February 4, 2019 - Love and peace from our brother, Jesus. Sunday was the 4th Sunday of Epiphany. It feels like springtime as I write this article on Monday morning. My dog companions, Gunter and Sam, went with me to the city park this morning for our morning constitutional. I am usually bundled up against the cold, but this morning I took off my jacket and even unbuttoned my long-sleeved shirt. This false spring gets me thinking about my garden. Christian mystics tell us that God is to be found in the most ordinary of things—we just need to keep our eyes and ears open, as to the beauty of growing things.
Gene and Joy were back from their Austin trip so we had our full Sunday school class this morning. Fannie had a really good lesson, with the scripture once again from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Paul reminds us 21st Century Christians, as he was reminding his friends, that sometimes our problems seem too big to be solved. In our political climate today, we often feel this way. But we can’t become jaded. As Paul says, we press on.
The Gospel Lesson for the 4th Sunday of Epiphany was Luke 4: 21-30. The scripture started right where last Sunday’s lesson left off. Jesus does what he often does—he comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. His neighbors and kin have gotten too contented thinking they were special—that God loved them more than others. Jesus points out two examples in the Jewish Scriptures when God overlooked Jewish folks and instead brought wholeness and healing to Gentiles. Needless to say, those hearing Jesus that morning thought Jesus had stopped preaching and started meddling!
It was great to see Theresa and Larry this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with Theresa as she makes the rounds of her doctors. We celebrated Holy Communion this morning. Our first nursing home ministry will be a week from Thursday (Valentine’s Day) at Focused Care. We will gather at 10:00. During the month of February we will be collecting soap and shampoo for Community Christian Services.
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.
