December 7, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother Jesus, Amen. Sunday was the Second Sunday of Advent. It became clear this week that East Texas is ready to flirt with Old Man Winter. My morning walks with my four-legged friends, Gunter and Sam, have been quite chilly. The pups don’t seem to mind as they frolic around the park. I am listening to the new Michael Connelly book and moving as fast as I can. I bundle myself up real good, as I just can’t take the cold like I used to.
All during the month of December we will be collecting cans of soup for Community Christian Services. Paxton Methodist is having in-person worship, and we respect each other by wearing masks and keeping socially distant. The predictions by scientists and the medical community have unfortunately come true. The virus is spreading throughout our nation, with millions getting infected and thousands dying. Even though the United States only makes up 5% of the world’s population, our country accounts for 20% of the infections and deaths worldwide.
Scientists and the medical professionals say that we can do three simple things before the vaccines are released later this month. To curtail the spread of Covid-19, we should wash our hands regularly, stay at least 6 feet apart—social distancing, and yes, wear a mask. Things are so dire that mask wearing is the patriotic thing to do. It is also the Christian thing to do, loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Usually at Paxton Methodist, Advent features a Christmas program and dinner for the community. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, we have canceled our 2020 celebration.
We want to be as safe as we can. Our music this morning was on CD. The first was the Christmas song, “O Holy Night” sung by Marie Osmond. The second hymn was “Standing on the Promises,” on Christy Lane’s album, Footprints in the Sand. Our first-Sunday communion was shared...but also socially distant and in individual Ziplocs. Today we were in double digits and were glad to hear that two of our absent members had returned home, although not at church yet.
Our Sunday School lesson was focused on the idea that humans were made in God’s image. The scripture came from the Jewish hymnbook, The Psalms—Psalm 8: 1-9. The beautiful poetry of this psalm speaks of creation, saying that humans were fashioned with glory and grandeur just slightly less than divine. Our being created in the image of the Divine should be seen as an awesome responsibility to live up to.
The scripture for my sermon was the Gospel lesson for the Second Sunday in Advent, Mark 1: 1-8. In this Gospel, there are no babe in a manger, no angels, shepherds, or wise men, and no bright star. Instead, the writer of the Mark Gospel, the oldest Gospel in the Christian Testament, tells us about the wild prophet in the wilderness, John the Baptizer. Apparently unknown to the Mark writer are the stories of Bethlehem and the birth of the babe. In Mark’s Gospel, John, like the prophets in the Jewish Testament, is urging people to turn to a new (but also old) way of seeing and thinking. He is baptizing people into a new life—a new way of understanding God. All these years later, we should still heed John’s words.
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, and Open Minds.” 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 your email address to the Paxton email address, and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed.
