On the eve of Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, another tragedy hit our nation. We’re shocked and saddened by the loss of 17 young lives at a school in Florida. We’re also hurting for the shooter and his family. People ask, ‘What can we do to make these senseless acts of violence stop’? And, ‘How do we respond to it’?

At our church, we’re working on building relationships, community outreach, suicide prevention program support, building disciples and making a difference in the lives of people every day.

This isn’t about guns. Most shootings and violent acts are about hurt. Hurt people hurt people. We -as followers of Christ- must put our energy and resources toward focusing on the people around us. It’s tedious work. It isn’t glamorous and it often happens quietly behind the scenes. We don’t make any headlines.

What you see on TV and social media instills panic and it makes people feel helpless and confused. Many give into the fear. What does scripture say, though? ‘Don’t be afraid!’ Hundreds of times!

There are many people in our churches these days who lose their focus. They follow politicians and the hype of the day rather than staying on the path and following Christ. We must have clarity in who we are and whom we follow. Let’s make a choice. Just like the early Christians did. They were Easter people and so are we!

Remember what Pastor Bob said last Sunday: “So, I’m asking you to get ready. Look deep into your own heart and allow the truth of the gospel to impact you. As we begin the Lenten season, a season of preparation, may you be especially attentive to the Word of God and the way God is calling us to walk. It is the way of the cross, the way of Exodus, the way out of exile, and the way to new life.”

https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10458755

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me.
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

http://bobkaylor.com/exchanging-the-glory-reclaiming-the-image-of-god/

Welcome back, Choir, and new members! It’s a new year and we welcone also our new choir director, Arianne ‘Ari’ Thomas!

Choir practices will start again on Wednesday, January 10, 2018, at 7:00pm in the choir room (lower level).

“Choral music is not one of life’s frills. It’s something that goes to the very heart of our humanity, our sense of community, and our souls.

You express, when you sing, your soul in song. And when you get together with a group of other singers, it becomes more than the sum of the parts. All of those people are pouring out their hearts and souls in perfect harmony, which is kind of an emblem for what we need in this world, when so much of the world is at odds with itself…that just to express, in symbolic terms, what it’s like when human beings are in harmony. That’s a lesson for our times and for all time. I profoundly believe that.” John Rutter

This is one of the beautiful songs we’ll be singing tomorrow with the Soli Deo Gloria choir at First United Methodist Church, Colorado Springs, at 3:00pm.

One candle, one LIGHT,
Burning clear throughout the night. One candle, one symbol of peace. One candle, plus one, now a glimmer has begun. Two candles, two symbols of peace.

Dona nobis, nobis pacem,
in the glow of candlelight I see.
Dona nobis, nobis pacem,
peace for you and me.

Three candles, then four, shining stronger than before. Five candles, six candles burn bright. More candles join in, see a spark of hope begin. Each candle increasing the LIGHT.

Dona nobis, nobis pacem,
in the glow of candlelight I see.
Dona nobis, nobis pacem,
peace for you and me.

Your candleLIGHT with mine will radiate and shine, growing stronger for all the world to see, you and me.

Dona nobis, nobis pacem,
in the glow of candlelight I see.
Dona nobis, nobis pacem,
peace for you and me.
PEACE FOR YOU AND ME.
Peace.

While Advent is described as a time of waiting of the people for the Messiah in the ancient world and the second coming of the Savior  in our time, we might also consider that God is waiting for something. Advent is a call for action! It’s OUR turn!

The lighting of the additional candle(s) is a reminder for us to fill our world with the love, peace, joy and hope of Christ. Just as He came into our world and illuminated our lives, we’re called to do the same by sharing his word, in caring for his creation -all people everywhere, animals and our environment- and in singing his praises.

It all started with One Candle thousands of years ago and the movement grew.

Let your light shine into the world during this Advent season, so the world is fully lit when we welcome Christ. Again.

Tragedies are all over the news. Shootings, floods, earthquakes, teenager suicides, job loss, sickness. Then there are the man-made controversies that shake our communities and countries. Not only in America, but all over the world. Fear is rampant and people are afraid and angry. With the world, with other people, and often even with God. How can we prepare for these losses? What can we do to protect our families? Whom can we rely on to help us in the future?

We sang about our faith = trust in God with the choir last Sunday. Soloist: Meg Brilleslyper – a beautiful young woman, inside and out!

We’ll talk about OIKONOMICS in our new sermon series. Oikos refers to three related but distinct concepts: the family, the family’s property, and the house. Pastor Bob said this Sunday: “Jesus isn’t interested in sound human economics here. If economics is about how we invest, exchange, and grow the financial capital we invest to benefit ourselves, oikonomics is about how we invest, exchange, and grow the spiritual capital for God’s kingdom. Oikonomics thus refers to the way our households invest in the work of God’s kingdom, which is populated by God’s oikos—the whole family of God.” Over the next few weeks, we’ll take a look ot our relational capital, physical capital, intellectual capital, and spiritual capital.

What can we invest? How can we contribute every day to His Kingdom? On earth, as it is in heaven?

We’re talking about PRAYERS in our new sermon series. What are prayers? When do we pray? How do we pray? What can we say? The earliest memory of prayers is when my mom introduced us children to the evening prayer. It was in Germany, so here it is:

Müde bin ich, geh’ zur Ruh

If you’d like to learn more about the history of this prayer, it’s quite interesting: https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel/publications/conrad-grebel-review/issues/spring-2009/mude-bin-ich-geh-zur-ruh-story-childrens-prayer

Last Sunday, It was Camp Meeting at the Ponderosa! Outdoors, camp fire, tents, ropes course, community meal, worship and fellowship. Our a cappella group, Sweet Harmony, sang this old song by Mosie Lister (1959). https://youtu.be/u-yw2-jfZis

Well, I’ve been to the river, I’ve been baptized,
I’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb;
I’ve been changed from the creature that once I was,
And “Redeemed” is now my name

I’ve been changed, I’ve been “newborn”
All my life has been rearranged
What a difference it made
When the Lord came and stayed
in my Heart! O yes, I’ve been changed

Tho’ my sins were a scarlet, they’re white as snow
I was bound, but today I am free
I was lost in the darkness, but now am found
I was blind, but now I see.

Like the poor Hebrew children I wandered long
In a bare desert land to and fro
But I crossed over Jordan to Canaan’s land,
Where the milk and honey flow

When at last in His presence I stand above,
He will wipe all the tears from my eyes;
And I’ll thank Him for giving a wretch like me
Lasting hope beyond the skies.

Each verse in this song is a mini-sermon. Here’s the actual sermon from our Camp Meeting. It’s a powerful message and it all starts in our hearts. If Christ doesn’t live in our hearts, we won’t go anywhere. We’ll continue to read the Gospel through a wordly lense, not a holy one.

“When the Lord came and stayed
in my Heart! O yes, I’ve been changed”

http://bobkaylor.com/the-jeremiah-option/

Directions for Congregational Singing…

1. Sing all. 

See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find a blessing.

2. Sing lustily, and with a good courage. 

Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.

3. Sing modestly. 

Do not bawl, so as to be heard above, or distinct from, the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.

4. Sing in time. 

Whatever time is sung, be sure to keep with it. Do not run before, nor stay behind it; but attend closely to the leading voices and move therewith as exactly as you can. And take care you sing not too slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from among us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.

5. Above all, sing spiritually. 

Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim to pleasing Him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this, attend strictly to the sense of what you sing; and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve of here, and reward when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.

~ From John Wesley’s Select Hymns (1761)

Early morning and Mary is walking to the tomb where His body lay.

The tomb was open and the angel appeared, saying

“He is not here for the Lord is arisen!”

Run! Run! Run to the tomb! Come and see that the stone is rolled away!

Run! Run! Run to the tomb! Oh, what a happy day!

Come, join us today and celebrate with us the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Death died on that cross for us, so that we can live. The choir will be singing this beautiful song about Mary who discovered the empty tomb and was later sharing the gospel for the very first time.

This is truly Good News.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know he holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives.

HE IS RISEN. HE IS RISEN INDEED! Halleluja!

Lent is a new beginning! It’s a time when we want to renew and deepen our relationship with Christ. Pastor Bob recently said, “…once you understand who He is, then it’s not about applying His teaching to your life, it’s about ALTERING your life in order to follow Him where He leads – even if it’s someplace you really don’t want to go.”

Someone should calm a world at war, heal the sick and feed the poor.

Someone should make all hate a crime.

Perhaps someday will come.

Someone’s you, someone’s me, someday’s now and

together we can shape the future which can be

One where dreams come true.

Someone should stand and, face to face,

strongly condemn the taunts of race to race.

Someone should blaze the path to peace.

Perhaps someday will come.

Someone’s you, someone’s me, someday’s now and

together we can shape the future which can be

One where dreams come true.

Someday will only be attained and peaceful understanding gained,

if we unite in one refrain: Someday’s not if, it’s now!

Someone’s you, someone’s me, someday’s now and

together we can shape the future which can be

One where dreams come true.

Someday, someday is today!