“Home”
“Home is where you lay your hat.”
“Home is not a place… it’s a feeling.”
“Home is where one starts from.”
Home. What does the word “home” mean to you? For some, home is a place of origin, a place of safety, a place our heart longs for. For others, home is a place one is anxious to leave, or anxious to return to. Home can be a place filled with joy and love, or a place filled with pain and hurt. Home.
I think about the idea of home from time to time. Growing up, my family lived in the same house from the time I was 2 until the summer I turned 20. That house is filled with all kinds of memories and is exactly what I think of when I think of the word home. So many of my personal milestones took place in or around that place. When I think of that place, I think of warmth, of family, of friends, of innocence, of childhood joy and adolescent nonsense. My home is a place my heart often longs to return.
Over the next few weeks, our worship services are going to focus on the idea of home. We will discuss how for our lives to truly begin, we must in one way or another leave home. We will discuss what it truly means to return home and look at the idea of why “home” can be hard to find once we’ve left it. The common theme we will find is, no matter where we find ourselves, our true home is and always will be wherever God has placed us.
I am looking forward to exploring the idea and meaning of home with you over the next few weeks. I invite you to join me as we explore why “There’s No Place Like Home.”
Blessings, Chris
Mission
To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Vision
Nelson Memorial UMC seeks to be a place where all God’s broken, hurting, and imperfect children discover wholeness and community while experiencing the warm and welcoming love of Jesus Christ. We seek to connect with one another to grow in our knowledge and love of God, to encourage each person to live out their unique calling to serve God, and to make a difference in the Boonville community and throughout the world.
Priorities
Developing and Nurturing Faith in Children and Youth
Fostering Growth and Community in Worship and Small Groups
Provide Opportunities to Serve God in Boonville and Beyond
Worship This Week
This Sunday we will begin a new, three-week message series titled “There’s No Place Like Home. This week’s message is titled “Leaving Home.” Our Scripture focus will be from the book of Genesis, chapter 12, verses 1-9.
The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your land, your family, and your father’s household for the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation and will bless you. I will make your name respected, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, those who curse you I will curse; all the families of the earth will be blessed because of you.”
Abram left just as the Lord told him, and Lot went with him. Now Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all of their possessions, and those who became members of their household in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan,Abram traveled through the land as far as the sacred place at Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. The Canaanites lived in the land at that time. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I give this land to your descendants,” so Abram built an altar there to the Lord who appeared to him. From there he traveled toward the mountains east of Bethel and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshipped in the Lord’s name. Then Abram set out toward the arid southern plain, making and breaking camp as he went.
Our services will begin with the song Watch What God Can Do, by Patrick Mayberry. Our opening song will be O God Our Help in Ages Past. Our other songs will include As The Deer, and Trust and Obey. At our 10:20 service, our Choir will bring the song You Are My Alleluia as our prelude.
Virtual Worship Information
In addition to in-person worship, our service will be live-streamed. The service can be viewed on our Facebook Page. The service will start at approximately 10:25 am with our Gathering Song. Additionally, we post a recording of our messages to our website by early Sunday afternoon.
Announcements
Church-Wide Mission Extravaganza – Tomorrow, Saturday, November 9, we will join together as a congregation to go out and serve our community. Activities are planned from 9 AM to 1 PM. They will include leaf raking and delivering goodies to our community helpers, as well as helping with Baby Grace. Plans will be adjusted as needed for rain. There is something for everyone! Pizza party afterward at the church. Come and join our team as we go out into our Neighborhood in God’s Love.
Mark Your Calendars – The Living Nativity is returning Sunday, December 22. This year, it will feature NMUMC children and youth. Rehearsals will take place Sunday mornings during children’s church beginning November 3.
Deck the Halls November 24 – Sunday, November 24th after the 10:20 worship service, we invite all to come help us deck the halls and hang the greens throughout the Sancutary to bring out the Christmas joy. Carry, haul, fluff and decorate till your hearts content, lending a helping hand to beautify the church.
Annual Community Thanksgiving Service November 26 – The Boonslick Ministerial Alliance will hold their annual Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday, November 26 at 6:30 pm at Christ Episcopal Church. There will be a free-will offering to benefit the work of the Ministerial Alliance. Please join in this community service sponsored by our local churches.
Salvation Army Bell-Ringing December 14 – We are scheduled to “ring the bells” at Walmart on Saturday, December 14, 2024. We will need volunteers for one hour time slots from 10 AM – 6 PM. Please help to make a difference with every ring. A sign-up sheet will be in the East wing narthex (where we serve refreshments after worship).
Giving Through Venmo – We can be found on Venmo at @NelsonMemorialUMC. If you don’t know what Venmo is and would like to learn more, information about giving through Venmo can be found on our webpage at https://nelsonmemorialumc.org/give/venmo/
Events This Week
Saturday, November 9: United Methodist Men Meeting, 8:30 am, Lounge
Mission Extravaganza, 9:00 am
Sunday, November 10: Fellowship Hall Reserved, 4:00 pm
Youth Group, 6:00 pm, Jackson’s Home
Monday, November 11: Veteran’s Day
TOPS, 9:30 am, Lounge
Leadership Development Team, 6:00 pm, Lounge
Al-Anon Meeting, 8:00 pm, Fellowship Hall
Tuesday, November 12: PEO, 6:00 pm, Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, November 13: Women’s Bible Study, 10:00 am, Lounge
Al-Anon, Noon, Fellowship Hall
Thursday, November 14: Baby Grace Size & Sort, 1:00 pm, Annex
Praise Band Rehearsal, 6 pm, Sanctuary
Friday, November 15: Al-Anon, 7:00 pm, Fellowship Hall
Closing Words of Wisdom:
It’s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realized what’s changed is you.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald