We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

12/20/2009: Fourth Sunday of Advent

In the morning service, our Choir performed an awesome Christmas Cantata in honor of our Worship Director, Mrs. Marian Barwick, who had a bad fall and was hospitalized the night prior. Then, at 6 p.m., our youth groups performed in our annual Christmas program; Mrs. Valarie Barwick received a special recognition during the performance for all of her dilligence in making special trips and programs possible for both MYF groups. After the show, we all enjoyed a time of fellowship with one another, and with a special visitor in red and white...

December 13th, 2009: Third Sunday of Advent

Sermon Text: The First Chapter of the Gospel of Luke...

Chrismon Decorations

Chrismons were created by a lovely lady named Francis Kipps Spencer (1917-1990), who was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia. She was the daughter of missionaries, and when her family returned to the United States, she attended Lenoir Rhyne College in Hickory, North Carolina, and graduated from Averett University in Danville, Virginia. Her aspiration was to make Christmas decorations on Christmas trees more appropriate for a Sanctuary setting. She asked herself how she thought the Virgin Mary might decorate such a tree, and created ornaments from familiar images from ancient church history. Each ornament has a deep spiritual significance; can you guess what each one means?

Sunday, December 6th, 2009: Second Sunday of Advent

November 30th, 2009: First Sunday of Advent

Operation Christmas Child 2009

Link to Samaritan's Purse International homepage: HERE

Our congregation prepared approximately 62 boxes toward this noble cause, and ask that everyone please pray that the recipients of these items would:

Receive them in the spirit in which they were given...

Be touched by the presence and anointing of the Holy Spirit, that they might be receptive to the Gospel message...

Notes from Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

The following Scriptural texts were emphasized in the hopes that they would bring comfort to all who feel their prayers are going unanswered:

MATTHEW 6:5-15

5…when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.11Give us this day our daily bread.12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

LUKE 11:1-13

1And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.3Give us day by day our daily bread.4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

5And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

MARK 11:22-26

22And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

25And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

MATTHEW 18:15-22

15Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

18Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

21Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

LUKE 18:1-14

1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

9And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18

16Rejoice evermore.

17Pray without ceasing.

18In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

JAMES 4:1-17

1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 11Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? 13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Pilgrimage 2009, etc.

On the weekend of November 13th-15th, the senior ZION MYF attended Pilgrimage in Fayetteville, NC. On Saturday night, the 14th, Lisa Mozingo gave her personal testimony to 6,075 people. On the 15th, while the pastor attended the event with the youth, Mrs. Dolly Thompson delivered an inspiring message to our congregation.

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

While the Pastor attended a Conference-sponsored seminar in Atlantic Beach, our Lay Leader, Mike Judy, delivered a message...

Founder's Day Notes: 11/1/09

Zion UMC Celebrated its 132nd year of existence this year,

and to commemorate the event, the following texts were read:

Ecclesiastes Chapter 3

Psalm 37:3-6

and

Matthew 24:35-51...

The following information was also conveyed:

In 1877, when our church was first organized,

• Rutheford B. Hayes succeeded Ulysses S. Grant as President of the U.S.
• Queen Victoria of England was celebrating her Golden Jubilee
• The Indian Wars were still being fought out West
• Paved roads and highways were not yet in existence
• Automobiles were not yet being widely produced
• Orville and Wilbur Wright were years away from their first flight at Kitty Hawk, NC

Yet the Word of God was being proclaimed in our church, just as it is today.

Other interesting facts:

Those in our congregation who were kids

in the 40's, 50's, 60's, or 70's

probably shouldn't have survived.

Why?

• Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint.
• We had no childproof medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets, and what in the heck was a bike helmet? We won't even talk about hitchhiking. . .
• As kids we would be carted around in cars with no seat belts or air bags and riding in the back of a truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
• We would spend hours building scooters. . . skateboards. . . go-carts out of old wood, rusty scraps and then rode down hills, only to find out we forgot the brakes. . . but we had our feet!
• We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on. (And no one was able to reach us because cell phones hadn't been invented.)
• We fell out of trees, got cuts, broke bones and teeth, and there were no law suits from these accidents. They were accidents. Remember accidents? No one was to blame, but us.
• We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it.
• We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.
• We ate cakes, bread and butter, and drank sugar cordials, but we were hardly ever overweight because we were always outside playing and although we shared one soft drink with four friends, no one ever actually died.
• We did not have Play Stations, X-Boxes, 99 channels on cable, DVDs, surround sound, cell phones, personal computers, FaceBook, MySpace, Blackberries, or Internet chat rooms. We had friends. We went outside and found them. We rode bikes, roller skated, or walked to their homes and stood in front and yelled for them to come out to play, or knocked on the door, rang the bell or just walked in to visit them. Imagine such a thing. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in the cold cruel world! How did we do it?
• We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.
• Tests were not adjusted for any reason. Some students weren't as smart as others so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat it. And the next time they usually passed.
• Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected and there was no one to hide behind.The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law.

  And despite ... or, perhaps, because of all this ... this generation has produced some of the most outstanding risk-takers, problem solvers, innovators and inventors, ever.
  The past 50 years has seen an explosion of advancement and new ideas.
  Why?

Because we were given freedom and responsibility. . . the chance to succeed and to fail.

And we learned how to make the most of what we were given.

If you are one of us, Congratulations! Give yourself a hand!

Also conveyed was the following:

Thirty Years Make a BIG, BIG Difference

1979: Long hair

2009: Longing for hair

1979: KEG

2009: EKG

1979: Acid rock

2009: Acid reflux

1979: Moving to California because it's cool

2009: Moving to California because it's warm

1979: Hoping for a BMW

2009: Hoping for a BM

1979: Going to a new, hip joint

2009: Receiving a new hip joint

1979: Rolling Stones

2009: Kidney Stones

1979: Being called into the principal's office

2009: Calling the principal's office

1979: Disco

2009: Costco

1979: Parents begging you to get your hair cut

2009: Children begging you to get their heads shaved

1979: Passing the drivers' test

2009: Passing the vision test

Just in case you weren't feeling too old today, this will certainly change things.

Each year the staff at Beloit College in Wisconsin puts together a list to try to give the faculty a sense of the mindset of this year's incoming freshmen.

Here's this year's list:

The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1989.

• The space shuttle Challenger blew up before three years before they were born.
• Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
• Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic.
• The CD was introduced six years before they were born.
• They have always had an answering machine.
• They have always had cable.
• They cannot fathom not having a remote control.
• They grew up thinking Jay Leno was always the host of the Tonight Show.
• Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.
• They never took a swim and thought about the movie 'Jaws.'
• They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.
• They don't know who Mork was, or where he was from. And they don't care.
• They never heard: "Where's the Beef?" or "I'd walk a mile for a Camel" or
• "Ze plane Boss, ze plane."
• They do not care who shot J. R. and have no idea who J. R. even is.
• McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers.
• They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.

.

And yet the Word of the Lord endures forever. Amen.

Scriptural Text for Sunday, October 25th, 2009

Titus 1:15

Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Romans 14

The Weak and the Strong

¹Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. ²One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. ³The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. ⁴Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

⁵One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. ⁷For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. ⁸If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

⁹For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. ¹⁰You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

11It is written:
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "

¹²So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

¹³Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. ¹⁴As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. ¹⁵If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. ¹⁶Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. ¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, ¹⁸because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

¹⁹Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. ²⁰Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. ²¹It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

²²So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. ²³But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Hebrews 12

God Disciplines His Sons

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Scripture References for Sunday, October 18th, 2009

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Sowing Generously

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it is written:

"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever."

¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. ¹²This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

^{Proverbs 3:5-12}

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

⁸ This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;

¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,

¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the [child] he delights in.

Ecclesiastes 5:4

A Warning About Not Keeping Your Promises to God...

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfil your vow.

Luke 6:38

Jesus on Generosity...

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Matthew 6:28-34

Jesus Speaks About Material Worries...

"...why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Mark 4:19

Jesus on the dangers of being too materialistic...

19 [Be warned, for] "the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful."

III John 1:2

The Apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, expresses his fondest aspiration for all Saints:

"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well."

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God's Promise to the Faithful:

Psalm 37:25

I was young, and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

Harvest Show 2009 Video Highlights, Part 6

This year's show was just incredible. Congratulations to everyone who appeared in the program.

The following video clips from our Harvest Show aren't in order, they're actually backward from their original order (because that's the way Blogger upoloads them for some reason), and they showcase only the musical acts.

For 97% of the skits in between the acts, access the following link to YouTube by clicking HERE. Note that one of the clips on YouTube, "Hide," didn't upload properly the first time, so it's been posted out of sequence with the rest, and is now the first clip instead of being in its proper order.

Several folks recorded the entire program with their camcorders, including the pastor, who had Janna Price film for him (thanks, Janna!), so the entire show is available upon request. This first clip, featuring Brian Smith and Jeremy Williams as The Blues Brothers, is simply AWESOME!

Enjoy!

Harvest Show 2009 Video Highlights, Part 5