Beyond GPS - Discovering and Living God's Will
 

Have you ever wondered what God wanted you to do with your life? Have you ever wondered what God wanted you to do even for just one day? It can be difficult sometimes to discover and live out God's will for your life.  Too often we wander around rather aimlessly, hopelessly searching for direction, without a purpose or intent to anything we do.  Do any of the above statements describe you?

You are invited to dig deeper, ask questions and find a more satifying faith for the year to come. 

1-08-12 Is God Real?
Messengers: Pastor Ben - 8:30 and 11 AM, Pastor Dave - 9:45 in the Fellowship Hall
The most basic question of faith that we can ask. Can we affirm a theism (belief in God) in a world where atheism (belief that there is no God) is more and more becoming a popular option?

1-15-12 Why Does God Allow Suffering?
Messengers: Pastor Ben - 8:30 and 11 AM, Pastor Dave - 9:45 in the Fellowship Hall
The is the most challenging question that we can ask God about life and our human experience.

1-22-12 Is God in Control?
Messenger: Pastor Ben - 8:30, 9:45 and 11 AM
What does it mean when we say, "God is in control" or "Everything happens for a reason"?

1-29-12 Why Doesn't God Answer All my Prayers?
Messenger: Pastor Dave - 8:30, 9:45 and 11 AM
Some of our prayers are answered and some of our prayers are not answered. Perhaps for some folks their greatest faith challenge has been unanswered prayers.

2-05-12 The Question of Heaven and Hell
Messengers: Pastor Ben - 8:30 and 11 AM, Pastor Dave - 9:45 in the Fellowship Hall
There are many opinions about heaven and hell. What does the Bible say and what does it not say about judgment and reward in the life to come?

2-12-12 Is Christianity the Only Way?
Messengers: Pastor Ben - 8:30 and 11 AM, Pastor Dave - 9:45 in the Fellowship Hall
In a world of differing faiths what can we know and trust about the Good News message of Jesus Christ?
Christmas Eve Worship @ Marne UMC
 

6 PM - Family Candlelight Service
Children's Presentation
 Glow Sticks for the Younger Children

10 PM - Traditional Candlelight Service
Lessons and Carols
Holy Communion

November 22 - Pastor Dave Warner

INVITE YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO JOIN IN ANY OF OUR CELEBRATION TIMES

The Christmas You’ve Always Wanted

Advent and Christmas Series
 
Does it always seem like Christmas never “measures up” to your expectations?  Every year Christmas comes and goes and perhaps you are left with a feeling that something was missing.  This year, as you prepare for Christmas, look for ways to experience the Christmas You’ve Always Wanted.
 
The focus of our series is on Mary, the mother of Jesus.  It seems as though the Christmas season puts additional burden on women, extra food to prepare; presents to think about, purchase and wrap; houses to clean and decorate; school projects to assist with; parties to plan and “enjoy.” Women bear an additional burden during the Christmas season and in this series we look to Mary to see how she coped with her additional burdens during the first Christmas.
 
Join us each week of Advent and Christmas morning as we discover The Christmas You’ve Always Wanted.
 
Advent 1, November 27 Slow Down and Evaluate
Luke 1:26-45
8:30, 9:45, 11:00 Pastor Dave, Messenger
 
Advent 2, December 4 The Right Focus
Luke 1:46-55
8:30, 11:00 Pastor Ben, Messenger
9:45 Pastor Dave, Messenger
 
Advent 3, December 11 When Complications Multiply
Matthew 1:1-25
8:30, 11:00 Pastor Ben, Messenger
9:45 Pastor Dave, Messenger
 
Advent 4, December 18 Celebrating the Miracle Birth
Luke 2:1-5
8:30, 11:00 Pastor Ben, Messenger
9:45 Pastor Dave, Messenger
 
Christmas Day, December 25 Quiet Serenity
Luke 2:19
10:30 Pastor Ben, Messenger
 
New Year’s Day, January 1 The Year You’ve Always Wanted
Matthew 25:31-46
10:30 Pastor Dave, Messenger




September 22 - Pastor Ben Foulk

 

2011 October Sunday Mornings @ Marne UMC

• Oct   2 - Decide to Live Life to the Power of God
  2 Chronicles 34 – King Josiah
              Celebration of the Lord’s Table


• Oct   9 - Serving in the Power of God
  Acts 9 – Tabitha


• Oct 16 - Giving in the Power of God
  Mark 6 – The Boy and his Lunch


• Oct 23 - Relationships in the Power of God
  The Early Believers


• Oct 30 – Influencing Others for God
  2 Kings 7 – Four Lepers

Receive a faith affirming scripture card each Sunday to accompany the message.


It has been said that many Christians are practicing atheist.  Such folks would have a basic agreement with the Christian message but do not live life dependent on presence and power of God.  Martin Luther, the German reformer, wrote the words to the hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.  The hymn is full of visual images that give light to the strength and power of the Almighty God.  In verse two he gives voice to the results living life without the power of God. 
 

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
 

In the October Message Series: Exponential = Life to the Power of God. We will encourage each other to hold on to this God who has been revealed in Jesus Christ and to make decisions that put us in God dependent places. When we do that, trusting in God, we have God's power and our efforts are multiplied beyond our understanding. Remember that Jesus Christ is the Cross bearer and death defeater. It is in God's power through Jesus Christ "that we can do all things through Christ, because he give us strength." The second verse of that hymn concludes:

Dost ask who that may be? 
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.
 

In this verse Christ Jesus is named the Lord Sabaoth of which a good translation would be the leader of the armies of heaven.  Jesus has won the war, the question is how is your battle going.  This is a great time to bring a friend or family member to worship. 

Blessings in Chrsit, Pastor Ben Foulk

August 23, 2011

The 3 Graces
and the House of Salvation

September Sunday Morning Message Series at Marne UMC

September 4 – The Lord’s Table Celebration
Preparing Grace – The Porch
     8:30, 9:45 and 11 AM – Pastor Ben Foulk, Messenger

September 11 – Accepting Grace – The Door
     8:30, 9:45 and 11 AM – Pastor Dave Warner, Messenger

September 18 – Growing in Grace – The House, Part 1
     8:30 and 11 AM – Pastor Ben, Messenger
     9:45 – Pastor Dave, Messenger

September 25  – Growing in Grace – The House, Part
      8:30 and 11 AM – Pastor Ben, Messenger
      9:45 - Pastor Dave, Messenger
 

Isaiah 56:
6Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near. NIV

The Grace of God that has been poured into our lives through Jesus Christ is intended to be God’s active agency in our spiritual life and vitality.  We may think of Grace as the warm accepting love of God and it certainly is.  This comfort of God in the midst of our distress, sin and lostness is meant to move us toward God, to desire a relationship with God, to the end that we respond to God’s supply and grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.  John Wesley used the image of a house to help folks understand where they are in their life with God.

The Porch – near but not yet home.  In Methodist circles historically this is called Prevenient Grace – We will call it Preparing Grace.  This a very important understanding in the Methodist perspective.  We can only respond to God because God has given us his grace.

The Door – at the entrance but not yet enjoying the host’s company.  In  most Christian traditions this is Justifying Grace and it is important to know that we have passed this way but do not stay only at the door.

The House – the adventure of life and an abiding relationship with God.  In grace by faith we grow in hope and love, day by day.  In Methodist teaching of John Wesley this is called Sanctifying Grace.  We will discuss sanctification in the circumstance of growing as a wholly, holy devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

In the Wesleyan / Methodist view of the spiritual birth and the disciple’s life we cannot make this journey to and into the House of Salvation except that God draws us and that drawing is a gift, God’s Grace.

Come and join Dave and me on these September Sunday mornings.
Blessings in Christ, Pastor Ben
 
In John 6:44
Jesus said, “No one can come to me
unless drawn by the Father who sent me.”  NRS
 


August 18, 2011

Today we are launching our new website with our tried and trusty domain name - www.MarneUMC.org   An internet presence helps folks in the church learn about the events that are taking place in the church and community and allows our community to 'visit' our church 'virtually' before they may do so physically.  The website can also be an extension of the church, allowing people to connect, congregate and care for each other.  Some of the features that we have worked on will help us do that, perhaps more is to come. 

It takes a great amount of work to develop an attractive and useful website.  I say thank you to all who have carried the banner through previous generations of the website and to all of the current and future contributors.  This is our shared ministry and our goal is Changing Lives through Jesus Christ!

If you are a ministry leader at Marne United Methodist the staff will help you, through other volunteers communicate your ministry to the church and community as you desire.
Blessings in Christ, Pastor Ben