December 5th - Second Sunday in Advent

"A voice cries out: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'" - Isaiah 40:3

"John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."- Mark 1:4

This Sunday is the second Sunday of Advent. This is the Sunday that we think about "Christ, our Way" or "Christ, the Way." Our reading from Mark tells the story of John the Baptist, whose story is also shared in our other three Gospels. John was preparing people for the coming of Christ. How was he preparing them?

In our reading from Romans for this Sunday, Paul sends a message about how Christ's message and Christ's ministry are a gift for everyone. He asks the people to live in harmony with one another. What does that mean for us today as we think about spreading "the way" to others?

I will be exploring these questions during our morning services at Oakfield and Tabor. I hope that you might be able to join us as we continue our spiritual preparations for Christmas. We will also be celebrating Holy Communion during our worship services as well.

Our scripture readings for this Sunday, if you would like to look them over in advance of our service, are:

• Isaiah 11:1-10
• Romans 15:4-13
• Matthew 3:1-12

Evening Worship Service

At 7:00PM this Sunday, we will have our first of three December worship services in preparation for Christmas. Our December 5th service will focus on Christ, our Hope. We will look at Isaiah 2:1-5 and Romans 13:11-14. We will also share Communion with one another.

Growth Revisited

Back on October 13, I made mention that just because a church has more members, that does not necessarily mean that it is a vital church. This article provides some perspective on that idea.

As a pastor, I think there is a pressure from administrators above us, and the pastors around us, that signs that we have a vital church are vested in the numbers. Bigger is better. More members means the church is better.

The time that I have spent with the Oakfield Visioning Team and the time that we have spent reading Vital Signs has definitely helped me realize that a bigger (membership) church does not always mean a better church.

I do appreciate when we bring in new members to our churches. But, it is also important that those new members, along with our current members, are active in the church and the community. Who wants a bunch of members that aren't doing anything? A vital church can be 20 members, if those twenty members are active in ministry.

I encourage you to read the article. I think you will find it interesting and it may change your viewpoint on congregational "growth".

When to Blame God?

The Buffalo Bills were tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Sunday NFL game and it went to overtime. Steve Johnson, a Buffalo Bills wide receiver, had the opportunity to catch a winning touchdown pass in overtime. He did not make the catch. The Bills ended up losing the game.

After the game, he posted a "tweet" in which he said the following:

"I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO..."

It would appear that Johnson is blaming God for his missing the catch. He says that he will never get over this.

I do feel for this young man. Certainly this would have been a big victory for his team, playing a team that was statistically so much better. I think almost everyone imagines an opportunity when they get to be the hero...especially in a sporting event! To have that opportunity and not come through would be devastating!

I figure in a few days, as the tension and frustration with this game begins to subside, he'll realize there will be other opportunities. I also hope that he soon realizes that God does not control every play of a football game. I am glad that Johnson praises God often. I do think he has a chance to learn something from this. His life is not all about football. It is about being a good human being in a fractured world.

God knows his true heart and I don't think he blames God. He is just angry and frustrated. I hope he knows he has a God who will always love him and support him. Things may just not always go the way we want them to go.

November 28 - First Sunday of Advent

‎"He shall judge between nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." - Isaiah 2:4

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent! In less than four weeks from this Sunday, it will be Christmas!!

Over the next four Sunday, we celebrate the Sundays of Advent. It is during this Advent season that we prepare for the celebration, and commemoration, of Christ's birth. We remember that importance of the Jewish people waiting for a savior, a savior that we now know as Jesus Christ. We prepare ourselves for a time in the future, a new creation, in which Christ will again live among the people.

It is a time to be excited about our past, our present and our future in Christ. This week, our focus will be on hope. Our scripture readings provide insight into the hope that we have in Christ. Our hymns, readings, reflections and prayers will all focus on hope.

The scripture readings for this Sunday are:

• Isaiah 2:1-5
• Romans 13:11-14
• Matthew 24:36-44

I hope that you will be able to make it to worship this Sunday!

Thanksgiving Eve Service

For those in the area that might be interested in attending worship for Thanksgiving, we will be having a combined (Oakfield & Tabor) Thanksgiving Eve service:

Thanksgiving Eve Worship Service

November 24, 2010

7:30PM

Oakfield United Methodist Church

(220 South Main St.; Oakfield, WI 53065)

Included in the service:

1. An opportunity to give God prayers of thanksgiving for everything that he has given us.
2. An opportunity to donate food items to the Oakfield Food Pantry.
3. An opportunity to donate money to the Good Samaritan Fund, supported by both the Oakfield and Tabor churches, that helps those who are struggling in our communities.
4. We will be sharing Holy Communion as a part of this service. You need not be a member of Oakfield UMC or the United Methodist Church to participate in Communion.

I hope you might be able to make it out for this service!

A Return from Vacation

I now return from my one week of vacation. Christa and I did not venture anywhere exciting, so I took last week to rest and relax. I had the chance to play some video games, watch movies and do some things that I have not been able to go during a regular work week.

It was a good time, but I ready to get back to work. One, I have a lot of work that needs to be done, especially with Advent beginning on Sunday! I also have a Thanksgiving Service to put the finishing touches on for Wednesday. Two, it just feels good to be back in my regular work routine. I was starting to get lazy!

You can now look forward to my regular posting schedule for the time being. It's good to be back!

Service Preview for November 14th and 21st

Greetings Brothers and Sisters of the Oakfield/Tabor Church Communities,

November 14, 2010 Morning Worship

Pastor Jack Stubbs from Salem UMC will be preaching at Oakfield and Tabor as part of a Clergy Exchange happening between the United Methodist Churches of Circuit 24, which incorporates the churches in the Fond du Lac area. I will be preaching at Trinity UMC in Lomira.

Jack will be preaching on a reading from 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 and his sermon is, "Does God Love Deadbeats?" I hope you will be able to make it for this event.

November 21, 2010 Morning Worship
I will be on vacation next week and I have invited a guest pastor to preach on the 21st. Rev. Tom White will be leading worship in Oakfield and Tabor. Tom White is a member of Community UMC in North Fond du Lac and is a retired elder. It is Christ the King Sunday and the title of his sermon for that Sunday is, "Having Christ As Our King." The scripture readings are:

• Jeremiah 23:1-6
• Colossians 1:11-20
• Luke 23:33-43

I look forward to re-joining you in worship on November 28 when we begin the Season of Advent!

Oakfield Evening Worship

Over the next two weeks, we will continue to explore the role of prayer in our lives as we address the following questions:

• November 14 - How do we pray?
• November 21 - For what or for whom do we pray?

I hope you will be able to join us at 7:00PM on Sunday evenings at Oakfield UMC for contemporary worship and scripture study.