July 25, 2020
Greetings Wonderful People of God,
Happy Saturday to you all 😊 I was reminded of something this week that I want to share with you in hopes it will encourage your faith.
I begin my thought with a question: When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? My maternal grandmother, Nanny, enjoyed gardening. This time of year, she would wake early so she could tend her garden before the heat of the day. Taking great care, she would remove bugs from the plans, she would weed the beds and she would loosen the soil to help the roots of tender plants grow deeper.
In Nanny’s garden, you would find an assortment of vegetables, herbs, and flowers. The colors and the smells would attract butterflies of all sorts. They were beautiful! She taught me how to catch butterflies ever so gently so that I could take a moment to study their beauty and then be able to release them safely and without harm. I was always amazed by the variety of distinct colors and patterns. The beauty of each butterfly unfolded even more when I would open my hands and its wings fluttered, lifting its tiny body. In short order the beautiful creature would resume its dance, floating from flower to flower.
While I was enjoying the butterflies, Nanny would resume her work tending the garden. After she had filled her basket with fresh vegetables, she would make her way to the royal residents of her garden, the roses. Roses were her favorite! She would clip the deadheads every day and the bushes would fill with glorious bloom. I have no idea how many varieties she planted. Every rose was different, and she knew each by name. She would rattle off the unique characteristics to me that made each special and valued. To her their scent was their crown. So, she would invite me to stiff and behold their sweet perfume.
While at Lake Junaluska this past week I took a break from my studies to take a walk. Lake Junaluska was one of Nanny’s favorite places to visit each year and I think I discovered the reason why. There is a 3.5-mile trail around the lake that is filled with varieties of beautiful and unique plants. One section of the walk is called, “the Rose Walk”. It features a combination of 210 different kinds of roses and every bush was in full bloom. I was compelled by their beauty to stop and smell. I am so glad I did! With one sniff I was reminded of God’s presence. I was taken, for a moment, out of this world and I was taken back to Nanny’s garden where I learned to see God in creation and where I learned the value of each plant.
I closed my eyes and breathed in again. As I did, I felt God wrap His arms around me. God held me and the chaos of the world stopped. The noise that had filled my head ceased. The clouds of confusion that have lingered over life’s paths were suddenly blown away. I felt alive again. I could see, hear, smell, and feel the world around me and rediscover its beauty.
I realized that it has been sometime since this has happened. I have been so focused trying to keep my head above water that I have forgotten to live and breathe. In fact, I could not remember how long it had been since I had stopped to smell the roses and breath God in. When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses and breath God in? May we take time today, and every day, to do just that!
As you take time with God this week, please pray for one another and for others as God brings them to mind. Also, this week’s list of prayers and celebrations is attached. Please include prayers for those listed. Take time too to listen, to be present with God and to rest in God’s arms. May God bless you in these times.
May the grace and love of God be with you all!
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
Greetings Wonderful People of God,
Happy Saturday to you all 😊 I was reminded of something this week that I want to share with you in hopes it will encourage your faith.
I begin my thought with a question: When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? My maternal grandmother, Nanny, enjoyed gardening. This time of year, she would wake early so she could tend her garden before the heat of the day. Taking great care, she would remove bugs from the plans, she would weed the beds and she would loosen the soil to help the roots of tender plants grow deeper.
In Nanny’s garden, you would find an assortment of vegetables, herbs, and flowers. The colors and the smells would attract butterflies of all sorts. They were beautiful! She taught me how to catch butterflies ever so gently so that I could take a moment to study their beauty and then be able to release them safely and without harm. I was always amazed by the variety of distinct colors and patterns. The beauty of each butterfly unfolded even more when I would open my hands and its wings fluttered, lifting its tiny body. In short order the beautiful creature would resume its dance, floating from flower to flower.
While I was enjoying the butterflies, Nanny would resume her work tending the garden. After she had filled her basket with fresh vegetables, she would make her way to the royal residents of her garden, the roses. Roses were her favorite! She would clip the deadheads every day and the bushes would fill with glorious bloom. I have no idea how many varieties she planted. Every rose was different, and she knew each by name. She would rattle off the unique characteristics to me that made each special and valued. To her their scent was their crown. So, she would invite me to stiff and behold their sweet perfume.
While at Lake Junaluska this past week I took a break from my studies to take a walk. Lake Junaluska was one of Nanny’s favorite places to visit each year and I think I discovered the reason why. There is a 3.5-mile trail around the lake that is filled with varieties of beautiful and unique plants. One section of the walk is called, “the Rose Walk”. It features a combination of 210 different kinds of roses and every bush was in full bloom. I was compelled by their beauty to stop and smell. I am so glad I did! With one sniff I was reminded of God’s presence. I was taken, for a moment, out of this world and I was taken back to Nanny’s garden where I learned to see God in creation and where I learned the value of each plant.
I closed my eyes and breathed in again. As I did, I felt God wrap His arms around me. God held me and the chaos of the world stopped. The noise that had filled my head ceased. The clouds of confusion that have lingered over life’s paths were suddenly blown away. I felt alive again. I could see, hear, smell, and feel the world around me and rediscover its beauty.
I realized that it has been sometime since this has happened. I have been so focused trying to keep my head above water that I have forgotten to live and breathe. In fact, I could not remember how long it had been since I had stopped to smell the roses and breath God in. When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses and breath God in? May we take time today, and every day, to do just that!
As you take time with God this week, please pray for one another and for others as God brings them to mind. Also, this week’s list of prayers and celebrations is attached. Please include prayers for those listed. Take time too to listen, to be present with God and to rest in God’s arms. May God bless you in these times.
May the grace and love of God be with you all!
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
July 4, 2020
Greetings Wonderful People of God,
Happy Independence Day! Today, we celebrate 244 years of Independence. I think we all agree that we are truly fortunate to live in a nation that allows us the opportunities that we share. However, I wonder if we are fully aware of the abundance of privileges we have inherited. Perhaps our familiarity with them has blinded us to their presence. We do tend to take for granted and become careless with things that come in abundance, don’t we? In our abundance of freedom, have we forgotten the value of freedom and that nature of the gift we have been given? Have we lost sight of its purpose and what we are to do with the freedom we share? I will be addressing these questions in tomorrow's message from Galatians 5:1,13-26.
The longer I live, the more I realize that freedom is not what I once thought. Years ago, Walter J. Ciszek wrote, “The fullest freedom I had ever known, the greatest sense of security, came from abandoning my will to do only the will of God.” He came to this realization after spending five years in a Moscow prison which was followed by a fifteen-year sentence of hard labor in Siberian prison camps. Ciszek was a Polish-American Jesuit priest who had been accused of being a Vatican spy. He persistently declared his innocence but was forced to sign a confession under torture. In short, it was in the absence of freedom that Ciszek discovered freedom.
I pray that we too will realize that the only true freedom we can know is freedom in Jesus Christ; freedom to do God’s will. It is just as we pray when we celebrate Holy Communion together, “Free us for joyful obedience in Jesus Christ.”
Don’t forget, we will also gather in-person for worship at 6 p.m. tomorrow in the backyard of the church building. Masks, social distancing and all the safety measures will be in place. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Check out the video and the church webpage to find out more.
I look forward to worshiping with you all this Sunday. May the grace and love of God be with you all!
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
Greetings Wonderful People of God,
Happy Independence Day! Today, we celebrate 244 years of Independence. I think we all agree that we are truly fortunate to live in a nation that allows us the opportunities that we share. However, I wonder if we are fully aware of the abundance of privileges we have inherited. Perhaps our familiarity with them has blinded us to their presence. We do tend to take for granted and become careless with things that come in abundance, don’t we? In our abundance of freedom, have we forgotten the value of freedom and that nature of the gift we have been given? Have we lost sight of its purpose and what we are to do with the freedom we share? I will be addressing these questions in tomorrow's message from Galatians 5:1,13-26.
The longer I live, the more I realize that freedom is not what I once thought. Years ago, Walter J. Ciszek wrote, “The fullest freedom I had ever known, the greatest sense of security, came from abandoning my will to do only the will of God.” He came to this realization after spending five years in a Moscow prison which was followed by a fifteen-year sentence of hard labor in Siberian prison camps. Ciszek was a Polish-American Jesuit priest who had been accused of being a Vatican spy. He persistently declared his innocence but was forced to sign a confession under torture. In short, it was in the absence of freedom that Ciszek discovered freedom.
I pray that we too will realize that the only true freedom we can know is freedom in Jesus Christ; freedom to do God’s will. It is just as we pray when we celebrate Holy Communion together, “Free us for joyful obedience in Jesus Christ.”
Don’t forget, we will also gather in-person for worship at 6 p.m. tomorrow in the backyard of the church building. Masks, social distancing and all the safety measures will be in place. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Check out the video and the church webpage to find out more.
I look forward to worshiping with you all this Sunday. May the grace and love of God be with you all!
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
May 9: Happy Friday! I hope you are all finishing the week strong in faith and love. I hope your hearts are encouraged and your hope secure. To help us end the week well, I'd like to share words from one of our own, Jennifer Dasher, that encouraged my heart. Special thanks to Jennifer for allowing me to share her witness of faith with you all. I pray for God to bless you and to inspire you as you read below.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas
One of the beautiful ways that I have seen God at work in my life during this time is the fact that I live a much simpler life. There is time to focus on the small things.
I now notice the beauty around me instead being so consumed with where to go out to eat, what clothes to wear, going to purchase non-essential items etc. My mind is much clearer. I have found much more time to meditate and pray, more so than two months ago. It’s a renewed value of the preciousness of relationships.
I almost feel that this time has been a re-birth.’ A time to reset and focus on what matters most. A time to reach out to those that I have lost contact with. I have spoken to my father after being estranged for more than 20 years. I think it has softened many of us; allowed us to forgive; allowed us to open ourselves up to second chances.
I see so many kind acts when I do venture out. People helping elderly load groceries. A stranger handing out face masks in a grocery store parking lot. A person ahead of me in line buying an unknown family’s groceries that were in our line.
God’s gifts and guidance are so bountiful in times such as these. I have to think that somehow this is a lesson from him. Instead of focusing on what we can’t do right now, I think he has shown us that this is a time for us to do much more spiritually productive things.
I look forward to all of us being together in the near future. Thank you for the continued words of encouragement.
Jennifer
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas
One of the beautiful ways that I have seen God at work in my life during this time is the fact that I live a much simpler life. There is time to focus on the small things.
I now notice the beauty around me instead being so consumed with where to go out to eat, what clothes to wear, going to purchase non-essential items etc. My mind is much clearer. I have found much more time to meditate and pray, more so than two months ago. It’s a renewed value of the preciousness of relationships.
I almost feel that this time has been a re-birth.’ A time to reset and focus on what matters most. A time to reach out to those that I have lost contact with. I have spoken to my father after being estranged for more than 20 years. I think it has softened many of us; allowed us to forgive; allowed us to open ourselves up to second chances.
I see so many kind acts when I do venture out. People helping elderly load groceries. A stranger handing out face masks in a grocery store parking lot. A person ahead of me in line buying an unknown family’s groceries that were in our line.
God’s gifts and guidance are so bountiful in times such as these. I have to think that somehow this is a lesson from him. Instead of focusing on what we can’t do right now, I think he has shown us that this is a time for us to do much more spiritually productive things.
I look forward to all of us being together in the near future. Thank you for the continued words of encouragement.
Jennifer
May 4: Greetings Wonderful People of God
Happy Monday! I greet you with good news. The Church is alive and well! I’ve heard rumors that the church is closed. Have you heard those rumors? Let be clear, the church building is closed and we’re not able to physically gather but the Church is definitely open for business. You see, we are the Church together and God is working among us and through us.
Where have you seen God at work among us and/or through us? Other than providing online worship experiences, what are ways you have seen RFUMC be the Church during the COVID 19 crisis? Also, in what ways do you sense God leading us to be the Church as we live into our future with COVID 19?
I do not know the source of the following meditation, but I want to share it with you as it speaks to who we are as the Church. I ran across it this week in my notes. It is called, “A Young Man Went to Church”.
One morning I walked into a church. I looked around and I saw an empty building. It was like a shell of what was. As the sun glistened through the dust in the air, I became distraught by the sight of the empty pews. BUT THEN, I was filled with joy. I realized that the people that were once in those pews were now outside of the building. They were working, serving, loving, and growing. They are not in here, because they are out there, being the Church. They are not just sitting in the pew. What will it take for us to be like them? When will we see the opportunity given to us to be the hands and feet of Jesus bringing hope into the world? Stained glass can’t pray for the sick. The walls can’t preach the Gospel but you can. The building we were meeting in is just a building but if you trust in Jesus, you are the Church.
One of the things that struck me as I read this meditation is that the thing that we miss most while not gathering is each other. We have been challenged to find new ways to be together without physically being together.
What new and meaningful ways have you been able to connect with others? What new and meaningful ways might we be able to connect with those who are not being connected with regularly? How might you and I be the hands and feet of Jesus bringing hope to the world during this time in history?
While I am writing this the old hymn, “We Are the Church” keeps ringing through my head. Kind of like the Jeopardy tune, it just stays with you (lol). I expect I’ll be singing it all day. Won’t you sing it with me? “We Are the Church”, UM Hymnal, No. 558, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ughMVTMhCuc
I’d love to read your responses to the questions I’ve posed in this letter. Your answers may be especially helpful as church leaders and I prayerfully discuss ways we sense God leading us. Won’t you chime in?
Please know you are all in my thoughts and prayers. Know that you are deeply loved by God and you are not alone. As one person put it, “We are all in different ships, but we are in the same storm”.
May God bless you all as we weather the storm together resting in Christ.
Read Matthew 8:23-27
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4_ayZIWnOQ
Happy Monday! I greet you with good news. The Church is alive and well! I’ve heard rumors that the church is closed. Have you heard those rumors? Let be clear, the church building is closed and we’re not able to physically gather but the Church is definitely open for business. You see, we are the Church together and God is working among us and through us.
Where have you seen God at work among us and/or through us? Other than providing online worship experiences, what are ways you have seen RFUMC be the Church during the COVID 19 crisis? Also, in what ways do you sense God leading us to be the Church as we live into our future with COVID 19?
I do not know the source of the following meditation, but I want to share it with you as it speaks to who we are as the Church. I ran across it this week in my notes. It is called, “A Young Man Went to Church”.
One morning I walked into a church. I looked around and I saw an empty building. It was like a shell of what was. As the sun glistened through the dust in the air, I became distraught by the sight of the empty pews. BUT THEN, I was filled with joy. I realized that the people that were once in those pews were now outside of the building. They were working, serving, loving, and growing. They are not in here, because they are out there, being the Church. They are not just sitting in the pew. What will it take for us to be like them? When will we see the opportunity given to us to be the hands and feet of Jesus bringing hope into the world? Stained glass can’t pray for the sick. The walls can’t preach the Gospel but you can. The building we were meeting in is just a building but if you trust in Jesus, you are the Church.
One of the things that struck me as I read this meditation is that the thing that we miss most while not gathering is each other. We have been challenged to find new ways to be together without physically being together.
What new and meaningful ways have you been able to connect with others? What new and meaningful ways might we be able to connect with those who are not being connected with regularly? How might you and I be the hands and feet of Jesus bringing hope to the world during this time in history?
While I am writing this the old hymn, “We Are the Church” keeps ringing through my head. Kind of like the Jeopardy tune, it just stays with you (lol). I expect I’ll be singing it all day. Won’t you sing it with me? “We Are the Church”, UM Hymnal, No. 558, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ughMVTMhCuc
I’d love to read your responses to the questions I’ve posed in this letter. Your answers may be especially helpful as church leaders and I prayerfully discuss ways we sense God leading us. Won’t you chime in?
Please know you are all in my thoughts and prayers. Know that you are deeply loved by God and you are not alone. As one person put it, “We are all in different ships, but we are in the same storm”.
May God bless you all as we weather the storm together resting in Christ.
Read Matthew 8:23-27
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4_ayZIWnOQ
May 2: Happy Saturday! Are you ready to worship? We’ve got a wonderful service lined up for you tomorrow.
For this Sunday, we will continue with part 3 of “Jesus Revealed”. Gather everyone in your home at 10:30 a.m. for a hymn sing. It’ll be fun! The worship service will follow with a live premiere at 10:45 a.m.
The hymn sing and worship service will premiere on YouTube and Facebook.
In preparation for the worship service, spend some time reflecting on John 10:1-10. Also, we will be celebrating Holy Communion. So, go ahead and gather the bread and juice/wine that you will need. See the attached “Guide for Online Communion” for important preparation information.
I am suggesting you watch via YouTube because the Facebook premiers have had issues for the past 4 weeks. YouTube has worked well!
On another note, have you missed reading the Upper Room devotional? Copies are in a box on the porch in front of the sanctuary. Swing by and get one if your able. Let me know if you need one delivered. Special thanks to Beverly Albea and George Anna Watson for setting the Upper Rooms out for us and for those that they have already delivered! You may also read the Upper Room each day online. Go to: https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals.
Also, PLEASE don’t forget to email pics, collages, etc. to me for Mother’s Day asap. The deadline was April 30th but I’ve only received a few. See the email I sent Tuesday, April 21 for details. I will forward it again in a minute. Mother’s Day is next Sunday, and we want to make it special. Thank you to those who have submitted pics! They are awesome!
May God continue to be our hope and strength. Stay well!
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
For this Sunday, we will continue with part 3 of “Jesus Revealed”. Gather everyone in your home at 10:30 a.m. for a hymn sing. It’ll be fun! The worship service will follow with a live premiere at 10:45 a.m.
The hymn sing and worship service will premiere on YouTube and Facebook.
In preparation for the worship service, spend some time reflecting on John 10:1-10. Also, we will be celebrating Holy Communion. So, go ahead and gather the bread and juice/wine that you will need. See the attached “Guide for Online Communion” for important preparation information.
I am suggesting you watch via YouTube because the Facebook premiers have had issues for the past 4 weeks. YouTube has worked well!
On another note, have you missed reading the Upper Room devotional? Copies are in a box on the porch in front of the sanctuary. Swing by and get one if your able. Let me know if you need one delivered. Special thanks to Beverly Albea and George Anna Watson for setting the Upper Rooms out for us and for those that they have already delivered! You may also read the Upper Room each day online. Go to: https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals.
Also, PLEASE don’t forget to email pics, collages, etc. to me for Mother’s Day asap. The deadline was April 30th but I’ve only received a few. See the email I sent Tuesday, April 21 for details. I will forward it again in a minute. Mother’s Day is next Sunday, and we want to make it special. Thank you to those who have submitted pics! They are awesome!
May God continue to be our hope and strength. Stay well!
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
April 28: Greetings Wonderful People of God
Happy Tuesday! I hope you are all experiencing the peace of God in the midst of the COVID 19 storm. In times such as these we can truly realize what a precious gift we have been given in Jesus Christ.
Friends, I am super excited about the new opportunity we have for our Wednesday evenings. I believe God will use it to uplift our faith and inspire others to faith. “What opportunity?”, you say. Glad you asked! 😊
Instead of beginning yet another Bible Study, we are beginning a “Bible Doing” group. You read correctly. A “Bible Doing” group made up of people who seek to live out the teachings of scripture.
It seems the Lord has been leading us this way throughout our past few studies. The book of James really hit the nail on the head a few months ago (Chapter 1):
“22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.”
Those of you who participated in that study remember the challenge James gave us each week.
Last Wednesday, I shared a devotion with the Bible Study group that continued to point us in this direction. The author, Bob Goff, wrote of an occasion when he grew weary of Bible Study groups. He indicated that there was a lot of talk with little action. Sound familiar? So, Bob and a few friends began a “Bible Doing” group.
I have been in conversation with Bob today and have become more convinced than ever that this is the right time for us to begin a similar group. I will be gleaning from Bob and his ministry as we take this step. You can check out Bob Goff and his ministries at https://bobgoff.com.
We will begin tomorrow reflecting on the text that I will preach from this Sunday, John 10:1-10. We will discern together what action God is calling us to and discuss ways God may be leading us to live out the text. We will then get specific and devise a plan of action for the week.
I hope you will join us for this exciting new venture. For tomorrow, spend time reflecting on John 10:1-10. Listen for the Lord to speak to your heart. Then join the discussion tomorrow (Wednesday) via Zoom at 6:30 p.m.
The link for tomorrow’s meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81545622125
To take part in the conversation without video you may use Zoom audio by calling (415)762-9988 and when prompted, enter the Meeting ID: 815 4562 2125 #
I truly hope you will join the fun 😊
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas
Happy Tuesday! I hope you are all experiencing the peace of God in the midst of the COVID 19 storm. In times such as these we can truly realize what a precious gift we have been given in Jesus Christ.
Friends, I am super excited about the new opportunity we have for our Wednesday evenings. I believe God will use it to uplift our faith and inspire others to faith. “What opportunity?”, you say. Glad you asked! 😊
Instead of beginning yet another Bible Study, we are beginning a “Bible Doing” group. You read correctly. A “Bible Doing” group made up of people who seek to live out the teachings of scripture.
It seems the Lord has been leading us this way throughout our past few studies. The book of James really hit the nail on the head a few months ago (Chapter 1):
“22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.”
Those of you who participated in that study remember the challenge James gave us each week.
Last Wednesday, I shared a devotion with the Bible Study group that continued to point us in this direction. The author, Bob Goff, wrote of an occasion when he grew weary of Bible Study groups. He indicated that there was a lot of talk with little action. Sound familiar? So, Bob and a few friends began a “Bible Doing” group.
I have been in conversation with Bob today and have become more convinced than ever that this is the right time for us to begin a similar group. I will be gleaning from Bob and his ministry as we take this step. You can check out Bob Goff and his ministries at https://bobgoff.com.
We will begin tomorrow reflecting on the text that I will preach from this Sunday, John 10:1-10. We will discern together what action God is calling us to and discuss ways God may be leading us to live out the text. We will then get specific and devise a plan of action for the week.
I hope you will join us for this exciting new venture. For tomorrow, spend time reflecting on John 10:1-10. Listen for the Lord to speak to your heart. Then join the discussion tomorrow (Wednesday) via Zoom at 6:30 p.m.
The link for tomorrow’s meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81545622125
To take part in the conversation without video you may use Zoom audio by calling (415)762-9988 and when prompted, enter the Meeting ID: 815 4562 2125 #
I truly hope you will join the fun 😊
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas
April 24: Greetings Wonderful People of God
Happy Friday! It is hard to believe we are entering the third Sunday of our Resurrection celebration. Pentecost will be here before we know it. For now, let us keep the Resurrection celebration going declaring the good news together: Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!
I hope the online and radio services have bene a blessing to you as we continue to shelter in place. Many have also enjoyed joining for Bible Study via Zoom on Wednesday evenings. Look out for an email next week announcing our new Wednesday evening venture.
For this Sunday, we will continue with part 2 of “Jesus Revealed”. Spend some time reflecting on John 20:19-31as this is our Gospel text this week. This passage from John hit me as being especially relevant during this season of our lives.
I hope you will join us as we worship and reflect on this text Sunday morning. The service will available be on YouTube, Facebook and WZOT again this Sunday.
As many are aware, Facebook has had difficulty keeping up with the activity on Sunday mornings. Since the Facebook premier has had failed to play on time the past few weeks, I am going to premiere it at 5:00 a.m. I hope this will enable the service to be ready for you when you wake up. You can watch the service any time after the premier has ended. The service will premiere on YouTube at 10:45 a.m. again and it will air on WZOT at 12 noon.
Here are the details:
All of this information will also be available on our website, www.rockmartumc.org. Don’t forget to hit the share link button on Facebook or YouTube so you can share the blessing.
Also, don’t forget to email pics, collages, etc. to me for Mother’s Day. See the email I sent Tuesday, April 21 for details. Thank you to those who have submitted pics to me early. They’re awesome!
May God continue to be our hope and strength. Stay well!
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
Happy Friday! It is hard to believe we are entering the third Sunday of our Resurrection celebration. Pentecost will be here before we know it. For now, let us keep the Resurrection celebration going declaring the good news together: Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!
I hope the online and radio services have bene a blessing to you as we continue to shelter in place. Many have also enjoyed joining for Bible Study via Zoom on Wednesday evenings. Look out for an email next week announcing our new Wednesday evening venture.
For this Sunday, we will continue with part 2 of “Jesus Revealed”. Spend some time reflecting on John 20:19-31as this is our Gospel text this week. This passage from John hit me as being especially relevant during this season of our lives.
I hope you will join us as we worship and reflect on this text Sunday morning. The service will available be on YouTube, Facebook and WZOT again this Sunday.
As many are aware, Facebook has had difficulty keeping up with the activity on Sunday mornings. Since the Facebook premier has had failed to play on time the past few weeks, I am going to premiere it at 5:00 a.m. I hope this will enable the service to be ready for you when you wake up. You can watch the service any time after the premier has ended. The service will premiere on YouTube at 10:45 a.m. again and it will air on WZOT at 12 noon.
Here are the details:
- Facebook Premier scheduled to begin at 5:00 a.m. @Rockmart1stUMC
- YouTube Premier at 10:45 a.m., I’ll email the link as soon as it is available.
- WZOT Radio at 12 noon, 101.9 FM or 1220 AM
All of this information will also be available on our website, www.rockmartumc.org. Don’t forget to hit the share link button on Facebook or YouTube so you can share the blessing.
Also, don’t forget to email pics, collages, etc. to me for Mother’s Day. See the email I sent Tuesday, April 21 for details. Thank you to those who have submitted pics to me early. They’re awesome!
May God continue to be our hope and strength. Stay well!
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
April 11: Greetings Wonderful People of God,
Happy Holy Saturday! My prayers are with you and your families as we celebrate the Resurrection in a most unusual manner this year. I truly miss you all and can hardly wait until we are able to worship together again.
I hope you have been blessed by the services that we have put out on Facebook and Zoom this past week. Special thanks to Justin Arnold, pastor of Aragan UMC, for joining me in many of the services. His help has been invaluable. Also, it was a special treat for me to have my bride, Rev. Melissa Kime-Hall, to join me in our evening service on Maundy Thursday! Despite numerous technical difficulties, we finally got the service out for you.
Friends, despite our physical distance, we remain one in Christ, one with each other in ministry to all the world. This is possible because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is alive and He is with us! Alleluia! We have so much for which to be thankful and to celebrate. Here are a few opportunities to help you and your families have a special celebration tomorrow:
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
Happy Holy Saturday! My prayers are with you and your families as we celebrate the Resurrection in a most unusual manner this year. I truly miss you all and can hardly wait until we are able to worship together again.
I hope you have been blessed by the services that we have put out on Facebook and Zoom this past week. Special thanks to Justin Arnold, pastor of Aragan UMC, for joining me in many of the services. His help has been invaluable. Also, it was a special treat for me to have my bride, Rev. Melissa Kime-Hall, to join me in our evening service on Maundy Thursday! Despite numerous technical difficulties, we finally got the service out for you.
Friends, despite our physical distance, we remain one in Christ, one with each other in ministry to all the world. This is possible because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is alive and He is with us! Alleluia! We have so much for which to be thankful and to celebrate. Here are a few opportunities to help you and your families have a special celebration tomorrow:
- 7:00 AM, Resurrection Celebration at Sunrise
- YouTube: https://youtu.be/NDFewfkyKTw
- Facebook: facebook.com/RockmartFirstUMC
- 12:00 noon, Our Resurrection Celebration will be aired on WZOT Radio, 101.9 FM / 1220 AM
- RFUMC Easter Music Special: Tomorrow on Facebook, facebook.com/RockmartFirstUMC, time TBA
- Easter Prayer Walk: This is a great activity for individuals or families. See attached PDF.
- The Resurrection Cross with flowers will be displayed on the sanctuary porch tomorrow. Come by, visit the cross, and remember all Christ has done for us. Take pictures but please remember to observe COVID-19 guidelines. If someone is at the cross when you arrive, please remain in the car until they are finished. The cross will be moved to the church yard once the storms have cleared (hopefully Monday).
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
| Easter Prayer Walk 2020 |
April 6: Greetings Wonderful People of God, Happy Holy Monday 😊. I hope you are all blessed and well on this beautiful Monday afternoon!
Did you join me live on Facebook for our Holy Monday service at noon today? The video is up if you want to watch or share with others. Today’s meditation was from Luke 19: 47-48, “Hung on His Words”.
Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
I hope you can join me throughout the week! I’ll be on Facebook each day this week though Friday, at noon, for a Holy Week mediation, facebook.com/PastorThomasG. Our theme is, “Love Leads the Way.”
Additional opportunities this week:
· Holy Week for Families and Kids – www.rockmartumc.org
· Wednesday Bible Study, 6:30 p.m.
· Maundy Thursday service, 6:30 p.m.
· Resurrection Celebration at Sunrise, 7 a.m. facebook.com/RockmartFirstUMC & facebook.com/PastorThomasG
· Our Resurrection Celebration: facebook.com/RockmartFirstUMC and facebook.com/PastorThomasG
You can also Listen and worship
Giving:
You can keep up with the latest through our website. You can also find exciting and helpful posts on our Facebook page throughout the week, facebook.com/RockmartFirstUMC.
You are all in my prayers every day. It will truly be a great day when we can gather and worship together again! In the meantime, let’s keep checking on one another while also paying attention to our neighbors, helping all we can help. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need me. Remember, my friends, God has got this. Let’s just do what we set out to do at the beginning of Lent: Let’s listen to Jesus. Hang onto his words and let’s follow him all the way.
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
Did you join me live on Facebook for our Holy Monday service at noon today? The video is up if you want to watch or share with others. Today’s meditation was from Luke 19: 47-48, “Hung on His Words”.
Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
I hope you can join me throughout the week! I’ll be on Facebook each day this week though Friday, at noon, for a Holy Week mediation, facebook.com/PastorThomasG. Our theme is, “Love Leads the Way.”
Additional opportunities this week:
· Holy Week for Families and Kids – www.rockmartumc.org
· Wednesday Bible Study, 6:30 p.m.
· Maundy Thursday service, 6:30 p.m.
· Resurrection Celebration at Sunrise, 7 a.m. facebook.com/RockmartFirstUMC & facebook.com/PastorThomasG
· Our Resurrection Celebration: facebook.com/RockmartFirstUMC and facebook.com/PastorThomasG
You can also Listen and worship
Giving:
You can keep up with the latest through our website. You can also find exciting and helpful posts on our Facebook page throughout the week, facebook.com/RockmartFirstUMC.
You are all in my prayers every day. It will truly be a great day when we can gather and worship together again! In the meantime, let’s keep checking on one another while also paying attention to our neighbors, helping all we can help. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need me. Remember, my friends, God has got this. Let’s just do what we set out to do at the beginning of Lent: Let’s listen to Jesus. Hang onto his words and let’s follow him all the way.
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
March 21: It is with great sadness that I announce that Mary Mason died late this morning. I spoke with Steve a little while ago. It appears Mary died of a heart attack. Prayers for the family are most appreciated at this time. The family appreciates the love of Christ you share keeping social distancing in mind. LINK to her OBITUARY.
Greetings Wonderful People of God,
To all who are part of the RFUMC family, grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This greeting from Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi seems most fitting at this present time. May we all receive and walk in the grace and peace of God in this time of uncertainty.
I’m emailing to keep you all updated on the latest from RFUMC. As mentioned in my previous email, we also depend heavily on you to spread the news by word of mouth. Please call those you know who may not use the internet to share the latest.
All services, activities and gatherings continue to be suspended. For the safety of all, they are now suspended until further notice. This is a change from my last statement.
During this time, it is important to remember you are not alone. Hear it again: You are not alone. I pray none of you are feeling alone or isolated during this time of social distancing. We’re all out here. We’re just keeping distance because we love you. In this time, it may be good for us all to remember these words from John Wesley, “Best of all, God is with us.”
I am so grateful to the RFUMC leadership for working with me to help keep us connected and to help us move forward in ministry together. Because of their help I can offer you the latest “good” news:
In closing, remember the three general rules of the church: Do not harm, do good and attend to the ordinances of God. More on this in the days ahead as they are especially helpful to us during these times.
Closing again in the words of our D.S., Rev. Dr. Jessica Terrell: Stay in prayer. Stay Healthy. Stay Calm. Stay informed. And keep washing your hands. 😊
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
--
Rev. Thomas (T.G.) Hall, Senior Pastor
Rockmart First United Methodist Church
P.O. Box 152
Rockmart, GA 30153
(770) 684-6251
www.rockmartumc.org
To all who are part of the RFUMC family, grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This greeting from Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi seems most fitting at this present time. May we all receive and walk in the grace and peace of God in this time of uncertainty.
I’m emailing to keep you all updated on the latest from RFUMC. As mentioned in my previous email, we also depend heavily on you to spread the news by word of mouth. Please call those you know who may not use the internet to share the latest.
All services, activities and gatherings continue to be suspended. For the safety of all, they are now suspended until further notice. This is a change from my last statement.
During this time, it is important to remember you are not alone. Hear it again: You are not alone. I pray none of you are feeling alone or isolated during this time of social distancing. We’re all out here. We’re just keeping distance because we love you. In this time, it may be good for us all to remember these words from John Wesley, “Best of all, God is with us.”
I am so grateful to the RFUMC leadership for working with me to help keep us connected and to help us move forward in ministry together. Because of their help I can offer you the latest “good” news:
- We’ll continue worship services and Bible Study via Facebook live during this time.
- You can access live feeds from my personal Facebook page facebook.com/PastorThomasG
- A new Facebook page is also being set up for the church. You’ll be able to access services from this page too. Make sure to friend us and invite friends to join when it is up and running.
- We’ll also have a tithing app soon. A link will be on the website and Facebook page. Tithes and offerings can also be mailed to the church: P.O. Box 152, Rockmart, GA 30153
- Thank you for your continued generosity and faithful giving!
- We are working to provide drive-in church in the next few weeks. Pray we can make this happen.
- There will not be community service for Holy Week this year.
- We plan to worship on Maundy Thursday as planned with some modifications to be announced later (6-8 p.m.)
- We plan to continue with the sunrise service at Rose Hill Cemetery on Easter Sunday with some modification, also to be announced later.
- Nurture and Care Teams have been established. Team leaders will be in contact with you if they have not done so already. They will relay concerns / needs to me.
- Nurture and Care Team leaders, please call anyone you know on your list who does not have email to relay latest RFUMC news as is comes out. Thank you!
- We will not have a community meal this month, but we are discussing ways to do the meal at the end of April if we still have to continue our practice social distancing at that time.
- Please email mail me with prayer concerns as needed tg.hall@ngumc.net
In closing, remember the three general rules of the church: Do not harm, do good and attend to the ordinances of God. More on this in the days ahead as they are especially helpful to us during these times.
Closing again in the words of our D.S., Rev. Dr. Jessica Terrell: Stay in prayer. Stay Healthy. Stay Calm. Stay informed. And keep washing your hands. 😊
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Thomas
--
Rev. Thomas (T.G.) Hall, Senior Pastor
Rockmart First United Methodist Church
P.O. Box 152
Rockmart, GA 30153
(770) 684-6251
www.rockmartumc.org
