Dear CUMC family,
As I write this eNote, I’m a bit on the chilly side. One of the heating zones of our house isn’t working – in all likelihood a frozen pipe. But the rest of the house is warm and the chilly part of the house is being heated by a pellet stove, and the furnace repairman will be here later today. Overall, it could be worse. It keeps me mindful of those who in fact have it much worse – those who don’t have the means to keep their homes warm, or those who don’t even have homes. While you and I can can’t solve the entire issue of homelessness, or keep everyone in Maine, or even our own town warm, we can contribute. We can make a difference. This might be the time to contribute to the Skowhegan Rotary Club’s heating program (http://www.skowhegan.org/305/Clubs-Organizations). Also, please check on the neighbors you know might be struggling – make sure folks are safe. Obviously this is what it means to be a good neighbor; even more, it’s what Jesus followers are known for – being loving, even to those they don’t know well or at all.
I pray Christmas was filled with blessings, even in the midst of challenges. As we learned with Mary, this is life with God – blessings that come even, and sometimes especially, in the midst of heartache and struggle. As we head into the New Year, let us lean in with the anticipation of what God will do in and through us. Betty Austin’s message this weekend will highlight this very idea – of waiting and working with God even when it doesn’t go quite as we expect. You won’t want to miss it!
Here’s what else is going on at CUMC:
1. January Sermon Series: On January 7th, we’ll start a new series called “got questions?” This series is designed especially to connect with non-religious and nominally religious people who may have questions about God, faith and it’s relevancy to life today. The first message in the series addresses the notion of God: how can we connect with a God we’re not sure is really there? Is God real? How do I believe in something/someone I can’t see? I bet you know someone who has questions like this. This would be a great time to invite them – consider sending them one of the postcards, or share this link to a video highlighting some of the questions we’ll consider: https://vimeo.com/247358696.
2. Testimony: Stories have power like nothing else. It’s especially meaningful when we hear from others how God is working in their lives. It’s also powerful to hear stories of faith when God feels absent. (You might be interested in reading the biography of Mother Teresa for a powerful example. She was sure God was against her!!) If you have a story to share, please let me know and we will incorporate it into our time of prayer during worship. It might be something simple, like a small whisper where you knew God was present, or it might be something like a healing experience, or something else. I look forward to hearing from you!
3. Find us and like us on Facebook! Continue to spread the good news of the exciting things at CUMC through social media. You can find the page at fb.me/centenaryfaith
4. Connect to the website: Our website is www.centenaryfaith.org, and other way to keep connected to what’s happening. In addition, on most weekends, the audio of the weekly message and Grow-Pray-Study guide are available for download. Currently we have people listening in from all over the country, including our own neighborhood.
Grace and peace
