Teach Us to Pray (Phil. 4:4-7)

Anxiety might be the word to describe our current culture. From a back and forth political scene nationally to an uncertain economic climate locally, we all , in some way, feel the chaos anxiety plants, cultivates, and grows in our communal and individual lives. The Apostle Paul is no stranger to anxiety. When he wrote his letter to the Philippian church, he was in jail being railroaded by his political opponents of the day. In the middle of deep chaos, his foot touches bottom and finds there’s something to stand on – joy through the practice of prayer. Regular prayer helps us find a footing in chaotic and anxiety-laced waters. It doesn’t remove the chaos (Paul still remained in prison and eventually died in the prison system), but it does provide an anchor (what Paul calls peace) to hold us more steady while things swirl around us. As you pray today, remember Paul’s words:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC

Sunday Worship (Enter His Gates With Thanksgiving)

This week we'll be exploring Psalm 100, verses 1-5; and from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, Chapter 4, verses 4-7”

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
    Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 

Each Sunday you can find the live stream here or watch the archive here. 

Who Is My Neighbor? (30 Hour Famine - Part 1)

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Every year, hundreds of thousands of students throughout the world go without food for 30 hours in order to help those who are hungry.  Organized by World Vision, students not only go without food for 30 hours and raise money for hunger relief, but they also learn a lot about the devastating reality of world hunger, malnutrition, and food scarcity.  

This year, Calvary’s Junior High Youth raised $3,672 for Hunger Relief!  I asked Trace Mitchell, who raised $840 on his own why he was so motivated to go to all that work to raise the money.  “I wanted to help people. When I saw the brochure and saw that $840 would feed 2 children for a whole year, I thought, ‘I could do this.’  It was really hard because it’s easy for me to talk to people.  The first day was the easiest then it got a little harder.  I went door and door starting at my house and the further I got away from my house, the more people made excuses not to help out.  I didn’t care how much people gave….I was happy with whatever they gave.”

Hannah Gaff, another participant in the 30 Hour Famine said, “It was cool because we got to experience what a lot of people have to do all of the time and it was connected with spiritual hunger.  We were able to realize how blessed we are.”

Calvary’s youth were given a reflection sheet on which they shared the answer to 4 questions based upon their lessons throughout the event:

1-What was the most impactful part of your 30 hours?
2-How did God help you with your fear?
3-What are you hungry for spiritually?
4-Do you have any new thoughts about children in the developing world?

Because these answers are so powerful, I’m going to expand this article to next week so that you can read their answers (without names attached).  

In answer to the first question, ‘What was the most impactful part of your 30 hours:’

When we went to the nursing home and to see the joy on their faces.  I usually don’t do things like that but I had the most fun.
Working at the food pantry.  Learning about how the pantry got started was very much a God moment, and just knowing that I helped a lot of people today made me feel like God was working in me.
The most impactful was probably Saturday night when we sang Good, Good Father and when we talked about physical hunger and spiritual hunger and it just kind of got real….and that doesn’t always happen.
The feeling of hunger...it really made me think of the kids and people who have to endure that every day.  I also was fueled by the hunger to work hard during the service project to give back.
The most impactful part of my 30 hours was the fact that when you’re learning about how other kids love their life, and being with your friends and God, you don’t realize how hungry you actually are.
Hearing everything the elderly had to say about life.  The fact about not just being hungry for food but mentally and spiritually hungry to things in life.
Helping the lady and other people get things done.  I also thought it was impactful when the lady told us her story on how the pantry opened up.
Not being on my phone helped me spend time with God and imagining if my life was like this all of the time. 
The most impactful part of these 30 hours is the hunger I’ve had and to think it’s constant for the people who don’t have food.
When we went to the Hope organization to wrap toys and gifts.
The most impactful part was probably learning about people who live like this everyday.
Talking to Laura and letting her pray over me.
Watching the videos.  It really opens your eyes to problems that people struggle with.

Next week, check in to read the rest of the students’ answers and hear how God changes our hearts in the midst of our helping others.

About the Author
Debbie Reese is the Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC

Deeper Dive Podcast (Releasing God's Best - Self-Control)

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Randy, Debbie, and Isaac talk about more of the original language behind our word "self-control."

Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.

About the Authors
Randy and Debbie Reese are Co-Directing Pastors at Calvary UMC
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC

Teach Us to Pray (Releasing God's Best - Self-Control)

When we pray through the fruit of Self-Control, we often end up where Augustine (a pastor in the early church) ended up:

“I had been extremely miserable in adolescence, miserable from its very onset, and as I prayed to you for the gift of chastity I had even pleaded, “Grant me chastity and self-control, but please not yet.” I was afraid that you might hear me immediately and heal me forthwith of the morbid lust which I was more anxious to satisfy than to snuff out.”

While Augustine was pretty up-front with his "…not yet" request, our "not yet"s often remain submerged below the waterline of our consciousness. Understanding what self-control looks like (in our rational minds) and having the desire to enact self-control are different experiences. As you pray today, ask God to shape your desire for the fruit of self-control – ask God to turn your "not yet" into "your kingdom come."

About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC

Sunday Worship (Releasing God's Best - Self-Control)

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This week we'll be exploring Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, Chapter 5, verses 22-25; and the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 25, verse 16, and verses 26-28:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
If you find honey, eat just enough—
    too much of it, and you will vomit.
Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
    are the righteous who give way to the wicked.
It is not good to eat too much honey,
    nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.
Like a city whose walls are broken through
    is a person who lacks self-control.
 

Each Sunday you can find the live stream here or watch the archive here. 

A Light To My Path (Releasing God's Best - Self-Control)

Our Scripture this coming week comes from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, Chapter 5, verses 22-25; and from the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 25, verse 16, and verses 26-28:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

If you find honey, eat just enough—
    too much of it, and you will vomit.

Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
    are the righteous who give way to the wicked.
It is not good to eat too much honey,
    nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.
Like a city whose walls are broken through
    is a person who lacks self-control.
 

Question for Reflection:

The imagine of an ancient city wall broken and breached is a provocative image of the lack of self-control. What image do you identify with when you lack self-control?

Who Is My Neighbor? (Food Packaging)

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We take food for granted.  Rather than wondering if we will eat today, we choose from the many different options in our home or the plethora of restaurant choices we have in town.  So the people of Calvary are quick to take advantage of opportunities to help feed others and we had one such opportunity at November’s First Wednesday.

Illini Fighting Hunger, a ministry of the Wesley Foundation at the University of Illinois, provides the products that organizations can use to package meals for families wherever they may be needed.  This year, over 100 Calvary folks gathered in the gym to package meals which will be given to flood victims throughout the South.  A nutritious and delicious rice dish was packaged by a minimum of 7 people at each assembly table…..children, youth, and adults all working together.  We completed 2,955 packets, which will provide 17,730 meals for those who are putting their lives back together after the hurricanes earlier this fall.

As you can see in the pictures, it was such a joy to work together as ‘families’ not related by family, but by Jesus Christ.  Isn’t that what the church is all about?  If you’re interested in serving beside brothers and sisters in Christ in this church and/or others, there are plenty of opportunities and certainly plenty of need.  Just check out our website at www.connectwithcalvary.org and look for ways to serve under ‘Works’.  

Our neighbors are hungry.  Thank you for feeding them…one meal at a time.
 

Deeper Dive Podcast (Releasing God's Best - Gentleness)

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Randy, Debbie, and Isaac talk about what the "great cloud of witnesses" refers to along with more discussion about gentleness.

Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.

About the Authors
Randy and Debbie Reese are Co-Directing Pastors at Calvary UMC
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC

Teach Us to Pray (Releasing God's Best - Gentleness)

In light of recent tragic events in Texas, and in light of our Scripture this Sunday from Colossians "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace"; let's spend time praying together for peace using this prayer from our brothers and sisters in the UK:

Compassionate God and Father of all,
we are horrified at violence
in so many parts of the world.
It seems that none are safe, and some are terrified.

Hold back the hands that kill and maim;
turn around the hearts that hate.
Grant instead your strong Spirit of Peace - 
peace that passes our understanding
but changes lives, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Sunday Worship (Releasing God's Best - Gentleness)

This week we'll be exploring Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, Chapter 5, verses 22-25; and from Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, Chapter 3, verses 15-17: 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
 

Each Sunday you can find the live stream here or watch the archive here. 

A Light To My Path (Releasing God's Best - Gentleness)

Our Scripture for the coming week comes from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, Chapter 5, verses 22-25; and from Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, Chapter 3, verses 15-17:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Question for Reflection:

What does your heart look like when the peace of Christ rules in it?

Who Is My Neighbor? (Operation Christmas Child)

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“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!”  Operation Christmas Child is in full swing and as usual, Calvary folks are enthusiastically leaning into that opportunity to serve children around the world.  This ministry of Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse organization, seeks to provide children around the world with some small essentials as well as a small gift at Christmas.  This past Sunday was the first week the empty boxes were available for people to fill and 192 boxes were given out.  Last year, Calvary filled a total of 364 boxes.  Way to go, Calvary family!

You may remember reading about Lindsey Anderson in a February Who Is Your Neighbor article.  Lindsey is a part of the Calvary Family who is especially passionate about this ministry.  Quoting from that prior article, “I asked Lindsey why she was so passionate about this.  ‘I love to go to the Operation Christmas Child website and see the kids’ faces when they open their shoebox and the joy it gives them.’  But that’s not all that Lindsey does.  Taking a page from her local FCA chapter (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) who suggested that some of the recipients won’t know who Jesus is, Lindsey always writes a personal note to each recipient which she puts in the shoeboxes!

Those notes tell the recipients about Jesus and that Jesus loves them!  Of course she doesn’t know who will receive any of the boxes, but that doesn’t matter.  She puts love in each box and knows that the recipient will be the person God wants for that particular box.”  By the way, if you look at the pictures, you’ll know which one is Lindsey….she’s the one wearing the shoe box….which she bought from the Operation Christmas Child website.  
Organizers of this international ministry say, “A small shoebox can have a big impact. What goes into the box is fun, but what comes out of it is eternal. Be a part of changing children's lives all over the world in Jesus' Name through the power of a simple gift with Operation Christmas Child.”

Who is my neighbor?  Our neighbor is that child who opens that box and knows that they are loved.
 

About the Author
Debbie Reese is the Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC