Pastoral Ponderings (September 2018)

It is late summer.  I anticipate the crisp, cool autumnal days ahead.  Football season is in full swing:  First, high school, then college, and pro.  I have attended two Maroon Tides games.  They play well and appear to be well-coached.  I am also impressed with the field and stadium.  It is a nice spot for a high school football game.

I also noticed that FUMC is well represented in supporting the community from concessions to parking.  Part of being a Christian is certainly being a help to the local community.  To be a follower of Jesus Christ is to make a difference for the good.  This is indeed spreading Good News of peace, and far more often than not, this is accomplished is the small, everyday things we do in life from a genuinely warm greeting to selling popcorn to raise fund
for scholarships.  

It is difficult to believe that Jesus was only in public ministry for three years, yet his words and way of life have made a grand impact upon human life and in history.  Of course, being resurrected from the dead is the ultimate impact in that resurrection demonstrates that God’s love cannot be defeated by hatred, malice, and corruption.  

Be encouraged that following Jesus Christ is the way of life that God intends for human-kind.  Do not be swayed by the corruption and evil around us; rather, be a light shining in the darkness.  No matter our profession, or place, or situation in life, we can always bear witness to God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ.   The Holy Spirit leads us in this way.

Pastor Mark McFadden