February 22, 2016 - Sunday was the Second Sunday in Lent. The temperatures are so warm for winter. Even though I have enjoyed getting out and preparing the garden, I am not sure so many warm days in winter is really a good thing. Someone reminded me how often we get a freeze around Easter. But still, the call of spring is pretty strong!
The Gospel Lesson was Luke 13: 31-35. Those fateful days of Holy Week are fast approaching. Jesus must know the terrible danger he and his followers would face when they entered the Holy City. In our Gospel Lesson, Jesus laments that the religious leaders and others who wielded power were ignoring God’s call. Jesus wishes that he was a hen so he could gather all the chicks and protect them. There is a chapel in Jerusalem which could be the very spot that Jesus cried out to Jerusalem. This chapel has a beautiful window, and at first one would think it was stained glass—it isn’t. The window has clear glass where one can have the same view that Jesus did so many years ago: Underneath this window is a mosaic of a hen and her chicks.
Our Sunday school lesson once again comes from Leviticus. The scripture explains in detail all that is to be done on the Day of Atonement—Yom Kippur. All the sacrificing of animals and other details leave a modern reader kind of lost. But the themes—atonement, mercy, and reconciliation—are still true today, not only in the Jewish faith but also the Christian faith.
We had a wonderful surprise today. Lillie, Liz, and Mike were up this weekend and came to church! It was so wonderful to see them, and they put us in double digits once again. Mike has retired and hopes they will be able to come up more often, staying longer. We sure hope so.
Last Tuesday we had our Holiday Nursing Center ministry. We had a real small group to begin with, but more and more folks joined us. Nora read a poem and sang a song. Ms. Hilda played many songs that the residents requested. This week on Thursday at 2:00 we will go to Lakeside and visit, sing, tell stories, and read some scripture. All this month we have been collecting dried beans and rice for Community Christian Services. Sue and I will take those to Haslam Baptist this week.
“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 9:15 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!
