Daily Encourager – March 25, 2020

“Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. – Daniel 10:12

In the story of Daniel, a prophet of the Lord during a time of exile, Daniel does all that he can to stay connected with God, and to be dedicated to the Lord even though he has been separated from his home, many of his people, and his temple (place of worship).  Daniel as well as many other exiles in Babylon continue to turn to God and pray. The story of Daniel teaches us much about remaining dedicated to God even when things are far from normal.

We know Daniel because of many of the stories we learned as children, or shared with children. For parents out there, if you looking for some fun Bible stories to share with your kids, Daniel is a place that will give them wonder, and maybe a place to help them understand that we are still called to serve God even though we aren't "going" to church. There are many fascinating stories in the book of Daniel.  Today, I bring us this particular verse of a story later in the book of Daniel. Daniel has been in prayer to the Lord his God, and has seen a wondrous vision of a “glorious one.”

Many believe that Daniel’s faith in the midst of constant persecution, his fasting, and dedication to the Lord has allowed him to see a vision of the one, who is to come.  A few times in the book of Daniel they mention someone called “the one with human likeness.” Christian theologians believe that this “one” is the one who we will later know as Jesus.  Jesus was there with the three friends of Daniel in the blazing furnace, Jesus was with Daniel in the lion’s den.  Jesus comes and brings comfort to Daniel as he prays.   

We believe Jesus is with us when we pray even today.  And on this particular day, March 25, 2020.  The Pope has asked for all Christians, and even all people, to come together and pray.  The United Methodist Council of Bishops have asked us to do the same.  And I’m seeing many churches across denominations, and even people who have written off religion say they will join in.  So, I’m inviting you.  At noon, in our own time zone, we are to pray the Our Father (Lord’s Prayer).  So whatever you may be doing, at noon today, please stop and take a moment to lift up the Lord’s prayer, and perhaps the Lord will hear and come to our side.

In addition, I’ve been working on another way to connect with you.  So, I will be holding a virtual prayer meeting at 11:30 am, and ending with the Lord’s prayer at noon.  If you would like to join, we are going to meet through zoom, a video conferencing platform.

To join, you can follow the link below at 11:30 am.  Please note, that if you are using a smart phone or tablet such as an iPad to join you will need to first download the free app from the app store to join us.  If you are joining from a computer just follow the link.  

Topic: St. Mark Prayer

Time: Mar 25, 2020 11:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/309615415

Meeting ID: 309 615 415

I hope to see some of you then, but if not, I know that you will lift your hearts and voices in prayer at noon.  May God through the human one, and in the power of the Holy Spirit meet us and lift us up, today, as he did in ages past with Daniel.

Keep the faith, press on, and may the God of peace answer you today.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – March 24, 2020

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7

The more we hear of the things happening around our world, especially concerning how places, states, and even whole countries are shutting down and telling people to “shelter in place,” the more worry has become a very real part of life.

I see pleas of worry every day on social media. Even in our homes, worry might be a part of our conversations. Confession, worry is a part of the conversation in our home.  It may seem that we have much to worry about, and I don’t want to undercut that worry.  However, I do want us to remember something.  When worry becomes common, the great temptation is to forget the one who is still in control. 

Now, more than ever, is a time to remember to pray. 

Prayer is a vital part of our faith, and so many times we want to make our prayers something “church sounding” we try to craft words that our pleasing to the Lord, but we are told in Romans 8:26,

“…for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.”

What this says, is that we may not know how to pray, or what words to say, but even still, turn to God and speak.  You can complain to God if you want, I promise God doesn’t mind, and I’m sure God has heard worse than you complaints.  You can scream at God, you can praise God, it doesn’t matter.  God created your emotions, so however you are feeling, let God know, these are your prayers and supplications. 

Over the last couple of weeks, as the church staff have tried to navigate the things going on, figure out how to offer worship, and keep the community together, I have felt pretty overwhelmed.  I haven’t always known what to pray.  I’ve prayed for our congregation, I’ve prayed that you are safe and protected from harm, I’ve prayed for those whom I have heard are sick.  I’ve prayed for our healthcare workers. Yet, when I have need peace in my own life, I’ve simply started to sing.

There’s an ancient prayer of praise we all know, and we sing it every week.  It’s a song known, simply, as the doxology.  I’ve found that it takes about 20 seconds to sing it, too. So, I sing every time I wash my hands.  I also sing it just because; I sing because it expresses a praise for God when I don’t have the words.  I sing because it guards my heart.  I sing because in those small moments I know the peace of God. 

Whatever you might be doing today, or whatever you may find to worry about, I encourage you to take a deep breath, and sing.  Maybe to yourself, maybe aloud, maybe as your prayer before a meal today, join in singing the beautiful praise of the doxology in lifting our spirits to God.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. 
Praise God all creatures here, below.
Praise God above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

May the peace of God meet you in the depths of your heart, today.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – March 23, 2020

Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

In yesterday’s sermon I taught from Mark 12, and spoke about the greatest commandment to love God and love neighbor.  It’s the hinge on which all the prophets and law hang, and it is what draws us closer to the kingdom of God.

Today, I look again at Paul’s words to the Galatians. The entirety of this letter is teaching and correcting the newly formed Christians in Galatia to understand that they don’t have to become Jewish in order become Christian, as some other Jews were teaching.  In a moment, only lead by the Holy Spirit, in chapter 6, Paul, looks to these dearly loved ones, and reminds them that the best they can do is to help carry the load for one another.  Paul knows, from experience, that no one can move towards the kingdom of God, (or as Wesleyan’s might say, sanctification) alone.  Truth is we need one another in everything we do.

In this time of social distance, I think it becomes even more apparent how much we need one another.  Truth is, I’m missing our times together. I miss seeing you, and miss opportunities just to speak with you.  I am certain that you are missing your times together in Sunday School, UMW circles, and all the other groups which get together regularly. 

My hope is that even though we are apart, you are still reaching out to one another.  I know that you are, but I’m especially encouraged by our youth group who are calling on several of our older members to make sure they are doing okay.  What a wonderful way to stay connected, and to share with one another, and even bear one another’s burdens.  Today’s encouraging word comes from the one of our youth moms.

My heart swelled with pride today as I watched four teenage girls making “check-in”  calls to elderly clients of Mobile Meals. They discovered a lady recovering from two broken ankles plus had no food because her refrigerator stopped working. The office was notified and “Ms. Linda” will have food later today.  – Claudia Duncan

May we continue to be encouraged, and to encourage one another, in the love of Christ!

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager - March 22, 2020

Note: There is a link to today's worship service at the bottom of this email.

Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place… - Psalm 91:9

Psalm 91 gives us God's assurance of protection and care in the midst of danger.  It is a comforting thought that we can rest in the shadow of the Almighty and that under his wings we can find refuge. – Dan Biggerstaff

Psalm 91 has long been shared as a prayer of protection for those who need it, who believe in the shelter that is found in the wings of almighty God.  I know this psalm has been prayed over-and-over again by faithful mothers, as their babies leave in the nest, or just out driving in the car.  It is a cry of faith that the Lord will protect us.

I, myself, have claimed this prayer a number of times, knowing that I needed the Lord’s protection from bad weather, or dangerous travel.  Yet, I also use common sense and do my best to avoid dangerous situations. 

Recently people are claiming Psalm 91 verse 3 or 6 that keep us safe from pestilence or “deadly disease.”  While I agree God does keep the faithful safe, God also gave us a mind and reason, and we should use them.  It’s for this reason we should understand that God is keeping us safe, and we are safest while we practice our social distance. 

All that being said, I quoted above the 9th verse of this Psalm because here, we find what truly is the place of protection.  It is when we also the Lord to be our refuge or “stronghold” when we dwell in the place where the Most High dwells.  Reading this reminds me of another Psalm, the 84th that says:  “better is one day in your house than a thousand elsewhere.” I’ll confess it took me longer than it should to realize, but even as we shelter in place, even as we are separated into our own homes, we still have access to the dwelling place of God.  

God dwells within, the promise of the Holy Spirit, is that God is with us, for those of us who are with our families as we share in a time of online worship this morning (we are 2 or more) God is there.  Yet, for those of us who may be alone.  I hold the promise of James 4:8: “draw near to God and he will draw near to you…”   God is our refuge, and in this time of worship, though shared at a distance, we are, together, in the dwelling place of the Lord.

I’ll close with another word of encouragement:

Be flexible, Learning this the hard way! – Ann Tipton

May God bless our time of worship this morning,
Pastor Sam

Today's 10:30am worhship service can be found here:  https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons

 

Daily Encourager – March 21, 2020

“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10.

I’ve thought quite a bit about the above verse in the past couple of weeks.  Realizing that this time of quiet isn’t a time of panic or frenzy, but it’s a great time to listen to the sound of silence.  Even more, when we truly allow ourselves to be still and know that God is with us, we find that the silence isn’t all that silent.  In the silence we begin to hear that still small voice of calm, understanding, comfort, and love.  God is speaking to us, we just need to be still, listen, and know.

Today’s encouraging word comes from David Petty, who reminds me (and us) that there was someone else in Bible who had a forced time of silence.  Please read his words below.

Dear Sam -- You will recall that in the first chapter of Luke, Zechariah, after his vision, endures a quiet time, a period of enforced silence.  It must have been a difficult time for him.   Perhaps he had some work that he could do despite his disability.  Perhaps he had some carpentry skills and he was able to make a crib and some wooden toys.  But I'm sure it was a frustrating time and he was sustained only by his faith.  And then the great day came and he "found his voice" and raised it in song.

So now we are in period of enforced silence (more or less) for the Holston Conference, for St. Mark, and for you.  I know it must be a difficult time for you. There are so many hopes and dreams for St. Mark.  You're probably at least as frustrated as Zechariah was.

But take heart.  Great days are coming.  We'll find our voice again and raise it in song.  We'll do most of those things that we planned, and greater things too.  We will probably be so busy that we will look back on these quiet days with some fondness. – Dave Petty

May God bless us in our times of silence, until we can sing the great song of praise when we gather together again at St. Mark.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – March 20, 2020.

“…but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” - Romans 5:3-5

One thing is for certain, no matter how much we may be affected by our current health crisis, individually, we are all suffering together.  This isn’t a time to compare one’s suffering to another, or how one’s way of life is more displaced than another.  We are all experiencing this together.  We are, together, wading through the waters of uncertainty, unknown, and none of us know how long this could last. 

What I do know, is that Paul’s word to those Christians in the heart of all the issues in Rome, where they also had a shared suffering, offer us hope.  Realizing that we are all in this together, gives us an opportunity to urge one another on to have the character and hope that does not disappoint.  God is still pouring into us the joy of the Holy Spirit, and his mercies are new every morning.  I’m encouraged by your encouraging words, a few are shared below.  Please keep them coming, and I will continue to share them each day, as we press on to the joy of a time when we will all be together, in worship, again. 

Until then, we will praise God, where we are. With a Spirit of awe and wonder, God is still doing amazing things, and binding us together in love. (Colossians 3:14).

Grace & Peace, Pastor Sam

sam3ward@gmail.com

 

“Encouragement is an essential way of extending grace to each other. Be positive, be caring, be understanding even when these actions are probably not your first choice.”  – Gary Larson

“God is not surprised by this event at all, and we as Christians know he can use all things for His glory. I’m almost excited to see families come back together, to see schedules lessened and for people to embrace some margin in their lives. We are too busy and have gotten too busy for God. He can use this as a tool for good. Prayers that everyone stays in and stays well.”
 – Liz Mann

A quote from Upper Room this week:  “Sometimes life is hard but God does not abandon us." 
Also: “God sees us and is thinking of ways to help us” – Donna Judd

Encourage One Another

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St. Mark Family, 

I got up this morning, and saw some news, and then watched some more news, and honestly, I wasn’t feeling really good about anything.  In addition to the continued spread of the COVID-19, we received word from Bishop Taylor that churches in Holston are to remain closed “until further notice.” 

Right now, we don’t know how long this is going to last. Nor do we know how this may effect ministry, or society in the long term. 

Then, I decided to turn off all that noise, and went to the Scriptures.  I started thinking about a man in Acts named Barnabas.  His name, according to Acts 4:36, literally means “son of encouragement.”  I started thinking about how much we need to hear encouraging words.  Honestly, that’s one of the things I and I’m sure many of you are missing by us not being able to meet together in person.  We don’t get to hear encouraging words from one another, like we would in our Sunday Schools or greeting one another in the halls.  

In Acts 14, Barnabas and Paul are in Iconium, they had preached the gospel in the synagogue there, some believed, but others tried to poison the minds of those who came to believe.  In verse 3, it says, “So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace by granting signs and wonders to be done through them.”

Even though the outside forces wanted to poison the minds of the believers, Paul and Barnabas remained, and continued to encourage the faith. 

I believe this is a time for us to take on the call to be encouragers.  So, St. Mark I’m calling on you to help with this encouragement.  I want you to take some time, and write down an encouraging word, then send it to my email (sam3ward@gmail.com).  I hope that my inbox gets flooded with encouraging words.  I will then compile these, and send them out to the church family a few at a time that we might all be encouraged by these words that you share.

Your words are your own, your message doesn’t have to be eloquent, or long, just send a word of encouragement you’d like for your church family to hear.  In this way, we will help to stay connected, be encouraged, and grow in our faith in the One who does not leave us on our own, but is here by our side even now.

I leave you with this: Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Continue to Have Hope

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Dear St. Mark Family,

In order to honor the bishop’s request of mandatory cancellation (see her words here: https://www.holston.org/article/bishop-taylor-clarifies-cancellation-is-mandatory-13441937);

we will, again, not be holding live services at St. Mark on Sunday, March 22, 2020.

As was the case last Sunday, our worship team is putting together a service in which you can watch and participate online.  It will be on the church website, as well shared via Facebook at 10:30 am, Sunday. You are welcome and encouraged to share with others. 

In addition, we will send a link by email out to the church congregation, as some had trouble this past week getting to the message.

This is a difficult time.  In many ways, this is new territory for all of us.  Life for some may not seem all that different right now. Others are feeling the walls of isolation and the fear of what might be on the horizon.  

I want to encourage you to continue to have hope.  Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, after explaining all the things that love is and isn’t, he says that love never ends.  And after that he remarks about not knowing completely, and how we are unclear, “….we see in mirror, dimly…” However, at the end of all that the great conclusion that we find is this:  “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love (13:13).”

I know this is a hard time for many of us, but I find great security in knowing that faith, hope and love abide.  It is faith in God that will see us through these unprecedented times.  It is hope that God does overcome all things, and hope will lead us through to the other side of this time.  Above all, love is what binds us together as the people of God, the church.  Our love that we share with our family, our friends, our neighbors.  The love that we share as we call and check on one another, praying for one another, encouraging one another, and in some cases serving one another will draw our hearts closer to one another and to God. 

Let us look to the one who is the source of all hope, and place our trust in him, praise be to Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Please remember that while we may not meet together, we are still the body of Christ in our community. 

o   Stay connected, to worship online, and via Facebook.

o   Continue to consider supporting the church, financially.

            Online: https://app.easytithe.com/App/Giving/stmarkknox

            Mail: PO BOX 11007 Knoxville, TN 37939-1007

o   Pray for one another, the church, it’s leadership, and all who are affected in one way or another.

o   Witness to the glory of God that is with us, even now.

o   Serve one another by making calls and staying connected, offering to grocery shop for those in need, and encourage one another in these troubling times.

 God’s blessings of health, comfort, and peace to you all in Christ’s love,

Pastor Sam

 

Updated Response: Worship Cancelled 3/15/2020

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Dear St. Mark Family,

It seems that much has transpired over the last 24 hours concerning the COVID-19, coronavirus.  Not the least of which, was a statement from our Bishop, Mary Virginia Taylor urging churches to suspend worship in the coming weeks to offset the spread of this disease.  You may read the entirety of the Bishops message here:
https://www.holston.org/article/a-message-from-bishop-taylor-13441713. 

Due to the growing concern, and out of an abundance of caution and care, we will not be holding live services on Sunday, March 15, 2020. In addition, we will be cancelling all other activities including Bible Study, and music rehearsals for the coming week (March 15-20).  The Trustees and Staff are utilizing this time to sanitize our building and prepare for when we are able to come together again. SMEEP is on spring break this week, so aside from staff, the church building will be closed.  If you need anything please email or call and someone will be attentive to your needs. 

I hold a heavy heart at coming to this decision, as I have enjoyed the momentum we are building in worship, and serving God with our prayer, presence, gifts, service, and witness.  We have seen our church come together, and things are in a very positive place. It is hard to let go of such a wonderful time in this season we are growing together towards the cross, and in the kingdom of God.

While we may not be able to meet together as the body of Christ, we can still grow together in Spirit, and so the following will be offered as an alternative to our normal worship together.  

  • On Sunday morning a shortened Worship Service of Prayer, Scripture, and Sermon will be posted to the church website, and shared via Facebook, please watch and share with as many as you  are able.

 

  • To continue to support the church financially, please consider setting up online giving through the church website: https://app.easytithe.com/App/Giving/stmarkknox or if you prefer, you are welcomed to mail your checks to the church.
    Please note our new mailing address: PO BOX 11007 Knoxville, TN 37939-1007

 

  • Pray. Please continue to pray for our church, it’s people, and especially for those who may be infected or most at risk.  We cannot emphasize enough the need for prayer for in times such as these.

 

  • Witness to the glory of God that is with us, no matter where we are. God is not in the church building, but God is the love that binds us as a one.

 

  • Serve one another. Use this time to call on one another to make sure everyone is well, if you able, offer to grocery shop for those who do not need to get out, encourage one another in these troubling time. Please call those who may not receive this message, and let them know that we care for them. 

Though we may not meet together, God is still with us, and I hope that this time will help all of us draw closer to God, stronger in our faith, and help us to build a stronger community when we can gather together again as the Church of St. Mark.

God’s blessings of health, comfort, and peace to you all.
Pastor Sam

Holy Week Schedule

Palm Sunday ~ April 5, 10:30 AM


 
Maundy Thursday Service ~ April 9, 6:30 PM
 
Community Good Friday Service, April 10

at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Noon

Evening Good Friday Service at Central UMC, Lenoir City

featuring St. Mark UMC Choir, Bob Chilcott’s - St. John Passion

April 10 at 6:30 PM


Easter Sunday ~ April 12, 10:30 AM (ONE SERVICE)
(9:30 AM Sunday School)

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Dan Biggerstaff Grounds Maintenance Fund

Spring is in the air and it’s time to spruce up our St. Mark campus. This includes tree and shrub pruning; attacking weeds in our flower beds, lawn and along our curbs; fertilization of the lawn area and mulching. In the summer, we will continue to clean-up our woods of weedy growth. In the fall, there will be leaf blowing; lawn aeration and over seeding of the lawn. There will be weekly sidewalk clean-up and trash picked up from the property on Saturday afternoons for our Sunday morning services. We will need money to fund the above work and depending on how much money we raise there are other special projects that could be added to the list. Again this year, a church member would like to launch the campaign to raise these funds by matching the first $2,000 in donations given by our church family. We will need approximately $6,000 to fund all of the above listed items. Dan will continue in his role of supervising the projects and coordinating the work schedule with Gabino Filipe and his family.

Thank you for your donations. St. Mark Trustees

Bible Study

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WEDNESDAYS

Returning Home: Post Exile

9:30AM or 6:00PM

This study will help us explore what happened as the people who had been exiled to Babylon return home to rebuild. We will see the faith of the people built along with a wall, and then hear some prophetic words of God as the people of God reestablish themselves as those of the covenant promises. Books of the bible covered in the is study include Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Join us for great fellowship and discussion as we learn together.