Pastor Floyd - Sunday Sermons

2012-01-23T00:00:00.003-05:00

Meeting GodIntro.: When I meet someone new, I want to know something about them.It really goes both ways – I want to learn about them, and they will want to learn about me.It's part of the conversational process.That process starts for Moses in Exodus 3:7-12 Read: Exodus 3:7-12 Pray Trans: Moses would have been startled when God spoke, but as he listened to God he learned a great deal about God

Holy Ground

2011-11-06T23:47:00.004-05:00

Holy Ground Intro.: Sandra and I have done a bit of camping over the last 37 years. I think that one of the best times at camp is sitting around the campfire and eating marshmallows or making smores. The fire can bring heat and light. But the one thing I never wanted to see was a fire burning with nobody caring for it. And that is what Moses found one day as he was caring for his

Moses Makes A Stop (Part 2)

2011-10-16T20:30:00.002-04:00

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Moses Makes A Stop (Part I)

2011-10-09T16:55:00.003-04:00

Moses Makes A Stop (Part I) Intro.: I like to travel. Where are some of the places you have lived or During my career, I have been privileged to travel to places I never would have been except for my career. Places like: Chicago New York Charlotte, NC Nashville New Orleans I expect that when Moses' parents placed him in that basket, they thought that was the

Ready For Change

2011-09-18T20:48:00.006-04:00

Ready For Change Intro.:I don't know if any of you were able to see the movie Amazing Grace. It was the story of John Newton, a former slave trader and author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”, who was converted to Christ and spent his final years fighting slavery in England.We grew up hearing the story of how America ended slavery with the fighting of a civil war and the death

World's Apart

2011-09-11T17:39:00.001-04:00

Worlds Apart Intro.: Two significant events contributed to much of my thinking this week. The first, in some ways, was uniquely mine. It may have been shared by some others, but I doubt if it was anyone here. One of the books I have been reading this week was a short one entitled “Kisses From Katie”. Now, you probably have not heard of “Kisses From Katie” - in fact it will not be

Restoration

2011-09-04T20:39:00.003-04:00

Restoration Intro.: Rochester has a unusual historical note in its history – is the place where Super Glue was invented. Earlier this year we purchased a small tube of Super Glue Now, I mention this because earlier this year we purchased a small tube of Super Glue. Nothing major broken – in fact our need for the Super Glue was a stupic mistake on my part. I was trying to dig a shirt

A God Who ...

2011-08-14T18:14:00.003-04:00

A God Who ...Intro.: I remember a pallor trick.A bag with two parts. The first part has something simple in it – child's blocks, or marbles, or some checkers The bag is passed around members of the party – each given a chance to figure out what is in the bag. No one is to say anything – but to keep their guess to themselves.But then the bag gets passed to the person who has been chosen to be

It Ain't Over Yet

2011-07-16T22:44:00.001-04:00

Intro.: Yogi Berra used to say, “It ain't over till its over.” or, “It ain't over till the fat lady sings.” or “Don't count your chickens till they're hatched. Trans: John is coming to the end of his letter. He has said a lot. But now he is ready to close the book. His work is finished – now he does two things. The first, the topic of today's message, is to restate the most

Overcoming - Four Keys

2011-07-11T10:54:00.000-04:00

Intro.: Until a few years ago, there were no laws about child safety seats and automobile restraint systems. Many young children who were not safely belted in their seats died in car accidents. Today laws prohibit children from riding in a car without special seating facing the right direction and properly installed. New mothers must have the seat in place before taking a child home from the

God Is Love: So What

2011-06-05T22:10:00.003-04:00

God Is Love: So What? Intro.: Most of us think we know all about love. We see it on TV, we read about it in books, we see it as couples hold hands walking down the street. We know what love is all about. On the other hand, we also get lots of examples as to what love is not. The gossip column make sure that we know the mistakes that people make. We read of parents who try to control

One Mother's Emotions

2011-05-08T22:31:00.003-04:00

One Mother's Emotions Intro.: I was listening to the radio late last night and heard a job description for a mother. I thought it was so accurate, I wanted to share it with you and went looking for a written copy and found it.Pray Trans:I spent time this week thinking about the mothers we see in scriptures. I could not think of one that had it “easy” From Eve (Adam's wife) – whose sons

2011-03-27T20:54:00.003-04:00

Mirror: Who Do You Look LikeIntro.: I have said it before, I am not an expert in how God will bring this world to an end. I believe he will – scripture leaves no doubt about that fact. I also think that those who claim to have it all figured out, are trying too hard to make sense of something that God intends to handle in His own way and in His own way. But the fact that God has plans

Love the World? NOT!

2011-03-21T21:21:00.005-04:00

What Do You Love? Read: I John 2:15-17 PrayTrans: “Love,” they say, “is a many splendored thing.” We don't really understand that in English – with a single word “love” to mean so many things. “I love this pen” is said as easily as “I love this book” or “I love chicken baked in French fried onions” or “I love my dog” or “I love my wife.”One of the things I like about Greek is they have at

Commending the Family

2011-03-14T00:12:00.007-04:00

Commending the FamilyIntro.: We live in a culture where “family” can mean many things. For some here at Royal Gardens, the closest thing there is to family is the community here at Royal Gardens. For some it may be their work. … or their church. For others it may be just their children. Regardless, family is important.I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God, I've been washed in

Enlightened Love

2011-03-06T19:30:00.003-05:00

Enlightened Love Intro.: I want to preach about love this morning.One obvious choice for a text would be John 3:16. Martin Luther called John 3:16 “the heart of the Bible – the Gospel in miniature.” But there is problem – G. Campbell Morgan, an early 20th century Congregational pastor, once said, “... this is a text I never attempted to preach on, though I have gone around it and around it. It

Something Old, Something New

2011-02-28T22:03:00.008-05:00

Something Old, Something NewIntro.: Sometimes life does not make sense. We think we have something figured out – but then when when we put it to a test - “OUCH” I remember more than one math class where I was certain I understood all the concepts. But then came the test. Nothing would work and when the paper was corrected, it was clear that I had missed something. Or, most of you followed

How Deep Is Your Faith?

2011-02-21T00:49:00.005-05:00

How Deep Is Your Faith? Intro.: We are always measuring something: If you were to run a marathon – we would measure your speed If you were a baseball player, we would measure your RBI's (if you were a hitter) or your ERA (if you were a pitcher) If you go to the doctor, he takes you blood pressure, your weight, and your pulse. We are always measuring something. I would like to read a

To Sin Or Not To Sin

2011-02-13T23:46:00.003-05:00

God Is Light, So What Intro.: I want to ask a question – before I answer it, I want to make clear I don't really expect you to answer – I want to ask the question to make a point. Here is the question - “Why do you come here week after week?” I can think of several reasons why you are here: You like the people who are here You like the preacher I really

God Is Light, So What

2011-02-08T21:25:00.003-05:00

God Is Light, So What Intro.: When I was younger, I liked to play with playdough. When I was younger, I remember my mother making homemade playdough. Now, I am not going to make it here, but Playdough requires that you mix two very different ingredients – water and oil. They don't go together very well. But that is what the recipe calls for. When I think of mixing water and oil, I

God Is Light

2011-01-30T19:41:00.005-05:00

God is Light Intro.: I am not one for art – I know very little about it. Occasionally, an artist stands out. One of my favorite is known as “The Artist of Light” His real name is Thomas Kinkade Here are some examples Notice that light plays an important part of many of his pictures Listen to the words of John Read: I John 1:1:5 Pray Trans: I never liked physics – it was the

A Letter: A First Read

2011-01-23T16:51:00.004-05:00

A Letter's First Read Intro. Mail is part of the 21st century.Maybe you saw the movie “Letters To God” last year – they even came out with a Bible with some of the notes that were in the Bible discussed in the movie.And here is a pile of my mail from this past week.Maybe one of you would like to pay my phone bill.If you lived in the 1st century AD, you may have been handed a letter. You would

Hope In A Future

2010-12-05T23:13:00.007-05:00

Hope In A Future Introduction: As we read and think about great Christmas passages of the Bible, one of the things we need to do is to resist the influence of our culture to trivialize Christmas and its powerful meaning for our lives. One of the true message of Christmas is about hope.At Bethlehem, for today, and for tomorrow. Hope is one of the greatest messages of the Christmas story.

Planned For The Future

2010-11-28T22:03:00.006-05:00

Planned For The Future Intro.: How long in advanced do you make plans in advance for a major activity? For example – right after Christmas we will be traveling to the United Methodist Congress on Evangelism – like we have done the last five or six years. Our planning started almost a year ago – as we left last years congress when they offered a reduced price on

Road To Joy

2010-09-12T22:15:00.004-04:00

Road to Joy Intro.: Nisswa, Minnesota, is known for its turtle races. Every Wednesday afternoon in the summer, the people of Nisswa and the surrounding communities gather at a designated parking lot for the races. Vendors rent turtles; others sell “turtle products.” And the fans gather early, placing their chairs and blankets in the best viewing sites. In a recent contest, 435 turtles raced

Philippi – Worship the Lord

2010-06-06T17:34:00.001-04:00

Philippi – Worship the LordIntro.: When I think of a model, several things come to mind.There is the super model that see on the cover of magazines everyday or on TV commercials everynight. Their job is to demonstrate other products – but they are not models themselves.I also remember the plastic airplanes, cars, and boats, that I built as a kid. They were scaled so they looked as close the real

What MOM Stands For

2010-05-09T22:38:00.001-04:00

What MOM Stands ForiIntroduction: According to a survey by Ladies Home Journal, 85 percent of women say that motherhood is the best thing that ever happened to them.What’s the greatest part? Twenty-one percent say it’s watching their kids grow. A category called “Everything” came in second (18 percent), followed by kids’ “unconditional love” (14 percent). But 70 percent of all mothers consider

Philippi - Balancing Life's Choices

2010-05-02T17:14:00.000-04:00

Philippi – Balancing Life's Choices Intro.: What question would you like to have answered? Where is a long lost friend?How do I make strawberry cheesecake?How do I get rid of the dang cold?We all have questions that need answersAs we continue our look at Philippians, we will understand that Paul also had at least one question that had to be answered. Read: Philippians 1:19-26 Pray

Philippi - Sharing the Gospel

2010-04-25T20:07:00.002-04:00

Philippi - Sharing the Gospel Intro.: A while back a book caught my attention. “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”The book caught my attention, but I never read it. On the other hand most of us have been caught by surprise when something unexpectedly bad happens to good people.Let me give you an example. Gentlemen: Understanding your pulpit is vacant, I should like to apply for the position.

Philippi - A Prayed For Church

2010-04-19T23:20:00.003-04:00

Philippi - A Prayed For Church Intro.: If I were to ask you to write a letter to your best high school friend – what would you say?You would probably start with a greeting much like we looked at last week.But what then – would you ask a question? Would you tell a little about your own life's experiences since you last saw your friend? Any number of things –

Philippi - A Joyful Church

2010-04-12T00:11:00.003-04:00

Philippi - A Joyful Church Intro.: Paul is in Rome. Now that sounds like a wonderful vacation – except for one fact, Paul is in prison for his faith. I have a special appreciation for the letters Paul writes from Prisions – you see as Paul writes, he is chained to a prison guard. Every letter, every word, he writes is read by that guard. Can you imagine the uproar that would occur if

Jesus Prays for His Church

2010-04-04T23:29:00.002-04:00

Jesus Prays for His Church Intro.: How does one say goodbye?This is the second time in three months that I have had to ask that question.The first was with a church that I had spent 7-1/2 serving.Now I say it to a church that I have served a little over seven weeks.I cannot help but imagine that Jesus, as started out on Thursday evening, wondering what he would say to his disciples as they spent

Jesus Prays - The Disciples Grow

2010-03-29T20:18:00.001-04:00

Jesus Prays – the Disciples GrowIntro.: I wish I could have been around to hear Jesus.I wish that I cold have been part of the crowd on the hillside that day when he taught his followers the Lord's Prayer.I wish I could have seen Jesus perform one or two of His miracles.I wish I have heard Jesus tell parables in person.There is even part of me that wishes I could have been in the upper room that

Jesus Teaches Us To Pray

2010-03-21T23:59:00.001-04:00

Jesus Teaches Us To PrayIntro.: I had a professor in seminary who told the story of aunt that died.He had the hardest time trying to figure out how she died -One person suggested she died by drowningAnother told the family it was from a heart attackAnd then then came the real story – she died from drowning.Coincedently – all three were right. You see the aunt had a heart attack, lost control of

Jesus' Principles For Prayer

2010-03-14T23:07:00.002-04:00

Jesus' Principles For PrayerIntroduction: I did not learn to write until my senior year of college.Oh, I had English during all four years in high school.I had even taken and passed freshman English in college.During my first three years of college, I had written many, many papers.But it was not till my senior year of college that I learned to write.Our teacher began from scratch – we began by

2010-03-07 Attitudes in Prayer

2010-03-09T20:19:00.001-05:00

Attitudes For PrayerIntroducton: You know, sometimes I feel kind of stupid. The particular event that I am think about occurred some 38 or 39 years ago. I had met with a prayer partner earlier in the day – in fact Steve Wong would eventually be the Best Man in my wedding. As we chatted, he jokingly mentioned that a friend had commented on my poor memory by saying, “He would lose his head, if

Prayer By The Book (Part II)

2010-03-01T23:57:00.001-05:00

Prayer By The Book (Part II)Intro.: In May 1757 Ben Franklin said, “Work as if you were to live 100 years; pray as if you were to die tomorrow.”[1]Franklin was reminding us of something that is easy to forget – that we are to pray.Life is sometimes difficult, life gets busy, a lot goes on, and it is easy to forget to pray.I don't know what got in your way this week.Car repairs, frozen pipes, sore

OT Words for Prayer

2010-02-21T21:09:00.004-05:00

Praying By The Book (Part 1)Intro.: What is this? (Keyboard, Key Chain)It could be called many things.Much of our spiritual life has similar characteristics. For example, Billy Graham talks of “Being born again.” Others may call it “Having saving faith.” Or “Being a child of God.” Or “Being a part of the family of God.” What is the right term – I suppose that we could say that any of them

Prayer As A Love Letter

2010-02-14T19:21:00.001-05:00

Prayer As A Love LetterIntro.: I do a lot of talking.Some people would say that I talk too much.But I do try to say important things – things worth saying, things worth hearing. You will need to make up your own mind.I even say “I love you” - I even say it at the right times. Yesterday was a good example – Sandra was feeling the loss of her mother in the morning. There wasn't much I could say

My Story As A Sermon

2010-02-07T21:21:00.001-05:00

My Story – Grace at WorkIntro.: Each of us have a story that has brought us together as we worship today.I want to hear your story. God works in so many different ways, I know that your story will also teach me about you and about God.Today I want to share my story. By the grace of God, I have been brought to Fowlerville to serve as Pastor – it is only fair that you know something about this

Snapshots of Mary

2009-11-29T19:19:00.001-05:00

Snapshots of Mary Intro.: Seven and one-half years ago, on a Sunday morning in late July, I first came to Garland United Methodist Church. I had met for an hour or so with the PPRC in either late May or early June and a quick decision was made to see how well I would fit into this church. That first Sunday in July I began a five week series that I entitled “Snapshots of Grace”. As we

Extreme Suffering

2009-11-08T22:10:00.001-05:00

This sermon was preached on November 8, 2009Extreme SufferingRead: I Peter 4:12-19PrayTrans:T.S. I would like to suggest that Peter has four lessons for us.Suffering should comes as no surprisePeter starts out, “Beloved, do not be surprised ...” (Ill.) Do you knows how it feels to be at home, expecting a relaxing evening alone, and then someone comes to the door. You know them, but they certainly

Prepare For The End

2009-11-01T22:12:00.002-05:00

This sermon was preached on November 1, 2009Prepare For The EndIntro.: Can you think of an event that you knew was coming, but you just did not want to wait for? Wedding, Birthday, Surgery.You may not even want it – surgery may be one example. When you know something is coming – you prepare for it. You buy what will be needed. You dress appropriately. You tell your friends that it is coming.

Suffering - God's Way

2009-11-01T21:07:00.004-05:00

This sermon was preached on October 11, 2009 Suffering – God's WayIntro.: In 1894 a man died who struggled most of his life with tuberculosis.[1]Though he lived the last part of his life in American Somoa, a memorial stone near his home in Scotland reads: Give us grace and strength to forbear and to persevere. Give us courage and gaiety and the quiet mind, spare to us our friends, soften to us

Define Discipleship

2009-10-25T22:31:00.003-04:00

This message was preached on October 11, 2009 How Do I Disciple? Intro.: This message is a continuation of a message that was started on October 11, 1009. The first question that was asked when Deanna Kustas visited last month was “What is the gospel?” We dealt with that last week. The other question that was raised that Sunday was “What is Discipleship?”. I would like to suggest

Define the Gospel

2009-10-25T21:40:00.003-04:00

This message was delivered on October 4, 2009 Define the Gospel l What Is The Gospel?Intro.: Today's message began last SundayAs Deanna Kustas visited here and at Royal Garden, two questions were raised that I want to spend some time answering.The first question that I will address was actually raised at Royal Garden. We were discussing the ministry of

Failure (Part 2)

2009-07-27T00:17:00.004-04:00

Success or Failure: God's View Intro.: Last week we started to look at what is meant by success and failure. We began by looking at two very faulty statements that too many people believe – (1) you must be perfect and (2) I must be perfect. Nowhere in scripture is there any reference to a human being perfect – except for Jesus. And that leads us to the second point of last weeks message –

Failure (Part 1)

2009-07-19T22:20:00.001-04:00

Failure: A New PerspectiveIntro.: I thought that Failure would be easy to talk about.But as soon as I began to gather material, I found myself overwhelmed. You see there are plenty of examples of failure in the scriptures.Our first example of failure is found in the opening chapters of Genesis – Adam and Eve disobeying God and eating from “the tree of knowledge of good and evil”.In fact there

Love - God's Standard

2009-05-10T21:49:00.005-04:00

LOVE – God's Standard1 Intro.: Having had a mother for nearly 45 years, I can understand that mothers can be loved and frustrating at the same time. I think I remember telling you about the night that I Sandra and I and another couple had gone for a drive in the gold country of Northern California. During the trip, we stopped at a fresh fruit stand along side the road where I purchased some fresh

Shaken

2009-04-12T17:25:00.004-04:00

ShakenIntro.: I think we have all heard the reports of earthquakes in Italy this past week. As believers, we must begin by praying. But we are also called upon to help those in distress. Have you considered finding a relief agency involved with helping those who lost family members or homes this week. Having said that, we should note that earthquakes can happen in any part of the world. I have

Tough Times

2009-04-05T20:08:00.001-04:00

Tough Times Intro.: This has been a tough week. I spent most of the week preparing for Saturday's meditation But in the middle of it, I also had dinner with the DS and his wife at their home. I finished my official work at cardiac rehab, but signed up for more of the same as part of a maintenance program. I started taking classes at RIT – no tests, no grades, but going

UMW Communion Meditation

2009-04-05T19:43:00.002-04:00

Meeting At The Table Intro.: The table has become a central point of our lives. The family gathered at the table has become a symbol of the communities we all belong to. Whether it be families gathered at the table, or CEOs meeting with their board, or diplomats ironing out the details of an important treaty – the table serves to bring communities together. The table played a

The Road Down

2009-03-29T22:39:00.001-04:00

The Road Down Intro.: One of my greatest fears is falling. Sandra and I were remembering a family vacation we took a number of years ago. This was before Jonathan moved back from Minneapolis and we had traveled to visit him. That summer, he was working at an amusement park located outside the city of Minneapolis. And, of course, with two teen age boys, we had to visit.

It Can Get Worse

2009-03-22T19:31:00.001-04:00

It Can Get WorseIntro.: I have only had to testify one time in my life at a trial. I was working for Clinical Bio-Tox Laboratories, the largest toxicology lab in the Chicago area. Most of the tests we did were to monitor the level of therapeutic drugs drawn from patients in hospitals throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. There were two other kinds of test – we would be responsible for

Conversations with Jesus

2009-03-15T20:32:00.000-04:00

Conversations with JesusIntro.: What do you think of when you think of a garden? Flowers, arrangements, tools, gardeners, etc Do rock gardens fit into your definition, what about herb gardens, vegetable garden, water garden, or butterfly garden In fact Jesus is in an atypical garden – the garden of Gethsemane is a garden composed of Olive Trees – in fact some of those trees still exist today.

One Last Meal

2009-03-12T14:38:00.003-04:00

One Last MealIntro.: Have you ever noticed how, sometimes, the best things in life happen right along side the worst things in life. A story that surfaces every so often when a grandparent, an uncle, or an aunt dies on the very day that a grandchild is born.I hope you have never experienced this type of tragic event.. It is a mix of emotions that seems at the time almost too hard to endure. I was

Directions?

2009-02-22T19:05:00.001-05:00

Directions? Intro.: We Sandra and I traveled to Erie this weekend, we did it differently than we normally do. You see, when we traveled we did not take our GPS. We could have gotten lost. One wrong turn and who knows where we may have ended up almost anywhere. Or, as it snowed on Thursday afternoon, a wrong twist of the wheel, and we could have ended up in the

Affirming Your Faith

2009-02-15T20:08:00.003-05:00

Affirming Your Faith Intro.: I have never had to testify in a courtroom setting. But if I did, then I would need to repeat the followingwords before I could give testimony: “Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?”1 Giving an oath when giving testimony dates back to the time of Jesus – there are records of witnesses having to give

Suffering And Response

2009-02-08T20:09:00.004-05:00

Suffering And Responding Intro.: Every three months we get here at the church copies of The Upper Room. A number of possible responses. You could reach out and take it gratefully You could just decide to not take it Or you could take it and put it on your shelf and never look at it. Now your response The Upper Room doesn't make a big difference. But what if I told you that there was

Suffering For Blessing

2009-02-01T22:04:00.003-05:00

Suffering For Blessing Intro.: Paul once wrote, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;” Suffering is never easy, yet it is part of life. It is part of all of our lives. For some it is physical suffering, for some it will be emotional suffering, for some it will come in the form of financial hardship. For some it will a

Defining the Church

2009-01-25T12:38:00.002-05:00

Defining the ChurchIntro.: I learned to create computer programs too early. When I learned to program, all programs were composed of three kinds of building blocks. But starting ten to fifteen years ago a new paradigm was developed to define program. The new paradigm is called object oriented programming. In OOP, everything is considered an object. An object has to thing associated with it –

Serving God's Way

2009-01-21T01:40:00.000-05:00

Serving God's Way Intro.: There are some topics I just don't like preaching about. The problem is that, even though I don't like preaching about them, God talks about them.For example, I don't like preaching about money. But I have read that the New Testament says more about money than any other single topic. So, every so often, I do preach about your pocketbooks.Another topic that I find

Prince Caspian Introduction

2008-05-25T00:13:00.004-04:00

GarlandUnited MethodistChurchMay 25, 2008C. S. LewisClive Staples Lewis, born in 1898, spent his early years as an atheist scholar. It was not until his early 30’s that Lewis converted, first, to Paganism and, shortly thereafter, to orthodox Christianity. He was a member of the Anglican church, but his writings are appreciated by Christians from a variety of backgrounds.His writings include two

Beginning of the Journey Watch the Video

2008-05-23T21:21:00.000-04:00

Beginning of the JourneyIntro.: Let's see, I want to be on the road by 9:00 AM. So I tell Sandra that if we don't leave by 8:00 AM, it will be driving late in to the evening.There is so much that goes into planning a trip. The packing. The stops. The snacks. The music or stories.It does take a lot of planning.Some call the Christian life journey – and like any journey, it takes a lot of

Seeing God Watch the Video

2008-05-23T20:36:00.000-04:00

Seeing GodIntro.: Do you realize that we only see only one side of the moon.One side of the moon is always facing toward the earth, the other side is always facing away.Wouldn't it be fun to be able to travel up into space and see the other side of the moon? Between 1968 and 1972 twenty-four people have seen the far side of the moon as part of the Apollo program – twelve of these actually walked

Living Away From Home Watch the Video

2008-05-08T11:11:00.003-04:00

Living Away From HomeIntro.: Sandra has a new job at work. She has become the unofficial Library PhotographerIt really began with a fluke. The library's camera was not working – and thought that Sandra and her supervisor were silly when they could not get it to work.So Sandra brought home the camera and asked me to see what I could figure out. I did it – it took a little cardboard wedge to adjust

Peter: Failure and Survivor Watch the Video

2008-05-01T23:10:00.001-04:00

Peter: Failure and Survivor1 Read: John 21:15-19 Intro.: This is the last recorded meeting between Peter and Jesus in the four gospel accounts of Jesus' life. But it took a great deal of interaction between Peter and Jesus to get here. In the next few week we will be walking through the books of I and II Peter. But before we do, I want to explore a bit of

What A Friend We Have In Jesus Watch the Video

2008-04-29T10:50:00.000-04:00

What A Friend We Have In Jesus Intro.: What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. This is a song we enjoy singing It brings a

How Great Thou Art Watch the Video

2008-04-07T06:50:00.000-04:00

How Great Thou Art Read: Luke 19:29-40 Intro.: It was no ordinary Sunday – the disciples knew that. It was the day after the Jewish sabbath and now they had been sent to find a young donkey for Jesus to ride In fact Jesus had told them what to say if they were questioned; tell them, “The Lord has need of it.” And when they had brought the colt to Jesus, they took their cloaks and put it on

Order Of The Flame (5)

2008-03-10T22:59:00.001-04:00

Here are a large selection of pictures from the recent Order Of The Flame conference: See The Pictures You will find 250+ pictures that my wife and I took over the 4-1/2 days of the FLAME conference. I hope that you enjoy the pictures as much as we did the conference. Yours because His, Pastor Patrick

Order Of The Flame (4)

2008-03-09T13:02:00.002-04:00

Order Of The Flame (4)The final day of the Order Of The Flame was by far the best. The original schedule allowed Grace Imathiu to have one more day of Bible Study, but because of unexpected circumstances at her church, she had to leave a day early. The day was special, none the less. For me three events stand out. The first was Rev. Spiller's address on the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelism.

Order of the Flame (3)

2008-03-08T11:29:00.001-05:00

Order Of The Flame (3) The stained glass found in the "Lovely Lane Chapel" on the grounds of Epworth By The Sea is the site for our daily communion service held each day at 7:15 AM. This is only one example of the windows found in the chapels, we are surrounded by stained glass as we meet each morning. What a setting to begin to meet God. John Wesley once said, “Give me 100 preachers, who fear

Order of the Flame (2)

2008-03-05T23:15:00.001-05:00

Order Of The Flame (2) Order Of The Flame is now 40% done. It has been a good place to be - a needed refreshment from the rest of life's hassles. And the last 12 months has had its share of hassles. The details are not needed here - but let it be said it has included four members of my family and leaves life totally unsettled for most of us. Not fun at all.The Order Of The Flame has not

Order of the Flame

2008-03-04T06:16:00.000-05:00

Order Of The FlameI had never heard of the Order Of The Flame before last January. My wife and I were attending the United Methodist Congress on Evangelism in Savannah, GA. There, down the hall from the registration booth, was a table marked "World Evangelism". I had no idea who or what they were - but, silly me, I stopped and asked. It seems that this group represents Methodists around the world

Here I Am, Lord Watch the Video

2008-02-26T22:51:00.002-05:00

Here I Am, LordIntro.: Knock, knock; who's there; Zippy; Zippy who; Zippity doo da, zippity day!1Knock, knock; who's there; YouGot; YouGot who; You Gotta love my Knock, Knock jokes!2Knock, knock; who's there; God; God who; God wants you to serve him.One of the earliest verses that I was introduced to when I was presented with what it means to be a Christian was Rev. 3:20 Listen! I stand at the

He Touched Me Watch the Video

2008-02-18T23:35:00.002-05:00

He Touched MeIntro.: Touch is powerful.Valentines Day, that has just passed, reminds us of the sensitive touch of two people who are in love.Our news is sadly full of people who use what has come to be called inappropriate touch – whether at home or in schools or on the streets.Touch is powerful. Not just in a human sense, but from God's perspective as well.We can go back to the time of the Moses

In The Garden Watch the Video

2008-02-12T12:30:00.000-05:00

In The GardenIntro.: I thought about beginning with a journey to outer space.But tossed that out fairly quickly. I then thought about beginning with a visit to the zoo.But that was not quite right - You see, today, we will take a walk In The Garden.To this point, it is the song that has been asked for the most. There is one other song that has so far been asked for multiple times. But In The

God Never Answers Prayer, Why Should I Pray? No Video This Week

2008-01-27T11:47:00.000-05:00

God Never Answers Prayer Why Should I Pray?Intro.: I have heard two very simple answers to today's question.The first is mine – because we are commanded to.The second is a paraphase from a member of the congregation – I know what the answer is if I don't.But, in some way, those answers are too simple.Sometime it does seem that God does not answer prayer - how am I to understand it all?PrayTrans:

The Bible Is So Old, Why Should I Believe It? No Video This Week

2008-01-20T23:21:00.000-05:00

The Bible Is So Old, Why Should I Believe It?Intro.: I have decided to start a new religion.Don't panic, I just wanted to get your attention and to set up the discussion that follows.Now, if I really wanted to start a new religion, I would want to start it based on one of these two book: The Bible The Complete Works of William ShakespeareI mean, there are lots of people who love one or the other

If God Exists – Why Do I Hurt So Much? No Video this week

2008-01-14T12:46:00.000-05:00

If God Exists – Why Do I Hurt So Much? Intro.: Let me give you a lesson in sermon preparation.I did not write today's sermon this morning.In fact, I did not even begin to write the sermon yesterdayThis morning's sermon got its start last November as I sat down one day and began to look at my preaching schedule.I have already told you that the Advent series that we just finished was chosen real

Some Pictures From The Congress on Evangelism

2008-01-08T23:49:00.000-05:00

Some Pictures From The Congress on Evangelism on Friday, January 4, 2007 A video of the congress site A video of a ship passing by the congress site A view from our 13th floor window

The Sweet Singer at the Congress on Evangelism

2008-01-04T17:00:00.000-05:00

The Sweet Singer at the Congress on Evangelism He was here, he was here. He was born over 300 years ago, but he was here. Charles Wesley had center stage this afternoon at the United Methodist Congress on Evangelism. And he brought along some guests. Who could forget his brother John whom we saw as they grew up together in the Epworth parsonage. Of course Charles followed his brother to America,

Thursday - UM Congress on Evangelism

2008-01-04T16:26:00.000-05:00

Thursday - UM Congress on EvangelismGrace Imathiu shared with us this morning during the Bible Study hour. Her message was from John 11 - the raising of Lazarus. Grace reminded us that Lazarus was not one of the great early leaders of the church. He wrote nothing. None of his words are recorded in scripture. He did nothing memorable. Yet, he is called a friend of Jesus.Though I may do nothing

UM Congress on Evangelism Has Started

2008-01-03T23:08:00.000-05:00

UM Congress on Evangelism Has StartedThe first night of the UM Congress on Evangelism is over. I really appreciated the music this evening - given that it is the 300th anniversary of Charles Wesley's birth and we are in the city that he and his brother John made their homebase when they visited the US, it seemed appropriate to find that the music focused on the lyrics and tunes that Charles

Advent (2007) IV: Mary and the Shepherds Watch the Video

2008-01-03T18:11:00.000-05:00

Mary and the ShepherdsIntro.: I ran across this poem earlier this week.While shepherds careful vigil kept o'er lambs in fields of green.The sky took on a brilliant glow and lit the grassy scene.In dread they looked upon the star that rose anew that night.Then angels came to calm their fears and tell of the heavenly light.In word and song they shared the news of the babe who was their king.They

Traveling to Savannah - the UM Congress on Evangelism

2008-01-03T05:10:00.000-05:00

As most of my parishioners know, there will be no sermon for December 30 or January 6 - as my wife and I have travelled to Savannah, GA, for the UM Congress on Evangelism. This is our fifth year for attending this annual event and we have always found it be a refreshing time. This is true both personally and spiritually. As my wife is a librarian and I am a pastor, we both love books. And there

Advent 2007 (III): Mary and Her News Watch the Video

2007-12-20T21:31:00.000-05:00

Mary And Her Newsº Intro.: SOME PASTORAL VERSIONS OF GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS1 Good News: You baptized seven people today in the river. Bad News: You lost two of them in the swift current. Good News: The Women’s Guild voted to send you a get-well card. Bad News: The vote passed by 31-30. Good News: The Elder Board accepted your job description the way you wrote it. Bad News: They were so

Advent 2007 (II): Mary and Her Relative Watch the Video

2007-12-16T18:04:00.000-05:00

Mary and Her Relative1Intro.: I have a funny habit – a habit that irritates my kids, but one that my wife loves.I sing songs to her.I make up little ditties that express my love and commitment to her as we drive along in the car.She likes it – especially when I come up with some words that makes sense.My kids don't like it – they feel the need to tell me I can't sing.And that is what Mary is

Advent 2007 (I): Mary and the Angel Watch the Video

2007-12-04T20:16:00.000-05:00

Mary and the Angel1 Intro.: I would have liked to bring a really famous person into church today.Somebody like the President of the US, or the Pope, or the Queen of EnglandI think two things would have been amazing.* You would be amazed that that person was here at all* You would want to here every word that this person spoke.Today, as we begin our Advent season, we will look at the Mother of

Loving God: Basking In His Love Watch the Video

2007-11-27T15:44:00.000-05:00

Loving God: Basking In His LoveJude 1:20-21 (HCSB) But you, dear friends, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. Intro.: I want to begin by telling you about two men.Oswald Chambers was a well known Christian leader from the early 20th century.He was born in

Loving God: God Is Love No Video Available

2007-11-20T19:34:00.000-05:00

Loving God: God Is Love1Intro.: I have here a red apple. [Show red apple]But how do you know it is red? Let's try an experiment. Close your eyes. I want you to imagine for a minute this lucious, sweet, apple. May be you will want to eat it, maybe you will want to put into an apple pie. But doesn't it sound good right now?[Exchange apples]Now, keeping your eyes closed, how do you know that it is a

Joshua: What Is Remembered? Watch The Video

2007-11-14T22:33:00.000-05:00

Joshua: What Is Remembered?Intro.: I want to share two events in the life of John Wesley.There was a point in John Wesley thought he wanted to be a mystic. He wanted to lead a secluded life in which he could enjoy real rest for his soul.He had not yet put his faith in Christ. And he thought that leading a solitary life give him the rest he finally needed. His wise mother interposed, saying that “

Joshua: Looking Toward The End Watch the Video

2007-11-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

Joshua: Looking Toward The EndIntro.: I want you to imagine just for a moment that you are near the very end of your life.You know that the end could come at any time. And you want to leave something – but what?Maybe you will decide to write your closest love ones a letter. I mean, most of us have 40 to 50 years of experience which have taught us a great deal. Experience which we may want to pass

Joshua: God Keeps His Promises Watch the Video

2007-10-30T23:20:00.000-04:00

Joshua: God Keeps His PromisesIntro.: Think back 40 years ago. Where were you? What were you doing?I was in High School – not an athlete, but a leader of the campus service club.I served as secretary of the Key Club – we built floats, we sold programs at the High School football games. At the time I was a member, it was still appropriate to have an all male club – so we competed with the girls

Joshua: The Priests Get Their Due Watch the Video

2007-10-22T15:16:00.000-04:00

Joshua: The Priests Get Their DueIntro.: I once was a part of a party game.As each person arrived, they were given a colored slip of paper. The paper could have been red, green, or blue. 10% of those arriving got red slips, 30% got green slips, and the others got blue slips.As it came time for dinner, the people with red slips were told to sit in the back of the room, those with green slips were

Joshua: Decision Making God's Way Watch the Video

2007-10-14T21:15:00.000-04:00

Joshua: Decision Making God's WayIntro.: I thought about bringing in a set of barbells this morning.Lift the 5# weight – no problemLift the 25# weight – might struggle, but might be able to do itLift the 100# weightLift the 500# weight – I doubt that any of us could lift this weight. The Olympic record for weight lifting is just 671 pounds – but 500 is too close for comfort. At least my

Joshua: Coming To A Close Watch the Video

2007-10-07T23:37:00.000-04:00

Joshua: Coming To A CloseIntro.: Over the last two years we have sung that little ditty three times:Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,Jericho, Jericho.Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,And the walls come tumbling down.1It was the Spring of 2006 that we first began this journey.Then the next Fall, we again walked through this book.And again, last Spring.Now we want to finish the book that we started

Getting To Know God: Silence Watch the Video

2007-09-09T21:48:00.000-04:00

Getting To Know God: SilenceIntro.: I want to start today's sermon a bit differently than other sermons. In fact, it would be an even worse idea if any of you fall asleep. I want you to close your eyes and relax. Relax you toes, legs, fingers, arms, shoulders, face. Just relax ... and listen to the word of God.Ps 46: 10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will

Getting To Know God: Knowing Ourselves Watch the Video

2007-09-02T22:20:00.000-04:00

Getting To Know God: Knowing Ourselves Intro.: I took another week to come to the church without my computer. As we continue our examination of the tools that God provides so we can know Him better – it became obvious to me that one of those tools is the need to see our world like He sees it. That means we need to see our jobs like he sees it. It means that we need to see our recreation like he

Getting To Know God: Listening Watch the Video

2007-08-26T22:56:00.000-04:00

Getting To Know God: Listening Intro.: Over the past few weeks we have been looking at a set of tools that have been gathered together under the term Spiritual Disciplines. As a group they provide us with a great number of ways that we can meet God. In an earlier generation, they were termed “means of grace” - that term was known to John and Charles Wesley. The list of tools is long – we are not