Happy New Year

As we get started on the new year with our resolutions to change our eating habits and change how much we exercise and change what we spend our money on, I wanted to ground us in what does not change. There is much in this world and even in our church that changes, but we continue to stand on the truths that our faith is based on.

Remember the kids’ song? “The wise man built his house upon the rock… and the rain came tumbling down.” This song is based on a Scripture where Jesus tells his followers that scriptures are the solid rock on which to build our faith. (Matthew 7:24-27).

The United Methodist Church, St. Mark’s, our own personal faith are all built on solid foundations that ensure we are strong and withhold the storms that come. These are not changing as the whims of the world change around us. These are the things we can trust and we can know.

Around our denomination, we are seeing an increase of disinformation and flat-out lies about who we are as a church and what is in our future. It has gotten so bad in some areas that the North Georgia Conference made news in the denomination for halting the disaffiliation process to address the blatant lies that were being told to congregations about the future of the UMC, usually by those who are trying to increase the membership in the new denomination that has splintered from the UMC. You can read more about that here.

As you come to worship this season, we will name those building blocks in our faith that are never-wavering, despite what others might suggest. We will be reminded of our God who calls us all Children and gives us all the task of ministry, of witnessing, of evangelism. We will worship our God whom we know as Trinity through the Bible that is the Word of God revealed to humanity. We will worship a God who invites us to remember Jesus when we eat and drink, when we bathe and wash our hands, when we gather together in community. We will give thanks for our Wesleyan heritage that invites us to use Scripture, Reason, Experience, and Tradition in our faith. These are foundational beliefs in our faith, and we give thanks for them.

Join us this week and throughout this season as we stand firm on the solid rock that our faith and our church are built upon. May the storms around us not cause us to fall, but may we stand firm in our faith.

See you Sunday.
Pastor Lynn

 

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

• 8:30 a.m. Traditional service in Sanctuary and child care in Rm 15
• 10 a.m. Traditional service in Sanctuary and child care in Rm 15
• 10 a.m. Youth and children’s Sunday School and child care (except fifth Sundays)
• 10 a.m. Livestream premieres on YouTube and Website

To access our livestream service:

• From the main menu on our website click “Worship.”  -OR-
• Go to YouTube and search for UMC St. Mark’s Oro Valley or use this link.