Valley Parish T-Shirt Prices

I just spoke with Kathy Litle, our Valley Parish Shirt Order-er and she let me know the final prices for our shirts. She ordered the shirts this week and they should be in two weeks from now. 

T-Shirt Prices:
S-XL: $7.73
XXL: 9.48
3XL: 10.48
4XL: 11.48
5XL: 12.48
6XL: 13.48

Golf Shirt Prices:

S-XL: $10.35
XXL: 12.10
3XL: 13.10
4XL: 14.10
5XL: 15.10
6XL: 16.10

Revelation

At Grange Hall we are currently studying Revelation during our Wednesday Night Bible Study.

As we have found, Revelation is a very complex book, full of rich imagery that can be very confusing.  The first couple of weeks we focused on one chapter at time, which was helpful in chapters 2 and 3, but once we hit chapter 4 (when John describes his vision of heaven and heavenly worship) it became harder and harder to discuss in depth, harder and harder to find words (which I am sure is how John felt as he was recording his vision for us!).

Many of us have been frustrated because so much of the book is so hard to understand.  I think, though, that something like this vision of John's is not necessarily meant to be understood so much as it is meant to be experienced.  With that in mind, the past couple of weeks we've been trying to experience the vision as John saw it, by practicing Lectio Divina (click here for a description of this way of praying the scriptures) and by reading it chapter by chapter, one person reading while we close our eyes and try to experience it, try to see what John saw. This way has been much more helpful in our experience of Revelation.

**Note I said "helpful in our experience of Revelation" not necessarily in our comprehension of Revelation!

The night we practiced Lectio Divina we read chapters 5-7. We wrote down our questions that came up in our personal contemplation.  Following are the questions and my best attempt at an answer, informed by many scholars who have come before. Thank God for commentaries and the folks who write them!

WE are the CHURCH

When I was growing up one of my favorite hymns was "We Are The Church" (in fact it is still one of my favorites).  I love the words.  It really hammers home the idea that we are the church.  We don't just go to church, we ARE the church.

In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul writes, "For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body..." (1 Cor. 12:13).  We, as Christians, are the body of Christ.  All of us all together make up Jesus here on earth.  So when we are at the grocery store or the movie theater or out with friends for dinner we represent Jesus on earth.

Similarly all Christians make up the church.  No matter where we go, we are the church, wherever we are. We at Grange Hall have a sign outside our building that says, "Grange Hall United Methodist Church."  That sign isn't referring to the building, it's referring to the people to come together in that building.  The people in our church family make up Grange Hall United Methodist Church, we don't go to Grange Hall United Methodist Church. 

Following you'll find the lyrics to, "We Are The Church."  What do you think of them?  Do they challenge you in any way?  Do you think of yourself as the church or as someone who goes to church?

We Are The Church

I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world, yes, we're the church together!

The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple,  the church is not a resting place; the church is a people!

We're many kinds of people, with many kinds of faces, all colors and all age, too, from all times and places.

And when the people gather, there's singing and there's praying; there's laughing and there's crying sometimes, all of it saying,

At Pentecost some people received the Holy Spirit and told the good news through the world
to all who would hear it.

I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world, yes, we're the church together!

Welcoming Families with Children

One of my favorite websites, Ministry Matters, recently had an article about welcoming families with small children.

Click here to read the article. 

What do you think about the Tips this pastor shared?
Which of his tips do we already do well? Which ones do we need to work on?

Were you ever in the situation that the pastor describes, trying to get your kids ready while trying to find a place to worship?

When you found a church you connected with, what made you stay?

Here is the last word from the author of the article: "Remember that there is a deep longing within parents of young children to connect with God and for their kids to connect with God. This is a critical time for the parents and the children. Let’s do everything we can to create a place for them to connect with God."

Amen!

What is a Methodist?

Maybe you've had a conversation with friend or a new acquaintance about church.  You say, "I worship at Grange Hall United Methodist," and they respond, "Hmmm... What EXACTLY is a Methodist?"

What is your response? How do you define Methodist? Have you thought much about it?

Your response is important!

I came across this article recently about a person trying to define "Methodist."  Click here to read it. The author writes, "A Methodist is a Christian who is in training to love God with all his or her heart, soul, and mind and to love his or her neighbor as himself or herself."

This comes from the Gospel according to Matthew.  Someone asks Jesus,“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a  second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” -Matthew 22:36-40

What do you think of that definition?  How do you define "Methodist" for yourself?

Announcement for the Week of April 28th

Stay tuned for Baptism Service Info.  Check here or our facebook page: facebook.com/GrangeHallUMC for breaking news!

The parsonage has a new phone number: (423) 256-2465.

Proctors!

Carters Valley Elementary is looking for folks to help Proctor tests coming up this week. 

Monday, April 29th-Thursday, May 2nd everyday 8:00-11:00am

You can pick and choose dates, you don't have to commit to the whole week, or to both weeks.  Let Nancy know if you are interested in helping out and she will get you signed up.

Visioning Meeting

Tonight. 6:30. Here.

Anyone who is interested in the future of our church, please attend.  We will pray for the guiding of the Holy Spirit and ask questions about who we are and who God is calling us to serve.  You won’t want to miss it!