Ephesians 2:1-7

This Sunday’s message will be delivered by Gary Smith.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

Since childhood, I’ve always tried to fill most of the minutes of the day. At graduation from high school, I was given the annual award for the senior with the most school-related activities. Even to this day, I have the constant impulse to fill my days with something; and it’s common to feel just a little guilty if I have an empty time slot.

My wife, Anne, has been reminding me that’s it’s ok to take a break from time to time. While I often still have some misgivings about having a little free time, at 75 years of age I am finally learning to take a little break and “smell the roses.”

What has this to do with faith? While I’ve filled some of those less active times with prayer, I have found that freeing myself up from the constant pressure of “doing” has led to times of greater meditation on the richness of God’s many blessings in my life. And, it has given me a better opportunity to concentrate on my prayer life. A favorite chair is not only good for watching a television show, reading a book, or taking a nap. It has enriched my personal prayer time. I now realize that becoming too busy to pray deeply has put a dent in my personal discipleship and kept me from being truly invested in someone’s life—if only from time to time.

It’s o.k. to take a little time off. It will not only benefit you; it will also add strength and depth to the things you do to show God’s Love to those who need your sincere efforts to answer Christ’s command that we love others as Christ love us.

Michael O’Bannon, Pastor

Ephesians 2:1-7

The theme of this Sunday’s sermon is why it is important to love people rather than disregard or dismiss them.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

Romans 16:1-6.

The theme of this Sunday’s sermon is about greed versus generosity.

I look forward to seeing you this coming Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

Psalm 73: 1-3; 21-26.

On February 5th the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, our sermon title is “You know what…?”

The theme addresses the contemporary, widespread problem of cynicism.

I look forward to seeing you this coming Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

Dear congregation,

It’s that time of year again when churches and pastors have to make decisions about pastoral appointments. The appointive system has been part of the foundation of Methodism from the very beginning.

The Rev. John Wesley began his career as a clergyman in the Church of England. He had some pastoral experience helping his father in a small local church, but his most significant years in the beginning included being a college teacher.

It was while he was at Oxford that he began doing things methodically. People called him and his followers, “Methodists,” as a kind of joke. They had a method for doing everything in their daily lives, especially when it came to prayer and Bible study.

Eventually, John and his brother, Charles, decided to go to America as chaplains to Gen. Oglethorpe’s colony in Georgia. He thought of himself as a missionary; but as a missionary, he was less than effective. Upon his return to America, he is reputed to have said something like, “I came to America to save the Indians, but who is going to save me?”

After his return to England, he begrudgingly attended a Bible study on Romans at the invitation Of his brother. At that Bible study, John came to the realization that we are saved by Grace and not our good works. His life was transformed. He began preaching that in earnest.

As John Wesley’s following increased, there was the need to get others to help him. As the Methodist societies grew, he began to send his preachers to pastor those societies. At first, John Wesley changed their appointments every quarter. Eventually, appointments were made for longer periods of time. Today, each appointment is made for a year. Each year, those appointments are continued or changed; and this has continued to the present.

I want all of to know that I have just asked the District Superintendent to send me back to Kedron and Lock’s for another year, if at all possible. We now have to wait and see what the Bishop and cabinet of District Superintendents decide. I just wanted to keep you up to date.

Michael O’Bannon, Pastor

Job 28:12-15; 20-28

I hope all are well and things are beginning to return to something akin to normal in your homes and lives.

This coming Sunday, January 29th, I’m going to be preaching a sermon entitled, “Why…?” The scripture is Job 28:12-15; 20-28.

The sermon is about questions we have about God, God’s Kingdom, and our struggle to understand our place in it.

With gratitude for our shared ministry together,

Pastor Michael

2 Timothy 4:1-5

This coming Sunday, I will be preaching a sermon entitled, “But he did it…!”

It is about proclaiming Christ in a world that seems to turn to ways and beliefs that are contrary or even opposed to the message of the Gospel.

I hope you are all having a good week.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

Isaiah 60:1-6

Traditionally, the arrival of the Magi (Wise Men) is observed on Epiphany; and the theme often includes “The Light of the World.”

The title of my sermon is, “Why Moscow Needs Snow.” The scripture is Isaiah 60:1-6. In the sermon, I will refer to a couple of verses of “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise.” Perhaps that hymn will fit into what you plan. If not, that’s o.k.

I look forward to seeing you this weekend!.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

I’m not just stating the obvious when I say the New Year will bring changes and challenges. In everyone’s lives, we expect the natural passage of time to impact us in many ways. Most obvious for me is my wedding. By the time you receive this, I will have married a long-time friend whose path in life has crossed mine several times in the last four decades. Neither she or I expected our paths to converge this late in our lives. I would never have guessed it. And yet, here we are.

In my 50+ years in the ministry (my first real church job began in 1967), I have witnessed unexpected changes not only in my life, but in the lives of the people with whom I have been in ministry. I have seen unexplained death interrupt the lives of counted people. I have seen marital problems explode unexpectedly. I have seen illness weaken otherwise healthy people . On the other hand, I have seen financial gain arrive for people who were not aware it was coming. And I have even been a part of getting an honor bestowed on dedicated but humble people.

The point is that while we expect change, there are always those things that take us by surprise. Some of those things damage our hearts and souls; some of those things can cause pride to swell in our emotions. I have found that no matter the change, prayer can lead us through-honest, depth-of -soul prayer.

My prayer for you is for you to be ready to turn to God in honest supplication, no matter the change. We will always be in need of courage when the unknown strikes; and we will always be in need of humbleness when opportunity gives us overwhelming power or prestige. God can provide it all.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael