November 1

What an amazing Fall Family Fun Night we had Sunday night, due to the incredible army of volunteers who made it happen. When we realized the extremely cold weather would cause us to regroup and rethink the set-up, the transition from outdoors to indoors happened without a wrinkle. A tremendously large inflatable took up the entire space of the Fellowship Hall; the kitchen was bustling with cooks and friends putting together an amazing picnic supper. Registration, Face Painting, and Pumpkin Painting took over the Gathering Space, and down the hallway was Apple Bobbing and digging for treasures in the sand. The library was filled with music and laughter as the Cake Walk was a popular event.

 And finally, the remaining outside events: A very quick Pumpkin Hunt took place on the side of the building. The Hayride took short, but fun trips around our property, and a donkey even showed up for the children to pet and feed!

 We had a very large crowd of friends and neighbors who joined us, many visiting Union for the very first time. Welcoming faces and caring voices greeted them as they walked through the door. Thank you to everyone who was a part of this “inviting event.” God’s love shows up in unexpected places – maybe even on a bounce house slide!

~Pastor Jane

October 25

As I began thinking about what I wanted to write about this week, a plug for Fall Family Fun Night was the first thing that came to my mind.  But, somehow that seemed wrong.  Like many of you, I have been overcome with the heaviness that seems to be surrounding us, especially this past week. We ask the question, “why,” but there seems to be no answer. I find myself wanting to do something – anything.

Let me suggest an idea that comes out of the Bible/Book study our women are currently involved in, based on the book Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton; the idea – a walk with God.  How can walking bring us closer to God?  The old gospel hymn says it this way:

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea.
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, Let it be.

A specific way we can walk with God is through a practice called Prayer Walking – a walk that is taken for the purpose of being with God. One of the main differences between a prayer walk and a normal walk is that on a prayer walk, we are not trying to get somewhere and there is no agenda except to be fully present in the moment. You can even do a prayer walk inside your own home.

I hope you will try this and as you begin this time with God, here are some suggestions to lead you:

Begin slowly and take some time to breathe deeply before beginning.
Acknowledge God’s presence and invite God to walk with you. 
Feel free to just walk quietly and receptively or to talk to God as you walk.
Let God speak to you as you walk - through your inward voice or through things you might see.
Thank God for his presence with you.

Let’s join together in walking with God this week.

~Pastor Jane

October 18

Fall has finally arrived and with it comes several extra occasions for the Union family to share the love of Jesus in our community. These are what I like to call “inviting events” – events that are specifically designed, not for us, but for those around us. Of course, we will love participating in each of these opportunities, but for these events, our main focus is outward instead of inward. What is coming up?

First – On Sunday, October 29, from 4-6 pm, we have invited out friends and neighbors to join us for Fall Family Fun Night. This will be a fun afternoon of games and activities for children of all ages. How can you help? We need as many volunteers as possible to help with games, crafts, face painting, hayrides, inflatables, and so much more. Can you give some time to help? Sign up on the clipboard on Sunday, or call the church office 706-769-6448 to volunteer.

Second – Once again we will be filling Thanksgiving Boxes for families in need during the holidays. Families apply for these boxes through the local school and guidance counselors. As we’ve done in the past few years, Union will provide a box, a list of items needed, and information about a specific family (no names). Empty boxes will be available for pickup in the Gathering Space on Sundays, October 29 and November 5. Filled boxes should be returned on Sunday, November 12 and will be distributed on Friday, November 17.

Third – Sunday, November 5 is time change Sunday – when we will switch from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time. This is also the day we get an extra hour of sleep. On that day we will have “Pack A Pew Sunday,” when you are encouraged to invite friends, neighbors, family, and co-workers to come join you for worship at Union and sit with you on “your pew.” That day we will all wear name tags, just another way to take away one of the barriers for some people. Be thinking about who you can invite and let’s have fun, “Packing A Pew” together.

~Pastor Jane

October 11

What do you think of prayer?  Is it something we do when we need something – a type of request line?  Is it a way to soothe our hearts and minds when things are swirling around us?  Prayer can be different things to different people, but at its very core, prayer is communication with God, and is comprised of both talking and listening.  We are very good at the talking, aren’t we?

But prayer is more than just a way to ask for things.  Last Sunday, as a church family we had the privilege of praying for Austin Eades and his family as he leaves for Boot Camp.  Our prayers were requests – keep him safe, give him strength, help him to know he is loved.  But, it also included thanksgiving for Austin – for his life, his determination, his love for his family, his church, and his God.

This Sunday we again have the opportunity to join together as a community of faith in prayer as we dedicate a sweet young child to God.  Because of the calling of one of our members, our church family has been blessed to have foster children in our midst.  This Sunday we will come together in prayerful support of a young man that has stolen our hearts. We will hold Noah and his foster mother, Emily Maxey, in our prayers.  We will pledge to pray for them and support them.  We will promise to hold both Emily and Noah before God throughout his life. 

Emily has chosen Jeremiah 29:11 as Noah's life verse.  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  We don’t know what the future will hold, but we do know that God holds Noah's future, and for that, we give thanks.

~Pastor Jane

October 4

We come again this week, reeling from another tragedy and find ourselves overcome with grief, anxiety, and anger at the latest brutal act of violence in our midst. It just seems too much! Have you found yourself asking the question, “Where is God?” Each time something like this happens, we quickly offer up prayers for those affected, but do those prayers seems to be falling on deaf ears?

Just like you, I struggle with this question. Today, I would like to offer just one way to work through our communal grief. In the Bible, the book of Psalms is the songbook of Israel; songs used in worship. As we look at the 150 psalms that are included in our Bible, the largest number of them are defined as Psalms of Lament. A Psalm of Lament contains words that helps us name our grief and the corresponding emotions that come with it. It doesn’t whitewash our anger and anxiety, but instead puts these honest emotions in words directed to God.  

A Psalm of Lament has several parts – the Address, where we call out to God; the Complaint, where we name the situation that is wrong or unjust; the Request, where we tell God what we need – God, DO something; and, the Expression of Trust, that is often woven throughout the lament and sometimes found at the end.

Biblical lament is an honest cry to a God who is powerful, good, and just—a cry that states “this situation is not in alignment with God’s purposes.” It’s a cry that expects an answer from God, and therefore results in hope, trust, and joy rather than despair. Are you crying this week? I encourage you to look at the Psalms and follow this pattern as you work through your grief from the Las Vegas tragedy, some of the natural tragedies that we’ve seen in the past few weeks, or perhaps your own grief at a personal situation. This is how we cry to God!

I share with you an example from Psalm 22 of these different sections of lament.  As you pray this week, offer your lament to God.  We will do the same together in worship this week.

Address
“My God, my God” (v. 1).

Complaint
“Why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. . . . My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death” (vv. 1-2, 15).

Request
“Lord, do not be far from me. . . . Come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen” (vv. 19-21).

Expression of Trust
“Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. . . Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me feel secure on my mother’s breast. . . . I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. . . . For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help” (vv. 3-4, 9, 22, 24).

~Pastor Jane

October 1

This past month has brought us storm after storm and we are reminded daily of needs that almost overwhelm us.  Angry words are being tossed about like waves on a beach.  Countries are back and forth at each other, threatening war.  Families are in turmoil.  The world seems to be caught in a giant crescendo.  Do you ever wonder in the midst of the chaos, “Where is God?” When that question rolls around in our mind, we are reminded that God has promised he will never leave us.  This promise is found over and over in scripture.  Deuteronomy 31:6 and Hebrews 13:5 are just two of many places.

 I would like to share a poem with you this month by one of my favorite authors, Ted Loder.  I find it comforting as we walk through these days.

God...Are You There?

God…are you there?
I’ve been taught,
           and told I ought
                         to pray.
But the doubt
            won’t go away;
yet neither
            will my longing to be heard
My soul sighs
            too deep for words.
Do you hear me?
God…are you there?

Are you where love is?
I don’t love well,
            or often,
                    anything
                             or anyone.
But, when I do,
            when I take the risk,
there’s a sudden awareness
             of all I’ve missed;
and it’s good,
             it’s singing good.
For a moment
             life seems as it should.
But, I forget, so busy soon,
             That it was,
                       or what
                              or whom.

Help me!
God…are you there?

September 27

This Sunday, Christians around the world will be sharing communion together.  It is World Communion Sunday, observed each year on the first Sunday of October.  Many denominations participate in communion much less frequently than we do.  For us, as Disciples congregations who partake of communion each week, a day designated solely for this purpose seems a little “off.”  But, this year especially, I think it is important for us to know about the beginning of this tradition and its driving purpose.  Why is it important?

World Communion Sunday was begun in 1934 by Hugh Thomson Kerr, a minister at Shadyside Presbyterian Church Pittsburgh, PA.  The idea of a day like this was to bring churches together in a service of Christian unity, where people could be reminded of how we are all interconnected; that we are all children of God.  The larger Presbyterian Church adopted this idea in 1936, and since then, it has spread to Christian churches around the world.

Each morning, as I wake up and read the news from overnight, all I seem to read about is division, anger, and people flinging furious words.  It seems that we are constantly at odds with each other, with other countries, even within our own families.  World Communion Sunday offers us a day to step away from the conflict and recognize the one thing that unifies us all – Jesus Christ.  So, as we gather for worship on Sunday, we can know that people in Puerto Rico, who have been devastated by a hurricane, people in Mexico, who are suffering from the aftereffects of an earthquake, people in North Korea, who continue to live their faith in persecution, people from South Sudan, who are fleeing violence, and so many more, are all pausing to observe communion on the same day.  May we hold Christians around the world in prayer on this day and every day.

~Pastor Jane

September 20

Have you ever felt like complaining, whining, or griping to God?  For many people, this feeling might erupt when life just doesn’t seem fair.  Perhaps you have served God your entire life, and then life throws you a curve ball; maybe you lost your job, or a family member got sick.  The words, “It’s just not fair!” might find their way into your mind.

Do you ever feel this way?  This premise is being fed constantly in our culture today as we often find ourselves divided between “us” and “them.”  “They” don’t work as hard as I do, and yet, are handed things on a silver platter.  “They” receive what seem to be handouts, while I work all the time just to make ends meet. These thoughts are the basis for the parable that will guide our thoughts during worship this Sunday.  The story told by Jesus in Matthew 20:1-16, seems to run headlong into what we understand as fairness. 

I hope you will join us as we delve into a story that has been described as “the most hated parable in the Bible.”  

~Pastor Jane

September 13

As I’ve mentioned in the Pastoral Prayer time each of the past few weeks, it seems we are surrounded by needs and natural disasters.  From the floods of Hurricane Harvey, to the extreme damage of Hurricane Irma – both in the US and in the small islands of the Caribbean, to the huge earthquake in Mexico, to the flooding and death of over 1300 people in Bangladesh, Indian, Nepal and Pakistan, there is so much heartache and devastation in our world.  We are only a small group of believers.  What can we do?  It seems to be too much!

We can do - what we can do. 

• Begin by praying, each and every day, for those who have been impacted by these disasters.  When the national news cycle moves on to the next big thing, continue praying. 
• When you have the opportunity, give what you can to help.  Over the past two weeks, Union members and friends have donated almost $3000 to Hurricane Harvey relief through Week of Compassion.  Every cent of this money will be “on the ground” through Disciples ministries in that area. 
• Continue serving locally – through ACTS, Sparrows Nest, and Interfaith Hospitality Network and other mission opportunities.  Continue giving each month to the Christian Women’s Fellowship projects.  We can do what we can do – and it starts locally.

Hear these few words from the beginning and end of a prayer by Ted Loder called Sometimes It Just Seems To Be Too Much.

Sometimes, Lord,
it just seems to be too much:
too much violence, too much fear;
too much of demands and problems;
too much of broken dreams and broken lives…

...O God, make of me some nourishment
for these starved times,
some food for my brothers and sisters
who are hungry for gladness and hope,
that, being bread for them,
I may also be fed and be full.
AMEN.

~Pastor Jane

September 6

For seventeen years, a television program has been on the airways, one of the first examples of a new genre - what we now call reality tv.  The show Survivor places a group of strangers on an island, where they are dropped with little or no supplies.  Upon arrival, the contestants are divided into two tribes. The tribe will become their community, their support system, for the time they are on the island.
 
You would think that your tribe would be your family, and in a sense it is, as the two tribes compete against each other for immunity.  But, when your tribe loses a challenge, suddenly your family turns on itself and decides to vote one of their own "off the island."  Over the weeks of competition, one by one, people are eliminated, until there is only one, the Sole Survivor, winner of one million dollars.
 
We continue our journey through Matthew this week, hearing Jesus' words from chapter 18, verses 15-20, where Jesus talks about how to resolve differences. Unlike Survivor, Jesus wouldn't have us "vote each other off the island."  Instead, he gives us clear instructions on how to work through conflict within our community.  I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we learn from Jesus together.

~Pastor Jane

August 31

I am currently reading a book that has been on my shelf for a while – Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life, by Shauna Niequist.  It is a collection of 40 short essays about happenings from her own day-to-day life.  In each chapter she takes a simple life event, something that could have easily been overlooked or bypassed, and found something extraordinary in it.  Some of the chapter titles include: Puppies; Swimming; Eggs and Baskets; Brothers, Sisters, and Barbecues; and Needle and Thread.  At first glance, there seems to be nothing extraordinary there, yet, as she recounts the stories, in each one, she highlights the extraordinary found in the ordinary.   

Where does the title Cold Tangerines come from?  Hear her words: “I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don’t want to get to the end, or to tomorrow, even, and realize that my life is a collection of meetings and pop cans and errands and receipts and dirty dishes.  I want to eat cold tangerines and sing loud in the car with the windows open and wear pink shoes and stay up all night laughing and paint my walls the exact color of the sky right now.  I want to sleep hard on clean white sheets and throw parties and eat ripe tomatoes and read books so good they make me jump up and down, and I want my everyday to make God belly laugh, glad that he gave life to someone who loves the gift.”

What is she saying?  In John 10:10, we hear Jesus’ words, “I have come so that they could have life – indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.”  During this season of Ordinary Time during worship, we are looking to Jesus to learn ways that we, too, can live these extraordinary lives that have been promised to us.  From moving through life without fear, to persistence in following the ways of Jesus, every day we can find the extraordinary, if we are attuned to God’s blessings.

How will you walk today?  Looking at life through the drudgery of the everyday, or looking with anticipation for that “life to the fullest” that Jesus has promised us.  May your eyes look up as you live your days.

August 30

We have all been overwhelmed by the unprecedented pictures coming from the ongoing presence of Hurricane Harvey.  We have seen images from Houston that seem impossible to fathom, all the while knowing that there are also untold stories from other smaller communities that are affected.  Recovery will take years and billions of dollars.  Do you feel a need to respond, but don’t know how?

I was a part of the recovery effort from Hurricane Katrina at my church in Alabama, miles and miles from the coast.  We received mounds of donations andhundreds and hundreds of refugees, as we were a Red Cross outpost.  Our church gym was overrun with stuffed animals and thousands of pounds of used clothes.  To be honest, everyone who donated was doing so with the purest of intention, but I quickly learned that “stuff” is not what was needed.  “Stuff” overwhelmed us as caregivers and didn’t speak to the bigger picture.  What was needed was money, on the ground, locally, where those who lived there and served there knew the specific needs of the people.

Week of Compassion is the Disciples ministry arm that works with people on the ground when there are natural disasters.  Every penny that is given to this offering goes to where it is needed most.  This Sunday, September 3 and next Sunday, September 10, wewill take up a special offering during worship for Week of Compassion and its ministry to those affected by Hurricane Harvey and will designate it solely for that.

I encourage you to join me in PRAYING continually for the affected communities, and if you would like, DONATING to relief and recovery efforts through Week of Compassion.

~Pastor Jane

August 23

On Monday, I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to view the 2017 solar eclipse in totality.  Even though I knew I could see it “almost total” from home, I had a great desire to view the full event, so off to South Carolina I went early on Monday morning. Since Monday, I have heard several comments about how for many people the event was underwhelming.  I know in some areas of the country the eclipse was obscured by cloud cover, but where I was, it couldn’t have been more perfect.

The moment of totality took my breath away, and for me was a truly spiritual moment.  I took my glasses off and gazed at the sun – covered completely by the moon. But there was something about the totality that has stayed with me. You see, even in the darkness, there was the corona, the small ring of light, still visible in the darkness. 

We are living in a time that feels dark, but the eclipse was a picture for me that even in the total darkness, the light of Love still shines.  John 1:4 tells us, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”  Jesus, the Light of the World, still shines through the darkness. This promise was made real for me on Monday.

But, we must also remember that Jesus said to us, “You are the light of the world…Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  My prayer is that we can carry the light of Christ with us every day as we move into the world sharing the Good News.

~Pastor Jane

August 16

What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning - of course, after you throw water on your face and have your first cup of coffee.  My “first thing” has always involved reading the news.  As a young girl, I would sit at the kitchen table and read the morning newspaper.  Even while on vacation, I always walk down to the corner store and buy several newspapers for the day.  As the reporting of news has morphed to a more on-line presence in recent days, I find myself pulling out my smart phone to read the daily paper, peruse everyone’s Facebook updates – all to find out what has happened overnight.

That is, until these past few days.  I find myself unable to take a peak, to see what has happened, because I don’t want to see a news feed this is overflowing with hate. What do we do with the hate that seems to surround us constantly?  Do we do like I am doing – just try to avoid it, or is there a better way?

On Sunday, I read from 1 John 4.  As you approach your day, may these words surround you…for this is the better way.

Let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  If we love one another, God lives in us and God’s love is made complete in us.  We love because he first loved us. Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

~Pastor Jane

August 9

Homecoming 2017 is in the books.  What a wonderful day – filled with both old and new friends, stories of the past, good food, wonderful worship, and a time of celebration.  Homecoming, by its very nature, calls us to look back, and that is how it should be.  We remembered the many ways God has worked through Union.  We remembered family members and friends who have left us. We celebrated the end of our loan responsibilities by the burning of the mortgage and by giving thanks for all those who led the church in this process.

Now what?  We have remembered well, and now it is time to move forward, to dream new dreams.  We have already begun – dreaming of new ways we can minister outside this building to those in our community who need our help.  My prayer is that we will continue to dream, and continue to explore new ways of sharing the gospel with those who need to hear it.

This Sunday, we will move back to Matthew, as we continue to tell the stories of Jesus.  We will delve intoMatthew 14:22-33, the story of Jesus walking on water.  Together we will be reminded of how Jesus is always with us, even when the storms of life surround us.  

Today, I am thankful for 165 years and looking forward with anticipation to many more.

~Pastor Jane

August 2

It is Homecoming Week.  On Sunday we will celebrate 165 years of faithful ministry on the corner of Whippoorwill and Union Church Road.  Have you ever wondered what the first saints of our church were thinking as they launched this fledgling congregation?  Were they just looking for a “meeting house” or were they committed to being a voice for Jesus in this part of the county?  Think about what that must have meant 165 years ago.  The community was scattered, the farms were large, travel to church was probably difficult, yet they had a vision about what God was calling them to do. 

We, who are here today, are the recipients of this vision and so, in their honor, and because we are compelled by God, we continue to be God’s representatives, both in our part of Oconee County and in our larger world.  That is why we have recently launched two new ministries – with Sparrow’s Nest and Interfaith Hospitality Network – ministries that call us to open our doors and our hearts to those in need.

On Sunday, besides welcoming old friends, we will also burn the mortgage for the new building, rejoicing and celebrating that through your faithful giving, it is now paid in full.  This new building gives us more and more opportunities for new ministries. 

God continues to bless Union Christian Church.  Thanks be to God!

~Pastor Jane

August 1

 Have you ever had someone in the community say to you, in referring to Union, “For a church your size, you do ____________.”    

This month, I would like to fill in the blank.  “For a church your size, you do an amazing amount of missions and ministries!” How true this is!!  This month, I would like to highlight some of the ministries provided by the Union family, outside the walls of our church, as well as share some new opportunities that have come our way. In this past year, as a church family:

August - We provided handmade, unique pillowcases for children who were patients at Eggleston Children’s Hospital.

September - We provided protein food items for ACTS, Area Churches Together Serving, as well as assisting in the center distributing food to those in need.

October - We packed and shipped 45 Operation Christmas Child boxes for children in other countries who would not receive a Christmas gift without our help.

November – We provided 50 boxes of food for families in need, identified through Oconee County schools.  These boxes contained a turkey and all the fixins’ for a Thanksgiving meal.  As they families came to pick up their boxes, they were met with smiles, assistance, and individual prayers.

January - We donated over $900 to Heifer International, specifically to provide fresh water (irrigation pumps) and new wells.

February – We donated personal care items for the women of the Safe House of Athens.

April – We collected kitchen supplies for ACTS.

June - We provided new school supplies for students in Oconee County schools.

July – We collected, packed, and began distributing Blessing Bags for needy men and women in our community.

In addition to our monthly mission projects, we also do a large Benevolence Ministry, funded by our 5th Sunday Special Offering, and we serve at ACTS every other month.

Now, we have two additional opportunities to share the love of Jesus. 

The first involves working with Sparrows Nest (sparrowsnestmission.org). Their mission statement describes what they do as a “Christ-centered ministry that seeks to change lives through the power of God and nurturing relationships.”  For some, that includes help with food and clothing.  For some, it is a listening ear, a place of calm.  We will be involved by bringing breakfast to their clients on every 5th Saturday morning during the year.  Cami Allen is the chair for this ministry.

The second is our affiliation with Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens (INHA).  This is a ministry that provides temporary housing for homeless families with children.  We will be joining with First Christian Watkinsville and Ashford Methodist Athens to offer one week a quarter where these families will be housed at our church.  There are many opportunities of service within this ministry and during the month of August there will be training sessions offered. Patti Clark and Kelly Hansford are the chairs for this ministry. 

Union Christian Church is a church family that steps outside the walls of the building, into our community, sharing the love of Jesus in many ways.  Thanks be to God.

~Pastor Jane

July 26

Today, many of our teachers and educators begin a new school year.  Just one week from today, our Oconee County children will begin their new year.  Is it possible that the summer is already over?  If you are like me, you are asking the same question.  Where did the time go?

Back-To-School is always an exciting time, even if it falls near the end of July.  If you have been shopping recently, you know that the stores have school supplies out in abundance, occupying the most prominent display in the store.  College students are shopping for dorm room supplies, while younger children are looking for the “coolest” backpack to accompany them on their first day.

As we have done the past two years, we will again pause during worship for a time of Blessing of the Backpacks this Sunday, July 30.  We know that we are not blessing just the actual backpacks and teacher bags; most importantly, we are blessing the children, teenagers, teachers, and other educators.  As we anticipate a new school year, let me offer a prayer adapted from Hamilton Mill United Methodist in Dacula, GA.

Holy God, as our children go out to face the world, please bless and protect them.  May they know and trust that even when they are away from their parents, that you are always with them. Whether our children are just starting kindergarten, entering high school, or leaving the nest for college, our hearts and hopes go with them. They are excited about new possibilities, while at the same time apprehension and the fear of the unknown may weigh heavily on their hearts.  We pray that you will fill them with your love and will give them confidence to face each challenge they may experience this year.

We pray that you would bless our children with lives filled with happiness and laughter.  Surround them with friends, teachers, and adults that will lovingly stay by their side, build them up when they are weak, and hold them accountable when they wander from your ways.  We know that you have an amazing plan for each and every one of your children.

Amen.

~Pastor Jane

July 19

Next week the Union family will begin serving in a new ministry, reaching out to those who are homeless in Athens through a partnership with an organization called Sparrows Nest.  Sparrows Nest is a Christian ministry that serves those in need - providing caring support such as clothing, food, laundry and shower facilities, and programs for at-risk youth. On Saturday, July 29, our church will provide breakfast, conversation, and support to those who gather. You can read more about their ministry at sparrowsnestmission.org.  We will step in by offering breakfast for the almost 70 people who gather each Saturday morning.  Union has agreed to do this every month that contains a 5th Saturday.

 I am so thankful for a church that looks beyond her walls to those who need to know the love of Jesus.  Serving at Sparrow’s Nest is a practical way we can embody Jesus’ teachings. Cami Allen is spearheading this ministry, and I urge you to talk with her about ways you can help.  We will serve again on September 30, so if you can’t help this month, plan on joining with us then.

 Over and over again in scripture, we are instructed to care for those in need.  The words of Jesus echo among us - For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Matthew 25:35

 As we go to Sparrows Nest, we will go with food and drink.  My prayer is that we will also go with a welcoming heart and spirit.

~Pastor Jane

July 12

In the letters of Colossians and Ephesians, the apostle Paul speaks some important words to the new believers in each of those cities.  In Colossians 3, we read, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God.”  The words in Ephesians are almost identical. “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.”

These verses speak clear words of instruction about the purpose of congregational singing in worship.  We are to sing, because it is in singing that God’s word can teach us.  We often think that this can happen only through scripture or the spoken word.  But Paul’s words are unmistakable – we are to sing. 

This is just what we have been doing this summer, singing psalms and hymns, and now this week we move to our first spiritual song.  I love to think of “gospel music” as spiritual songs.  Often the catchy melody and rhythm of a gospel song will help us better internalize the words and that is true of our song this week, an old favorite, Victory In Jesus.  The three verses of this song tell of a personal salvation experience from beginning to end.  Does it tell your story?  I hope that will be your question as we sing this Sunday – giving thanks to God for everything!

-Pastor Jane