Month: January 2022

STEPPING UP

John Ed Mathison was the Senior Pastor of Frazier Memorial Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a friend of mine and has been for many years. He tells a story about serving and the need for people to step up so God’s Light can shine even brighter. His brother George was the Senior pastor at Auburn First UMC at the time of this story.

Anyway, the story from John Ed goes that the LPGA was having a major golf tournament there in Auburn. The church had volunteers sign up to work with the LPGA and everyone was excited. John Ed’s wife and George’s wife had both been helping with the tournament all day . Even though they were tired, they both decided to drive to the dinner that evening to see how it was going. Both wives arrived at the banquet area where the big “after” meal by Southern Living was held for the sponsors and participants. They entered through a back door, and there weren’t enough volunteers to put on the meal!

Both wives decided to jump in and serve. John Ed said the president of Auburn was sitting at the head table with NBC executives and a few celebrities. The Auburn president attended George’s church in Auburn. The Auburn president turned to the head guy at NBC, who happened to be a member of John Ed’s Church in Montgomery, and said, “Hey, that’s my pastor’s wife over there serving food.” The NBC guy then said, “If I’m not mistaken, that’s my pastor’s wife serving food also.”

Serving is so important to our witness. Christal, our new Youth Director, needs volunteers for Upward Soccer. No job is too big or too small for you. Just sign up to help, come to serve, have fun doing it, and ask God to help you and for Him to help you accomplish it.

He will.  1 Chronicles 16:11

Until the nets of Upward are full,

Chris

Pastor’s Corner

“STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS”

Weakness. It’s a big deal to Jesus. Even in His birth story, we easily find God’s teaching moment. He sent a baby. Think about that. Nothing weaker physically than a newborn. We have seen so many manger-scene Christmas cards that we have become numb to it. Jesus came to us through ultimate weakness. Think about it, Mary would have been talked about and didn’t have some big job in town. She would have been a “nobody” in a “somebody” town. Mary and Joseph couldn’t even pay for a sacrificial lamb at their child’s birth as required by Levitical law. So really our Prince checked into the world as a pauper and proceeded to grow up in “nothing” land called Nazareth. We love the manger scene, but let’s be real about it, it was a feeding trough for livestock. WEAKNESS. I want to remind you that Good chooses our weaknesses to display his full strength. God never wastes a pain. So, you have had your share of weak moments in your life. Smile because He raises us from such. Just as Mary and Joseph raised a Son who became strong, God is doing this in you now. A friend called and asked about Lakeview, he wanted to know how it was going here. My view is that through God we are becoming strong. After worship, just listen to our people talking and caring about one another. On Wednesday nights, listen to the laughter. The hurting gather and are treasured. Just look at Grief Share. We are family, we are strong, we each have had times of great trials and even weakness, but I believe God has shown us a new day, with new love, new friendships, and new hope. We are becoming strong.

To God be the Glory!

Until the nets are full,

Chris