“That’s just the way it is.” Ever heard of that one before? Most of us have. It is the basic cop out to just let things stay the way they are and not try and make changes. Change is never easy and it certainly is not always welcome. So let’s think about the church and see what it might be like without change.

Let’s see. First, we need to turn off the electricity. After all, it’s really only been about 100 years since it was installed. Then, we need to kill off the elevator (even the old one since we can’t run them without electricity. Forget the bathrooms for the most part. Back to out houses since running water is just too modern. Oh, and by the way, we can probably keep the heat once the radiators are reinstalled but forget the air conditioner.

Now that is just a few of the conveniences we enjoy.

Forget most of the programs. After all, most churches did not have things like Wesley Academy, Kids Under Construction, Singles Ministry, and you have to go back only about 200 or so years to get rid of Sunday School. The preacher becomes a true circuit rider and will probably only be here every other week or even less. Now, don’t think that is such a good idea just yet. After all, you will need to do the hospital visits, get stuff into the papers, visit each other, invite folks to the church, meet in class circles and hold each other accountable. And don’t forget funerals and other needs. By the way, does anyone out there have the classes and skills to do marriage and grief counseling?

Beginning to get the idea? The church needs to always change, evolve  and adapt. We simply are being too simplistic and too naive to say “that’s just the way it is.” We, the church, need to willing to look at whose we are (the church of Jesus Christ) what we are called to do (Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men) and where we are heading (building the Kingdom of God).

The truth is that is just settling is just not good enough. If we think so, then let me advice that we could adopt a new song for the church. While we don’t want to change, this one we will need to adopt and sing every Sunday as our benediction. The song?

“Turn out the lights (that we don’t have anyway,) the party’s over…”

Peace and grace.  Reed.

"Out of Egypt," a four-part, short term Bible study will begin, Sunday, February 14, from 6:30 -7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church in Hillsboro, continue for four consecutive weeks, and conclude on  Sunday, March 7.

This study will parallel the life of Moses with our walk with God. God used Moses to bring the Israelites out of bondage to Egypt, led them through the wilderness and into the promised land. God also brings us out of bondage to sin, leads us through our wilderness experiences and brings us into His rest and peace. As we take this spiritual journey, we will see how God’s grace is sufficient for each step we take in our walk with Him. This teaching is about a relationship with Our Father and where that relationship with God led Moses and also leads us. "Out of Egypt" is offered to anyone desiring to take this journey and will be led by Carolyn Gray.

For more information contact Carolyn: e-mail: grannygolf@sbcglobal.net or telephone 254-580-2095. 

For the 8th (or so) consecutive year the First Methodist Church Valentine Banquet will honor the widows and widowers in our midst with an evening of good food and entertainment on February 13 at 6:00 pm at the church.  The theme this year is “ The Grand Ole Opry” and there will live entertainment, straight from competitive FUMC auditions, and authentic Tennessee food from the kitchen of a credentialed Tennessee chef.

Everyone is invited to get your tickets and plan to attend.  We have had attendance approaching 100 the past few years, so make your plans now. Tickets are on sale Sunday mornings before and after worship and Wednesday evenings during the fellowship dinners. Tickets are $12.50 each or two for $25.00. If your ticket has the following logo on it, you are good to go:

The event is sponsored by the Sunday Scholars Sunday School Class and proceeds go to the church and to the Junior High’s mission project. After such great reviews last year, the Junior High Youth will again be serving the food. Dress for the event is casual, western, country, or whatever you want to wear.           

In late December, the Council on Ministries, authorized a ceiling to floor refurbishing of the sanctuary including the north and south  entrances. The plan is to complete work that can be performed without interfering with worship services prior to mid–February. After that time, work will begin on the ceiling which will necessitate moving worship services to the Family Life Center while major work is performed in the sanctuary. The project is scheduled to be completed in time for Easter Sunday, April 4. There will be some inconvenience during the construction phase, but it will be great to have the sanctuary looking good again. Shown below are pictures taken this week showing work (painting) in progress in the balcony.

Honestly, I wonder how we could reach younger people. They, as a group, are turned off by religion but turned on to spirituality. They are turned off by conformity and status quo. They embrace celebration, diversity and creativity. Even as I write this article, I realize that I am using a more archaic from of communication. Even as I post this on the web site, I realize that I need to do this in a face book and twitter. So far, Reed doesn’t face book nor twitter but I am beginning to realize I may need to change. (Do you think?)

I remember the good ol’ days when we typed out the newsletter on a typewriter and printed it on  a mimeograph machine that you loaded with ink that had a lot of alcohol in it. You could get high just being in the room with all that alcohol but that’s a different story. Back to trying to reach out to our young and being relevant.

The words we use in church are as foreign as Latin which few bother with any more. In fact English may be on the way out with all the abv. we get with text messaging. I can see the day when the Lord’s Prayer may start like this, “Our Fthr wh art in hevn,” To be relevant, hvn hlp us.

Still though, we need to find ways to reach out to our younger citizens. They do want a sense of adventure even through the church. They want to celebrate God’s love, They want freedom for themselves in a world they see as growing less free. The want to be inspired, and have an impact on their world. They want passion and an sense of an irrepressible faith. They are waiting for a church to shatter expectations.

I am not sure how to do that but the question is whether or not we can? How to reach out to them can be figured out. The question is do we want to? If not, as we age and wonder where they are, we need to not get so senile that we can’t remember when we had the chance but didn’t pursue it.

Peace and grace. Reed.

CTCYM Leadership Training

Each year, The Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church conducts a summer mission project for youth.  In this program, youth and their adult leaders, spend a week in communities assisting the residents with repairs to homes, churches, and generally helping those with needs. The program is called Central Texas Conference Youth in Mission (CTCYM) and the blessings received by both the recipients and the providers of this service are many and long lasting.  Several hundred youth participate each year.   

Saturday, a Conference training session was held at First Methodist for leaders who plan to participate next summer.

Faith Builders Are At It Again

Faith Builders is a team of people sponsored by the United Methodist Men of our church who get together to assist people in our community who need help in making repairs to their homes. Saturday was another work day for Faith Builders and we were able to assist members of our community with removal of some heavy furniture, repairs to some kitchen  faucets, and general cleanup around the church. A larger planned project to repair a leaking roof was postponed because of rainy weather.

The Children’s Time at the First Worship Service

Nothing is quite so beautiful as the children and their time with the Pastor at the altar rail. Some of the children at the early service are shown below.

Health Kits

Health kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of natural disaster. We want everyone to put together as many kits as you can. Have them here at the church the week of February 5th so we can ship them out.

Health Kit Items:

Place these items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

• 1 hand towel (15″ x 25″ up to 17″ x 27″, No kitchen towels)
• 1 washcloth
• 1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
• 1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
• 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
• 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, No child-size brushes)
• 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
• $1.00 to purchase toothpaste
  (NOTE: UMCOR Sager Brown is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to health kits before shipping to ensure that the product does not expire before they are sent.)

Important Kit Assembly Information

• All items included in kits must be NEW items. 
• All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items-nothing more.
• Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.

Due to a staff change, we won’t have a newsletter this week. Look for one next week and we will update everything. Sorry about not having one.

Reed

Attention! Attention!

We are starting a new ministry to benefit Hillsboro Interfaith Ministry and the people in our community. The 2^nd  Sunday of each month, beginning on February 14, will be “Chuck Wagon Sunday”.  The children who are present at each of the worship services will be pulling a wagon through the sanctuary.  In this wagon, we would like you to place food items—canned goods, cereal, beans, rice, etc.  All this food will be taken to Hillsboro Interfaith Ministries to benefit people in our community that need help.  You will want to participate in this ministry.

Remember, Chuck Wagon Sunday starts on Valentine’s Day.  Bring some food!

Also, if you have a wagon that you would like to donate, contact Becky Cliett.

I thought we might share some New Years Resolutions. Hope you like them.

Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

Don’t take yourself so seriously. Others don’t take you all that seriously either.

Envy is a waste of time.

Life is too short to waste time hating others.

Realize life is a school and you are here to learn.

Smile and laugh more.

Call your family…often.

Each day do something good for others.

God heals everything.

With God, the best is yet to come.

Those came through an e-mail and they are really good. If you keep all those, you will have a great, wonderful and fulfilling 2010.

Peace and grace. Reed.