On November 1, 1844 poet Thomas Hood gazed outside his London home window and wrote a very dreary poem titled, “November.”
No sun–no moon!
No morn–no noon!
No dawn–no dusk–no proper time of day–
No sky–no earthly view–
No distance looking blue–
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member–
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds,
November!
Bummer. I totally think Thomas Hood did not think deeply about the possibilities of an incredible month for the church. Or maybe Thomas was a huge fan of warmer and sunnier months. Ponder these important facts! The month of November is a doorway to the holiday season and other sacred time we treasure. November is, as the “The Old Left Hander,” Joe Nuxall would say, “Rounding third and heading for home,” for the year. Also, I suspect November makes our own Bridget Spitler dance for joy because of the cooler temperatures and the promise of winter.
Additionally, every Sunday this November brings forth a special and important rhythm for church. The first Sunday we begin with remembering Saints of Light and those who passed away to eternal glory this past year. The following Sunday we examine our commitment to God’s work at Mt. Healthy United Methodist Church and dedicate our 2017 financial pledge of our individual gifts and talents. Then we come forward with our Pilgrim and Native American ancestors expressing gratitude and thanksgiving for our bountiful blessings! The last Sunday is the beginning of the Christian year with the beginning of Advent and the journey to Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! I hope and pray you will be present and also invite your friends, relatives, associates and neighbors to this incredible month. Thomas Hood, God rest his soul, was wrong about November. It truly is a treasure! Amen.
Beginning November 27th Mt. Healthy UMC Advent Series “Because of Bethlehem”
This Advent season we will take a journey titled “Because of Bethlehem.” I want to thank Sharon Heim for introducing the book to me and I believe it is an amazing preparation for our journey to the manger. Please keep an eye out for coloring books, Advent Calendars, thematic sermons and small group studies. A remarkable gift can arrive in an unremarkable package. Such a package arrived in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago. No one expected God to come the way he did. Yet the way he entered was every bit as important as the coming itself. The manger is the message. In this four-week Bible study and other resources, Max Lucado explores how the One who made everything chose to make himself nothing for us. He experienced hunger and thirst. He went through the stages of human development. He was taught to walk, stand, and wash his face. He was completely and genuinely human. Because of Bethlehem, we no longer have marks on our record . . . just grace. We have the promise that God is always near us, always for us, always within us—and that we have a friend and Savior in heaven. Long after the guests have left, the carolers have gone home, and the lights have come down, these promises endure.
Advent and Christmas Services
November 27th “Hope”
December 4th “Peace”
December 11th “Joy”
December 18th “Love”
Christmas Eve 7PM “Around the Manger”
Christmas Day 10AM “Wake Up!” (Wear comfy clothes, even pajamas)
Commitment Sunday is November 13th