08/20/2019
Back to school has arrived for just about all students living in the area of Hamilton County. I know that going back to school not only means that there are classes to attend but also that homework is back too. I know that homework has always been a challenge…
-for the student who would much rather do something else with his/her time
-for the parent who sees it as just another battle ground between parent and child
-for the teacher who has more grading to do and also more follow-up with unsubmitted assignments
Last Sunday we started a two week series on the topic of Spiritual Gifts (click here to hear the sermon). I am taking advantage of the timing to be in the homework mode and am assigning homework myself.
Before next Sunday, in fact to make next Sunday’s message pertinent to each one of you individually, please take one of two Spiritual Gifts surveys that we are making available.
1. Pick a hard copy up at the Welcome Center
2. Access the CUMC website and scroll down on the front page and you will be able to open the Spiritual Gifts survey.
QUICK LINK TO SURVEY
The survey doesn’t takes long, about 20-30 minutes. Answer the questions with your first answer. Don’t over think them. You can score your test and have your results in mind as you hear next Sunday’s message.
I am looking forward to the possibilities for CUMC as more and more of us know our Spiritual Gifts and use them to serve the body of Christ!
Blessings, Pastor Patti
Archived Posts
What Jacob Marley Would Do,
If He Could Do It…
I thought about using the following for a benediction—since Jacob Marley was warning Scrooge about the danger of loving money and what it could buy. Ends up with the Cantata and everything else going on, I didn’t have the time. So here is what you might have heard if the sermon itself was 5 minutes shorter!
A Confirming Word on Old King Herod
I just want to echo what Rick said in his fine sermon yesterday (Nov. 23). Herod was a ruthless tyrant and skilled politician. When the Magi don’t report back to him, he decides to kill all the male children of Bethlehem under the age of 2. That’s one paranoid dude.
Power Without Conscience?
I ran out of room for this vignette in Sunday’s sermon. Remember the quote that could be the headline for Ahab and Naboth: “All that’s needed for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.” The following reinforces that truth.
The Cars Are Looking for A King
I don’t have a thing to add to Pastor Jessica’s excellent sermon this last Sunday. The fable/parable she shared has been one of my favorites for all the lessons she pulled from it in her message. I was playing around with my friend Chat GPT and after several abortive attempts, we came up with the following modernized version of Judges 9:7-15.
The Lost Benediction
Depending on the length of the sermon, I try to add a little something extra in my benedictions. This week I wrote up a benediction but then realized we’d be singing and waving our umbrellas to some New Orleans jazz.
Change of Focus This Week
Instead of sharing with you about yesterday’s sermon I’d like to invite you to do some background reading for next Sunday’s “Only Murders in the Bible.” Seeing that it is All Saints Day this Sunday, we are going to look at the very first Christian martyr, Stephen.
You Might Be Thinking It’s All About You If…
In working on Sunday’s sermon I asked my computer’s AI if she/he could come up with a few suggestions in answer to the above: "You Might be thinking it’s all about you, if…."