Prayer for the Week (May 19-May 25)

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Let us pray that our love draw its strength from God’s own love: God, loving Father, you revealed to us the depth of your love in Jesus Christ. Although our love remains brittle and fickle and falls short, may we love one another the way Christ has loved us. Give us a bit of your own love, and make it reliable and lasting like yours, ever respectful of people, always inviting and reaching out, especially to the poor and the unloved. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.

(Claretian Communications)

Pastoral Ponderings (May 2019)

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Last month we hosted the Holy Week Services for the Galax Area Minister’s Association. I do thank all who worked to prepare our fellowship hall for the Holy Week Services. We were blessed by the food, singers and speakers of West Galax UMC, First Baptist of Galax, Cornerstone, Hillcrest Baptist, Riverhill Baptist, and the Church of the Good Shepherd! Also, a special thanks for the breakfast workers who labored early to ensure our meal after the sunrise service on Easter Day.

The Easter Season is in full-swing! Easter Season celebrates the risen Lord and the move of the Holy Spirit in the early Church to proclaim the resurrected Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus makes sense of the tragedy and humiliation of the crucifixion in that the resurrection tells us that God’s love is stronger than death and human malice and hatred. This is, indeed, Good News!

God has breathed new life into us and among us through the Holy Spirit. This empowers us to help bring peace to our world full of anxiety and warfare. A particular tool in bringing peace is the offering of forgiveness in the hopes of reconciliation. Another tool is recognizing our shortfalls and failures in this spiritual endeavor. Perhaps the above makes sense of our weekly prayer of confession and declaration of pardon.
May is a merry month! It is usually the first month in which we have more “normal” weather patterns of warmth. We celebrate Mother’s Day and Memorial Day this month. We remember and honor our mothers on May 12. At the latter part of the month, we remember all those who have given their lives in defense of our country, Memorial Day. For those who have lost loved ones and friends serving in our military, our prayers and love go out to you on that solemn day.

Mother’s Day (May 12) begins “baby bottle for coins.” The baby bottles for coins will be available on Mother’s Day, and the bottles are returned with coins on Father’s Day (June 16). This supports “Tri Area Pregnancy Center” in Galax, which serves the City of Galax and the counties of Carroll and Grayson.

Our Mission BBQ to raise funds for “Willing Partners” is Sunday, May 19. The BBQ is immediately after worship. This is an opportunity for a fellowship meal and a time to raise much needed funds for “Willing Partners.” Their mission is “provide food, clothing, and assistance to those in need in Carroll County, Grayson County, and the City of Galax.” We can make a difference in our community!

Pastor Mark McFadden

Sunday Reflection (May 19, 2019)

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The history of Christian mission is God embracing those outside the covenant, and making them a part of the people of Christ filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:1-18). Together, all of us share in God’s grace and compassion and in turn share God’s grace and compassion with the world; yet, as the history of Christianity has shown, Christianity has not always embraced this equality and deemed some second-class Christians. It could be Christians of another denomination, different culture, geographic area, social-economic standing, the color of their skin, or citizenship status.

Who do you deem a second class Christian? With whom would you not share a meal?
With whom would you not extend the handshake of equality and friendship? To expand that a bit further, who do you consider to be a second class human being? Remember: We are all created in God’s Image! We who follow Christ are all part of the same Church, Christ’s Church. We are all involved in the mission of sharing God’s grace and love with the world to make the world a better place for all, especially the most vulnerable, and the “least of these” as Jesus calls the most vulnerable.
urned 21 in prison doing life without parole. No one could steer me right, but mama tried. Mama tried, to raise me better, but her pleading I denied, that leaves only me to blame cause mama tried (Merle Haggard).” As the young man brought pain to himself and his mother by rejecting her voice, we bring pain to ourselves and others when we reject the voice of the Good Shepherd (John 10:22-27).

When it comes to steering us right, the Holy Spirit has tried, but have we listened? I know I have had trouble listening and following the voice of the divine Shepherd through the Holy Spirit. It is not that God has not spoken, it is that I have not listened with the intent to follow. Do we hear the voice of Christ speaking to us? May we listen with the intent to follow.

Sunday Reflection (May 12, 2019)

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“I turned 21 in prison doing life without parole. No one could steer me right, but mama tried. Mama tried, to raise me better, but her pleading I denied, that leaves only me to blame cause mama tried (Merle Haggard).” As the young man brought pain to himself and his mother by rejecting her voice, we bring pain to ourselves and others when we reject the voice of the Good Shepherd (John 10:22-27).

When it comes to steering us right, the Holy Spirit has tried, but have we listened? I know I have had trouble listening and following the voice of the divine Shepherd through the Holy Spirit. It is not that God has not spoken, it is that I have not listened with the intent to follow. Do we hear the voice of Christ speaking to us? May we listen with the intent to follow.

Prayer for the Week (May 5-May 12)

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Let us pray that we truly know and love the Lord Jesus: Our loving Father, you have let us experience how much you care for us by giving us Jesus as our Good Shepherd. He carries us in his heart, and may we be ever close to him so that we learn his voice, hear his voice, and follow him without reserve. Like his love, may our care overflow upon the people you have placed on our way. Amen.

(Claretian Communications)

Prayer for the Week (April 28-May 4)

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Loving Father, our eyes have not seen your Son Jesus Christ. We have not touched the scars of his wounds, yet we come together in his name. May the Holy Spirit breathe new life within us and among us. May the Holy Spirit lead us to look with new eyes at our world so that we bring the peace and love of Jesus to the world. Amen

(Claretian Communications)

Sunday Reflection (April 28, 2019)

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Christ’s Church is commissioned to carry out the task of offering forgiveness and the retaining of sin (John 20:22-33). Yet, how much healing has not happened because we refuse to forgive? When we retain sins that God has forgiven, we misuse the commission God has given us. We have the great privilege to convey the message of God’s forgiveness to the world, and to be forgiven, we confront and name our sins and the claim and damage that sin has upon our personal and social lives.

I note that this forgiving and retaining of sins is not about us deciding who deserves forgiveness, or who goes to heaven or hell. Rather, it is about us taking the initiative in offering forgiveness with the hope of being reconciled. Reconciliation facilitates peace and harmony. Remember: “Peace be with you, as the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21).

Sunday Reflection (Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019)

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Resurrection entails not only quantity but also a quality of life (1 Corinthians 15:19-26, 30-34, 56-58,49). Yet, we Christians have been indifferent to the structures of society that foster injustice. We have felt little sympathy for the plight of poor immigrants. On personal and social levels we have allowed prejudice to cloud our judgment and/or mistreatment of others. May we live life in such a manner to give the world a glimpse of the quality of resurrection-life.

May the resurrection of Jesus make a difference in the way we live our life, so that we have not the same hatreds, fears, and prejudices of those who know not God. May the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead empower us to we give others a glimpse of the inviting, forgiving and compassionate love of God.

Prayer for the Week (April 21-27)

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Let us pray to our God of mercy who fills our lives with love and joy: God, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. From the waters of death, you raise us with him and renew your gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ. May we grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

(Book of Common Worship)

Prayer for the Week (April 14-20)

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Let us pray that we follow Jesus on his road of service: God our Father, in Jesus your Son you have shown us that the road that leads to victory is the way of loving service and willingness to pay the price of sacrifice for faithful, unswerving love. Give us the mentality and attitude of Jesus, so that we learn to serve with him. May we thus become victorious with him who eternally dwells with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.
Amen

(Claretian Publications)