The Problem With Sheep (From Sara)

I do not have a lot of experience with barnyard animals. Sure, I’ve driven by a lot of cows over the years, and even visited a few farms on school field trips. But, for the most part, my experiences with barnyard creatures has been relegated to petting zoos. Live animals is part of why I was so excited for our Christmas Eve services. The McVicker family brought an animal menagerie to the church yard that consisted of a donkey, a burrow, a sheep, a lamb, and a Scottish Highland cow. I was just as excited as the kids to spend some quality time with these animals. I even got to carry the lamb, which was an experience I never knew I wanted until I had it. I became immediately attached to the soft, snuggly, squirmy little fuzzball, and would have brought him home if Chris hadn’t intervened.

While all of the animals were a joy to behold, it was actually the sheep that proved most enlightening. This was because she had absolutely zero interest in being put on display for our Christmas Eve viewing pleasure. After descending from her trailer, this stout black and white furred diva lay down in the middle of the street and refused to move. Despite the pleading, prodding, cajoling, and nudging of her humans, she would not perform. Not even the promise of fresh hay could bring her to her feet. She stubbornly lay on the cold, hard concrete forcing her handlers to push and pull her short but stocky frame up a hill, across a yard, and to the front of the church. Once situated in her spot, she stood quietly and munched on the fresh hay while her lamb nursed, ensuring that her back was always turned toward the congregation–a quiet protest at being dragged from her barn and set out for all to gawk at.

I always assumed that sheep just blindly followed where they were led. But this little mama had spirit. She displayed a rugged individualism I didn’t know sheep had. She willfully refused to follow the lead of her shepherds, and as I watched her be dragged across the yard I thought to myself, “This is what Jesus really has to put up with!”

When Jesus talks about being the good shepherd, I always picture him standing in the middle of a field with all of these quiescent little sheep gathered around him blissfully following him with big doe-eyes as he leads them on their way. I never even considered that Jesus would have to push, pull, and prod his sheep where he wants them to go–even though that’s how Jesus has often had to lead me! Truth be told, I do not always jump up and run to God when I hear God calling me. Rather, like the sheep at our Christmas Eve service, I lay down right where I am and refuse to budge. Following God is often inconvenient, sometimes uncomfortable, and occasionally disruptive. It means changing my course, deviating from my schedule, and giving up my own personal ambitions or plans. I don’t want to follow because it’s not my will. Case in point, the other day I found myself thinking about a friend. Time and again she came to my mind. I knew I needed to give her a call, but I had so much work in my inbox. There wasn’t time. It was inconvenient. And yet, God kept pushing and pulling until I finally laid the work aside and picked up my phone. We had a great conversation. It was good, and the work was still there when I hung up. Did I make it through my to-do list for the day? No way. But, God reminded me once again that it is infinitely more important to invest in people rather than tasks.

Recognizing the shepherd’s voice isn’t the problem for most of us. It’s following the voice that proves most difficult. This week, we have a choice to make. Will we willingly relinquish our own goals and plans in order to follow the voice of God we hear calling in our lives? Or, will we remain stubbornly ensconced in our own to-do lists, ignoring God’s entreaties to follow his lead? The shepherd knows where we need to go. Let’s try to follow him willingly and see what amazing opportunities he has for us this week!

Blessings and Peace, Sara

Worship This Sunday

This Sunday, we continue our message series “Piecing it Together: Solving the Biblical Puzzle.”  This series will seek to introduce the major themes (or puzzle pieces) of the Bible and to show how they define the Word and work of God.  This week’s puzzle piece we is about the fall.  Our scripture reading will be from the Book of Genesis, chapters 3, verses 1-7:

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made.  He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die’.”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good from evil.”

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 

We will begin our service with a video of the song Sing Wherever I Go by We the Kingdom.  Our hymns for Sunday include: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee, and Great is Thy Faithfulness.  Additionally, our video hymn this week is Lord, I Need You, by Matt Maher.

COVID Precautions

It is a New Year, but we still need to remain vigilant in our COVID precautions.  Please, if you are not feeling well or for any reason believe you might have COVID, please worship with us virtually until you are feeling better. 

Please remember the new COVID precautions in place at the church: masks are now required for everyone over the age of 2, social distancing is expected, we will be disinfecting pews between services and we have modified our worship schedule to accommodate for having no more than 25% capacity (approximately 50 people) in our Sanctuary.  Our services are now at 8:00, 9:15 & 10:30.  We also request you not hang around too long after the service is over so we can have enough time to wipe down the pews and prepare for the next service.

We know there are many who do not feel comfortable attending 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 10:30 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. 

Prayer Request

Prayers are requested for Sam, Katy, Elli & Beth Giroux in the recent passing of Doug Giroux, Sam’s father.

Announcements

Blood Drive – We are once again hosting a blood drive the afternoon/evening of Monday, February 1 in our Fellowship Hall.  Because of the success of our previous drive, they have added more appointments this time, increase to a capacity of 40 donations.  To schedule a time for donation, click here.

Scholarships Available – The Juanita Scott and Charles Edgar Whitten Memorial Scholarships are now open for applications.  These scholarships are for (respectively) high school seniors and 3^rd or 4^th year college students.  Please inquire with the Boonville Guidance Counselor or the church office for more information.

Inclement Weather Policy – As recent weather events have shown, our winter weather in Missouri can be challenging!  And while we encourage our members to attend worship as frequently as they are able, we also know that when it is treacherous to travel, the wiser long-term answer is to stay safely at home.  The Trustees do have a contract with a service to clear our sidewalks and steps when it snows, so if the city has cleared the roads, we will have worship services. 

If a decision is made to not hold Sunday services because of inclement weather, an email will be sent out to notify the congregation of a cancellation, we will notify the local television stations KMIZ and KMOU and have them add it to their reports.   Additionally, we will post the closing on our Facebook page and church website.  If you do not have access to email, or if you do not have access to the media (because of power outages), call a church friend before heading out. 

Celebration Alert – Leah, our pianist, has a little angel on its way and she will be needing lots of diapers, so we would like to have a diaper shower for her.  Since we are unable to have a baby shower for her at this time.  Please bring your diapers to the church by this Sunday, January 17th, and place them on the refreshment table.   Thank you for celebrating Leah’s diaper shower with us.

Events this week:

Sunday, Jan 17: Youth Group, 11:30 am, Fellowship Hall

Monday, January 18: Martin Luther King Jr Day, Office Closed

Al- Anon, 8:00 pm, Church Lounge

Wednesday, January 20: Al Anon, Noon, Church Lounge

Thursday, January 21: Baby Grace, 5:00 pm, Church Annex

Closing Words of Wisdom:

Let me daily grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” ― John Wesley