Luke 6:12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Have you ever noticed that most of our phone conversations go something like this? You call, say a word or two, they’ll say a short thing or two in reply and then something like “Ok, in the middle of something, gotta run, talk to you later”! That’s a good example of far too many of my phone conversations.

I remember when my doctor called several years ago with a pathology report concerning a tumor on my thyroid. I made sure I was not interrupted and closed the door so I could hear every word clearly. If we make time and excuse ourselves from a room to talk to someone important on the telephone, how much more should we do these things for the Lord of Glory?!

William Wilberforce, Christian statesman of Great Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, once said, “I must secure more time for private devotions. I have been living far too public for me. The shortening of private devotions starves the soul. It grows lean and faint.”

We don’t starve our bodies, do we? Then why do we starve our souls? We would never dream of not eating for a month or two, but how long has it been since we’ve gotten to a quiet room to nourish our souls with the Lord? Seems ironic, doesn’t it? Our bodies are only temporary — they will be buried six feet under some day, along with our belongings eventually. Our soul, though, is what we should be nourishing daily, what we should be guarding as our most prized possession because it will always be around!

Let’s make sure our priorities are straight. Let’s be sure to excuse ourselves from the hustle and bustle — so we can hear from the Lord — loud and clear!
Cliff

CHURCH NEWS:

Have you made a New Year’s resolution? Or maybe you’ve given up on doing that!.

Indeed, most people who make a New Year’s Resolution have given up on their project by mid February. But there is another way to approach the start of a New Year: Pray for God to lead you in a “New Year’s Renewal.”

For a number of years I’ve been using the clean slate and fresh start of a New Year to make a New Year’s Renewal. I pray about what the Lord wants to do in my life and how I can work with him to grow in that area.

My New Year’s Renewals always boils down to one thing: More than anything I want to be the kind of person who lives for the one thing of being devoted to Christ with all my heart. Each year God shows me a problem I need to overcome or something about how I live my daily life that needs to change so that I can get more centered on Christ as my One Thing. This year, more than ever, I want to seek the One Thing that is the best thing, to be more devoted to Christ, don’t you? Of course you do, or you wouldn’t be reading this Devotion!

How do we grow to be devoted to Christ as our One Thing? How do we make real changes to how we live our daily lives as an expression of love for God? How do we overcome worry or anger? How do we learn to rejoice in trials? Pray without ceasing? Love difficult people? Not by trying hard!

The way to make a real character change – to learn, grow, or heal in any area – is by training. Look to Jesus as your Coach and “work out” with him. “Train yourself to be godly” Paul advises us (1 Timothy 4:7*). So-o…pray, read scripture, worship, and interact with other believers.

May you and I, day-by-day, discover more change in our walk and live for the One Thing of loving God and loving others as he loves us.

Cliff

 CHURCH NEWS:

·         Open House at the new Greytwig Rd. Offices, January 8, after each worship service

·         Church Leaders Training, January 9, 5:30-7:30pm

·         Connect Group Recruitment, January 15, after each worship service

Midweek Tuesday, December 27 2016

The glow of the Christmas season is still with us here at the church, where we welcomed the fresh arrival of Jesus Christ among us with hundreds of worshippers this past weekend. I trust that this precious time between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day will give you and your loved ones moments to pause, reflect, and give thanks for God’s many blessings in your life.
 
I give thanks to God that we are well within reach of meeting all of our budgetary needs for 2016, as long as we have our usual end of the year influx of contributions. We would be grateful for any contributions you can give to help meet or even exceed your financial commitments for this year. As a reminder, all gifts should be postmarked to the church by December 31, or dropped off at the church office by 5 p.m. Friday, December 30, in order to count for this year. Our staff is working on an “on-call” basis this week. Please call and leave a message for us and we will get back to you. Edie Housel, our Business Administrator, will be happy to assist with gifts such as stock transfers as need this week.
 
Most of all, we give thanks for the many, many stories from people whose lives have been transformed here and abroad by the ministries of Christ By The Sea UMC. With your faithful discipleship and commitment to the mission of this church, you have been a part of each of those stories. And I am privileged to serve among you.
 

Cliff

CHURCH NEWS:

With the most popular holiday just around the corner, it seems like everyone is trying to get into the Christmas spirit. Store shelves are lined with Christmas goodies and decor, TV shows have switched to the theme of giving and love, and Santas are floating about. And why shouldn’t they, after all, it is that time, it is the meaning of the season, right?

Yet, the very first Christmas seemed to do without all of these. The very first Christmas somehow started a frenzy without the power of TV, without Candy Canes, without Santa, and even without Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Even more amazingly, the very first Christmas involved a poor couple, nobodies, who would lay the most precious child of all in a manger.

And so many seem to have forgotten that Christmas isn’t just about showing love for those you care for, but for those who are undeserving, and those you do not even know.

Today, let us remember the true meaning of Christmas… Peace on Earth, Good will toward all, for the Savior has come to show us how to love, and to give us the greatest gift of love. Instead of buying fancy toys, think of how you can give to those who would normally go without. Ask yourself how you can help out others who are not as fortunate as you. Show them the true meaning of Christmas: the gift of God’s love. And may we love others as God first loved us.

Merry Christmas,

Cliff

CHURCH NEWS:

Christmas Eve worship is at 3:00 and 5:00pm

Christmas Day worship is at 10:00am, no Sunday School.

Church office will be closed December 26-December 30

Thinking back on Christmases past is a fun way to reflect on the good old days. The wonderful lights and decorations, festive holiday atmosphere, warm family get-together’s, unforgettable melodies, and jovial Christmas cheer all make for pleasant memories. But, of course, our hearts aren’t merry for these things alone. Christmas is the believer’s celebration of the arrival of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, “who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a Servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:6-7).

CHURCH NEWS:

There is so much discussion these days—a lot of it heated—about refugees and immigrants. Xenophobia, the fear of strangers, “others,” seems to be rampant. We may feel uncomfortable, but what about them? Many are fleeing for their lives because of oppression and hate. And that’s rather uncomfortable. They may need to learn a new language, new ways of doing things, a new way of life. Many others who already live among us are not accepted because they “don’t fit in.”

With power-drunk Herod a real threat to their baby boy, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt, seeking asylum. They were refugees. We don’t know much about their stay there, but there were certainly language and cultural differences. To survive, they had to learn new things. They were tested and living in fear; life surely wasn’t easy for them. Were they in a Jewish community, or were they complete outsiders? How were they regarded by their new neighbors? Were they accepted with kindness, shunned, regarded with suspicion, or did they encounter open hostility? Did they have to sign a “Jewish registry”?

In God’s world, there is no “us and them”; there is just one big “us.” This Advent, as we prepare to welcome the gift of God’s love in human form, let us extend that love to the newcomer, the outsider, with open hearts and arms. We may someday be the strangers in need of kindness.

CHURCH NEWS:

Midweek November 30 2016

Theologian, Henri Nouwen, often talks about how God’s love unites us. He says that all the great Christian mystics have been attempting to say that to us over the centuries. He writes that: “All of them, however, spoke with a knowledge that came to them not through intellectual arguments but through contemplative prayer. The Spirit of Jesus allowed them to see the heart of God, the heart of the universe, and their own hearts as one.”

These unique, spiritual writers spoke with a knowledge that came through contemplative prayer. What is that? Contemplative prayer involves a great deal of listening rather than speaking, silence rather than noise. It is NOT a method of prayer most of use often enough. I am pleased to tell you that each one of our Advent Vesper services on Wednesday night will include contemplative prayer. I hope you will be present to join us in these spirit-filled times of worship.

CHURCH NEWS:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 100 (NRSV)
A Psalm of thanksgiving.

¹ Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
²     Worship the Lord with gladness;

³ Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he that made us, and we are his;^[a]

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise.

⁵ For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,

CHURCH NEWS:

Post-Election Thoughts

Put more simply, “What is still true?”

Here are a few thoughts:

What’s still true is that democracy worked.

What’s still true is that we will pray for President-elect Trump.

What’s still true is that we need to be agents of peace, healing, and reconciliation.

What’s still true is that we don’t know how to talk across our differences.

What’s still true is the mission of the church.

Grace and Peace,

Cliff

CHURCH NEWS:

Post-Election Thoughts

Put more simply, “What is still true?”

Here are a few thoughts:

What’s still true is that democracy worked.

What’s still true is that we will pray for President-elect Trump.

What’s still true is that we need to be agents of peace, healing, and reconciliation.

What’s still true is that we don’t know how to talk across our differences.

What’s still true is the mission of the church.

Grace and Peace,

Cliff

CHURCH NEWS: