Vol 4 No 3 - How is it with Your Soul?

Earlier this morning, I had an interesting conversation with one of my colleagues about the question, "How is it with your soul?", and as he and I were talking he made a wonderful observation that cuts to the quick of our Christianity.  My colleague made the observation that far too often we ask the wrong question.  Instead of inquiring as to how it is with our souls, my friend commented that we should be asking instead, "How is it with our walk [with Christ]?".

Today's message is very brief:  How is your walk with Christ?  How are you tending to your relationship to Him?  Is He someone you squeeze in when you can, or someone who you make a priority to be with?

Don't forget in this week before Christmas to help tend your walk with Christ by being with us for:

* - Our Feasting on the Word at the Table communion & prayer celebration TODAY from 12:15-12:40

* - Worshiping with us this Sunday morning as our music ministry presents the Word through their cantata

* - Participating in our collection of knit hats, knit gloves, and white socks for the January Reynosa mission, placing them (unwrapped) at the base of the Chrismon tree in the sanctuary

* - Joining in Sunday school for all ages at 9:00AM on Sunday morning

* - Bringing your friends, family, neighbors, and relatives to one of our Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion celebrations - 6:00PM or 11:00PM.

I look forward to us tending our walk with Christ together through each of these opportunities over the next week.  It is truly an honor to be able to engage in these activities with you.

See You Soon!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 2 - Christmas Absurdity

There are some days that I cannot get over the absolute absurdity of Christmas.  Not the absurdity of the commercialization of Christmas (that topic has been beaten to death), but the absurdity of Christmas.

A child born of a true virgin.  A child whose birth was foretold centuries before it happened.  A child whose life the world literally must depend upon.  A child whose birth would cause the ruling powers to decree that all children under the age of two were to be killed.  A child whose birth would change how humanity would keep track of time (literally).

The day this story no longer captures our imagination is the day that we need to re-think our faith and our approach to this time of year.

See You Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 1 - Advent Stuff

Advent is a unique time in the life of the church, for it is a time where we prepare our hearts and minds for the arrival of the Christ child.  It may not seem that way to you all, with all the logistical stuff you have to deal with in order to prepare for holiday celebrations.  To add one more thing here or there may seem to push your schedule beyond the breaking point.  However, there are two special events (one today, one Sunday) that I urge you to put to the forefront of your priority list, as they will go a long way towards providing proper perspective for your Advent season.

The first, our Advent Luncheon Series, "Feasting on the Word at the Table", is TODAY from 12:15-12:40 in the small chapel across from the church office.  Instead of the usual craziness of lunch, this is a time that is set aside for you to come and feed on the Word through a devotional word, time of prayer, and celebration of Holy Communion.  It has been structured in such a way as to honor the time commitment for we know that for so many of you the lunch hour is a compressed time of frenzy.

The second is our second annual A Night in Bethlehem celebration, coming THIS SUNDAY from 5:30-7:30PM in our fellowship hall.  Featuring new and updated settings, we will be taken back in time to what the birth town of our Lord's was like when he arrived.  There will be food, crafts, games, and other activites for ALL.  This is not a kids event - this is for all people, from 0-100+.  Dana Blanco and her volunteers have been putting forth a lot of time and effort to make this happen - we look forward to seeing you there on this special evening. 

 

Before you know it, this season can be taken away from you - be proactive by participating in the activities of the Body of Christ to make sure it doesn't happen to you!

See You Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 3 No 46 - End of the Year Activities

This week's Mid-Week message is very short - I hope and pray that each of you has a most blessed Thanksgiving holiday wherever you may find yourself.  Each of you knows that you have more to be thankful for than you are possibly aware and Who deserves the thanks for providing all that for which you are thankful.

Three brief congregation-related announcements:

1) Decoration Day - THIS SATURDAY @ 9:30AM.  Our goal is to have the entire place ready for Advent in two hours.  The more of you that show to make the more likely this goal is to be achieved.  Santa's elves can't make it this year - we are counting on you!

2) Don't forget that we start Advent THIS SUNDAY, Sunday, November 30.

3) A Night In Bethlehem - December 7

See You Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 3 No 45 - Church is More than Congregation

One of the great privileges I have as an Elder in the United Methodist Church is that the ministries that I get to participate in go far beyond the local church to which I am appointed.  A great deal of the time, we hear about the church 'beyond the walls' of our local congregation, and usually that is in terms of mission, which is very important, to say the least.  However, there are many other ministries that go on to make the connectional system work, and those of us who are ordained Elders have responsibilities that go beyond the local congregation to which we are appointed.  This week, I am spending a good deal of time in ministry beyond our local congregation, and wanted to share with you a little of the 'other part' of pastoral ministry.  Parson the length of this message; it is important, however, for you all to know the things beyond the local church in which your pastor is involved as part of their job, things that are very rewarding in their own way and are a part of our calling to bring about the Kingdom of God.

Today, I am honored to host Rev. Jeremy Jones of the New Roads-Rosedale charge, for a few hours in our area.  Jeremy is a candidate for ordination as an Elder in our conference, and I have been honored to serve as his mentor through the ordination process.  Every person pursuing ordination is assigned an ordained Elder as their mentor to guide them through the process, and as one who was ordained not too long ago, I cannot tell you the invaluability of a candidacy mentor to talk through this rather intense process.  It is really neat in this instance because Jeremy and his wife have been dear friends of mine for over 10 years.

Another responsibility of all persons under appointment is to make themselves available to serve on district and conference committees.  Most of these committees meet maybe 3-4 times a year, thus not requiring too much time away from our appointment.  One of these committees is the district Committee on Ministry, and those of us on this committee are responsible for working with our non-ordained clergy and those pursuing a call to ordination.  Tomorrow, I will be with my colleagues on this committee as we conduct our fall interviews, seeing where people are in their process and helping to provide them guidance about the next steps of the process.  We will see 15-20 people tomorrow, and it is exciting, for God is always raising up the next round of leaders for His church, and the gifts, graces, and abilities that each of these people bring is truly inspiring.

Finally, this past weekend I spend a good deal of time working with our Bishop and other clergy in my role as chair of the Acadiana District trustees.  The district trustees are entrusted with the responsibility for all assets held in the district's name, and among them is some land that we are working on using to provide a home for the newest congregation in our district, Faith Community UMC of Youngsville.  It can be very easy for those of us in a congregation that has been around for 148 years to not realize the excitement and wonder of being a part of a new congregation; I believe it is a testimony to the strength of our connection that we have these kinds of issues to work through and towards.

None of the above would be possible without a strong congregation with strong leadership and staff; thank you for making it possible for me to participate in the ministries of the larger church as well as the primary focus of life within our congregation.

This Sunday we will be marking the end of the Christian year by observing Christ the King Sunday.  I hope and pray as you go about making your final preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday that you will join us in worship this week. 

Don't forget that we start Advent on Sunday, November 30.  Scroll down for much more information about our Advent activities.

See You Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 3 No 44 - Fellowship and Worship

For quite a while now, I have been eagerly anticipating this upcoming Sunday's events.  There is something truly holy and miraculous that occurs when a group of people gather together in the Lord's name, whether it be two or three working away at some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that makes ministry happen or if we are SRO for worship, lunch or any other activity.  After a month of looking at our sacred vows of membership from a Scriptural and theological perspective, I am excited about participating in a service of reaffirmation, in which we will remember our baptisms, renew our beliefs in the faith as handed down to us throughout the centuries, and recommit ourselves to upholding the vows of membership that we took when joining this congregation.  It is my firm belief that there is nothing in the world with more potential and more power than a group of people committed to bringing about the Kingdom of God here and now.  

Also, we must never allow ourselves to underestimate the power of fellowship.  As you all should be aware by now, we will, immediately after worship, be renewing our tradition of having a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner in the Fellowship Hall.  This meal, which is NOT a covered-dish (all you have to do is show up), will be a time for us to celebrate our commitment to being a part of this community of faith.  There are few things in the life of the church as enjoyable as seeing the generations of the church gathered together for food and conversation.

Finally, thank you to all who have called or written to ask about Erin.  Her surgery (to relieve sinus issues) yesterday went well, and she is recuperating at home.  We are grateful for your care, concern, and understanding.

See You Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 3 No 43 - The Integrity of Service

This past weekend as I participated in our youth group's Shrimp & Petroleum Festival parking lot fundraiser, I was reminded again in a very tangible way of the importance of us holding up our fourth vow of membership - to support this congregation with our service.  Every year I am amazed at the people we get to meet and re-connect with as we spend a few hours with the past, present, and future of the church.  Whether by standing on the street corner of Federal and Everett waving a sign, directing people to parking spots, bringing food for the workers to eat, being out and about as part of the cleanup or setup crews each day - there were so many ways that I had the privilege to see God's people taking seriously their vow to support this congregation with their service that I was truly inspired.

As I think most all of you area aware by now, I am a firm believer in 'putting your money where your mouth is', and no where more strongly than in our responsibility to live out the life we confess in Jesus Christ.  During the first three parts of this series, I have been in awe of how Scripture addresses this commitments we make to the Kingdom of God, and have been inspired to examine again my own commitment to the body of Christ.  My prayer is that you have as well.

In worship this Sunday, we will be looking at Paul's words to the Romans about the need to actively be involved in the Body of Christ.  I want to encourage you to come with a servant's heart, ready to hear and implement our mandate to be actively and not passively involved in this gift from God, the church of which his Son, Jesus Christ, is the head. 

See You Sunday!

Lamar