall refresh, and we are starting to see some of the results already. Over the next several weeks, this project should be wrapping up. Union's Maintenance Team is also working hard to care for our building and grounds. Have you noticed the new swings on the swing set recently? They are a big hit with our youth and children. We even have some wonderful new storage racks for our paraments and banners that JR Beckwith designed and made.
Yes, new signs of life are all around us. But sometimes, when there is growth and change, we find ourselves needing flexibility, patience, and grace to meet the unexpected challenges that often accompany new life. This week, I want to encourage us all to build each other up and practice patience and peace with ourselves and others when new life and growth brings challenges.
Paul said it well in Romans 14:19, So let's strive together for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up. Union Family, indeed, let's celebrate and thank God for these new signs of life while also prayerfully seeking God's help to support and encourage each other when we face the challenges of new things too!
I love you, and I love being your Pastor!
The Prayerful Pause - March 8
During Lent, we have several opportunities to reach out and pray for our neighbors who are physically and spiritually hungry.
While we are preparing our hearts for Easter during Lent, we also have the opportunity to prepare and share Easter Food Boxes with families in need in our local area. Our goal is to help 40 families by providing an Easter meal this year complete with ham, sides, and dessert. You can pick up a box and a shopping list in the Gathering Space starting this Sunday, March 12. Boxes are due back at the church by March 26 and will be disrupted to families on Sunday, April 2.
In addition to preparing a box, I also want to encourage you to pray for the families who will receive these Easter food boxes throughout the month of March. Ask God to provide for their daily food needs faithfully, but also pray that God fills those who are spiritually hungry with the nourishment of his love and peace. Please pray that these families will experience God’s presence and guidance as they navigate various challenges in their daily lives as well.
We also have another way to help those experiencing food insecurity this month. Will you consider donating canned protein items to our CWF food drive for ACTS this month to help those who are hungry? You can drop off your protein items in the Gathering Space anytime this month. As you do so, please pray that God will continue to use the ministry of ACTS to help those in need in the area in compassionate and life-giving ways.
Finally, this month's community prayer emphasis is the Oconee Area Resource Council (OARC). Please pause and pray for the children and families who receive food from OARC’s Food for Kids Program this month. We were thankful for your generous donations to the Souper Bowl of Caring last month, giving $401 to support OARC’s Food for Kids Program. Please pray that God will continue to use this program to fill the hungry with good things for years to come.
The Prayerful Pause - March 1
The Season of Lent has arrived, full of opportunities for God to grow and guide us in grace as we seek to draw closer to Christ. Above all this Lent, I want to encourage you to pause and spend time with Christ daily. Try to carve out some intentional time each day to pray and spend time in conversation with Jesus. Spend time talking and listening to Christ, allowing his voice to whisper to you, peace be still, even when the wind and waves of life would like to crash in and interrupt your conversation.
This Lent, I also want to invite you to participate in one of the new opportunities that we have for God to grow our faith and impact at Union. One way for God to grow us is by participating in our Lenten Soup and Study each Wednesday in March at 5:45 PM in the Fellowship Hall. We will study a book called 24 Hours that Changed the World by Adam Hamilton. It’s an account of Jesus’ final 24 hours before the cross. This study will be an excellent way for God to grow us in grace during Lent. I hope you will participate and invite a friend to join you.
Another new opportunity that we have for growth this month is the launch of our new GriefShare Ministry, beginning March 2 from 5:30-7:30 PM. This new ministry needs considerable prayer support. I hope you will consider allowing God to grow you and this new ministry by praying intentionally for GriefShare during Lent this year.
No matter how we choose to engage with Christ this Lent, may God draw us all closer to Him and each other as he continues to grow us and guide us in grace!
The Prayerful Pause - February 22
Today is Ash Wednesday, and our Lenten journey begins in earnest. Please join us this evening for our Ash Wednesday service at 6:30 PM, as we remember our deep need for Jesus.
During our Lenten Journey, we will remember Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness just after his baptism and before the start of his public ministry. During Lent, we walk with Jesus in the wilderness, trusting God is with us daily in hard places and spaces of life.
Lent is sometimes considered a heavy season, as we remember the 40 difficult days Jesus spent in the wilderness. However, Lent is also a time of joyful growth. Indeed, God grows and stretches us as only God can, and it's joyous to see what God can do when we are open to growth.
I think it is interesting that the word Lent comes from the old English word for "lengthen." Lent is a season of the church year that takes place just as the days are becoming longer. I wonder, what does God want to grow and "lengthen" in us during Lent? Maybe God wants to "lengthen" the amount of time we spend in daily prayer or study. Perhaps, God wants to grow and "lengthen" the impact of our shared ministry together. Maybe God wants to "lengthen" our understanding of grace so that we can receive it and extend it more freely.
No matter what God wants to "lengthen" in us as individuals or as a church family this Lenten season, God's growth is always rooted in love and exactly what we need. May God continually grow our understanding of how wide, long, high, and deep the love of God in Christ Jesus!
The Prayerful Pause - February 15
Next Wednesday, February 22, is Ash Wednesday. We will gather for a special service at 6:30 PM in the Sanctuary to impose ashes and remember our need for Jesus. This service marks the beginning of Lent, a season of preparation before we celebrate Easter. On Ash Wednesday, we set aside time to remember and respond to God at the start of our Lenten journey.
Ash Wednesday reminds us that we are dust, and to dust we will return. We remember that we are people with a deep need for a savior. We also remember that God gives beauty for the ashes of our despair through the work of Christ on the Cross. On Ash Wednesday, we also remember that we can repent and believe the Gospel, confident that Jesus makes all things new.
During our Lenten Journey, we will remember Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness just after his baptism and before the start of his public ministry. In Lent, we walk with Jesus in the wilderness, trusting God is with us daily in hard places and spaces. At times, Christians have given up things that are important to them during Lent so that they might focus on God more clearly. At other times, Christians have taken on a new spiritual practice or aspect of service during Lent as a way to draw closer to Christ. No matter how you observe Lent this year, it is a time to focus on God and remember Jesus' life, ministry, and sacrifice for us all.
Please join us for our Ash Wednesday Service next Wednesday, February 22, at 6:30 PM, and encourage a friend to join you. It will be a meaningful time to remember Jesus and the forgiveness he offers to all.
The Prayerful Pause - January 11
I feel quite reflective this week because Sunday, January 15, will mark one year since you officially called me to serve as your Pastor!
I've been remembering many details of that memorable weekend last year. The Bulldogs had just won a National Championship, and our family made sure to wear our red and black attire for the Welcome Dinner that Friday night with the Search and Call Committee. That dinner featured incredible food, and I knew as a non-cook, I would be just fine coming to a church that knew how to cook so well.
I also remember that a victory parade was planned for Saturday to celebrate the Dawgs; so many fans had come to town for the celebration that our hotel was full. When we checked in, the most enormous baskets of snacks and special treats awaited us in our room from you all. Pastor Jane also sent flowers to our hotel room, which was a complete surprise. Winter weather was in the forecast, and the “call Sunday” was held Saturday evening to beat the storm. I remember being so thankful for your warmth and hospitality that weekend, even when it was cold outside. You welcomed us with open arms. Union, you really do know how to welcome folks, and you also know how to joyously celebrate, too!
So, one year on, as we celebrate another Bulldog National Championship, I find myself reflecting on the things we celebrate in our faith journey. I wonder, what is God doing in your life or in the life of your church that you want to celebrate at this time?
As your Pastor, I am celebrating the tender way you love and support one another through hard things. It's a joy to see you pray for one another and encourage each other.
I am also celebrating ministry opportunities for us as a church family as we begin a new year. Our Winter Bible Studies begin next week. Sign-ups are now underway for our new CommUnity Groups @ Union and for our Intergenerational Chili Cook-Off at the end of January. To support those grieving in our church or in the wider community, our new GriefShare Ministry will launch in March 2023 as well. I am also celebrating our continued faithful service with long-standing ministry partners like Family Promise and ACTS. It's a joy to see you serve, offering yourselves as the hands and feet of Christ.
But most of all, I am celebrating the love and grace of Jesus that flows through our lives each day.
What are you celebrating, Union family? What are you celebrating in your walk with the Lord or in our life together as a church? I am thankful that there is always something to celebrate with Jesus! May God give us eyes that see what needs to be celebrated and hearts that rejoice in singing the goodness of God!
The Prayerful Pause - January 4
Happy New Year, Union Family! Each January, many folks make new year's resolutions. Maybe this year you hope to eat a bit healthier or be more intentional about spending time with your family. Perhaps, this year you want to exercise a little more or finally clean out all your closets and donate some things you don't need to charity. New year’s resolutions can sometimes be a really good thing, but if we are honest with ourselves, we often abandon our resolutions by the time February 1 rolls around.
This year, instead of making a resolution, I want to invite you to think about what new thing God wants to do in and through your life. How does God want to grow you in grace, wisdom, or service this year? How will God enrich your life through Bible Study, fellowship, or worship this year? How does God want to grow your prayer life and draw you closer to Christ? How will God use you this year to share love and encouragement with those who need it most? So right from the start this year, may we focus on how God works in our lives instead of what we can accomplish on our own. God is always doing something new, and we are invited to catch a glimpse of it daily.
May God give us eyes to see and hearts that embrace the new things He wants to do in us, through us, and in our midst in 2023! I look forward to seeing all the ways that God will grow and guide us this year!
The Prayerful Pause - December 21
My heart is full this Advent! It’s been a joy to journey toward the manger with you, Union Family, celebrating my first Advent season with you!
As we continue to prepare our hearts for Christmas this week, let’s focus our attention on the gift that Jesus is for all people. Jesus fills our hearts with hope, peace, joy, and love, not only during December, but throughout every day of the year! What will we do with the gift of Jesus this Christmas? May we celebrate and savor the Advent of Christ in our own hearts but also continue to share the gift of Jesus with others in both word and deed this Christmas.
I also want to encourage you to connect with Christ in worship this week. We have three upcoming services, and each will be a unique opportunity for you to reflect on the gift of Jesus.
We will hold our first Blue Christmas Service tonight, Wednesday, December 21, at 6:00 PM. Some are carrying the heaviness of grief and are feeling blue during this season. Union’s Blue Christmas Service will offer a quiet and reflective time of worship that acknowledges the heaviness of grief and loss while also pointing to the hope that Jesus gives. After the service, we will have some light snacks in the Fellowship Hall for those who wish to linger and experience the warmth and love of Union's caring community.
Our Candlelight Christmas Eve Service will take place at 5:00 PM this Saturday. Come and share in the joy of Christmas as we light the Christ Candle, share communion together, and celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Since Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year, we have an extra chance to worship together this season on Christmas morning at 11:00 AM! We will gather for a joyous, family-friendly service with all ages of the Union family, from the youngest to the oldest. Our children and those young at heart are welcome to join us for worship wearing your Christmas PJs if you like! Please note that Sunday School will not meet on Christmas Day.
Finally, please take a moment this week to invite a friend or neighbor to worship with you this Christmas. Personal invitations mean so much, and they are also a great way to encourage others to connect with Christ and a caring church family.
May God bless you and your family this Christmas and continue to fill your hearts with the joy of Jesus!
The Prayerful Pause - December 14
Can you believe it? Christmas is almost here! In just 11 more days, we will celebrate Jesus' birth once again! Even as we await Jesus' arrival, we have several opportunities coming up this week to prepare our hearts for Christmas. I hope you will plan to join us and invite others too.
On Saturday, we are participating in Wreaths Across America by laying Christmas wreaths on the graves of the veterans buried in Union's cemetery. Volunteers are needed to help with this effort. We will gather Saturday at 1:00 PM in the cemetery for this unique time of remembrance.
This Saturday evening from 4-6 PM, you are also invited to a Christmas Open House at our home (3147 Meadow Spring Drive). We will have fantastic finger foods and warm fellowship together. Jyoti is also excited to show you all her Christmas decorations! You don't need to bring anything to the party, and you are most welcome to invite a friend or neighbor.
This Sunday, we have another tremendous opportunity to worship God and enjoy the music of the season. Our choir has been practicing hard and will lead us in worship this Sunday, sharing several anthems and readings during the service. Our music ministry blesses us at Union, and we are thankful for the faithful service of JR, Gina, the Choir, and our Worship Band. Please take a moment to invite a friend or neighbor to join us for our special music service this Sunday.
Finally, as we continue to prepare our hearts for Christmas, I want to encourage each of us to be intentional about pressing the pause button during this busy time of year by spending time with God each day. We can spend time with God anywhere, praying, reading Scripture and devotional books, listening to music, or reflecting on God's goodness in silence. As we prepare for the coming of Christ, I am praying that we will be even more intentional about abiding in Christ each day. For when we abide in Christ, God fills us with the love of Christ and helps us share that love with others too. May the hope, peace, joy, and love of Jesus dwell with you richly today and always.
The Prayerful Pause - December 7
Not everyone feels joyful and excited during this season. Some are carrying the heaviness of grief and are feeling blue. To reach out to those grieving in the church and the wider community, we will hold our first-ever Blue Christmas Service this year.
You may not have heard of a Blue Christmas Service before. It's a service that speaks especially to people grieving loss during this time of year. Our Blue Christmas service will be a quiet and reflective time of worship that acknowledges the heaviness of grief and loss while also pointing to the hope that Jesus gives.
Maybe you know a friend or neighbor who is grieving the loss of a loved one or who is grieving another type of loss, including a recent divorce or job transition. I hope you will invite them to join you at Union on Wednesday, December 21, at 6:00 PM, in the Sanctuary for our Blue Christmas Service.
Here are a few ways that you can be in prayer ahead of our Blue Christmas Service.
Please pray for those who are grieving at this time of year. Ask God to provide comfort, peace, and hope each day.
Please also pray that God will use our Blue Christmas service to shine the light of Christ even in the darkness of grief.
Thank God for the gift of Emanuel, God with us, the one who understands our grief and is always there to comfort us.
The Prayerful Pause - November 30
It's almost December, and the days are getting shorter and shorter, with darkness coming most nights before we’ve eaten dinner now. It's also the season of Advent, and we are watching and waiting expectantly for the coming of Christ. The Season of Advent reminds us to keep looking for Christ and the light that he brings even while we wait in darkness.
Christian author Ann Voskamp reminds us:
Advent is the last, darkest hour of the year, and this is the season not to merely get ready for Christmas, but to get ready for the coming of Christ.
Advent doesn’t deny the dark within us,
Advent isn’t afraid of the dark around us,
Advent doesn’t rush through the dark ahead of us,
Advent sits in the dark and yearns for the Light of the only One
who went to the Tree of Calvary, to shatter the dark for all of us.
Yes, even as we watch and wait for Christ at Advent, we can remember that Jesus has shattered the darkness for us! We no longer wait or walk in darkness without the comfort of a Savior. Even when you are walking through dark and difficult days, keep looking for Jesus, the Light of the World who always shines.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:5
The Prayerful Pause - November 16
Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and I have been reflecting a lot on gratitude over the last several weeks. This week, I wonder, what are you grateful for when you think about God? If we were to try to list all the things about God that we are thankful for, it would surely be a lengthy list. There is likely not enough paper or ink in all the world, because God is far too incredible for us to capture all that we are grateful for in a single list!
This year, let's make thanking God a daily habit as we pray, worship, and serve individually and collectively as a church family. Let's seek to spend time every day thanking God for who He is and for all that He does for us. We have many blessings in life, but God is undoubtedly the most abundant blessing of all. Let's pause every day and spend time thanking God!
I also wanted to let you know that I will be away on vacation during Thanksgiving Week. We depart after church on Sunday, November 20, and we will return on Saturday, November 26. Our Elders on call during Thanksgiving Week are Julia Beckwith, Patsy Orr, and Wanda Maxey. I am also reachable while I am away should any emergencies arise. I pray that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Right after Thanksgiving, we will begin the season of Advent! Our Hanging of the Greens service will take place on Sunday, November 27. We will gather in the Fellowship Hall at 5:00 p.m. for snacks and fellowship before the service. You are invited to bring a snack to share that evening. At 5:45 PM, we will gather in the Sanctuary for the service. I look forward to celebrating this special time of year with you! I hope you will invite a friend or neighbor to join us for the Hanging of the Greens service on November 27.
The Prayerful Pause - November 9
Sundays are my favorite day of the week, and I am especially looking forward to this coming Sunday at Union!
It’s the Sunday after Veterans Day, and we will recognize and pray for our Veterans during morning worship. We will also have a slideshow of their pictures playing before and after worship. Union has done two other things to honor our Veterans this week. We’ve placed our Veterans Day banner out front and posted flags on the graves of the 40 Veterans buried in Union's cemetery. On Sunday, please take a moment to offer a personal word of thanks to our Veterans while also thanking God for their service and sacrifice.
This Sunday, we will also welcome Union's former pastor, Rev. Troy Tatum, and his family, Leigh Ann, Luke, and Riley, back home to Union. Troy will preach and sing in worship on Sunday morning. It will be a special service for their family and for the Union family, too. After worship this Sunday, we will have a covered dish luncheon in honor of the Tatum family, and we invite you to bring a covered dish or two to share. Please take a moment to pause and pray for the Tatum family this week. Ask God to encourage them and surround them with a deep sense of love and care.
Sunday is also the day to bring your Thanksgiving boxes to share with families in need. You can drop these off in the basement anytime this week or on Sunday before worship. Volunteers will be in the basement to help you unload your box if needed from 9:45-10:45 on Sunday morning. Please take a moment to pray for the families who will receive the food boxes and turkeys this Thanksgiving.
The Prayerful Pause - November 2
This coming Sunday, November 6, is All Saints Sunday. During worship, we will pause to remember both church members and our own family members who have died during the last year. All Saints Sunday is an important time to remember those who have gone on before us and impacted our life and our faith journey profoundly.
All Saints Sunday is also a time to remember that we have a great cloud of witnesses looking on and encouraging us in faith. We read about the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11, as the author highlights the example of men and women from the Old Testaments Scriptures who had a tremendous impact for God. Over the years, more brothers and sisters in the faith have gone on to join the great cloud of witnesses that still looks on and encourages us from heaven today.
Who are the people that you cherish in the great cloud of witnesses? Maybe it's grandparents, parents, friends, teachers, church family members, or mentors? You remember the impact these important people had on your life, and you know their stories just as well as the author of Hebrews knew the stories of the heroes and heroines from the Old Testament Scriptures. And right now, even at this very minute, those people who encouraged you in the faith while here on earth still cheer you on from heaven! That's a tremendous encouragement to me, and I hope it is to you, too.
So, no matter how much you may be struggling to finish the race, remember that the great cloud of witnesses is looking on and encouraging you to keep walking by faith and to keep trusting Jesus as you run the race marked out ahead. This week, I encourage you to press pause and thank God for all who have gone before us and for the impact they still have on our lives today.
The Prayerful Pause - October 26
This Sunday is our annual Fall Fun Night! We are excited to welcome our community to Union for this special outreach event. We hope to be outside for Fall Family Fun Night if the weather cooperates. However, we will move inside for our activities and adapt our activities accordingly if it is raining. Thankfully, the rain can’t stop us from having fun with our neighbors!
I am thankful so many of you have signed up to serve or share supplies for this outreach. Below are also a few prayer needs as we prepare for this special outreach event, as well the details about arrival times for supplies and volunteers.
Prayer Needs for our Fall Family Fun Night Outreach:
Please pray that the event would go smoothly and be a gift to the community.
Please pray that all who come will experience God’s love through the warmth of welcome and generosity of the Union Family.
Please also pray for those who are seeking a new church home. May God welcome them “home” to Union through us during Fall Family Fun.
Arrival Times for Supplies and Volunteers:
Please deliver all food donations to the Fellowship Hall Kitchen by Sunday morning.
The Set-Up Crew will start working at 1:30 PM on Sunday.
All station and activity leaders, please arrive by 2:15 PM and be ready to go at your station by 2:30 PM.
Trunk or Treat cars - check in with Holly by 2:15 PM. She will direct you to the parking area. Please be ready to go at your trunk by 2:30 PM in case we have any early arrivals. We will have “tables” instead of cars should we have to move inside for the festivities.
Thanks for being a blessing to the community! It’s a joy to be your pastor!
The Prayerful Pause - October 19
October is flying by, and the trees are starting to showcase a beautiful array of colors around us. Each morning when I arrive at Union, I check out the trees in front of the church building that are now starting to change color. I don't want to miss any of the spectacular color that will come over the next few weeks on the branches of those trees.
A remarkable beauty comes from the leaves, as they are essentially dying each fall. Yes, we see splendid colors of amber, gold, crimson, and scarlet as the leaves die and fall to the ground.
The beautiful colors of autumn remind me that an abundance of beauty came from Jesus' death on the cross, even though it was brutal and torturous for him. Our lives are filled with the beauty of grace and forgiveness because of Jesus' death. Each day, Jesus continues to fill our lives with beauty. Jesus fills our lives with the beauty of empathy, compassion, and love. Jesus fills our lives with the beauty of love for each other and for neighbors as well. It's a remarkable thing that such beauty comes into our lives and the lives of others through the death of Christ and the life-giving relationship we have with him daily.
This week, I encourage you to pause and take a look at some of the beautiful fall leaves around you. We you see all the beautiful color, remember that Christ fills our lives with an even more spectacular beauty every day!
The Prayerful Pause - October 12
We’ve been exploring keywords in Union’s Mission Statement for the last several weeks in our Midweek Update. We've paused to reflect on what these important words mean for us as a church family both now and as we move forward together into the future. Today, we come to the final keyword in our mission statement, "welcomes."
Called by God and led by the Holy Spirit, Union Christian Church is a caring community that learns and shares the stories of faith, serves within and beyond our walls, and welcomes all to gather at Christ’s Table.
Union is a welcoming church. Many of our recent guests have shared with me in detail just how welcomed they felt in their interactions with you. I have heard the Union family described as warm, welcoming, encouraging, and loving by newcomers and long-time members alike. Just as Christ welcomes each one of us into the Family of God, we seek to welcome all at Christ's table.
We find welcome, acceptance, and unity at the Lord's table as we remember Jesus' deep love for all people. I am so thankful that there is a place for everyone at the Lord's table here at Union.
In a world where discord and division are commonplace, the welcome and unity we find at Christ’s table is a precious gift. Yet, at times, we may still find differences of opinion or points of disagreement with each other in our life and ministry together. Like any family, we may not always agree, but we don't have to let our differences divide us. We can always lean on Jesus to help us welcome all, remembering that when we offer the warmth of welcome to others, we also welcome the presence of Christ in our very midst.
The Prayerful Pause - October 5
Over the last several weeks, we've explored some keywords in Union's Mission statement in our Midweek Update. We've been thinking about these keywords to help us remember who God has called us to be and reflecting on these keywords with an eye toward the future. Our focus word for this week is "serves."
Called by God and led by the Holy Spirit, Union Christian Church is a caring community that learns and shares the stories of faith, serves within and beyond our walls, and welcomes all to gather at Christ’s Table.
As your pastor, I am thankful for your faithfulness in serving. I am regularly inspired by the diverse ways I see you serving both inside and outside the walls of the church building. You are actively loving God and your neighbors well. If I were to list all the ways that I see you serving, it would surely fill up several pages. You are busy being church and also finding joy in being a blessing to others. I thank God for your sacrificial service and love.
As we look toward the future, here are a few steps we can take to help keep Union’s long-standing tradition of faithful service alive and well.
First, pray that God will put someone on your heart who is looking for a new way to serve in the church or in the community.
Next, look around and notice how God has gifted others in the Union Family to serve. Maybe there is a person who just needs a little encouragement to plug in. When you see a gift that God has given someone, encourage them to use it.
If you notice people who would be great serving in a particular area where you also like to serve, invite and encourage them to serve alongside of you, either at church or in the community.
Remember that inviting others to serve with you is a great way to build intergenerational friendships in the church. Yet, it’s also a fantastic way to pass on skills, knowledge, and wisdom to future generations.
Thank you for being a church that serves well! May God help us keep the tradition of faithful service alive and well at Union for generations to come.