Hello Church Family,
It was so good to worship with you all again on Sunday!
Yesterday I had the privilege to back to my seminary, the Methodist Theological School in Ohio and preach. I had not been back on campus since I moved back to North East Ohio in June and had not stepped inside the buildings since March. And it did my heart good to be back in that place with those people. I was able to walk campus after chapel and say good-bye to the place that made me your pastor. Those lessons and that place have helped to make me the person and pastor that I am today.
Being able to walk the halls of MTSO and drive around Delaware made me realize how important it is to be able to have a place that means so much to you. And to have that place and the people make such an imprint on your life is amazing! I hope one day you are all able to meet some of my MTSO people, you will love them, and they will love you all!
My challenge for you all this week is to reach out to someone that has made an impact on your life. Let them know what they mean to you and maybe even how they have helped you during this pandemic. If they are no longer with you, maybe write them a letter and tuck it away somewhere safe but let them know in your way what they meant or mean to you.
And as the leaves keep changing, we start to think of colder times. For Advent this year I am going to be offering a Wednesday morning Advent Bible Study. We will be meeting over Zoom for this. I am still finalizing the study that we will be working on. If you would like to be a part of this or have a recommendation, please email me.
Our scripture for this week is: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 25:15-22, and Exodus 33:12-23
Our prayer for the week, comes again from the book Ash & Starlight by Arianne Braithwaite Lehn. And it is entitled: When I need to pour out my heart:
Good Shepherd,
You see a path when I only see roadblocks.
You keep hope when I’m at the bottom of my reserve.
You provide strength when every muscle-
physical, spiritual, emotional (need I go on?)-
burns with fatigue
You fiercely protect me when.
all forms of attack
sneak up on my shoulder.
So, I pour my heart out before you,
asking you to gently take and tend
the troubles that feel relentless…
the joys I pray will last…
the longings embedded so deeply within
that every breath aches for their fulfillment…
I will keep coming to you,
lying down on this
bit of pasture or temple floor-
the place my knees, lips, and heart
rest on holy ground you’ve cleared just for me.
I pour out my heart and soul, Loving Lord,
knowing you hear in your mercy
and respond in your grace.
I will settle into the arms of my Shepherd.
Amen.
I pray that this week lands gently on you all.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Megan