December 21, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother Jesus, Amen. Sunday was the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Instead of using the scriptures for that Sunday, however, I used Luke 2: 1-14, often read on Christmas Eve. Paxton Methodist will not have worship on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, so we celebrated these wonderful days today. We at Paxton United Methodist Church wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.
Paxton Methodist is having in-person worship; we respect each other by wearing masks and keeping socially distant. Scientists and medical professionals say that we can do three simple things before the vaccines are generally available: 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.
All during the month of December we have been collecting cans of soup for Community Christian Services. In January 2021 we will collect cans of tuna. Our church also contributed gifts and money to CCS’s children’s Christmas. Some of our members gave gifts and money for the Silver Bell nursing home Christmas at the request of Pastor Sarah from Timpson and Tenaha Methodist. We received a letter and a certificate of appreciation from Bishop Jones for our 100% financial support of the Texas Conference and all the ministries of the church, in Texas and globally.
I am working on the end-of-year reports, including the financial reports of the church. I couldn’t do that without the hard work and help from Gene, our church’s treasurer. I am hoping to have everything figured out and entered by the end of the year. Dr. White, our East District superintendent, called me this week so we could have our end-of-year meeting. Usually pastors go to the District Office in Lufkin, but due to the strangeness of 2020 we did a “teleconference.” It is always nice to visit with Dr. White, who is a very kind and caring leader. The plan is for me to continue to serve Paxton Methodist as a part-time retired pastor. I guess there are a few miles still in my engine.
Our Sunday School lesson came from the first chapter of the John Gospel. It begins by stating four times that Jesus is the light that came into the world. John was written much later than the other three—probably in the first decade of the second century. John certainly had the most cosmic description of Jesus; John the Baptizer is also crucial in this gospel, letting folks know that the Light of the World was going to overcome darkness. We ended up in quite a discussion about some of what John said, which is good for our minds and our souls. One is never too old for school—in this case, Sunday School.
We want to be as safe as we can. Since we resumed in-person worship, our music has been on CD. We can hum the song under our masks but no vigorous singing! Both songs today were Christmas hymns. We started with “The First Noel,” sung by Elvis. Unfortunately, the CD didn’t work—or perhaps Elvis left the building! Maybe next week. The second hymn was a country version of “Silent Night.”
The thought of those two teenagers, Mary and Joseph, heading to Bethlehem and beginning a new life together is really pretty ordinary. Seeing a young couple starting out is exciting and hopeful, but still these events happen all the time. Mary and Joseph’s new life is complicated by the fact that Mary is in the family way. The idea that the God of all would become flesh and blood in a tiny helpless baby is not ordinary. To absorb such a mystery requires us to call on our mystical nature, seeing these events not in a historical way but spiritually. It also becomes very clear that the God of all has a special place in his heart for the poor and downtrodden. The first folks who receive the angelic news flash about the birth are not the powerful and well-connected but the lowest of the low—shepherds. The world is being turned upside down by this birth and all its meanings.
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.
