Pastor's Message

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06d8dfc3.jpg"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fayetteville United Methodist Church"><U>Fayetteville United Methodist Church</U></A></div> <div> Pastor's Message</div> <div> <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Staff and Officers"><U>Church Staff and Officers</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Birthdays and Anniversaries"><U>Birthdays and Anniversaries</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Location"><U>Location</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="United Methodist Women"><U>United Methodist Women</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="United Methodist Men"><U>United Methodist Men</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fayetteville United Methodist Youth Fell"><U>Fayetteville United Methodist Youth Fellowship</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History"><U>History</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.gbgm-umc.org/fayetteville/newsletter.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gbgm-umc.org/fayetteville/new"><U>Newsletter</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.gbgm-umc.org/fayetteville/calendar.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gbgm-umc.org/fayetteville/cal"><U>Calendar</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06e8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <B>Fayetteville United Methodist Church</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>    </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B> </B></FONT></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06e8dfc3.jpg"> <div> Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,</div> <bR> <div>      During our summer & fall months we are in the seasons of Pentecost and Kingdomtide.  The term “Kingdomtide” notes that the lectionary readings for that season emphasize Jesus' teaching about the Kingdom of God.  Kingdomtide ends in November with “Christ the King” Sunday, followed by the beginning of Advent.  But it is important not to forget the work of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus described in John's Gospel, <I>“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you” John 14:26.  </I>Jesus continues on to tell us that He must leave so we can receive the Holy Spirit<I>,  “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you</I><I><B>...</B></I><I>When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you”  John 16:7, John 16:13-14</I><I><B>.</B></I></div> <bR> <div>       Recently, I preached on the power and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Sometimes we are so Christ-focused, that we forget that the Holy Spirit is here, working with us and for us so that we might become better disciples.  <B> </B> The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth.  He affirms what is good and pure and true and holy.  The Holy Spirit also functions as a teacher, teaching us <I>“everything.”  </I>We learn how to pray with the help of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit helps us to understand and recognize our Spiritual gifts and helps us manifest the fruits of the Spirit.  There are even times (and I've shared many with you) the Holy Spirit corrects us as He is guiding us.  </div> <bR> <div>      The Holy Spirit is also to <I>“prove the world wrong” </I>about its relationship to God - particularly about <I>“sin and righteousness and judgment”</I> <I>(John 16:8-11).</I>  We must always remember that it is the Spirit's task to convict, not ours.  </div> <bR> <div>       Finally, we must never forget that the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity.  He does not speak independently, but only what He hears from the Father <I>(John 16:13-16)</I>.  Just as Jesus was in the beginning with God as <I>“the Word” (John 1:1-14), </I>so the Holy Spirit is of God.  What God the Father and God the Son began, God the Spirit continues and completes.  Let me share a wonderful illustration of that.    In Michelangeol's famous painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, God is reaching out his life-giving hand to Adam and Adam is extending his hand in response.  However, their fingers never quite touch.  The Holy Spirit is this missing touch of God.  The distance between God and his people is bridged by the Holy Spirit so that we actually become one with God.  </div> <bR> <div>         As “homework” from that recent sermon, I invited you to look-up the passage in 1 Corinthians 12 about the gifts of the Spirit and in Galatians 5 about the fruits of the Spirit.  If you were not there or did not have the opportunity to do that, I am listing them below and inviting you to spend these summer months praying about what gifts you have and how you will use them in your home, your workplace, your church and your life; as well as the fruits of the Spirit.  Remember, we are not all given all of the gifts, so develop the ones you have a natural inclination for.  However, we should be striving towards ALL of the fruits of the Spirit.  So choose one a week and work on it.  And find ways to remind yourself to keep attentive and available to the work of the Spirit.  </div> <bR> <div> Blessings,</div> <div>                <I>Clare</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> 013f<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" ><B><U>Gifts of the Spirit:</U></B></FONT></div> <div> <B>1 Corinthians 12:1-12 </B> Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >2</FONT> You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak.  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >3</FONT> Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Let Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit.  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >4</FONT> Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >5</FONT> and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord;  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >6</FONT> and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >7</FONT> To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >8</FONT> To one is given through the Spirit <U>the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,  </U><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" ><U>9</U></FONT><U> to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,  </U><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" ><U>10</U></FONT><U> to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.</U>  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >11</FONT> All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >12</FONT> For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. </div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Fruits of the Spirit:</U></B></div> <div> <B>Galatians 5:22-23 </B> By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is <U>love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,  </U><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" ><U>23</U></FONT><U> gentleness, and self-control</U>. </div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>