Newnan FUMC

The Discipline of Commitment | Rev. Andrew Chappell

Matthew 5:33-37

 

Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, "Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made." But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply "Yes" or "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

The Habit of Service | Rev. Andrew Chappell

John 13:1-17

 

Pastor Appreciation Sunday was October 13, 2024

THANK YOU to Reverends Andrew Chappell and Connor Bell, who are the most visible as our preachers yet are on-call 24/7, standing with congregants and others to offer spiritual and other support in times of confusion and transition, times of heart-wrenching sorrow and times of overwhelming joy. They laugh, cry and pray with those whom they shepherd and serve.

Pastor Appreciation Month was established as a worldwide recognition time in 1992. The call to honor the contributions of pastoral leaders can be traced back to Paul, who advised congregations to give “double honor” to the elders who managed the affairs of the church well, “especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” (1 Timothy 5:17, NIV).

Humility | Rev. Connor Bell

Imitating Christ’s Humility - Philippians 2:1-11

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Discernment | Rev. Andrew Chappell

Matthew 26:36-44

Gethsemane

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

Syncing with the Sacred | Rev. Laurie Moeller

Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:8-11

 

Call to worship: Genesis 2:2-3

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing

So on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,

Because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Amen.

Worship | Rev. Andrew Chappell

Psalm 146

Confess Your Sins | Rev. Andrew Chappell

James 5:13-16

Communication -> Communion | Rev. Connor Bell

Matthew 6:5-15

How To Read Scripture | Rev. Andrew Chappell

John 6:27-38

Is There Space For God? | Rev. Andrew Chappell

The Gospel reading comes from Mark 6:30-31 - The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

When was the last time you were intentionally silent & alone? When did you last practice solitude?

Rev. Andrew Chappell talks about solitude being the "intentional and regaining of the soul," and how practicing solitude without distraction is necessary for our spiritual selves.