United Methodist Church
Welcome to Lexington United Methodist Church
We look forward to meeting you! Here you will find a wonderful faith community whose lives are being changed by the love of Jesus Christ. All are welcome!
Reflections
Pastor's Ponderings
It’s almost September and the new School year is starting. Yesterday even felt like the first day of Autumn even though it’s still August. Of course, we have more warmth and sunshine to look forward to September and October but I can still feel the school year tugging at my consciousness. How about you?
The Adult Sunday School class is planning to start a new book study about reading the Bible starting Sept. 20. There’s always more to learn about Scripture that unlocks the Wisdom and power of God’s Holy Words.
Barbara Ernsberger is encouraging us all to get to know an exciting, Methodist author: Dr. Ashley Boggan. We were introduced to her at Annual Conference and she has so much history and insight into what made Methodism such a fast growing religion for a long time. She is convinced that we can share God’s love even now in a similarly energetic and effective way.
In addition, I will spend the next few months sharing with you from a District seminar that some of us
attended in Saginaw: ‘Dare to Dream Like Jesus’ by Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter. Each Beacon will have my
Ponderings on the design and direction of discipleship she describes that actually builds on the dreams of
Jesus...making them come true on earth as they are in heaven.
Rev. Rebekah is eager and compelling as she helps us to reflect on the way that our experience of Jesus allows us to meet our own power, discover our own birthright, claim our own blessing, and articulate our desire to Dream Like Jesus. Then, she offers permission and excitement so that we too can share those dreams with the people we love and live with and care about and serve.
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So welcome to the new ‘School’ year. We are all students of Jesus together with a lot of good material and projects and study groups available to us. I pray that you find something to tickle your brain, to inspire your imagination and to motivate your heart and soul to Love boldly, Serve joyfully and Lead Courageously.
Thanks be to God.
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Preacher’s Corner:
‘Season of Creation: Fruitful Living’
The Society of St. Andrew has offered a new and particular Worship Bundle for use by Christian Churches around the world during the four weeks of September. The Society of St. Andrew brings people together to harvest and share healthy food, reduce food waste, and build caring communities by offering nourishment to hungry neighbors. They are an organization that focuses on Gleaning America’s Fields and Feeding America’s Hungry.
Their Worship format for September is rooted in scripture passages that set the stage to hear God’s Word in a variety of natural settings...alone in the wilderness; worshipping God in an abundant land; pondering a parable beside the Sea of Galilee; and being led by a pillar of cloud to a meal. We will take this time to explore land use practices, the problem of hunger in our nation, and solutions that currently work for solving this perennial problem.
This will be our introduction into a new Season of the Church: The Season of Creation. It’s a newly formed tradition shard with Western Christians by Easter Orthodox Christians. These 4 Sundays will lead us to the first Sunday of October: World Communion Sunday when we will join with churches all over the world in giving thanks to Jesus for serving us the Holy Eucharist...bread and cup.
The Society of St. Andrew will be our Mission of the Month of September as well. Do come and be blessed by the Words of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!
Farewell to the Old – Hello to the New
This month, we are saying farewell to the Pub Theology Activity, for now. This Community-based discussion group started meeting in May, 2022. People from a variety of churches and none would meet weekly to discuss a subscription series of questions.
The ice breaker question was always a chance for us to laugh and get to know each other better. Of course, nothing lasts forever and it was decided by poll and discussion to take a break...a hiatus if you will...as we move into the Fall Season.
The value of hearing a variety of opinions and ideas expressed is a gift that is too rare these days. The gift of sharing and caring, connection and conversation will remain with us fora long time to come. Thanks to all the people who helped make this happen!