Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe that the season of Lent is almost over and that we are beginning Holy Week. This Sunday we will celebrate Palm/Passion Sunday. As the service begins we will celebrate with "Hosannas!" and the waving of palm branches. As the service continues, we will reflect on the events leading up to the crucifixion.
You may wonder, "Why Palm/Passion Sunday; Why not just Palm Sunday?" If a person only attends Palm Sunday and then Easter Sunday worship, they may never take the time to reflect on the cross of Good Friday. In other words, they go from celebration to celebration. What they forget is that we don't have an Easter Sunday morning where we celebrate resurrection, without journeying through the events of Good Friday.
We have all experienced those "Good Friday" times; times of loneliness or alienation, times of grief and distress, times of despair and guilt. The cross reminds us that whatever we are experiencing, we are not alone. When we find ourselves in a place of alienation, we discover the presence of Jesus who, himself, experienced the greatest alienation through his death on the cross. In our darkest moments, Jesus, God in the flesh, is there. We realize that those "Good Friday" experiences do not have the last word. The last word comes through Easter morning; the resurrection, the promise of hope, the certainty of new life – that is good news!
I hope many of you will join us during for these events of Holy Week:
· Thursday, April 2nd at 7:00pm for a Maundy Thursday Service where we find ourselves at the Last Supper with Jesus, and where we end the service by stripping of the altar.
· Friday, April 3rd as we reflect on the events of Good Friday and the grace received through Jesus' act of sacrificial love on the cross, the sanctuary will be open from 11:00am to 7:00pm for prayer and meditation. A meditation guide will be available and you can light a candle as an expression of prayer.
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Please pray for the mission of Buckhall UMC: To make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Linda
PS – I hope to see you all at the Easter Egg Hunt tomorrow, 3/28, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Please invite your friends for this time of fun and fellowship.
Easter Sunday Services
Sunrise Service – 6:30am
Easter Sunday Worship Services – 8:45am and 11:15am
Fellowship/Refreshments – 10:00am (You are invited to bring finger food to share)
Friday, March 27, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
Pastor's Letter - March 20, 2015
Dear Friends,
Happy first day of spring! It has been a difficult winter, with snow, ice, cancellations, closings, and delays. We rejoice in the signs of spring; the greening of our yards, crocuses and tulips blooming, trees budding, and birds singing. For gardeners it is the time to clean up the yard, remove the dead branches, and look to preparing beds for planting. The melting snow and ice turn into rivulets that water the earth. Signs of new life are everywhere.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are attuned to the signs of new life within ourselves and witness it in the lives of others. When we realize that our prayers now begin with praise and gratitude, rather than a litany of needs; when we study God’s word and the words move from the page, into moving our hearts; when we look at the outcast with compassion, rather criticism; when abundance is no longer measured by what we have, but rather by a desire to give; when worship is something that’s not about whether my heart was moved, but rather did my worship move the heart of God – then we are seeing how God’s grace is moving, growing, changing us. Our growing and changing comes when we keep connected to Jesus Christ.
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Please continue to pray for the mission of Buckhall UMC: to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Linda
Happy first day of spring! It has been a difficult winter, with snow, ice, cancellations, closings, and delays. We rejoice in the signs of spring; the greening of our yards, crocuses and tulips blooming, trees budding, and birds singing. For gardeners it is the time to clean up the yard, remove the dead branches, and look to preparing beds for planting. The melting snow and ice turn into rivulets that water the earth. Signs of new life are everywhere.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are attuned to the signs of new life within ourselves and witness it in the lives of others. When we realize that our prayers now begin with praise and gratitude, rather than a litany of needs; when we study God’s word and the words move from the page, into moving our hearts; when we look at the outcast with compassion, rather criticism; when abundance is no longer measured by what we have, but rather by a desire to give; when worship is something that’s not about whether my heart was moved, but rather did my worship move the heart of God – then we are seeing how God’s grace is moving, growing, changing us. Our growing and changing comes when we keep connected to Jesus Christ.
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Please continue to pray for the mission of Buckhall UMC: to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Linda
Friday, March 13, 2015
Pastor's Letter - March 13, 2015
Dear Friends,
In the passage of scripture where Jesus says, I AM the good shepherd, Jesus also says: the sheep follow the good shepherd because they know his voice. We have a lot of voices talking to us throughout the day; the voices of family members, the voices of co-workers and boss, the voices of friends, the voices we hear as we watch the news or go on-line. With so many voices, often talking AT us, how are we to hear with clarity the voice of Jesus, the good shepherd?
We do this by spending time with this good shepherd. Getting to know him, allowing him to tend to us by his grace, healing our bruised spirits, leading us into places of deeper engagement with the world.
In the season of Lent, we seek to become closer to Jesus. As we allow ourselves this closeness, we are able to hear his voice more clearly; the voice that tells us that we are the beloved, that we were created for a purpose, that our brokenness can be healed, that we are forgiven, that we belong, that we matter. So take a few moments and breathe in the knowledge that you are loved, forgiven, and cherished - and know peace.
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Please pray for the mission of Buckhall UMC: To make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Linda
In the passage of scripture where Jesus says, I AM the good shepherd, Jesus also says: the sheep follow the good shepherd because they know his voice. We have a lot of voices talking to us throughout the day; the voices of family members, the voices of co-workers and boss, the voices of friends, the voices we hear as we watch the news or go on-line. With so many voices, often talking AT us, how are we to hear with clarity the voice of Jesus, the good shepherd?
We do this by spending time with this good shepherd. Getting to know him, allowing him to tend to us by his grace, healing our bruised spirits, leading us into places of deeper engagement with the world.
In the season of Lent, we seek to become closer to Jesus. As we allow ourselves this closeness, we are able to hear his voice more clearly; the voice that tells us that we are the beloved, that we were created for a purpose, that our brokenness can be healed, that we are forgiven, that we belong, that we matter. So take a few moments and breathe in the knowledge that you are loved, forgiven, and cherished - and know peace.
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Please pray for the mission of Buckhall UMC: To make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Linda
Friday, March 6, 2015
Pastor's Letter - March 6, 2015
Dear Friends,
As I write this, the sun is lighting up a snow-covered world (or at least our corner of it). There is a brilliant intensity to sunlight on snow. The intense sunlight means that snow will melt, the ground will be watered, and yes, spring growth will be revealed. Light brings life.
Jesus says, "I AM the light of the world." This statement reveals more about who Jesus is, and in doing so, also tells us more about God. God is about overcoming the darkness and moving to light. This light of Christ can chase away the darkness in our world, and in our lives, transforming our world and us. This Christ light is a gift of grace, and one that Jesus invites us to share with others. How are we shining the light of Christ’s love into the world?
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Please pray for how God is calling each of us to share in the mission of Buckhall: to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Linda
P.S. Please remember to turn your clocks ahead for Sunday.
As I write this, the sun is lighting up a snow-covered world (or at least our corner of it). There is a brilliant intensity to sunlight on snow. The intense sunlight means that snow will melt, the ground will be watered, and yes, spring growth will be revealed. Light brings life.
Jesus says, "I AM the light of the world." This statement reveals more about who Jesus is, and in doing so, also tells us more about God. God is about overcoming the darkness and moving to light. This light of Christ can chase away the darkness in our world, and in our lives, transforming our world and us. This Christ light is a gift of grace, and one that Jesus invites us to share with others. How are we shining the light of Christ’s love into the world?
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Please pray for how God is calling each of us to share in the mission of Buckhall: to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Linda
P.S. Please remember to turn your clocks ahead for Sunday.
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