“A Team Sport”

I like golf.  As I write this, I’m sitting in front of our television watching the Ryder Cup matches.  Part of what is interesting about these matches is how different they are than the typical golf tournament.  If you’re not familiar with the Ryder Cup ,or golf in general, most weeks each golfer plays 4 rounds of golf (18 holes a day for 4 days) and the person who needs the least amount of swings (shots) to complete those 72 holes wins.  Even though they play alongside other golfers, golf is very much an individual sport. 

The Ryder Cup, however, is very different.  Players are divided into two teams, one representing the US, the other representing Europe.  The golfers play in a match format, meaning that your score on any hole only matters in relation to how your opponent is playing – did you use less strokes to complete the hole?  Another difference is that players play with a partner, sometimes alternating shots or using the best shot on any given hole.  All this requires the golfers to adopt a very different mindset than they are accustomed to most weeks.

As I think about it, one of the things I enjoy most about my time on the golf course is that it is typically a solitary activity.  Even when I play with others, more often than not I am off on my own (usually searching in the woods or some other place far away from where I was hoping to hit the ball).  The bottom line is, when I typically think about golf, I do not think about it being a team sport.

But what about our faith?  When we consider our Christian walk or the spiritual practices essential to faith, many of them are solitary.  Whether it be prayer time, journaling, Bible study, meditation, fasting or other spiritual discipline, most have a solitary component to them.  But, one thing we read about time and again in Scripture is that Christianity is very much a team sport.  When Jesus sent the disciples out, he didn’t send them alone, he sent them in teams.  In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon warns about the dangers of solitary living.  Paul always traveled with others, both for the purpose of mutual support and for mentoring others. 

This Sunday, we will continue to discuss the vision for our church.  The focus this week will be on the importance of connecting with others for community and growth.  Sometimes it is important to remind ourselves that our faith is a team sport, and that we are very much better when we are together.  I hope you will join us this Sunday, in person or online, as we continue to listen together about the future God has in store for the people called Methodists at Nelson Memorial.

It is an honor to be your pastor and be in ministry alongside you to an amazing God!

Blessings, Chris

Our Mission

To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Our 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 Sunday

This Sunday we continue our “What If …?” message series.  This week’s message is titled “What if… We Cultivated Genuine Connections?” Our scripture reading will be from the book of Hebrews, chapter 10, verses 19 through 25:

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us though the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another all – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

We will begin our service with the song Church by Cochren & Co.  Our hymns for Sunday include: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing and We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations.  At the 8:00 service our video hymn will be Hold Us Together by Matt Maher.  At the 10:20 service we will have the joy of welcoming the CMU Chorale and be blessed by their musical gifts.  They have 4 pieces they will share with us throughout the service.

In addition to in-person worship, each Sunday we will live-stream our 10:20 worship service. The service can be viewed on our Facebook Page.  The service will start approximately 10:25 or so, as we begin it after the opening video (for copyright purposes).  We will continue to post a recording of our message each week to our website by early Sunday afternoon.  We are excited to be able to extend our worship services in these ways. 

COVID Updates

At our most recent Administrative Board meeting, the board reviewed COVID numbers in the state and Cooper and Howard counties, and our congregation’s current practices. It was agreed to continue to encourage social distancing in worship by keeping half of the pews closed for the time being.  Masks are still optional for everyone but encouraged for those who are not fully vaccinated.  The Board is committed to continuing to monitor the latest COVID conditions and will discuss any further changes at upcoming meetings.

Announcements

Thank You – The outreach committee assembled 20 hygiene kits for the Festival of Sharing thanks to your generosity.  These kits will be delivered this weekend to the Festival.  Also, a dozen student hygiene bags have been delivered to Boonville Schools.  Again, thank you for your generous support of the outreach efforts of NMUMC.

Get those Bikes Ready – Everyone is invited to join us for a family bike ride on Sunday, October 10 at 2:00 pm.  We will meet at the Depot on Spring Street and ride approximately 4 miles total with a refreshment break at the midpoint.  All are welcome!

Your Input Requested – As part of our commitment to offer opportunities for people to connect with one another and grow spiritually, we are looking for your input on our small group ministries.  Would you please take a few minutes and fill out our small groups survey?

Women’s Bible Study – Linda Gordon and Judy Powell are going to lead a fall women’s Bible study on Wednesday mornings in the lounge beginning Oct. 6th, at 9:30 a.m.

We invite interested ladies to bring their Bible and enjoy coffee with us. We are going to begin with a revisit of the book entitled Sensible Shoes by Sharon Garlough Brown. (We had just started this one at the beginning of Covid.)  If you need a book or study guide, please let Linda, Judy, or Cindy Koch know.  Hope to see you there!

Calling All Musicians – NMUMC is in the process of creating a praise band to help facilitate our worship experience. We are looking for musicians with experience playing keyboard, drums, bass guitar, etc. If you play an instrument and are interested in participating, please talk to Larry Long or Sara Snyder. 

Church Charge Conference – Every year we have a business meeting called our Church Charge Conference.  At this meeting officers for the upcoming year are elected, the pastor’s salary is set, and other official reports are received.  All members of the church are eligible to vote at this meeting and all participants of the church are welcome to attend.  Our Church Charge Conference this year will be held Sunday, October 3 beginning at 2:00 pm at the Missouri United Methodist Church in downtown Columbia. 

Events this week:

Sunday, September 26: CMU Chorale singing in 10:20 service

Monday, September 27: TOPS, 9:30 am, Foundations Classroom

Al-Anon, 8:00 pm, Lounge

Tuesday, September 28: Outreach Meeting, 6:30 pm, Lounge

Wednesday, September 29: Al Anon, Noon, Church Lounge

Friday, October 1: Al Anon, 8:00 pm, Church Lounge

Sunday, October 3: Church Charge Conference, 2:00 pm, Missouri UMC, Columbia

Closing Words of Wisdom:

Christian community is the place where we keep the flame of hope alive among us and take it seriously so that it can grow and become stronger in us.” — Henri Nowen