Dear Jacksonville UMC Family,
As I write this it is early morning, and the birds are singing outside my window. They are God’s birds, singing his praises, singing to their mates and families, singing to their neighbors (birds, animals, people – all their neighbors), singing to express their joy in living. They sing because God gave them a song to sing.
You and I are God’s children, and each of us also has a song to sing with our lives. Our songs are not all alike, because God loves diversity and variety – just look around at His creation! My job as your pastor is to lead the singing of those songs of life; to help each one develop his/her own song, and to help us sing together to produce harmony.
In a choir it is important that everyone sing, but they must all sing together, listening to one another, to create harmony. It is the same with a church. We each have talents and gifts that God has given us, but we must work together and listen to one another if we are to be effective in our ministry as a church.
Our song is the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a song of God’s love and grace – a song that is meant for all of our neighbors.
Just as the summer season for the birds to do their singing is short, so our lives are short compared to the time span of eternity. God has given each of us just so much time, and we are to use it wisely for Him. Yes, we need to feather our nests and feed our families, but we must also take time to sing the precious song that God has given us. There are lost souls out there in the neighborhood who may never hear God’s song of love, forgiveness, and healing unless you sing it – unless we sing it together, united in love and harmony as the Church of Jesus Christ.
This Is A Day of New Beginnings UMH #383
This is a day of new beginnings, time to remember and move on
Time to believe what love is bringing, laying to rest the pain that’s gone.
For by the life an death of Jesus, God’s mighty Spirit, now as then
Can make for us a world of difference, as faith and hope are born again.
Then let us, with the Spirit’s daring, step from the past and leave behind
Our disappointment, guilt, and grieving; seeking new paths and sure to find.
Christ is alive and goes before us, to show and share what love can do
This is a day of new beginnings; our God is making all things new.
For me this is certainly a day of new beginnings. Today I will say goodbye to the Calais United Methodist Church, which has been my faith-nurturing community for most of my life. My appointment as your pastor has changed where I will worship and where I will sing the song God has given me, but the song itself is the same. God has given us a new verse in our song – new notes to learn, a new tempo perhaps, but it is the same beautiful song – God’s amazing grace brings us joy and peace and eternal life with him.
Please come and join our melody at Jacksonville United Methodist Church. We need all of your songs to make our melody of God’s love complete. Make this a day of new beginnings in your walk with Jesus and your service to His church.
God bless you all with his grace and peace,
Pastor Patti
