Women of Faith Bible Study

Women of Faith Study
Every week on Tue, until Oct 27, 2020, 8 occurrence(s)
Sep 8, 2020 12:00 PM
Sep 15, 2020 12:00 PM
Sep 22, 2020 12:00 PM
Sep 29, 2020 12:00 PM
Oct 6, 2020 12:00 PM
Oct 13, 2020 12:00 PM
Oct 20, 2020 12:00 PM
Oct 27, 2020 12:00 PM
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From the Pastor 6/23/20

This week as we continue with our sermon series, Food 4 Thought, we are focusing on Galatians 5:1, 13-25 which refers to the Fruit of the Spirit. This list includes things like love, joy, patience, kindness. When we live in the Spirit we freely express these qualities to the point when others take notice. We have a changed attitude and a renewed sense of purpose for our lives. We are indeed changed.

But perhaps there are times when we do not feel very joyful. Maybe we have lost our patience and kindness is the last thing on our minds. Perhaps as the pandemic has created a new normal for us, we are feeling pressured, unloving, and completely lacking in self-control. 

One thing I have learned is that God loves us anyway. God cares for us in spite of our shortcomings. God provides for us even when we are feeling far from God. God wants a relationship with each of us so much so that God continues to call us to be more like Christ, displaying the virtues known as the Fruit of the Spirit.

At times we need help. At times we need a shoulder to lean on. At times we need reassurance that we are loved and cared for even when we fall short of God’s glory. I pray we can dedicate ourselves to drawing closer to God as we do all we can to love God and neighbor. 

 

Peace be with you,

Pastor Kathy



From the Pastor 6/16/20

This week we began outdoor worship services behind the parsonage on Sundays at 9 AM. I wanted to extend a special thank you to all who came out and experienced a glorious time together. Social distancing, wearing masks – all the safety measures were in place and I am so grateful to Doug Brooks for taking the lead. I hope you can join us this coming Sunday for another devotional service.

 

But know we have not stalled in our resolve to re-open the sanctuary. The re-entry team is meeting tomorrow and we should be able to set a firm date for re-opening. The blended worship service format will continue through the summer months as we navigate social distancing protocols.  Also look for a re-entry guide video and blog that will help you feel most comfortable as you return to in-person worship. Know also that virtual worship will always be an option.

 

In reading your surveys, I am realizing the number of folks that have not been able to join us online. I will be much more intentional about sending worship blogs via mail to those we know do not have internet/email. If you want to make sure you receive these, please contact the church office.

 

As an initiation, this week in our ‘Food 4 Thought’ sermon series we are discussing Exodus chapter 16. God provided manna from heaven to sustain the Israelites during their time in the wilderness. For 40 years, manna and quail were provided – in spite of the grumbling and complaining of these folks, in spite of their short memories of how God delivered them from slavery, in spite of their lack of gratitude – God provided. 

 

Perhaps we can take a lesson from this as well. Can we take time to focus on God’s blessings? It is easy to focus on the limitations we have experienced during this pandemic, but is there anything we can be grateful for today? I am issuing a challenge this week for each of us to take a day out of the week and not complain about anything for 1 whole day. Quite the challenge – I am right there with you! Yet when we can focus on our blessings, perhaps our perspective changes and we can truly feel blessed by the Almighty.

 

May God continue to bless and strengthen you in the days and weeks ahead.

 

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Kathy



From the Pastor 6/9/20

Greetings All,
 
I am pleased to initiate outdoor worship devotionals beginning this Sunday June 14, 2020. We will be utilizing the outdoor chapel behind the parsonage, but feel free to bring your own lawn chairs to ensure safe social distancing practices. These will be held at 9 AM. We will keep these short – about 30-minutes. Doug Brooks will take the lead, but I will be there as well as others helping to lead the services that will continue through the summer and will be traditional in style.
 
With the current information available, group singing is strongly discouraged. While I know other groups are engaging in this, it may be best to refrain for now. I know how hard that is for us as United Methodists. We will do all we can to include music but keep the songs in our hearts! Other changes include social distance seating and wearing masks. Again, I know other groups allow for no masks – I just want us to keep everyone as safe as possible, and I thank you in advance.
 
Online worship will continue as it has since we began live-streaming. Soon we will be gathering in the sanctuary to experience blended services at 10 AM each week. I have a target date in mind so as soon as all our safeguards are in place we will proceed to worship indoors. Again, this will look and feel a bit different as social distancing, wearing masks, and no singing will be part of our new normal at least for a while. Our team meets next week, and I have a plan to record a preview of the changes so everyone can feel comfortable when entering our doors. I pray you find renewal in body, mind, and spirit as we look forward to a blessed reunion.
 
For those of you who returned your surveys, I greatly appreciate it. If you did not receive one, please contact the church office at sandymtumc@comcast.net to request yours. These surveys give us valuable information so we can be best prepared for re-opening. Know that I value and appreciate your feedback – it helps us to continue to give our very best to the Almighty.
 
I hold you all in my heart. I miss seeing you! Know that whenever you feel comfortable returning to in-person worship, or remain an online follower, we are all part of the body of Christ known as Sandy Mount United Methodist Church and we are all precious children of God.
 
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Kathy


From the Pastor 6/2/20

I hope everyone is having a chance to enjoy the nice weather we have been having as of late.  I am enjoying getting out more for fresh air and exercise.

For me it brings a renewed sense of hope as we look toward to the coming weeks and what it means for worship here at Sandy Mount UMC.  With the positive data coming from our governor concerns COVID-19 cases, it appears we are in a good position to begin outdoor worship services. These will be short, 30-minute devotional services held in our outdoor chapel behind the parsonage beginning June 14 at 9 AM. If needed we can add an additional service at 8 AM should attendance warrant this.

The format for these outdoor services will be adjusted to adhere to current requirements for keeping everyone as safe as possible. First, social distancing will be a must – we can seat a limited number of persons or groups on the benches, but there is plenty of room to spread out if you would like to bring your own lawn chairs. Second, please bring a mask and be prepared to wear it during worship. Third, we will not be doing any singing together but we will engage in group prayer and liturgy. Fourth, an usher will be present should you need any assistance.

Our team is working hard to get everything in place to return to worship in the sanctuary as soon as possible. When we reconvene indoors, we will continue with our current worship format of a blended style service at 10 AM on Sunday mornings.  However, even when we do begin indoor worship, some may still feel more comfortable with outdoor worship. Hence, these outdoor devotional services will continue through the summer.

I realize many of you are longing to be back together for worship at SMUMC. There is something very special about gathering as a body of Christ for worship and fellowship together. I was reminded of the story of the four men who carried their paralyzed friend on a stretcher to get before Jesus. I’m sure these men were anxious to meet this great healer, but when it became obvious they could not get near Jesus because of the crowds, I think they could have easily left their paralyzed friend behind as he was a hindrance. Instead, they did everything they could, including tearing the roof off the house, in order to bring healing and wholeness to their friend. (Mark 2:1-12)

I, too, do not want to leave anyone feeling excluded from a safe, meaningful worship experience.  As we reconvene, I hope you feel a renewed sense of inclusion, peace, power, and love from Almighty God. I hope and pray you all continue to be well and safe. Should you need to talk, I am always available.

You servant in Christ,
Pastor Kathy


From the Pastor 5/22/20

From the Pastor:

The church known as Sandy Mount United Methodist Church is not a building, it is a people. As a people, we have continued to gather together for virtual worship throughout this time of uncertainty as we navigate all the issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Our goal remains to keep everyone safe and healthy while tending to our spiritual needs through online worship.

The pressure to open the sanctuary for worship is significant – many of us miss worshipping together. We miss fellowship with one another. We miss gathering for the purpose of serving God together – reconnecting with our family. We are making strides to re-open the sanctuary safely, but we do not have everything in place to safeguard attendees at this time. Processes are in place, items are ordered, teams are working – we are close but we are not there yet. In addition, we follow the guidelines of our Bishop and Cabinet who continue to recommend virtual worship.

Our ‘church’, the people of SMUMC, has never closed. Our format for worship has changed temporarily. While we are not gathering together in the sanctuary, we are gathering in our house churches, during our virtual worship services, through Zoom meetings and gatherings, in private Bible Study and prayer. This is a time of strengthening and preparation – we will gather together again.

Please join us online Sunday at 10 AM or view the service whenever it is a good time for you and your family. We are all sheltered in the love of Almighty God.

Peace be with you, Pastor Kathy


From the Pastor

July 1, 2020

Holy Communion

This week in our Food 4 Thought sermon series we are talking about table ministry – specifically, Holy Communion. What does communion mean to you? Do you focus on the elements of a little piece of bread and a sip of juice, or do you focus on the meaning behind this ritual?

Those who consider themselves to be Foodies will tell you that the meal is much more than the food prepared. It is the fellowship, the ambiance, the conversation around a table. Jesus was sharing a meal with his disciples as part of a Passover feast. He began to change the sacred rituals passed down from generation to generation. The transition was being made to focus on Jesus’ sacrifice for each of us – “This is my body, this is my blood.”

Since the pandemic began we have not been able to celebrate Holy Communion together in our sanctuary. That will change this Sunday as we return to our worship space and share communion together. However, I know many of you are not comfortable returning to in-person worship because of continued health concerns. If you are able to join us for the live-streamed worship at 10 AM, I will invite you to gather similar communion elements in your house churches and join in the celebration of thanksgiving for Jesus’ love for all.

It is important for us to always remember God’s love through Jesus Christ, the one who gave his all to bring salvation to all. Celebrate this gift. Encourage your children to partake in communion – the table is open to all. Forgiveness, love, salvation, unity, inclusion, acceptance, fellowship – all these and more are available at the table of Jesus Christ our Lord. Come to the table. Amen.

You servant in Christ,
Pastor Kathy



From the Pastor 5/15/20

Sandy Mount UMC family,

I see you all as my family and as such will go to every length necessary to keep everyone safe. As you know, our governor has adjusted some of the restrictions preventing churches from gathering together in their sanctuaries for worship. Prior to his press conference this week, we were to remain in a virtual worshipping format through Phase 1 at a minimum.  At the same time we are part of the United Methodist Church following the guidelines presented from our Bishop. As such, many things must be carefully considered and in place prior to reopening our sanctuary for worship. At this time I can state we are not prepared to re-open the sanctuary.

We have created a task force to guide us through the re-opening steps needed including installing hand sanitizer stations throughout the building, scheduling a complete sanitization of the sanctuary and common areas, training volunteers who will help us monitor traffic flow, practice safe distancing, and provide PPE. We are on a good timeline to re-open only when it is safe and prudent to do so. My greatest fear would be for someone to attend a worship service at SMUMC and become ill as a result. Many in our church population are highly vulnerable. While I truly understand how hard it is to stay apart, this is an act of love and care for each other – for our family. For this of you who may consider visiting Sandy Mount UMC, know that when we open the doors every precaution will be in place to ensure your safety and enhance your worship experience.  I would rather be considered too cautious than too careless.

When we do begin to gather, most likely we will begin with devotionals held outdoors as weather permits, in addition to the online worship currently provided. I am also looking at ways we might be able to gather informally in the parsonage backyard, safely distanced, but in fellowship with one another. 

Our task force will meet on May 20 to put definitive plans in motion and make recommendations to Administrative Council which is meeting on May 26.  In the meantime, supplies have been ordered, we are on schedule to clean and sanitize the building, and we are revamping what worship will look like as there will be adjustments necessary to keep everyone safe and healthy. 

Thank you for continuing to practice social distancing. Thank you for wearing masks when you go out. Thank you for checking in on your neighbors. Thank you for learning what Zoom is all about! Thank you for strengthening your personal faith through Bible reading, study, and meditation. Thank you for continuing to support the financial health of SMUMC. Thank you for your words of encouragement. Thank you for being this amazing family of God!

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Kathy

 

 


From the Pastor 5/8/20

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I pray this blog finds you all well and safe. As we continue to adapt to a new reality, the Sandy Mount UMC family is working hard to stay connected and to seek out ways to encourage one another. For this I am truly grateful. We have an incredible capacity to give, and many are living into this as a way to share God’s love with others.

Our Thursday night dinners continue. Perhaps you feel these are only for those in greatest need and there is truth here in that we continue to serve a regular group of community members. Some are coming to provide meals for their neighbors, particularly those who cannot or do not feel safe venturing out for essentials. The last two weeks we have had extra capacity, so if you know of someone who might need a meal and you feel comfortable stopping by, please do so. While you are at it, take some meals for your family too!

The Outreach Team continues to seek ways to support our community. Because of the Thursday night dinners we can continue to provide meals to Safe Haven. The Shepherd’s Home is coming each week – one representative takes meals to 12 persons. Instead of pulling back, our operation is actually expanding, all made possible by generous donations of time and money. So far we have not utilized any church funds to provide this needed community service.

If that is not enough, the Outreach Team has expanded to convert the Community Prayer Box to a Community Prayer/Pantry Box. Items donated are left in the open box for anyone to take what they need. Donations continue to support this as we know several sources of pantry goods are not available at this time. There is still a secure way to submit prayers so we are able to meet spiritual as well.

Our Worship Team has adapted well to virtual worship services. The dedication of time and talent is absolutely amazing. Thank you to all those who have made weekly worship a part of our home churches. As we transition through the Phases laid out by our governor we will continue to offer a virtual worship option. We hope you find these services to be meaningful, encouraging, and helpful in maintaining your spiritual walk with Jesus the Christ.

Our Finance Team is working hard to obtain some much-needed funds to help us through this time. We appreciate all the donations that continue to be made through mailed checks or electronic giving. These are helping us to sustain a minimal staff while absorbing the lost income from those who normally rent our space.

Our Administrative Council is meeting more regularly as we navigate these unprecedented times and circumstances. Bible Study continues on Zoom. SPRC continues to seek ways to support pastor and staff.  Trustees continue to address the care of our facility.  Our Youth have started Zoom gatherings.  Our Christian Ed Director is posting to a special FaceBook site to continue Bible lessons and activities at home.  In other words, we are the church!

I encourage each of us to continue to study scripture, tune in to worship services, give as you are able, and know that you are wrapped in love!
Blessings to all! I miss you and look forward to seeing you all soon,
Pastor Kathy

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”


From the Pastor 4/28/20

Sandy Mount UMC family,
 
As our time apart continues, we are now restricted from worshiping together in our sanctuary until at least May 15. Based on the 3-stage plan set by our governor, it appears it still may be some time before we can gather, and even then,it may look and feel a bit different.

 

What is church? What is worship? We are so fortunate to have gifted tech-savvy folks who are navigating ways for us to gather while remaining safe in our homes. Perhaps you have joined us for a Facebook Watch Party or watched our blended services online. Elements are filmed in various locations, spliced together by our master editors (thank you Charlie and Rachel!) and presented in ways I hope are helping you to create a worship experience at home.

I’ve seen some postings that indicate the Evil One saying, “I managed to close all the churches” with Jesus’ reply, “I formed churches in every household.” I hope you have felt like you are a part of worship at home as we do all we can for our neighbors through social distancing. This is truly a selfless gift of love and I thank you all. I believe now is the time to deepen our faith as we listen for God’s calling in each of our lives. We can continue to choose to make a difference in the lives of our community. Christ is risen and Christians are celebrating throughout this 50-day season of Easter.

One thing I miss is sharing Holy Communion together. I know some groups are doing this in a virtual manner, yet at the recommendation of our Bishop we are holding off until we share this sacrament together. When we do finally gather together,we will do so in a way that keeps everyone safe yet united as brothers and sisters in Christ, worshiping together.

Celebrate the good news of Jesus the Christ, who lived, died, and rose again. The tomb is empty! Praise be to God!!!

Pastor Kathy