Acts of Love

When I was a kid, my grandparents decided to downsize from their lake home to a double-wide trailer in a semi-senior citizen trailer park. The park was nice. Quiet streets, a clubhouse, trees. But best of all, there was a community pool. I loved spending my days in the sun, splashing around in the chlorinated cornflower blue water. Sometimes my grandpa would come down to the pool with us. Never being one to bother with formality, he’d drag a poolside chair into the shallow end of the pool and sit partially covered in water while the grandkids played. But sometimes, it would be my Uncle Charlie’s job to chaperone the kids. My Uncle Charlie was special, in many ways. He loved bottle rockets, his police scanner, family get-togethers, being outside, and cursing. Just the little curse words, though, not the big ones. Due to a severe brain injury as a child, he had special needs, and he lived with and was cared for by my grandparents his entire life.

Uncle Charlie didn’t get into the pool. In fact, I’m pretty sure he couldn’t swim. If there had been an emergency, his response would have been to hop around the pool area letting loose a stream of curse words–little ones, not big. As our designated chaperone, he would pull a chair up to the side of the pool and sit, ever watchful. The second one of us went underwater he was up, leaning over the water and mouthing words we couldn’t understand. We’d emerge, spluttering and giggling, as Uncle Charlie would shake his finger and say, “Don’t do that.” Being the bratty children we were, we’d submerge ourselves again, and again Uncle Charlie would be looking anxiously down from above, waiting for us to resurface so he could tell us not to go underwater. He took his responsibility for our care seriously, even if he wasn’t going to jump in the water after us.

This past year has dampened my spirit a bit. As I look around the world, I see so much sadness. So much hurt. So much despair. It’s hard to write words of encouragement when the world seems to be on fire. God and I have had lots of conversations about this. I feel completely unequipped to share the good news of Jesus Christ in a world that seems to reject all of his teachings on a regular basis. I can’t solve racial inequality. I can’t end poverty. I can’t cure disease. I can’t make people be kind to one another. And do you know what God keeps speaking to me over and over and over again? One word. Love.

Just love one another! I love this passage from The Message. Paul is giving the Thessalonians a reminder. They don’t need Paul to give them any more theology. They already know what to do. It’s what Jesus told his disciples in John 13. It’s the same thing Jesus told the crowds in Matthew 22. We know what we need to do…and Paul reminds us that we’re already good at it! If we have the love of Jesus in our hearts (way down in our hearts…remember the song?) we can’t help but love other people.

I find great comfort in Paul’s words. Sometimes I get stuck in the grand gestures. I think that if I’m not out starting a non-profit organization, devoting every second of my free time to some noble endeavor, or giving every penny I earn to a charitable organization that I’m not doing enough. I often worry that I’m not doing anything, really. Like my Uncle Charlie, I’m standing at the edge of a pool that I have no intention or ability to dive into. But that kind of thinking misses the point. Because here’s the thing…even though my Uncle Charlie wasn’t going to dive into the pool, he was there. His presence was an act of love, and his insistence that we not go underwater was him doing what he could to keep those he loved safe. He was loving us in the best way he could.

That’s how we’re supposed to love others–in the best way we can. We love others when we are present with them. We love others when we take the time to send a quick text or note. We love others when we pray for them. We love others when we treat them with dignity, regardless of their past or present circumstances. We love others when we see them, when we look them in the eye and offer a simple greeting or thank you. We love others when we forgo reposting hate filled messages to social media. We love others when we choose words that uplift instead of words that tear down. We love others when we commit to seeing each person as a child of God, regardless of race, gender, income level, educational level, religious practices, etc.

As Paul said, we know what to do. We just have to choose to do it. At the end of the day, it’s not the size of our love that matters, but the fact that we intentionally loved throughout the day that counts. If we can focus our time and energy into loving others all day long, then change is going to come. Change in our homes. Change in our communities. Change in our nation. And change in our world.

I love this verse from Romans. It’s such a great reminder of the debt that we owe one another.

So how do we heal the world? One act of love at a time.

Blessings and Peace, Sara

Worship This Sunday

This Sunday we will continue our worship series “Easter People.”  This week our message is titled: “Seek.”  Our scripture reading will be from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, verses 1-7:

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.  Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.  Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

We will begin our service with a video of the song Good God Almighty by Crowder.  Our hymns for Sunday include: Lord of the Dance, and Sent Out in Jesus’ Name.  Additionally, our video hymn this week is Who You Are to Me, by Chris Tomlin and Lady A.

COVID Precautions

Reminder: We have resumed our previous Sunday morning schedule – Worship Services at 8:00 & 10:20 with Sunday School at 9:00. 

Even with our return to this schedule and Sunday School, please remember the COVID precautions in place at the church: masks are required for everyone over the age of 2, social distancing is still expected (every other pew will continue to be closed), and we will continue disinfecting pews between services. 

We know there are some who are still not feel comfortable or able to attend worship at this time. Please know that even though we don’t get to see you weekly, we still want to minister to you.  Every Sunday afternoon we will post a recording of our 10:20 worship service on our Facebook page and the message on our website.  We hope this helps you feel connected until we are able to gather again without concern. 

Announcements

Scam Warning – I have heard increased reports of people receiving scam emails and text messages from people pretending to be pastors asking church members to donate iTunes and Amazon gift cards.  I will not reach out to you via email asking for donations, and will not ask for gift cards unless it is part of a mission project.  Please, if you see a message asking for money and it seems a little unusual, reach out to the church or wait until Sunday morning and ask in person.  Chances are, if something seems fishy, it probably is. 

Sagrada Bible Camp Work Day and Men’s Retreat – All men (and male youth, junior/senior high age) in our church are invited!  April 30 and May 1, 2021.   Nelson Memorial UMC Methodist Men are sponsoring a retreat the evening of April 30th beginning at 7PM at Camp Sagrada Scholarship Bible Camp.  It is located at 33495 Sagrada Beach Road, Lincoln, Mo. 65338.  Sagrada is a summer Bible camp for children whose parents are incarcerated.  Friday evening, there will be a light evening meal and devotion.  We will then bunk down in one of the dorms.  Bring your own bedding (sleeping bag) towel and personal hygiene products.  Showers are available.  Saturday, we will have breakfast, work through the morning, have lunch, and then finish working in the afternoon.  The projects will enhance the camp, and will include such things as replacing tire swing ropes, staining playground equipment, fence building, general cleanup such as raking, picking up sticks, etc.  

We will plan to be back in Boonville by 6 pm Saturday evening.  We hope to get as many men and youth as possible to attend.  Plan to carpool from the church at 4 pm Friday.  If interested in attending, you will find a sign-up sheet in the East narthex, or you may contact Tim VonEngeln at 660-882-3348.  Youth will need a parental permission slip if not accompanied by a parent. 

Handyman Project – The United Methodist Men are re-activating their Handyman Project by helping those in our church who have items that need to be done around their homes that they can no longer do themselves.  It could be such items as changing the batteries in your smoke detectors, putting in new light bulbs or fixing something that is broken.  If you need help with household items, please call the church office at (660-882-6223), and we will be glad to send a handyman to help you.

Events this week:

Monday, April 19: TOPS, 9:00 am, Foundations Classroom

Al- Anon, 8:00 pm, Church Lounge

Wednesday, April 21: Al Anon, Noon, Church Lounge

Thursday, April 22: Young Life Rummage Sale set up, Fellowship Hall

Friday, April 23: Young Life Rummage Sale, Fellowship Hall

Youth Group Game Night at the Jackson’s, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Saturday, April 24: Young Life Rummage Sale, Fellowship Hall

Closing Words of Wisdom:

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” — Maya Angelou