December 25, 2024 - Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! 

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

by: Brian Groe

Advent is over. it is time to put away the purple vestments of hope, longing and anticipation, and break out the white of new birth, new life and the joy of the Good News!  The angels are singing, and Christ is born in a humble stable.  Not just a nice story that we talk about at Christmas, but we can know the truth of this message as we make room for the Christ child in our hearts each year.

As we wrap up this year's Advent Blog I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who contributed this year.  I have enjoyed reading all of your stories, memories of Christmas, and thoughts about the scriptures.  

I also want to thank Anna Rutledge, Pastor Bill and the staff at FUMC West Plains for all of your help getting these posts on the church website and on the church's FaceBook page.  A special thank you to Bambi Wheeler for her help in organizing and Geoff Posegate for his help gathering volunteers.

Finally, THANK YOU for your support, and all of the kind comments that I have received.  It is your support in reading and commenting on these blogs that makes this whole project worthwhile.  

I want to finish the same way that I began this year's Advent blog, by showing you how far our blog reaches around the world.  This map shows the various countries where the blog has been read over the last 30 days.

First let me send our greetings to all of our friends in Europe and Asia.  Thank you for your faithful reading of our blog posts. 

Obviously most of the reads of the blog occurred in the United States, but surprisingly The Netherlands and Russia both beat out Canada for the most number of reads.  In fact there were well over 150 page reads over the last 30 days from The Netherlands.  

If you look really closely at this map you can see that our friends and missionaries in Albania have also been reading the blog posts.  

Our prayer is that you would all have a wonderful Christmas, and a blessed New Year!

One last song to celebrate this wonderful time of year.  This is one of Diana's favorite opera tenors (Placido Domingo) and The Piano Guys doing Silent Night.

Heavenly Father, I come before You at the dawn of this new year, asking for renewal in my heart, mind, and spirit. Wash away the weariness of the past year and fill me with fresh hope, strength, and purpose. Revive my faith and help me see new possibilities where I once saw obstacles. I long for a deeper connection with You, so renew my devotion and commitment to walking in Your ways. May this year be a time of spiritual growth and transformation, as I surrender all to You. Amen.

Isaiah 40:31

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

From PrayerLit.com/prayers-for-the-new-year 

December 24, 2024 - The Epiphany

 The Epiphany

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

By: Rob Martin

Scripture:  Matthew 2:1-12

Kay Verse: Matthew 2:9-10

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

When I was a child and heard the Christmas story I was very intrigued by the story of the “Wise men from the East”. They were always depicted wearing bright flowing robes and coming in on camels. They also left magical gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh which were all very expensive gifts and that has left us giving them the title of “Kings”.

We generally depict there being 3 “Wise Men” though Matthews Gospel does not tell us how many there were and where exactly they are from. Are they from Babylonia or Persia or India or somewhere else in the East? These “Wise Men” were probably learned men who studied texts from different cultures and correctly discerned that the rising of this Star foreshadowed the birth of the new King of the Jews though they did not understand the kind of King that he would be. They followed the star and stopped in Jerusalem to ask where he might be born. Probably a wise thing to do as the leaders of the Israelites should most probably know where their new King was. However, none of the priests or anyone in Jerusalem’s court saw the star or if they did, they did not connect it to the birth of their savior. I think they were all caught up in what they thought it would be like when the savior was born. What if Jesus came back right now? Would we recognize him? I know that we are looking for him to come back in such a glorious fashion that all the world will easily recognize him as our savior. Is there a chance that he will not look like that when he comes back?

A Child is Born by Annael Anelia Pavlova

We also tend to place the “Wise Men” with the manger scene but they came several days after Jesus’ birth and he was probably in some type of house by then. The Wise Men were the very first Gentiles to worship Jesus. They gave him great gifts and bowed down and worshipped him. They also wisely returned home a different way as they were warned that Herod would want to kill the baby Jesus.

The story of the “Wise Men” continues to intrigue me. Where were they from? How many came? What did they see in the ancient scriptures that led them to trust and follow that star to Bethlehem? What did these people see that led them to actually bow down and pay homage to this young baby born to a poor couple and to give the gifts that they did? One day I may get my questions answered but right now it is my job to continue to learn from the scriptures and to worship our one true King, Jesus. 

[Editor's Note: I have included a song from Menotti's opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors".  This is a wonderful piece, and I hope that some of you will take the time to start the video from the beginning to watch it in its entirety.]

Epiphany Prayer

For those who seek a Saviour

we lead them to the Stable

To the One who was born

To bring freedom

Forgiveness

Liberty

For those who seek Assurance

we lead them to the Light

To the One who opens eyes

to understanding

God's Word

Truth

For those who seek Forgiveness

We lead them to a Grace

beyond comprehension

To wholeness

Healing

Peace.

From FaithandWorship.com

December 23, 2024 - Wise Men Were Seekers

Wise Men Were Seekers 

Tuesday, December 23, 2024

by: Mary Lou Kingensmith

Scripture:  Matthew 2:1-12

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  Matthew 2:3

I love the story of the magi and their quest for the newborn King. It speaks to me of possibilities and the wonder of their quest. The wise men were seekers, following God’s direction by the light of the star, much like we seek God’s guidance for our lives. Moreover, they were scholars who recognized that Jesus’ birth meant something extraordinary; although they weren’t Jews, his birth transcended considerations of ethnicity and background… Jesus is for everyone who seeks him.

Wise Men Seeking Jesus by Ambrose Dudley

It is telling that the first to worship Jesus were poor shepherds and Gentiles. It is also interesting - and sad – that those in Jerusalem, by contrast, were “troubled” even though Jesus’ birth had been foretold by the prophets. Was it because the priests and scribes benefitted from the existing power structure and status quo, or – a more generous interpretation – were they simply afraid of change, even when it was for the good of Israel (and all mankind)? Unfortunately, mistrust of change and contentment with things as they are is something I contend with as well, even when I know that what is coming will be better. Joyful obedience to God’s will and opening myself to His plan is something I pray for daily.

When I was little, the song “We Three Kings” became inextricably intertwined with that of the song and story, “The Little Drummer Boy.” In both instances, the seekers offered their best gifts: for the Magi it was treasure – gold, frankincense, and myrrh. For the Drummer Boy, it was his music. The intrinsic value of the gift was and is irrelevant, that it is offered freely and without reservation is essential. The little drummer boy sings, “I played my drum for him; I played my best for him. And then he smiled at me, … me and my drum.” That feeling of love, comfort, and acceptance when Jesus smiles at us crosses all boundaries: rich, poor, young, old, Jew, Gentile – barriers are wiped away.

Like many of the parables told by Jesus, Matthew’s narration of the Magi following the Star in the East holds up a light for us to see ourselves in the wise men’s search for and worship of the King, their obedience to God, and the celebration of the gifts they offered. 

Lord, thank you for the precious gift of your son. Help us follow the light you shine on us wherever it may lead, knowing that regardless of the path it takes, it always brings us closer to you. Open our hearts to trust and rejoice in the changes your plan for us will bring and to obey you without hesitation. We joyfully offer you our humble gifts for your use and to magnify your glory. We ask that you make our gifts a blessing to others and pray that they see your love shining through us. We sing your praises. Amen.

December 22, 2024 - House of Bread

 

House of Bread

Sunday, December 22, 2024

By: Lori Wheeler

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Key Verse: Luke 2:4

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

Bethlehem means “House of Bread,” the perfect birthplace for the “Bread of Life.”

For several weeks, Bambi and I have opened our home to our neighborhood for Monday morning Bible study. Nothing gives my daughter and me more pleasure than teaching God’s Word with and to people that have a hunger to learn and be a part of gathering together to study the Living Word of God. We have been studying from the book of Matthew. In Matthew 14, we have the feeding of 5,000 Jewish men and their families and 12 baskets of left over bread. In Matthew 15 we have the feeding of 4,000 Gentile men and their families and 7 baskets of left over bread. And oh, there is so much I would love to write about the beauty of these chapters from Matthew, but I will save that for a later opportunity.

However, for now, our passages from Luke 2:1-20, take place in Bethlehem. The name Bethlehem means "House of Bread" and is derived from the Hebrew words Beit-lechem, where Beit means "house" and Lechem means "bread". I encourage you to grab a front row seat as we travel with Mary, Joseph and the shepherds to experience this prophesied birth in Bethlehem, “The House of Bread.” Jesus Christ refers to himself as “the Bread of Life,” and in Matthew, at the Last Supper, “Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Our “Bread of Life,” Jesus Christ, took his first human breath in Bethlehem and acquired the title of Immanuel as a very tiny, perfectly formed, dearly loved, God-sent Savior. The angel proclaimed, the shepherds came, Mary and Joseph watched over the child, and in all this, “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

We have this stunning image vividly etched in our heart’s mind of the advent of our Savior. We see Mary wrapping this precious gift in cloths and placing him in a manger, the arrival of guests to share in the witnessing of this miracle that had been prophesied, and the angel watching over and making the announcement of the birth of this child - all part of that image. We even had a heavenly host joining the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 

But to get to this perfect moment, we have some backstory that proved challenging for this young couple. We know that one chapter earlier, Mary was met with a tough decision. Luke tells us that “Mary was greatly troubled at the words of the angel” and wondered what his greeting was about to reveal. However, because of her great faith, her response was, “yes” to being the mother to the Son of God. Joseph, too, was willing (after great consideration and a very vivid dream) to choose to accept this challenging situation and accept Jesus Christ as his son.

Mary and Joseph both made the long 100-mile trip nearing the end of her pregnancy to Bethlehem and then were told there was no room for them and ended up in a “stable” where Mary gave birth to Jesus. Very difficult circumstances. Yet even the shepherds were willing to leave their posts to come and see what had taken place, and they went back to proclaim the fulfilment of prophecy.

Today, there is so much going on in our world, and I don’t even mean on this earth. I mean in the space that we specifically occupy and/or what occupies our minds in the months, weeks, days and hours leading up to Christmas. As we approach Christmas, we make plans, we prepare, we pick and choose the perfect gifts for those on our list. In the midst of all our plans and preparations, we also encounter challenges. Maybe something breaks down and we find ourselves having to make different arrangements for travel. Maybe UPS, Amazon, or FedEx don’t get it right and we need to reorder, take time to return items and run the risk that the new item may not arrive in time for the great event. Maybe while shopping, someone runs over our heels with a cart or takes a parking spot we were signaling and waiting to take. Or, maybe an office worker or family member lets us down, or just maybe we don’t have family or friends to share the holiday with and it only brings heartache to even think about it at all.

During our Bible study, the question was posed, “How do we react in those times?” What kind of witness are we when things aren’t going well? What spills out in our body language and words that are spoken are a clear representation of what lives within our hearts. The shepherds didn’t moan about their schedule being disrupted, but instead, “they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.” Mary and Joseph accepted the humble provisions and continued to make preparation for the arrival of this child. Mary wrapped her gift in cloths and placed him in a manger, but she also “treasured up all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”

I pray that whatever your circumstance, whatever your plans, whatever seems to be in the way of the “perfect” Christmas for you this year, you will be able to find excitement and joy and take time to reflect on the beauty and purpose of this day. Just like the multiplication of the bread, we too get to partake in the abundance that was blessed and gathered. Luke 2:21 “…he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.” The beginning of a perfectly executed plan.

As I read and reread these passages from Luke, I step into the pages that paint his humble beginning. I kneel alongside those shepherds and look upon the face of our perfect King with so much gratitude. I invite you to do so as well. So, I share this song with you. Gratitude by Brandon Lake.

December 21, 2024 - Mary Pondered Them in Her Heart

Mary Pondered Them in Her Heart 

Saturday, December 21, 2024

by: Katie Pruett

Scripture:  Luke 2:1-20

Key Verse:

Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself.

Luke 2:19 MSG

[Editor's Note: Katie is one of the youth from the church, and we are thrilled to have her share her viewpoint on these verses.]

Luke 2:1-20 talks about the Christmas story leading up to Jesus’ birth. But for me, the most interesting verse is verse 19. In the NIV version, Verse 19 says: “ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” And Verse 19 KJV says: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”

The Nativity by Greg Olsen

Well, what might that mean? I don't know, but it means something. Every verse in the Bible means something. Maybe that's something we can ask God in heaven.

A good example of pondering something in your heart is an occurrence of something I did when I was little. Sometimes my mom would say something, thinking I wasn't listening, but hours later I would come to her and ask about it. Now, I would say I still do this, but I don't want to admit it because I want to pretend I didn't hear anything. (If you actually understood what I said, good job you were paying attention to this paragraph!) Sometimes I wonder if God is doing something quietly and waiting to see if we're paying attention.

Hope you pay attention this season, and every season, to God's gifts. This helped me understand Luke 2:19, hope this also helped you understand it!

God, please help me with understanding and noticing some of the things you put in my life, seeing if I notice. Thank you for all the things you put in my life that I have noticed. In your Son’s holy name, Amen.

December 20, 2024 - The Miracle of Christmas

The Miracle of Christmas

Friday, December 20, 2024

By Ellen Bivens

Jesus, God’s Son, was born to a virgin, lived without sin, loved everyone, and died on the cross to save us.  Some struggle to accept this miraculous news. Jesus told us in Matthew 18:2 that “unless we become like little children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Little children are open and accepting of new information where others have closed their ears, eyes, and hearts to the blessings of God. John 3:16 tells us that God loves the world, sending His only son so whoever believes in Him will have everlasting life. For God’s Crew the Good News of salvation through Jesus is easy to accept.

Christmas and holidays are exciting times for the Crew! They are excited about coming to church and fellowshipping with their brothers and sisters in Christ. They do not talk about material things or the hope of any gift. Those blessed with the opportunity to visit family, talk about the visit for weeks in advance. They are excited about who they will see!

Many do not have family or friends to celebrate and/or spend the holidays with.   My heart goes out to them and to all the people like them in nursing homes, facilities, shelters, and some living in their own homes.  We have an amazing opportunity to bless everyone at FUMC with a “visit with family”!  Let’s go beyond the door greeters and coffee hosts and each of us make it a goal to welcome and visit with them. Get to know them, their names, and listen to what they have to say.

When I invited a member of God’s Crew to attend FUMC, their first question was: Are they friendly? I immediately answered: Yes! But then I began to wonder, are they friendly? Will they speak to them? When we left the sanctuary after Sunday service only one couple smiled and said hello to that first time visitor. If we all reach out to others, especially those we do not know, with a smile and greeting, prayerfully everyone will feel welcome!

Praise the Lord, God’s Crew are filled with the same joy, year around, to be in church. David in Psalm 122 shared their enthusiasm and joy “to be in the House of the Lord”. They often comment on how blessed and thankful we are to have the van for transportation. The van is a gift from the Lord and you all. It makes it possible to transport so many! We were very limited to the number we could transport when using private vehicles. In Matthew 19:14 Jesus tells us to “let the children come to Him and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.” You have made that scripture possible.

Thank you for opening your hearts and ears to God’s Crew and everyone who comes into God’s House. They each have their own gifts and quirks and some of those quirks can cloud our outlook. Jesus tells us to make allowances for the quirks we see in others, and to love them. The nicest gift we can give is sharing our time with others.

God Crew is currently in need of van drivers on Sundays 7:45 to 8:25 a.m. You only need to transport them to the church as I transport them back to their facilities.  If you will help, please contact Falana or myself.

God Bless you as we celebrate the wonder and joy of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. May we all see and accept the miraculous gift of Jesus through the eyes of a child. 

[Editor's Note: When i asked what the Crew's favorite song was, the answer came very quickly.  This may not be technically a Christmas song, but it is a great song with a powerful message.]

December 19, 2024 - Birth of Jesus, Angels and Shepherds

 Birth of Jesus, Angels and Shepherds

Thursday, December 19, 2024

by: Bob Legler

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Key Verse: Luke 2:8-9

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 

The words of Luke in Chapter 2 bring back many great memories of Christmas celebrations of the past for me. Every year on Christmas eve when I was growing up, my father would read this scripture to our family as we were gathered around the Christmas tree. After he would read the story of Jesus birth we would go to our home church for the candlelight service. Following the service we would return home to my favorite part, opening the presents.

Although I knew the story of Jesus birth, I did not have a grasp of what really happened, or how it happened. I assumed that Joseph & Mary did not make reservations at the Inn so they had to stay with the livestock in the stable. My impression of the stable was not accurate either. I thought that the stable would be like the county fair stable where there was fresh straw, and the livestock was bathed and groomed daily. Really not too bad accommodations. I assumed that Mary wrapped baby Jesus in a clean white blanket like the one I had seen when I went to the hospital maternity ward with a friend to see his new baby sister. In reality, Jesus was born under very humble circumstances. I suspect there was very little clean straw or hay, no white blanket and the odor of manure was strong.

God, the creator of the universe, became human in the humblest of places to very poor (perhaps peasant) parents. Why would God do that? Why didn’t he want to come into the world in a fashion that would make a commotion among the mighty, movers & shakers and religious leaders? Why wasn’t he born into a rich and powerful family that lived in a palace constructed of marble and gold?

I recall a picture taken from the Hubble space telescope that was printed in the National Geographic magazine over 30 years ago. The camera was aimed at the darkest point in the universe, an area the size of a ball point pinhead held at arm’s length. To capture as much detail as possible the lens was held open for 100 hours. The resulting picture was amazing. There appeared galaxy after galaxy. National Geographic editors labeled the picture “Worlds without end.” The same God who created all this chose to be born into a poor family under very meager conditions.

Jesus, the Messiah, did not have a birth that was heralded by the rich and mighty, the wealthy or the religious elite, it was only noticed by shepherds who ranked pretty low on the list of influential people. But the shepherds witnessed a show like no other. They had front row seats that are usually reserved for more notable people. Angels praising God and announcing great Joy for ALL people, the birth of a savior in Bethlehem.

Why would God choose to enter the world this way? Perhaps it was His plan all along, to let us know that He is the Immanuel (God with us) regardless of our individual circumstances, He truly is with us. What a great present God gave us on Christmas!

Prayer for the Fourth Week of Advent - Love: 

"Heavenly Father, may your love inspire us to love one another as you have loved us. Let your love guide our actions and words. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen."

from BibleStudyTools.com