LIVING and LOVING IN LODI Sunday, January 10,
2021
From Pastor Pam:
NO EL in 2021? NO WAY
This Christmas I enjoyed displaying many
decorations that I had not seen in years. But there is one decoration that will
not be a part of the 2021 festivities-- a little train that spelled N O E
L. This little train that my Mom put up with joy every year has fallen victim
to the restless teeth of my dog Remy. For some reason, Rems decided to take two
letters from the train perched on a buffet table and chew them with gusto! (Two
Kong chew toys were right beside her as she committed this heinous act!)
There will be no EL in 2021. No N O EL.
But after grieving my loss, (to be honest I am
not sure I ever liked the little train a whole lot but it had become an
expected part of the holiday landscape) I began to ponder this in a
pastorally sort of way. The word noel comes to us from the French
Latinate word for birth and became associated with Christmas hymns and carols
and eventually became synonymous with the great celebration of Jesus'
birth.
But EL is much more ancient than our carols; in
the Hebrew Bible EL signifies GOD, the great and mighty one. There are many
examples, here are a few:
Bethel = house of God
Michael= one who
is like God el Roi = the One who sees
While my shaggy, affectionate and naughty
dog could decimate decor, she had no power to take EL from me. Where there is
love, forgiveness, gentleness, selflessness, peace, compassion, hope and
humility lived in the manner and with the heart of Jesus, EL is present as a
living and vital force.
In 2021 I may not see EL in the
exact ways I had in the past but I am confident that as year
unfolds I will "come and behold" Elohim, my
creator, in new and marvelous ways! No EL in 2021? NO WAY!
Love in Christ!
Pastor Pam
Scripture: Mark
1: 4-11 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a
baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The
whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him.
Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John
wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and
he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this
was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of
whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I
baptize you with[a]
water, but he will baptize you with[b] the
Holy
Spirit.”
The Baptism and Testing of Jesus9 At
that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the
Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the
water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a
dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my
Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
**Weekly Bible Reflection and Spiritual
Practice**
1.
Prayerfully read our weekly scripture lesson Mark 1: 4-11 over a few
times.
2. What words, sentences or images stir your spirit? What is God inviting
you to think about, pray about or do? 3. Notice that in verse 10 Jesus saw the "heavens
torn apart." Much later in Mark's gospel at the death of Jesus when
his body was fully broken, "the curtain of the temple was torn in two from
top to bottom." (Mark
15:38)
a. Have you had moments of "tearing apart" from joy, from
learning, or from sorrow? How have these moments opened your eyes and
heart to God and God's children in new
ways?
b.
Why might we resist the power of these
moments?
c.
Why is Jesus central to our tearing open moments?
d.
Can you think of other "tearing open" moments in the Gospels- they
exact words may not have been used but there were new connections made with
God?
e. How can we better open our lives to these moments of connection with God?
f. How do our five baptismal promises tear open our spirits for discipleship?
(presence,
prayer, giving, service, witness)
Spiritual Support: Pastor Pam is available for a
porch visits, to bring Holy Communion for you to partake in your home, to
listen, to pray with you. Please call or text: 216 704 0307 or
e-mail pamelab23@hotmail.com.
Even though our building is closed, until the governor says we can
reopen, we are live on Facebook at 10:00am Sunday mornings AND once the
service has been uploaded, it will be on our private YouTube channel!!!!
An e-mail will include the link.
A new website is being worked on – this will make
viewing the Sunday service much easier! Please be patient as this takes
time.
UMW (United Methodist Women) meetings are being
postponed until further notice. Due to the virus and the church closed,
we want everyone safe!
You can mail your offerings to: Lodi UMC, PO Box 3, Lodi,
OH 44254 (The church continues to need your tithes and offerings, each
week. Even though we are not meeting in person, the work of the church
goes on. Thank you for your continued support.)
2021 Offering envelopes are available inside the
single door at the church. Call Dottie for a code 330-887-1471
Noteworthy News and Needs: Do you have News or Needs or Prayer
Concerns? Please share them with Dottie (lodiumcsec.dottie@gmail.com ,
330-887-1471) or Pastor Pam Buzalka (216)704-0307 pamelab23@hotmail.com
Life Line Screening at Lodi United Methodist Church March 16,
2021
9am-5pm
Life Line Screening, the nation’s leading provider of preventive
health screenings, will offer affordable, non-invasive and painless health
screenings at Lodi United Methodist Church on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. A
package of 5 screenings to identify risk for stroke, heart disease and other
chronic conditions will be offered:
· Carotid artery ultrasound to identify plaque buildup in
the carotid arteries, a major risk factor for stroke
· Abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound to identify
presence of an enlargement in the largest blood vessel in the body
· An EKG to identify the presence of atrial fibrillation,
which increases the risk for stroke
· Ultrasound of the lower legs to look for plaque buildup
known as peripheral artery disease
· Ultrasound of the shin bone to identify risk for
osteoporosis
These 5
vital screenings are offered for only $149 and take 60-90 minutes to complete.
If you register today, you will receive a $10 discount. Register: calling
toll free 1-888-653-6441 or text the word "circle" to 797979.
Lodi United Methodist Church Bulletin, Sunday, January 10, 2021
Worship
Prelude - Come, Holy Spirit, Dove Divine
Missy
Call to Worship - Larry
Cray
Larry: Through Baptism we are incorporated by the Holy Spirit into God's
new creation and made to share in Christ's royal priesthood.
Community: We are all one in Christ Jesus; we welcome with joy and
thanksgiving all people to this body of love and grace. Amen. adapted
from "The Baptismal Covenant," The United Methodist Hymnal, p.
37.
Hymn “We Come with Joy” #617
1 We come with joy to meet my Lord, forgiven, loved and free,
in awe and wonder to recall his life laid down for me, his life
laid down for me.
3 As Christ breaks bread and bids us share, each proud division
ends.
The love that made us makes us one, and strangers now are
friends, and strangers now are friends.
Unison Prayer - Larry
Cray
As God's
children of Lodi United Methodist Church, we open our hearts to the work of the
Holy Spirit, both within our own hearts and in this community of faith that
having been born through water and the Spirit, we may live as faithful
disciples of Jesus Christ. Amen
adapted
from "The Baptismal Covenant," The United Methodist Hymnal, p.37
Church in Action – Larry
Cray
Joys and Concerns - Pastor
Pam
Prayer Song “Open Our Eyes”
TFWS #2086
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch
him, and say that we love him.
Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen. Open our eyes, Lord,
we want to see Jesus.
Silent Prayer and Lord’s
Prayer
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us; and, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”
Amen
Hymn “You Are Mine”
TFWS #2218
1 I
will come to you in the silence, I will lift you from all your
fear.
You will hear my voice, I claim you as my choice, be still, and know I am
here.
(Refrain) Do
not be afraid, I am with you. I have called you each by
name.
Come and follow me, I will bring you home; I love you and you are
mine.
2 I am hope for all who are hopeless, I am eyes for all
who long to
see.
In the shadows of the night, I
will be your light, come and rest in
me.
(Refrain) Do not
be afraid, I am with you. I have called you each by
name.
Come and follow me, I will bring you home; I love you and
you are mine.
Offertory - Missy
Larry Cray: We pray that we may offer our gifts to God in
prophetic and faithful ways. Take a moment to thank God for the gifts and
graces of the week.
Moment of Silent Prayer
Larry Cray: Let us with one heart and one voice praise the
Holy One.
*Doxology “Praise God From Whom All
Blessings Flow” #95
*Prayer of Dedication - Larry Cray
As we recall Jesus' baptism and the power of God's love and wisdom
working in him, let us rededicate ourselves to our baptismal promises of
presence, prayer, giving, service, and witness. Amen.
The Good News - Mark 1: 4-11 - Larry
Cray
Message A Sense of Purpose
Pastor Pam
Hymn "We Are
Called" TFWS #2172 1,2,3
1 Come! Live in the light! Shine with the joy and the love of
the Lord!
We are called to be light for the kingdom, to live in the
freedom of the city of God.
(refrain) We are called to act with justice, we are called
to love tenderly,
We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with
God!
2 Come! Open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear!
We are called to be hope for the hopeless, so all hatred and
blindness will be no
more!
(refrain) We are called to act with justice, we are called to
love tenderly,
We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with
God!
3 Sing! Sing a new song! Sing of that great day when all will be
one!
God will reign and we'll walk with each other, as sisters and
brothers united in
love!
(refrain) We are called to act with justice, we are called to
love
tenderly,
We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with
God!
*Benediction
Let us
go forth from this time of worship with the confidence of beloved children to
make and nurture disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world.
Amen.
Postlude Missy
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