GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
  • Welcome
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Calendar
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
    • Grace Notes Online
    • History
    • Memorium
    • SOAP Readings
    • Staff
    • Worship Schedule
    • Worship Service Recordings
  • Ministries
    • Education
    • Mary & Martha Circle
    • Ministries >
      • Ministry News
    • Music Ministry
    • Secret Prayer
    • Super Seniors
    • TV Ministry
    • Women of Grace
    • Youth Ministry
  • Pastor's Message
  • Giving
  • Forms
  • Welcome
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Calendar
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
    • Grace Notes Online
    • History
    • Memorium
    • SOAP Readings
    • Staff
    • Worship Schedule
    • Worship Service Recordings
  • Ministries
    • Education
    • Mary & Martha Circle
    • Ministries >
      • Ministry News
    • Music Ministry
    • Secret Prayer
    • Super Seniors
    • TV Ministry
    • Women of Grace
    • Youth Ministry
  • Pastor's Message
  • Giving
  • Forms

Pastor Ron's Message

June 2020

6/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dear Friends –

Acts 8:1-4 reads “And Saul approved of their killing (Stephen). On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.  (2) Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.  (3) But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.  (4) Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”


Notice the word “scattered” in the first verse. It was a tragedy, the first great persecution of the church, that caused Christians to leave Jerusalem. The result of the scattering was that disciples spoke the word of Christ wherever they went (not the apostles - they remained in Jerusalem.)
The faith was spread in new ways, to new places when the church was scattered.

We are a scattered church, too. We can’t gather in our building to worship, meetings for Sunday school, choirs, Bible study, youth, Super Seniors, and Family Life are all canceled. Some of us are still working, others are laid-off and at home for more hours than we’d like. We are scattered, but we do not cease to be the church just because circumstances prevent us from meeting. Instead, we can learn, as did the first believers, to blossom where we are planted.

Admittedly, sharing Christ is restricted because we aren’t at the Y, or Belle Lettres, or other familiar haunts. But what if we took this time to build some relationships so that as the reopening progresses we will have some standing on which to offer Christ?


Here are just some thoughts:
  • Bake cookies and take them to your neighbors in sealed plastic bags just to say “Hi.”
  • Make soup and share that with your neighbors in a safe container.
  • If you have some extra time, mow someone’s lawn or trim their hedges for free.
  • Call families who live around you just to ask how they are.
  • ​If you are going to the grocery store offer to pick up milk or bread for a neighbor.

The idea is to reach out in new ways. Because we are all feeling isolated it will be appreciated. And because this is a unique situation it won’t seem weird, but kind.

Then pray and look for a chance to share Christ. Apply Ken Wilson’s strategy to make an opportunity.

When the first church was scattered by tragedy the gospel was spread to new people. We are scattered too. Let’s take advantage of the opportunities this presents.
​

     ~ Pastor Byron

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.