Dear Members and Friends of the Dalton First United Methodist Church -
I give thanks to my God always as I remember you in my prayers.
I especially remember your humor. Imagine the world without laughter - it would be gray and cold. I know there are times when humor is inappropriate. However, when used appropriately and naturally, human can be a balm and stress reliever. I give thanks to God for the opportunities we have to laugh together.
"United Methodists profess the historic Christian faith in God, incarnate in Jesus Christ for our salvation and ever at work in human history in the Holy Spirit. Living in a covenant of grace under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we participate in the first fruits of God's coming reign and pray in hope for its full realization on earth as in heaven....Our forebears in the faith reaffirmed the ancient Christian message as found in the apostolic witness even as they applied it anew in their own circumstances. Their preaching and teaching were grounded in Scripture, informed by Christian tradition, enlivened in experience, and tested by reason. Their labor inspire and inform our attempts to convey the saving gospel to our world with its needs and aspirations."Book of Discipline: 2004 par. 101.
I'll be the first to admit that I have not always respected the Book of Discipline in our denomination. Too often I have felt some of the policies hindered rather than enhanced our ability to live out the gospel and share the good news with a hurting and broken world. However, I have read the book more and more. And, yes, there are policies that I still don't understand - probably never will. I shake my head and keep on going. However, I have seen in this book a genuine desire to state who we are and why we exist. I found the preceding paragraph very refreshing to my soul. It reminded me of our history of good theology and doctrine and how important that is.
Lord, forgive my cynicism. Lord, forgive me for gladly taking from your United Methodist Church those things that benefit me and neglecting those things that might challenge or do not personally benefit me. Let me not grow weary of doing good for you. Lord, let my spirit receive your Spirit as a child receives a gift - with excitement and a desire to enjoy. As I enjoy your Spirit, Lord, use that Spirit to mold me, like a potter molding clay, into the kind of person you desire me to be. Let me live for you, Lord. And Lord, when I start to grow cynical or weary, refresh my spirit with your Spirit and create in me a clean heart. Let the day be fresh and exciting - each day I am gifted with to do your ministry through the United Methodist Church. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Hope you saw the great articles on Friday and Monday in the Citizen Daily News. We are grateful for our local newspaper and their willingness to cover this positive news story about Dalton First United Methodist Church. The Trustees will select an appropriate location to display our beloved World War I Service Flag.
Kathy and I look forward to the Thanksgiving - Advent - Christmas Season with you. We do need to share with you one of our faith commitments. We do not attend Christmas Parties. We started this about ten years ago. Years ago, at the end of the Advent Christmas Season, we were tired, frustrated, exhausted and glad it was over. We realized we had gone to so many parties that even the powerful worship services had lost their joy. How can a season of such joy and hope end with only weariness? As we prayed through our feelings, we came to the conclusion we were the only ones who could do anything about it. So, the next year we declared early that we would not attend Christmas Parties so we could focus on worship, prayer and family.
I wanted to share this with you early because we are already getting invitations to parties. We deeply appreciate the invitation, but we can't possibly attend all the events. So how do we decide? We decide by doing none. We are glad you are celebrating the season and encourage you to continue. We will have time of joy and celebration with you at worship and open house at our parsonage. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
God bless - See you Sunday!
In Christ,
Dr. Robin L Lindsey
Dalton First United Methodist Church
706-278-8494 (Office)
robin.lindsey@ngumc.net
