May 27, 2019 - Love and peace from our brother Jesus. Sunday was the Sixth Sunday of Easter. Monday is Memorial Day: Our thoughts and celebrations should be about those who sacrificed so much. As the Christ said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” I have been watching a mini-series on the terrible nuclear accident at Chernobyl. The accident was much worse than believed; but for the heroic efforts of first responders, miners, engineers, and scientists, the devastation would have been catastrophic. We also know that they were aware they would die in the fight to save others. On this Memorial Day, we remember all those who have fought and died from the early days of our country to the present. The debt owed can never be repaid.
It is hard to believe that May is almost finished. All during May we have been collecting cans of fruit for Community Christian Services. Next month we will be collecting toilet paper and paper towels each Sunday. The folks at Haslam Baptist and the other community volunteers do such a wonderful and needed service in our area of East Texas. Thanks so much!
We finished this quarter in Sunday school with another scripture from Romans. Paul reminds us that we are to be a living sacrifice through service. To most of Paul’s listeners at the time, a sacrifice was an offering to God—through an animal slaughtered at the temple. So the idea of being a daily, a living sacrifice would have sounded very strange.
The scripture for Sunday started with Revelation 21:10. It is John’s vision of Heaven coming down to earth. Most everyone has an idea of what the afterlife will be like. But Heaven is not only something for the other side of the grave. It is living fully in the presence of God. Life is so precious and such an amazing gift; we must embrace God by embracing each other and in doing so, experience Heaven here on Earth.
The way the calendar fell in May, we had two nursing home programs in one week. On Tuesday, we went to Holiday, where I emceed and Minnie played piano. In honor of the upcoming Memorial Day, Theresa brought flags for all attendees; we also sang a number of patriotic hymns along with the other Heavenly Highways ones. Fannie read two selections about veterans, adding her own thoughts. Nora spoke about Doris Day and sang her signature “Que Sera Sera,” ending with a peppy number that her church enjoys. Sue read Where Are Momma, Poppa, and Sister June? Later in the program she did a selection from Food Hates You. Sallie came to help sing but didn’t feel up to a special of her own.
Our program at Lakeside Assisted Living was on Thursday. This time Maggie emceed, in the process telling several family stories. Hilda played their baby grand; again, selections were patriotic as well as religious. Jo and Margie joined us, helping residents and adding strong voices to the singing. Sue read There’s a Cow in the Road, which prompted many to share their own animal anecdotes. Fannie, for example, told about the Watson herd getting out on Highway 84 before she read two selections about veterans. Ollie did two funny pieces: one a conversation between God and a man about how to understand women (impossible); the other a poem lamenting that “my get-up and go has got up and went.” Nora, noting Doris Day’s recent death, talked a little about the actress and woman, and sang “Que Sera Sera.” Gene led us in “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful,” which were to be our closing…but Pastor Matt arrived just then. At road construction and perhaps a wreck, he’d had to make several detours, ending on a dirt road with a flat tire! He told how much he’s enjoyed our programs at Lakeside, a little about his future post at a large church in Beaumont, and did the benediction. Hilda began spontaneously playing “God Be with You,” and we all joined in.
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.
Randy & Sue Smith Paxton Methodist Church
