April 9, 2023 – Easter Sunday

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today – UMH 302

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and Heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye Heavens, and Earth reply, Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened Paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail the Lord of Earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, Thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!


Charles Wesley

April 8, 2023

Voices for God

Psalm 98:4   
Shout to the Lord, all the earth;
break out in praise and sing for joy!

Psalm 81:1
Sing praises to God, our strength
Sing to the God of Jacob!

These are just two examples of instruction in the Bible encouraging us to “Sing” to the Lord. So, why is it that I, and many others, sing softly in church? My excuse is obvious. I was not blessed with a beautiful singing voice. I love music and l love listening to music. When I was in high school, I played the clarinet in the band and even earned the position of “First Chair” in the clarinet section. For many years I have expressed a desire to learn to play the piano, and a couple of years ago, my children gave me a keyboard and beginner piano lessons. I took lessons for about nine months before COVID hit, and have continued self-taught lessons in my “Level 2B Church Hymns” instruction booklet very slowly since then. I love the time I spend “practicing” on the keyboard. Sometimes when I’m feeling extra brave, and in the house alone, I even sing along as loudly as possible.

One disadvantage to being able to read music and hear the notes is that when the note is wrong, I hear it! Trust me, I hear it when I’m singing! As a matter of fact, when I was in the eighth grade, the music director kicked me (and three of my friends) out of the Glee Club. In her defense, I’m sure we were talking too much, but I also believe that it was a good excuse to improve the quality of the chorus! Therefore, I rest my case on why I sing softly in church.

Conversely, my sister sings just as off-key as I do (maybe even more so – if possible). She is tone deaf and doesn’t realize how off-key she is. She loves the Lord and she loves to sing. (I bet you can see where this is going…) When we were children, I constantly complained that she needed to tone down her volume in church, which, as you can imagine, only encouraged her to sing louder! I remember being quite embarrassed, so I finally gave up the cause.

 
Fast forward many years and now that I’ve (hopefully) matured a bit, nothing makes me smile more than to stand beside my sister in church and listen to her sing! Yes, she still loves the Lord and yes, she still loves to sing loudly. Hallelujah! I’m so glad that my childhood badgering had no impact on her singing. One of our favorite Easter songs is “Up from the Grave He Arose” (UMH 322), and now my greatest joy is to stand beside her on Easter morning as we sing with all our heart to the Lord:

Low in the grave He lay,
Jesus my Savior,
Waiting the coming day,
Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever,
With His saints to reign.
He Arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

So, to all of those who have beautiful voices, I am in awe of you. And, to those who bravely sing off-key with joy and thanksgiving to the Lord, I am even in more awe of you!!!!!!!

Lynn Woodside – CGUMC

April 7, 2023 – Good Friday

For the Man Upstairs

At the end of each rummage sale, the challenge is to pack everything that is not sold, and stage it so that local charities can pick it up to support other missions. This past Fall, Matrix Human Services took all the unsold clothing, as they have done in the past, right after the sale on Saturday. We love to see them coming, because they bring extra help and a truck! Matrix started a new program to help people find housing, and to help them furnish their homes. Several items of furniture were marked for pick up to be used in this new program. The Matrix staff was to pick up the furniture the Monday after the sale, the same day that Goodwill picks up unsold items. The Matrix staff was unable to pick up the furniture on Monday, and asked if I could meet them the following Saturday. I agreed, and we set a time.

I must admit I was a little concerned, as I would have to figure an alternative to move several items of furniture if they didn’t show. True to their word, the Matrix representative showed up with a jeep and a van and two men. It is unclear to me how they managed to put all of the items in those two vehicles, but they did. As is the custom, we typically provide a tip to the drivers who pick up and haul away our rummage. The gentlemen, refused the tip, pointing heavenward. We do this for others and the man upstairs. Their kindness really touched me.

They taught me a valuable lesson that day. Keep the faith. There are so many who are generous of heart and spirit in this world.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:22

Nancy Grose

April 6, 2023 – Maundy Thursday

A Gift of Life

Proverbs 11:25 “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

I used to think the Red Cross was exaggerating with its dire messages about the shortage of blood. That was before I sat with Greg at St. John’s in December, hours ticking by, waiting for the Blood Bank to locate his blood type and the antibodies they needed to add to the donated blood.

Greg has a blood disorder and has had a number of lifesaving transfusions since October. It is always a scramble to get the special combination of blood and antibodies that he needs to bring his hemoglobin to a more manageable level.

Before the pandemic, I participated in the blood drives at work – both convenient and a break from my workday, with cookies as a reward. Now, I am grateful to be able to donate at our church, which has hosted drives for a long as I can remember. Bonus: I get to visit with my church friends while I’m eating the cookies.

Many members who volunteer at the blood drives also donate while they are there. Some of the donors don’t go to our church, so the drive is an opportunity for them to get to know us. Invariably, some folks who try to donate are screened out for one reason or another.

When I sit with Greg as he gets a transfusion, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all of these generous souls – those who volunteer, those who donate, and those who try to donate. The willingness to help strangers fills me with hope when hope is often in short supply.

Thank you so, so much.

A prayer for blood donors:

May the blood that I am about to donate,
Help those who are in need,
To fight disease,
Provide nourishment,
And carry oxygen to their vital organs,
to sustain life and prevent death.

Kathy Gardner

April 5, 2023

The Resurrection of Christ

Christ the Lord is Risen Today!    Hallelujah!

Read UMH 302

The ones who didn’t like him; the ones who were afraid of him; they killed him, tortured him first.    They executed him in public, so that everyone could see what happened to people who threatened their powers, who tried to turn everything upside down, who tried to make new ways. The state didn’t execute philosophers or dreamers; the state executed threats.    His vision of a new way was definitely a threat.    The powers-that-be thought they had killed the vision when they killed the man.    It didn’t work.   

The powerful had tried to kill the vision of God, but they did not succeed.    The activity of God would not stay dead.    More and more people began to follow the way and live the vision too.    More and more people felt his presence with them.    More and more were convinced that he wasn’t dead; he was alive.    They could feel it.    Their stories were not all the same.    Some heard a voice, some saw a light, some ate bread, some saw the sunrise, some just felt it.    It didn’t matter that not all experienced exactly the thing; they all experienced Christ each in their own way.

Paul tried to explain it to them.    He showed them some seeds.    Tiny seeds are planted in the ground, and stalks of grain grow up.    What grows doesn’t look at all like what was planted.    Everything looks altogether different.    Paul taught them resurrection is about a spiritual body, not a worn-out physical one returned.    Paul encouraged people to have the “faith of Jesus.”    Some got confused and thought he said “faith in Jesus.”    Paul understood that Jesus had faith in God’s new vision for justice and mercy and grace for all people.    Paul encouraged people to have “faith like Jesus”; the “faith of Christ”–the faith that would enable them to live the vision too.

As United Methodists, we believe that Jesus took human form.    He lived as a man and died when he was crucified.    We believe that Jesus is divine.    He is the Son of God.    We believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and that the risen Christ lives today.    We believe that Jesus is our savior.    In Christ we receive abundant life and forgiveness of sins.    We believe that Jesus is our Lord and that we are called to pattern our lives after his.

Christ is alive and God’s vision lives through us.    Thanks be to God, hallelujah!

Don Crawford

April 4, 2023

Love Conquers All

Read: Luke 23:34

Last month I received a letter from my Utah grandson asking my advice. He was dismayed and disappointed that local churches he had attended, along with elderly relatives whom he loved, displayed intolerance against. all types of people that were different from them. The relatives went so far as to denounce the tolerant family members.

My advice was. from our Savior's own words, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do." Their ignorance with their narrow friendships and knowledge prevents them from seeing the truth. So I told my grandson "Forgive your elderly relatives and just continue to love them."

I also said to seek out a church that reflects your values and know that God is love and love eventually conquers all. Forgiveness may come harder to those of us who aren't divine, but we have Christ's perfect example to guide us.

Prayer: Thank you for always showing us the path to follow. Thank you for enlightenment, expanding minds and hearts to respect and accept all of God's creation. Amen.

Sarah Frakes

April 3, 2023

Take Out the Trash

Read: Psalm 51 (especially verses 2 and 10)

One of the churches I served had “adopted” a stretch of highway, and two or three times a year we would get garbage bags and put on our work gloves and pick up the litter along the sides of the highway. I remember one morning as we were collecting the litter, I came to a blackberry thicket. I noticed in the middle of those thorns a paper bag. I looked at the bag, and I looked at the thorns that surrounded it and decided that it wasn’t worth the effort to get that one little piece of trash and went on my way.

Following behind me, Mr. Gerald, one of the saints of the church, saw the same paper bag and waded into the thicket of briers to retrieve the sack. Upon opening the sack, he found a $20 bill! (He, of course, put the money in the church offering plate!)

This season of Lent is, in one sense, a time for Spring cleaning; a time to check in the dark recesses of our lives to get all the trash out and leave ourselves clean for our Heavenly Father’s pleasure. Sometimes, though, during the introspection, I will discover some garbage in my life. I know it’s there, and God knows it’s there, but I tell myself that it would simply be too difficult to get rid of, of I will justify it as “only one little paper bag,” and go merrily on my way knowing the trash is there.

I hope I am learning that it is, indeed, worth the effort to get the junk out of my life, and that it isn’t just a little thing, but that junk is something that can (and does) fester and poison my soul.

The reward for cleaning out the junk isn’t measured in dollars and cents, but rather as an offering to God, whose Kingdom benefits us all in miraculous ways.

Shalom,
Rev. Will Wells – CGUMC

Prayer: Father, thank you for this season of Lent. Thank you for the time to take stock of our lives and for showing us the junk that that is in our lives. Give us grace to wade in and do the difficult work of repentance and cleansing so that we can be healed, and your name be magnified! Amen

April 2, 2023 – Palm Sunday

Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart – UMH 161

Rejoice, ye pure in heart; rejoice, give thanks and sing;
your glorious banner wave on high, the cross of Christ your King.

Hosanna! Hosanna! Rejoice, give thanks and sing.


Your clear hosannas raise, and alleluias loud;
whilst answering echoes upward float, like wreaths of incense cloud.

Hosanna! Hosanna! Rejoice, give thanks and sing.


Yes, on through life's long path, still chanting as ye go;
from youth to age, by night and day, in gladness and in woe.

Hosanna! Hosanna! Rejoice, give thanks and sing.


At last the march shall end; the wearied ones shall rest;
the pilgrims find their heavenly home, Jerusalem the blest.

Hosanna! Hosanna! Rejoice, give thanks and sing.


Praise God who reigns on high, the Lord whom we adore,
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one God forevermore.

Hosanna! Hosanna! Rejoice, give thanks and sing.


Edward H Plumptre

April 1, 2023

God’s Love and Protection

Psalm 100 v. 4: For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.


Heading to a school board meeting late one winter evening, I drove down a back country road, and since it was dark I did not see a semi-truck blocking the road ahead until I was almost upon it. I swerved right and into a shallow ditch careening along until I could steer back onto the paved road. It happened so quickly; I didn’t have time to think. It was simply instinct. Relief flooded through me – I was safe. My car was safe. I continued on to the meeting murmuring “Thank you, God. Thank you, God” over and over.

A few days later, I drove by in the daylight to see where I had actually driven. Approaching, I was stunned to see large landscape boulders all along the ditch I had driven through. It seemed impossible to think I had navigated around those rocks- yet there it was as plain as could be! I thanked God effusively that night. I was safe and unharmed. The car dealership looked at my car and except for some chunks of dirt and grass stuck to the undercarriage, it, too, was fine. How often in life are there moments like this? We live our lives unaware of His merciful protection. Why does it take a crisis or perilous experience to bring us to a level of gratitude we should feel every day? As I reflected on that night, I thought about how drawn I was to God. I pray that each day I continue to be reminded of His love and protection and that I live in gratitude for this grace.


Prayer: Thank you, Lord for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could have ever imagined. You have surrounded me with people who look out for me. You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and actions. Most of all, your protection keeps me safe. I praise you always. Amen.

Marcia Wright