Scripture lessons for Epihany

from St. Columba Altarpiece - Rogier Van Der Weyden

We begin a new season of the church year next week as we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. The scripture lessons are Ephesians 3:8-12 and Isaiah 60:1-6.

This week @ Stevi UMC

Monday:

1:00 pm, Bible Study @ The Living Center

Tuesday: New Years DAY
 
Sunday: EPIPHANY
10:15 am, Praise singing
10:30 am, Worship

11:30 am, Fellowship

Devotional for the Seventh Day of Christmas

Prayer of supplication: Night

O Lord, accept me in penitence.

O Lord, leave me not. O Lord, lead me not into temptation.

O Lord, grant me good thoughts.

O Lord, grant me tears and remembrance of death 

and compunction.

O Lord, grant me the thought of confessing my sins.

O Lord, grant me humility, chastity and obedience.

O Lord, grant me patience, courage and meekness.

O Lord, plant in me the root of all blessings, the fear of 

Thee in my heart.

O Lord, grant me to love Thee with all my mind and soul, and always to do Thy will.

O Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from every other harmful thing.

O Lord, Thou knowest that Thou actest as Thou wilt; may Thy will be also in me, a sinner, for blessed art Thou forever. Amen.

                          

                            St. John Chrysostom, 347-407

The last Sunday of 2018

Paul Ludington loves to sing!

The season of Christmas

Chime choir offering

Fifth Sunday potluck

Winter has well and truly made its presence known this week and the faithful gathered on this last Sunday of 2018 to savor the warmth of fellowship and praise!

The chimes shared "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly" and Pastor Charles' sermon was based on Luke 2:41-49 and included the children and a reading of "How far is faith."

Thanks today also to: Mitch Edgar & Sara Malo (Acolytes), Carole Koval, Dean & joey Diers (Greeters/ushers), Lisa Nichols (Video), Marilyn Murphy (Chimes), Amanda Hermes (Nursery), Julie Ludington (Pianist), Paul Ludington (Praise music/Liturgist), Hazel Smith (Organist), Belinda Alkula (Power point), and Dean Diers & Cammie Edgar (Offering counters).

Devotional for the Sixth Day of Christmas

Prayer of supplication: Day

Lord, deprive me not of Thy heavenly joys. Lord, deliver me 

from eternal torments.

Lord, if I have sinned in mind or thought, in word or deed, 

forgive me.

Lord, deliver me from all ignorance, forgetfulness, cowardice 

and stony insensibility.

Lord, deliver me from every temptation.

Lord, enlighten my heart which evil desires have darkened.

Lord, I being human have sinned, but Thou being the generous God; have mercy on me, knowing the sickness of my soul.

Lord, send Thy grace to my help, that I may glorify 

Thy holy Name.

Lord Jesus Christ, write me Thy servant in the Book of Life, 

and grant me a good end.

O Lord my God, even though I have done nothing good in Thy sight, yet grant me by Thy grace to make a good start.

Lord, sprinkle into my heart the dew of Thy grace.

Lord of heaven and earth remember me, Thy sinful servant, shameful and unclean, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.                                                                

 St. John Chrysostom, 347-407

Memorial Service for Tom Bishop

Tom Bishop

Remembering

Julie Weindel lends her voice

The choir shared "Go With God"

Remembering

The community gathered this morning to offer its goodbye to Tom Bishop. The service may be seen at this link.

Thanks to Julie Ludington (pianist), Paul Ludington (snow removal), Julie Weindel (soloist), Lisa Nicholls (video), Brenda Bolton (choir), and the members of the choir.

Thanks also to the UMW for providing the luncheon following the service: Janice Belcher, Mary Costello, joey Diers, Cammie Edgar, Carol Goffe, Debbie Guthrie, Claire Kelly, Carole Koval, Helen Lowry, Marilyn Murphy, Mary Nelson, Marcia Prather, Bev Schneider, Anna Storkson, and Julie Weindel.

Information you can use

Friends, as we approach 2019 and the special General Conference, I have created some videos to help "everyday people in the pews" understand what is happening. They are short, fast paced videos that serve as basic introductions to the topics of General Conference and the Commission on a Way Forward. There are 4 videos in total and are posted on the Mountain Sky Conference Youtube channel. The videos are as follows: 

1. What is General Conference

2. What is the Commission on the Way Forward
 
3. What is the Special General Conference

4. Things to keep in mind

(The only thing I don't cover in depth is the plans purposed, because there are already a lot of videos out there about the specific plans). 

I would especially like to thank Dave Merkel for doing the video work, Charmaine Robledo for editing / feedback, and the Mountain Sky Conference for financially sponsoring the creation of these videos.

I hope you will find them useful with your congregations as conversation starters and educational pieces as we journey together towards 2019. If you have any questions about these videos please don't hesitate to ask. And please use and share them as needed!

Blessings,

Rev. A. J. Bush
Pastor, First UMC 
Gillette, WY

Devotional for the Fifth Day of Christmas

O good shepherd, seek me out, 
and bring me home to Thy fold again.

Deal favorably with me according to Thy good pleasure, till I may dwell in Thy house all the days of my life, and praise Thee forever and ever with them that are there.

St. Jerome, c.342 – 420

Another succesful effort

The community answered the call today for the December Red Cross blood drive. 

Thanks to Carolyn Mickens and Bev Schneider for providing the welcome and sign-in support for this effort.

Devotional for the Fourth Day of Christmas

O Lord, who hast mercy upon all, 

take away from me my sins, 

and mercifully kindle in me the fire of Thy Holy Spirit.

Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore Thee,
a heart to delight in Thee,
to follow and to enjoy Thee, 

                             for Christ's sake.                                                                                                                              

St. Ambrose of Milan, c 339-397