Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…

In my role at BUMC as Executive Ministry Assistant, a great deal of my work entails supporting Ken and the myriad hats he wears as Senior Pastor. A typical day for me might include setting up meetings for the Capital Campaign leadership team, following up with recent visitors regarding an upcoming New Member Seminar, relaying messages regarding pastoral care issues, creating the sermon note bulletin insert (http://www.biblegateway.com/ is my friend), and writing up a summary of the morning’s staff meeting. My tasks and projects offer insight into the bigger picture that Ken must constantly focus on in his capacity as leader of a nonprofit organization Monday through Friday as well his primary role on Sunday as a preacher of the Word.

It was when I returned from maternity leave a few weeks ago that I learned that Ken had scheduled a six-week sabbatical to begin on July 1. Ken had told me a couple of months ago that he hoped to take a sabbatical sometime soon, so although the news was not out-of-the-blue, I did have a moment of thinking “I hope there’s enough to keep me busy while he’s gone.” Similarly, more than a couple people have wondered aloud, “What will Ken do to keep busy while he’s gone?” In the conversations I’ve had with him about his plans for July and August, I sense in Ken an excitement in anticipation of taking some time for in-depth study, reading, and mentoring. “Sabbatical” is not being used as a fancy word for “extended vacation” – based on his reading list and study plans, he will be as busy focusing on formational and spiritual growth as he’s ever been focusing on weekly sermons and day-to-day BUMC business.

To start with, Ken’s planned reading list is impressive. At the top is a Christian’s main source of spiritual growth, the Bible. He will also continue his study of Richard Stearns’s The Hole in Our Gospel, which Ken referenced in his sermon on June 28. Other authors he will be looking toward for insight include Patrick Lencioni, John Miller, Bill George, and Craig Groeschel. Check out Ken’s Sabbatical Reading List along the right-hand side of this blog to view the specific titles.

To supplement and support his reading, Ken will be journaling and working with mentors on spiritual and emotional intelligence studies. His time away from BUMC will culminate in attending the Loveland location of Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit, a two-day conference that focuses specifically on professional development issues and research for church and lay leaders. After all that, Ken expects that he’ll return “tanned, rested, and ready” for what God has in store for him as a follower of Christ as well as pastor at BUMC (and he promises not to skimp on the “tanned” part).

As for me, I am looking forward to Ken’s sabbatical, too, and not because I think I’ll have 40 hours a week to sit around and daydream about my baby daughter. I will have a chance to further expand my role here in working more closely with Equipping Ministries, Worship & Arts (the summer musical sounds like it’s going to be a blast!), Pastor Thomas, and our new Social Networking team (coming soon: Twitter!).

So for those of you embarking on your summer vacations, I send you prayers and best wishes for fun in the sun. Meanwhile, summer’s slower pace at BUMC is allowing for a period of learning and renewal as we rev up for the next season in our community. I know that I’m looking forward to sharing with Ken what each of us learned during his summer sabbatical.

Daily Scripture Reading June 30, 2009

Psalm 123

The Hole in Our Gospel: Watch for God's movement

¹ I lift up my eyes to you,
to you whose throne is in heaven.

² As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he shows us his mercy.

³ Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us,
for we have endured much contempt.

⁴ We have endured much ridicule from the proud,
much contempt from the arrogant.

Daily Scripture Reading June 29, 2009

Psalm 122

The Hole in Our Gospel: There is a place of peace for all

¹ I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD."

² Our feet are standing
in your gates, O Jerusalem.

³ Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.

⁴ That is where the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD,
to praise the name of the LORD
according to the statute given to Israel.

⁵ There the thrones for judgment stand,
the thrones of the house of David.

⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May those who love you be secure.

⁷ May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels."

⁸ For the sake of my brothers and friends,
I will say, "Peace be within you."

⁹ For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your prosperity.

My 38 year old beloved husband passed away over a year ago now, and I’ve finally processed through enough time and grief that I’ve made the decision to live “in the world” again – with no agenda. What I’ve discovered is that the world “out there” is much different than I remember it, and it is certainly different than the small subset of the world I had created with my husband at home and my work at the church. One of the striking things I’ve come to realize is how much pain and loneliness there is among many “young” single people in their 30’s. I see a driving desire and a spiritual exploration in and among them for “true love.” For some, yes, this means a person; but for many -- because they’ve been hurt; because they have experienced a “failed love;” because they are wise enough to know that another imperfect person can’t just step in and “make” them happy -- it seems to be a very noble and radical search for what “true love” is – not a person, but an essence, or a way of being… if you will.

Coupled with this authentic “quest,” is a palpable mistrust and keen awareness of the “world’s” or “humanity’s” proven desire to manipulate power in order to gain control over others. Of course, we’ve all seen this with the corruption on wall street...etc., but I’ve realized that for some single “thirty somethings” who have taken the time to observe and/or experience examples of love in marriage, family, and yes, in the church, one can find many examples of how love has turned away from what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians (Love is patient and kind.. knows neither envy nor jealousy..is not forward and self-assertive, nor boastful and conceited. She does not behave unbecomingly, nor seek to aggrandize herself, nor blaze out in passionate anger, nor brood over wrongs. She finds no pleasure in injustice done to others, but joyfully sides with the truth. She knows how to be silent. She is full of trust, full of hope, full of patient endurance), and it has moved instead toward a desire to “control” or “own” another person… not intentionally, but perhaps out of our basic “need” for love, and therefore driven by a fear of losing it. However, then, it’s no longer love – at least not the way Paul describes it… How real this slippery slope is, and how difficult it is for us to stay on top of it! I readily admit that I have been impatient, unkind, envious, jealous… with those I sincerely love… and the regrets that linger after they are gone are humbling and life altering… And yet, the moments of pure love that open up and break through so deeply that you can no longer separate yourself from the other or from God – those are the eternal blessings in life for which I am utterly grateful and overwhelmingly blessed.

Clearly, Jesus reminds us that this IS our main quest, our most important quest, and in fact, nothing else matters if love is not first present. It is a divine commandment for us – to love – God and neighbor. I can attest, that by losing everything with the death of my husband, I have gained a difficult but very real understanding of what Jesus is saying -- at the end of the day, when we become ashes -- and we WILL -- there’s just not much that’s important – it’s pretty much just love. When we get this, then there’s not much left to be impatient, unkind, envious…about.

So, do we really understand as a people, as a community of faith, as believers in God’s Word that our foremost duty is to love? Do we take it seriously… because it really isn’t debatable… this IS what we ARE to do. If those hurt “thirty-somethings” came to Broomfield UMC, would they find another reason to be skeptical and jaded, or would they stop and see something imperfect, but authentic and real between us? Would they be inspired to love back?

What do you think?

Daily Scripture Reading June 28, 2009

Psalm 121

The Hole in Our Gospel: Our help comes from God

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

² My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Daily Scripture Reading June 27, 2009

Matthew 28:1–10

Hands That Teach: We learn to believe

¹After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

²There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

⁸So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Daily Scripture Reading June 26, 2009

Matthew 26:17–30

Hands That Teach: We are one in Christ’s mission

¹⁷On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

¹⁸He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.' " ¹⁹So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

²⁰When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me."

²²They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?"

²³Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. ²⁴The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."

²⁵Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?"
Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."

²⁶While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."

²⁷Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."

³⁰When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Daily Scripture Reading June 25, 2009

Matthew 25:14–30

Hands That Teach: We learn to value life experience as an expression of talent

¹⁴"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. ¹⁷So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

¹⁹"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

²¹"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

²²"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

²³"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

²⁴"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

²⁶"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. ²⁹For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ³⁰And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

VBS Memories (and a challenge to Ken & Thomas)

As I was putting together this week's newsletter (check it out here!), I was amazed at the number of children who attended Vacation Bible School at BUMC. Reading about how these 300+ kids were not only learning about God, but enacting His love through service is incredible! I still have fond memories of my own VBS days as a little girl (including my pastor taking a whipped cream pie in the face once we reached a scripture memorizing goal - come on, Ken! Thomas?), and having seen God work in my own life, I can't help but dream of all the incredible plans God has in store for each one of these precious lives. What about you? Were you once a VBS kid? What are your fond/funny memories from VBS?

Daily Scripture Reading June 24, 2009

Matthew 22:1–14

Hands That Teach: We learn the gift of hospitality

¹Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ²"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

⁴"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

⁵"But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

⁸"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' ¹⁰So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹²'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.

¹³"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

¹⁴"For many are invited, but few are chosen."

Daily Scripture Reading June 23, 2009

Matthew 20:1–16

Hands That Teach: We learn timing matters in Kingdom matters

¹"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. ²He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

³"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. ⁴He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' ⁵So they went.

"He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. ⁶About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'

⁷" 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'

⁸"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'

⁹"The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. ¹⁰So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. ¹¹When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ¹²'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'

¹³"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? ¹⁴Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. ¹⁵Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

¹⁶"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

How do YOU choose to "Run" for God?

I received the following email from a BUMC member who is choosing to "run" for God. While he is literally running to raise money for Hope House, it made me think of how all of us have the opportunity to step up to the starting line and make an impact for Christ.

My girlfriend, Kari, and I are going to be running the Georgetown to Idaho Springs half-marathon. For awhile now I've been thinking about running for a cause. I remember high school and getting people to donate based on how many times I could jump rope and such. Well, I would like to run my first half-marathon to help. Your sermon today finally got me to take action. I first thought about running for the HOPE house.

The reason I chose Hope House is I know how it feels to be shunned from family and having no where to go. Years ago, I was living with my dad and step-mom. I had my problems with alcohol and my step-mom forced me out and I had no where to go. For a couple years life was really bad until my mother and stepfather asked me to move to Colorado with them. I haven't drank in 2 1/2 years, got my life back, am finishing school, and it’s because someone helped. Now I know these mothers have even bigger issues as they are responsible for another life - so I have great respect for that. If I can help in any way so these women know how strong they are, that would be great.

In Sunday’s sermon, and for past weeks, you discussed the capital campaign. Last Sunday you also talked about other ways of helping and how people always say they will do something and never do...so that got me to go home and send a couple emails. Now this thought is turning into a reality.

Nate,
26-years-old

How about you? How are you currently running for God? We want to hear about it! Comment below – perhaps your story will inspire someone else to start "running" as well.

Blessings,
Ken Brown

Daily Scripture Reading June 22, 2009

Matthew 19:16–29

Hands That Teach: We learn to value Christ’s hopefulness

¹⁶Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

¹⁷"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

¹⁸"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

²⁰"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

²¹Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

²⁶Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

²⁷Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

²⁸Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."

Daily Scripture Reading June 21, 2009

Matthew 16:21–28

Hands That Teach: We learn by following Christ’s example

²¹From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

²²Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"

²³Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

²⁴Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. ²⁶What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. ²⁸I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

Daily Scripture Reading June 20, 2009

Galatians 6:1-10, James 2:14-17, 1 John 4:7-13

Love Is Our Neighbor

¹Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. ²Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, ⁵for each one should carry his own load. ⁶Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. ⁷Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:1-10)

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17)

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. ¹³We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. (1 John 4:7-13)

Daily Scripture Reading June 19, 2009

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

When Healing Doesn't Happen

⁷To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Daily Scripture Reading June 18, 2009

1 Corinthians 12:1-14

Spiritual Gifts In Christ's Body

¹Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. ²You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. ³Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

⁷Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

¹²The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. ¹³For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

¹⁴Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Daily Scripture Reading June 17, 2009

Acts 28:1-10

Paul On the Island of Malta

¹Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. ²The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. ³Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. ⁴When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." ⁵But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. ⁶The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

⁷There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. ⁸His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. ⁹When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. ¹⁰They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.

Daily Scripture Reading June 16, 2009

Acts 20:7-12

Fall and Rise of Eutychus

⁷On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. ⁸There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. ⁹Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" ¹¹Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. ¹²The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Daily Scripture Reading June 15, 2009

Acts 19:11-20

Paul and His Imitators

¹¹God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, ¹²so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

¹³Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." ¹⁴Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵(One day) the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" ¹⁶Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

¹⁷When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. ¹⁸Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. ¹⁹A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. ²⁰In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Daily Scripture Reading June 14, 2009

Acts 3:1-10

Peter and John

¹One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. ²Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. ³When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" ⁵So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

⁶Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." ⁷Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. ⁸He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. ⁹When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Daily Scripture Reading June 13, 2009

Luke 10:29-37

Love Is Our Neighbor

²⁹But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

³⁰In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³²So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

³⁶"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

³⁷The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Daily Scripture Reading June 12, 2009

Matthew 25:31-46

Love Judges Us

³¹"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

⁴¹"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

⁴⁴"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

⁴⁵"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

⁴⁶"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

The Four Meanings of Perfection

Hey, friends! I'm going to share some thoughts and ideas with you on a regular basis. I hope you'll find these blogs to be interesting and encouraging. Feel free to share your comments and responses. We're glad to be getting our BUMC blog going at long last! So here goes:

Matthew 5:43-48 is one of the most familiar teachings of Jesus. It ends with the command to "be ye perfect," which definitely qualifies as one of Christ’s "hard sayings." What Jesus says is both hard to understand and hard to apply. Yet his message can also be liberating.

To be perfect as God is perfect sounds like a tall order. But the question is this: What does Jesus mean by "perfect"? Commonly, when we think about being perfect, one of three meanings comes to mind. For people in the medical field, perfection means absolute accuracy and precision. In medicine, mistakes can be deadly, so there is no room for error. In law enforcement, perfection means following the rules, the laws of the land. It also means being tough and objective enough to enforce those laws. For many of us in the church, perfection means moral holiness, obeying God’s laws and living by a moral standard that reflects God’s own goodness.

These are all valid meanings, borne out of time-tested experience. Yet they are not the meaning Jesus intends in this chapter. Gary Wills explains that the Greek word that is translated "perfect" in verse 48 is teleios, which means "complete" or "inclusive." For example, a perfect set is a complete set, one that has all the parts included. In the context of the passage, it becomes clear what Jesus is saying. Jesus says that God does not play favorites, so go ahead and love your enemies, just as the Father does.

In verse 48, then, Jesus is telling us to be inclusive (in accepting others), just as our Father in heaven is inclusive of all people. We don’t have to live mistake-free lives to be complete in God’s eyes. All Jesus asks of us is receive and accept others as Yahweh does. So as you prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth, relieve yourself of the burden of perfectionism. God is not a demanding parent who thinks you are never good enough. Rather, God is the parent who loves all his children, and wants us to love each other. God sent his Son to earth to include us in loving relationship. My desire is to love and include others as God has done for me. Help me, Lord! God bless you all! Peace!

Encouragement for you!

Good Morning, Friends!

We have a number of people in our congregation and community that are facing discouragement, grief, and difficult circumstances right now, so I want to pass along a word of encouragement that was shared with me by one of our members. Take courage as you read it and be blessed in God’s care. Know that the loving hands of Jesus are lifting you up and holding you!

God bless you!
Thomas Cross

"The faith that gets us through unthinkable circumstances begins with being flat-out needy and allowing God's love to wrap us up, hold us close, and dry our tears. One day we discover that our cries are being transformed into life-giving, healthy tears that are rebirthing faith, hope, and joy. And life doesn't get much better than that!"

Excerpt from When I Lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent

"Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote, "God is there, ready to help; I'm fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6 MSG

"The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace." Psalm 29:11