Grateful

Greetings in the Name of our Lord,

I am so grateful to be the pastor of Stonebridge UMC. The 30th anniversary celebration was phenomenal! The sounds of praise filled Celebration Hall as we sang the songs of faith and received the blessing of special music. The video testimonies were a reminder of the impact of the Gospel of Jesus and changed lives. You reminded me of what the church should be like as a worshipping community. 

I want to thank the army of servant volunteers that made the Sunday worship and lunch possible. Your dedication to Stonebridge UMC makes our ministries and outreach possible. The investment you are making in the work we do is being multiplied daily in the lives of those who walk through our doors. 

This Sunday, we celebrate Bible Sunday. Each year, we give Bibles to third graders. It is a special day of recognizing these children and giving them a Bible that is published for their understanding. Any third grader who walks through the doors this Sunday will receive a Bible. Let us know if you are bringing a third grader to worship, and we will prepare a Bible just for them. 

My sermon will focus on our need to read and study the Bible. I am using Isaiah 55:10-11 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as a basis for this sermon. Isaiah reminds us of the power of God’s word, “my words… They don't return to me without doing everything I send them to do.” As we read and follow the scripture, so they accomplish God’s purpose for our lives. God’s Word shall not return empty. And Timothy says this, “All scripture is inspired by God… so that the person of God may be equipped for every good work.” It is through the study of scripture that we find direction for our lives. 

Our world needs the peaceful, loving instruction of God’s holy Word. Again, this week, unexplained violence broke out. This time in Dallas, a sniper attacked a government agency and then took his own life. While this violence was widely reported, most of the violence of our cities is so common that it is not reported. Our world needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

It is our time to be witnesses for God’s Word in all that we do and speak. Let us start a movement of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ. May we be the visible manifestation of God’s love in this world. May we be the people who stand against injustice, feed the hungry, stand with the hurting, and be a force for healing in this world. 

See you Sunday as we celebrate God’s amazing love. 

Pastor John Allen