Ash Wednesday Service

Wednesday, February 26, 6:30 p.m.

Northside United Methodist Church Chapel

http://www.northsideumc.org

Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.

Repent, and believe in the Gospel. 

According to the Religion News Network, donations to American churches totaled $124.52 billion in 2018. This reflected a 1.5% decline from the previous year (3.9% when adjusted for inflation).

Last year Americans spent $75.38 billion on their pets. The report from the American Pet Products Association stated the amount increased 3.8% from 2018 (fortune.com).

Ponder these figures for a few moments.

Money spent in the United States on dogs, cats, parrots, gerbils and other assorted critters totaled 60% of the donations to churches, synagogues, mosques, and other assorted religions.

60%.

I love my dog, Sam, who epitomizes unconditional love. I have often pointed out that “God” spelled backwards is “dog.”

BUT.

60%.

Average United Methodists give less than 2.5% of their annual income to the church.

Maybe it’s time we made giving to God our pet project.

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Cards are sweet, but 

SAY, “I love you!” 

The Pew Research Center recently published an exhaustive review of 49,719 online sermons. The study found the median length of a homily was 37 minutes; however, the time varied based on tradition. Mainline Protestant sermons averaged 25 minutes while evangelical Protestants lasted 39 minutes. Historically black Protestant churches topped the list at 54 minutes.

Based on the results, I am a below average preacher!

My sermons typically last 18 to 22 minutes. However, some congregants have assured me that they SEEM to last much longer. That’s a compliment, right?

Seminary professors and clergy mentors attempted to teach me the art of proclaiming the gospel. However, my father gave me the best advice of all. He looked me solemnly in the eye and said, “Remember, son, the mind can absorb only what the bottom can endure!”

Wise words from a wise man.

I take solace in the fact that many of Jesus’ recorded parables and sermons were quite short. With the exception of “The Sermon on the Mount” and “The Sermon on the Plain,” the Lord delivered most of his messages with an economy of words.

Based on Jesus’ example, I am content to be a below average preacher.

O God,

Help us to live as those who are prepared to die.

And when our days here are accomplished,

enable us to die as those who go forth to live,

so that living or dying, our life may be in you,

and that nothing in life or in death will be able to separate us

from your great love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

(Services of Death and Resurrection in The United Methodist Book of Worship)

Albert Einstein taught the world that time is relative. You don’t have to comprehend the math to appreciate the concept. Time flies when you’re having fun, and the seconds creep when you’re having dental work!

I’ve seen the same theorem at work in church life.

• People punctually arrive at school and work on weekdays. The same persons straggle into worship 10+ minutes late on Sundays.
• In November, I attended the UGA/Tech football game with 55,000 close friends who filled the stadium for three hours. However, church members get antsy if a worship service lasts more than an hour.
• TV devotees binge watch shows for countless hours; but the idea of spending an hour in Bible study or prayer appears daunting.
• Parents religiously ensure their children attend athletic practices, dance recitals, Scout meetings, academic events, and tutoring sessions. Many of these same children will not be present at Sunday School or youth group.

In his book, All In, Mark Batterson wrote, “We all want to spend eternity with God. We just don’t want to spend time with God.”

Time is relative.

Eternity is not.

Sue Allen, Director of Women’s Ministries at Northside Church, recently published a devotional that I’m sharing with permission.

The omnipresent God whose name is not distant but nearer to us than we can imagine. God is not alien to the circumstances of our lives but comes to us in them. It is relatively

easy to meet God in moments of joy or bliss. In these situations, we correctly count ourselves blessed.

The challenge is to believe that God is also true — and to know God’s presence — in the midst of doubt, depression, anxiety, conflict or failure. But the God who is Immanuel is equally in those moments we would never choose as in those we would always gladly choose.

Richard Rohr reminds us that “we cannot attain the presence of God. We’re already totally in the presence of God. What is absent is our awareness” (David Benner’s The Gift of Being Yourself, 41).

Immanuel. What a beautiful name. God with us.

I wish that there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches
And all of our selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat by the door
And never be put on again.

I wish we could come on it all unaware
Like the hunter who finds a lost trail
And I wish that the one whom our blindness has done
The greatest injustice of all
Could be at the gates like an old friend that waits
For the comrade he’s gladdest to hail.

We would find all the things we intended to do
But forgot, and remembered too late;
Little praises unspoken, little promises broken
And all of the thousand and one
Little duties neglected that might have perfected
The day for one less fortunate.

It wouldn’t be possible not to be kind
In the Land of Beginning Again
And the ones we misjudged and the ones whom we grudged
Their moments of victory then
Would find in the grasp of our loving handclasp
More than penitent lips could explain.

For what had been hardest we’d know had been best
And what had seemed loss would be gain
For there isn’t a sting that will not take a wing
When we’ve faced it and laughed it away,
And I think that the laughter is most what we’re after
In the Land of Beginning Again.

So I wish that there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches
And all of our selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat by the door
And never be put on again.

Matthew 2:13-25

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel—which means ‘God with us.’’

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”

Luke 2:1-14

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world . . . .  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her first born, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord! This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’”

John 1:4

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

During this holiest of seasons, may you remember the true CHRISTmas story.

Christmas Eve Worship Schedule

Northside United Methodist Church

2799 Northside Drive NW

Atlanta, Georgia 30305

www.northsideumc.org

11:00 a.m.       A Family Service of Candlelight & Carols                Sanctuary

2:00 p.m.         A Family Service of Candlelight & Carols                Sanctuary

4:00 p.m.         Contemporary Christmas Worship                           Faith & Arts Center

6:00 p.m.         A Service of Carols, Candles, & Communion           Sanctuary

8:00 p.m.         A Service of Carols, Candles, & Communion           Sanctuary

Nativity Animals will be present from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in The Wallace Garden. Children young and old are invited to visit.

Childcare for ages 6 weeks to 2 years will be available at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Childcare for ages 6 weeks to pre-K will be available at 4:00, 6:00, and 8:00 p.m.

O, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

NEW THIS YEAR!

“Travelers Service” for those unable to attend on Christmas Eve

Monday, December 23 at 6:00 p.m. in the Faith & Arts Center

Contemporary Worship identical to Christmas Eve