Happening at Paxton Methodist

November 19, 2018 - Sunday at Paxton was Thanksgiving Sunday. Our Gathering Words were from Psalm 100, a great prayer of Thanksgiving. Even though my sermon was about worrying, it was also about practicing thankfulness. We are human and therefore are going to worry. We worry about our health, our family and friends, and getting old. It is when worry becomes obsessive that it crowds out thankfulness, contentment, and joy. We have to guard against that.

At Sunday School we got our new lesson books for Winter 2018-2019. We have just one more lesson about Jacob. The liturgical calendar also ends next week with Christ the King Sunday. After that we begin the period of Advent as we move toward Christmas. The Sunday School lesson today was titled “Jacob forms a Relationship with God.”  The scripture from Genesis included the verses about Jacob and his ladder. In the Common English Translation of the Bible it calls the ladder a staircase.  Regardless, it was a way to go from Heaven to earth. Jacob says that if God is with him and will protect him then the Lord will be his God. The class discussed these verses closely, as it sounded like Jacob was bargaining with the Lord.  

It was great to see such a nice crowd this morning. We had a short business meeting where officers signed various reports, and we voted to support the pastor, pay the pastor’s salary for 2019, approve the budget, and pay the District and Conference apportionments. With that done, we are ready for next Sunday’s Charge Conference to be held at FUMC Center. The Shelby County Methodist Churches will be present. Reverend Matt will be the host, and the District Superintendent will bring a devotional and conduct the business of the Charge Conference. We had a nice letter and card from Cliff and the Gideons. Cliff spoke to Paxton Methodist last week, and our church gave over $1400 to the Gideons International. 

Another item we discussed was our church Christmas program and party. We all checked calendars and commitments and decided on Thursday, December 13. The program will begin at 6PM, and a potluck meal will follow. All are welcome.

“Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here.” Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:30 and Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist you can send me your email address to the Paxton email address and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed.