Monthly Archives: November 2023
Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. special message for Student Sunday 2023
WHAT IS UNITED METHODIST STUDENT DAY?
United Methodist Student Day was the original Special Sunday founded by United Methodist Church Sunday Schools who collected offerings to help advance education for their children. The fund was originally established in 1872 as the Children’s Fund. Today, United Methodist Student Day Sunday has the same purpose, calling upon the denomination to support their students as they prepare for life by adding knowledge to their faith.
Every year, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry awards an average of $5.5 million in financial aid to United Methodist students. The offering taken on United Methodist Student Day is one opportunity to support these scholarships. Every dollar – yes 100% – received goes towards supporting and educating a new generation of principled Christian leaders for the church and the world. Supporting this Special Sunday is truly an investment in our future.
Currently, there are over 70 scholarships available for undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral United Methodist students. Financial support for all General Board of Higher Education and Ministry scholarships come from five primary sources: 63% from endowments; 22% from wills and annuities; 13% from United Methodist Special Sundays and 1% from online gifts and fiduciary income. All donations received empower and encourage our students that we are investing in them and our future.
We are blessed to support thousands of students through scholarships, but we would like to do more. Our funds are limited, and every awards cycle we end up with a large pool of qualified candidates who we are unable to help because there was no money left to give. You can help us change that! Donate now and help more students answer God’s call to higher education.
2350 – Christ the King
Watch the full service on our YouTube channel by clicking here.
Matthew 6:33 Revised Standard Version
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
Friday’s Word
Happy Thanksgiving!
Most people get it wrong.
We sinned, people say, and this caused a separation between us and God.
Not so.
God created a distance between us and God—and this allowed us to sin.
This is clear even in the symbolic language of the story of Adam and Eve.
God places the forbidden trees in the midst of the garden—tells Adam and Eve not to touch them—and leaves the garden.
They must make a choice. To be human is to choose. To be human is to have freedom to choose.
It is the seeming absence of God that allows Adam and Eve to try the fruit.
The Garden of Eden was like heaven. We cannot grow as human beings in heaven—and God wants us to have this human experience.
So, God has placed us here—and given us a little distance.
Like the mother who knows her child will never learn to walk if she carries him all the time.
She puts him down and steps back, watching him at every moment.
This is Kierkegaard’s analogy: He says the mother must be both fully present and seemingly absent at the same time.
The child will fall as he learns. He will get some bumps and bruises. But the child will learn to walk.
Kierkegaard is actually talking about God.
God is always with us.
But God has given us the freedom even to deny God’s existence.
It must be this way—if we are to be human.
If we are to have the freedom to grow in grace and understanding.
We must choose love—in a place where love is not always easy.
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The Christmas Show
Sat., Dec. 16, 6:00 p.m.
Max’s Corner
Big Weekend!
Yes–it was.
The bake sale and silent auction raised $1,687.
Wonderful!
Julie Maxwell, in charge of the auction, is an old hand at such things. People gave some good stuff. The cakes were delish. (The ones I tasted.)
Sunday we had a great service with many guests and a good Thanksgiving dinner after.
Unusual Calendar This Year
Advent One is not the Sunday after Thanksgiving this year. This Sunday is Christ the King. Mary is preaching. No choir this week. Julian Rodriquez is bringing our solo.
The last three choral anthems have gotten a lot of comments. Three weeks ago, we had Julian on the flute. Then the guest on the cello. And this last week, just a lovely melody and beautiful words.
All “mighty purdy,” as folks around Kemp used to say.
Time to Prepare
Let me use this space for some “housekeeping” business. The big tree needs to go up after this Sunday.
And we need a smaller tree (six ft.), decorated with lights, to be placed up on the chancel the night of The Christmas Show. So, it will be moved in for the show—and out after the show.
We will need a third tree for the fellowship hall (for the children and Santa).
(Do we have someone in charge of trees? Do we have a Tree Committee? I leave all of this up to the Tree Committee—if we have one!)
I’m ready for Christmas.
I had COVID last year. Missed it all.
No church service. No decorations on my tree.
Fortunately—the Lord is born every Christmas without my help.
See you Sunday.
And God bless—