Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Hi friends,

 It’s hard to think of what to write when tragedies like the tornados of this past weekend have occurred. Earlier in the week, the death toll neared 74 and there were still many that were unaccounted for. In these moments, all we can pray for is God to draw near and comfort the brokenhearted. Verse 18 of the 34th Psalm reminds us of that by saying, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

 I’m reminded of the passage in John 9 when Jesus heals the blind man. As Jesus and his disciples first encounter the blind man, the first question the disciples ask is, “Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents sins?” Jesus responds by saying that it isn’t either of their sins that caused this, but rather, this moment will be a moment where God’s glory can shine through. With the devastation, it’s not that this was caused by one person's sin or something similar, but even though it happened, God’s glory will shine through regardless.

 While there is still a lot of chaos in Kentucky and the surrounding areas, it can feel overwhelming how we can best help those afflicted. From our experience, the best thing we can do is not only pray for those afflicted, but also give financially to those who are on the ground in the area. Those on the ground are one of the ways in which God’s glory is shining through. Thankfully, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, or UMCOR, is already responding and making strides to help those in need. You can find more information about UMCOR’s direct response here https://umcmission.org/advance-project/901670/.

 Further, UMCOR will be one of the missions we are donating to as we celebrate March to the Manger this Sunday, the 19th, in worship, as we look at Scrooge’s visit with The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come. Hopefully, you can join us for that!

 Moments like these remind me of how fragile life can be and how in need of a Savior we are. We also need one another. This life is too difficult to do on our own. With that, I pray that you can hold your loved ones close and pray for God to be near us all. Amen.

 Blessings,

Pastor Will