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This Week at First

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March 5: Ash Wednesday (Held at Bethany UMC)

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    Ash Wednesday: The season of Lent is a time of reflections, repentance, and new beginnings. First Church is joining with Bethany and Campbelltown United Methodist Churches for a new beginning in cooperative ministry by cosponsoring a few special services. Ash Wednesday will be held at Bethany at 7:00 PM and focus on setting the tone for this season of repentance. The primary scripture will be Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 and Pastor Jim will deliver the message.


    See you Sunday.


    Grace and Peace,

    Pastor Jim


    Joel 2:1-2, 12-17


    2 Blow the trumpet in Zion;    sound the alarm on my holy mountain!Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,    for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near—2 a day of darkness and gloom,    a day of clouds and thick darkness!Like blackness spread upon the mountains    a great and powerful army comes;their like has never been from of old,    nor will be again after them    in ages to come.


    12 Yet even now, says the Lord,    return to me with all your heart,with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;13     rend your hearts and not your clothing.Return to the Lord, your God,    for he is gracious and merciful,slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,    and relents from punishing.14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,    and leave a blessing behind him,a grain offering and a drink offering    for the Lord, your God?

     

    15 Blow the trumpet in Zion;    sanctify a fast;call a solemn assembly;16     gather the people.Sanctify the congregation;    assemble the aged;gather the children,    even infants at the breast.Let the bridegroom leave his room,    and the bride her canopy.

     

    17 Between the vestibule and the altar    let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep.Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord,    and do not make your heritage a mockery,    a byword among the nations.Why should it be said among the peoples,    ‘Where is their God?’”

     











    March 2: Listen

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      Transfiguration Sunday: The recorded event giving this Sunday its name is strange! The Old Testament reading from Exodus 34:29-35 speaks of people being afraid of Moses after his encounter with God. Then in the New Testament reading (Luke 9:28-36), centuries after Moses’ body had died, he appears to Jesus who is accompanied by Peter, James, and John. Moses does not come alone, the prophet Elijah, who also left the earth hundreds of years earlier, is with him. What can we learn from these strange stories? What do they say to us today? Our message will be titled “Listen!”


      See you Sunday.


      Grace and Peace,

      Pastor Jim


      Exodus 34:29-35


      The Shining Face of Moses

      29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant[a] in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.  30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him.  31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them.  32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.  33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face;  34 but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded,  35 the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

       



      Luke 9:28-36


      The Transfiguration

      28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus[a] took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.  29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.  30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.  31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake,[b] they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.  33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings,[c] one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.  34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.  35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen;[d] listen to him!”  36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

       









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      February 23rd: Patience

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        Life is precious and sometimes we have the opportunity to give the gift of life. One person who has received such a precious gift is Tyler Hicksenheiser who will be our guest speaker this week. Tyler, a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Palmyra, is a recipient of a kidney transplant. His sermon is titled “Patience” and is based on Luke 11:9-10, Psalm 37:7, and Galatians 5:22. His message of “Patience” is one we all need to hear.


        See you Sunday.


        Grace and Peace,

        Pastor Jim


        Luke 11:9-10


        9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.  10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.  



        Psalm 37:7


        7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;    do not fret over those who prosper in their way,    over those who carry out evil devices.

         



        Galatians 5:22


        The Fruit of the Spirit

        22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness...

         










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