I'm writing this on November 11, 2011. The leaves are still on many of the trees (although I saw my first snowflakes of the season this morning). The hype for Christmas is already in full swing. The decorations are up in the stores. The bell ringers are out. Lots of holiday plans are being made or already underway. With all the expectations and activities to help us get ready for Christmas, it's easy to get carried away and exhausted by our preparations. Here's a thought I came across that is a word we all need to keep in mind during this season.

"Getting ready for Christmas is a whole lot different than getting ready for Christ. One may leave you depleted...the other fulfilled. How can you do both?"

For me, it comes down to balance—making sure amid all the "things" I do to get ready for Christmas I take time to open myself to and "be" in God's presence. Prayer and Bible study alone and with others and corporate worship help me get ready for and make room for Christ. (If you haven't done so yet, be sure to pick up an advent devotional at Church and join us for our Advent series on the True Gifts of Christmas.) In the things I do, I try to keep others in mind. I try to put a few dollars in those red kettles when I go by them. When I'm buying gifts, try to include some "fair trade" products and support local businesses when I can. (For fair trade gifts, check out the TradeAsOne.com web site. We will be handing out cards with this web site on it. If you use the code on the card when you make your purchase, not will you help provide a living wage to someone living in poverty but to help Aldersgate as well. Watch for more information on that in our Sunday bulletins. Another place to buy gifts that help those in poverty is through Red Bird Mission at crafts.rbmission.org.) When buying gifts for my family I try not to overdo it, which leaves me more than enough to be generous toward others through programs like White Gifts and other worthy programs.

I don't do this perfectly. I can get as overwhelmed with all the doing as much as anyone else. Yet, I find that the more I am able to focus on getting ready for Christ, the more I'm ready for Christmas without being exhausted. It's my prayer that you will find your own balance and ultimately experience joy in your preparations for both Christmas and Christ.

In Christ's love,

“Abraham had faith and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:5b (CEB)

              When I read the above passage, I was reminded again how important it is to trust in God and how faith positively impacts the way I live each day. When I try to rely on myself or someone or something else, I get anxious and worry because deep down I know these things are ultimately not trustworthy.   In the beginning and end is God who loves me and wants me to have an abundant life now and forever.

And God is a God of abundance! John the Baptist said that Jesus, “out of the fullness of his grace has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another.” An abundance of blessing! (1:16) At a wedding in Canaan, Jesus turned water into wine—six huge jars filled to the brim. The result was an abundance of the best wine. (2:7, 10) When Jesus met the woman at the well, he offered her life giving water gushing up to eternal (abundant) life. (4:14) After Jesus fed 5000 men and their wives and children with only five loaves of barley bread and two fish, his disciples collected 12 baskets of leftovers. An abundance of food! Later, Jesus promises that there an abundance of rooms in his father’s house. (14:2) It’s no wonder that Jesus proclaims of himself, “I came that they many have life and have it abundantly.” (10:10) Whether it’s wine at a wedding or food in the wilderness there is always more than enough. God’s grace, mediated through Christ, is abundant!

Much of the time we tend to base our living on a scarcity mindset. We hoard and save and worry and end up living life in small safe measures. We give in to our fears of not having enough for ourselves rather than exercising faith in God’s abundance. I know it is easy to worry and lose sleep when money gets tight. But God invites us to live into a grace-filled, abundant future. It’s a timely reminder with our concerns over the economy, our own finances and the finances of the church. In the face of our worries and fears we are challenged to take seriously God’s generous offer of life. Jesus doesn’t ask for more than we have, but he encourages us to be generous so that he can take what we return to him to do incredible things. We don’t need to be afraid to be generous even in this shaky economy when we trust God’s abundant grace. After all, God is far more trustworthy than those things in our economy that cause us to worry.

So let us give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but each and every day with glad and generous hearts to our God who abundantly blesses us!

In Christ’s abundant love,

This year one of the best selling books has been “Heaven Is for Real.” It’s the story of a young boy’s trip to heaven and back. People are fascinated by the promise of everlasting life which is, of course, one of the promises of Jesus. This is certainly an important part of our faith, but the Good News is that we don’t have to wait until we die to receive the blessings of God. In Jesus Christ we can have abundant life, here and now.

What is this abundant life? Too often we think of it in terms of material things. But it has little to do with that. Abundant life is a life that involves loving God and our neighbors. Abundant life is living in and for God; it’s a life filled with meaning and purpose; a life of significance, doing the things that Jesus did as he served “the least of these.”

Throughout the month of October we are doing a church-wide study by Mike Slaughter, a United Methodist Pastor from Dayton, Ohio, called “Change the World”. It’s intended, with God’s help, to challenge us to become more than we are and to make a real difference that will ultimately change us and transform the world. I encourage you to: come to worship each week; join a small group; serve in our community; and enjoy abundant life every day.

In Christ’s love and service,

Pastor Anne

Praise the Lord!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,

   in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.

Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.

He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;

   the Lord is gracious and merciful.   Psalm 111:1-4 (NRSV)

I’m giving thanks for the many ways we saw God’s great works while we were on the mission trip in Cincinnati. God was already at work there and we were privileged to join God and others to make a difference. If you were in church on July 31, you had the opportunity to hear about many of the ways God is working. One of the ministries where we served is New Life Furniture. It was founded by two people who wanted to help one family with nothing get settled into an apartment. Step by step God has grown the ministry so that they now are serving several families each week providing them with quality used furniture. The day I served in that ministry picking up and delivering furniture, we saw God’s wonderful work first hand. First, we went to one home to pick up a dining room table. When we arrived, the next door neighbor came over and asked if we had time to pick up some furniture he wanted to donate. He gave us several items including a rocking chair and a children’s table and chairs. The daily plan is to pick up the items from one family and deliver them to the family in need the same day to minimize handling. When we attempted to make our second delivery of the day, the people weren’t home. After several phone calls, the director was able to reschedule a delivery that was originally scheduled for later in the week. The family that was expecting delivery on Friday would now receive furniture on Wednesday. It turned out that what we picked up from the neighbor that was not on the original plan was just what the people who had their delivery moved up needed. God knew the need and provided for it in a way that was not planned. God’s plan is always greater than our plans!

We have many plans this fall. We trust that God will bless those plans and do more that we can imagine. I pray you’ll be a part of it all.

In September, we will be doing a church-wide 360 as part of our work toward becoming a “missional church.” The term “missional church” means a church that is out in their neighborhood, looking for places where God is at work and joining God in it. It’s about becoming more of a force for good and for God in our community. The 360 involves a survey that each of you will be asked to complete. It is designed to show us where our strengths lie and where we may need to improve so that we can become more “missional.” You’ll hear more about this in coming weeks.

Also this fall, we are excited to begin a bi-lingual ministry with our Hispanic/Latino neighbors. Hector and Maria Rivera will be coming to us from the Emmanuel UMC to lead this ministry. They will begin on September 23 with a weekly Bible study on Fridays at 7 PM. A concert is being planned for October 29 to help expand the ministry. On December 10, we’ll have a special children’s program. We trust that God is leading us step by step in this new initative.

Additionally, Derek Hansen, our youth pastor, will be doing his supervised ministry here this year. That means he’ll be around more and doing more things. The Bishop will be appointing him part time to Aldersgate as of October 1, so he will be able to provide the sacraments, do weddings, and memorial services at Aldersgate.

Please join me in keeping our church and these plans in your prayers. In fact, some of us plan to gather each Sunday at 8 AM in the parlor for a time of prayer. We’d love for you to join us as we unite in prayer. May God use us all in new and exciting ways as we minister together.

 In Christ’s love,

Pastor Anne