In our worship services during the month of January, we will be looking at the leadership of Jesus. This week’s sermon will focus on Romans 12:1-2 and Matthew 20:25-28. In preparation for Sunday’s sermon, I wanted to use this space to outline some specifics on taking the next steps in our lives. I recently read an article by Shawn Lovejoy from the Courage to Lead organization. The article reminded me of the principles that I teach and try to follow in my own life as I seek to lead like Jesus.

In the leadership of Jesus, He was disciplined and communicated clear goals.

Thank you for all you do for Stonebridge United Methodist Church!

2024 was a great year of renewal for Stonebridge UMC. We have seen renewed energy in every area of our ministry for Christ. Stonebridge is blessed with a host of volunteer servants. These servants are making our renewal possible with high commitment and dedication to our mission and vision. 

Christmas Eve was glorious! Thank you to the host of volunteers who have made this Christmas season so special. Despite the rain, we had great attendance for our Christmas Eve candlelight services. The spirit was awesome throughout the building. Stonebridge United Methodist Church is a special place where all people are accepted with grace and love. As we approach the new year, please know that I continue to pray for you and your families. 

Amy and I want to wish a special Christmas blessing for you and your families this day… 

"Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds and worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen." (by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Christmas is a special time of year. We gather as church and family to celebrate the birth of our savior. For some, Christmas is painful and lonely. Loss, grief, crisis, and life changes can bring bittersweet memories that make the Christmas celebration difficult. As the Psalmist sadly states, “How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” 

I love Christmas! Christmas is the celebration of the greatest gift that has ever been given through the birth of Jesus. Christmas is not without stress. In many ways, it is a mad rush from Thanksgiving to Christmas. So much to do! Then suddenly on Christmas Eve, everything stops. There is a great silence that falls over our communities as we exchange gifts, share meals, and light our candles of faith. 

Christmas is a time of making space for the love of Christ; a time of poking holes in the darkness of this world with divine hope; and sharing the joy of giving ourselves to others as the Bethlehem child is given for us.  

It is not unusual for friends and church members to groan about the stress of this season. I have even heard my own voice question this season, “How can we celebrate when there is so much to do?” Celebrate indeed... in the most stressful time of year? How do we celebrate? 

Christmas is the “celebration” of the birth of our Lord –God in the flesh. Let us not let the excesses of our culture pervert this season. Let us focus on others instead of self. Let us celebrate the gift of Jesus. Let us celebrate what God’s love in Christ has done and is doing. The season of celebration and joy has come. Let us celebrate with gratitude for Christ has come!

This Thanksgiving, let’s focus on the way of a servant. What if we began the holiday season by thinking about living for others as well as taking advantage of the Black Friday deals? Today as I studied online deals, I was drawn to something Nelson Rockefeller once said; that wealth is measured more by what you give away than what you buy. Ella Wheeler Wilcox said that greatness is measured by one’s capacity for kindness. 

This kind of commitment is especially important to the Church. When we are ALL IN for Christ, we are uniquely positioned to go ALL OUT in every aspect of our lives. The best part is that God has promised through Jesus Christ to be ALL IN for us. We are loved ALL OUT by God, no matter what.

As I have been working on this scripture this week, verse 37 has jumped out to me… Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few…” I read it over and over. Where are the laborers? What work is Jesus asking us to do in his Kingdom? Are we ready? 

I believe that the Spirit of God is breaking out all around. The life-changing loving power of God is within our reach. It is ours to share with a world that is crying out for help. 

November 11th is a special day in the life of our beloved country. For the past 105 years, we have taken this day to remember and give thanks for those who have served our country. I am sincerely grateful for your service and sacrifice. Thank you for your service! I'm certain it comes with many sacrifices. Words are not enough to express the gratitude I hold in my heart for our veterans. 

For me, once the election is over, the time for unity begins. Despite our faults, our nation still stands as a bulwark for democracy and freedom. No matter how we voted this week, it is time to support the leaders of our nation and trust the governmental system which has preserved our way of life for almost 250 years.

As we remember our past, we must admit that we are grounded in grace because of the saints and believers who have helped us grow in faith. Somewhere along the line, parents, grandparents, family members, pastors, teachers, and friends helped us understand grace. They helped us to know that God loves us unconditionally. We worship the one God of all because someone enabled us to realize that there is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less. God simply loves us.

The annual stewardship campaign slogan this year is "Unstoppable – I’m ALL IN!". In this campaign, we are emphasizing not only financial estimates of giving for 2025 but also our service to the church. During the Summer Listening Tour, I heard again and again the passion among our faithful tribe to be in service to the church. BUT… people were unsure HOW to get involved. So, this campaign will not only be asking everyone to make a financial estimate for 2025 but also to note what their service passion is for Stonebridge. Our goal is to have 100% of our active members serving in ministry to Christ and His Church. Let’s make Stonebridge UMC Unstoppable for Christ. 

Wow! I am so excited about the worship we had on Sunday. It seems like forever since we all worshiped together. The unity of our voices together lifted my spirit and inspired my soul. As I was waiting to preach, listening to the worship center filled with our voices lifted in praise to God, I felt God’s smiling on our church.

Despite the divided world in which we live, Stonebridge UMC has stayed faithful to be unified around the call of Christ to reach this community. Now more than ever, the communities in the land we call America needs the Church.

Some might want to blame God for the weather events of the past few weeks. I do not blame God. There is a balance to nature. When nature gets out of balance, we see the incredible power of nature moving in sometimes tragic and devastating ways. Where is God in this devastation? God is with those who are hurting. God is inspiring individuals to bring help and hope to those in need. God is about the business of bringing hope to those who are lost. Our pain is God’s pain, and God is working to help the hurting.

One of the great debates of the Christian faith is that to ask God to not lead us into temptation reads like it is God’s nature to lead us into temptation. Is this right? It seems to fly in the face of what we believe about God – that God is good. If God is good, then God should not be tempting us. Surely there is something wrong with the wording of this phrase. Is there?

Do we believe God leads us into temptation? Do we really believe that God intentionally puts temptations in front of us, to entice us to do wrong? The answer is no. God does not tempt us as some kind of cosmic test. 

Few, if any of us, can relate to the desperate situation of Nazi Germany during World War II. Bonhoeffer did not deserve the imprisonment and eventual execution he would suffer. Our lives, though complicated at times, are pretty easy in comparison. We live in a free country, in relative comfort and ease. Our churches face no threats of arrest, persecution, or execution. Schools are readily available for our children. With a phone call, emergency aid, police, and fire are at our disposal. Our lives are blessed. 

As Paul begins his letter to the church at Philippi he writes, “I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now.” (Philippians 1:3-5) 

This scripture came to mind today as I was praying over the staff, leadership, servant volunteers, and membership of Stonebridge UMC. I was overcome with joy to be the pastor of Stonebridge UMC. God showed me the deep faith of this congregation and the willingness of this congregation to do whatever it takes to advance the cause of Christ. I am not just your pastor; we are partners in the ministry of leading this church to reach those in this community and make a difference for Christ. 

So… I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers.

At Stonebridge UMC we are the church that empowers others by preaching and living Christ’s love and forgiveness instead of judging and condemning. We are the church that meets people where they are in a world of contradictions, to let them know how much God loves them. We are the church where we can discuss the most difficult issues and still love each other. We are the church who is constantly applying the holy and sacred Bible in such a way that speaks to the 21st century. 

We are the church that offers new life… through hope, love, acceptance and seeing the world in new and transforming ways. We are the church that is bringing people into a positive, life giving relationship with Jesus Christ.