Greetings!
The Journey of Lent
The season of Lent impacts us as much as we let it. After seven days into this journey toward Holy Week and resurrection Sunday it is my hope that you have had time to be still and allow God to speak in your life. As a husband, father and pastor, I know that life can be really hectic and frustratingly difficult to stop a few minutes in the day to listen.
It is important to do so, though, every day if you can. Whether that time is on the treadmill, the swimming pool, a quiet room in your house, driving to work or picking up your children or grandchildren at school, it is important to break up the monotony that life can draw us into and begin to see God's handiwork unfolding before us in new ways.
While the Lenten season offers us 40 days to listen, in reality there are 365 days each year in which we can listen for the still small voice of God that abides in our lives. That is a great thing! For every day that seems to slip away, we have time to make God a priority wherever we can. May you continue to be blessed by the opportunity to hear from God this season as we journey together.
I am excited! Last Sunday evening the Church Counci met to receive the outcomes to the "Rethink PVUMC" study groups. We received reports from each of the groups that included ministry visions for the short-term and visions for the long-term.
It was recommended and passed that each ministry area on the Council take the short-term visions and begin working on them. The longer term visions will become the responsibility of a Dream Team who will work to create a strategic plan and vision for the coming years as we imagine being "a church beyond the debt."
I am excited by the work that was done on behalf of the whole church through this process and I am excited by the enthusiasm of the current ministry teams to commit to the process. You will continue to hear more about this process and they ways that you can participate as well. Get excited! It is time.
Rethinking church,
Nathan D. Stanton
Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church
24 Hours Sunday School Class Begins Sunday
Remember, the "24 Hours that Changed the World," special class begins this Sunday at 9:30 in Fellowship Hall.
Several reasons to attend:
1) You are interested in learning more about the last 24 hours of Jesus' life
2) Your Sunday school class is coming anyway
3) You don't have a Sunday school class
4) Looking to kill some time from 9:30 to 10:30 Sunday mornings
5) Heard someone else is brining the food!
If you haven't purchased the book there are still a few available. You can pick one up on the way into class.
The "Discovers" Sunday school class has agreed to supply hospitality for that Sunday morning as we prepare to gather for this great Lenten study.
Class runs:
February 28
March 7, 14, 21, 28 and
April 11
No class on Easter Sunday because of worship schedule.
Means of Grace for your Lenten Journey
Sundays: Corporate worship Each Sunday we celebrate God's love by gathering with your brothers and sisters in Christ for worship at Pleasant Valley UMC. As Christians, it is our duty to worship regularly together to give thanks to God in "passionate worship," as a means to living in the midst of God's grace.
Mondays: Prayer John Wesley once called private prayer the "grand means of drawing near to God". We invite you to focus on these disciplines during Lent.
Tuesdays: Fasting The normal fast usually lasts from sunset to sunset. You abstain from food and liquid for a period of one day. You can also fast from sunrise to sunset on your chosen day. You may choose to not partake of food during this time but consume only liquids. The partial fast places emphasis on the restriction of the diet (eating only vegetables and drinking water) rather than abstaining from eating or drinking. Fasting does not have to include refraining from food and drink. Fasting is giving something up in order to focus on God. You can fast from a particular activity such as watching television or playing video games, or fast from a vice such as talking on the phone while driving or gossiping.
Wednesdays: Constant Communion Join me for Holy Communion in the Chapel each Wednesday evening at 5:30. The service of Holy Communion begins right at 5:30. For those unable to make it right at 5:30p.m., this is not a full worship service but it is a come and go time to celebrate Holy Communion throughout Lent. You are welcome to spend as much time as you would like in prayer and meditation each week following communion.
Thursdays: Search the scriptures Take time to read a few verses of the bible or even "pray" those scriptures as you spend time with God. Throughout Lent we will provide a scripture each day that you may read in order to spend time with God.
Fridays: Spiritual Discipline and Reflection
Spend time reflecting on your Lenten journey this week.
Did you worship God this week? Were you part of a community of faith?Did you pray this week?
Did you fast this week?
Did you participate in communion with Christ? With others?
Did you read your Bible this week?
Did you spend time with Christ through the study of scripture, devotional reading and prayer?
Saturdays: Works of Mercy
John Wesley taught people to be Christians in both word and deed, in order to express the love of God.
We invite you to spend some time each Saturday in service to others. Help a neighbor. Visit a nursing home. Let someone in front of you in traffic. Help someone with their bags at the store. Donate items to charity. Offer to babysit. Practice the Golden Rule. Read to a child. Give of yourself.
Feeding the 3,000
The PVUMC community will be in mission together by seeking to feed 3,000 families. Take time to purchase and donate either cans of tuna or boxes of macaroni and cheese. We are trying to raise 3,000 of each. Drop them off at the front of the sanctuary. Mission and service will be organizing them each week to help us know where we are on our count.
Our progress so far. Remember to drop them off anytime at the church.
Let's "Feed the 3,000" families and do a great work for God!
