Webster Hills UMC: Webster Groves, MO http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog The rain is like sin... http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/the-rain-is-like-sin--- Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/the-rain-is-like-sin--- One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet and slick. Suddenly, my son spoke up from his relaxed position in the front seat. "Mom, I'm thinking of something." This announcement usually meant he had been pondering some fact for a while and was now ready to expound all that his seven-year-old mind had discovered. I was eager to hear.

"What are you thinking?" I asked.

"The rain," he began, "is like sin and the windshield wipers are like God, wiping our sins away."

After the chill bumps raced up my arms I was able to respond. "That's really good!"

Then my curiosity broke in. How far would this little boy take this revelation? So I asked, "Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming? What does that tell you?"

He didn't hesitate one moment with his answer: "We keep on sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us."

]]> Special Events in May http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/special-events-in-may Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/special-events-in-may The Sundays of May are all very special. On May 13th we will have a very special guest in our pulpit. Dr. Myron McCoy, President of St. Paul School of Theology will deliver the sermon. St. Paul School of Theology is one of United Methodism's thirteen seminaries and is in Kansas City, Missouri.

Sunday, May 20th is Confirmation Sunday. We will confirm eight young folks into the life of the church. Note that there will only be one service that day at 9 am in the sanctuary. Members of our youth group will be leading the service. A reception for the confirmands will follow the service.

Wednesday, May 23rd will be a time to show our appreciation to Lynn Malone for her years of service and ministry to Webster Hills. We will celebrate her retirement in the Great Hall beginning at 6:30 pm.

Sunday, May 27th is Memorial Day weekend. A time of remembrance.

]]> An Exciting Sunday http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/an-exciting-sunday Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/an-exciting-sunday No one can say being at church this past Sunday wasn’t exciting. The morning started with a smoke filled sanctuary which prompted a call to the fire department. Six companies answered the alarm and we were soon inundated with several fire trucks around the building. Fortunately the fire was quickly found and taken care of. Apparently three of the ballasts which are a part of the back lighting of the sanctuary window down by the pulpit caught fire and put out a lot of smoke. The damage was minimal and we finished the day with a concert in the sanctuary. Everyone was very flexible and we held the traditional service in the CLC and it was a good morning.

I couldn’t help but wonder, though, what would have happened had we lost the building. What kind of a congregation would we be? I know many of our folks have a deep attachment to the building but would we have remained a vital and missional congregation without it? What are the necessities of a congregation serving the Lord? Is it building? Program? Finances? Worship? Mission? Caring? Love? All this is good for thought and prayer.

The morning’s excitement continued when Sarah Colony, chair of our Staff Parish Committee, rose to announce who our new pastor would be: Kim Jenne. I grew up in a church in New Hampshire (a building much like ours). I am disappointed that the church is now closed, their furnishings have been auctioned off, and the building is now for sale. The rather large endowment used for repairs and utilities now goes to the conference. [I believe that had that congregation been able to use those funds for mission and evangelism the church would still be vital]. Anyway, I have long fantasized about what it would be like to go back and serve my home church. Could I have made a difference? Would things be different? Kim gets to do what I have so often thought about. She now gets to come back to her home church and serve as your pastor. What a great opportunity. I pray you will join her in her ministry with great vigor and commitment. Webster Hills is about to step out on yet a new and wonderful page of its rich journey here at Berry and Lockwood. I’m sure the Holy Spirit will fill Kim and you with all you need to be fully at work for the Lord.

]]> Live the Life You're Called to Live http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/live-the-life-youre-called-to-live Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/live-the-life-youre-called-to-live After Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared to the apostles several times. Once, they were fishing, and Jesus met them on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Peter was there, back to his fishing, but filled with inward emotions. The anguish of his recent denial, three times, exactly as Jesus had predicted, mixed with the amazement and perplexity at the empty tomb, and finally the astounding relief and joy witnessing the risen Lord. Peter was on an emotional roller coaster for days, but the issue of his denial remained unresolved.

The Lord's encounter with Peter on the Sea of Galilee was to fully restore him. Three times Jesus asks His beloved disciple “Do you love me?” The Lord is looking into the apostle's heart in this amazing conversation, because He really knows how much Peter loves Him and He wants Peter to know that He trusts him completely even after his awful failure. So Jesus gives Peter his lifelong commission (and ours) – “Feed my lambs!”; "Feed my sheep." Jesus knew that He could entrust Peter with this responsibility, and He told him so. Peter was restored. “I have work for you; I have a life for you; live it!"

The Lord has a life for us and He wants us to live it. Our life, not someone else's. He loves us and He trusts us to be who He made us to be. So don't allow your past failures or your present jealousies to prevent you from the life you’re called to live for Him!

]]> A New Way of Living http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/a-new-way-of-living Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/a-new-way-of-living Do you realize that Christ’s resurrection is also our resurrection? Do you also realize that Christ’s death on the cross is also our death on the cross? We are united with Him both in death and life! Read Romans 6:5-7. The meaning of the Lenten season is that “Death was defeated” and “Life was awarded” to all who believe.

We must accept and believe that our old way of living is crucified with Him. It’s dead and gone. That death frees us from sin. God’s desire to be reconciled with us allows us to be resurrected with Him. A new way of living!

Reconciliation means that two things are brought together. God seeks to be one with us and we with Him and so has paid the price for this joining.

Atonement, God becoming one with us in the human form of Christ is the high price He is willing to pay for us to be “alive in Christ.”

Praise God! The debt has been paid. We are totally free now to give ourselves completely over to God by accepting what He has done for us in Christ and by giving our lives to living as Christ to the world.

All this we know because He has risen. He has risen, indeed.

]]> Re-evaluate your Evaluation http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/re-evaluate-your-evaluation Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/re-evaluate-your-evaluation In Matthew, we read that Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin for thirty pieces of silver, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. Zechariah foretold that the Messiah's price would be measured at a pittance; thirty pieces of silver. Can we imagine valuing a human life in terms of silver? Unthinkable enough…but then this is no ordinary life; it's the life of God's only Son.

What value do you place on His life? How do you express the value Jesus has for you? Has your relationship with Him cost you anything? God values us very highly. The price He paid for our redemption was His most precious Son's human life. Perhaps we need to re-evaluate our evaluation of our Savior.

Perhaps this weekend, reflect upon the Lord's evaluation of you – and then, your evaluation of Him….how do you value it?

]]> Knock and the Door Shall be Opened unto You http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/knock-and-the-door-shall-be-opened-unto-you Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/knock-and-the-door-shall-be-opened-unto-you Many of you forward great stories and websites to me (as I do to others) that are most always rewarding to read and ponder—and I thank you for that. This is one of those many forwards:

“Teacher”, said a young boy, “why is it that so many prayers are unanswered? I do not understand. The Bible says, ‘Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened unto you.’ But it seems to me a great many knock and are not admitted. The teacher answered, “Did you ever sit by your fireplace on some dark evening and hear a loud knocking at the door? Going to answer the knock, have you not sometimes looked out in the darkness, seeing nothing, but hearing the pattering feet of some mischievous boy, who knocked but did not wish to enter, and therefore ran away? It is often so with us. We ask for blessings but do not really expect them. We knock but do not mean to enter. We fear that Jesus will not hear us, will not fulfill His promises, will not admit us. And so we go way.”

“Ah I see,” said the boy, his eyes shining with the new light dawning in his soul. “Jesus can’t be expected to answer runaway knocks. He has never promised it. I mean to keep knocking and knocking until He can’t help opening the door.”

I again invite you to join me at the door at our Spiritual Retreat on Saturday, March 31. We will place our lives in the hands of our spiritual directors at Sunrise United Methodist Church from 9 am to 6 pm that day. The door will be open—we only need to step through and I tell you—it will be wonderful! They are preparing for a hundred of us so don’t be fearful there won’t be room for you.

They are preparing our meals and snacks (your cost: $15). They have their pre-school staff preparing to care for our children (no cost to you). They are constantly praying for us and for the opportunity to draw us closer to Christ. I knock on your door and I pray and hope you will come. 

]]> Hedephobia! http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/hedephobia-- Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/hedephobia-- I read something interesting today. Apparently psychologists are working with folks who have a new phobia: Nomophobia. The name of the phobia is created this way: no mobile phone phobia. Folks suffering from Nomophobia can have severe panic attacks when separated from their cell phones. A study of a 1000 folks shows as many as 66% have experienced anxiety when they have lost or misplaced their cell phones. 77% of those having experienced Nomophobia are in the age group 18-24 and women are more prone to Nomophobia then men (apparently because men are more likely to have two phones and aren’t likely to misplace both phones.) Think of that—high anxiety from being separated from one’s cell phone.

Well, this has me thinking. What might the phobia be called for those who fear being separated from the Lord? I did what every modern-day person would do, I Googled it. However I didn’t find such a phobia though I felt I should. What I did find was those who feared being separated from the Lord, feared hell and there is a phobia of the fear of hell: Hedephobia! And so we should have that fear.

Now, I can’t do much about Nomophobia but suggest you tie your phone around your neck so you’ll always know where it is and you can stay free from anxiety.

I can address Hedephobia by inviting you to grow ever closer to the Lord. Webster Hills is offering you the opportunity to have a closer, deeper relationship with the Lord by going on a Spiritual Retreat on Saturday, March 31. Our retreat will be led by the congregation of the Sunrise United Methodist Church and will take place in their church in O’Fallon from 9 AM to 6 PM. All members and friends of the church are invited to participate. Lunch and snacks will be provided (that will be your only cost), childcare and children’s programming will be provided at O’Fallon, and we’ll try and carpool the trip out there.

This day may very well become one of the most important days in your life. I pray you’ll give yourself over to our spiritual directors to guide us on a journey with the Lord. You may register by calling the church office or by signing up on Sunday mornings. If you have any questions, give us a call.

]]> Lenten Devotions http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/lenten-devotions Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:00:00 -0600 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/lenten-devotions The practice of daily devotions comes from Lent’s emphasis on deepening one’s faith through study and prayer. Lent offers the opportunity to take up a “discipline” or “spiritual practice” for 40 days, not as a way of meriting God’s favor but because disciplined practice increases our appreciation and understanding of the faith. For generations, parents would read devotions during Lent and Advent at dinnertime as a way of passing on the faith to their children, and individuals would read devotions to grow and deepen in their faith.

Now with the internet it makes sharing devotions all the easier and invites us to renew this ancient practice. I would like to suggest one such site to you and hope you might return to it daily during Lent—in fact you can subscribe for free and have the daily devotion e-mailed to you. That site is the Upper Room and you will find it here: www.upperroom.org Check it out.

]]> Our Life and Will http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/our-life-and-will Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0600 http://www.websterhillsumc.org/blog/post/our-life-and-will When we invite God into our life, and ask HIM to take control of our "life and will," we start on the journey to become the person that we were meant to be.  For it is written; “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  ( 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 )

This is because God begins to reshape us into that person.  Now as we become that new person, God will lead us to the path that He chosen for us to walk.  It is then that we become filled with the Holy Spirit.

So, why not ask God to take control of your "life and will" during this Lenten season, if you haven't already?  Also say to Him; “Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation.”   ( Psalm 25:4-5 )

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