Pastor Post Archives - Page 3 of 4 - First Methodist McKinney

Work to be Done – Pastor Tommy

Posted on Jan 7, 2021 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor Tommy

Dear friends,

I spent most of last night and all of this morning praying for our country. The images from our nation’s capital were shocking and distressing.

Today, I pray God will bless our nation. The darkness and division we are living through did not spring up overnight, and it will not heal overnight. We must be intentional as we work together, and the work will last a lifetime.

As United Methodists, we are committed to our principles. To do no harm. To do good to all. To walk faithfully with God. Let us hold to these principles and remember that our words matter. Our actions make a difference. Our prayers are important. Let us work together to bring healing to the real injury that has been done. The Apostle Paul says “let us not grow weary in doing good, for we will reap at harvest time if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all” (Gal. 6: 9-10).

Hang in there, friends. Don’t lose heart. Pray that our church will continue to be a light in the darkness. There is so much anger and deception loose out there. Don’t give in to it.

Dr. King says “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Commit your words, your actions, and your prayers to being a source of light and love. Small things make a big difference.

God bless you, God bless our church, and God bless the United States.

Pastor Tommy

Silent Night – Pastor Abe

Posted on Dec 18, 2020 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor Abe

“Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright.” Really? The first words in the song Silent Night speak about a calm night with a sleeping baby, but it was likely anything but calm and peaceful. Crying baby, unwed mother, barn animals close by, no room in the inn…doesn’t sound too peaceful. This year feels more like that first Christmas, chaotic, isolated, stressful, anything but normal. But what if this Christmas could be different?

Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, “Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.” The peace of God begins with prayer and thanksgiving.

The pressure to buy everyone the perfect gift, to fulfill every holiday tradition, and this year to manage in the midst of a pandemic is not going away. We bring peace to chaos by learning to pray before we plan, to center our lives on Christ in every moment of the season, and by giving thanks for the blessings of God.
The most comforting Christmas song for this year is likely, O Holy Night. “Long lay the world in sin and error, pining. ‘Til He [Jesus] appeared and the soul felt it’s worth.” It is in Christ that our soul feels its worth. It is in Christ, not the world around us, that we find peace. The Gospel of John records Jesus saying, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

Take time to pray, and let your soul feel its worth as you center your life on Jesus, knowing you are unconditionally loved. May the peace of Christ fall afresh on you!

Merry Christmas,
Pastor Abe

You Will Live – Pastor Ed

Posted on Dec 11, 2020 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor Ed

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…” John 11:25 NIV

When we talk about Christ, we talk about life, death and resurrection. I talk with many people via phone calls, emails, text messages, messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp and, if allowed these days because of the pandemic, face-to-face (or, mask-to-mask). So many people are hurting one way or another these days. The pandemic this year has made things even harder all around the world. Also, the holidays are particularly hard for people who experienced losses whether recently or a long time ago, especially the loss of a loved one. For those amongst us, while everyone else is celebrating and smiling during the holidays, they may be finding ways and excuses to stay away from others in order to deal with their losses and grief.

While our Christian faith points to a God who is always present and gives us eternal life, the pain of loss drives us to ask the question, “Where is God in all this?”

As I pondered again upon these words Jesus said to Martha and Mary referencing to their brother’s death, I was reminded of a couple of things. First, Jesus felt in his spirit and soul the loss of a close friend and wept. Lazarus had died. And second, Jesus is also referring to the life that is renewed in those who are left behind.

As human beings, acknowledging the pain and suffering of loss can help in the healing process. Weeping is part of the human response to the pain that cannot be explained by words. Though we have questions, the answers will never suffice to appease the void in us left behind when we lose our mom, dad, son, daughter, grandpa, grandma… Jesus wept along with Martha, Mary, and friends.

Jesus’ bold statement to Martha and Mary that “those who die will live” refers to those who died, yet it is also directed to those who are left behind. When a loved one dies, something within us also dies. And Jesus is boldly encouraging all of us by saying what is dead will come back to life – perhaps life in a different way but life, nonetheless, “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”

During these holidays, claim the words of Jesus in your life. What has died within you will live, because Jesus is our resurrection for today, as well. You will live!

Peace and Healing,

Rev. Ed Volfe

Advent and Waiting – Pastor Tommy

Posted on Dec 3, 2020 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor Tommy

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Now the seasons are changing. The turkeys on Church Street are gone, and Christmas lights are up. In the life of the Church, we have stepped into the season of Advent, the weeks of preparation before Christmas.

As you saw on Sunday, other things have changed, too. After talking with church leadership, staff, and our local medical professionals, we have decided to temporarily pause indoor in-person worship. We have said from the beginning that we would allow our decisions to be guided by the data, and our current and projected COVID numbers indicate that we need to take a step back from large indoor gatherings for a while.

Advent is a season where we long to be together. But Advent is also a time of patience and expectant waiting. We have lots of great activities and volunteer opportunities prepared for this month – read about them below! We will continue opening our outside spaces for small groups. And of course we will continue worshiping online. Your church staff is actively monitoring the numbers, and we will be back in the Sanctuary and Dyer Hall again as soon as we safely can.

Although our ability to gather together is limited right now, we are all in this together. Together is the only way to make it through. Stay safe – you know how to do that. Be kind and patient – Jesus shows us how to do that. Stay connected to your friends, family, and Church – you’ll find ways to do that in this newsletter. Seasons change, and we will be back together soon.

Blessings,
Pastor Tommy

Hope of the Pokomchi

Posted on Nov 12, 2020 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor Chris

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.

– Colossians 3:12-15a (New Revised Standard Version)

From the beginning, Jesus proposed a way of being that seemed at odds with the world around him and is still at odds with the world around us. Centering on Jesus forces us to recognize the conflict between the way of life Jesus embodies and the ways of life expected by the world. Paul highlights that conflict when he teaches us to clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience in a world where behavior that is the opposite of those ideals is regularly rewarded. What looks like weakness to the world is actually the strength of Christ’s message and example because Christ’s ultimate show of weakness, being nailed to the cross, is our greatest source of strength and hope. With our hearts centered on Jesus, can we extend compassion and kindness to people with whom we disagree? With our hearts centered on Jesus, can we put the needs of others ahead of our own? With our hearts centered on Jesus, can we extend love and forgiveness to one another and create harmony with our fellow human beings?

As I think about the qualities Paul and Jesus call us to embody, my mind turns toward the Pokomchi people of Guatemala. Our church has a strong connection to the Pokomchi people, and we have been sending mission teams and financial support to Guatemala for over 20 years. My experience of the Pokomchi is that they are a beautiful people who embody the spirit of Christ in their lives. Now we, with our hearts centered on Christ, have an opportunity to clothe ourselves with kindness and compassion as we reach out in support of these people.

On November 3rd, Hurricane Eta made landfall in Nicaragua and headed north. This storm dumped torrential amounts of rain on a large part of Central America including in the Highlands of Guatemala where our ministry partners, Hope of the Pokomchi, do their work. All of this rain has caused a major humanitarian crisis as villages are flooded and hit with landslides. Right now, we know that the city of San Cristobal, and many of the outlying villages that we work in have been affected, and there are estimates that put the death toll around 200 people. It is catastrophic.

The good news is that all of the staff of Hope of the Pokomchi are safe, although some have experienced flooding in their own homes. The Skekinah Center, where teams sometimes stay when in country and where much of the ministry is based, has not been affected.

The staff of Hope of the Pokomchi is working to provide food and support for the people of their community. Many roads to the more remote villages are washed out, but they are reaching out as they are able.

We can support this ministry in two ways. First, we pray. This is the list of prayer foci that Hope of the Pokomchi has requested:

That the roads would become passable as soon as possible
That the pregnant women in the villages would get safely to the hospital in San Cristobal
That Hope of the Pokomchi could get much needed supplies to Queja (our partner village) and the other villages in that area
Guidance and strength for the village pastors and leaders who are coordinating relief efforts with Hope of the Pokomchi
Health, safety, stamina for our Hope of the Pokomchi staff as they carry on with this monumental task

Second, we can donate money directly to Hope of the Pokomchi so that they can buy food and supplies to distribute. You can do this through our secure giving portal and selecting Hope of the Pokomchi as the fund, or you can mail a check to FUMC McKinney at 315 N. Church St. McKinney, TX 75069 and write “Hope of the Pokomchi” in the memo of your check.

The staff and people of Hope of the Pokomchi and the Pokomchi people themselves are near and dear to our hearts. Please join us in prayer for this amazing organization that works with the beautiful Pokomchi people, and please support them financially as you are able.

Pastor Chris Rickwartz

Saints Among Us – Pastor Patty

Posted on Oct 29, 2020 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor Patty

Thirty years ago this month, my husband and I joined First United Methodist Church in McKinney, Texas. We eased into the life of the church through our Sunday school class and grew closer to our church brothers and sisters through Disciple Bible Studies, missions, groups, and leadership opportunities. Our children found their happy places in Sunday school, children’s choirs, and activities led by smiling volunteers who loved them. As a family, our lives have been shaped and inspired by the saints who welcomed us into a church family that existed long before we got here and bears the imprint of their love and faithfulness in ongoing mission and ministries of love and grace.

Over the years, I have heard hundreds of names read on All Saints Sundays in remembrance of those who passed away in the year before—saints who touched lives and left legacies intertwined with the life of the church. I see them everywhere in my fondest memories. Greeters like Judy Helsley standing at her post each week by the front door. Laud Howell, always looking for and noticing the newcomers and guiding me by the elbow to meet them. John Jensen holding the door with a big smile. Speaking of smiles, I see the colorful hair and oversize shoes of Jim Norman, who started a clown ministry. I remember the behind-the-scenes saints like Joe McMahan who diligently managed Sunday school attendance records for decades. I hear Opal Ann King singing “Oh Holy Night” on Christmas Eve with the voice of an angel. I see trailblazers like Mary Will Craig, the first woman to chair the Church Board.

Teachers. Leaders. Servants. Mentors. Friends. Family. Saints. Generous, loving people with deep convictions rooted in following Jesus and responding to his call on our lives to love God and neighbor. People with varying backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, who found their way to this church on different paths. Yet, they unite with shared purpose as loving people of God.

The saints join hearts and hands through both the celebrations and the challenges. I remember the comfort of Cleayton Mills assuring me that he “had my back” through difficult times in leadership, reminding me that we serve together, not alone. Over centuries, our church has weathered storms of nature and storms of economic depression, war, racism, public health crises, and now a deadly pandemic on top of a contentious political season
.
We stand together as the church, not because we are of one mind, but because we are of one heart—the heart of Christ. What we share as the church, the body of Christ, binds us in love that is stronger than anything we may encounter. As we navigate these days and live into our ministries, I pray that we hold fast to what is good and with gratitude draw deep from the well of wisdom lived out so faithfully by the saints who came before us and those who walk among us.

Be well friends, walk in hope, and trust the God of love who holds the future. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.” (Col. 3:15)

Grace and peace to you dear ones,
Rev. Patty Froehlich

Living the Disciplines – Pastor Stacey

Posted on Oct 22, 2020 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor Stacey

Melissa UMC has been gathered to worship outside in covered tennis courts during the month of October. The weather has been beautiful, but we have had a few challenges along the way.

On October 4, a group of motorcyclists were also enjoying the weather drove by during the middle of my sermon.
On October 11, it was very windy, which impacted both microphone sound and my Bible blowing off the stand during my sermon.
On October 18, a nearby construction project resumed work on a Sunday morning and we worshiped alongside the sound of a generator, sledge hammering, and welding noises.

No one seemed to mind any of these things quite as much as I did as a pastor. They are small challenges in a world that seems full of big challenges right now.

The thing that keeps us centered in the middle of life’s challenges is often the discipline to keep showing up with faith and doing our best to follow Jesus. Our disciplines of studying scripture, praying, and finding ways to be God’s love in the world can keep us grounded.

Whatever challenges you face in this day? Remember, they are no match for a God who loves you unconditionally and more than you can imagine. If the wind is too blustery or the noises of the world get to be too loud, take a deep breath. Remember that God never called you to be perfect in faith, God calls you to be perfected in love.

Blessings,

Pastor Stacey

The Discipline of Prayer – Pastor James

Posted on Oct 15, 2020 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor James

I have the privilege of being one of several faculty members for the Spiritual Direction program at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology. One of the primary courses that I facilitate is titled “The Spiritual Disciplines.” As you might imagine, we cover the biblical, historical, and theological sources behind these disciplines, and we discuss the implications these practices have on the lives of the students’ directees and the students themselves. But our emphasis isn’t purely theoretical; we also spend multiple hours experiencing the very topics that we study. Our deep dive includes the disciplines of self-care, attentiveness to others, Scripture reading, and liturgy. But the central focus of the entire practicum—in fact, of the whole course—is prayer.

When many people think of prayer they think of a “conversation” with God in which they ask for things for themselves or others. While these petitions and intercessions are absolutely necessary, prayer in its broadest sense is so much more. One writer describes prayer as a “grace-filled attentiveness to God that initiates and sustains a change of consciousness, leading to deepening love of God and neighbor.” What a beautiful idea! In this sense, prayer is not simply a conversation or a devotional time, but it’s an attitude! Defined this way, prayer is about opening up and letting the experience of God transform us in everyday life: working, cooking, reading, running, or simply sitting with someone who needs a listening ear. The entirety of our lives can be a living prayer, or, as Paul says, we can “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5.17). But we have to be intentional in reimagining what our “prayer life” looks like.

This view of prayer—and the world—doesn’t happen overnight. That’s where the “discipline” part comes in. We have to practice looking for God in all these so-called mundane spaces. And one of the best places to start is by being still and quiet—by doing nothing at all! If we say we’re going to “converse” with God, we have to learn to be good listeners. Like in a long-standing relationship, we don’t really need words; we simply need to be present with one another, and to be open to what that intimacy reveals. We can do the same with God. Once we’ve got a handle on sitting still, we start to pick up on all sorts of things that never caught our eyes or ears or hearts before: God whispering in the wind through the leaves; God caressing you via the dishwater in the sink; God smiling at you via a panting pup. With this attitude, we begin to see through the false dichotomy of the secular and the holy, and we recognize that God permeates all reality.

We should certainly maintain our times of devotion, recitation of memorized prayers, and even grace before meals. These are all beautiful aspects of our expressed faith. However, these acts and others are enriched through the discipline of “grace-filled attentiveness.” In this holistic approach to prayer, we keep God at the forefront of our lives, experiencing the divine presence everywhere and in everyone. That’s the discipline of prayer; that’s praying “without ceasing.”

Blessings,

Pastor James

The Village UMC – Pastor Tommy

Posted on Oct 1, 2020 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor Tommy

Dear friends,

What a great weekend we had! We were able to gather outside at the Hub on Saturday and in the parking lot on Sunday. How beautiful to see familiar faces in person and to hear each other sing and pray. How special was the Sanctuary on Tuesday at lunch for come-and-go prayer. We will have all three of these opportunities again this week. Go to our website and register if you would like to come.

This Sunday, we will also worship together online. It is Communion Sunday, so be prepared with your elements. Also, we have a tremendous opportunity for our communion rail offering I would like to tell you about.

Ten years ago, Rev. Derek Jacobs started a group in South Dallas that would become The Village UMC. This Sunday, they will livestream worship from their own new church building for the very first time. Derek has long been a friend of ours. He was present at the groundbreaking for our new church building in Melissa. We have been walking together for ten years, learning from each other about how to start new churches, and (recently) how to build buildings during a time of quarantine. We are blessed to be connected to God’s powerful work at The Village, and we are so excited to see this congregation find a long-term home.

Let’s make a special offering this Sunday for The Village – to celebrate a successful new church start, to give thanks for new disciples of Jesus, and to praise God for the beauty and diversity of the churches in our North Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

God Bless,

Tommy

God Was in the Whisper – Pastor Ed

Posted on Sep 24, 2020 in Pastor Post | Tags: Pastor Ed

The word for “whisper” in 1 Kings 19:12 is דְּמָמָה (demamah, originally from damam) in Hebrew. Demamah can be translated as “blowing,” “silence,” “still” and that is why demamah renders “whisper” as a possible translation. Some other translations are “small voice,” “thin sound,” “quiet,” “subdued, small voice.” You get the idea! In 1 Kings 19:12, God was in the whisper.

In the Hebrew Scriptures’ (a.k.a. The Old Testament) Time, the belief was that a god who manifested god-self through thunders, strong wind, storms, earthquakes and fire was considered a powerful god. No wonder the God of the Old Testament is considered by many a scary and angry God because that is the way Yahweh showed up to Israel and through Israel to other nations very often. The word demamah (whisper, silence, still) appears only three times in the Old Testament. God was in the whisper.

It is true we sometimes need God to show up to us in thunderous ways. There are times in our journey we desperately need God to appear as strong and mighty a God as possible because we feel the wheels are falling off our cart and we need a big-time type of deliverance. But there will be times when we will need God to come as gentle as a dove and whisper to our hearts that God is in the midst of our storms and earthquakes in life, right there with us, and ready to save.

As you and I ask the question, “Where is God in all this?” and “How is God at work in our midst?” let us not allow ourselves to be tossed around by the strong winds of negativity and adversity that try to break our hearts to pieces; the earthquakes of challenges to shake even our deepest human structures; and the fire of discontentment, frustration or hatred to burn us to the ground. Let us, instead, focus on the small voice, the whisper of God to us that reassures us, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

Friend, listen for the whisper of God calling out to you today. God is with us. And God will lead us out of the cave, out of the hindering place, on to the path where God wants us to go.

Shalom!

Pastor Ed