In my years as a District Superintendent, I had occasions to visit a number of United Methodist congregations at worship in the north-western lower peninsula.  These visits gave me the opportunity to experience a variety of worship styles in a variety of settings, each as unique as the pastor, congregation, and community.  I was introduced in this way to what is called Contemporary Worship.  I confess that often it made me uncomfortable.  I wasn’t ready for singers standing at microphones or praise band guitars and drums or words on screens or pastors preaching in blue jeans!
 
Yet over my years of worshipping in this new style with several congregations, I began to appreciate what this ‘new worship’ had to offer.  Congregations sang their songs of praise with more vigor when heads were lifted instead of lowered into a hymnal.  Informal garb by leaders was “permission giving” communicating that God desired and welcomed all people to worship no matter how they were dressed.  Young people were present in significant numbers where worship was lively and energizing.
 
In the end, what impressed me wasn’t the trappings of worship—style or music—it was the attitude of the worshippers.  In many of the new worship congregations, there was a sense of engagement and participation.  Eugene Peterson says: “Worship does not satisfy our hunger for God—it whets our appetite.”  (The Long Obedience)  I experienced congregations where worship nurtured worshippers hunger for God.
 
I invite you to a season of prayer and reflection about worship this summer.  In late June to early July we will explore worship in sermons, discussions, and study.  We will ask questions of scripture, church traditions and ourselves: What is worship?  Why do we worship?  What does God want from me as I worship?  In these months of play and re-creation, come to worship here or wherever you are.  Join us as we ask questions and worship the God who loves us in Jesus Christ.
 
Seeking worship with you,
 

  Dear Friends,
 
May, 2008 is a milestone time for my family.  We will be celebrating two graduations.  Our daughter, Erin Racine, will graduate from the Divinity School at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN on May 9.  Our son, Joel, will graduate from Albion College on May 10.  Erin will be appointed to serve on the staff of Brentwood United Methodist Church in Tennessee on July 1.  After summer work, Joel hopes to begin a year of volunteer service at a place not yet determined.
 
In reflecting on my children’s upbringing I think of a variation on the African proverb: It take a congregation to raise a child.  In the case of my children, double preacher’s kids (double PKs), more than one congregation helped raise them.  Gunnisonville United Methodist Church where I served was the place of Erin’s baptism and East Lansing University Church, where Tom served, hosted a baby shower.  White Cloud UMC was the site of Joel’s baptism; Tom and I were co-pastoring the church.  Sandy and Terry Mast sat with infant Joel in worship each Sunday and over the miles and years still care for us all.  At South UMC in Kentwood, Sunday school teachers and youth leaders made a deep impact on our children’s growing faith.  Central UMC in Traverse City was the place where Joel got involved in youth group and where Erin spent two summers in internships learning about ministry.
 
Programs directed at children and youth are vital: Sunday school, youth ministry, camping, confirmation, scholarships, internships, mission projects.  But in the end, what matters to my children were people—Christians who took time to care, to teach, to lead, to be-with, to mentor, and to pray for them.  Erin and Joel have been formed in faith by the love of so many faith-full Christians and I am thankful.
 
In this season of confirmation and graduations, I invite you to give thanks for those who helped form your children in the Christian faith.  I invite you to think about and, if you can, say thank you to those who formed you in Christian faith.
 
Pray about this: how is God calling you to help raise a child in the Christian Community?  Respond to God’s prompting and invitations to serve when it comes to children and you.  And above all, pray; children and youth need our prayers.
 
By God’s grace, may we be those who have helped form the faith of generations to come.
 
Grateful for God’s grace lived out in so many,
 

  This is Eastertide, the season between Easter and Pentecost.  In these days, the Church celebrates Jesus’ resurrection and the power of God’s love at work in the world.  Below are stories of resurrection reality in our midst.
 
Abounding in Grace and Good Works
In the early spring our Outreach Team took a risk.  They decided not to take an offering for a mission trip to Biloxi, Mississippi; volunteers were committed to going but would go to offer their labor without additional funds.  Instead, Outreach decided to take an offering for a housing and medical mission to Guatemala.  We chose to support the passion that Dr. Kirk & Sue Tyler had for that mission.  They and Dr. Mark Stid and others would serve the poor in the mountains outside Guatemala City.  Our congregation responded generously in giving to the Guatemala mission.  And then God’s surprise!  The Friendship Baptist Church, highly invested in the Guatemala mission, wanted to share in our mission to Katrina victims.  In a gesture of Christian generosity, that church has given our Biloxi Mission team $10,000 to buy supplies for home repair in Biloxi.  The words from St. Paul come to mind:
 
Whoever sows generously, reaps generously.
God is able to make all grace abound to you,
So that in all things, at all times, having what you need,
you will abound in every good work.
(2 Corinthians 9:6,8)
 
Worship for all God’s People
Over the last few months, a new vision has been forming in the Administrative Council, Worship Ministry Team and in your pastor.  The vision is of a third worship service offered on Sunday morning.  The service would have two goals: to target young adults and to respond to those seeking a more contemporary expression of worship in music, atmosphere, media and presentation of the message.  We plan that this service would provide an open door to people who haven’t found a church home and that it would provide a setting for members who seek this style of worship.  Details of schedules for Sunday School and adult education will need to be worked out.  The worship change may also provide more options for Christian Education in our church.
 
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus said: I will go ahead of you to Galilee.  Jesus reaches out to a wider world.  I believe there are young adults and families who are thirsting for Streams of Living Water.  I believe Jesus is urging them to find a church home and a place to worship.  I believe God is calling us to offer our church as a place for worship and growth in Christian community.
 
Grace and peace,
 

The following are some worship notes for the March 2, 2008 service. These are the reading materials on which the sermons will be based, and some questions we hope to explore together during Sunday's sermon. Join us at 8:45am or 10:15am and explore with us! You are invited to meet with Paster Lynn for a half hour beginning at 11:30am in the conference room across from the nursery to discuss the message.

Read: John 14:15-17,25-26
         John 16:7-15

The Holy Spirit functions in a number of ways in the life of faith.  The Holy Spirit is the Advocate, like an attorney who takes your side in life’s trials.  Jesus calls the Spirit, the Spirit of Truth teaching Christians, showing the way.  And the Holy Spirit is a witness who works to help us know and experience Jesus Christ.

• How have you experienced the Holy Spirit in your life?
  

The word Charism means gift.  The Charismatic tradition in the church surfaces when the Holy Spirit produces gifted responses to God’s love.  There is energy, joy, revival, and renewal as the Holy Spirit works in individual lives and in communities.

• How has God’s Spirit gifted you?  (Check out the 9 gifts in I Corinthians 12:8-10)

When have you experienced renewal or revival in your faith or in your community of faith?  (See the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22)