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Cheatham Memorial September 2016 Worship!

/ Rev. Alan Van Hooser / Leave a comment

The theme for September is is “A Work in Progress” and the image is the cross.  Yes, we have a cross in every sermon but these four message will give it more weight.  Do our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness flow from the cross of Christ or just adorn our t-shirts?  I am asking this of myself  during quiet time.  What amazing  power the cross has in our everyday living….when we choose to access it.  How do you do that?  Come to worship and see.  We will also explore prayers of blessing and host a two-week short course on prayer, September 15 and 22 at 6:30 PM.  See cheathamumc.net for details

September 4, 2016: 16th Sunday of Pentecost  Jeremiah 18:1-11   “The Potter’s House”

We are all a work in progress.  Even when life is under pressure, faith can build us even if circumstances are trying to get us down.  The greater the pressure, the stronger the earthen vessel.

September 11, 2016: 17th Sunday of Pentecost, remembrance of 9-11,  1 Timothy 1:12-17  “Strength for the Falls”

The promise of redemption if from Jesus himself.  People of faith are strengthened for the everyday “falls” that inevitably come.  Like physical fitness or a baby learning to walk, it is through our trials that we are strengthened in faith.  This gift from the Christ is for all who believe and for all who don’t.  We are all walking redemption’s path.

 September 18, 2016: 18th Sunday of Pentecost, Gideon’s Sunday with special offering.  1 Timothy 2:1-7  “Levelling Prayers” 

In the prayer closet, kings and paupers are judged the same.  This epistle is inviting us to seek God rather than asking God to seek us. How are we praying for our own spiritual formation?  How are we praying for our political and church leaders in their life’s seeking of God?

September 25, 2016: 19th Sunday of Pentecost.  Luke 17:5-10  “A starting place”

This service will be an old school revival Sunday and include our favorite “Methodist Roots” hymns in an upbeat and tradition filled worship experience! The vision of a victorious end is the start of all good journeys.  Where is our starting place in the Christian life?  The truth is that we have many starting placed in Christ.  It is a journey of many steps.  We don’t begin our life of salvation all mature and filled many answers.  We start at the foot of the cross with the harsh reality that we are not finished yet, we continue with the present reality that we don’t journey along, and we live for the completion of our journey with eternity in Christ.  That being said, how do we begin?

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Coming Events:  Charge Conference! Fall Festival on October 15 and a celebration of our fund raiser on October 16!

Summer Sermons! July & August 2016

/ Rev. Alan Van Hooser / Leave a comment

Following is our Cheatham Memorial UMC sermon Planner for July and August 2016.  Our church is open to anyone seeking to deepen their faith and take part in significant ministry as a way of life.  Our Motto is “WELCOME HOME” and we know our congregation to be about these three things:  Fist, our Mission:  Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the World; second  our Vision: We are Christ’s Love in Action: Following Christ, Serving Others, Unifying the Church. And finally, Our motivation:  Loving God’s Word, Deepening the life of Prayer and developing ministering Skills.  For more information on how we do that, click here and check out our activities on the main website. 

July 3:  7th Sunday of Pentecost

Text:  Psalm 33:6-17, Philippians 3:17-21 “God Country”

We live in the greatest nation with the greatest faith, the largest economy and the greatest technology in the history of the world.  How did we get it and how do we keep it?  Things seem pretty uncertain and we desperately need to look for this answer!  Join us with a theological look at what it means to be a Christian in the USA today.

 July 10: 8th Sunday of Pentecost

Luke 10:25-37  “The very first Lawyer Joke”

There are many lawyer jokes but only one that I know of in the Bible and it comes from one of the best known of all of Jesus’ parables.  Which one?  Look it up and see.  Do you get the joke?  How does your, mine and our faiths fit together?

 July 17  Vacation Bible School Wrap Up Sunday

Luke 10:38-42  “Kids Remember What Grownups Forgot”

God speaks volumes through children.  If you want to know God-Sized answers to God-Sized questions you must take on the manner of a child.  What does that look like and how do I get it?

July 24  “Lawn Chair Worship Sunday”

Revival Theme.  The text will be announces later for this morning of fun, barbecue and praise.  Outside service at 9:00 AM followed by too much food and lots of music!  See the main website for details.

 July 31  Lawn Chair Sunday Rain out Day

Colossians 3:1-11 “You Find What You Look For”

August 7:  Youth Service at 10:00 and Youth Rally at 2:00

Youth Speaker

August 14:  Block Party Celebration

Hebrews 11”1-13  “A Love Song for the Vineyard”

I’m tired, where is the faith I need for today?  The church is a fertile vineyard and Christ loves his church.  Still, some days we fall short of Christ’s vision.  The fruit of His vineyard is faith and faith is the seed where that fruit begins.  We will discuss our every-day starting place to find and cast that faith for ourselves.

August 21:  Back to School Consecration Sunday

Jeremiah 1:4-10 “Only a Child can Know”

We think of children as needing our teaching but often they are the example of faith for us grown-ups.  Faith is supposed to grow in us and mature .  Not knowing how the things of faith work is not an excuse.  I our “not-Knowing” are the seeds of exciting spiritual formation.  How do we build and plant that necessary faith?

August 28 15th Sunday after Pentecost

Hebrews 13:1-16  “Hospitality’s Gift”

Our church knows what hospitality looks like and knows that it is a FAITH BUILDER!  We are very strong in opening our home to others.  What do we get out of it?  Is it ok if we get something out of it?  We will discuss that gift that we get in return regardless of what our guests leave behind.

Coming Events:  Gideon’s Sunday on September 18,  Fall Festival on October 14 and a celebration service on October 15

 

Go to the main website!

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What on Earth does Maundy Mean?

/ Rev. Alan Van Hooser / Leave a comment

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Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries) is a Holy Week tradition.  Most Christians celebrate “Maundy” and we in the western church have ours on the Thursday before Easter.  This a church term is from the latin word “Mandate” or commandment and speaks to Christ’s command to take care of the poor.

For the last 1000 years or so, the Church would have Maundy to wash the feet of the poor as an act of servanthood.  This evolved into a service around the scripture’s story of Christ washing the feet of his disciples. Later was added the gift of Holy Communion, (or Eucharist) described at the last supper discourse.  After that last supper, they sang a hymn and went into the garden to unknowingly wait for the crucifixion.  We remember this in the silence of Saturday before the feast and joy of Resurrection morning.

What is truly represents is what the photograph shows-IT IS ABOUT WORK OF THE CHURCH.  The sacraments, caring for people and worship are the work and craft of the Christian disciple.  Holy Thursday is a work day in the highest sense of the Kingdom of God.  Faith in Christ is not a possession, it is a calling a compulsion to be like Jesus.  Maundy shows the privilege and responsibility to serve as the plain scriptural command of Jesus.

On this Holy week you are invited to attend this special service at 6:30 at our church, Cheatham Memorial UMC in Edgewood Texas.  If you are not in our area, find your place in a faithful congregation to share a service with.  Our website with the particulars is cheathamumc.net.  Our table is open to all who claim the name of Christ and this service is open to all who simply want to worship as a sign of devotion to Him.  Join us and experience the story beyond a mere reading. It may sound corny but Jesus is waiting for you here.

Blessings to you and may every week be Holy Week as you rejoice in the Risen Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.

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click here for more details

 

The April 2016 Sermon Schedule

/ Rev. Alan Van Hooser / Leave a comment

April brings the spring  and a newness to our faith journeys.  Easter has given us the faith of an empty tomb!  These scriptures have been chosen to reflect the four gifts of the cross-the final point of our Lenten sermons.  Forgiveness, Righteousness, Faith-Sight, and Ministry are given to us at the cross and lived in the resurrection in everyday life.  These gifts are for the here and now as well as the hereafter.  Come and join us in worship!  For more details check us out at Cheathamumc.net

April 3:  The second Sunday of the Easter Season  “Every Eye” Revelation 1:4-8

The first gift of the cross is that of a Jesus focused sight.  In Christ we simply see things differently.  The tomb is empty and is the bedrock of the Christian’s faith.  It is a place of victory and eternity rather than a place of death and finality.   Seeing our everyday with the focus of Jesus makes for healthier and eternal living.

 

April 10:  The third Sunday of the Easter Season  “Right Away”  Acts 9:1-20

The second gift of the cross is the forgiven life.  With our ransom paid at the cross we live with the righteousness of Jesus as our guide and goal.  By faith through Jesus’ gift to us we have this righteousness!  It is a responsibility as well as a privilege!  Living out of Jesus’ righteous freedom makes for healthier and eternal living.

April 17:  The fourth Sunday of the Easter Season  “Healing Right Away”   Acts 9:36-43

Jesus is still in the healing business but not always in the way that we imagine it should be.  The final gifts of the cross are being forgiven and made worthy for ministry.  Peter had denied Jesus and squandered many opportunities for faith.  Yet, this story show him to be used of God for a dramatic healing event.  Being healed of our sin puts us in a position to minister in a way that makes for healthier and eternal living

April 24:  The fifth Sunday of the Easter Season “Laity in Ministry Sunday”

Our lay leadership, with Judi Yarbrough bringing the message, will share our ministry from the last year  in pictures, word and song. This will be an exciting service of praise for the shared ministry of Cheatham Memorial UMC!

See you Sundays at 10:00!

 

October 2015 Sermon Schedule

/ Rev. Alan Van Hooser / Leave a comment

October Theme

We will continue to discuss the many tools that God gives us to discern our life’s direction  Concentrating God’s word as our compass and the Holy Spirit as Guide.  We will cut the clutter and discuss as much about what the Bible doesn’t say as what it does say.   We will hone our discernment skills to refine our “Vision Statement” as a congregation and to develop our personal life statement as well.  Come and see us at 10:oo worship!

  • October 4: Exodus 3:1-15 “Tell Them I-Am Sent You”
    The word of the day: God’s Direction for our lives and our congregation. This direction is Knowable and Do-able.  What God requires, God Directs and provides. Moses was endorsed by God, and In Christ, so are we.
  • October 11:  “Laity Sunday!”The message will be brought by Lay Person Jackie Fitzgerald from 1 Peter 4:10-11.  Judi Yarbrough will also present a mission report in word and photos.
  • “October 18: 21st: Mark 10:17-31 ”Oh, Come on….You know this!”We know the basics of Christ, some of us even from childhood,  but we still have to be reminded of them from time to time.
  • October 25: James 3:1-12 “But we must all learn”Not all can or should teach.  It is a gift and a craft.  BUT we must all learn from our many teachers.  Christ is teaching all things everywhere.  Listen, and learn…..

Weekly Sermon Briefs: September 20, 2015, “Me Neither” Romans 1:1-17

/ Rev. Alan Van Hooser / Leave a comment

This is third of four sermons on discerning God’s true direction for our lives, this week we look at MOTIVATION!  God’s will for our lives is healthy, sensible, less anxious,and  God want us to follow Him.

Our First sermon focused on prayer, Everything begins and ends with prayer, The exercise was to pray “ceaselessly” a spirit of prayer and not an act of prayer.  The second dealt with passion for this discernment- You have to want it. This week is motivation: What plugs you into the amazing power of God.  Its as present as a power line but you must connect! wherever prayer driven passion is, there will your motivation be.  Discernment requires us to  know it, grow it, act upon it and use it to grow closer to God.

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My grandfather helped found an electrical Coop before WWII.  This would revolutionize his rural area but at first had little impact.  Why?  There were few things to plug in and little understanding what this newfangled power did.  One man hooked it up, plugged in a light bulb and enjoyed the ability to read at night.  Everything was fine until he got his first bill-about a dollar, and he threw a fit.  If the coop would not negotiate a deal he threatened to take out the bulb and let the power spill onto the floor!  Not much understanding.

What do we Know, You have to plug in, it costs, useful,electricity 2 destructive, scary, You need to understand it to be able to use it. Electrons get excited at the source, are generated onto the transmission lines, do their work and return to the source.  Unplugging anything along the way that break the flow, stops the power.  The power is still there but the “Short-Circuit” stops the work of power.  So it is with the quest for God’s plan for our lives.  You have to plug in and pay the price!  When you plug in you will want more and this is this source of growth-moving from faith to faith! FAITH MOTIVATES FAITH in a self feeding circle! Check out the text!

Romans 1:1-17New International Version (NIV)

Paul is Asking Two Questions: What Motivates you and Us, second, What Should Motivate you and us. . The second question is the best question.

The text has three motivators for a follower of Jesus to discern God’s mission for our lives instead of a random decision or mere chance.  First, the end zone, goal, ground, plan and reward with responsibility is FAITH. We move from faith to faith to live by faith.  Second, faith in God is for us personally but lived out in community “Mutually Encouraged by each other’s faith”. We motivate and are motivated by our fellow travelers! Third and finally, The gift of “Sent-ness, or apostleship.” This isn’t geography but a state of the heart.  We are sent where we live to be plugged in,  excited, to give witness to the power given to us to work and return through praise  to God who changes our lives and the lives of others.

When we don’t have faith, work anyway.  John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement had doubts.  He received this advice from pastor Peter Muhller, “Preach faith until you have it and all you will be able to preach is faith. Keep at it through prayer, worship, service and keep your eyes on Christ

My motivators are these three things: I love Jesus Christ, why, this is the source of love I have for others. I Love his church, This is his chosen powerline to transmit the very salvation of the world. NOT THE SIGN OUT FRONT! But the Jesus within the Church. and finally, I Love You, A pastor’s love is a funny thing these motivate me, drive me out of bed and keep me going. Few know the lengths I would go to to introduce you to Jesus, or a better way to deepen your walk with him.

So now we ask the question, SO WHAT? Ask these three and write down three things and pray for them to be your source of spirit led motivation!  Give them to God and find a new energy for spiritual growth.

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Paul said, I am not ashamed of the Gospel! Me neither, how about you?

These briefs are a follow up to our Sunday worship.  I pray that you enjoy them but they are not a substitute for being in church.  Attend your church or come see us at CMUMC.  Do you have questions about how to become a Christian?  contact me at revavanhooser@gmail.com or click on the icon below to contact our office.

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