New Covenant UMC Blog

See the picture here . It is a picture taken by an Episcopal Priest. She spent time during her recent sabbatical not just resting, but taking pictures of the hands of people that are a part of the body of Christ, the Church. The picture above is two of the hands she photographed.

After reading the article on Tuesday, I got to thinking about hands. What about the hands of Jesus? What did Jesus do with his hands? As I made a quick glance at the scriptures, I saw that Jesus blessed children with his hands (see Matthew 19: 12-14). Jesus also healed with his hands (see Mark 8:22-24). I remembered those words from one of our hymns that says, “Jesus’ hands were kind hands, doing good to all, healing pain and sadness, blessing children small….” The greatest thing I think that Jesus did with his hands is that he willingly allowed those hands to be pierced by nails as he hung on the cross for the sins of you and me?

We are created by a God who (as the children sing) “has got the whole world in his hands”. Our hands are filled with great possibility. They can be used to bless and touch others, or they can be used to hurt others. What are you doing with your hands? Have a joy-filled week.- Pastor Randy Wall

One of the joys of these weeks of Lent  for this pastor is working with our confirmation class.    This year, we have 5 wonderful young people in the class.  Our confirmation banquet will be on Saturday, April 21 and our confirmation Sunday will be on Sunday, April 22.   

Yesterday, we spent some time talking about the early Church and the fact that the early Christians (e.g. Stephen) faced persecution.  Then, we played a game called  “Law and Order:  Special Christian Unit”.   One of our confirmation class members was charged with being a follower of Jesus.  We then had a “mock trial”  with a judge (me), a prosecuting attorney, a defense attorney, the defendant, and a jury.  

Though that experience of the “mock trial” took place yesterday, it still cast a shadow over me.     If I was charged with being a follower of Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict me?    Would I be found guilty or not guilty?   How about you?    Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

It is Ash Wednesday, and the reality of that hit my ears late this morning as I waited in line at Bojangles earlier today.     I did not have breakfast this morning as I had to have lab work at my doctor.  As I was waiting to place my order for a late breakfast or early lunch, I overheard the person in front of me tell the cashier that he was going to give up sweet tea for Lent this year.     Giving my Bojangles tea?   Now, that is a sacrifice.       

Lent is the season of the Christian year before Easter.    It lasts  40 days (not including Sundays) reminding us of the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness facing temptation.     It is traditional for Christians to give up something they love for Lent.     I have known persons that gave up foods they dearly love (e.g. desserts, French fries).    I  heard yesterday about a church that was encouraging its members to give up alcoholic beverages for Lent.     Christians through the ages often give up or sacrifice something during Lent to have a kinship with Christ who gave up his body and blood on the cross. 

I find myself thinking what I will do as a part of my spiritual journey for Lent 2012.      What I am thinking about doing  is  not giving up something that is dear to me, but giving something.    This year, I think I want to not give up something for Lent, but I want to give something  that is in the likeness of Christ.    I  will let you know what decide.   Have a joy-filled week and a holy Lent.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 I am feeling tired today after a number of busy days.   I attended a Counseling Conference last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in Greensboro.  On Saturday, I  was one of the leaders at a Men’s Conference over in the Coulwood area of Charlotte.      It was a busy Sunday filled with two great worship services, Sunday School, and confirmation class.   As I write this, I am thinking of our Ash Wednesday Service and the beginning of Lent before us.      

There are times all of us get tired. In Genesis, we hear that among the things that God created was a Sabbath.  Sabbath is not just about worship, but it is also about resting our bodies, minds, and spirits.  In John 5, we hear the story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.  One of the things that it states about Jesus in that story was that he was tired.   If Jesus got tired, surely there is no shame in any of us getting tired.    

What is the remedy when you are tired?    Perhaps you sleep, take a day off, or take a few days and go to one of your favorite places.    I find myself thinking this morning about a brief but important verse in Psalm 23:  “He restores my soul.”    The Lord, the Good Shepherd, is the remedy for our fatigue.    God is the author of time, who gives the day we take off.  God is the one who watches over Israel and us while we slumber and sleep.   Thanks be to God who restores our bodies, minds, and spirits.  Have a joy-filled week.  Pastor Randy Wall   

There is an interesting story in Luke 8. Jesus is told about a 12 year old girl who is dying. While Jesus is on his way to minister to her, a woman in the crowd is healed as she touches the garment of Jesus. An encounter ensues between the woman and Jesus as Jesus realizes the power has gone out of him. Jesus then goes on to heal the 12 year old girl. Time does not permit me to explore this entire story, so let me center on one part of the story: Jesus heals a woman even though that was not his primary focus. While Jesus is on his way to touch and heal this girl, he touches and heals a woman in the crowd.

Ministry in the name of Christ is not always something we set out to do. Sometimes, it just  happens in the course of daily, human events. We offer a smile to someone we see in the hallway of school or in the hospital. We listen to a friend who opens up when we simply ask, “How are you?”. We take the time to send a card that brightens someone’s day when they really need it. Ministry is not always a thoughtful, deliberation action or task. Many times, it is simply following the leading of the Spirit and allowing Christ to live through us. When you get right down to it, ministry is not always what we do but it is what we are when we follow Jesus. Have a joy-filled week.- Pastor Randy Wall

My hometown of Burlington has been known throughout the region for many things through the years. In the early days of the 20^th century, Burlington was the place where Burlington Industries started. Before that, Burlington was called “Company Shops” because it was where the maintenance shops of the NC Railroad were located. In the later part of the 20^th century, Burlington was filled with many factory outlets. I imagine that there are some of you that have visited some of the outlets in Burlington.

Though some of you may have visited the outlets in Burlington, what you may not know is that my Mom owned and ran one of the first factory outlets in the Burlington area. Back in the 1960’s, she owned and operated “Shirl’s Factory Outlet” on the courthouse square in Burlington. Mom sold mostly ladies clothing that she purchased from a clothing factory in Siler City. The clothes were sold at a steep discount from retail prices for two reasons: Mom bought the clothes directly from the manufacturer and most of the clothes had a slight imperfection or irregularity in them.

Though I do not go to Burlington much anymore, I visit there regularly in my mind and heart. I was thinking the other day that in a way that the church is like my Mom’s old factory outlet store. How so, Pastor Randy, you ask? Every one  in the church is a person that has imperfections. The Bible and the church does not so much use the word imperfection, but sin. The apostle Paul puts it this way in Romans 3:22-24 where he writes: “²² This righteousness is given through faith in^[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” As my old friend Bob Page used to put it, “The Church is a hospital for sinners”.    Have  a joy-filled week.– Pastor Randy Wall

  I woke up this morning thinking about people going to church. Monday night, several of us from our church family gathered to talk about following up with those who visit worship at New Covenant Church. We are in the process of implementing a new plan to reach out to those who are first time guests at worship at New Covenant Church. I am eager and excited to see the ways that God will work through that new ministry.

We church folks talk a lot about going to church or coming to church. We gather at the church weekly for worship and gather regularly for practices of music groups, for study groups, and the like. We are concerned when people are absent at church particularly for several weeks in a row. While it is well and good to come to church, it occurs to me today that it is more important to be the church. The longer I am a Christian, the more I see that being a follower of Jesus means doing what Jesus did. It is not enough to ask “What Would Jesus Do?”. No, we need to go a step further and do what Jesus did.

Luke 4:16 tells us this about Jesus: “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.” Jesus went to church regularly, so to speak. However, the gospels are filled with more stories of Jesus going to be the church by showing God’s love in the world. While I hope to see you at New Covenant Church this Sunday or that you will attend the church of your choice, I hope even more that you and I can be the Church in the world where we live. Have a joy-filled week.- Pastor Randy Wall

I am thinking of the  shortness and brevity of life today.   It is appropriate if  for no other reason than because today is February 1.    All of you know that February is the shortest month of the year even when it has 29 days like it does this year.

I attended the funeral this morning of Rev. Otis Snow, a retired United Methodist pastor.  He was a good friend.    He stood beside me and prayed with me a few years ago as I laid on a hospital gurney and prepared for a heart catherization.  Last Friday, I  stood beside him and prayed with Otis and his  family as nurses removed life support from him at Forsyth Hospital in Winston Salem.    

Yesterday, Bill Boomer of our congregation died.    I had the priviledge the day before his death to pray with Bill and his family and share scripture with them.     We will gather on Friday night here at New Covenant Church to celebrate Bill’s life and mourn his death.  

As the shortest month of the year begins, I am reminded of these words from Psalm 90: 4-12 which say: 

⁴ A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
⁵ Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
⁶ In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.

⁷ We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
⁸ You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
⁹ All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
¹⁰ Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
¹¹ If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
¹² Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom

February is only 29 days long.    Life on this earth for Otis Snow lasted till he was in his  70′s and for Bill Boomer till he was in his 80′s.    29 days, 70 years, or 80 years is only a short time, so “teach us to number our days….”     The month is short, and so is life so let us live it fully to the glory of God.  Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall