February 7, 2022 - I am starting the Paxton Methodist News article on Saturday afternoon. What a pretty day! After the last few days, including experiencing Friday’s sleet and snow in Shreveport, it almost feels balmy outside. I am setting up a new 3’ x 12’ raised garden bed in which I am hoping to raise a different kind of watermelon—without vines — that grows on a low bush. Weird. I came back in and called our dear friends Keith and Vera. It was Keith’s birthday on Saturday. On Sunday we wished happy birthday to Sue DeFee, who will reach the milestone 90 on Monday.
Sunday is the 5th Sunday of the Epiphany. Most years, the season of the Epiphany is four Sundays, but this year—because of Easter’s date on the calendar—there are seven Epiphany Sundays. Transfiguration Sunday, which marks the end of this particular season, isn’t until February 27.
I delivered checks and canned tuna to Community Christian Services this last week and got to visit with some of my all-time favorite students and friends. My understanding is that CCS has applied for a large grant to expand its space and services. Wow, that is so great for the community! We’ll be collecting soap and shampoo this month for CCS.
Our Sunday School was an exceptionally good one. There were two scriptures that served as the basis for the lesson—one from Deuteronomy and one from Matthew. The purpose of the lesson was to renew our commitment to the Great Commandments: to love God and to love neighbor. Our author told us that deeds of love are what the earliest Christians were noted for. He went on to say that the best way to express our love for God is to love our neighbor. We of the Christian faith are convinced that is exactly what Jesus’ life and teaching showed us. Echoing this idea was our bulletin quote from Maria Robinson, a U.S. Representative: “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
The Gospel Lesson for Sunday was Luke 5: 1-11. This wonderful story is centered on fishing. When Jesus intervenes, the fishermen—Simon, James, and John—are overwhelmed by the catch, with nets nearly breaking and the boat almost sinking under the weight. Fish was as vital to these people as was their daily bread. This story says that in Jesus’ Kingdom there will always be plenty for all, no one excluded.
Our songs this morning were “Rescue the Perishing” and “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.” The second hymn, by Charles Wesley, is considered the anthem of Methodism. It is the first hymn in the Methodist Hymnal, but we don’t use it much at Paxton Methodist. We listened, sang, and hummed along with all six verses of a Bluetooth version. Kind of reminded me of my growing up years in the Lutheran Church when we would sing every verse of every hymn. There was none of this “first, second, and last,” in my boyhood church.
We celebrated Holy Communion this morning. Holy Communion is sometimes call The Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist. Methodists, like most Protestants, believe there are two sacraments of the church: baptism and communion. In my studies this week, I read that the story of the overwhelming catch on Simon’s boat was a eucharistic miracle because it showed how following Jesus was a most fruitful avenue.
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.
