The Contagion Begins!

When I think of people that have influenced my life, the list grows long quickly! I think of Bill Smith my Sunday School teacher, Rev. John Rough (father John) my pastor while in high school, Professor Larry Mullen my Bible intro prof, Wayne Ostrander a camping friend who made me accountable, Shirley Chastain who prays as if Jesus was sitting next to her...and many others! My spiritual walk has been influenced by each one.

Then I begin to wonder....who have I influenced for Christ - anyone? When was the last time I spoke directly to a person about their spiritual need and the provision God has for that need. Did I model a vital faith to anyone yesterday...last week...last month?

In February our church is looking at the book "Becoming A Contagious Christian." We'll review what it means to share our faith in a manner acceptable to us, and acceptable to others. We won't be banging on doors, parading in the streets, holding up signs or insisting that our unsaved neighbor kneel and pray. We will be doing some self-examination to see if our faith is contagious, kept in a box, reserved for special occasions, or simply a fraud.

One of the highlights of the month will be having visitors sharing their faith stories. If you're in church (I hope you will be) you'll hear wonderful stories, simply told, of how others have been led into a dynamic experience with Christ. Those stories of inspiration and hope, some coming from a seeminly hopeless situation, just might "trigger" your eagerness to develop your faith, share your story and ask yourself the question.....who have I influenced yesterday....last week...last month by shaing my faith naturally.

Someone influenced your faith - whose faith have you influenced?

New Liberty UMC Moving Forward for Christ

Do you live in abundance?

Two years ago my phone rang. Craig wanted some help; I'm a sucker when someone asks for my help. An older couple needed to move their 5th wheel trailer. Craig knew I had the truck and hitch to accomplish the task. As I arrived at a campground Craig informed me that this coulple was living full time in the trailer. It was a dump to say the least. Surrounded by trash (which had to be moved to get to the trailer) and unpleasant odors from the many cats, sat an RV in very poor condition. The one slide out barely slid back in. As we drove to the new location nearby, the roof peeled up in the wind. On arrival we secured the roof and notified the owners that their home would not be livable much longer.

It was then I discovered that John had cancer; with short life span projected. His wife expressed appreciation. We left. A few days later Craig and I were back, attempting to waterproof what looked like a sprinkler can upside down! The rain had come through the roof, saturating the interior.

Abundant living. This family was in terrible poverty. There were no family members willing or able to help. When John died a few weeks later very few of the relatives were present for his funeral. My wife and I led the funeral service, prayed for her and greeted the 10 people in attendance.

John led an abundant life. He was in debt. There were no reserves. Medical bills amassed. Abundance was all around them.

Craig and I sorted through their only other belongings, a bin at the local storage place. Two big loads in my F-350 went to the dump. Craig sold a few items in a  yard sale and sent the check out of state to the new address of John's widow.

She lived in abundance. The family really did not want to take her in. She could not afford airfare to the home someone offered to share with her. Social Security was her only income, but she lived in abundance!

When we moved John and his wife that day, they expressed gratitude, asked us to pray for them, and asked if they could join the church. As a UMC pastor I could have taken them as members that very day (there is provision for that). I failed to do that. Following John's funeral my wife, Craig and I met her at the church, introduced her to the congregation and received her as a member of our family of faith, and as a member of our church. She lived in abundance!

The web site for UM churches led me to her new home town. A phone call to the pastor of a UM church there comforted me. John's wife is now in the hands of another caring family of faith.

In the midst of poverty, she lives in abundance. Abundance of fellowship, grace, compassion, caring, prayer and love. She is blessed and we are blessed to have moved that junky old trailer and those smelly cats to a new home.

Someday I'll meet John and his wife again - in heaven. They will both be rich beyond measure. Trash to treasure. Filth to heaven.

Are you living an abundant life today? In the midst of a hard economy have you taken time to thank God for the adundance with which you live? We are blessed. Not financially perhaps, but blessed by abundance none the less.

NLUMC Becomes "Proactive"

New Liberty UMC in Braselton is embarking on an adventure! This fall (2010) we began work with a church "coach" Rev. Jim Hollis. Jim is a pastor in the North Georgia Conference. He is a Conference Evangelist with a "twist." His non-profit "Proactive Evangelism" takes him all over the continental US coaching in the areas of church growth. In late September Proactive Evangelism will hold a "Discovery and Reflection" weekend at New Liberty. Each member, visitor, teacher, staff person and visitor will have an opportunity for personal interview. Shared visions and concerns will be raised up to trained "listeners" from Proactive. Following that weekend the trained visitors (4) will quantify the responses and bring back to us what we said to them! This will be at a Town Hall meeting Sunday October 24th. At that time a specific ministry vision will begin to form.

An intensive time of prayer precedes this work! The congregation is eager to discover our collective hope as we cast new ministry vision for the coming years.

It just drives me nuts! There's a white line at the intersection, which is there on purpose! The line is designed to guide motorists to stop before entering the intersection. The big fat obvious white line is intended to keep us back far enough to allow emergency vehciles and large trucks the turning radius they need. Last week I wached a motorist at a stop light. The car was completely past that big fat line. When a truck turning left needed more room, the driver of the vehicle in question was forced to back up - to the position they should have been in to start with! After the truck turned, the light still being red, sure enough that motorist went back to their original position fully across that line!

But then I'm guilty too. I have my own traffic enfractions from time to time - we all do.

The Bible is a book of guidance. It sets the paramaters of holy living. It's intended to keep us safe, help us be courteous and provide a clear path for others, just like that white line! And like the driver in question, we often cross the line to our own spiritual peril. When we have trespassed, we ask forgiveness, but then go right back to the positions we once held! What's with that anyway?

God's grace is good. God's grace is sufficient for all our needs. Paul highlights God's grace in Romans and then adds this note: "Shall we continue in sin? God forbid."

So pick up your life map (the Bible) and when you get to an intersection of life, be sure that you align yourself properly with God. It will keep you safe at the cross-roads of life!

Rev. Gary Greenwald

Lessons in a Tub

Ever learn anything while surrounded by water? Having been a camp Director for a camp on the lake (Camp Findley) I've had lots of time in, on, around, nearby the water! In the story of Moses crossing the Red Sea, we have some "lessons in the tub." First lesson - you don't need a lifejacket when God is present. Israelites had no need to carry a lifejacket along, even though they were surrounded by water! So when our troubles grow too large, give up the lifejacket and listen to God's voice and direction! Second lesson: dry ground is good for marching! If the Israelites had chosen the apparent "easy way out" (returning to Egypt) they would have missed a great blessing. So their discovery of dry ground at the lake bottom, must have inspired their spiritual journey. When you're "walled in" by the water and the lake is rising - God's path will supply for you perfectly dry ground and great hiking conditions! Third lesson: if you are pursuing concepts of jealousy, rage, anger, you better keep your lifejacket - or better yet a submarine in the garage - you'll need it! God has a way of dealing with our negative emotions and reactions - something the army of Pharaoh would learn the hard way!

Lessons from the Life of Moses

The life of Moses is filled with twists and turns, coming closer to God, moving away from God. His life had times of great leadership as well as times of being isolated and alone. The life of Moses has many lessons for our current status!

We're preaching a series of sermons on the life of Moses during September and perhaps on into October. This coming week we're working on the story of Moses return to Egypt after a 40 year absence! In that story, his older brother (by 3 years) goes out from Egypt where he lived into the desert of Midian to find the younger brother Moses. How do you suppose these two were to meet up at Mt. Horeb, in the vast desert wasteland, after being apart 40 years? No GPS system, no chart and compass, no business band radio, shortwave, no twitter, no text messaging, no blog! How'd they do that? Moses knew the turf as he'd crossed it once already, but to Aaron this may have been all new. It was not new to God however. God knew the way of bringing a family together, so that they could share love, laughter and the claim of God on their lives!

Is it possible that God could lead you across the desert of a long-lost relationship, into the loving arms of a family member or friend? No GPS, just the grace of God and direction of the Holy Spirit. Is that possible?

Being the pastor of a small "country" church provides a wonderful setting for ministry! I'm loving every moment of service at the New Liberty UMC in Braselton, Ga. The choir is gracious enough to let me sing with them, and a few of the golfers think they can tolerate my lack of athletic prowess on the fairway! So it's a joyful place to serve!

New Liberty UMC is a warm and friendly place, with terrific vision for mission service, local hands on service, and personal caring. The Children's Place childhood development center is now caring for approximately 80 children from the area, so there are plenty of happy baby sounds next to my office.

Christy and I are thrilled with work done on the parsonage! It's a '60's ranch style which we've enjoyed making our own! A few pictures to hang this weekend and I think we've actually settled in! Molly (our Australian Shepherd) has finally made the adjustment as well.

Our next goal is to invite a few friends at a time for "house tours" so call the social secretary to get your seating chart arranged!