Pastor’s Desk

            It is very rare in a church for everyone to have the same gift in ministry. Some have the gift of administration. Some have the gift of healing. Some are prophets, and some are teachers. But this month, every adult in our congregation will have the same ministry gift: the gift of government.

            Romans 13 :1 says, “. . .for there is no government except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” In America, God uses our votes to establish the government. There are a host of governmental offices up for election this year. I hope everyone in our congregation who is eligible to vote will perform their ministry for God by November 8.

             There are two other special events this month. On Nov. 12th Dia De Los Ninos will host Kidz Blitz in the Uvalde Community Center from 3:00-6:00. It will include bouncy castles and free food before the main event. The Community Thanksgiving Service will be on Sunday November 20th. The final details are still being worked out, so look for emails and Facebook for time and location.

            For Glenda and I, Thanksgiving will bring the blessed grandson (Gabriel) and our youngest daughter, Taylor, to Uvalde. Their presence, along with our growing puppies, will bring a true spirit of thanksgiving to the Methodist parsonage.

Blessings,
 

Pastor David

 
 
 
The Lord’s Supper Wednesday Night Meal Program…………Not Just For Kids
 
What is the Lord’s Supper?
 
It sounds like communion, and it kind of is. The scripture, the food, and the fellowship we partake in is a communing of us, the Body, with the word made flesh. If you are hungry for the Word, hungry for homemade food, and hungry for personal interaction, then come over to Weston Hall from 5:30 to 6:30 on Wednesdays.
 
Here’s a synopsis of any given meal (disclaimer: every night is different!):
You walk into the loggia—that entryway of the Christian Life Center where the coffee and couches are—and congregate there with everyone else because no one knows whether or not they should walk into the gym yet. This is because some Bible stories are best introduced there and there’s some learning or activity to do there before going into the gym. If it’s a night to stay in the loggia first, we begin setting the stage of the night’s Bible story. If not, the doors to the gym open and everyone finds a seat. You sit wherever you want: with a friend, with whomever you came, or with someone who’s new and alone. Regardless of whichever space we start in, when you walk in to the gym, the presence or absence of decorations on the tables or around the room, the table arrangement, the buffet or the disappearance of the buffet are all giving you clues about the Bible story for the hour.
 
The story progresses in chapters from week to week in whatever book we start the semester with, but we try to recap as much as possible so no one who missed a week feels lost. The scripture may be presented in a skit, a video, in a dramatic reading, or weaved in a variety of ways throughout the meal. You might eat right away, half way through the hour, or in increments. It all depends upon the Bible story.
 
The Lord’s Supper kitchen crew prepares a salad, sides, main course, and dessert all from scratch to tie in to the Bible story or theme. For instance, when we ate through Abraham’s testing when he placed his son Isaac on a heap of fire wood, we ate butterscotch pretzel ‘wood’ stacks for dessert. Or when Jacob tricked his blind father Isaac into thinking he was his brother Esau by placing hairy animal skin on his arms, we ate an appetizer of kiwi wedges and felt the hairy fruit skin on its edges. And when Jesus taught his disciples how he was the vine and they were the branches, we ate grapes and feasted on chicken in a balsamic grape sauce.
 
The story determines how we eat as well. You may end up serving others, switching your seat, giving something up, being first or last to get something, having to put food ingredients together, needing to answer a question, or wearing something while you eat. Of course, we lovingly exempt the infants, elderly, or absolutely unwilling as needed!
 
The point is this: at Lord’s Supper, God’s powerful and inspiring word is brought to life in less than an hour with whatever food and gifts we have at our disposal for the edification of the Body. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what church you go to or how much or little you know God.
 
It’s my hope that this information gives you an idea of what Lord’s Supper is like so that as you pray about God’s vision for you and your loved ones’ fall schedules, needs, and ministries, you may consider whether or not eating through the Bible at Lord’s Supper is for you. Either way, you all are loved!
 
Hungry for more,
 
Bethany