christ-church-gastonia

Born Again

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:43:27 GMT

Total spiritual transformation

We probably have all heard the term “born again,” and many of us may even know that Jesus said it when he had a conversation with Nicodemus in John chapter 3. But do we really know what it means to be born again?

The definition of being “born again” means that you have repented of your sins and asked for forgiveness from God through Christ. But the concept goes deeper than that definition. It is a spiritual rebirth, a spiritual transformation that results in a new right relationship with God. It is a righteousness that comes by faith through grace.

Nicodemus came to Jesus because he knew the Scriptures, but even with all that knowledge he knew there was something more that he needed. And it wasn’t the rules that being a Pharisee or as a part of the Sanhedrin had taught him.

Jesus explained it to Nicodemus using this famous verse:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Being born again results in a total spiritual transformation. Its not temporary, it can’t be taken away, and it is eternal. It's not head knowledge, not just heart knowledge, not knowledge at all - but a total and complete spiritual breakthrough where you now have a personal relationship with Jesus, you have aligned yourself with God’s will for you, and you have peace that is beyond all understanding.

Have you come to know the Lord? Have you been born again? If not, let's talk! Because it is never too late to have a new life in Christ - just ask the thief on the cross!

Prayer

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:46:07 GMT

The ultimate gift we can offer

Today I want to talk about prayer. I have had a heavy heart this week thinking about those who are in the hospital or had surgery. We’ve had a lot in our small congregation. And we have some pretty strong needs for healing.

At times we can feel helpless as we watch our loved ones and friends go through challenges. I have heard this phrase so many times: “all we can do is pray.” As if it is a last resort. As if it is just a small thing we can contribute to the situation since it is all in the doctor’s hands.

But prayer is not a last resort or a minor thing. It is the ultimate gift we can offer our loved ones. We have the privilege of prayer! We have the honor of being able to speak directly to God. We pray for healing, but we pray for strength and guidance too. We bring God into the discussion of the future. We lean into Him as we watch the struggles of our loved ones. And prayer tells God we are dependent on Him - that we are looking to Him in our darkest hour.

Prayer should never feel like it's “all we can do.” Prayer is something we get to do!

Today - spend time praying specifically over those who are in our congregation who are hurting, who are in the hospital, who are recovering, who are in need. They will feel that prayer even if they do not realize that is what they are feeling. Prayer brings hope that we will be surrounded by our Lord.

Amen!

Always

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:26:22 GMT

It's about obedience

Last week, we talked about 1 Thessalonians, specifically chapter 5. And even more specifically, verses 16-18 in that chapter:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We seem to have no problem rejoicing and thanking God when things are going well.

We seem to have no problem praying continually when things are going bad.

But this command is not based on our circumstances. The command to rejoice always, pray continually, and to thank God is about obedience and not situational. God loves us unconditionally, and our obedience to Him should also be unconditional.

If we are truly loving God, if we are living for Him, then we will be rejoicing always, praying continually, and giving thanks in all circumstances. And it is easy to do when our focus is on God and not on ourselves. We become a joy-filled believer, who is a praying believer, and a thankful believer, because we know that this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus.

God First

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:34:40 GMT

A 30 Day Challenge

A.W. Tozer was a pastor, author, and strong spiritual mentor from about the 1940’s through the 1960’s. He wrote some very influential books about the Christian life. And because of this, he is quoted quite often as he emphasized the need for a deeper knowledge of God and for Christians to develop their inner spiritual life.

One quote I came upon recently was:

Put God in His rightful place and one thousand problems are solved all at once. A.W. Tozer

So the question is, what is God’s rightful place in our lives? Many of us will say that God comes first. And yet, does He?

Is prayer the very first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

Is prayer the very last thing you do before bed?

In times of trouble, is God the first person you think of?

In times of joy, is God the first person you think of?

When making a decision, is God always consulted?

We may want to put God first, but in practice we do not always do that. So here is your challenge - for the next month, make God first. No matter what the situation is - put God first. Pray first when you wake, pray before bed, pray constantly! Ask God every question before you ask another person. Celebrate all joys with God first. Share all struggles with God first.

And let's just see what happens!

Feel God's Presence

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:24:22 GMT

He has never left you

When you look up at the sun, it seems so far away. And it is! It is 93 million miles away from us. And yet, despite the fact it is so far away from us, we feel it. You feel it automatically when you step outside. Even inside you can feel the sun as it shines through your window. It doesn’t matter what season it is, even in winter you can feel that sun on a clear day.

And guess what?

You can feel God too. Despite the fact He is far away in Heaven - His Presence can be felt right here. No matter where you are, no matter what season of life you are in - you can feel God surrounding you. He has never left you - and He never will.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalm 139:7-10

Why Worry?

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:23:01 GMT

In Christ all things hold together

Matthew 6:27 says, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

Wow! Well that is putting it in perspective! So if worry does not increase your life span - what does it do?

Let's start with what worry means - from the dictionary, the word “worry” is defined by feeling anxious or troubled about potential problems.

Key word in that definition: potential

Did you know that only 5% of what we worry about actually happens? Worry gains nothing but wrinkles! It means that you are fearing what could happen - and honestly it means that you are not trusting God. Because if you truly trusted God, you would know that you will be ok no matter what the outcome - because He is with us.

It is hard not to worry - and often worry stems from a lack of control. If we are not sure what will happen, it means we are not controlling the outcome.

But guess who is in control?

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

In Him - all things hold together.

Drifting Protector

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:54:05 GMT

A ministry of the Holy Spirit

A few years ago I finally traded my old beat up Honda for a newer one. It had about 200,000 miles on it...yes for a Honda that isn’t too bad...but it smelled like the years of sports cargo that had rested in it. Dents, dints, and dirt. It was time for an upgrade.

This newer car had all these fancy things on it that I didn’t have before. Mostly because technology had increased so much in the years since I bought my old car. One of the features on the new one was this thing called a “drifting protector.” When the car thinks you are drifting out of your lane, it will pull you back in. It won’t do it if you have your turn signal on, because then it knows you are making a deliberate lane change. It will only do it if it thinks you are drifting out of your lane without a good reason.

In life, we call that the Holy Spirit! The Spirit’s job is partly to pull you back in when you start drifting. When your married eyes start roaming, the Spirit will remind you of your vows. When you're single and dating, the Spirit will remind you that God intended sex for marriage. When you are jealous, the Spirit will remind you of your worth and value. When you are angry, the Spirit will remind you to not sin in your anger. When you are drifting….the Spirit is there to pull you back.

The Spirit is our drifting protector!

Different Methods, Same Purpose

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:00:37 GMT

Our calling from Jesus is the same

Phones have dramatically changed over the years. From having to use an operator to connect your call to a rotary dial to a cordless phone to a cell phone - cell phones have gone from a flip phone to a mini computer!

And yet the purpose of a phone has not changed. The primary purpose of a phone in the 1800’s is the same as it is today - to talk to someone. Today we do more texting than actual calling but the result is the same - we are talking to someone. The method has changed but not the purpose.

Our calling from Jesus is the same - we are all supposed to tell someone about Him. Our methods are all different but our purpose is the same. We are to share the saving love of Jesus with someone.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20

Some may preach, some may teach, some may hand you a bulletin, some may bake cookies to take to a neighbor, some invite friends to church, some visit those sick or in the hospital…but these are all ways to do our “calling” of sharing Jesus. Different methods - same purpose.

Are You Listening?

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:57:51 GMT

The Lord speaks to all of us

When I was young, my dad would come home from work, lay on the couch, and read the newspaper. He loved to do this every night. My mom would call from the kitchen saying she needed his help, and he was so deeply reading the paper, he wouldn’t hear her. Now of course I think he did actually hear her, but he wasn’t listening. Because all he wanted to do was read his newspaper. He tuned everything else out. You know that old saying, “selective hearing?”

For any of you that have kids - I think they are the master at this - hearing but not listening. I remember telling my kids over and over to take the trash out, and in the morning I would see it never happened. And of course they would say, “we didn’t hear you.” Yea right!

In 1 Samuel, the Lord spoke to Samuel - but he wasn’t listening. So the Lord tried again, and Samuel heard him, but did not listen. Each time the Lord spoke to Samuel he heard the Lord, but he did not listen. But interestingly, even though Samuel wasn’t listening, the Lord kept trying until he did. The Lord didn’t get louder, He didn’t get mad, He just kept trying. And eventually Samuel listened.

Unlike my mom who would eventually give up trying to get my dad to listen when he was reading his paper…unlike us who get angry with our kids when they do not listen…

the Lord will never give up trying to get us to listen.

Today, as you spend time in prayer to God, first spend some time not talking to Him, but listening to Him. And maybe, just maybe, you will hear Him.

Let's Talk About Prayer

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 14:22:14 GMT

Direct from the source

Whenever people post pictures on social media of a sunset or a sunrise or a rainbow, they are all excited and talk about how beautiful and awesome it was. But when you look at that picture on the post, it looks nice, but it just doesn’t seem to capture the beauty in the way they saw it. You can admire the picture, but since you weren’t there, it just doesn’t seem quite as great as they are describing it.

Or what about when someone is describing a scene in a movie or TV show that made them laugh. They tell you word for word what happened in that scene. You may even be picturing it in your head and think, yep that would have made me laugh. The person who actually watched that movie is laughing hysterically, but you just don’t have that same reaction since you weren’t there.

Now let's talk about prayer. When God hears a pastor pray on Sunday its music to His ears I am sure! Those prayers matter and God loves them. God loves to hear His people praying for His people.

But can you imagine how incredible a prayer sounds when He hears it directly from you? The real thing is so much better than a second hand one. God needs to hear directly from you too.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

Jeremiah 29:12

My Fasting Journey

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:33:27 GMT

Lessons learned

MY FASTING JOURNEY

One year, many moons ago, at the start of Lent I decided to try fasting for the first time. I had no idea what I was doing, but something just told me to do this. I wanted to go the whole 40 days, but I knew I had to put some boundaries on it since I had never done it before. I decided I would fast for breakfast and lunch, and only allow myself to eat a small bite of food after 6pm.

That first week I thought I would die!! The hunger pains and caffeine withdrawal from a lack of coffee was unbelievable. But I told myself when I had hunger pains, no matter where I was, I would stop and pray. And God and I talked A LOT that first week ! I was still working in a secular office back then, and it was hard keeping it from everyone at work and the kids too, but I was determined that I would follow the guidelines in Matthew that say when you fast, it's not about other people looking at you like you are some great spiritual person for fasting, but it's about you and God. So that is what I made it about - me and God. We became so close, closer than I had ever been with Him.

And then the devil started doing his work. During those first few weeks, a vendor brought in donuts, then another vendor brought in bagels, then we had a HUGE food day where the entire 50 person department brought in hot food for breakfast and lunch. The smell was overwhelming! I thought I would melt in my seat. Drool was draining from my mouth all day! And then trying to tell people why I wasn’t going in to get the food was hard. I kept saying I am coming, I will be there soon, etc.

Eventually I started losing quite a bit of weight and it became too hard not to say anything. So I tried to just tell a few people who were very inquisitive. But here is the interesting thing. I told them I was fasting to get closer to God. And that would start a faith conversation, something that wasn’t allowed in a work setting, especially since I was a manager. But I discovered there were lots of folks that had questions about God, which opened up a discussion about faith that I had never had before with people at work. Every day someone would come into my office and ask me a question about God or want to talk about faith - or even ask me to pray for them.

I made it the entire 40 days. This was a pivotal event that changed my life forever. The fast allowed me to grow closer to God in a way that I never had before - because we were talking more than ever. So when He spoke to me and told me that it was time for a change, I heard Him. This is what led me to finally quit my secular job and go into ministry full time.

Even though this feels like it was a lifetime ago, I still remember the lessons I learned that year. These may seem obvious but they were not to me at that time. But they are now and they still apply today:

People want to talk about faith - all they have to see is that you are open to hearing their questions, are not judgemental, and care about them.
People do not understand faith - even those that go to church. They need us to answer their questions as best we can - and they should know we do not have all the answers - but we can share what we know, and what God means to us.
Just like in a marriage or friendship or relationship of any kind, you grow closer the more you talk - your relationship with God is the same way. The more you talk to Him the closer you get.

I can’t fast that much anymore but each year I always remember the year I did a full 40 day fast. And I especially remember the lessons I learned.

I pray each one of you finds something to fast for Lent, whether it is food or something else significant, and you use this time to grow closer to God.

Pray, Pray, Pray

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:02:44 GMT

Plus some updates

Hi Church!

Wow what a crazy winter we have had - I’ve never had to cancel in person services two weeks in a row because of weather! Brought back memories of the Covid pandemic. But hopefully you have all started to dig your way out and we will be back in person as a church on Sunday.

And what a great Sunday it will be! It is finally here - Scout Sunday! Come and support the scouts as they help lead the service.

Also on Sunday we will have a reception after the worship service to honor Janice Deal for all her years of service as choir director. Make sure you stick around to tell her how much we have appreciated her service to the church.

As we move into this next season, you will continue to see some changes. I want to remind you that none of these are changes just for the sake of change. These are intended to help us grow as a church so that we can continue to make disciples of Christ! Some of the things that change you may agree with - and some you may not. I encourage you to reach out to me with any concerns you have as my door is always open.

The last thing I want to mention is that many folks give their offering physically at church on Sundays. With us missing the last two weeks meeting in person, as you can imagine, the financials are going to suffer. If you are able, please consider giving what you would normally have given over the last two weeks in addition to your giving this Sunday. Thank you!

Blessings,

Pastor Marcy

Devotion:

We learned last week that the devil cannot hear our thoughts. He cannot read our minds. But what he does is watch us. He watches us, he studies us, he learns from our actions - learns what upsets us, learns what bothers us, learns how to lure us away from the Lord.

He whispers to us:

You are not good enough

You are wrong

Nobody likes you

You are not worthy

He does this over and over until one day we start to believe him. So how do we make God’s voice louder than the devil? How do we block out those whispers?

We pray. And we pray. And we pray. We pray more and more and more and more - and then one day God’s voice shouts over all those whispers! The closer you are to the Lord, the more you will hear only His voice.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Expectation vs. Reality

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:26:21 GMT

Lesson from the storm

Hi Church!

Oh how I missed you on Sunday! I am very thankful that we did not get the level of ice they called for and no one lost power. But I sure missed gathering on Sunday! I did post a short devotion on our Facebook page, so if you have social media, you can check it out. And this is a good time to remind you that if we have any changes to the services or if there is a question if the offices will be open - please check the website and/or social media. We will post things there.

This Sunday we will continue our study on Back to the Basics - and below are a few reminders and upcoming dates to keep in mind:

Sunday, February 8th

Scout Sunday

Reception for Janice Deal

Wednesday, February 18th

Ash Wednesday Service at Noon

We are continuing to search for a new worship leader who will help blend our styles musically, but a special thanks to Ben for leading us during this interim time. And thank you Brandy for continuing to sing and help with the planning! As you know we are looking for both a worship leader as well as someone who can play the drums or other instruments to support the band. If you know of anyone who might be interested please let us know.

Blessings to you all, and stay warm!

Pastor Marcy

Devotion :

Expectations vs. Reality

This past weekend, for a week the local meteorologists were warning us of the upcoming doom and gloom with ice from the freezing rain and sleet. They warned us of widespread power outages that could last a week or more. And because of those expectations, people cleaned out the stores of bread, milk, toilet paper, generators, candles, tarps, and salt.

I personally bought a whole bunch of food that didn’t need cooking - sandwiches and salads and breads. Ran up to the church even and grabbed some of the pillar candles from the closet and a lighter!

Then…the worst of it never happened. All our expectations were not fulfilled. And people were mad! They weren’t mad about not getting the ice and having electricity go out - they were mad because what they expected, what they planned for, what they assumed would happen just didn’t.

But here is the thing.

If you look back at all the posts and announcements from these meteorologists, you will see they never said we will definitely get 3 inches of ice. Or that the electric will definitely be out for days. They never said “definitely” at all. We turned it into: they lied, they were so wrong, they are incompetent, they are alarmists, etc.

This is exactly what we do with God. We have a lot of expectations about God. We expect things to go well if we are Christian. We expect we will not have bad times. We expect things to go a certain way. But then our expectations are not fulfilled.

And yet if you read Scripture, God never says once you become a Christian life will be perfect. That was our expectation, not God’s words.

Here are the actual words of Jesus:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

In this world, there will be trouble. Even for Christians.

But when you put your trust in Jesus - He brings you peace. And that is one expectation that is definite !

Some Updates on Changes

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 13:12:35 GMT

Trust that God is there

Greetings Church!

Let me start by saying I know how hard change is - especially at church! We like things the way they are, and it's comforting to see the same thing each week. I do understand that if given the choice, we would not be making any changes at all!

However, as you have seen over the years, the church has declined in attendance, and that means we have declined financially too. Church is so much more than how many bodies you have in the seats, and yet, people in the seats do keep us going as a church. We can only sustain things the way they are for maybe a few more years at most. One of the primary tasks I was given when I started was to help grow the church in order to continue to sustain it.

So in light of that, we are going through some changes. Some you may like and some you may not. I would always want everyone to love everything we do here! But I do know that isn’t possible. My hope is that you will continue to support the church, and in time, come to like the changes that you may not like at first - or at least understand why they were done.

And yet - I do want to stress that very few things are set in stone. Many things I am working through here are in the testing stage, and can be adjusted. I strongly encourage you to share any concerns or frustrations you have as I am always open to listen - my door is rarely closed!

I have come to love this church and especially all the people here. You are all so kind and loving and have such strong faith. The Lord will guide us we move forward - and please know much prayer and discussion goes through every one of the changes you see!

So with that…let me share a few more changes to expect.

February 8th is Scout Sunday, and that is going to be a great day to celebrate Scouting! Primarily it will feature Cub Scouts Pack 503, but we may also have boys from other troops participate as well.

But also on that date , we will be celebrating the years of service of Janice Deal as our choir leader. For over 3 decades, Janice has led the choir and provided a wonderful addition to the service with the hymns and piano. She has been an integral part of worship here.

After February 8th, we will be transitioning away from the choir singing separately, and will retire the position of choir director. Moving forward the choir will begin singing with the praise band. We will miss having Janice lead the choir, but please join us in wishing her well that Sunday. We will have a small reception in the lobby for her before and after the service that day.

And one more change this week to share with you. The organ is a beautiful instrument. And we know that there was a group of you that worked hard to collect funding for this and it has been a great part of our church. Thank you to those that helped to purchase this for the church originally.

However, over the years the organ has needed repairs, and that is expensive. In addition we would need to find someone to play it - and that is hard to do. So it is time to say goodbye to the organ. We will first try to give it away to a church or someone who might want it just in case (and if any of you would want it let us know!)

Soon the entire stage will be rearranged, and at that time, we will be moving the organ out of the sanctuary. Its quite possible we will leave the pipes for it as they are a great "decoration"! But we wanted to prepare all of you for what is to come. And we are sure greater things are yet to come!

Again, please remember that none of the changes are just for change's sake. They are intended to elevate our time of worship, grow spiritually, and then grow numerically. I welcome any and all feedback you may have.

Blessings,

Pastor Marcy

Devotion:

When you walk into a dark room, you typically reach for the place on the wall where the light switch would normally be. You know about where it should be, and so your hand is reaching along that wall, trusting that you will find the light switch. You have no fear that the switch is there, it is just a matter of feeling around until you find it. It never occurs to you that the light switch isn’t there because you completely trust that the light switch is there, even though it is totally dark and you can’t see it. You just know that the light switch is there.

That is how faith works.

Once you have experienced the love of Jesus, you know He is there for you. You have no doubt that He is there - you have faith and you trust He is there. Even if you do not hear His voice, even if you do not see Jesus standing in front of you - you know He is there. Even though it is totally dark around you with challenges, struggles, pain…you know that all you have to do is reach out and He is there.

Just like that old Footprints poem. Sometimes He is walking in front of you…sometimes He is walking behind you…and sometimes He is carrying you.

Reach out and trust that God is there.

The Holy Spirit In Us

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 13:47:31 GMT

Notes from the GMC district rally

Hi Church!

For those of you that were able to come to the Gastonia District Rally for the Global Methodist Church, you got to hear a great message from our Bishop Jeff Greenway! He is an amazing speaker, with such a gift of encouragement - and points us all to the Holy Spirit to guide us. Below is a brief summary of his message:

There are 6 things the Holy Spirit does in us:

1. We believe the Holy Spirit awakens us. 1 Corinthians 2:14

The Spirit does this through prevenient grace - which is the grace that God gives us all. For some who are spiritually open to receive this, they will awaken to the Spirit - they have a hole in them that can only be filled by Jesus. For those who are spiritually closed, we must pray for them as they will not feel the Spirit in the same way we do.

2. We believe the Holy Spirit convicts us. Acts 2:37

There are two reactions we can have when the Spirit convicts us: we can become angry or we can surrender.

3. We believe the Holy Spirit converts us.

When Nicodemus felt convicted, he went to see Jesus. And Jesus told him that he must be converted - to be born again. Guilt is the work of the Spirit - we need to feel that guilt to be converted. But shame is the work of the devil - there is no place for that. Is Jesus the absolutely primary in your heart from the moment you wake up?

4. We believe the Holy Spirit consecrates us. 2 Thessalonians 2:13

This is also called sanctification or holiness. When Jesus is in our hearts, He cleans our heart. But He doesn’t just stay in those clean parts, He finds the parts that keep needing cleaning. Dear God, I pray for Your will, nothing more and nothing less. Amen.

5. We believe the Holy Spirit gives us assurance.

Jeff used the example of being in an airport waiting to depart. If you have a ticket you are comfortable, at peace, and gently waiting to board. If you are on standby, you are pacing, worried, anxious. If you have the Holy Spirit you have that assurance and are at peace.

6. We believe the Holy Spirit equips us. 1 Corinthians 12:7

The Spirit gives us the same power He gave the apostles.

So that is an overview of his lesson to us!

Blessings!

Pastor Marcy

Connect, Grow, Serve

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:50:09 GMT

Let's do something

Hi Church!

As we begin this New Year, you may start to see some changes. As you know we are searching for a new Contemporary Worship Leader, and last week if you were in worship, you heard I am now going to use the words of the Apostles' Creed that I grew up saying. There may be other changes coming to the order of worship, but nothing that will change who we are as Christ Church! I know change is hard - but we should not fear change because the intent is to grow as a church body.

Here is a section from the church growth experts that I think will help us measure our expectations:

Somewhere along the way, a lie crept in:

If your church is healthy, it will grow fast.

And sure, sometimes churches explode in size early on. God can absolutely do that.
But most of the time? That’s not the story.
Most of the time, growth is slow. It’s frustrating. It feels invisible.

You sow.
Then you water.
And after that, you wait.

Sometimes nothing happens for a while.

What you really need is faithfulness .

Faithfulness in the Word.
Devotion in prayer.
And unshakable commitment to the mission.

God isn’t building platforms— He’s building people.

And that takes time.

Because the Kingdom of God doesn’t run on hype.

It runs on hope, humility, and holy persistence.

Healthy churches do grow—sometimes fast, most often slow, but always under the hand of a faithful God.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, we have several spots open on the Executive Committee/Church Council, and are in need of folks to serve on Sunday in areas like coffee, greeting, and participating in worship by reading Scripture and/or praying! Lots of options for folks to become more involved!

Just a final reminder - as we begin 2026, remember our new vision is:

CONNECT - GROW - SERVE

Connect people with the saving love of Jesus.

Help them to grow in that faith and love.

And then demonstrate that faith and love by how we serve those in need.

Blessings!

Pastor Marcy

Devotion

The other night as I laid down to sleep finally after a very long and tiring day, I started hearing what sounded like someone stomping up my stairs. It alarmed me as I didn’t think anyone should be in my house coming up my stairs! But after a few seconds I realized that pounding wasn’t someone stomping - it was the beating of my heart! I was so tired and so stressed that my heart was beating very loudly - like the sound of stomping up stairs.

I’ve had this experience before. When I was 16, someone hit my car after running a red light. It was a bad accident, and I was barely conscious after they had hit me. I remember hearing this pounding - a consistent rhythmic banging that was so loud! For a few seconds I was confused as to what this was. Turns out it was the ticking of my watch.

The sounds around us can be overwhelming at times - they can become louder than they should be and our brains will hear them over everything else. This is one of the ploys the devil will use to distract us and make us lose focus. We become interested in the noise around us - the newscasters, the social media, the loud neighbor spewing hate - all of this will take the place of the peace of Christ.

Nothing that happens in this world is a surprise to God. He knows its coming, and He has a plan moving forward. Many years ago, Matthew West wrote a song called Do Something. Here are some of the lyrics:

I woke up this morning

Saw a world full of trouble now

Thought, how'd we ever get so far down

How's it ever gonna turn around

So I turned my eyes to Heaven

I thought, "God, why don't You do something?"

Well, I just couldn't bear the thought of

People living in poverty

Children sold into slavery

The thought disgusted me

So, I shook my fist at Heaven

Said, "God, why don't You do something?"

He said, "I did, I created you"

God created us. He created us to do something - and that “something” could be to pray. Or to serve with one of our Community Partners. Or to encourage someone. Or to visit someone in the hospital or nursing home. Or to bake cookies for someone. The list goes on…

Instead of letting the noise of the world, the struggles of our own lives, the pain we feel - instead of letting all that overtake us - lets do something! Amen?

Word of the Year

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:40:49 GMT

Better than a resolution

Merry Post Christmas! And Happy New Year’s Eve!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

On Sunday we will start a new series called Back to the Basics.

Many of us have been Christians for a long time. We’ve been going to church since we were kids. We have heard these “churchy” words all our lives. We’ve read most if not all of the Bible. We’ve been in a few Bible studies. We know Christianity.

Or do we?

Just being at church over and over does not necessarily tell you all you need to know about Christianity.

Suppose you spend years watching a doctor do surgeries. You even listen to that doctor talk about the surgery he is doing each time. Maybe you’ve even read a medical book. Does that teach you all there is to know about a surgery? Could you now explain a surgical procedure to someone?

That is what can happen to us - we are familiar with the terms, but maybe we do not fully understand them - and especially have trouble trying to explain them to someone who has never been to church.

This series will go back to the basics. We will talk about terms like doctrine, repentance, faith…we will discuss Heaven and Hell…we will answer questions like:

How do we know the Bible is true?

Why are Matthew, Mark and Luke so much alike?

What is the difference between grace & mercy?

What exactly happens after I die?

Why would a loving God send someone to hell?

Can you lose salvation?

Which form of baptism is “right”?

Are demons real?

Back to the Basics is for the seasoned Christian as well as the new Christian as well as the skeptic. We will explore some of the familiar words used in Christian theology to clear up any misconceptions, to clarify exactly what they are and mean, and then help you be able to explain these to others.

This will be a great opportunity to invite someone to church!

DEVOTION

As we welcome the new year tonight, many of us might be thinking about a New Year’s Resolution. Maybe its to lose weight, exercise more, watch less TV, read the Bible more…but these resolutions on average last 2 weeks. Yes, just 2 weeks is the average time a New Years Resolution lasts. Wow!

So today, lets talk about life change. What if you replaced that New Years Resolution with a truth from God? What if you choose to focus instead on one word to face each day with?

Words are so powerful. So start thinking about a word that would guide you throughout this coming year. Spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal that word to you.

I have done this every year and I take that word and put it as a reminder on my phone to pop up each week to make sure I am being guided by that word. And every single year, at the end of the year, I think about that word and how it was absolutely the perfect word! In the past I have chosen words like joy, reflect, hope, new…

Once I pick the word, or rather once I feel God has picked the word for me, I look up Scriptures that help support that word.

This past year of 2025 my word was THRIVE. I wanted to do more than just survive, I wanted to thrive. The Scripture I picked to support this word was James 1:4 -

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4

And I believe perseverance has nearly finished its work in me! And I feel this past year has assured me that I do not lack anything - despite challenges and struggles, the Lord has been with me and led me here to this awesome and wonderful church! I can’t imagine a better place to end the year thriving!

As soon as I started thinking about sharing this Word of the Year thought, a word popped into my head. And I haven’t been able to shake it - so I know this is the word God has put into my heart for the coming year.

COURAGE

After picking this word, as I began to look for Scriptures to support it - many verses came to mind. But then one verse stood out to me:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

What will your word be?

Almost Christmas

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:47:57 GMT

Recapture the joy

Hi Church!

I hope this finds you doing well as we start making our final preparations for the “home stretch” before Christmas Eve. It is always a busy time, but may we all pause and take just a minute to specifically pray for those that are not excited. Those that are not anticipating the fun. Those that are alone, grieving, going through illness, or otherwise blue. Pray they take a step forward and come here on Thursday night for the Blue Christmas service.

And pray they leave here that night with an increased hope, a moment of joy, a desire to lean into the Light of Christ.

Thank you to those that are helping with this service, but also those that are coming to support it, and to anyone that has shared this event with someone who may need it. The service will not be live streamed due to the sensitivity of it, but we will be recording it to share individually.

Other reminders:

Make sure you get your BBQ and baked goods at the Pack 503 Winter BBQ & Bake Sale! This helps the scouts raise funds for future events. This will be on Dec 20th from 11am - 3pm and in the newsletter you can find a QR code to scan and preorder.

Christmas Eve Service - 5pm

Make sure you take your poinsettia if you purchased one after this service. Otherwise you can pick it up on the following Sunday.

Upcoming in January:

Jan 11th - District rally for the Gastonia District of the Global Methodist Church at Central Methodist Church in Kings Mountain.

Starting Jan 13th - Esther: An Unlikely Hero Women's Bible Study

Devotion This Week:

Ooooh can you feel that anticipation as we are now one week away from Christmas Eve? The excitement is growing!

Or not!

As an adult we may look at the upcoming day of Christmas Eve without that huge excitement, without that anticipation of what is to come, that eagerness for the day to arrive.

But think back to when your children were little, or if you do not have kids, remember what it was like when you were a kid. Even though Christmas comes every year, as a child, we see that true excitement, that glow on their face, that twinkle in their eyes…the giddiness, the not really knowing what it was going to look like on Christmas morning - what presents would be under the tree - what would be in the stocking - would it actually snow this year…

The anticipation of Christmas as a child was almost as fun as the actual day itself. As an adult we have lost some of that eager excitement. That joy.

Children are looking forward to the presents and fun - and that is wonderful. But we should be looking forward to the joy that comes as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. Every single year we should have that unending joy - the anticipation of reading the birth story of the Messiah.

This year - bring back that joy you once had as a child. Remember Christmas Eve represents the night Peace, Hope, Love and Joy was born. The night Immanuel stepped out of eternity and into the world to walk among us.

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:22-23

Eyewitness Testimony

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 14:38:54 GMT

No need to guess

Hi Church!

I hope you are enjoying this series, Almost Christmas. We hear these familiar subjects during Advent each year: Peace, Hope, Love and Joy - but this series is teaching us how to live out each one altogether!

Next week, we are invited to attend the Covenant Preschool Christmas program rehearsal on Tuesday, Dec 16th at 10am. This is a great opportunity to support the preschool, as well as give them a crowd to rehearse in front of! The actual program will be the next day, Wednesday Dec 17th at 9am, and we’ve been asked to provide refreshments in the form of coffee and hot chocolate. If anyone can help out with that please let me know.

Finally, a very special thank you to those who donated money to help provide Christmas gifts for the Burr family! We had an overwhelming response to that request, along with donations for the building fund. What a joy it is to be a part of such a loving and caring church - who is living out that power of generosity!

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Marcy

Devotion This Week:

Ever been driving and you see a set of skid marks? You might see those skid marks and try to imagine what may have happened. You can probably make a good guess as to what happened, especially if the skid marks stop suddenly in the road. You know they must have hit something. We can look at these skid marks and come close to describing what may have happened.

But we don’t know the actual real story. Because we were not there. We can make some good guesses, but we can’t know for sure unless we were an eyewitness to what actually happened.

Eyewitnesses are pretty much gold. They tell you exactly what they saw, what they heard. You can’t dispute it because they were there and you were not.

And one of the most exciting things about the Bible is that it is FULL of eyewitnesses.

Matthew was an actual person who actually was called by Jesus to follow him.

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him . Matthew 9:9

John wasn’t just writing a story, he was the “disciple whom Jesus loved”

One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. John 13:23

Luke talked to all those eyewitnesses to make sure his account was accurate:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word . Luke 1:1-2

And then the risen Jesus wasn’t just something they heard about. He appeared to hundreds!

We don’t have to guess what may have happened. We can trust the words of the people who actually saw Him - from the time He started His ministry to the time He rose - the Bible has the real and true account because it was from those who saw Him.

As Christians, we live by faith - but the joy of the Bible is that it is filled with those who were there and were witnesses. And today, we are witnesses. We share what God has done in our lives, and no one can dispute that - because it is our story. We become the eyewitnesses to God’s love! Amen?

Praying for Your Enemies

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:47:09 GMT

WWJD

Hi Church!

Well the Advent Season is in full gear! I love coming into the church and seeing all the decorations - thank you to those who were able to come last Saturday and deck the halls!

And a special thank you to those that have lived out generosity as a spiritual discipline. You all have gone above and beyond what I had hoped for with the extra requests.

We are currently in a series during Advent called Almost Christmas. There is a devotion book that goes along with this series, and I still have some copies if you have not been able to get one yet. They will be in the lobby on Sunday.

We also have several serving opportunities - from greeting, to making coffee, to reading Scripture on Sunday, to praying, to helping out in the nursery, to helping with Communion and many more! And we have a few open roles on the Executive Team if you are interested in that as well. See me or email Roger and we will get you plugged in.

Lots of great things are coming up this week and next as we go full force into celebrating the birth of our Lord! Check out the newsletter for all events!

Blessings,
Pastor Marcy

Devotion this week:

During the holidays, a memory from a very long time ago tends to pop up from time to time. It was back when I was working in an office, before I made the jump to full time ministry. My boss at the time gave me a necklace for Christmas. And this was a boss that I quite frankly could say back then I hated. I absolutely hated working for her.

I was totally and completely miserable every single day. It was all I could do to get up in the morning and go to this job. Nearly every day I’d come home and just cry over having to work there. And it was during the recession, so there were no other jobs to be had. In fact a ton of folks I knew had lost their job – so I had to find some gratitude in my heart for just being employed. I was a single mom with full custody and at the time no child support. I had to go every day despite how miserable it made me feel. She seemed to relish in my misery too. She was snide, condescending, rude, and abrupt. She was so mean to me. But again, I needed the job.

And then the holidays came and she gave me this necklace as a Christmas gift. I remember thinking “wow thanks – a bonus would have been much better! You know I am a single mom and need money more than anything. I am assuming this necklace cost a lot too and I need the money way more than this stupid necklace.”

But then I started looking at it and realized she actually did put some thought into it. It had two pieces, one with my initials and one a purple gem. And something in me changed as I looked over that necklace. I believe the Lord spoke to me loud and clearly. I kept hearing over and over in my head to pray for her, but I kept saying NO to the Lord. I didn’t want to do what he was telling me to do.

Finally, I decided I would pray for her. But the only prayer I could come up with was, “Lord I pray, please let her get fired!” Or, “Lord I pray that she gets transferred to another part of the company!” Or even more horrible prayers: “Lord I pray that some illness forces her to quit!”

And of course the Lord said no, that isn’t what I meant.

So I started praying something different: “Lord I pray that you make her be nice to me! Lord I pray that you show her how good of a person I am and that she shouldn’t treat me this way.”

And the Lord still said no, that isn’t what I meant either.

So I humbled myself before the Lord. And I prayed, “Lord please extend blessings onto her. She is a child of God just like I am. We are to love the way you loved. We don’t deserve your love so we can’t put stipulations on our love to others. Lord I pray blessings and love to her.”

And I prayed that over and over and over, day after day after day. So you may be expecting me to say and then a miracle happened right? You are expecting to hear me say: and she changed! She became a nice person! She treated me so much better!

Well that didn’t happen. She didn’t change. She didn’t treat me any better. But you know what changed? I did. I changed. I had been touched by the Lord and it didn’t matter anymore how she treated me. I didn’t see her as the enemy anymore. I saw her as a child of God. I saw her the way God saw her. And I was able to handle her mistreatment better. I was able to let it just roll off me. And I treated her differently – and THAT is what made the difference in our relationship. There were no miracles that happened – she didn’t just suddenly become different. But I became different – I learned more about praying for your “enemies” better than I ever had. I knew what the Bible said, love your enemies, turn the other cheek, etc. But they had been empty words before now.

I learned how powerful prayer was by learning to pray for others with selflessness, without a demand for my justice, with pure love in my heart.

I encourage you to pray for your enemy – but pray without expecting something in return. Your “return on investment” is in you. It comes in the form of becoming more Christ-like, in loving the Savior enough to put aside your needs and take up the cross, and follow Him.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you Matthew 5:44

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:19:29 GMT

Thanksgiving focus

Hi Christ Church!

The Christmas season is about to kick into full gear soon! But first…let's rest in the Thanksgiving holiday. This is an American holiday - not a worldwide one or a religious one - even though there are some overtones of religion in that the colonists came to this country to escape religious prosecution. But this holiday is traditionally filled with turkey, stuffing, cranberry, family and of course football!

So how do we keep the focus on God this Thanksgiving?

It should go beyond just going around the table and saying what you are thankful for - this is a nice thing to do, but this year, let's focus on this passage:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

We rejoice always. This does not mean we are always happy. God did not promise continual happiness on earth. But joy is a fruit of the Spirit - and if we look to God in our challenging times as well as our times of “happiness”, then we will be filled with joy - and we can always rejoice. We rejoice in knowing that the Lord is always with us, that God always loves us, and that one day we will see Him face to face.

We pray continually. This means that we do not pray just when we need something from God. We do not pray just when we are sad. We do not pray just during church. We pray every day. We pray in good times and in bad times. Prayer should be an essential part of our daily lives - because God is an essential part of our daily lives.

We give thanks in all circumstances. We are not thankful we are sick. We are not thankful we lost a loved one. We are not thankful for the stress and challenges in our lives. But we are thankful we have a God that has never given up on us, has never abandoned us, has never stopped loving us. We give thanks for God’s power over evil - God’s power over the sickness - God’s power over all the bad times. We are thankful that God sustains us through it all.

This Thanksgiving, make sure you are rejoicing, praying and giving thanks - for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Amen.

The Spirit and the Word

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:54:34 GMT

The Holy Spirit gives us eyes to see

Hi Christ Church,

I hope you enjoyed the series on The Forgotten God, based on the Holy Spirit. But mostly I hope this helped you understand His role in our lives - the fruit He can produce in us, and the comfort He brings us.

This week we have a stand alone sermon on a subject that affects us all - and then next week we start our Advent series called Almost Christmas. As I have mentioned, there is a devotion book that goes along with this and I have ordered a few more if you have not been able to get one yet - those will be on the table in the lobby.

This series will be based on a sermon that John Wesley gave called The Almost Christian. He said a person who is an “almost Christian” has the outward appearance of a Christian, where they seem to do all the right things. They go to church, they do their best to behave in the manner God wants us to, they are generally nice towards others. But then Wesley says that is commendable - and that would be great if everyone did those things - and yet that only characterizes them as an “almost Christian.” What would it take to go from being an almost Christian to an altogether Christian?

And that is the basis of this series as it relates to Christmas. During Christmas we can focus on the gift buying, the decorations, the events, the parties, the carols we sing - but these four weeks of Advent should do more than that. We must go beyond the almost Christmas focus and recalibrate ourselves to have an altogether commitment to Christ.

God gave us the greatest gift ever in His Son Jesus Christ. May we learn to be a gift to God this season by becoming that altogether Christian.

Devotion This Week

Last week as I shared some things the Holy Spirit does in us, I touched on how He helps you understand the Bible. You may have heard that the Bible is living and breathing - but never fully understood what that means. Hebrews 4:12 starts out saying, “For the word of God is alive and active…” But how does that happen?

The Holy Spirit gives us eyes to see - to see what God wants us to see in His Word. When we read Scripture, if we are in a quiet place, if we have removed the distractions around us, if we have turned off our phone and just start reading…He illuminates the words on the page - they lift up and we begin to understand them in a whole new way.

Have you ever read a book that then became a movie? Rarely do we enjoy that because as we read a book, we have images in our head. And those images may not match how the producers of that movie saw the characters in the book. The Word of God does not change based on who is reading it - the Bible says what it says and that doesn’t change. But what does change is how the Spirit works in us to understand it. And because we are all different people, He has to help us each understand it in the manner that is best for us.

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Corinthians 2:11-12

The next time you open your Bible (which of course I hope is today and everyday!), take time to lean into the Spirit, to allow Him to work in you as you read those words, and they illuminate you in a whole new way.

Blessings,
Pastor Marcy

Everlasting Love

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:04:47 GMT

Rest in God's love today

Hi Church,

We are in the middle of a series on the Holy Spirit, and last week we talked about how the Spirit helps the Church grow spiritually. And that when it grows spiritually, it often grows numerically! We will always pray for that numeric growth - and I fully believe that will happen - because I see that spiritual growth in all of us! As a reminder, there are invite cards on the table in the lobby - feel free to grab one and share with anyone you meet!

I am excited to be here for the Advent Season, and I know you will love this series called Almost Christmas. It is based on a sermon by John Wesley called “The Almost Christian”. This will be a wonderful series that will help deepen our understanding of this joyful season.

I also encourage you all to share the upcoming Blue Christmas service with anyone that you know is suffering during this season. This is a time to really reach out and show them the hope of Jesus. Someone here told me that churches sometimes become “known” for something in a community. Wouldn’t it be a great thing for us to be known for spreading joy despite struggle?

Devotion This Week

Each of us may have a particular plan we use when reading the Bible. I created my own plan and in it I read a Psalm a day. The Psalms contain some of my favorite verses and passages. Today I read Psalm 108. And this verse is the one that stuck out:

For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 108:4

What a beautiful image that is! We all know how much God loves us - after all He created us. But there are always times we need to be reminded how deep, how wide, how long, how high His love for us is.

Human love always has the potential to fail, to lapse. We think we will love someone forever but when circumstances change, or certain behaviors happen, sometimes that love fades away.

But that isn’t the case with God - there is nothing that can ever remove His love for us. Rest in that today.

The Empty Chair

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:03:35 GMT

Loneliness during the holidays

Hi Church!

Happy Fall! It's definitely not summer anymore and I am excited to see the leaves starting to change. This is absolutely my favorite season of the year!

Last week I talked about ordering a devotion book that will go with the sermon series for Advent. If you would like one of these please let me know this week so I can get them ordered. And be thinking about the Blue Christmas service and if you would like to participate in it.

Sunday we started a new series on the Holy Spirit. We may know He is part of the Trinity, but do we give Him as much attention as He deserves? Now that we know who the Spirit is, this coming week we will talk about His role in our lives.

Devotion This Week:

As we begin November and December, the one thing on everyone’s mind is the holidays. We start with Thanksgiving and then we have Christmas. For the life of a Christian, the Christmas season is one filled with joy over the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior.

From a society perspective though, both of these holidays are primarily about family. You will see Hallmark movies and commercials and social media showing love and togetherness and happiness. But for some that isn’t the case. Actually, for many of us that isn’t the case. We have family arguments, dysfunction, challenges, and then there is the empty chair.

I have experienced many empty chairs over the years - each one made the holidays less joyous. In 2006, my dad had unexpectedly passed away. He was a strong patriarch and we had many traditions he led. That year that empty chair was the most painful to look at as we tried to process our grief. Even though we have moved past the heavy grief, it is still painful even today to look at that empty chair where he once was.

In 2007, the empty chair was my ex-husband as we had been divorced earlier in the year. That year, on the outside, I was glad to see that empty chair as I welcomed the divorce, but on the inside I was grieving the loss of unmet expectations and the dreams of growing old with someone instead of being alone.

And in 2019 the empty chair was my oldest daughter. She was in a rehab facility as the choices she made caught up with her. Turns out there was mental illness that had been undiagnosed, but for that year, we did not know it. All I knew was this was the first year she was not with us during the holidays.

Holidays are usually filled with happiness, hugging family members you don’t see often enough, laughing at memories, beautiful table settings, awesome home cooked food. But for some there is pain. Pain of an empty chair. Maybe this is the year that you are experiencing a loss that no words can explain. Maybe this is the year that loneliness is the most prominent emotion. Maybe this is a year where things are just different.

We may hide our feelings from others, but do not hide them from God. Do not try to handle things without leaning into our Lord . He wants you to share your struggles, your worries, your pain, and He will carry you through it all. God, and only God, can truly offer peace and rest from an anxious heart. Through Him we have hope . It doesn’t matter what our past looks like, whether our life is perfect or in shambles, and it doesn’t matter whose chair is empty. Our chair is full because we are seated at the foot of the cross – and there is always room at His table.

Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalms 34:18

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Let's Talk About Christmas

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:31:19 GMT

Here before you know it...

Hi Church!

First of all, thank you so much for the Pastor Appreciation gift! I am overwhelmed by your generosity and love that you have shown me. What a blessing it is to be here! It is such a joy to be a part of this church.

Next, let's talk about Christmas! Yes, it's hard to believe but it will be here before you know it!

Some things to plan for -

Saturday November 29th - 10am

Join us as we decorate the church for the holidays!

Sunday November 30th

This is the Sunday after Thanksgiving and is the 5th Sunday so its time for a potluck lunch and Town Hall meeting. Join us after the worship service in the Family Life Center for a time of fellowship.

Advent Sermon Series:

Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience

This series will be based on a book by the same name. Below is a description of the book that the series will follow. As part of this, there is also a devotion book that goes with it and I will be ordering these for those that are interested. The devotion book is $10 so if you’d like one, please let me know so I can place the order.

In 1741, John Wesley preached his famous sermon titled “The Almost Christian” in which he encouraged people to follow Christ wholeheartedly. We should not be satisfied with being almost Christian but rather strive towards being altogether a Christian. In Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience , author and pastor Magrey deVega leads a group of authors to explore how we can make the same commitment to Christ during Advent, connecting our Wesleyan heritage with the traditional Advent themes of Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace.

Thursday December 18th at 7pm - Blue Christmas Service

A Blue Christmas Service is a time where we invite those who are hurting, grieving, lonely, or challenged in any way that makes you feel “blue” during the holiday season. This will be a time where we pray, worship, read Scriptures, share testimonies and light candles. We will be inviting the community as well to join us for this service - it is a great time to share the love of Jesus to a hurting community.

If you would like to participate in this service, either reading Scriptures, praying or maybe even sharing a testimony please reach out to me in the coming weeks as we continue to plan it.

Wednesday December 24th at 5pm - Christmas Eve Service

Devotion this week:

Did you know that God desires to know you personally?

Reading the Bible, learning the Bible, praying for your needs and desires - these are all things He does want us to do. But God also wants you to know Him personally - and how is that done? By experiencing God.

To experience God means to spend significant time alone with Him. Brief prayers are ok. But deep prayer time, silent prayer time, feeling His Presence, listening to Him….all these things will help grow that relationship and really start experiencing God.

I have often heard this statement, “I talk to God but I do not hear Him.” If that is you, maybe you need to change your expectations. We will not always (if ever) hear a clear audible voice from God. But He does speak to us - and one of those ways is through our inner thoughts. He nudges us, He brings thoughts to our minds, He lifts us up inside. All those things are only going to be felt if you have come to experience God by spending that time with Him.

Today do not just think about God - but experience God!

Seasons of Change

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:25:58 GMT

Remember, Reflect, Rejoice

Hi Church!

We have been studying Ephesians Chapter 2, with the themes of grace, self-worth, and unity. Last Sunday we learned we are God’s handiwork - flaws and all! We all have tendencies towards sin, but we also have a choice to act on those tendencies or not. As we come to know Jesus better, it becomes easier to resist those temptations. And as a reflection of that love we have for Jesus, we do “good works,” which includes loving others and serving others.

This coming Sunday we will conclude this study with a message on unity. I cannot think of a subject more needed than this.

As we move towards the home stretch of 2025, we will begin to talk about the Advent Season. Stay tuned for sign ups to purchase poinsettias, decorate the church, and helping out on Christmas Eve.

Devotion for this week:

With the season changing, we will begin to see the leaves change colors and cover the ground. We will see the temperature drop. We will see the daylight get shorter. There will be pumpkin everything!

The fall season is actually a melancholy one for me though. It was my dad’s favorite season, who passed away in 2006. I miss the days of walking with him in the neighborhood, talking about the leaves changing. Growing up he was the one that walked me and my sister around to trick or treat. The fall season always makes me think of him.

But this season is also one that makes me miss my best friend Carol. She also has passed away after a bout with cancer in 2012. We were both single parents and our kids were about the same age. We did so many things with our kids in the fall - we went to pumpkin farms, corn mazes, and of course went trick or treating together. The fall season always makes me think of her.

The death of these two people were life changing experiences for me, but in much different ways - and yet both very connected. The death of my dad led me to take a look at my life and how I was living. I wasn’t doing anything “bad,” but I was not putting God first. I began going to a new church and found a new love for the Lord - one much deeper and permanent - and all consuming. My love for Jesus was not just a Sunday thing - but a daily, hourly, minute by minute thing. And that love continued to grow. Until one day my friend found out she had terminal cancer. In the months between the diagnosis and her passing, she encouraged me to go to seminary and become a pastor. The interesting part of all that was that she was not a believer - at first. During those months we talked about the Lord, and she began to learn who Jesus was, and eventually accepted Him into her heart. And that is when she said I needed to make that my life’s work. And so I did. Three days before she passed, I was accepted into seminary.

The life lessons in all this continue to pop up in the fall season. I remember my life before giving it all to Jesus, and how much I can now handle the tough times knowing He is by my side. I remember learning how to share the Gospel with others, something that felt so intimidating before, but now is so easy. I remember how deep the grief was in losing my loved ones, and yet I learned the joy of knowing they are with Jesus.

The changing of the seasons is always a good time to start something new, as the season is new. Take some time to look at what the Lord has done in your life - take a look at what He still wants you to do - take time to see who in your life needs to know that love of Jesus. We never stop learning, we never stop growing, and we never stop needing Him.

Blessings,

Pastor Marcy

Charge Conference Recap

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:51:07 GMT

2026 Vision

Hi Church!

Last week we started a new series called From Dead to Alive to Unified. We talked about the grace that God provides - that it is not deserved but because of His great love for us, we are offered grace. And then through our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we receive that grace.

This coming Sunday we will talk about our self-worth - and how God uniquely created each one of us!

Thank you to those who were able to make it to the Charge Conference Sunday evening. For those that were not able to attend, here is a recap of the vision I have for Christ Church in the coming year:

CONNECT - GROW - SERVE

Connect people to the saving love of Jesus. Help them to grow in their faith. And then demonstrate our love and faith by how we serve those in need.

These are three simple words - but they will be our focus in 2026. For everything we do, we will ask, how does it fit into these categories? That way, we will grow with intentionality and be able to sustain that growth! As such, here were a few things that I am suggesting we consider doing:

CONNECT

People struggle to have meaningful connections in the world of online only engagement. They desire and need real relationships.

Adopt a grandparent night
Games, food, fun
Stronger partnership with Covenant Community Preschool
Handing out snacks & invites to parent (in progress)
Include them in “family services” - have the kids sing
Reinvision Family Life Center
Community involvement
Have family dinner nights
Meet & Greets
Story time for kids
Have a “healing” service - invite those who are grieving, divorced, or suffering an illness. It would be a time of prayer and worship.

GROW

Growth starts with spiritual growth. Then we will see numeric growth. Inviting to church is not the first step. The first step is building a relationship.

Offer a Basics of the Faith study - people are not growing up knowing the Bible
Mentoring program - geared towards men
Women’s Event - Many churches do this so what would set us apart and attract someone that isn’t already connected to a church?
Have a Singles Group - for widows, divorced, unmarried. Typically these groups attract only women - how do we get men here?

SERVE

Gaston County has a poverty rate of 14%. Focus on our own community, then the world.

Increase missional impact - both financial as well as physical (volunteering)
Review missions we are supporting
Connect with other local organizations
Change/fix/update food pantry box at our entrance - it should never be empty
Short term mission trips

Each of these things are suggestions, and I welcome any and all engagement and feedback! I have already found Christ Church Gastonia to be a loving and welcoming church, and would love to see more people experience that as well!

Blessings,
Pastor Marcy

More Than Conquerors

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 14:40:10 GMT

Nothing is too powerful for our Lord

Hi Church!

Yesterday we wrapped up the series on New Beginnings with talking about Saul who became Paul. Saul was the worst of the worst as far as sinners go - he sought out Christians to persecute them, put them in prison and even kill them. But when he met Jesus everything changed. Because it is not the size of the sin that determines the ability to be saved, but the size of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus.

This week we will start a new series in Ephesians called From Dead to Alive to Unified. Also this Sunday night from 6pm - 7pm we have our Charge Conference. I really hope to see all of you there!

Devotion:

Each of us may face challenges in our life. Sometimes these challenges may feel overwhelming. How often have we thought we just can’t get through it? How often have you just felt like things would never get better?

How many Goliath’s have you faced in your life?

And then how many of those Goliath’s have been conquered by the power of God?

The answer is all of them. Nothing is too powerful for our Lord. There is nothing this world can do to us to break us fully - it sure tries though! The devil tries hard to break us. He will pile things on over and over - but every single time - the Lord overcomes.

When things feel like they are too much, when the challenges become overwhelming, when life just isn’t going the way we planned - look to Him. Because we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.

Worst of the Worst

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:41:00 GMT

Series conclusion + The week's devotion

Hi Church!

Last week we learned about Matthew, the tax collector. We learned just how hated those tax collectors were, and how incredible it was that Jesus chose him to be a disciple. It showed us that no one is beyond the hope of Jesus - no one is beyond that new beginning.

This coming Sunday as we conclude this series on New Beginnings, this theme of no one is beyond hope will be driven home even more as we will meet the man who called himself the worst of the worst.

On Sunday we will also be receiving Holy Communion. This is a time where we remember the sacrifice of Jesus. It is a holy time - a time for confession, and a time for repentance. Because during Communion, we remember that Jesus loved us so much that He willingly went to the cross, and poured out his blood for the forgiveness of all our sins - for you, for me, for all of us.

Blessings,

Pastor Marcy

Devotion This Week:

Phones have dramatically changed throughout the years. But did the purpose change? Isn’t the primary purpose of a phone in the 1800s the same as a phone today? To make a call – to talk to someone – to communicate with another person? Back in the 1800’s when you used a phone, you had to be connected to an operator who then connected you to a person. Today a phone can be used to text or call or contact that person by social media. But the purpose is still to communicate with a person. The method of that communication by phone has changed but not the purpose.

Jesus told us we all have the same purpose - to tell someone about Him. Our methods are different, but the purpose is the same - to share the saving love of Jesus.

Jesus said: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19

That verse doesn’t say, “ those who are pastors ” go and make disciples. It doesn’t say “ those who are outgoing ” go and make disciples. And it doesn’t say “ those who are super religious ” go and make disciples. This verse was directed to all of us. We all have the same purpose - but we are going to have different methods.

Some of us might talk directly to someone about Jesus. Some of us might bake cookies and take them to a person who is not feeling good, and include a card with a Bible verse. Some of us might invite a neighbor to church. Some of us might serve with a Christian non-profit helping those who are less fortunate.

Different methods - same purpose. Share the love of Jesus.

Choose your method today - and share Jesus!

Pathway Options

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 12:00:26 GMT

Series midpoint + this week's devotion

Hi Church!

We are in the middle of a series called New Beginnings. Last week we talked about Moses. He experienced many new beginnings but the biggest one was when he was 80 years old! But God had been grooming him this entire time so that he could rise up and be the leader God knew he could be. That is the power of a new beginning.

This week we will be looking at Matthew who radically changed after his encounter with Jesus - a great lesson for us all.

As we look forward, I strongly encourage you to attend the Charge Conference on October 12th from 6-7pm. Perry Hines will be here who is our Presiding Elder. It is also an opportunity for you to hear the vision I am planning for the coming year. We would all love to see this church grow into the church we know it can be - just as Moses grew into the leader God knew he could be. But just like Moses, that takes time. Until that time, those of us that call Christ Church Gastonia home, we will continue to worship our Lord together!

Devotion for this week:

Everyone is on a path to where life takes them. Sometimes it is a career we love and maybe add in marriage and kids. Sometimes it's being a fur parent instead and doing life solo. Along the way we will meet many people. Some of those people will turn into friends, and some maybe not!

But on this path we will have options - forks in the road, decisions to be made. How do we make those choices? How do we decide God’s path for us? How do we make sure we are on the right path?

Proverbs 3:6 tells us: In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

When we acknowledge God’s influence in our lives, when we spend time praying, spend time in His Word, spend time at church with the body of Christ - then we will know we are on the right path!

Blessings,

Pastor Marcy

Updates etc

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 12:00:34 GMT

Pastor's thoughts + this week's devotion

September 17, 2025

Last Sunday we continued our series, New Beginnings. We focused on Joseph and learned he faced a lot of new beginnings - and all of them seemingly bad! He started out being his dad’s favorite, but then was sold into slavery and then thrown into prison after a false accusation! And yet he never once lost his faith. He trusted God had a plan, despite all those challenges. Through all he faced, his faith increased! Because he trusted God - who made him “forget all his troubles.” That is what all consuming faith can do!

As I mentioned last week, you might start seeing some changes around here. I know how hard change is, but they are all intended to help us grow as a church. I fully believe the Spirit is strong here - and our faith can move mountains! We just have to keep in mind we are running a marathon, not a sprint. Growth takes time and patience, but also effort on all our parts. As I review articles and talk to other pastors, the one thing that is always number one on every list is:

Spend a great deal of time every day on your knees .

Remember the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

I task all of us with praying, not just for numeric growth, but most of all for spiritual growth. As we grow spiritually, I am certain we will grow numerically!

I am working on ideas for upcoming events that we can invite the public to, ones that are small and ones that are bigger. As we enter into the fall season, this is a great time to host things for kids and families, as well as empty nesters and retirees. I welcome any thoughts you have as to what you would like to see here - my door is always open! Take care and blessings!

Pastor Marcy

Here is this week’s devotion:

Most of us, no matter how strong our faith is, still struggle sharing that faith with someone.

We all have friends or family or neighbors that are suffering, angry, hurt and could use some faith to just simply survive this hard life. We also all know folks who have never been to church. And we probably all know someone who just has no spiritual guidance at all.

It's not necessarily that they do not believe, it's not like they have never heard of Jesus, God, the Bible, or anything else associated with religion. But their knowledge has come from society. Their understanding has been through the media – from movies, from TV shows, from social media.

Is that giving them the right impression of who Jesus is?

You may feel uncomfortable sharing about God with someone who is not a church-goer. It may feel awkward. You may fear how they will react. You may just not know what to say. But guess what? God knew you’d struggle with that. And that is why we have the Holy Spirit here with us today:

…for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say. Luke 12:12

Don’t let someone’s knowledge of who He is come from any other source. You can remove the erroneous impression they may have from simply sharing your own story – why and how did you come to know Jesus? And how has your life changed since then? Your testimony is the most powerful way to share Jesus with someone.

Because, you could be the only one who ever tells them who Jesus really is.

New Beginnings

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 12:54:04 GMT

Getting settled in

Last Sunday, we started the series, New Beginnings, and I shared a bit about myself and the many new beginnings I have faced. But we also learned not to fear stepping into something new - because God not only paved the way, but He will be with us through it all.

Join us this Sunday as we continue the series and talk about Joseph, who is in the Hall of Faith! Through all his struggles and challenges, he not only never lost his faith, but his faith was increased. Great lesson for us all.

As I get started, you may begin to see a few changes. Other than changing your mind, I do know any change can be hard! Many of us are like my daughter who dislikes change so much she would freak out if I just moved the furniture around!

Nothing fundamental is going to change - this is Christ Church Gastonia, and anything that makes us Christ Church stays the same. We will always be a strong community who loves Jesus and each other! But you may see some minor changes here and there, and that is just to keep us fresh and growing.

And to that point, I know many of you are hoping this church will grow numerically. And yes, that is a goal of mine as well. I have thoughts and ideas of things we can do to entice folks to visit our church on Sundays - but here is a task for all of you. Think about what drew you to this church. Think about what would draw you to go to another church. If you were on vacation, what are you going to look for to attend a church in that vacation area? In the coming weeks, I am going to be composing thoughts on what attracts someone to church in this world today. Specifically in Gastonia, North Carolina today - why would someone want to go to church? That is a deep question, one I will be asking the Lord to help with as well - but I am giving you that task as well. Ask the Lord - what can we do to build Your church on the rock?

My door is always open to feedback or any concerns you may have, so feel free to reach out! Last request - please let me know if you are having surgery or if you or a loved one is in the hospital, as I would love to come pray for you!

I am looking forward to continuing to get settled here and to get to know you all. Have a blessed week!

Pastor Marcy

Some Thoughts On Our Spiritual Diet

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 12:50:56 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON OUR SPIRITUAL DIET

You’ve probably heard the old adage, “You are what you eat.” This is true in a physical sense—when we eat junk food, we can get flabby. Eat healthy and get lean. We can say the same about our spiritual diet. The spiritual "food" we consume can often determine our spiritual health and development.

When we're new to faith, we need to be spoon fed with the elementary truths of our faith and learn the basic habits that'll shape our lives in Christ. The Apostle Peter was writing to spiritual infants when he penned these words:

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2, 3).

I thank God for people like Carol Immel, David Streets, Alma Romsberg, Ken Volmer and my parents, who took the time to spoon feed me my early spiritual diet. They are the folks who gave me an appetite for God’s word, taught me how to pray, made sure I was in worship, and taught me the basics of following Jesus. Any maturity I have in faith today—can be credited to their teaching and modeling.

Å basic diet of spiritual milk is important for the young Christian, but it’s essential that we improve and enhance our spiritual diet as we follow Jesus. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews lamented the failure of some followers to mature:

“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

One of the best indicators of spiritual vitality is a craving for God’s Word. Sadly, many who believe in Jesus refuse to grow up in their salvation, which doesn’t please our Heavenly Father. To make our Father proud, we must feast on His Word and do what it says. The moment we believe in Jesus Christ is the time we need to start growing up in Him.

Watch your diet and eat wisely, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

(Originally published on Bishop Greenway's Facebook page August 14, 2025)

Some Thoughts On Our Reputations

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:45:49 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON OUR REPUTATIONS

The adage says, “Actions speak louder than words.” Another says, “His/her reputation preceded him/herself.” What do your actions and reputation reveal about you?

The Old Testament character Noah was a man with a noble reputation. The Bible described him this way:

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” (Genesis 6:9)

Righteous. Blameless. Walking faithfully. A person of faith should wish to have such a reputation. Noah’s reputation was so significant because it was so rare.

In Noah's day, wickedness filled the earth—but Noah was an exception. He was in step with God and out of step with the world—rather than being in step with the world and out of step with God. Noah didn’t care about receiving the world’s approval nearly as much as receiving God’s approval. Whether he had many friends or few, Noah was only interested in one best friend — the God who gave him life.

Friends, we live in a time when people celebrate sin and often criticize righteousness. In a world where faithfulness to God is rare, what do your actions and reputation say about you? Do others easily see your choice to live in step with God? I encourage you to be more concerned with receiving God’s approval than that of the world. God's looking for men and women whose actions and reputations represent Him in the world. It will not be easy.

God commissioned Noah to build an ark, in which he and his family would be saved when God judged the world. When people came to see the ark, Noah likely gave them a sermon—2 Peter 2:5 tells us he was a preacher. We don’t have a transcript of his sermon, but he probably told them to repent—since God doesn’t want anyone to perish, but rather everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Day after day, week after week, and year after year, Noah would preach without ever winning a single convert—except his family.

God's looking for men and women whose actions and reputations reflect His Lordship in their lives. He may not ask us to build an ark, but He does ask us to live lives that point people to Him.

Live righteous lives, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

(Originally published on Bishop Greenway's Facebook page July 25, 2025)

Some Thoughts on Integrity

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 17:23:12 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON INTEGRITY

One of my favorite axioms about integrity is: “All teabags look alike until you put them in hot water.” It’s a reminder that integrity isn’t always seen at first, but it’s revealed in a person’s life over time and through circumstances. Anyone can be a person of integrity when life and its choices are easy, but when life is challenging and the choices are complex, our true integrity is revealed in the heat of the moment.

Solomon spoke of one of the many benefits of integrity in Proverbs:

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely.” (Proverbs 10:9)

A description of integrity includes words like character, honesty, truthfulness, decency, righteousness and trustworthiness. Who wouldn’t want to be described with these words?

The Bible devotes little space to Hananiah, but it nicely summarizes his character.

“I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do. (Nehemiah 7:2).

A reputation like that is hard to earn. What does your reputation reveal about your integrity? Are you known for your character, honestly, truthfulness and decency? Do your words and actions reflect righteousness and trustworthiness? Do you revere God more than most?

I recently read about a professor who told his students, “I am giving two tests today: one is trigonometry and the other is integrity. I hope you pass them both. But if you have to fail one, fail trigonometry. There are many good people who cannot pass trigonometry. But there are no good people who cannot pass integrity.”

I’m so grateful my mom and dad pounded the importance of integrity into me as a child and adolescent. They always told me. “Remember who you are and who you belong to.” That meant I was Harold and Betty Jo Greenway’s son. I carried their name, and everything I said and did was a reflection of my family name. But more importantly, it was a reminder that I am a child of God. I was baptized as a child—set apart to be raised in the community of faith. It meant that I represented not only my family, but also God’s family. My integrity matters—even today!

Remember who you are and who you belong to, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

(Originally published on Bishop Greenway's Facebook page July 15, 2025)

Some Thoughts on the Hope of Heaven

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 12:21:53 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE HOPE OF HEAVEN

I recently read a story about a young woman hospitalized for severe depression. She never took her eyes off the ground and rarely spoke a word. One day, a doctor with an unusual last name was assigned to her. He introduced himself as Dr. Heaven.

That was his real name, and it helped change her thoughts. She stopped worrying about this life—and focused on the one to come. She took her eyes off her problems—and put them on God. She was released within a few weeks and went on to become a successful teacher. It’s amazing how having hope for eternity can change our perspective.

Friends, this life is not all there is. We were created with eternity in mind. We will live forever, but the destination is determined by our faith in Jesus. Eternal life in heaven is a gift offered to everyone, but it’s not a civil right. We must choose to believe. As the Apostle Paul wrote:

“We are saved by grace through faith…” (Ephesians 2:8)

When we live a life of faith, it changes our perspective about death and gives us the hope of heaven. David wrote about this hope:

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

This hope changes the way we approach life. This world alone can’t make us content and happy since we only have a short time to enjoy it. But knowing we’ll dwell in the house of the Lord forever can give us happiness and contentment now!

Jesus gives us a glimpse of the hope of heaven in the Gospel of John chapter 14. Jesus said,

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

Regardless of what happens in this life, we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. We have Jesus’ word on it—and that’s something to look forward to!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Some Thoughts on Living Vocationally

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:03:05 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON LIVING VOCATIONALLY

I believe God has a call and claim on the lives of each follower of Jesus. You were created and saved with a divine purpose in mind, and this world will lack and be incomplete unless or until we answer God’s call to serve.

I’m writing about living vocationally. Vocation is not just a job. It’s much deeper than that. Our vocation is where our lives and God’s will intersect for maximum impact. Living vocationally is the best way to live.

I think most of us would agree that Moses was a man of faith who lived his life vocationally. His life intersected God’s will with maximum impact—resulting in the deliverance of God’s people after 400 years of bondage in Egypt.

But he needed some convincing to answer the call God had on his life. In Exodus chapters 3 and 4, God encountered him while he was tending his father-in-law Jethro’s sheep on Mt. Horeb, but Moses didn’t want to go. He tried to avoid God’s will—and on the surface—had a few reasons. He felt unequal to the task (Exodus 3:11). He feared the people might not believe him (Exodus 4:1). And he didn’t speak very well (Exodus 4:10). He didn’t want to go.

So—he asked God to send someone else:

“Moses said, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.’” (Exodus 4:13)

The bible tells us God’s anger kindled against Moses, but the Lord wouldn’t take “No’ for an answer. God denied Moses’ request, but sent his brother Aaron to help (Exodus 4:14). For the rest of their lives, these two men fulfilled God’s purpose by working together.

Whenever the task seems overwhelming, we can ask God to send us a helper. Our ultimate Helper is the Holy Spirit—the constant reminder that we are not alone. The Spirit guides us into all truth and equips us for the call God has upon our lives.

Whoever serves God will sometimes feel reluctant, because God will often ask us to do things we would rather not do. But if we always do what we have always done, we will never become all that we can be for God. Like Moses, we may try to avoid doing God’s will, but that is never in our best interest.

Live vocationally, my friends! It’s the best way to live!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

(Originally published on Bishop Greenway's Facebook page, June 23, 2025)

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE POWER OF SHARING A TABLE

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 12:06:06 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE POWER OF SHARING A TABLE

Beth and I eat most of our meals alone these days, but that wasn’t always the case. When our children were young, the dinner table was the center of our family life. It’s where manners were learned—stories were told—advice was given—and family identity was shaped. I miss those days and rejoice once or twice a year when our family gathers at the table.

There is something sacramental about sharing a meal with other people. Strangers become friends. Generations are united. Children are taught. Sins are forgiven. Relationships are mended. God is present.

The last chapter of John’s Gospel reminds us of this. Peter and his friends had gone back to their former way of life—fishing on the Sea of Galilee. They‘d been fishing all night.

“When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.” (John 21:9)

The disciples had breakfast on the shore with Jesus as their cook. The breakfast was a precursor to Peter's forgiveness and reconciliation for denying Jesus.

Ever since we fell into sin, God has been bringing us back to his table. Moses, Aaron and others went up a mountain where they saw God, and they ate and drank (Exodus 24:11). Likewise, the Israelites ate at the temple in the presence of the Lord (Deuteronomy 12:7) Eating with God is a sign of our intimate fellowship with him.

The night before his death, Jesus sat at a table with his disciples. They broke bread, drank wine, and Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). Jesus was revealed to the Emmaus Road travelers when he blessed and broke the bread (Luke 24). It’s a reminder—whenever we receive the Lord’s Supper, we are having table fellowship with God.

In Luke 12:37, Jesus tells us when he returns he will dress as a servant, have us recline at the table, and wait on us. He cooked for the disciples on the shore, was made known in breaking bread, and will be our waiter in the age to come. Jesus has made us children of God, and we will eat at his table forever.

Bishop Jeff Greenway

The next time you sit down at the table, remember, it can be sacramental.

Some Thoughts on Eternal Life

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 12:21:02 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON ETERNAL LIFE

George Bernard Shaw once wrote: “Death is the most democratic of all experiences.” It’s true. No one gets out of this world alive, but the God who gives us life can even raise the dead.

One of the earliest accounts is when Elijah raised the widow of Zarephath’s son in 1 Kings 17. It was during a time when Elijah was hiding from an angry King Ahab because Elijah had delivered news that God was going to hold back the rain and bring drought.

The widow extended incredible hospitality—feeding him bread from the last of her flour and oil. Therefore, God ensured her flour and oil never ran out until the land received rain again. Later, her son became ill and died. The widow blamed Elijah—questioning why she was being punished.

“Give me your son,” Elijah replied. (1 Kings 17:19)

Elijah took the boy into a room where he earnestly prayed for him and the boy’s life returned. What a joy it must have been to give him back to his mother! This miracle anticipates the raising of the widow’s son by Jesus (see Luke 7:11-17) and the resurrection of Lazarus (see John 11:38-44). In all three cases, God demonstrates the power to bring the dead back to life—only to die again. But all that changed with the resurrection of Jesus—who conquered death and opened eternal life in God’s presence.

We’re all created with eternity in mind—which includes eternal life. Jesus confirms this. In the Gospel of John chapter 5, Jesus described the general resurrection at the end of the age:

“For a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28-29)

Jesus is saying that everyone—good or bad—will receive eternal life. The question is what our destination will be—and that is determined by our belief in and decision to follow Jesus. The life we live here—saved by grace through faith—will determine where we spend eternity. It’s my prayer, we will choose to trust Jesus and live in response to the grace we’ve received.

Live with eternity in mind, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Some Thoughts on the Danger of Pride

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:14:53 GMT

From Bishop Jeff Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE DANGER OF PRIDE

One of the most tragic figures in the Bible is King Solomon. After succeeding his father David on the unified throne of Israel, he worshipped the Lord. God appeared to Solomon and promised to give him anything he requested. Solomon asked for wisdom to rule and lead God’s people. God not only gave him what he asked for—God gave him everything he did not ask for, including incredible wealth and success.

The Book of Proverbs captured the wise sayings of Solomon including:

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

He should know. Once known as the wisest man who ever lived, he forgot the Lord-- source of his wisdom—and squandered the success God gave him to chase after pleasure and other gods. By the time Solomon died, his kingdom was divided and his legacy in shambles. Pride goes before a fall.

This also happens to one of Solomon's descendents, Uzziah. He led the Kingdom of Judah to its highest success:

“But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.” (2 Chronicles 26:16)

Uzziah wasn’t content with political power; he wanted religious power, too. In Numbers chapter 3, Uzziah went into God’s temple to burn incense, which was something only priests were allowed to do. Putting their lives at risk, some priests followed the king into the temple and opposed him to his face. When he refused to back down, God struck him with leprosy. Uzziah lived in isolation for the rest of his life and was banned from the temple of God (see 2 Chronicles 26:21).

The problem with too much earthly success is that it can lead to pride, which often leads to a downfall. The antidote to pride is humility. As David reminds us:

“You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.” (2 Samuel 22:28)

From Solomon and Uzziah, we learn that starting well is no guarantee of finishing well. When they lived righteously, God gave them success. When they were filled with pride, they experienced tragic falls.

“It is better to struggle throughout our lives than succeed at the cost of our souls. Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.” (Proverbs 15:16)

Stay humble and fear the Lord, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Some Thoughts on Rediscovering the Bible

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 12:33:31 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON REDISCOVERING THE BIBLE

I recently read about the incredible resurgence of faith among college students and young adults. One reason has been their rediscovery of the Bible as a source of objective truth. They've abandoned the skepticism of previous generations, stopped using the Bible to answer questions it wasn't meant to answer, and embraced it as the source of answers to life's most important questions: Who am I? Why am I here?

As they’ve stripped away skepticism and embraced the Bible as authoritative for faith and practice, they’ve encountered the God who created them, are being drawn to him, and changed.

Many observers are surprised by what they see. I’m not. This always happens when people rediscover the scripture and approach it with expectation. As the Apostle Paul wrote:

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 16-17)

God’s word is timeless and timely, and history is replete with stories of people who discover or rediscover the Bible and have a life-changing encounter with God.

One of the first times we see the power of rediscovering the Bible is in 2 Kings 22, where we read:

“Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.’” (2 Kings 22:8)

Here’s the context: God’s word had been missing for years, but no one seemed to notice. The priesthood was operating with all kinds of religious activity, but there was no Bible. They rediscovered the Bible while the temple was being repaired.

The same thing happens today. Many church leaders are busy doing everything but teaching God’s word. As a result, many people don’t know the Bible, and live contrary to its teaching.

The Apostles offer a better example. Facing requests to do other things—even good things—they replied,

“We will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4)

This is the first duty of Christian leaders. It’s time for God’s people to rediscover the Bible because whenever God’s people seek the Lord in scripture, they encounter him!

Seek the Lord by rediscovering the Bible, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Some Thoughts on Grumbling

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:01:12 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON GRUMBLING

We all encounter them—extra-grace-required (EGR) people. You know the type, right? We see them walking into a room, or their caller ID shows up on our phone, and we think, “Oh Jesus—not today!” We only have so much emotional bandwidth, and we decide where we’re going to use it on them. If we can avoid them, we will.

Here’s the thing—believe it or not, WE are EGR people to someone. I know—it’s a shock—but we can rub people the wrong way. And when they see us coming, they try to avoid US! I’ve seen people switch lines while coming forward to receive communion because they see me as EGR!

Exodus chapter 16 takes place shortly after the Exodus when Moses led Israel out of Egypt after 400 years of bondage. They’d plundered the Egyptians on the way out the door; been led by God on the journey with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night; were rescued from the pursuing Egyptians by walking through the parted sea on dry land—but when they got to the other side, the EGR people began to grumble.

They formed a “Back to Egypt Committee” complaining about the lack of food—and accused Moses and Aaron of bringing them to the desert to kill them. Moses rightly understood their complaints weren't really against him and Aaron. He said:

“Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.” Exodus 16:8)

This was the first time they complained, but it wouldn’t be the last.

They complained because that’s what EGR people do, but what EGR people (like me) often forget is God puts leaders into position—in the church—in a business—in a family—in a school—and even in a nation. (See Romans 13:1)

That’s the last thing I want to hear! If God has allowed people to take places of leadership and authority, and they’re disappointing us, where do we lodge our complaints? Where do we turn when things aren't as they should be? God. He’s the One who delivers. He’s the One who provides. He’s the One.

Remembering this often makes me less prone to grumble because I realize God usually has something important to teach me when I’m most prone to grumble. Let that sink in, my friends!

What is God trying to teach you?

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Some Thoughts On Godliness

Wed, 28 May 2025 12:49:37 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON GODLINESS

One of my favorite people in the bible is Simon Peter. I enjoy reading the passages that tell the story of his transformation—and the texts he wrote to inspire his readers to be transformed.

He was named Simon at birth and was raised in a small fishing village on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. His early life was spent mending and casting fishing nets. He answered the call to follow Jesus and become a “fisher of men.” He was the first to declare that Jesus was the Christ—the Messiah. As a result, Jesus gave him a new nickname—Peter (which means rock). It was a significant moment, but it was not the end.

While he was a natural leader, Simon Peter regularly put his foot in his mouth—totally missing what Jesus was teaching. He made promises he failed to keep—especially when he denied Jesus during a time of trial. It was a disappointing moment. He was often impatient, impulsive and imperfect.

But Jesus was gracious with him. After the resurrection, Simon Peter went back to his former way of life fishing on the Sea of Galilee. After fishing all night, he encountered the risen Jesus on the shore. After breakfast, Jesus restored him and unleashed him to the future God had called him to—not only as a leader—but also living a godly life.

Peter teaches us that Jesus accepts us as we are but loves us too much to leave us that way. The Lord is always calling us to be more and more like him. Peter understood this when he later wrote the early church:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.” (2 Peter 1:3)

Peter was less concerned about his readers’ health, wealth and happiness than about their godliness.

There’s a road in England called Godliman Street. No one knows for sure, but a man with a reputation for godliness seems to have lived there. Before the street had a name, they would say, that is where the godly man lives. If you were to have a street named after you, what would it be called? Busy-man street? Fitness-man street? Wealthy-man street?

If God has given us everything we need for a godly life, let us be known for godliness, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Farewell

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 21 May 2025 13:53:48 GMT

Wishing you the best

There is a theory that says “Good is the Enemy of Great”. I have found that to be true in my ministry. I've served in churches that are “Content” because everything is “Good”. When people are content with what is, they tend not to reach for what can be. I have also found that I can become content, and it's hard to rock the boat when I am. I can tell you that a ship that does not rock is not moving. It would have been easy for me to stay at Christ Church in many ways. I love you all, and you have tolerated me, and even loved my family, and you have expressed that in so many ways. But this last year, the Holy Spirit made me discontent not with you or with Christ Church or with any of you, but with the fact that I was too contented. I felt myself slipping into an easy pattern. And I knew I had accomplished what God sent me here to do: walk with you and shepherd you as we made difficult decisions about the future, leaving the United Methodist Church and joining the Global Methodist Church to help get the church get over the bad appointments that had been made while in the UMC and to bring hope of a better future. We have done those things together, and I tried to lead growth here, which I have done in the past, but that was not God’s plan for me and Christ Church. So I quietly let some friends in leadership know that I was open to a move that would challenge me and stretch me and make put a burr under my saddle, and mainly to help me discern where God wants me next to employ the Gifts and Skills he has given me and they did. Still, I was in no hurry to move, because there is so much good and right about Christ Church, and it was easy. Good was becoming the enemy of great for me and you at Christ.

I am blessed to have been your pastor for 3 years. God has done great things among you and will bring about even more if you allow him to. I have spoken to the next pastor of Christ Church on the phone, and today, I got to meet him face to face. I am overjoyed by what God is doing. I can not give you the name, but I know God is doing and will do amongst you. I can not wait to see what God has in store for Christ Church and what He has in store for you. There will be about a month between my farewell this Sunday and the new pastor arriving and filling the pulpit. There is a plan for substitutes in the pulpit over that time. I ask that you wait and pray, and give this new preacher a chance for at least 3 months of your steady attendance and participation. I believe he is a man of God and, more importantly, the man of God that God will use to shepherd you in ways I can not, to grow the kingdom of God among you in ways that I can not, and to lead you to new pastures where you will grow.

Do not allow fear of the unknown or change to scatter you, but allow God to bind you closer together and increase your tribe. That is my greatest wish and the greatest blessing you can give me.

Remember God Loves You, and I do too. I love you enough to leave so the “Great” can overcome the “Good” in all our lives.

Pray for your new pastor and your old one, and I will pray for you and _____! Be at church Sunday to celebrate a close to one chapter, the beginning of a new one, and an announcement about that blank.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

What to Ask of God

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 14 May 2025 13:44:13 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON WHAT TO ASK OF GOD

What would you do if God told you he would give you whatever you asked for in prayer? That’s exactly what happened in the life of King Solomon. Not long after he ascended to the throne of his father, David, the Bible tells us:

“The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.” (1 Kings 3:4)

This occurred before Solomon built the Temple of the Lord, and Gibeon had become the most important place of sacrifice in all of Israel. It would be the equivalent of going to the National Cathedral. He offered a sacrifice of a thousand burnt offerings. After he honored God with a sacrifice,

“God appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’” (1 Kings 3:5)

Solomon could have asked for bottomless wealth, military might, long life, or whatever his heart desired. But Solomon was a young man when he began to reign and felt unequal to the task. More than anything else, Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern God’s people well. God made him the wisest man who ever lived. The Lord gave him what he asked for—and more:

“Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”” (1 Kings 3:13-14)

Solomon’s example teaches us that if we ask God for what he wants to give us, he might give us even more—but we need to ask for the right things. Many ask for health, wealth and happiness when they should be asking for holiness or usefulness. James would later write:

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3)

It is good to ask God for what we want, but we should also ask God for what he wants.

How would your prayer life change if you began asking God for what he wants for you?

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Victory In Jesus

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 07 May 2025 14:45:44 GMT

Faith in real time

It’s funny and a blessing how God sometimes works in our lives. Just before Easter, I started planning the sermons between Easter and Memorial Day Sunday, my last Sunday at Christ Church. That is just to say that I picked the scripture for this Sunday, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26, and named the Sermon “Victory in Jesus”. Most of you know by now that Yesterday (Tuesday, 5-06-2025), we found out that my mom’s cancer is not responding to the chemotherapy treatments, and decided with her that she will be under hospice care.

So perhaps it's not so funny as it’s providential that, as I write today's blog for Christ Church, the scripture for Sunday is about Christ's Victory. At the risk of preempting the sermon, let me say that the scripture and the thrust of the sermon will be about Christ's final Victory in which He takes control of all things on Earth and in Heaven the last verse for Sunday is verse 26 which reads: “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”. We know Christ overcame and defeated death when he rose from the grave. Yet death still exists. Physical death comes to us all, or at least until He returns. But the day is coming when He will destroy death, and death will no longer come to humanity. The dead will be raised in perfected bodies and share in Christ's splendor. Read all of 1 Corinthians 15 sometime.

Mom has asked me to include 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 in her funeral service:

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h]

55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

Even for us now, the sting of death has been diminished because we are assured that it is not final. When Death loses its finality, it is like a defanged snake.

Now, to be sure, those of us left behind mourn, but we mourn for our loss, not that of the dead. We mourn as those who have pierced behind the veil and seen the joy that awaits us.

The Winn family (my mom was born Martha Winn) has always handled death well. In part, that is because in decades past, when families lived in multigenerational groups near each other, death was a part of life. We experienced the deaths of great-grandparents and grandparents alongside those who had already buried their ancestors; in many cases, they washed and prepared the bodies for burial themselves. They dug the graves by hand themselves.

In our family, we handle death well, partly because we were raised in the Methodist Tradition, where we have a theology of Assurance of Salvation. I grew up with two great grandmothers and my grandparents Winn, just three houses down. I spent as much time there as I did at my parents' home. So, I remember the deaths of my Great Grandmothers, Grandparents, Father, and being with some of them when they passed.

As a pastor, I have walked with families as they have had loved ones die.

Family is different, and Mom’s passing will be unique for me, as she and I have always been so close. Still, she lives in the assurance of her salvation, as do I. I will mourn my loss and celebrate her victory over death in Jesus Christ. I will cry, I am crying right now. But I will live in Joy and Peace because I also have the assurance of my salvation. I know that death is defeated and that I will join all this family and a great host of believers when that day comes for me.

55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

Peace,

Burt

Be God's Ambassador

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 14:37:19 GMT

Tell someone

We are in the season of Easter. The session ends 50 days from Easter Sunday with Pentecost. During that period, Jesus appeared several times to His followers, particularly the Disciples.

He does this to prepare them. They had been with him for 3 years, yet they were not fully prepared to begin ministry to the world. It was not that the three years were wasted; even though being with them for three years was instructive, they were not completely focused and were not in unity of purpose with each other. The 50 days were different because there was a sense of urgency among the Disciples. Jesus had a sense of urgency, particularly in the last year of His ministry, but the disciples had gotten comfortable with how things were and had their own ideas for the future.

We in the church are much the same. We get comfortable, like the way things are, and lose the sense of urgency. We like the way things are and don’t want anything or anyone to disrupt our sense of security. But Jesus is a disrupter; He wants us on our toes (Matthew 24:42-43). He wants us to understand the urgency of the Gospel message. While we are comfortable, others are dying without accepting Him, Jesus, as Lord and Savior. Jesus wants us to know that the time is short. He may return at the trumpet call tomorrow, next week, or next century, but in the meantime, others are dying now, and without a savior, The Savior, they are lost, but we, the found, are called to go out on the rescue mission to save the lost. Tell someone today that God loves them and Jesus wants a relationship with them. Tell them your story of being found and the story of Jesus’ great love for them when He died for them on the cross.

Be God’s Ambassador to the World.

Pastor Burt

Go and Tell

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:00:02 GMT

Bishop Jeff Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE RESURRECTION—GO AND TELL

Let me remind you this morning: CHRIST IS RISEN!

Recall how the first resurrection day began. The Gospel of Mark chapter 16 begins with three women—Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome—making their way to the tomb before dawn. They were hopeless. Jesus was dead, and they were carrying spices with them to finish anointing His dead body for burial.

The sun had just begun to chase away the mist of the night as they walked along, and they wondered aloud about who would roll the heavy stone away from the entrance for them. When they arrived at the tomb, however, they found the stone had already been rolled away. As they entered, they saw an angel who said:

“Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him” (Mark 16:6).

The angel's simple declaration announced the most important event in human history. Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried—and on the third day, He arose. That news was too good not to share, so the angel instructed them:

“Go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you’” (Mark 16:7).

The women had to tell somebody—especially Peter, who had disowned Jesus. The story of Jesus is a COME-AND-SEE then GO-AND-TELL kind of event. COME and SEE the empty tomb—then GO and TELL the others. COME and SEE what Jesus has done—then GO and TELL SOMEBODY what you saw. And that’s exactly what they did. The event changed the world one person at a time—including me.

Christ is RISEN! He is RISEN, INDEED! It’s ALL TRUE! Jesus died on a Roman cross for our sin. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. And when the women went to the tomb that first Easter morning, it was empty. Jesus was risen and living—having conquered death and hell—and opening the door to abundant and eternal life for all who believe.

COME AND SEE, then GO AND TELL anyone and everyone: CHRIST IS RISEN!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Called By Name

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:43:22 GMT

A note from mom

On Tuesday, I got to bring Mom home. She has had me running ever since. I told her either I need a break to write my newsletter article, or you can write one as a guest blogger. Guess which she picked! The answer is below.

Hello to everyone at Christ Church. It's Martha Williams reporting in. I just got out of Physical Health Rehab today. I have spent more time in the hospital and rehab since the first of the year than I have at home. I want to thank all of you for your prayers, cards, visits, food, and gifts. You have no idea how uplifting these have been.

I hope I will be able to see you on Sunday for Easter Service. I told Burt I did not think I'd ever missed being in church on Easter. As I think about the significance of Easter, I am so grateful for the amazing love of Jesus, offering Himself up as the Paschal Lamb so that all who believe in Him will be saved from their sins and spend all eternity with the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But as great as the sacrifice was for Jesus on the cross, the Resurrection on the third day is even more amazing. That is what we will celebrate on Easter Sunday.

When Mary Magdalene went to the tomb on Easter morning and saw the stone rolled away, she assumed that somebody had stolen His body. Then, Mary encountered Jesus. She did not recognize him until he said her name. Jesus told her to go and tell the disciples the good news. She announced to the disciples that she had seen the Lord! Like Mary, sometimes we are moving in the wrong direction. But when Jesus calls us by name, we can move forward and be transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus. Are there places in your life where you feel stuck in the mud? Do you need resurrection hope? Because of the resurrection, we can move forward one step at a time! Halleluiah, Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!

Rejoice Greatly

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 13:01:04 GMT

Your king comes

A lot is happening, from international tensions to national turmoil and the usual political mudslinging. Our state is also involved in political posturing and reacting to changes in the federal government. Right now, you’re saying, wow, Pastor Burt rarely talks about politics, and that’s true. I don’t usually take public political stands except in extreme moral cases; think back to Monica Lewinsky in the late 90’s.

But political intrigue, infighting, and power struggles are nothing new. As we approach Holy Week, let’s take a look at the Politics of the Roman Empire between 30 and 35 AD (CE for you youngsters)

Between 30 and 35 AD, the Roman Empire was under the rule of Emperor Tiberius, the second emperor of Rome and the stepson of Augustus. Politically, this was a tense and transitional period in the empire, marked by increasing autocracy, paranoia, and the growing influence of powerful individuals behind the scenes.

Here’s a breakdown of the key political dynamics:

Emperor Tiberius reigned from 14–37 AD. By 30–35 AD, he had been emperor for over 15 years but became more withdrawn from direct rule. Around 26 AD, Tiberius retired from Rome to the island of Capri, effectively removing himself from day-to-day governance. In his absence from Rome, Tiberius entrusted much of the empire’s administration to Lucius Aelius Sejanus, the powerful commander of the Praetorian Guard (the emperor’s personal bodyguards).

By 30 AD, Sejanus had amassed immense influence, acting almost as a co-ruler. He used his position to eliminate rivals, often through accusations of treason.

Under Sejanus, there was a climate of fear—numerous senators and aristocrats were executed or exiled on charges of treason. Tiberius, realizing Sejanus was plotting to seize power, turned on him. In October 31 AD, Sejanus was arrested and executed, along with many of his allies and family members. This triggered another wave of purges and political repression. Tiberius became even more suspicious and authoritarian, continuing purges of the Senate and elite classes. (In the interest of transparency, I sourced this bit of Roman history from Chat GPT)

That was a huge setup to say that the Roman Empire was struggling when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a Donkey in 33 AD. It was a scene cut from Zechariah 9:1-8, which describes the defeat of Judah’s enemies. Verses 9–17 view the end of exile in terms of the return of the Davidic king to Zion. We read, “This king would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey.”

The implication was clear: Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies; Jesus was and is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. As such, those who believed He would be an earthly political King used this against Him in an attempt to get the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate to execute Jesus. Interestingly, this did not work; Pilate ultimately did order Jesus crucified to prevent an uprising in Judah. The day’s politics prevailed on Pilate to order an execution that he believed to be unwarranted and unjust. Why? To save his skin. The emperor was paranoid and isolated, trying to maintain power while others sought to remove him and take his place. Roman Governors were playing it safe and staying under the radar. Rome was addicted to bloodshed, and one more dead Jew was not going to be noticed in Rome. Still, a regional uprising could see Pilate removed and executed, possibly along with his family.

The political turmoil of an empire contributed to the death of an innocent man, really the only truly innocent human to ever die. But it is through the death of the pure, innocent Son of God that we find forgiveness for our lack of innocence, our sin, our guilt, and our shame. Through the Sacrificial Death of Jesus the Christ, we have been given new life; eternal life. Not because we deserved it but because God desired to restore the relationship that we had destroyed, that we had killed. The result, the proof of Jesus’s having restored or resurrected the relationship between God and humanity, was Jesus’ resurrection 3 days later.

So Next Week, we mourn our sin that killed the Son of God and celebrate God not allowing death to have the final word. Instead, God resurrected Jesus, and in doing so, he declared that the path was once again open for us to have a relationship with Him through Jesus. Through that relationship with Jesus and our relationship with God the Father is restored, and we are given new life; eternal life. All this now comes to us through the Holy Spirit, who translates God’s love and Christ’s presence with us to us.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!!!

I hope to see you at each of our opportunities to worship together during this Holy Week.

Pastor Burt

Some Thoughts on Submission

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:28:58 GMT

From Bishop Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON SUBMISSION

Our culture often views submission as weakness, and any hint of submission often makes us bristle. We have a general disposition to live in rebellion against submitting to authority—which can make it difficult for us to grow into the likeness of Jesus.

Yet, the Apostle Paul admonished the Ephesians and us to:

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)

We read these words from the Apostle Paul—especially the subsequent passage about husbands and wives and parents and children—and many of us find them offensive. We read about wives submitting to their husbands or husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the Church (sacrificially)—and it raises our collective blood pressure. We don’t like submitting to anyone or anything—but this verse reminds us that mutual submission in our relationships is founded on our submission to Jesus.

The call to surrender (or submit) to Jesus is the first step in our path to sanctification—the process of becoming set apart for Christ. To submit to Christ is to put myself voluntarily under His leadership and authority in my life. It’s a step of humility to admit I can’t save or change myself into the person Jesus wants me to be.

The story of all the saints in the Bible involves surrendering to God’s leadership. Noah had to submit to the radical call to build an ark—abandoning his life plan. Abraham had to abandon his hometown, friends, and family to experience what God had for him. Moses, Esther, Mary, and Jesus Himself had to submit to God’s call on their lives. None of these people would define their relationship with God by simply “praying a prayer.” Their faith was made real and evident by obediently submitting to what God revealed to them. In our sincere effort to save souls, we’ve often made the Gospel too small—with no surrender and consequently no power.

I’ve found there are areas of my life that God, His Word, or others will regularly point out that need further examination. Obedience requires sanctification. Some things will only change when I fully surrender.

What about you? Surrender may be the missing step in your walk with Jesus, my friends.

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Thirsty?

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:46:41 GMT

Jesus offers Living Water

John 4:13-14 (NIV)

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’”

As we journey through Lent, we often find ourselves seeking fulfillment in things that only offer temporary satisfaction—success, relationships, or material possessions. Like the Samaritan woman at the well, we may keep returning to the same "wells," hoping they will quench the deep thirst in our souls.

But Jesus offers something far greater: living water —a source of eternal life that satisfies our spiritual thirst completely. His presence refreshes, restores, and sustains us in ways the world cannot. Lent is a time to pause and ask, “Am I drinking from the well that truly satisfies?”

Prayer :

Lord Jesus, I come before You thirsty for more of You. I often seek satisfaction in things that leave me empty. Teach me to drink deeply from Your living water to nourish and renew my soul. Help me to trust that Your presence is enough to satisfy my every need. Amen

Peace & Blessings,

Pastor Burt

Some Lessons from St Patrick

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 14:01:48 GMT

From Bishop Jeff Greenway

SOME LESSONS FROM ST. PATRICK

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good

thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly." (Psalm 84:11)

This devotional is longer than usual. I hope it inspires you!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! For many, today’s an excuse to decorate with shamrocks,

pinch those not wearing green, and drink green beer—but the history of St.

Patrick and his role in Ireland merit remembrance. St. Patrick was a spiritual hero

who changed a nation as he lived out his faith.

His birth name was actually Maewyn Succat. He took on the name Patrick when

he became a priest and was canonized after his death. He was born in Old

Kilpatrick, Scotland. A raiding party captured St. Patrick when he was fourteen

and brought him to Ireland as a slave to tend and herd sheep. While there, he

prayed, grew in his faith, and learned to walk in love—instead of becoming angry,

despondent, and bitter. He became an overcomer who persevered in his trials

and tribulations.

When he was twenty years old, he escaped his captors after dreaming God told

him to leave Ireland by going to the coast. He convinced a group of sailors to take

him back to Scotland, where he reunited with his family. Despite his capture as a

teenager, Patrick felt compassion for those who enslaved him because Christ

had so completely changed his heart. Once he escaped, he could've stayed away

—but God had a different plan.

St. Patrick had another dream in which he heard the people of Ireland—who

practiced paganism at the time—calling out for him to walk among them. He

began his priesthood studies shortly after that vision and returned to Ireland as a

priest. He eventually became a bishop who was pivotal in the evangelization of

Ireland for Jesus. The shamrock is a symbol we often associate with St. Patrick's

Day—and many mistake it as the symbol of Ireland—but it's really connected to

St. Patrick, who used the clover to explain the concept of the Trinity to non-

believers.

St. Patrick knew the Irish people were mostly without hope. Ireland comprised

mostly Druids and pagans when Patrick first returned. Yet, he was able to

convert entire kingdoms to Christianity over the four decades he spent there—

baptizing over 100,000 people and building 300 churches.

There are quite a few legends surrounding the popular saint, including one that

claimed Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Although the island nation

has no snakes, the cool climate, not St. Patrick, is likely the reason. Most scholars

believe the term "snakes" in ancient texts may refer to pagan ritual beliefs and

practices of the Druids—not the reptiles themselves.

History tells us in 433 A.D., St. Patrick was praying for God’s divine protection in

his work and ministry while facing powerful enemies in Ireland. He wrote a

prayer called St. Patrick’s Breastplate—the last few stanzas of this prayer are

widely known and recited today.

"As I arise today, may the strength of God pilot me, the power of God uphold me,

the wisdom of God guide me. May the eye of God look before me, the ear of God

hear me, the word of God speak for me. May the hand of God protect me, the

way of God lie before me, the shield of God defend me, the host of God save me.

May Christ shield me today.

"Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath

me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit, Christ when I stand, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks

of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that

sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Amen."

Did you notice how dependent St. Patrick was on Christ? Because of that

dependence, God heard St. Patrick’s prayer and opened the door for him to share

Christ with the Irish King Laoghaire and his subjects—and allowed St. Patrick to

be a part of bringing Ireland out of paganism’s dark hold to the saving power of

Jesus. God used him to save Ireland.

St. Patrick’s story and dependence on prayer stand as a reminder God doesn’t

waste a thing in our lives, and He often calls us to go back to places of pain and

darkness to share grace and light. Where is God calling you? Who is God using

you to save?

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Lent 2025

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 14:12:59 GMT

A journey of repentance & renewal

As we embark on the season of Lent, we are invited to take a deep breath, slow down, and journey inward with intention. Lent, a time of reflection, fasting, and prayer, begins with the solemnity of Ash Wednesday and leads us toward the glory of Easter. The first Sunday of Lent is a powerful reminder of the call to renew our faith, to grow in our relationship with God, and to prepare our hearts for the resurrection of Jesus.

Lent is not simply about giving something up; it’s about making space for the presence of God in our lives. Whether we choose to fast from food, distractions, or negative habits, the goal is to deepen our spiritual practice. This season invites us to draw closer to Christ, just as he retreated into the wilderness to fast and pray for 40 days before beginning his public ministry.

In Matthew 4:1-11 we encounter Jesus being tempted in the desert. It is a powerful story that reminds us of the strength of faith in times of trial. Just as Jesus overcame temptation by grounding himself in God's Word, so too can we find strength in Scripture, prayer, and the support of our faith community.

Lent also offers us an opportunity to examine our lives and ask, "What are the areas of my life where I need healing or transformation?" This season challenges us to confront our own struggles, sins, and weaknesses, but also to embrace God’s grace and forgiveness. The desert places we encounter during Lent can become fertile ground for spiritual growth, as we learn to trust God more fully.

As we begin this journey together, let us commit ourselves to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Let us also remember that we are never alone—God is with us every step of the way. May this season of Lent be one of deep renewal, as we prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter.

Pastor Burt

Ash Wednesday Services

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 13:51:13 GMT

Noon & 6 pm

Ash Wednesday Services – March 5, 2025 - Noon & 6 pm

As we begin the season of Lent, we invite you to join us for our Ash Wednesday services on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. This day marks the start of our 40-day journey of reflection, repentance, and renewal leading up to Easter.

To accommodate our congregation, we will hold two services: noon and 6:00 p.m. Both services will include the imposition of ashes, a symbol of our repentance and mortality, as we acknowledge our need for God's grace in this Lenten season.

Ash Wednesday is a solemn day that holds deep significance, both historically and spiritually. It calls us to reflect, repent, and prepare for the journey toward Easter.

The tradition of Ash Wednesday dates back to the early centuries of the Church. It was established as a day of repentance and humility, symbolizing the Christian understanding of mortality and the need for God’s mercy. The imposition of ashes on the forehead, which we receive during Ash Wednesday services, is a powerful visual reminder of our earthly impermanence. The ashes, made from the palms of the previous years’ Palm Sundays, are marked in the shape of a cross, signifying both our mortality (“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”) and the hope of resurrection through Christ.

Ash Wednesday is a day for self-examination. We are invited to confront our sins and shortcomings and seek reconciliation with God. It’s a day of repentance and a day to renew our commitment to live out our faith through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during the season of Lent.

This day also sets the tone for the 40 days of Lent, a time for reflection and spiritual discipline, during which we prepare our hearts and minds for the joy and celebration of Easter. It’s a time to reconnect with God, reflect on His sacrifice, and draw closer to the life-transforming power of His resurrection.

We encourage you to attend our Ash Wednesday services at Noon and 6:00 p.m. on February 26, 2025, as we begin this sacred journey together. Let us enter this season of Lent with hearts open to God’s grace and transformation.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Some Thoughts on a Yielded Life

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 14:28:23 GMT

by Bishop Jeff Greenway

SOME THOUGHTS ON A YIELDED LIFE by Bishop Jeff Greenway

Allow me to let you in on a universal truth—God doesn’t waste a thing. The Apostle Paul knew this from experience. He experienced prison, beatings, shipwreck, and a host of other adversities, yet he could still write: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

How could he say that? Because he had yielded his life to Jesus. He could write that because he loved God and was living life under his will.

We find the same belief displayed in the life of Joseph in the Old Testament. Jacob favored him, and he had the gift of dreaming and interpreting dreams. His brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt. Potiphar's wife falsely accused him and had him imprisoned. After interpreting a dream for Pharaoh, he gained his release and rose to become Egypt's second in command, enabling them to prepare for and survive a seven-year famine.

During the famine, his brothers came to Egypt seeking grain. It’s a great encounter you can read in Genesis 42-45. When Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers, they were afraid he would bring all the power of Egypt to bear on them because, in their jealousy, they had sold him into slavery and faked his death.

But Joseph understood something they did not. God doesn’t waste a thing in a yielded life. He told them: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” (Genesis 50:20) God doesn’t waste a thing in a yielded life. God turns evil into good. It didn’t seem good to Joseph when he was sold into slavery or was sitting in prison. But now it was clear: his enslavement had enabled his promotion to a prominent position. That enabled him to save Egypt and his family. God didn’t waste a thing.

Friends, God doesn’t waste a thing in the lives of his people. You may not see it that way when a house burns down, a job is lost, or a diagnosis arrives. But if you love Jesus Christ—and live a life yielded to him—God won’t waste it. I encourage you to live a yielded life, my friends!

He Understands Us

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:40:10 GMT

A ministry of the Spirit

Several times over the past 7 years or so, I have had the privilege of caring for my mother as she has been ill—three bouts with cancer. I say honor not because it's been easy but because of the opportunity. It's challenging work, sometimes sleepless nights, often doing intimate things, like helping her use the bathroom or cleaning the bed, which are embarrassing for us both. It's a privilege because of love. Mom and I share a bond and my love for her is a reflection of the love she has shared with me for coming up on 55 years. She took care of me as a child and supported me as a teen through all the adolescent angst. Then, as I became an adult, we became friends (never forgetting that she was my mom). During the first 30 years of that time, we enjoyed mutual support from each other, and we still do, but the roles have shifted somewhat.

On Sunday, I experienced the acute realization that this might be the time that I lose her, at least in this mortal realm. I contemplated it as a concept, but this was different; the concept actually had the very real possibility of becoming a reality. Even writing that makes my eyes moist. Anyone who has been through this will understand the shock when that person who has always seemed immortal becomes mortal. It's a moment when our world shifts and reality comes crashing down on us.

You know who else understands this, Jesus. At some point in his short life, HIs father dies; we don’t get any details; in fact, it's never said; we just see that during Jesus’ ministry, His mother, Mary, is alone. We also see him grieve at Lazarus’ tomb. We know he grieves.

It's comforting to know that God feels our grief and understands our pain. He created us, gave us life, supports us in our infancy, and comes to us as a Savior and a Friend in the person of Jesus Christ and now that the Holy Spirit is with us as a guide. He is our comforter.

In one of the great scripture passages, Romans 8:26-27, we are told: “ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” (I suggest reading the larger text Romans 8:20-28 )

God knows our hearts, He knows our weaknesses, and when we don’t know how to pray, when we are unable to pray because we are overwhelmed, and our Spirit groans, the Holy Spirit groans with us and conveys to God the Father more than words can express. And God’s relationship with us is not bound by life and death; rather it transcends death to give us eternal life in this world and the world to come. That means that even in the darkest of moments, not all is lost, and we can hope in spite of it, in spite of the pain. And if we forget that for a moment, God knows and understands our weakness.

Peace,

Burt

Assignment Update

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:48:38 GMT

May or June

After a difficult announcement Sunday when I shared that I will be reappointed in late spring or early Summer (likely May or June) I told you that I could not share where I would be going, but now I can. I will be appointed to Higgins Church – A Global Methodist Congregation in Burnsville, North Carolina. As I said Sunday, this decision was not easy, primarily because we love you all. However, we believe, and it’s been confirmed in many ways, that this is where God is calling us.

I also want you to know that I, Rev. Barry Drum, the Cabinet of the North Carolina Conference, will work with our leadership to appoint the best possible pastor to come to Christ Church. We want this for you and for the Kingdom. Christ Church is a wonderful congregation, and you have so blessed us, and we thank you. Now is not the time for goodbyes; we still have several months till then; for now, our work together continues, and there is much to do.

Peace,

Burt Williams

Thoughts About Forgiveness

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 14:06:36 GMT

From Bishop Jeff Greenway

Below, you will find a devotion from our Bishop on forgiveness. It was in the newsletter from the conference this week, and I wanted to share it with you. Pastor Burt

SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT FORGIVENESS

Do you want joy and contentment in your life? Then learn how to forgive. The

capacity to forgive cracks open your heart and allows God to do the deeper

work of not only forgiving your sins—but helping you live a righteous life.

The call to forgive other people is a central message in the Bible. Joseph

forgave his brothers for selling him into slavery. Moses forgave the Israelites for

their stiff-necked rebellion. David forgave Saul for trying to kill him. And Jesus

told us to pray for us to be forgiven in the same way we forgive others.

A woman was delightful in her youth but became bitter with age. As a young

woman, she was engaged to be married, but her fiancé ran off with her sister

three days before the wedding day. The pain was overwhelming, and she never

recovered. But she could have—if she had followed the way of Jesus, who

prayed from the cross:

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

It’s easier to forgive others after they stop hurting us, but Jesus forgave his

killers while they were still killing him. God may permit us to suffer deeply, so

that we can learn to forgive deeply, because his purpose is to make us like

Jesus.

Forgiveness is choosing not to punish the person who hurt you, but Jesus

taught us to do even more. Jesus said:

“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:28)

This is the best and surest way to recover from hurt—pray for those who hurt

us. Over the years, I’ve often prayed something like this:

“Father, I forgive <insert name> for what they did to hurt me. Would you give

them a double portion of your grace? Bless their relationship with you. Bless

their marriage and children. Bless their spiritual life so that they may perfectly

love you. Bless them in ways that grow their relationship with and witness for

you. Amen.”

It works! Before long—you’ll find that you’ve not only forgiven them, but God

has blessed you! The most beautiful people aren't those who have never

experienced hurt, but those who have suffered deeply and learned to forgive.

Do you want joy and contentment in life? Learn to forgive, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

The Call to Faith

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 15:17:32 GMT

Faith in Christ and in one another

This morning, I saw a clip from Scott Van Pelt of ESPN Sports Center discussing the hype surrounding the Ohio State football team’s faith after last week's national championship. Scott had some insightful comments about the team’s faith and the hype surrounding it. One of the most helpful was a comment about praying for winning: “The other team prays, too.”

When we talk about sports, I’ve always found it a bit petty that a team prays to win, as if somehow, God will pick favorites between two sports teams with substitute faith. Pray that God will help them play well, be safe, and please Him in their conduct. If teams only pray to win, they seem to have shallow faith.

We need a deep faith that isn’t dependent upon success, at least on how the world counts success. Success, as far as faith is concerned, is about pleasing God. Success for the Christian is doing what He has called us to do. We are called to put Him first and love one another. When we do these things, we have success in God‘s eyes. God also causes us to share our faith to go into all the world to share what He has taught us and to baptize the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When we do these things, we expand His kingdom.

The other thing that Van Pelt commented on was that what helped Ohio State in their season and in the championship game was “Their faith above and their faith in one another.” We shouldn’t pray to win, at least in a sports game. Our faith in God affects every part of who we are. It changes our motivations and challenges us to give our all to Him. Our faith in God also binds us to one another. In the last two years, the Ohio State team had a spiritual awakening in which they gave themselves to Christ Jesus, and many of them were baptized together into the faith. That bond with one another helped them as a team to accomplish the goal that was set before them.

This call to have faith in Christ and one another is also a challenge to the church. We need to love one another, care for one another, lift one another in our successes and stumbles, and bond to help one another accomplish the mission of making disciples for Jesus Christ. By doing so, we help expand the kingdom and put God first in our individual and corporate lives. When we have faith above faith in God and one another, we can accomplish all things through His glory and power, which He shares with us. And when we have done those things, we point to Him and give Him the praise, honor, and glory for the great things He has done.

So, as we look into the future, let us see what God is doing among us and through us. Let us join in our faith in Him and one another to make those visions that He gives us a reality on earth so that His kingdom may come and His blessings may flow through the church and into the world.

Pastor Burt

Known and Loved by God

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 13:50:35 GMT

Reflections on Psalm 139

“Known and Loved by God”

I fell in love with Psalm 139 while in high school. A friend of mine introduced it to me at a church camp. I may have read it before, but it took on new meaning that summer. It speaks of the depth of God’s love and care for each of us. This psalm, penned by David, is a profound reminder that we are not only created by God but intimately known by Him.

David begins with these words:

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” (Psalm 139:1-2)

What an incredible truth! The Creator of the universe knows our every thought, our every action, and even the desires of our hearts. This knowledge brings great comfort in a world that often feels impersonal and fast-paced. No part of our lives is hidden from God, yet He loves us deeply and unconditionally.

Psalm 139 also speaks to the care with which God created us:

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:13-14)

These verses remind us that we are not accidents or afterthoughts. God uniquely designs each of us with a purpose and a plan. In moments when we doubt our worth or feel inadequate, we can find confidence in the truth that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

This psalm concludes with a powerful invitation for self-reflection:

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

May we regularly invite God to search our hearts, guide our steps, and draw us closer to Him as we journey through life. When we allow God to lead us, we can rest in His love and trust in His plans.

I encourage you to meditate on Psalm 139. Let its truths sink into your heart. Know that you are seen, known, and loved by the One who formed you. Whatever you face today, remember that God is with you, and His hand guides you.

Pastor Burt

No Matter What Happens

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 13:52:44 GMT

It's going to be OK; I am going to be OK

There is much on my mind here at the beginning of 2025. The top of which is, of course, my mother’s health. For those that don’t know, my mother, Martha, has had a recurrence of Uterine cancer. Despite the hysterectomy to remove her uterus, it has returned as tumors in her abdominal lining. The cancer has caused digestive issues, so she cannot eat at the moment and is in the hospital to try and correct that. So pray for her, me, and everyone on the prayer list.

I bring up my mother’s condition in this context because of what she said to me on Saturday as we were at the hospital, having gotten the news about her cancer that morning. I asked how she was doing. That was not about her physical condition that had been laid out before us over the last 24 hours; the question was about her spiritual/mental condition. She said: “It’s going to be OK, I am going to be OK; no matter what happens.” Despite the sort of trite sound that statement could have, we both understood its deep theological meaning and the faith behind it. That statement is uniquely Christian and Methodist as it passed between us, raised in the same church by many of the same people a generation apart, and for me, raised by her.

“It’s going to be OK; I am going to be OK no matter what happens” is a statement that speaks of deep faith in Jesus Christ, in the promise of eternal life, in the belief that He is indeed working out all things for our good for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. It is a statement that has been lived into by a long line of believers stretching from the apostles down to my mother and me. It is a statement that echoes the words of Paul in Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

To say, “It’s going to be OK; I am going to be OK no matter what happens,” is not fatalistic but hopeful. It is not a resignation to death but a statement of life. She hopes to live in this world for years to come, but regardless of the date she departs it, she knows that it is not the end of life but rather a life transition. To have this hope is to understand and believe that Christ overcame death, conquered death, and transformed death into a new beginning.

I hope you have this kind of faith that looks at the face of death and says I am not yours because I am His. I do not surrender to you because I have already pledged myself to the giver of life. I hope you have faith that can say, “It’s going to be OK; I am going to be OK no matter what happens.”

Join us Sunday as we begin a series entitled: “New Beginnings: A Fresh Start with God!”

Pastor Burt

Covenant Service

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 13:50:53 GMT

Wesley Covenant Prayer: January 5, 2025

Happy New Year!!

This Sunday, January 5th, is Epiphany Sunday, the Sunday we celebrate the coming of the Magi to visit the newborn King! We don’t know how many came, though you might be saying three because they brought three gifts: gold (always an appropriate gift), frankincense, and myrrh. But those just enumerate the number of types of gifts, not the number of wise men or kings. But it is a turning point in Jesus’s childhood, and we celebrate those who recognized who He was and is.

Also, as the first Sunday of the New Year, an old Methodist tradition is to have a Covenant Service or Covenant Prayer on either New Year's Day or the First Sunday of the New Year. We will incorporate the Service into our normal Sunday Service on the fifth. Below is the Covenant Service. I encourage you to read it before the 5th. This is not a covenant to take lightly; it is a statement of intent to dedicate your life fully to Christ. There are parts of it that still make me wilt because the call is not easy. We will have this part of the service in print form on the 5th, so you may bow in prayer and humility during the section of the service where we make this vow and so you can sign it and take it with you as a reminder for yourself of the covenant you have entered. This is the same prayer Wesley used except that the Thee’s and Thou’s and old English of Wesley’s day have been contemporized, but the stark depth and meaning of the covenant have not been diminished.

You are invited and encouraged to participate in this dramatic service on January 5th!

Peace,

Pastor Burt

WESLEY'S COVENANT SERVICE

INVITATION

Commit yourselves to Christ as his servants.

Give yourselves to him, that you may belong to him.

Christ has many services to be done.

Some are more easy and honorable,

others are more difficult and disgraceful.

Some are suitable to our inclinations and interests,

others are contrary to both.

In some we may please Christ and please ourselves.

But then there are other works where we cannot please Christ

except by denying ourselves.

It is necessary, therefore,

that we consider what it means to be a servant of Christ.

Let us, therefore, go to Christ, and pray:

Let me be your servant, under your command.

I will no longer be my own.

I will give up myself to your will in all things.

Be satisfied that Christ shall give you your place and work.

Lord, make me what you will.

I put myself fully into your hands:

put me to doing, put me to suffering,

let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,

let me be full, let me be empty,

let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and with a willing heart

give it all to your pleasure and disposal.

Christ will be the Savior of none but his servants.

He is the source of all salvation to those who obey.

Christ will have no servants except by consent;

Christ will not accept anything except full consent

to all that he requires.

Christ will be all in all, or he will be nothing.

Confirm this by a holy covenant.

To make this covenant a reality in your life, listen to these admonitions:

First, set apart some time, more than once,

to be spent alone before the Lord;

in seeking earnestly God's special assistance

and gracious acceptance of you;

in carefully thinking through all the conditions of the covenant;

in searching your hearts

whether you have already freely given your life to Christ.

Consider what your sins are.

Consider the laws of Christ, how holy, strict, and spiritual they are,

and whether you, after having carefully considered them,

are willing to choose them all.

Be sure you are clear in these matters, see that you do not lie to God.

Second, be serious and in a spirit of holy awe and reverence.

Third, claim God's covenant,

rely upon God's promise of giving grace and strength,

so you can keep your promise.

Trust not your own strength and power.

Fourth, resolve to be faithful.

You have given to the Lord your hearts,

you have opened your mouths to the Lord,

and you have dedicated yourself to God.

With God's power, never go back.

And last, be then prepared to renew your covenant with the Lord.

Fall down on your knees, lift your hands toward heaven,

open your hearts to the Lord, as we pray:

COVENANT PRAYER

The people kneel or bow.

O righteous God, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,

see me as I fall down before you.

Forgive my unfaithfulness in not having done your will,

for you have promised mercy to me

if I turn to you with my whole heart.

God requires that you shall put away all your idols.

I here from the bottom of my heart renounce them all,

covenanting with you that no known sin shall be allowed in my life.

Against your will, I have turned my love toward the world.

In your power

I will watch all temptations that will lead me away from you.

For my own righteousness is riddled with sin,

unable to stand before you.

Through Christ, God has offered to be your God again

if you would let him.

Before all heaven and earth,

I here acknowledge you as my Lord and God.

I take you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for my portion,

and vow to give up myself, body and soul, as your servant,

to serve you in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life.

God has given the Lord Jesus Christ

as the only way and means of coming to God.

Jesus, I do here on bended knees accept Christ

as the only new and living Way,

and sincerely join myself in a covenant with him.

O blessed Jesus, I come to you,

hungry, sinful, miserable, blind, and naked,

unworthy even to wash the feet of your servants.

I do here, with all my power, accept you as my Lord and Head.

I renounce my own worthiness,

and vow that you are the Lord, my righteousness.

I renounce my own wisdom, and take you for my only guide.

I renounce my own will, and take your will as my law.

Christ has told you that you must suffer with him.

I do here covenant with you, O Christ,

to take my lot with you as it may fall.

Through your grace I promise

that neither life nor death shall part me from you.

God has given holy laws as the rule of your life.

I do here willingly put my neck under your yoke, to carry your burden.

All your laws are holy, just, and good.

I therefore take them as the rule for my words, thoughts, and actions,

promising that I will strive

to order my whole life according to your direction,

and not allow myself to neglect anything I know to be my duty.

The almighty God searches and knows your heart.

O God, you know that I make this covenant with you today

without guile or reservation.

If any falsehood should be in it, guide me and help me to set it aright.

And now, glory be to you, O God the Father,

whom I from this day forward shall look upon as my God and Father.

Glory be to you, O God the Son,

who have loved me and washed me from my sins in your own blood,

and now is my Savior and Redeemer.

Glory be to you, O God the Holy Spirit,

who by your almighty power have turned my heart from sin to God.

O mighty God, the Lord Omnipotent, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

you have now become my Covenant Friend.

And I, through your infinite grace, have become your covenant servant.

So be it.

And let the covenant I have made on earth be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

You are advised to make this covenant not only in your heart, but in word; not only in word, but in writing. Therefore, with all reverence, lay the service before the Lord as your act and deed. And when you have done this, sign it. Then keep it as a reminder of the holy agreement between God and you that you may remember it during doubts and temptations.

Year End Recap

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 13:53:56 GMT

Our first year as Global Methodist

We will not publish a newsletter next week, so let me say Merry Christmas to all of you. It has been a great year at Christ Church.

We have accomplished much during our first year as a Global Methodist Congregation. We have sponsored many mission opportunities in our community and fostered the development of Christian learning through the Covenant Community Preschool and the YMCA after-school programs. Accomplished many repair, upgrade, and maintenance projects at the church and parsonage. We have donated funds to the recovery of the Mountains after Helene and are working on an opportunity to go to the mountains for a hands-on mission project next year. We have had wonderful worship this year and even got to host the Russian Methodist delegation that will hopefully join the Global Methodist Church this coming year.

God has been faithful to us, and we give Him the glory for all He has done among us. We have done our best to be loyal and faithful to Him and pray for His blessings in the New Year.

I pray that each of your 2025 endeavors pleases God and goes well for you. May He Bless you and keep you going and coming in the remainder of this year and the next.

Amen!

Pastor Burt

Finding Joy

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:22:36 GMT

Recognizing God at work

Church, we are celebrating the Third Sunday of Advent this week and will light the Joy Candle. Joy in scripture is more than just happiness; it is complex and rich. Joy is abiding and fills us with contentment and longing at the same time. We often look at Mary, the mother of Jesus, who accepts the burden of carrying the Christ Child in her womb, though she risks her engagement and her honor as she is unwed. Yet, she is considered joyful in her pregnancy. Then we meet Mary’s older cousin, Elizabeth, and her husband, Zechariah, who have been unable to conceive and now are expecting a Son, who becomes John the Baptist. And they are filled with joy at what God is doing.

In scripture, we almost always find joyful people; it is not because of something they have done but because they recognize what God is doing in and through them. And that is the secret: even when what is happening in our life presents difficulty, if we can look for and recognize that God is at work, we can find Joy in it; we can be Joyful in the midst of difficulty when we know God is present and God is at work.

Sometimes, God calls us to do difficult things, and we can feel uncertain and dismayed, but when we look to God and see He is working things out for good, we can find joy even in difficult moments.

For more on Joy and its deeper meaning, check out this article at https://saturatetheworld.com/2018/12/16/the-meaning-of-joy/ .

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Odds and Ends

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:02:09 GMT

Year End Miscellaneous

Thanksgiving was a week-long event at the Williams home this week. We had my youngest, Winn, and his betrothed, Jazmine, with us the weekend before last, as they had to be back at Virginia Tech over Thanksgiving weekend, and Jazmine was on call. Then Joshua and his wife Sarah and my brother David joined us for Thanksgiving proper. Of course, I came down with a double ear and sinus infection and spent last week and this week crashing on meds and feeling lousy and without a voice. My brother quipped that it was the quietest Thanksgiving ever. But it was good to be with them and share our love for our growing family.

Next week will be interesting at the parsonage. We hope to have Jimmy Jones replace the HVAC ductwork. The current HVAC ductwork is at least 20 years old and made of Duckboard, a fiberglass product that is beginning to break down and shed dust into the home. Three contractors examined the system and recommended replacement; Jimmy Jones was the contractor the trustees and Leadership committee selected to do the work. It will be a $7,000.00 expenditure, lowering our building fund to a $1,000.00 balance. That fund will need to be replenished soon. This will also need to be done without affecting the budget giving. Our next year's budget will be very close to the same as this year's, if not slightly lower. And we are on track to break even if giving is consistent in December.

Over the last two years, you have generously donated to allow us to leave the UMC and pay for the refurbishment of the parsonage, which has needed this work for some time: the encapsulation of the crawl space, the replacement of the broken master tub with a shower, the repair of the sunken dining room floor, sewer line replacement and now the HVAC ductwork. In addition, much of the church sound system was replaced due to a lightning strike. We have self-contracted everything possible, and when we have contacted work out, we have been mindful of being good stewards of what God has given the church through each of you.

I want you to know how appreciative we are of all you do, especially for our family through caring for the parsonage, and that we do not take any of your generosity for granted.

As we move into this Holiday season and approach the end of the year if you have any yearend charitable giving to do I invite you to consider the church building fund after your regular giving to the church budget.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Advent Begins with Hope

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 13:13:47 GMT

Celebrate Advent 2024

We have much to celebrate as we approach Advent and Christmas this year. We have come through a season of adjustment, leaving the United Methodist Church and joining the Global Methodist Church a year ago. Our decision was confirmed when the UMC met in Charlotte and changed the denomination's official stance on sexual ethics, changing its theological stance. The Global Methodist Church later met in Costa Rica for a Convening General Conference, amending and approving our first official Book of Discipline. We are still finding our feet as a denomination, but we are doing so under the firm guidance of the Holy Spirit.

We are now living in Hope, the first of the four themes of Advent. We mark each theme by lighting an advent candle and reading a biblical passage. This year and in years to come, we will celebrate this with new liquid-filled advent candles purchased by the choir through the generous gift of Joan Bowman given to the choir in the past.

This first Sunday in Advent marks a new year in the church's life and a new year filled with Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love in the Name of our Lord and King Jesus Christ.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Thanksgiving for Christ the King

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 13:24:05 GMT

Christ the King Sunday

Thanksgiving or Christ the King? How about both?

Thanksgiving is upon us next week, and then Advent is the preparation and waiting time for Christmas. Actually, this Sunday on the church calendar is not Thanksgiving Sunday; it’s Christ the King Sunday followed by, nope again, not Thanksgiving Sunday, but the First Sunday of Advent. But in many ways, Christ the King Sunday is a day of Thanksgiving to God for His Son, Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is also called the First Fruits of The Harvest in 1 Corinthians 15:20. And so we will celebrate this week that in the name of Jesus Christ, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord of All.

That’s it this week. This is a brief thought to guide you in worship and hopefully in our feast for Thanksgiving on Sunday and next Thursday; let us celebrate that Christ is King and that He is the Supreme Authority that stands in judgment of all earthly rulers, and let us pray that He may guide the rulers, elected officials, and all those appointed to office. And let us further pray that they take heed of Him in all that they do, for we celebrate the Harvest of crops and of Souls that the Lord brings forth.

Peace,

Burt

Moving Forward, Not Looking Back

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 16:16:26 GMT

God guides us forward

Moving forward, Not looking back!

Life is full of moments where decisions are made, and we have to move forward. We have small choices every day that affect the future we live in. But occasionally, we have significant decisions that drastically change our lives. I have been thinking about that following the election we have just moved through. Don’t worry; I am not about pontificating about the wisdom or folly of the decision we have collectively made; instead, I am trusting it to God like all such decisions in life.

No, I have been pondering those seminal moments in my life. I have identified them and considered how they have furthered or changed the set course. Here is a short list of those decisions:

Baptism
Accepting my call to ministry
Choosing to attend Lambuth University
Choosing a major at LU
Choosing to work in youth ministry for a time before seminary
Marring Sharon, whom I love: (No Regrets)
Going to Duke for Seminary
Joshua’s Birth, yes, was planned well as much as possible
Accepting an appointment as an associate pastor
Winn’s Birth also planned
Building a house/selling a house
Various decisions about moving or not over the years
Leaving the United Methodist Church for the Global Methodist Church

A couple of things to note: Many of these came early in life, and none of them were made in isolation; each was influenced, agreed upon, or prompted by others to varying degrees. God has been a significant player in each decision, with much prayer and the Holy Spirit guiding my contemplation. Each has helped set the course of my life and changed it somehow. Each marks the beginning and end of a chapter of my life, with many overlapping. Without fail, each one is shaped by my evolving relationship with God and the relationships developed with others during those periods.

I'm sure you could develop a similar list and that you would have some similar and different decisions.

But the title Moving Forward, Not Looking Back , is a biblical concept from Lot and his wife, who became a salt pillar to the Israelites in the Exodus and several other places. These seem to suggest that we should move on and forget what lies behind them, but the fact that the Bible exists suggests something different. Knowing our history helps inform our present and guides our future. The bible, in fact, records the relationship between God and humanity, highlighting some of the decisions and events that have shaped our collective and individual lives. Studying scripture helps us see the decisions people made, some huge and some small, that have impacted who we are today as Christians. We need to learn that sometimes in our lives, we should not be looked back on as times to which we should desire to return. Lot’s wife turns back to look at Sodom and Gomorrah, burning with longing for what was; the Israelites look back at Egypt, saying that their lives of Slavery were preferable to the hard life of travel to the promised land and a better but unknown future.

In fact, Jesus uses the story of Lot's wife to teach his disciples about the coming Kingdom of God. He tells them, "Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it." This is a message to us not to allow the idea of a better time in the past to deter us from moving into the future guided by our faith. In part, it is because what we perceive as a better time in the past is often not better than what God has planned for us in the future if we don’t take the detour. We cannot move forward if we look at the past as a destination.

So, I encourage you to look at how God has guided you into the present, noting the significant decision points and being honest with yourselves about whether you allowed God to guide that decision or your action or inaction or if you acted in opposition to God’s prompting. As you look at the past, do not allow it to immobilize you but to inform you and encourage you to seek God’s presence and guidance in your moving forward.

God has a future; He is guiding you toward it; I pray you will accept His influence.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

God Reigns

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 13:13:20 GMT

Hope in the one who has defeated death

It is Tuesday afternoon, November 5th, the first Tuesday in November in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and twenty-four. What I write now will be published late Wednesday morning. Whether or not who will be the next President of the United States has been decided or not I do know who the King of Heaven is, and that is Jesus Christ. Regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, the Prince of Peace sits on the Eternal Throne.

You may be pleased or displeased by the results of the US elections, but your ultimate fate does not depend upon such things, no matter how important the candidates, the news media, or your friends tell you how important or historic it is. Interestingly, I paused writing after the preceding period because I saw my phone light up with a text telling me that our lives depended upon me going to vote for a particular candidate. So that you know, I voted early, I wish the campaigns did, and I could opt out of all the text I get from both sides.

One thing I did not vote on was who created the universe, who loves me, who cares about me, who is willing to sacrifice for me, and who will decide my ultimate fate. The one who does all this is Jesus Christ. He is the only one to whom I will bow, who is worthy of my praise, and in whom I place my hope of salvation.

So regardless of whether your candidate won, lift up your head and look east; look to Jerusalem, where He sacrificed Himself for you, the righteous for the unrighteous so that you might live beyond your years on earth with Him throughout all eternity. And when you do, hope! Hope in the name of the one who has defeated death. Hope in the one who keeps His promises and works out all things for the good of those called by His name. Do not allow the hope, the joy, the peace of your heart, and the love you feel to be determined by an election but by the one who so loved you that He gave His life that you should have all these things in abundance.

So I will see you Sunday, and I hope to see a smile on your face not because of who the President-Elect is but because the Eternal King is the Lord of your life.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

All Saints Sunday

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:16:31 GMT

Celebrate the Communion of Saints

All Saints Sunday is this Sunday, November 3rd! FYI, daylight saving time also ends at 2 a.m. this Sunday. All Saints Sunday gives us the opportunity to celebrate the communion of Saints, described for us in scripture as a Holy Fellowship of those who have died in Christ. Some of the relevant scriptures are Romans 8:38-39, 12:4-13, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, & Hebrews 12:1-3. Revelation 7:9-17

These Passages and others point to a great multitude of the Saints in Heaven who are cheering for us, living in Christ and cooperating with the Holy Spirit to be free from sin and live that eternal life now.

Each All Saints Day, we honor the lives of those who have died in faith and are now numbered among the Saints. One of my favorite ways of saying this is that we celebrate those who have transferred their membership from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant. The church militant refers to those who are still fighting the good fight for Christ in this world, and the Church Triumphant those who have finished their course in faith.

This year, we will name six from our flock who have made this transition in the last year. You may have family or friends from other places who have died in the past year or in previous years. We will have a seventh candle and a time of silence for you to lift these names before God as we light this candle. Families are encouraged to pick up the candle that was lit for their loved ones following the service as a gift from the church.

FYI: All Saints Day is always November 1st and is largely celebrated on the first Sunday in November in churches, but that is why Halloween or “All Hallows Eve” is the 31st of October

Please use the list below for prayer this week, and if we have missed anyone for any reason, please call Pastor Burt ASAP!

All Saints Day Sunday, November 3rd,2024

Mark Baker 5/12/2024

Geneva Harris Hunt 6/28/2024

John Wright 6/19/2024

Beatrice Barger – 7/21/2024

Bobby Anderson - 8/5/2024

Margaret Harrison 8/29/2024

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Pleasant Dreams

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 14:26:40 GMT

Is this real?

I’ve never had issues with migraines or nightmares, but last night, I experienced a nightmare and a terrible headache. I stayed up late to get some of the housework done with my wife, Sharon, who is still dealing with a case of bronchitis, and my mother, Martha, who is still recovering from surgery on her right hand.

I experienced the worst and only nightmare I can remember for a very long time. I will not go into detail, but I had to wake Sharon when I awakened to ensure she was alive. I touched her hand while she was sleeping; it was warm, but she did not move. So, I felt her face, and she stirred a bit, to my relief. Yet, it was hard to return to my slumber. Visions of the nightmare resurfaced in my conscious mind, and I tried to make sense and meaning of what I had experienced in my conscious state. With all the lack of sleep, I rose to a massive headache that is lessening after a dose of Tylenol.

But what happens when the terror is real? I think and pray this morning for those in the mountains of our Western North Carolina, those in the Middle East on both sides of the Jordan River, and those in Ukraine, Russia, and all the Baltic States. I pray for those who have experienced loss, illness, disease, hunger, and cold. I pray for those who live in the nightmare and those for whom Tylenol offers no relief.

In these moments, I can only reflect and pray through the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:3-10

Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . ( Verse 3 )
Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. ( Verse 4 )
Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted. ( Verse 5 )
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice : for they shall have their fill. ( Verse 6 )
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ( Verse 7 )
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God . ( Verse 8 )
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God . ( Verse 9 )
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . ( Verse 10 )
list from (https://www.newadvent.org/)

I pray for each of you that your dreams are pleasant, that your mind, heart, and bodies are free from pain, and that where they are not, may the Holy Spirit bring healing and health.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Fear Not Failure

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 15:15:52 GMT

Learning from the rocket industry

If you could not guess, I’m also a space nerd. I have loved rockets since childhood. My uncle, William, got me into building Estes Rockets while I was growing up, and then came NASA’s Shuttle program. I remember building a shuttle model and launching it as I listened to the countdown of the first shuttle launch. I watched both shuttle disasters live and can remember the pain and disappointment of the loss of the astronauts and, eventually, the program.

For almost two decades, our nation was embarrassed to have to hitch rides to the International Space Station. Then, private industry entered the space industry. Most notably, SpaceX has changed the industry by lowering costs and making its rockets partially reusable, and it is working on full reusability, just as my Estes rockets were reusable.

This past Sunday, I watched the replay of the fifth launch of a starship from Texas. It was incredible to see such a huge ship take off and then catch the booster with the same tower from which it launched.

Behind the rapid growth in capabilities that have driven Space X to the forefront of rocketry worldwide is the company's embrace of failure as a learning experience. They did not try to get everything perfect for the first launch; in fact, they planned for failure. They collected data on what worked and what did not and then worked to improve for the second launch. They are still doing this through the sixth launch, which is upcoming. Every time they launch, and fail, they learn and improve the next ship.

The church could learn from this, and we have. We can have a mindset that whatever we do has to be perfect or excellent, but sometimes, we have to do the best we can and then evaluate what worked, what did not, or what can be improved. I heard this from the men during the evaluation of our Fall Fling.

It is also a part of our faith walk. When we come to Jesus and accept Him, we often stumble as we try to follow Him. We will fall into temptation and sin. But as we get back up and turn to Him again, accepting our mistakes and learning from them, allowing the Holy Spirit to empower and guide us, we will be able to follow Christ more closely and more toward Christian Perfection.

So don’t let the fear of making a mistake hold you back from sharing Christ with someone. You may do it imperfectly, but God uses the imperfect, as we see in our “Unlikely Heroes of the Bible” Sermon Series. If you make a mistake, learn from it and try again, for God is with you.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Another Week Another Storm

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 12:37:51 GMT

God is with us, through the storms

Another week, another storm. Milton is bearing down on Florida as we struggle to deal with the aftermath of Helene in North Carolina. As in nature, we also feel that same pressure in our lives. We have barely made it through one storm before another assails us. It can leave us reeling, wondering if the ground beneath us is moving. Yet amid such storms, we are never alone. God is with us, watching over us and sending along help in our time of need. That’s what we are doing for our neighbor to the west. This past Sunday, $846.00 was collected at the communion rail, and other physical gifts were also donated. All is being forwarded to those in need.

In the coming months we will have opportunities to go and help, others are there now soon the rebuilding will start and the major attention will be on other places like Florida’s Tampa Bay region. But those in the mountains will not be abandoned. God will still be there and his faithful will still be helping out.

Another thank you to the folks who came out this past Saturday. It was a wonderful day of fun for the children and a day of witnessing to the community. Thank you all.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Hurricane Helene Help

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 15:39:30 GMT

Items needed for Western NC

Western North Carolina is devastated after Helene dumped rain and winds. Almost a week later, people were cut off from access to roads and communications. The extent of the damage is yet unknown, but people's lives, homes, businesses, and even roads have been lost. As life returns to normal in Gastonia, those in the mountains wonder if it ever will.

Many efforts are being made to help people in the areas of destruction with their immediate needs, such as food, water, generators, fuel, etc. But we also know that recovery will take years, and some will never recover. Our response has been to help other groups with the response. The Global Methodist Church is still organizing itself and working on disaster response. In North Carolina, our leadership is beginning to develop the plan for help with long-term missions to help our people who are in the lands to the west; these leaders were returning from the Convening Conference in Costa Rica when the storm hit, and so were delayed getting home and getting started on the mission effort. Pray for them.

We will have opportunities to do hands-on work in the coming work, and I would like to do this. For now, we can donate supplies and cash to other efforts. We will be partnering with First Dallas Global Methodist to collect for a truck they are sending next week. There is an image with the needed items, one of which is required: manual can openers. Drop them off at Christ by Sunday, 8/6, and we will get them to Dallas, or if you want, you can drop them at First Dallas directly.

Pray for the people who are affected and let us be the hands and feet of Christ!

Peace,

Pastor Burt

YOU GOTTA TELL SOMEBODY!

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 14:50:16 GMT

Our Part in the Coming Storm

YOU GOTTA TELL SOMEBODY!

A storm is on the way. Helene will be a major hurricane and could come our way this weekend. So, we are preparing. At our home, that means pulling the generator out close to the meter, so we are ready when the power goes down.

At the church, we are preparing for a different type of storm; a Holy Spirit storm. They experienced this at the conference in Costa Rica. The Holy Spirit has been moving in both the Worship services, as evidenced by the delegates’ testimonies all over Facebook. The Holy Spirit has also been moving in committees and the main voting sessions to shape our denomination as lean and designed for growth at the local church level. At the same time, the design is to provide leadership and accountability up and down the ladder from Bishops to clergy to congregations. From watching some of the sessions, I can see that this is accomplished by the work the conference is producing.

Now, it is our turn to prepare for the Holy Spirit to light us on fire. We are doing the right things in worship, fellowship, study, missions, and outreach. Our Fall Fling will bring children to our campus. Can we get them to return? We are visiting homes in our area. Can we get new people to show up? We have picked up two families in the past months. This is good. If we could get five young families, it would be like a dam bursting with the growth going viral, that’s what I know.

So, how do we prepare? We get ready internally, and we are doing that work. We invite people to come. We are doing that in our visitation and Fall Fling, but the most effective way is for YOU to INVITE PERSONALLY a family or person you know to come to church with you. Be excited about what God is doing in your life and in the church, and TELL SOMEBODY.

If you do that the dam will burst and God will multiply us and use us for His Glory.

Peace,

Burt

GMC General Conference Livestream

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:34:56 GMT

Livestream available on YouTube

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Thoughts About Recovery

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 13:31:46 GMT

Pastor Burt gives some updates related to his surgery

This morning, as I head into surgery. I am not concerned about the actual surgery; I anticipate good outcomes. I have God, your prayers, and a great surgeon. It’s the recovery I am worried about. I will have, at first, no real use of my left hand and limited use for months. I will not have full strength for six, according to the surgeon. Over the last several weeks, I have done more physical labor, and it has made me feel better mentally and physically. I have been in a rush to get as much done as possible. To finish those last projects before, I must take an extended break on the physical side. But there are still several projects that I wish I had gotten. Some I will have to trust others to do, and more will have to wait for my recovery.

Our services will not be online for several weeks until I can get a new soundboard and some help installing it. I appreciate each of you and what you have done for the church; many of you give of yourselves, and I am grateful.

I also trust that by midweek next week, after a few days of convalescing, I will be able to return to work at the church and all the non-physical parts of our joint ministry. I also trust that God will strengthen me and us for these things.

I am greatly looking forward to Matt Fitschen's sermon this Sunday. He is a wonderful man of God and the Youth Pastor at First in Dallas, one of our sister GMC churches.

I’ll be praying for you, pray for me.

Peace,

Burt

The Body of Christ Church

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:16:33 GMT

Pastor Burt contemplates his thumb

As I approach my hand surgery, I find myself preparing for the several weeks that I will not be able to use my left thumb and the months that I will have less than full strength in it. I give thought to the things that thumbs do. While the surgery is necessary and still minor, it still causes concern about things that I will need to do during this time.

These thoughts also remind me of 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 where Paul talks about the body and the diversity of the human body and the body of Christ. Paraphrasing Paul, a hand is not the head, an eye is not a nose, and a thumb is not any other finger.

It has made me think of our church and the invaluable work you are doing, each one according to the gifts God has given you. Some are for missions, some for worship, some for teaching, some for administration (finance, trustees/property/staff parish/care of staff), some for evangelism, some for the care of members, others with various gifts, big and small, ALL NECESSARY FOR THE BODY TO FUNCTION WELL.

This morning, as I write and think about these things, I give thanks for how the Body of Christ Church functions well. I also give thanks that I get to play a role in this body of the church. I get to share the word with you and be the coach for each area, as well as the utility infielder doing a bit of it all from time to time as needed.

I am also thankful for those who will pick up the slack for me and be my left thumb. This may not sound like much, but without the left thumb, the whole body does not function as well as it is designed to.

So thank you to all of you who play your role in our congregation and make the whole of the church function. Your unity and support are what make us a beacon for Christ in our world.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

The Process of Christian Perfection

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:01:47 GMT

September Sermon Series

Some of you know that I own three robots in the parsonage, and no, one is not momma. We have a roomba vacuum named Sam, and two yard mowing robots called nameless drones. They have no freedom; I tell them when to work and define where they can go and when. They are robotic slaves. The only time they get any attention is when they cause a problem. And they save me countless hours a week.

You and I, however, are free agents. God granted us freedom of choice and thought. We can be as independent as we want. This got us into trouble in the Garden of Eden and everywhere else we have gone since. Not because God gave us such gifts but that we abused them.

God gave His Son to live, die, and be resurrected so that we could be forgiven of these sins and all others when we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior. That is Justification or Justifying Grace.

Our new sermon series is on the next step, which we refer to as Christian Perfection. You can see Christian Perfection as a process and state of being. As a process, it is God, through the Holy Spirit, perfecting us, or what we sometimes call Sanctification (the process of becoming a Saint). As a state of being, Christian Perfection is having Christ's Love completely overwhelm us so that we love as He loved. When we can see others as Christ sees them and love and treat them as Christ does, we have reached “Christian Perfection.” We believe we can achieve this in our lives, but it is elusive and challenging, and we may reach it and then have it slip from us. So, it is always a goal that we may achieve this side of Glory, but when we are finally with Christ, we will be made entirely Perfect for all time. Until then, we work with the Holy Spirit to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:48

Curious to learn more about our new sermon series on Christian Perfection? Join us this Sunday and let's explore this fascinating topic together.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Burt

Catechism Update

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 13:13:36 GMT

Update on Sunday School Catechism Study

Over the last few months, we have been studying the beliefs/theology of the Global Methodist Church using the Catechism. The Catechism contains 77 questions and answers that illustrate our core beliefs as Christians in the first 37 and then the Wesleyan or Global Methodist Distinctive on those beliefs in the last 40. We should start on the 40 Wesleyan distinctives on September 8th. This Sunday will highlight what we believe about baptism. Either is a great place to jump in if you have not been a part of the class yet. We start at 9:20 on Sunday mornings.

See you there!

Also, We had a great launch of our Bless Every Home, Evangelism outreach, this past Thursday and witnessed the first fruits of that effort Sunday. Come and Join Thursday nights if it’s not raining for our canvas of our neighbors.

Blessings,

Pastor Burt

Reaching Out Begins 8/15

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 13:52:07 GMT

Thursdays @ 6:30 PM

NEW STARTING DATE for Outreach

Starting Thursday August 15th at 6:30 we begin the work of reengaging with the community around the church with a door hanger campaign. On the next several Thursday evenings we will be gathering at the church and then going out in teams to put door hangers on our neighbors’ houses to remind them of our presence and of God’s love for them. Some will be home and we will engage in conversation, others will see the door hanger and know that we have been there and are here for them. The important thing is that we reach out and remind the community that Christ and Christ Church are here and are here for them.

I have engaged in this work many times before and have to remind myself that God calls us to the fields to sow and that he brings the harvest. So, I invite you to join me on August 8th and the following Thursdays as we make a start in our community to lift up Jesus Christ and invite others into His Church. If you can not be here this week, plan to join us on the 15th.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Reaching Out

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 17:58:38 GMT

Weekly Door Hangers to Neighbors

2024-08-07

Burt’s Blog

Well after a week and a half of vacation I spent another week in bed after picking up covid at the end of our time away.

Starting tomorrow Thursday August 8th at 6:30 we begin the work of reengaging with the community around the church with a door hanger campaign. On the next several Thursday evenings we will be gathering at the church and then going out in teams to put door hangers on our neighbors’ houses to remind them of our presence and of God’s love for them. Some will be home and we will engage in conversation, others will see the door hanger and know that we have been there and are here for them. The important thing is that we reach out and remind the community that Christ and Christ Church are here and are here for them.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Preparing for Prayer

office@christchurchgastonia.org (Office Office) — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 14:21:00 GMT

Letter from Convening General Conference Prayer Committee

Here's an excerpt from the 40 Day of Prayer Guide. Download your guide before August 7 with the included link .

Dear Global Methodists, John Wesley often said that “God does nothing except in response to believing prayer.” If God is to accomplish his purposes through us, Wesley was convinced that prayer was not an option for us, but a necessity.

Watchman Nee, the great Chinese Christian leader (1903-1972), explained it like this: Prayer is like laying tracks for a train. You can have a powerful locomotive—and surely, God is all powerful. The cars of the train can be loaded with wonderful gifts—and surely, God desires to abundantly give us good gifts.

But a train can only go as far as the tracks that are laid for it. And it is through persistent, believing prayer that the tracks are laid so that the train carrying those gifts can arrive.

For months now, we have been looking forward with great anticipation to our historic Convening General Conference, set for September 20-26 in San José, Costa Rica. The theme of the Conference is “So the World Will Know.” Delegates from provisional annual conferences from all over the world will be coming together to worship, pray, fellowship, deliberate and legislate. Many significant decisions will be made that will profoundly shape the future of our church.

How crucial it is then for us to be “laying the tracks for the train” through persistent, believing prayer. For surely, above all else, we need the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to show up in our midst during the Convening General Conference to guide, direct and lead us forward!

That’s why we have designated August 7 through September 15 as 40 Days of Prayer for the Convening General Conference. During this 40-Day timeframe, we want to encourage all sorts of prayer--individual, corporate, and even concerts of prayer in your regions or local churches, both in person and electronically.

To assist you, we have prepared the enclosed 40-Day Prayer Guide, with a specific prayer focus for each day leading up to the Convening General Conference.

We also want to encourage you to add fasting to your prayers since that was a regular practice of early Methodists. As John Wesley emphasized, “When you seek God with fasting added to prayer, you cannot seek His face in vain.” We hope, then, that many will commit to fasting for one meal on a given day each week, or for a given day (from morning till evening) each week throughout the 40 days. Some may also be led to go on an extended fast. Of course, regardless of how you might choose to fast, please do not jeopardize your physical health.

Jesus instructed us to ask, seek, and knock (Luke 11:9). We believe that if we will do that, what Jesus promised will come true (Luke 11:13): Your Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13). And when the Spirit comes, we will experience the glory of God in our midst.

Yours in Christ,

Steve Seamands on behalf of the Convening General Conference Prayer Committee

Click here for the prayer guide.

40 Days of Prayer

office@christchurchgastonia.org (Office Office) — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 13:30:02 GMT

Prayer Guide for General Conference

Pastor Burt sent the following information about the upcoming General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20-26. It’s an invitation to join in prayer for 40 days beginning August 7. I thought you might want to access the prayer guide in advance. Pastor Burt will share more as the time nears.

Roger Mathis, office admin

The Prayer Committee of the Transitional Commission on Convening General Conference (TCCGC) is excited to invite you to participate in a special season of prayer and fasting in preparation for our upcoming historic Convening General Conference. This intentional period of dedicated prayer and fasting is designed to empower the Lord’s work through the Global Methodist Church, as we unite around the theme of the Convening General Conference: “So The World Will Know.” This initiative offers an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate our collective dependence on the Lord’s empowerment to fuel our movement.

Access the 40-Day Prayer Guide !

August 7 to September 15, 2024

Spread the Word

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 13:04:38 GMT

Starting August 8th

Starting Thursday, August 8th on Thursday Evening @ 6:30, we will have teams going out to the neighborhoods around the church to deliver Doorhangers and magnets with information about the church. Who is on the team? YOU and The Preacher. We want to spread the word that our church is here and that We Love Jesus and Our Neighbors. So, make plans to be a part of the Evangelism effort starting August 8th!!!

That is all. I will see you all on August 4th!

Bon Voyage!

Pastor Burt

Keep Your Cool

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 15:07:02 GMT

Give thanks for air conditioning

This last week, the parsonage was without air conditioning twice. (This is not a complaint). The first time was a breakdown, which the trustees worked quickly to deal with. The second was due to a power outage that some of you may have experienced.

In the first case, the unit suffered a malfunctioning part; after identifying the issue, the technician was able to repair the air conditioner, and the house cooled down and functioned as it was designed to.

In the second instance, the house was separated from the grid or the primary power source. In that case, nothing in the house worked until I connected it to a temporary generator. The house had lights and some systems that functioned, but it did not have air conditioning, hot water, or a stove.

In both cases, everything looked normal outside, but things were heating up inside, including the people. The house was uncomfortable and limping but was not functioning as it should.

This is the same for us individually and as a church.

If we are ill or one of our members is malfunctioning, we do not function as we are designed to and have trouble accomplishing our purpose. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

The same is true for us if we are cut off from the power source for our lives. (John 15:5-11)

That is why the church needs to care for one another so that we are all working together in our area and the church body is healthy. Likewise, we are called to stay connected to Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit, who strengthens and empowers us so that we do not try and rely on our power. If we do, we may look ok for a while, even while we are dying inside.

These are my thoughts as I give thanks for air conditioning (when it works) during this heat wave.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

How Many GMC Churches Are There?

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 13:14:51 GMT

More congregations continue to join

I was asked yesterday at the town hall meeting how many Global Methodist Churches there are; the truth is that we don’t know. God knows, but no one in the GMC likely knows a count for the present moment. That sounds strange or like an administrative failure, but it's not; it’s a movement of the Holy Spirit. The denomination is growing exponentially.

The Global Methodist Church is a little over two years old and mainly comprised of former United Methodists, but not entirely. Applications for individual churches continue to come into Provisional Annual Conferences across the USA, and whole Annual Conferences are joining or forming across the rest of the world. This will continue for four to five years, and then we pray that the growth continues.

While we anticipate the day when we can quantify the number of GMC churches, we also recognize that this will mark a bittersweet milestone. Our hope is to continue planting churches globally, including in the US, for centuries to come or until the return of Christ. As I mentioned yesterday, we are called to be a movement that spreads and grows, transcending physical boundaries and perpetually expanding.

There is a tale about when America’s frontier was being explored by Daniel Boone. Boone says every time I travel through new territory and walk into a new clearing, I wonder at the pristine beauty around me, and as I look around, I inevitably see a Methodist Circuit Rider building an arbor for a church service. Oh, for the zeal and dedication of those in the early days of Methodism.

As we witness the renewed Movement of Methodism in the Global Methodist Church, I pray you share in the excitement and hope for Christ Church's future. We are called to be a part of this movement and to invite people into this new thing that the Holy Spirit is doing among us.

***Here is an update that I saw just after I finished the article above: Please note that it is accurate for July 1st, 2024. I believe that it will be outdated by the end of the week, and I pray that I am right…

Launched on May 1, 2022, the GM Church now has 4,501 local churches in Africa, Europe, the Philippines, and the U.S.

Christ Glorified and People Blessed

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:08:31 GMT

Annual Conference Notes...

As expected, last week's North Carolina Annual Conference meeting was a blessing. We worshiped in song, prayer, and proclamation of the word of God. Chris was glorified, and people were blessed. The conference business was done, including approving the ordination and certifications of pastors for the church, setting the budget for the conference, adjusting the composition of the conference committees, and appointing persons to serve on those committees.

The Conference is in good financial condition. It received a recommendation to adjust the Connectional funding for the conference from 4% of church budget income (not to include missions funding and capital expenditures) to 3% in 2025. The General Church (beyond the Conference to the International body) currently remains at 1%. So, the total reduction is from 5% to 4% for Christ Church. We currently budget $4,200 for the Conference and $1,400 for the Global denomination. Money was also budgeted to fund evangelism training for congregations.

What was incredible to me was the power of alignment: Theological & Spiritual alignment made this conference a joy. Gone were the issues over scripture interpretation that brought friction over gender issues, sexual sin, and missional drift. Replacing them were unity of purpose and missional emphasis. Our purpose of worshiping and Glorifying God that’s rooted in the theological alignment as expressed in our Doctrinal documents highlighted by the Nicene Creed and the Catechism of the Global Methodist Church. Our mission is to save Souls for the Kingdom of God, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and equipping them for Kingdom work.

We are to be engaged in that work. To that end, through a generous donation, we have ordered custom door hangers and magnets to deliver to our neighbors. I will say more about this soon. In the meantime, be in prayer, share the good news of Jesus Christ with someone, and invite them to Christ Church.

Peace,

Burt

Annual Conference Is Here

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 13:36:24 GMT

June 20-22, 2024 Benton Convention Center Winston Salem, NC

The North Carolina Provisional Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church will be held starting on June 20, 2024. I will be in Winston-Salem on the 19th for some leadership meetings. I invite your prayers for the conference and the delegates. Our delegate is Joyce Welch.

We will have business to do, but a large amount of time will be spent in worship and teaching. The conference is not only for business but also is church, particularly for the clergy. It is a time for us to be in worship instead of leading, to hear the words of Jesus Christ through the teachings of others, and to fellowship with our brother and sister clergy. It is a time of gathering, greeting, and eating together. It is nourishment for the soul. Oh and there is some business to be done also. Therefore, pray for the Conference, the Clergy, the Laity, and the Leaders. Pray for revival in the hearts of all who are in attendance so that the kingdom of God may grow, Christ be praised, and the church enlivened.

I will be back Sunday, and we will continue with the Study of the Catechism at 9:20 am, and we will learn from Jesus as we hear the Parable of the Prodigal Son in worship.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Annual Conference

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 13:09:21 GMT

June 20-22, 2024 Benton Convention Center Winston Salem, NC

June 19 ^th through the 22 ^nd will be the meeting of The North Carolina Provisional Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church in Winston-Salem. I am looking forward to my first Annual Conference meeting of our new denomination; it will be the second meeting for regular business of the conference and the last as a Provisional Annual Conference. The Provisional Status of the conference will change at the conclusion of The Convening General Conference of the Global Methodist Church meeting in Costa Rica, September 20-26.

Over the last month, more churches have joined in the U.S., and whole annual conferences in Africa and other parts of the world have left the UMC and joined the GMC. More are to come over the next year or two. Some U.S. UMC Annual Conferences have created pathways for congregations to leave with their property between now and the end of 2024, but neither of the NC UMC annual conferences has allowed congregations to continue to disaffiliate in any way.

As we enter The Annual Conference Season, I invite your prayers for The Global Methodist Church and those who are now beginning to see what The UMC has become and is becoming. Many congregations in The UMC were either unaware of what would happen at their General Conference or living in the hope that it would not affect their congregation. If you know disaffected members of UMC churches who are starting to look for a new congregation, invite them to Christ Church! Let them be if they are content with where their congregation is headed. We do not need to spread discontent among the United Methodists; they are doing that just fine on their own. We need to be in prayer for our denomination and local church as we live into the God-given freedoms, theology, and practice that we have reclaimed in the Global Methodist Church.

To learn more about the theology of the GMC, join us on Sunday in the Combined Sunday School Class, where we will cover questions 4- 10 of the Catechism as the time allows. Sunday School starts at 9:20 and ends at 10:15 am! See you there

Summer Teaching: Catechism & Parables

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 12:46:10 GMT

Catechism Study & Lessons from the Master: Parables of Jesus

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Catechism Study

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 29 May 2024 14:51:09 GMT

Combined Sunday School Catechism Study

Starting June 9 ^th , we will have a combined Sunday School to study the Catechism of The Global Methodist Church. When we finish this study, our Sunday School Classes will revert to their normal format.

The Catechism of the Global Methodist Church is an “educative and regulative formulation of the church’s doctrine. It provides both a faith and learning tool for initiation into the full life of the church and a formal expression of the essential teachings that the church expects its members to understand and believe. Therefore, the learning of the catechism should be viewed, along with baptism and the profession of faith, as a necessary step in approving Christians for membership in the church body.”

“The Goal of the Catechetical Process: The goal of catechesis is to train initiates to understand, recall, profess and enjoy the church’s essential teachings. This includes the essence of the central theological confessions of the Church universal as well as the essential doctrinal commitments of the denomination.” (page one of The Catechism for the Global Methodist Church )

On the 9 ^th , we will examine Parts 2 and 3 of the Catechism and possibly start on Part 4, the actual Catechism itself.

I suggest you download the Catechism Study Guide to a Tablet if you have one or print it if you can. The Study Guide is the GMC Catechism, with all the references provided in full form. Here is the link to the Study Guide . If you print the Study Guide, it is 100 pages. You may prefer to print just the Catechism that has the references without the expanded text. Most of the references are from the Bible, so you can look them up on your own. That is 12 pages and is found HERE .

For this study, we will meet in the Fellowship Hall. I will have slides on the monitors. It will be a discussion format where we look at the 77 statements of the Catechism and the references for each and discuss our understanding of This Statement of Faith. I hope that this will strengthen our faith and help us better articulate what we believe as Christians and as Global Methodists. I do not know how many of the 77 statements we will cover each week; I will prepare for 3 or 4 each Sunday and then cover what time allows, carrying over whatever we do not get to for the next Sunday.

I encourage you to study ahead of time as well, so each week, I will post in the newsletter what we covered the previous week and what I anticipate for the following week.

You may also find the GMC Book of Doctrines and Discipline helpful. It is available on the Global Methodist Church Homepage: http://www.globalmethodist.org .

https://globalmethodist.org/what-we-believe/

https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Catechism-for-the-Global-Methodist-Church.2023052496.pdf

Trinity Sunday

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Thu, 23 May 2024 12:42:14 GMT

New Title

Trinity Sunday!

Trinity Sunday, this Sunday, we will embark on a journey of worship, song, and teaching, delving into the profound mystery of the Trinity. In our theology of the Trinity, we humbly attempt to fathom the unfathomable, the mystery of God, who is Three Persons and yet One God.

While the word Trinity never appears in the Bible, it is a way of explaining God’s nature. We see the work of the Trinity in the Scriptures in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, the Trinity is implied, and in the New Testament, it is apparent, but God in three persons is present in both, as God’s Nature is eternal and unchanging.

The truth of how God is both Three and One is a profound paradox that humbles us. We can believe that God is both Three and One, but we are unable to fully comprehend it, and that is a testament to the vastness of God's being. If we could fully comprehend or understand God and His nature, God would be too small for us. But as it is, God has graciously revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ. Yet, even through that divine encounter, we now understand that God can only be known in part. And because of this, God is not only worthy of our worship and praise, but also our deepest reverence and awe.

On Sunday, we will delve deeper into God’s Trinitarian Nature through the lens of the scriptures and worship and praise Him in Holy Community. I hope to see you then.

Peace.

Pastor Burt

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 15 May 2024 15:00:39 GMT

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Brothers and Sisters,

This week, our hearts are heavy with grief as we mourn the loss of Mark, the son of Dennis and Elizabeth Baker. We share in their sorrow, for through Christ and this congregation, we are bound to them, and we love them. This is what it means to be family; this is what it means to be the body of Christ. We grieve together, carrying each other’s burdens. We do this by sitting with families that have suffered loss, by sharing in Celebrations of Life and embodying the presence of God by being present and providing for their needs.

On Sunday afternoon, we will welcome guests during the Visitation (2 p.m.) and Funeral Services (3 p.m.). We will show hospitality to those who come we don’t know, and we will mourn together with the family our human loss even as we express our resurrection hope that comes from Jesus Christ, who loves Mark and who loves Dennis and Elizabeth and all those who are affected by Mark’s life and Mark’s death. And how we grieve is a testimony of hope to the world around us.

So, I hope to see you twice this Sunday: first, as we Worship God and Celebrate Pentecost, and then as we Worship God and Celebrate Mark Baker's life.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

In the World, but Not of the World

office@christchurchgastonia.org (Office Office) — Thu, 09 May 2024 15:09:28 GMT

In the World, but Not of the World

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Thanks and Welcome

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 01 May 2024 15:22:56 GMT

Thanks and Welcome!

I want to thank the congregation for an amazing day this past Sunday. You were so welcoming of our guests and made them feel welcome. They loved the music from the choir and Forever Changed our band. The meal was wonderful, and they enjoyed it. A special shout out to Daryl Hutchens for driving them to the motor home and taking them shopping after the service. I hope Sunday was just the start of a special relationship between Christ Church, The Global Methodist Church, and the Eurasian Methodist Churches. I will share other opportunities to be in mission with them as they arise.

Welcome to Roger Mathis who is starting this week in the role of our Office Administrator. He is Brandy’s husband and a pastor himself. We thank Roger for stepping into this role and look forward to working with him.

Roger's published hours are Monday & Wednesday from 9:00 am to 12 noon. He will be around at some other times as well but that’s when you can reach him in the office.

If you are excited about your faith in Christ and about Christ's Church, tell someone. Inviting a friend to church is the very best form of evangelism. It works best if you are excited about what Christ is doing in your life and in your church, and I believe we have much to be excited about!

Lots to Do and It Coming Fast!

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:18:36 GMT

The To Do List is Full Up!

The newsletter article will be short this week, and the newsletter itself may be a bit different. Matt Smith was a gift to us, one that had an expiration date. I am grateful for all he did for us in the role of administrative assistant. He expanded the job and updated a lot of our communications channels. We are working on hiring a person to fill the role, but it will take some time. I am publishing the newsletter this week in a short time frame using systems that I am not familiar with. I beg your forgiveness if things are not up to the usual standards.

Easter is fast approaching, and I am working on the special worship services for Holy Week along with everything else; we are working on preparing to have the crawl space at the parsonage encapsulated the week after Easter. We are working on that time frame because the house needs to be vacated due to off-gassing chemical fumes due to the insulation and fungicides needed to treat the area. My family will be visiting out-of-town relatives during that time frame while Sharon’s school is on Spring break. This will take care of moisture issues and mold growth beneath the parsonage and improve the utility consumption and air quality in the house. Thank you all for your generous support of this project.

This also means that in the next two weeks, I will be removing the flooring and subfloor in the dining room, where we have a sagging joist, most likely from rotting wood. This area is very close to the dirt of the crawl space and needs to be open for the encapsulation. So we are adding that to preparations for Easter. This Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16, we will be packing up the contents of the craft room and dining room and starting the demolition of the floor. Then, if time allows, we will start the repair of the joist system in these rooms over the next week. If you want to volunteer to help, you can show up on Friday morning at about 9 am. Work will continue till around 3 pm, the same on Saturday morning. We will figure out next week's schedule after we see how much we get done on Saturday. Gloves are recommended. I should have the other tools needed.

Peace and Thank You!

Pastor Burt

Parting Blessing from Matt Smith

office@christchurchgastonia.org (Office Office) — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 18:23:40 GMT

Brothers and sisters in Christ (at Christ), I cannot begin to tell you how much I feel, see, and hear the love of Jesus Christ in this congregation.

Dearest Friends of Christ Church,

Goodbyes are never easy. Honestly, neither are new beginnings. But there is an excitement about change in general. An uneasiness that only comes through the hope of something new. Organizational psychologist Edgar Schein theorized three steps to change (on the organizational level, but applicable to the personal level as well); disconfirmation, anxiety, and psychological safety.

When you all blessed me by hiring me as your Admin Assistant, I knew and shared that this would likely be a stepping stone to something else. I had no idea what that next step was, and I had no idea how much I would learn and grow through a 10-hour-per-week position. Before coming on board, I was certainly disconfirmed that having so much free time was healthy for me. At the time, I was still recovering from a pandemic-related layoff. Once beginning, there was some anxiety in the form of learning and grounding the full scope of my role here. The legacy left by Nora Jerzak and then Nick Laughridge was a great start. Picking up tasks and responsibilities from both of their roles, I have learned so much more about church operations and digital design and marketing. You all blessed me again by financing several seminars and learning modules that increased those skills. I have felt Schein’s psychological safety in this position for a while. But we might as well call that becoming part of the family because you all have made me feel so welcome and loved.

For a few months, I have felt the tug of disconfirmation again. Disconfirmation (or perhaps reconfirmation from encouraging comments from folks like Marty Hartsell and Martha Williams) that I have the potential for a more expanded role. As much as I love working with Burt and serving this congregation, I must take a leap to that expanded role.

Beginning next Monday March 11, I will be starting as the Communications Coordinator at Avondale Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC. This is a great position to expand my knowledge and practice of digital marketing within a church setting. I will continue my other part-time position at First Presbyterian Gastonia as their Contemporary Worship Leader as well. I will still be around town, so I hope to see you all in the grocery store, in traffic, or perhaps at a South Of Dallas show! OH and my brother and I look forward to providing you with some great tunes at Ladies Night on April 20th! Get your tickets from Larry Joe or another member of Men In Christ!!!

Brothers and sisters in Christ (at Christ), I cannot begin to tell you how much I feel, see, and hear the love of Jesus Christ in this congregation. You worship fervently! You serve your neighbors in many ways! You welcomed this overqualified dude who desperately needed a confidence boost and a couple more bucks in his pocket and I am forever grateful to you. I know you will, but I pray and encourage you to continue doing these things. Worship God alone, love and serve the community, and continue to welcome everyone into the Christ Church family with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength.

My last day is this Wednesday March 6. If you have a few minutes to stop by that morning or early afternoon, I would love to thank you personally for the blessing this congregation has been to me and to my family. If our paths don’t cross before my departure, I wish you peace in life, health, and spirit and may God continue to bless you and His Holy Spirit fill you so that this congregation grows exponentially for His glory!

Grace and peace,

Matt Smith

Accountability to God and Each Other

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:57:30 GMT

What do you want us as Christ's Church to count on and celebrate?

In a recent conversation with some GMC leadership, I asked about year-end reporting. The forms have yet to be generated, which is OK; the denomination is still young. Still, we are Methodist, and we will end up keeping statistics. My point in asking was to say two things: first, let's not go crazy and track everything, but let's talk about tracking the most important things and reporting those things to provide accountability for keeping those things at the forefront.

So, how do we decide what to track? My suggestion is to start with our desired outcomes and what things are easily tracked by a congregation that will indicate that a church and or pastor is doing those things. What is most important? Let me list a few things that I would include, and you can email me your thoughts about what you would include ( pastor@christchurchgastonia.org ). Let me note that I have no way to enact any of this for the Global Methodist Church directly.

1. Professions of Faith – (people who have never joined a church before confessing faith in Jesus Christ and joining the church regardless of whether they have been baptized before their confession or not.)

2. Baptisms

a. Children

b. Adult

3. Accountability Groups (Band meetings): small groups of 3-6 that meet expressly to shepherd one another using Wesley's questions for Bands. I am organizing a Band for the GMC clergy of Gaston County.

a. What known sins have you committed since our last meeting?

b. What temptations have you met with?

c. How were you delivered?

d. What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not?

e. Have you nothing you desire to keep secret?

4. Attendance in Worship

5. Membership totals: people joining, leaving, and deaths.

There are other things to track and celebrate. A good rule is to count what you celebrate and celebrate what you count. What do you want us as Christ's Church to count on and celebrate? Affirm items above and add others such as Outreach/missions events/teams and what else. Be as specific as you can. What of those should the denomination count as well?

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Unchanged With Time

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 15:26:09 GMT

So, in a world that is changing and amid our changing perspective, what is constant?

There are times when life speeds up and other times when it seems to slow to a crawl. However, time is constant; it is only our perception of time that expands or truncates. Our perceptions are influenced by what is happening around us. Years ago, I was in an auto accident and once I realized what was happening, time slowed down as if it was taking place in slow motion. It was as if things started happening fast and then they happened very slowly. Time neither sped up nor slowed down, only my perception of time changed.

Our perception of other things in life is similarly mutable by what is happening around us. Fashion is a great example; how many of you still think the fashions of the 70’s and 80’s are still cool? Or the hairstyles.

A change of perspective is not necessarily bad as our situations change; we may view things, circumstances, and even people differently. How old we are often changes our perspective. So, in a world that is changing and amid our changing perspective, what is constant? What is unshakable, immutable, and everlasting only God … only the love of Jesus Christ, and the forgiveness that He bought us with His death upon the cross.

What is so amazing is that God, who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, is the one through His act of love on the cross who made the most profound change to the course of human history that has ever taken place. Christ’s death and resurrection made room for us to be reconciled with God the Father, and to have eternal life within His presence.

Even the church changes with the times as to the forms of worship, fellowship, and so forth, but not in terms of belief and message. We still affirm the same God who is eternal and unchanging, and we still share the hope He offers in the form of eternal life in Him. I invite you to review the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds which are two of the foundational documents for our faith and the Global Methodist Church. They communicate who God is, who we are, and what we believe.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Please note that where both the creeds reference the catholic church, they do not refer to the Roman Catholic Church, but rather the universal church of all Christian believers of any and all denominations. The definition of catholic is “universal”.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again; He ascended into heaven,

Is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church,

the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

* universal

THE NICENE CREED (A.D. 381)

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.
For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

* universal

40

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 16:24:45 GMT

There is an order to what God does, and He orders the world and our lives and even time.

When Jesus came off the Mount of Transfiguration, He was heading toward Jerusalem and the Cross. How long was the time between the two events? 40 days! There are 40 days between Ash Wednesday and the Resurrection (not including Sundays) and 40 days between the Mount of Transfiguration and the Crucifixion (though it is a little longer as we celebrate them in the church). These two periods of 40 days overlap in our calendar. But, as Ash Wednesday is a practice born out of the Church in Rome, the forty days between the Transfiguration and the Cross are the count of days between these events in Christ's life. That does not make the practice of observing Ash Wednesday bad; it just shifts the significance of the 40 days, as there are forty days from the Mount of Transfiguration to the Cross and 40 days between the Resurrection and the day of Ascension. Forty days in the wilderness for Jesus, 40 years in the wilderness for Israel, 40 days and nights for Noah in the Ark. And now 40 becomes a significant number for the faith. Forty years is also the definition of a generation in the bible.

I am not into numerology, but there is some significance to 40 in the Christian Faith, and I am reflecting on this today for no reason other than writing a missive for this newsletter. So, what does it all mean? There is an order to what God does, and He orders the world and our lives and even time. Often, this order is visible to those who take the time to look for it. Now, we set aside some time for fasting and contemplation, well, 40 days, not including Sundays, between Ash Wednesday and Easter. So, take this season of Lent to slow down and to reflect on the life that God is calling you to as His people, the people of Christ, for He has great plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Brown, Gray, and Black

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 18:22:45 GMT

Ash Wednesday invites us to be marked with signs of our mortality and to acknowledge our fragile and transitory nature. It is a time to pause, to put to words our confession of rebellion against God’s will, and to be penitent before Him. Browns, grays, and black make the color palette for this holiday, and the attire, sackcloth and ashes.

Easter is early this year, March 31st, and so is Ash Wednesday … next week on Valentine’s Day, February 14th! So, are you celebrating with Ashes or Hearts? There are two opportunities at Christ Church on Wednesday the 14th to participate in worship services marking Ash Wednesday, one at noon and one at 6 pm. The Marking with Ashes is a reminder that we are “dust, and to dust we shall return.” It starkly contrasts Valentine's Day, a celebration of romantic love. Ash Wednesday invites us to be marked with signs of our mortality and to acknowledge our fragile and transitory nature. It is a time to pause, to put to words our confession of rebellion against God’s will, and to be penitent before Him. Browns, grays, and black make the color palette for this holiday, and the attire, sackcloth and ashes. So put your red box of chocolates aside until the 15th and join me in the fast of Ash Wednesday as we remember from whence we have come and where we are going, save for the Grace of God.

FYI, that also means that Sunday, February 11th is Transfiguration Sunday! So it’s a one-off sermon (not a series) called “Juxtaposition,” read Luke 9:28-36 in preparation. See https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juxtaposition for a definition of juxtaposition , and think about how this passage is an intersection of things Heavenly and Earthly.

Peace,

Burt

Genuiness

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 18:06:04 GMT

So yes, the church is full of hypocrites, just as Alcoholics Anonymous is full of Alcoholics.

What is genuineness worth?

One of the attributes highly admired by young adults today is authenticity or genuineness. However, the church has difficulty with the perception that it is hypocritical. Indeed, hypocrisy is one of the primary accusations people of the world use to discredit Christianity and the Church.

This begs the question: are people in the church hypocrites? Yes, there are church people who are hypocrites. Hypocrisy is having moral standards or beliefs that you do not conform to; for the Christian, that is close to the definition of sin.

In the Christian Life, sin is defined as the willful transgression of the known law of God. Or my preferred definition to willfully violate the will of God, which would include God’s known law.

So yes, the church is full of hypocrites, just as Alcoholics Anonymous is full of Alcoholics. What I mean is we Christians who attend church are all sinners. We have all fallen short of the glory of God and need forgiveness, which Christ grants to us when we believe in him and confess our sins to Him. (See the YouTube video of last Sunday's service if you missed it. Link = https://www.youtube.com/live/zlkZqgvq1_Y?feature=shared )

The question is, can we admit that? Can we acknowledge that we hold a moral standard that is difficult to meet and that we struggle with? What happens when we admit that the church and the people of the church are imperfect but are striving to be better, striving for perfection of love? We become genuine. It is genuine to say that we are imperfect but serve the perfect one. We are flawed, but we seek to follow in the footsteps of the flawless one. And in serving and following, we are being reformed into His likeness and His image and learning to love the way He loved. And He loved the ones who were imperfect and flawed. He spent time with the people who were known sinners and knew they were sinners, and he accused the religious people who thought of themselves as better than others because they strove to follow the law with rigor, “Hypocrites.”

The difference between Jesus, who was perfect, and the Pharisees, who wanted to appear perfect, was authentic love. Jesus genuinely loved the people who were outside the religious elite: the sinner, the average person, and those who were looked down on because of their flaws. He spent time with them and demonstrated His love for them by how He treated them.

This is the model for evangelism; we need to get to know people outside the religious mainstream who don’t trust Christians. We need to love and spend time with them so they can get to know an authentic Christ follower who is not perfect and knows it. We need to be Christians who acknowledge that we are imperfect but are striving to be more like the perfect one and are learning to love as He loves. Out of those relationships like this, a church can build a reputation for being authentic! A church with a reputation like that can reach people who would never have entered a church before.

So, what is genuineness worth? It's worth The Kingdom!

See you Sunday!

Peace,

Burt

Father Forgive Me

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:37:07 GMT

We need God’s help to change our nature and His mercy and grace to forgive our sins. This requires confession. Confession is a foundational piece of our faith and practice as followers of Christ Jesus.

Throughout my life, I have been asking for forgiveness for one thing or another because I am flawed. As a human being, I am a flawed creature not in my creation but in my spirit or nature. I am helplessly bent toward sin and prone to rebellion and mistake. So, I mess up and am willful, as are we all. Each of us has inherited this tendency toward sin. It was not intended by God our creator but introduced by our first mother and father in their rebellion against God. Ever since we have needed to receive forgiveness for our transgressions, we need to own up to our failures, fallen nature, and inability to change ourselves. We need God’s help to change our nature and His mercy and grace to forgive our sins. This requires confession. Confession is a foundational piece of our faith and practice as followers of Christ Jesus. And we also need to confess to each other when we harm one another intentionally or unintentionally.

This is the subject of the sermon this week on January 28th. The text for Sunday will be Nehemiah 9:1-3 and James 5:16. I invite you to read them in preparation.

Peace,

Burt

The Band Meeting

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 17:44:29 GMT

.....we have dead, broken parts of our lives (sin), especially when we first come to Christ. These dead, broken pieces are in a heap and need to be cleared out.

Last week, we cleaned up some trees near the Family Life Center. A tree fell during a storm, and to make matters worse, it fell on a couple of trees that we had taken down earlier but were planning to clean up the Saturday after. The new fallen tree was large and lay on the old mess's branches. The new limbs had to be removed before we could cut the trunk of the new tree, which was what the chainsaw guys wanted to do because it is more fun and challenging to cut up the big stuff. But practicality and safety dictated that the older dead wood be removed first.

I write this because this is what our lives are like; we have dead, broken parts of our lives (sin), especially when we first come to Christ. These dead, broken pieces are in a heap and need to be cleared out. When we come to Christ our sins are forgiven through justifying grace, but the clearing out must happen to free us for joyful obedience to God. That clearing out and the change that happens in our life is a work of the Holy Spirit in cooperation with us to change us from the hopelessly sinful people that we have been to the obedient disciples who are seeking God’s will (Sanctifying Grace). Not that we are perfect in all action, but that we are becoming perfect in love to the point of being able to love as Christ loves, which is perfection in love or Christian Perfection. Methodists hold that we can reach Perfection in Love in this lifetime and that that pursuit is our mission as Christ's followers. If we are pursuing Christian Perfection or perfect love, then we will be caring for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the imprisoned, and we will be in worship, fellowship, prayer, service, and much more with each other in the body of Christ, the church.

How did early Methodists do this? They organized themselves into Classes and Bands. Small Groups. There is a new resource out from Seedbed that I would recommend to our small groups and Sunday schools called The Band Meeting. It is available in a variety of formats and can be found here: https://my.seedbed.com/product/the-band-meeting/

This guide describes and guides small groups into being disciple-making, sanctification incubators that help Christians and Churches grow in faith and number.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Faith Fundamentals

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 18:50:46 GMT

God has called each of us and has prepared us for His purposes. Some purposes are unique or not shared by all believers, but some are held in common.

This past Sunday was a wonderful experience with Rev. Kari Howard, VP of the NC Provisional Annual Conference of The Global Methodist Church! She preached an awesome sermon entitled “Prepped and Ready” on the crossing of the Israelites over the Jordan River on DRY LAND. This was a great reminder that God has prepared us for this day and wants us to be ready and able to complete His will for us.

God wants us to be able to complete His will for our lives, and God prepares us for just that. I hope that is as comforting, encouraging, and challenging for you as it is for me.

God has called each of us and has prepared us for His purposes. Some purposes are unique or not shared by all believers, but some are held in common. Those common callings are to worship God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; to pray to Him; to read His words recorded in Holy Scripture; to confess our sins; and to offer service to Him. This last one has sub-categories that may be specialized, but each of us has an area where we can serve, and some areas of service may be held in common with all believers, such as acts of kindness, charity, the tithe, and witness to name a few.

Prayer, Scripture, Confession, and Service are the four sermons of the next sermon series called “Back to the Basics.” These are a few of the fundamentals of faith. Fundamentals seems to be a bad word about religion these days, but I am using the word in the sense of the base acts or skills needed for something … Just like baseball fundamentals. In baseball, all players must be able to run, catch, throw, and hit. (I know the Designated Hitter rule was expanded recently, but I don’t like it.)

In the next four Sundays, we will talk about some of the basic practices of our faith and hopefully deepen our commitment to them and confidence in using them for God’s glory.

See you Sunday!

Peace,

Burt

A New Great Awakening

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 17:20:04 GMT

The Global Methodist Church will seek to find a distinct voice in the world of Wesleyan Methodism

Happy New Year!

As we enter 2024, we begin to fully live into a new identity as Christ Church of Gastonia, a Global Methodist Congregation. So, how is being a Global Methodist different from what we were as United Methodists? On the one hand, not much has changed. We have mostly the same constituency and much of the same organizational structure as before, but our tribe has changed. And with our tribe, our identity has changed. With that new identity, we must relearn who we are in this new denomination.

It's like marrying into a new family; you take who you have been, but you create with your new family a new way of living together and a new way of loving each other, loving the world, and, therefore, a new yet similar way of living out the Christian faith.

We are still Methodist, descendants in the faith of John and Charles Wesley, but something has changed. For myself, it feels as if the shackles have come off, and I can live out my Wesleyan faith free from some of the constraints of the political correctness that The UMC imposed. Many of my clergy friends will laugh at that because I was known for rebelling against such restraint and ignoring much of the gender-neutral language that had become part of the denomination anyway.

But The Global Methodist Church will seek to find a distinct voice in the world of Wesleyan Methodism that harkens back to the late 1700s and early 1800s when Methodism was sweeping the continent. At that time Methodism was a movement more than an institution.

So what was different about Methodism at that time that we, as Global Methodists, want to recapture? First is Enthusiasm; Methodists were excited about living and sharing their faith. One of the reasons for their enthusiasm was that Methodists honored and encouraged lay leadership. Methodists spent time in lay-led small groups called classes or bans. They shared their faith in these groups and held each other accountable for reading scripture, turning away from sin and temptation, sharing the faith, loving their family, and being genuinely Christian.

They were focused on personal and social holiness. The Methodist movement sparked another movement in America that moved beyond Methodism called the Great Awakening. That moved masses of people into faith in Jesus Christ and into the Church. There have been three generally agreed-upon Awakenings in the United States and a fourth that is debated. But we wait upon another, and it is more than possible that the shake-up in the Methodist world and the creation of the Global Methodist Church could spur a new Great Awakening that moves across the continent and beyond.

As a local GMC church, we have the opportunity and responsibility to catch that enthusiasm for meeting together, for mutual accountability, for sharing the faith, and for being uncontainable in our love for Christ and His people.

I hope you are excited about Christ Church’s future; I know I am, and I am honored to be a part of it.

Come Sunday to renew your baptismal vows and membership in Christ’s Holy Church, and establish your membership in Christ Church, a Global Methodist Congregation.

See you at 10:30 on Sunday!

Unexpected Blessings

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 17:54:04 GMT

Many missed it [the blessing of Jesus] even though God sent Jesus to all people through God’s chosen people Israel.

God’s mercy is boundless, and His timing is both indestructible and perfect. Over my life, there have been times when I had needs and desires that seemed to go unmet by God for long stretches of time. In high school, I always felt like an outsider. I never really found a place or a group that I felt comfortable with, but when I went to Church Camp my sophomore year, I found my people, and that continued in college. That experience made me tenderhearted to the outsider and influenced me to accept my call to ministry.

Time and again in my personal and professional life, I have walked through valleys where I despaired only to have the right person, the right situation, and the right opportunity appear in God’s perfect timing. It is so easy in those moments of despair to feel as if God has abandoned us to the situation that we are in. Basically, we lose hope! However, I believe God is preparing to bless us with opportunities, relationships, and situations beyond our wildest dreams.

Ephesians 3:20-21 puts it this way: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”.

Now, as we approach Christmas, which is coming quickly, think about the blessing that God provided in Jesus Christ; in Him and Him alone resides all the hope of the ages. Many missed it even though God sent Jesus to all people through God’s chosen people Israel. Not because they weren’t looking, but because they did not expect that God would or could bless them in ways that did not fit their vision of how God should bless them.

You see, the blessings of God come in His time, and in His way, often after a time of difficulty, and though He blesses us deeply, we often miss the blessing because we want God to bless us when and how we desire. This is why God’s own people did not and still do not recognize Jesus for who He was … the savior of the world. I mean, who would expect God to send His son to an unwed mother in a backwater town in a backwater country? And then to allow him to die at the hands of His own people with the help of a foreign empire. And yet this is how God has redeemed all of humankind and given those who believe in Him an abundance of Hope that the world cannot extinguish.

So, if you are walking through the valley of despair, have hope … for God, whose love defines ABUNDANCE is ready to bless you IMMEASURABLY more than you can ask or imagine.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Burt

A Space and a Place for Jesus

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 17:53:47 GMT

Church buildings are not just physical space dedicated to God that remind us of His presence. We must remember that’s not the only real estate He wants. He also wants to live in Heart, Soul, Mind, Family, and Home.

As we continue our Advent series “Make Room” this Sunday, we will explore making room in your home. We will discuss ways to create space and reminders of faith in your home, and I will share some ways we do so in the Williams home. As we talked about making room in our hearts last week (and next week, we will explore making room in our family), physical space is an essential part of both of those; in fact, that’s what church buildings are: physical space dedicated to God that reminds us of His presence. We must remember that’s not the only real estate He wants. He also wants to live in Heart, Soul, Mind, Family, and Home.

The Move On (Disaffiliation Fund is not Fully Funded) and the Deed to our property is in hand. We are officially a Global Methodist Church, and I am excited about the possibilities. On January 7th, Keri Howard, the Vice President Protem of the North Carolina Provisional Annual Conference, will be with us for worship, where we will take our new membership vows as Global Methodists and Members of Christ Church. Keri is a good friend and a great preacher. I hope you will be here.

I thank you all for your great support of the Kingdom of Christ that is expressed here at Christ Church. Matt is creating postcards to invite people to our Christmas Eve Services at 10:30 am and 5:00 pm. I encourage you to share some with neighbors, friends, and family. Christmas is a great time to invite people to church!

See you Sunday!!!

Peace,

Burt

Is There Room In Your Heart?

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 18:00:36 GMT

The reason we celebrate is that we serve a living Lord ...

Advent is upon us! Advent is a word in Latin meaning “Arrival”. Advent in the life of the Church is the season of preparation for the arrival of the Christ Child we celebrate at Christmas. Still, Advent also carries the theme of preparation for the arrival of Christ for the second time or the Second Coming of Christ.

As we prepare our homes for Christmas and gatherings of family and friends, we are also preparing the church building. (Thanks to all who came out Monday to help prepare the sanctuary!) Moreover, we need to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christ's birth and for His return. This may mean taking moments away from the hustle and bustle of the season that is jam-packed with things to do to intentionally read the opening chapters of Matthew and Luke where we find the birth narratives of Jesus. Also, you might want to save this web address at OPEN BIBLE , which has 100 verses about the Second Coming of Christ. Regarding the second coming, pay special attention to Matthew chapter 24 , especially verses 36-41, which tell us that no one knows the day of Christ's return other than the Father, not even the Son, Jesus!

This unknown time is the reason we need to prepare our hearts. We may meet Jesus together at His return or individually upon our death, but we will meet Him and want to be ready when that day comes so that He will embrace us as His own.

One important way to prepare for the celebration of Christ's birth and His return is to be in Worship, now at 10:30 on Sundays!!!! Our Sermon Series through Christmas Eve will be MAKE ROOM! Forever Changed will lead us in the contemporary Christmas song by Casting Crowns by the same name, “Make Room”. You may want to add it to your listening playlist on your phone or other device, it's available on iTunes, Amazon Music, and YouTube!

Casting Crowns - Make Room (Official Music Video) ft. Matt Maher

There are a bevy of Small Group, Sunday School, and family gatherings coming up. In spite of this, remember the meaning of this season is not social, not food, not gift-giving! The reason we celebrate is that we serve a living Lord who was born to us, fully divine and fully human and that He will return at a time of the Father’s choosing! So, “Make Room” for Him among all the other things that you are doing.

Peace,

Burt

Making Room

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:51:32 GMT

We are in a new day, a new time, a new era in the life of Christ Church, and we must be ready … We have to make room.

Wow, what a difference a week makes. God has blessed us. We did indeed receive our deed!! We are now truly the stewards of all Christ has entrusted to us! We will work to make good use of these resources and to welcome all whom he sends us.

A huge thank you to all the volunteers who have been working tirelessly to serve Christ and His church. A special word of thanks to Alex Warren, who climbed the scaffolding and changed the highlights in the Sanctuary, and to Mike Jernigan of Jernigan Tree Experts for using his equipment to place the Cross back on our sign!

In keeping with the upcoming December sermon series (Make Room), we are making room in our lives, hearts, and church for the people God is calling to us. And just like you, if you are receiving company over Thanksgiving, we are preparing our facilities to receive guests and new families. They will be coming over the next six months and beyond. We are in a new day, a new time, a new era in the life of Christ Church, and we must be ready … We have to make room. The Christmas/Advent Season is a time of preparation for making room for the Christ Child and we will do that and we will make room for those coming. It has already started. We had company, old family members whom we had not seen in a while this past Sunday. They are the first fruits of the harvest that God is preparing for His Church for this church .

As part of the preparations, you will note that our worship time is changing to 10:30 am. For many, this will not change your Sunday time frame. It is basically a swap of Sunday School and Worship times; for those who don’t attend Sunday School, this will mean moving your time ahead an hour. We are doing this to be more hospitable to those who will come.

The First Sunday of the New Year, January 7th, will be Charter Member Sunday. More information is to come soon, but this is the Sunday when everyone will join the New Church. Plan to be here, we have a special guest coming to welcome us to the Global Methodist Church to preach on that day and to assist in giving us our membership vows.

I pray you feel the excitement that I am experiencing with our new start, our Reboot … God is ready to do a new thing among us! I feel a weight lifted and God’s blessing and trust you do as well.

Have a GREAT THANKSGIVING, and I’ll see you Sunday!

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Evangelism and Progress

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 19:26:34 GMT

You have the most important job going forward, as a general evangelist.

The Deed is Done! The deeds for the church property and the parsonage will be filled with Gaston County today, according to Patrick, Harper, and Dixon law offices. This is the final step in the process of disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church. There is still a lot of work to be done around the property with new signage and more paperwork to be done, but as of tomorrow, we will be a Global Methodist Congregation.

We will be moving our worship services to 10:30 am on December 3rd, 2023, and will have Sunday School at 9:15 am. The Life and Faith Sunday School class chose 9:15 for a start time, and the Ferree Bible Class chose 9:30. We will publish 9:15 as a general time, and the adult classes will start at their chosen time. As we gain children, we will start Sunday School for them at 9:15 am. I will prepare a few Sunday School lessons for them that are easy to pick up and lead, but we will need a few volunteers to be on call when we have children show up both for Sunday School and for Children’s Church. I’ll also get materials for Children’s Church together. If you are willing to lead, send Matt an email at office@christchurchgastonia.org , and he will get you on the list.

We will need to do a background check on anyone volunteering. We will send you an email from Verified First that will allow you to input all the necessary information, and I will get a report back and then clear you to work with the children. We will schedule a Safe Sanctuary Training and CPR/First Aid class in January for all children’s workers and other staff.

All that being said I hope that you are as excited as I am for the new beginning that God has granted us. You have the most important job going forward, as a general evangelist. More people attend a church for the first time because a friend invited them.

I recently saw this list. I don’t know the source, but it rings true to my experience:

Why Do People Start Attending Church?

A Friend invited them 86%

An organized visit 6%

A Pastor invited them 6%

Advertising 2%

People Bring People!

As you can see you are much more effective in getting people through the door.

So, as we start this new adventure, we invite people to church in December and all year, too, but during the Christmas season, people are more open to visiting church … don’t miss the opportunity!

Peace,

Burt

Official Reboot

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 17:45:05 GMT

Invite all you know into the new day that is dawning.

As you have perhaps seen or heard, Christ Church and 112 additional churches were allowed to exit from the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church by the vote of the Conference on Saturday, 11/04/2023. This is both a time of joy and sadness. We are happy to have completed the process and sad that the fellowship of the United Methodist Church was no longer a place we could dwell.

Now, we look to the future. The future looks different from this side of disaffiliation. Sometime this week or early next week, our new deed will be filed minus the UMC Trust Clause. Then, we will become a Global Methodist Congregation the following day. The paperwork is filed, and the GMC has already approved our membership. We will likely change our Sunday worship service time to 10:30 am on December 3rd. The Executive Team will make that determination at its meeting this Sunday.

As we enter into the holiday season, I hope you will feel the excitement of the new day that is dawning. I pray you will take the opportunity to invite those that you know to come and experience the love and warmth of Christ Church: A Global Methodist Congregation. Invite them to be among the first members to join the new congregation alongside you as we all take membership vows on January 7th, 2024. Invite them to your small group and into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Invite all you know into the new day that is dawning.

This truly is a Reboot, and I invite you to the third in the “Reboot” Series “Reboot Your Faith”. May God make it so for you and me.

Peace,

Burt

Glory To God in All Things

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 17:42:13 GMT

I invite your prayers for all the churches and clergy that are disaffiliating. We also want to include all the churches that will remain United Methodist and the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.

I want to thank each of you for your support during this time of Disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church. You have given of yourself emotionally and financially to move Christ Church in the direction of God’s will which you helped discern. As of today, 10/30/2023, we have on hand $53,761.62, with another $3,250.00 pledged but not in the bank yet. This leaves a balance of $14,041.86 that we need to pay. We have the option to loan this to ourselves with a structured repayment plan and will do so if needed. However, as I said yesterday in worship, I believe God can provide the rest. I don’t know from where or from whom the funds will come, but He is able. In any case, the fact that we are in a position not to have to take a bank loan is a sign of His blessing and a confirmation of your decision.

Thursday Evening, the Clergy and Delegates to the Western North Carolina Annual Conference will hold an online session to talk about disaffiliation prior to the Convening of the Called Annual Conference on Saturday. Voting will be open all day Saturday following the online session. The conference does not plan to announce the official votes until Wednesday to allow some mail-in paper ballots. I do not anticipate any trouble with the conference allowing our disaffiliation. Still, we will email the results (and a link to the full slate of disaffiliating churches that were voted on) to the e-newsletter list and post the results on our webpage as soon as possible after the announcement by the conference.

I invite your prayers for all the churches and clergy that are disaffiliating. We also want to include all the churches that will remain United Methodist and the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Though we have disagreements enough to separate, we pray for God’s glory to be fulfilled in those who stay and those who depart that in all congregations, He might be praised, and that the world may come to know Him.

Peace,

Burt

How What Why?

office@christchurchgastonia.org (Office Office) — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 17:09:26 GMT

There are many things we just have to trust knowing that God’s design and plan for us are perfect in His time, in His way.

Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

There’s a lot I don’t understand. I’m sure that’s a common feeling. If we think about how immense this world is, how many people live on this planet, how the fusing of two tiny cells produces each one of those lives … it’s mind-boggling! A simple Google search showed me that in the year I was born, the world population was 4.07 billion people and in 2021 (the most recent year’s data for this article) it was 7.88 billion. A Wikipedia article approximates that we reached 8 billion on November 15, 2022 (just about a year ago). EIGHT BILLION! So we have doubled the population of the world in a mere forty-### years. Let’s not discuss how many birds and how many bees there are in the world ….

I digress. Such immense numbers as the world human population are just one thing I cannot wrap my mind around. What about the number of songs ever written? What about how God created and set this world into motion? What about the depth of my mother’s love for me and how exponentially more is God’s love for me … for ALL of us?! We can never understand or fully comprehend these things. Only God has the true answer.

This is the mystery of our faith in Him. There are many things we just have to trust knowing that God’s design and plan for us are perfect in His time, in His way.

Why did my friend get cancer at fifty years old? God I trust You.

Why was I not chosen on the project I applied for last month? God I trust You.

How am I so blessed to live where I do, with these people whom I love? God I trust You.

Why are wars still raging in spite of decades and centuries of lessons learned? God I trust You.

Let’s all trust in Him more each day. Don’t stress … God’s got this!

Peace,

Matt

PS -- Pastor Burt is out sick ... please send some extra prayers for him for healing.

Sources:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+3%3A5&version=NIV

https://datacommons.org/place/Earth/?utm_medium=explore&mprop=count&popt=Person&hl=en

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Eight_Billion

Move On and Moving On

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 14:05:32 GMT

Pray for civility and grace to rule....

Yesterday, I received a letter from The Global Methodist Church stating that Christ Church is approved to enter the Global Methodist Church following our disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church. The disaffiliation should be executed in November or December. We will celebrate our new identity in Christ on the First Sunday of the New Year with formal membership in the new Christ Global Methodist Church.

I have invited a special guest to lead us that Sunday and to welcome Christ Church into the Global Methodist Church. I hope you are excited about this new beginning; I know I am.

I ask you to be in prayer for the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church as we approach the November 4th special called Annual Conference to approve 117 churches' exits from United Methodism. Particularly, I have become aware of some people opposing the exits of two churches that have completed the process as we have and are encouraging delegates to vote against these congregations' exits. Pray for civility and grace to rule and that the conference will vote to approve all 117 churches' disaffiliations.

As we enter the new year, I also ask you to consider our service time. We will discuss this at the next town hall. My initial reaction when coming to Christ Church was that 9:30 may not be the best time for encouraging growth in the congregation. Over the last year, I have spoken with some of the visitors that we have had and with potential visitors who have stated that 9:30 is an impediment to their coming. I would like us to consider moving to 10:30 a.m. on Sundays for services, with Sunday School before at 9:30 or 9:15. I believe this will put us in a better time bracket to gain worship attendance in the future. With your support, I would like to make this move on or before the new year.

We are closing in on the funding for our disaffiliation. We will need to take a loan for the remainder of the funds. This will mean that we need even more to support our budget to make the payments; our current plans are for a two-year term to take care of this debt quickly and free up funds for the ministry. If you have not made a donation to the Move on Fund yet or still intend to contribute more to the fund, we encourage you to do so now.

As part of a look at our banking relationship, the fees involved, and the potential loan, the church is moving our accounts to Fidelity Bank with a branch on Union Road. The Leadership Team approved this at their last meeting, and we will switch over the next two months, gradually closing our accounts with PNC in January.

As a part of our new incorporation, we have established the congregation as Christ Church of Gastonia, with a legal operating name of Christ Church. We encourage you to start making checks out to “Christ Church” now. We can deposit them in our current bank account with this name and in our new bank when we transition.

Thank you all for your prayers for Christ Church and our ministries together for the Kingdom!

Peace,

Burt

Many Changes Around.....But God Does Not

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 17:22:17 GMT

...with the decision to join the Global Methodist Church we will begin to live into this reality slowly as the end of the year approaches

Dear Friends,

As you are aware, things at Christ Church are changing. The congregation led by the movement of the Holy Spirit has elected to leave the United Methodist denomination and Sunday, October the 8th…
Christ Church voted to unite with The Global Methodist Church.

The Global Methodist Church was launched on May 1, 2022, and at last report had 3,000 churches and more joining or being planted every day. The GMC was birthed to continue the historic Christian faith handed on to us through the ages.

Christ Church will pay the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church a little more than $70,000 in November to leave the denomination. To date, we have collected $41,369 with another. $7,550 that is pledged. This will leave us with approximately $23,000 left to borrow. With current interest rates nearing 10% for loans, the church will incur an additional $2,500 in interest costs over two years.

I invite you to be in prayer that God will help us reduce the amount we need to borrow before the end of October so that ministry may flourish at Christ Church unencumbered by debt.

In connected news, the signage is in the process of being changed. We are required to remove the Cross and Flame logo and the phrase United Methodist from our campus before November. We have already made the transition on most of our online accounts like the website and social media accounts. You will note a change in our logo as well (see above image). It is already on the south side of our marquee and will soon be on the other as well as our doors.

There are other administrative changes underway and lots of paperwork to do in this transitional period that will continue through the end of December and into January before we are done. We will strive to be transparent in all these changes at the appropriate time.

We have submitted our application to the Global Methodist Church and are awaiting notice of our official payout from the Western North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, which should be approximately $70,000 (see above). The other $2,000 in our pledge campaign is to cover other legal and physical costs like the deed transfer, signage cost, reprinting checks, and so forth.

We are constantly looking for ways to trim costs without sacrificing ministry at the church. Our desire is to be the best stewards of all that God has given us.

Lastly with the decision to join the Global Methodist Church we will begin to live into this reality slowly as the end of the year approaches

Peace,

Burt

SeedBed

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:25:04 GMT

Wake-Up Call!

A new publishing house was created for Methodist Churches in 2012 by Asbury College and Seminary called SeedBed. The idea was that the other publishers for Wesleyan resources had become part of the mushy middle that diluted the distinctions of the Wesleyan Theology and took the scripture less and less seriously. Since that time, they have produced resources for adults, children, and youth that are first-rate and true to scripture and Wesleyan-Armenian theology. I have used various publications from SeedBed since 2014.

You can find resources for Sunday School and small groups at SeedBed.com, and they also publish a daily devotion that is free via email called “Wake-Up Call!” you can go to seedbed.com/wakeupcall to sign up, or you can listen to the devotion on Apple Podcast.

I invite you to check out the Seed Bed’s offerings and to sign up for the Wake-Up Call!

See you Sunday,

Burt

Procrastination and Protection

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 14:57:27 GMT

A denomination can help in the rough places and provide accountability and assistance in the mission of the church to make Disciples and hold the scriptures as our primary guide.

Last week, my cell phone case really started to come apart. I say really because the side had started to come off the back two months ago, and I tried not to order another right away and hoped that it would not get worse, but it did. It got much worse; my phone started to fall out of the case. At this point, the case was as much a problem as not having a case because I depended on it if I dropped the phone. And the phone is the important piece in this combo. The case is there to hold the phone and to protect it with a boundary. When the boundary is damaged, the phone can break when trouble comes.

So, a few days back I started looking for new phone cases and I found one that fit and had good boundaries, good protection, and can hold the phone firmly and comfortably. My new case costs less than my current case did. The funny thing is that it sat in the box for a day because I was procrastinating on the change. It took me 36 hours to put the new case that would protect my phone on the phone. I did not have a case on the phone for a few hours as I took it out and then waited to put the new one on. During that time, I recognized that the phone needed a case because it was both precious and fragile. My anxiety was eased as I slipped the phone into the new case.

Why would I write about my phone case? Well, it's not about the phone case. I could have started with the church is like a person with a cell phone. Apply this to our current situation at Christ Church. In a week and a half, we will decide if the Global Methodist Church (GMC) will be our new home and if it will help to provide boundaries that protect the church and hold her so that outside forces have less of an opportunity to harm her. A denomination can help in the rough places and provide accountability and assistance in the mission of the church to make Disciples and hold the scriptures as our primary guide. Just as you are both support and are supported by your sisters and brothers in faith, a denomination provides partners on the journey of faith for the congregations.

We have had some time to examine the options and to ask questions. After the service on October 8th, we will have an opportunity to decide if the GMC will be our launch partner for a new day in the life of Christ Church. I invite you to be present. If you have questions, let me offer a few of resources.

The Global Methodist Church Website: https://globalmethodist.org

And its facts page in particular: https://globalmethodist.org/faqs/

Its page on Beliefs (this is critical) https://globalmethodist.org/what-we-believe/ this page has subsection one Doctrine and also has all the details on governance.

Also on beliefs and possibly easier to digest is a Catechism for the GMC found at https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Catechism-for-the-Global-Methodist-Church.2023052496.pdf A Catechism contains the beliefs of the church in a Question and Answer format and can be the source of lessons for Sunday School or a small group.

You may also ask questions of me by calling or emailing pastor@christchurchgastonia.org

Peace,

Burt

Surrender

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 17:08:41 GMT

Are you reluctant to share your faith? Your trials? Your shortcomings and how Christ has helped you overcome them?

I have been paying attention to Deion Sanders’ coaching and public statements recently. I started almost six months ago at the close of last year’s football season and have been impressed by what he has accomplished at Colorado State. His mentality as a coach has been interesting, but his public statements about his faith have been even more so. His testimony of his coming to Christ has been the subject of nationally broadcast interviews. It includes a good bit of confession about his personal life as an NFL and MLB star.

I mention it here because it's inspirational and confirms some things I have thought and said in the past. Deion talks about his life at the pinnacle of wealth, popularity, and lifestyle in terms of worldly standards, but as he puts it, there was this “ringing” from God in his head; he had no peace. He knew he was missing something, and he knew what it was and was running away from it, but the ringing continued. He finally “surrendered” to Christ and knew peace and now he is dedicated to Jesus and speaks unashamedly about it.

People who live in large houses, who have lots of money, who have cars and lots of hangers-on, can and often are lost, missing the most essential relationship in their lives, and can only know true peace in the same way as the rest of us by surrendering to Jesus.

This brings on some questions (All these apply to me also.)

Have you surrendered to Jesus?

Is your greatest desire to please Jesus or yourself?

Are you reluctant to share your faith? Your trials? Your shortcomings and how Christ has helped you overcome them?

Have you Truly Surrendered?

These are essential questions for us as individuals and for us as a congregation. I hope you will take some time for self-examination this week.

Peace,

Burt

Are You Ready To Be Stretched?

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:33:47 GMT

Are you willing to adapt your heart and your practice of following Jesus Christ in this new movement to further the kingdom?

Christ Church,

I want to share with you something I recently wrote for the Wesleyan Covenant Association and the Global Methodist Church.

In the past week, I have been reading and conversing with others about the traditions that we, as Methodist Christians who are disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church want to retain, as well as the theology and practices we want to reclaim. One broad category I want to reclaim is the Holiness orientation. This is where early Methodism shone, and from it, Methodism in America grew the most. And while United Methodism still has vestiges of parts of this movement in its DNA, it is a recessive trait today at best.

Holiness refers to the Holiness of Heart and Personal Holiness or piety. In the theology emphasized in this movement, we find our doctrine of Grace and Justification, Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace, and Sanctifying Grace. These describe our understanding of how God calls us, redeems us, and perfects our hearts. In turn, these forms of grace, as they change our orientation from opposing God to following Him, also need to be reflected in how we interact with one another in the church and the world around us.

In reclaiming the Holiness Tradition, we will find that developing personal holiness as a concept and in practice will lead us into conflict with the culture around us. The modern world is no less opposed to the idea of those who hold our relationship with Christ as the first and most important relationship in our lives. This will change how we live; as we align with Jesus, we will live more and more out of alignment with the world. And people will not like this because our beliefs and how we live will cause them to be convicted by their consciences. You don’t have to say anything if you start acting differently, if you stop specific actions and behaviors, if you change the way you speak by cleaning up your language and stop the gossip others will notice and become uncomfortable.

Over a decade ago I was pastoring a church with a group that experienced a significant holy moment, and they began to change. They became more dedicated to following in Jesus’ footsteps and more aware of how, in their personal lives, they were not living for Jesus. As these changes occurred others even in the church became uncomfortable because this renewal in the lives of these friends made them see how they were living in ways that were more reflective of society than of followers of Christ. At first, tremendous social pressure and downright confrontation took place. But when this group of changed people refused to revert to old habits it compelled others to either change, distance themselves from them, or, in some cases, leave the congregation.

It's important to note that profound change does not happen without conflict. Not all conflict is good, but inversely, not all conflict is bad; what is essential is how we manage conflict. In the case of these folks, they stood steadfast in their beliefs and their renewed faith and loved those around them. Loving those around them meant patiently sharing why they had changed and inviting others into this new reality. It meant creating space for others to struggle with their lives with Jesus Christ and allowing them to make decisions to back away, even when it was painful.

As we exit the United Methodist Church, we must name and accept the defining traits of this new thing that God is creating among us, The Global Methodist Church. We have to pull and reestablish the best parts of our theological heritage; we have to look around the Christian landscape to see the best practices of others and adapt them for this new movement of God. And in doing so, we will make many uncomfortable in the church and the world, even among those that align with us in this new denomination.

What are some of the Traditions from Methodism that you want to continue and reclaim?

Are you willing to adapt your heart and your practice of following Jesus Christ in this new movement to further the kingdom? Are you ready to be stretched?

Can you hold fast when those around you feel convicted in their faith and practice and even allow them to walk away from you?

Can you handle the conflict that comes and manage it well, understanding that the real struggle for yourself and them is with Jesus?

Many of you have already answered these questions as you exited the UMC. But this is spiritual warfare, and we have only fought the first battles. I invite you to see that we will soon move from direct conflict to a cold war where we will be tempted to fall back into old habits, not to be the evangelical church that we are called to be, to focus on dogma rather than struggle with personal holiness, to retreat into the silo rather than venture into the world singing praises to the Lord.

Glory to God!

Unseen Miracles

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:19:51 GMT

We do know that God is at work, deserves the credit, and uses people to accomplish the impossible to accomplish miraculous things.

September is a month of Miracles. I say that as several miraculous events have happened in September! Duke beat Clemson in football. That had to be an example of divine intervention. Sharon and I married 30 years ago on 9/25/93, a miracle succeeded by a series of miracles. On a serious note, another big one happened this year: Tamela Smith received a kidney after ten years on the transplant list! Praise God!!!

God is still working; God is still working out the evil of this world for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. We often do not see His work because we do not expect it or look for it. The world has told us that the miraculous is mundane, and the credit for the work of God often goes to doctors, armies, and governments.

When we look at the book of Nehemiah, we see that God works out His plan for rebuilding the wall and, more importantly, rebuilding the people of Judah through Nehemiah's hard work. God prepared Nehemiah by placing Him in the court of the Persian King, giving Him insight, management skills, and the position to successfully ask the King for permission to rebuild the wall and receive the funding to do so. God sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem to begin the work and allows Him to overcome the obstacles and problems that arise. God safeguards the work, even as others plot to destroy the progress and kill the people and Nehemiah. Through it all, Nehemiah continues to pray to God for what is needed and to give credit when help arrives.

Similarly, God sent the doctors and nurses from the transplant team to school to learn and develop medical skills. He gave them mentors so they could practice and hone those skills to help Tamela. He took the tragic loss of life of one dying person and used it to provide organs for Tamela and likely others to restore life and health to the sick and dying. God takes the evil and death of this world and uses it for good.

We could ask why one had to die for others to live. We could ask why God allowed that person to die. We could ask why God did not heal this person instead of those who received their organs. The truth is that we don't know. We do know that God is at work, deserves the credit, and uses people to accomplish the impossible to accomplish miraculous things.

We know that through Jesus Christ's death, God restored us to eternal life. Romans 5:17 tells us: "For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ."

So rejoice with our sister, Tamela, who had received a great blessing, pray for the family of the person who donated organs, give thanks for the medical team who practice the gift of healing, and give praise to the one who works out all the circumstances of life for good.

This month, expect miracles and be on the lookout for the ways God is doing incredible things, many of them hidden among the ordinary acts of life. God is at work!

Peace,

Burt

God Gave us Science

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 16:30:39 GMT

When we speak of God’s truth claims, we are talking about what God says about Himself and the commands He gives his people

As we wrap up the Solutionist Series, we look forward to a new series called “Truth Claims.” In the Scriptures, we see God speaking into the world universal truths of science. They call these laws, such as Newton’s laws of Motion, the First and Second Law of Thermodynamics, etc. These laws then become the foundation for other research.

When we speak of God’s truth claims, we are talking about what God says about Himself and the commands He gives his people; they expose the truth to us. The most critical truth claim in scripture comes from Jesus in John 14:6 when He says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Over the next several weeks, we will explore several truth claims from the biblical text that relate to God’s nature and His relationship with us.

I look forward to sharing each Sunday with you!

Peace,

Pastor Burt

PS: Bonus points to those who can name the TV Series that the titles of the sermons I modeled them after!

Truth Claim Series Titles:

The Isolation Quandary: God never leaves us alone

The Consistency Continuum: God is always the same

The Sufficiency Equation: God’s Grace is sufficient

The Love Correlation: God loves us and calls us to love

The ReCreation Principle: God is making all things New

The Salvation Singularity: God’s Only Path - Jesus

Move On

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 20:04:30 GMT

The Move On Campaign

To rewind the sermon from this past Sunday a bit…

We were in Nehemiah chapter 5, where we find Nehemiah dealing with the oppression of the poor and working-class Jews by the Jewish elite as they sought to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem under his leadership. The people sacrificed their everyday work and income as they worked on the wall. There were not enough hours in the day to do both. They sacrificed much, many taking loans on their homes, lands, and fields to make ends meet as the wealthy foreclosed on their homes and property, and some of their children were being sold as slaves.

In the face of all this, they cry out to Nehemiah for help. Nehemiah, moved by their plight, confronts the leaders doing this and makes them pledge to stop and return the lands taken from their fellow Israelites. Nehemiah moves from his anger to action quickly.

We who have been moved by the way the United Methodist Church is ignoring its own rules and embracing a progressive theology have voted to disaffiliate from the Mother Church and seek a path in line with the 2,000-plus years of orthodox Christian theology and practice. We are embracing a return to early Christian and Methodist doctrine and practice. And standing firm on the definition of Christian Marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman. A definition that the United Methodist Church is in the process of abandoning first in practice and soon most likely in policy.

Just as Nehemiah “ Moved On What He Was Moved By! ” We are called to “Move On What We Are Moved By! ” We have till mid to late October to fund the disaffiliation we endorsed in our vote on August 13th. That’s only two months. We need $72,000 by October 22nd. That’s a big goal! But with God’s help, we will meet it. A loan is possible, but I am praying that we don’t need it. And it’s a short timeframe to get one.

To that end, we are starting a Campaign to raise funds for the “Move On” disaffiliation fund, which you can give to and pledge to. These funds are to be sent to the church between now and October 22nd to cover the cost of disaffiliation. We ask you to commit to what you will give before October 22nd by August 31st so that we can, if needed, finance the remaining need. This is a critical step, and it will need to be empowered by God through our faithfulness.

To ensure that the funds are used only for disaffiliation, the money will be placed into a restricted account, and the Leadership Team has passed a motion that if the church is unable to complete the disaffiliation for any reason, the funds will either be returned to the donor, or redirected at the donor's request. The policy will be part of this newsletter this week.

How can you pledge? You can follow this link to the “ Move On Fund, ” it will take you to a form on our Realm platform to fill out or email the amount you intend to give to MoveOn@ChristChurchGastonia.org, and we will record it for you.

We will update you on the Move On campaign in each Newsletter and Each Sunday Morning until we have reached our goal.

With God’s help, we can meet this goal and Move On!

Peace,

Pastor Burt

New Beginnings for Christ Church Gastonia

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 16:29:57 GMT

... grow the Kingdom for Jesus Christ!

This past Sunday, August 13th the congregation voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church by an 81% vote: 30 for disaffiliation, 7 against, and 1 abstention. Tuesday evening, the Leadership Team met and discussed the next steps in disaffiliation. We will be setting up a new corporation for the congregation which is a necessary step to create a new legal entity for the church separate from the UMC.

The big hurdle is raising $72,000.00 to pay the Expenses of Disaffiliation. We will have to pay the conference $69,949.00. That number breaks down to $52,000 in unfunded pension liability and $17,949 for the 2024 apportionment. These are the requirements in the Book of Discipline for churches to exit. The rest of the $72,000 is money for reincorporation, legal and title fees for the transfer of the property to the new church corporation, and other expected expenses.

There is a pledge campaign in our Realm software. You can click HERE https://onrealm.org/ChristChurchGastonia/AddPledge/disaffiliationfund to make a pledge or if you wish make an online gift to the campaign. We will publish the progress weekly. We already have $3,500.00 in pledges recorded.

The leadership team also discussed joining a new denomination. We discussed several times and the consensus was that The Global Methodist Church would be the best fit. This new denomination is made up of churches that are going through what we are and have a common history and common doctrine. The decision will be for the congregation to make. We are also going to make inquiries to another denomination about compatibility, but the consensus was that any denomination that uses a trust clause to hold our property is a non-starter. The Global Methodist Church does not have a trust clause.

We also recognize that there are questions about the Global Methodist Church that members have so we invite you to inform yourselves. Here are links to the websites for:

The Global Methodist Church – https://globalmethodist.org/
The GMC Frequently Asked Questions page – https://globalmethodist.org/faqs/
The North Carolina Provisional Conference of the GMC – https://gmcncpac.org/
The Book of Doctrines and Disciplines of the GMC – https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Transitional-Discipline.20230403.pdf

If you have questions about the GMC, we will be starting our own FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions page to answer those. Please email your questions to: NewBeginnings@ChristChurchGastonia.org

I am praying that the Disaffiliation from the UMC and a New Beginning will help Christ Church step out in faith once again to grow the Kingdom for Jesus Christ!

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Filling in Holes

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 15:54:03 GMT

There is this hole in our lives that we try and fill with things and behaviors.....

We started Solutionist this past Sunday. We’ve been having audio difficulty with our streaming, so we missed getting the stream recorded for the first sermon “Problemist”.

So here is a brief recap. In Nehemiah 1:1-11. We find Nehemiah lamenting over and praying for Jerusalem. His prayer leads us to ask why God would allow His people to be scattered across Persia, mostly in modern-day Iran. The answer takes us all the way back to the foot of Mount Sinai where while Moses was up on the mountain the people convinced his brother Aaron to make a Golden Calf Idol! The people of Israel did not feel the presence of God so they came up with an “IDOL” solution for their problem. And in so doing they became their own “Solutionist”. But Nehemiah realized that the people of Israel continued to repeat the same problems and ultimately, they were not Solutionist but “Problemist”.

We also create our own solutions for our lack of seeing and feeling the presence of God. There is this hole in our lives that we try and fill with things and behaviors like; drugs, pornography, shopping, alcoholism, extreme hobbies, food, and other things that get between us and God. We build idols out of possessions and people to replace the relationship that we need with God. And in creating these “Solutions” we become “Problemist”.

Here is the bottom line. When we admit that our Solution is the Problem; God surrounds us with God’s promises!

You might just give God the opportunity to solve your problems. After all, where have your solutions gotten you?

See you Sunday for “Let’s Do This” Nehemiah 2:1-20

Peace, Burt

That We May Know Him

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 16:10:09 GMT

Our faith comes as a gift from God and is reckoned to us as righteousness

As we look forward to a new sermon series: "Solutionist!" We have just wrapped up the previous Series: "Faith Reckoning". Let's take a moment to rewind … Faith Reckoning had its base in Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." We live in a world where we see things all around us, the physical world, but we are also aware that there are many more things yet unseen in the spiritual world. And the only way to see into the spiritual world is through the lens of faith.

There are several choices of the lens through which to look in the spiritual world, but for Christians that lens must be Faith in Jesus Christ. Just as if you were looking through the lens of a microscope you need some sort of guide to help you know what you are seeing. For that God gives us the scripture. So, our lens is Jesus and our guide is the Bible ; and in the scriptures, we find the history of God's interaction with his people, the wisdom of others who have journeyed with God, the prophecy of what is to come, and the glory of God that is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.

Our faith comes as a gift from God and is reckoned to us as righteousness (Romans 4:9) despite our depraved natures. Our faith in Jesus Christ who for us is unseen grants us a reprieve from our sin and unrighteousness before God. In so believing we trade the uncertain nature of the world for Spiritual certainty in the promises of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

So in faith we turn to Christ Jesus that we may know Him and through Him might have eternal life.

“The only SIN Jesus ever had was ours. And the only RIGHTEOUSNESS we can ever have is His.” –A.W. Tozer

Peace,

Burt

What is a “Solutionist”?

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 16:05:18 GMT

Come along on a five-week journey through the book of Nehemiah to find out starting on August 6th!

The Problem: Abraham's people were scattered. In 1&2 Kings we see how God's people had fallen into idolatry and worshiped God among or alongside other gods, instead of worshiping God alone. Jerusalem was destroyed in the defeat of Judah (587 B.C.) The temple of Solomon was torn down, and the people were taken into captivity in Babylon. Persia defeats the Babylonian empire. In 539 B.C., about 50 years after the Babylonian exile, King Cyrus allowed the people of Judah to return, and some do. The people return but it takes them until 516 B.C. to finally rebuild the Temple. But the city is still in desolation and its people are demoralized. In 445 B.C. things were largely the same and the people in Jerusalem are harassed by others in the lands and the city and walls are still in ruins. But this is when Nehemiah gets a report on what is happening in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah leads more of the Hebrew people out of Persia and back to Jerusalem, to rebuild the city walls, the city, and most importantly to build the people into a congregation of those who worship God. The problem is now the “Solutionist” among them. What is a “Solutionist”? Come along on a five-week journey through the book of Nehemiah to find out starting on August 6th! See you in the Sanctuary!!!

Peace,

Burt

What Counts?

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 15:50:56 GMT

Jesus is the recompense of our sin, meaning He paid the price for our sin when He took them with Him to the cross.

What counts? I have been dieting after receiving some concerning A1c numbers and the talk of the “D” word. I went on a diet and dropped some weight and got the A1c numbers down. Now I am still working on the weight number and on lower blood sugar levels. Those numbers count toward good health.

In our faith life, what counts? Is it also a numbers game? Does God use a set of scales? On one side, He places sins of various weights and frequency and on the other the good deeds and temptations rejected. The balance of which decides our ultimate fate for Heaven or Hell. NO! Though being a good or bad person is the popular answer in society to determine if you wear wings or horns.

What counts with God is instead your belief and trust in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is the recompense of our sin, meaning He paid the price for our sin when He took them with Him to the cross. He did not weigh them or us to see if we were worthy of His sacrifice, rather He took them all and paid for them.

As we have been examining Hebrews 11 during our Faith Reckoning series, we have been exploring how the faith of Abraham and others was counted as righteousness before God, we have reflected on how our own faith unlocks the free gift of Christ’s righteousness for us. It is not our ability to keep the law, but our faith in Jesus that counts. And through our Faith in Jesus, His law gets written upon our hearts so that we have a greater desire to follow Him than to follow the world around us.

So what counts? Jesus counts and can be counted upon.

Peace,

Burt

Try and Risk

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 17:33:20 GMT

Willing to fail to find what works

Some organizations abhor change, this happens when there are long periods of stability and people become comfortable. At these times change means disruption and feelings of discomfort or “dis-ease”. But these long periods of comfort and stability can also make an organization unable to pivot to changing circumstances in the world around it. Organizations need a defined mission, but the ability to change course to adjust to changes.

I have been watching Elon Musk’s companies: Tesla and SpaceX. Now Elon is a controversial figure, but I want to examine his philosophy about innovation, not him as a person. They have post become successful but are never satisfied with where they are in terms of innovation. Let’s start with Tesla, a company that is focused on a defined mission. “To accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.” So, what has that meant to Tesla’s innovation? First, they started as a car company, but have expanded into solar roofs, battery backup for homes, and now the power grid to make solar a 24-hour source of energy. As a car manufacturer, they first made cars in the traditional manner except that they were battery-powered. But they are changing the process of building cars by casting the cars’ chassis producing one large part instead of building that part from hundreds of smaller parts. Now other car companies are attempting to do the same. So, they are innovating their products and disrupting the larger car industry and how it builds cars and how it powers their cars.

Similarly, SpaceX is innovating the rocket and space launch industry by making rockets reusable via the Falcon 9 which reuses the booster. Now with the not-yet-perfected Starship, they are seeking to make the entire rocket reusable. But their process is to fly rockets they know will have issues even while they are building other versions of that rocket with upgrades to explore the points of failure and to innovate faster than their competitors who take a slower process of trying to build a perfect rocket that will achieve all goals the first time it flies.

In short Musk’s companies build what they can, accepting risk to improve on what they have built by testing and potential failure. They are willing to fail to find what works. But they always stay true to the mission of a given company or enterprise.

I once read about a minister who was retiring after 20 years at one church. A member came to his office to comment on how everything they tried since he had been there had worked all the programs and ministries. The pastor took out a list of all the innovations they had tried every ministry and program that they had birthed during his tenure over two-thirds had lines through them. He pointed to those crossed out and said these are the ones that failed, you are only remembering the ones that worked.

The church has a defined mission see Matthew 28:18-20 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The mission of the church has therefore always been to go to places near and far to make disciples. This mission includes the conversion of people to Christianity from among the “none’s” and the others; from those who are atheist or agnostic or who practice other religions. To proselytize or evangelize the lost. This has become unpopular in our modern American context. But also, at issue is how we effectively do this without compromising our core beliefs and adherence to the scriptures.

If we are to be successful in the mission Christ gave us, we will have to try to advance His Kingdom in many ways. Some will work (for a time) others will fail. But they must all be true to the mission and grounded in what he taught and in the scriptures.

We must be willing to try and risk failure for the Glory of God if we are to do what God has called us to. And when we fail to get up, dust ourselves off and innovate as we try again.

Peace, Burt

Freedom Comes From Our Sovereign God

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:16:46 GMT

"We believe it is the duty of Christian citizens to give moral strength and purpose to their respective governments through sober, righteous and godly living.” -- Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church

It’s almost Independence Day in the USA! We will have a great celebration of the birth of the Nation and all things patriotic.

The Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church one of two printed in our discipline that came from the churches combined in 1968 to form the United Methodist Church in Article XVI on the Civil Government states: “We believe civil government derives its just powers from the sovereign God. As Christians we recognize the governments under whose protection we reside and believe such governments should be based on, and be responsible for, the recognition of human rights under God. We believe war and bloodshed are contrary to the gospel and spirit of Christ. We believe it is the duty of Christian citizens to give moral strength and purpose to their respective governments through sober, righteous and godly living.”

I remember standing on the side of Highway 51 outside of Henning, TN in 1976 to see replicas of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution in an 18-wheeler that stopped at the rest area. There was also a Freedom Train that toured the USA making stops in Memphis, TN in April 1976 and then in Greensboro, Charlotte, and Raleigh in October. The train itself consisted of 10 display cars, converted from New York Central and Penn Central baggage cars. They carried more than 500 treasures of Americana, including George Washington 's copy of the Constitution, the original Louisiana Purchase , Judy Garland 's dress from The Wizard of Oz , Joe Frazier 's boxing trunks, Martin Luther King Jr. 's pulpit and robes, replicas of Jesse Owens 's four Olympic gold medals from 1936 (one of which was stolen somewhere along the way), a pair of Wilt Chamberlain 's basketball shoes, and a rock from the Moon .

Its tour of all 48 contiguous states lasted from April 1, 1975, until December 31, 1976. More than 7 million Americans visited the train during its tour, while millions more stood trackside to see it go by.

All this is to say that as we celebrate the birth of our nation there is great pride! That pride however needs to be tempered with humility before God. I encourage you to read the Declaration of Independence out loud as a part of your celebrations wherever they are held as well as the preamble to the constitution both of which acknowledge that our freedoms and responsibilities as citizens of this great nation derive from the gracious gifts of God Almighty. While our freedoms were claimed with the blood of our forefathers and insured by the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform over these centuries, for which we are overwhelmingly grateful, we humbly acknowledge that they are given to all mankind by our creator and God.

So, celebrate the freedoms endowed upon us by God, and pray to him a prayer of thanks to those who sacrificed to see that we can express them in our nation! Then offer a prayer for those who are this day oppressed in nations across the globe in lands where freedom has not gained the upper hand or live in nations racked with war as they defend their freedoms and sovereignty.

May God renew His blessings to us and to this great land and may we be worthy of them.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Link to the Declaration of Independence https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

Link to The Preamble to The Constitution and The Constitution https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/

Pruning in Preparation

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:52:35 GMT

He prunes the Church until it is prepared and the season is right for growth.

After preaching about Noah this Sunday, I suddenly feel there might be a need for an ark in Gastonia. But it will surely be dry again before long. You see, God always keeps His promises. We occasionally have times when we wonder about God’s purposes that are unfolding mysteriously around us, particularly when we have difficult moments. We can feel abandoned or dissatisfied with where we are and blame God for it.

Elijah, one of the great prophets of the Old Testament, had these feelings too. Even after doing what God called him to do, he felt burned out and depressed; sometimes, we do too. In these times, God still cares for us and supports us. In 1 Kings 18-19, we see Elijah challenge the prophets of Baal to a “sacrifice-off “ where he called down fire from Heaven which God provided, and then he killed all the prophets of the false God Baal. He won, but Queen Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah, and he ran away in fear. Then he became depressed and wanted to sleep all the time. God sent an angel to care for him and to get him to Mt. Horeb, where he stayed in a rustic Airbnb (cave) while God listened to his complaints about the people of Israel and his feelings of loneliness and rejection. Then God sent a mighty wind. But it was not in the wind. Then God sent an Earthquake, and God was not in the Earthquake. Then God sent fire, but God was not in the fire. Then God came in the form of a still, small voice and spoke words of comfort to him and gave him a new mission to raise up a new King to replace Ahab, the husband of Jezebel. And to train Elisha to take his place. Also, God promised to prune the people of Israel down to those who were faithful to God.

Sometimes God calls us aside to ride the bench for a little while until we are ready to reenter the game. He did it for Elijah, and he did it for the Church. And sometimes, He prunes the Church until it is prepared and the season is right for growth.

If you have felt laid aside for a time, if you think you are being pruned back, God is caring for you and preparing you.

If you see that the church has been pruned back and is in a time of preparation, then God is preparing the church for a new season of growth.

In this way, God kept His promises to Elijah and Israel. God will also keep His promises with us!

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Bless This Home

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 16:03:48 GMT

Evangelism opportunities are everywhere

Monday night, Virgil Welch and I visited 9 homes on the new movers list that we are getting. We are calling this “Bless This Home”. We rang the doorbell and if they were home prayed for the house to be a home for the new family and that God would bless them with safety and peace as they lived there. If they were not home, we prayed anyway and left them a note saying that we had prayed for their home, and for them, you can see the flyer here .

These are part of an evangelism strategy that we need to expand upon; parts of that are passive such as a rehab on our marquee sign in the front of the church. Other parts of an evangelism strategy are active, such as members being invitational. Most people come to churches because they were invited, they stay for many reasons, but they show up mostly because they are invited by someone they know, even if that relationship is casual. Each of us is responsible for evangelism and the church grows by our spreading the word (and the Word) and inviting others to come and see.

Another piece of evangelism today is using social media to spread the good news of what God is doing among us. When the church posts on social media about an event or something that happens at the church, take a second to like and repost or share it on your social media to help others that are your friends know about what’s happening.

If we want to grow the Kingdom of God in this world we all have a part to play, so invite someone to church, share about what God is doing among us, and pray for the unfolding of His grace!

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Matthew 28:19-20. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Faith Counted As righteousness

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 13:49:55 GMT

Christianity is unique in its understanding of God and forgiveness as the means of receiving eternal life.

I spend a lot of time talking about, teaching, and explaining Christian Theology, especially how it is derived from the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. Why? Because everything in church derives from theology, good or bad. Good theology is the basis for healthy churches and communities.

Christianity is unique in its understanding of God and forgiveness as the means of receiving eternal life. We know that Salvation from sin and death comes not from our actions but from our faith in Christ Jesus to have atoned for our sins upon the cross of Calvary. This means that we need not be good enough to come to Christ, but Christ both died for us and calls to us while we are yet in our sin. And like the thief upon the cross next to Jesus (Luke 23:33–43), Jesus claims us and saves us the moment we claim Him.

This begins a process we call sanctification, in which we are remade into those who are free from the bondage of sin and able to resist sin and live in the perfection of love for God and our neighbor. It is to this journey that the Holy Spirit calls us and guides us so that Christ’s righteousness is made manifest in our lives.

Faith being counted as righteousness will be the theme for the Sermon Series starting this Sunday. Dead Faith Reckoning will explore the faith of those mentioned in Hebrews 11. The primary guiding verse is from Romans 4:3. “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

I invite you on this journey with Christ and His church.

Peace,

Burt

Importance of Faith

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 31 May 2023 15:27:03 GMT

The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Summer is here, meaning more vacations and time away from town for some. I want you to enjoy your travel and relax as you have the opportunity, but as you do invite the Holy Spirit to burn within you and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ everywhere you go.

Also, remember Christ Church and please continue your support of your home church as you travel. Stay in touch with the newsletter and through YouTube and Facebook. Our budget remains slightly underfunded so support the church financially as well when you travel, please.

Over the summer we will be looking at Hebrews 11 which recounts the importance of Faith. “1b The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.”

The rest of the chapter will guide us week by week to examine many of the heroes of our faith from the Old Testament from Abel to Abraham to Moses to the Martyrs of the New Testament and the Acts of the Apostles. As we see faith exemplified in these, I pray it will build faith in us as we move through the summer and the scriptures.

See you soon!

Pastor Burt

Come and See (!!!)

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 24 May 2023 16:40:36 GMT

Church Growth Happens Through Authenticity and Excitement

The work of church growth belongs to the church, the whole church. Effective church growth is an invitation to come and see. To come and see what Christ is doing in the community that He raises up, that is, the church. The real purpose of church growth is not to expand the church but to enable others to build a relationship with Christ. If we introduce someone to Christ or deepen their relationship with Christ, the church will grow. In church growth, as in many things in life, the intention is at least as important as the outcome, and intention affects the outcome.

I have seen churches try to do evangelism because of desperation and it rarely works. The motivation needs to be one of faithfulness to Christ and concern for our neighbors. God blesses this evangelism rooted in these motivations: the love of God and the love of neighbor; because it pleases God, and our neighbors recognize our genuine concern for them.

More than ever people want authenticity from churches and clergy. We live in a time where the church has gone through great scandals and people’s trust in the church is low, but true authenticity can overcome people’s preconceptions about the church.

The other element necessary is some excitement about the church, your church, and what God is doing in it. If you are not excited, if you are not enthusiastic how can you expect to encourage others to come and see what Christ is doing? If you want to grow the Kingdom, love your neighbors by loving God. Express to them the excitement you feel for your church. If you are not excited about the church, do something to get excited! Help the church do something that makes you excited because those who are enthusiastic about their relationship with God and with His church can draw others into a relationship with Christ and with the church.

So, invite someone to come and see enthusiastically and they may stay and serve Christ authentically alongside you.

Peace,

Burt

Am I Good Enough to Get Into Heaven?

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 17 May 2023 16:25:15 GMT

Some of us also have doubts about our eternal salvation; most of these are based on the question: “Am I good enough to get into heaven?”

Today I took my old pickup to get it inspected. I was not entirely sure it would pass. The truck is old and has some issues. But as I pulled up the outcome was uncertain.

Some of us also have doubts about our eternal salvation; most of these are based on the question: “Am I good enough to get into heaven?” And I must tell you the answer to that question is no, you are not. But the good news is that your salvation is not dependent on your goodness or good deeds. Instead, my salvation and your salvation depend on the goodness of Christ Jesus and His atoning work on the cross, where He paid the price for our sin. He has made Salvation a gift for all humanity that is freely given. We make it effective by believing in Him and His love for us. We then ask Him to forgive us of our sinfulness and to restore us to a right relationship with His Heavenly Father.

We are told in 1 John 5:13 (ESV): I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. John wanted us to know that our eternal salvation and our eternal destiny does not need to be in doubt. We can know that we are heaven bound. And we can live in that assurance.

The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, wrote about his personal Aldersgate experience: “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

Wesley went on to preach and teach that we can be assured of our salvation. He referenced Romans 8:16: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” And just as salvation is a gift of Jesus Christ, assurance is a gift of the Holy Spirit!

There may be moments in our lives that we doubt, but the gifts of God are not instantly revoked, nor can we hide from God. But in those moments, we must rely on God’s Goodness, Christ’s Mercy, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the care of our brothers and sisters in Christ. The Spirit draws us back from our doubt to restore the Grace of God in us.

So, rest assured, brothers and sisters, you are in God’s own hands.

Peace,

Burt

Relationships

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 10 May 2023 15:07:38 GMT

We can not lead others to a Savior that we do not know...

The church is the gathering of Christ’s Disciples on earth and those that seek to know Him. It is not a place for the perfect; instead, it is a place for sinners who are in search of forgiveness and striving for perfection in love. It is only in Christ that we find forgiveness for our sin and be strengthened for perfection for He alone among humanity did live a sinless life. So as the church, we embrace brokenness and together strive to become whole again in Jesus Christ. Together the people of the church constitute the body of Christ at work in the world today. This implies that we have a mission that we have been given to accomplish by Christ who is the head of the Church. Indeed, we have such a mission which is found in Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

To carry out this mission requires that we be in a relationship with Christ, His people the Church, and with those outside the church. We can not lead others to a Savior that we do not know and so we must first know Christ so we can introduce others to Him. This requires that we spend time in prayer, that we read the scriptures, and that we worship Him as Lord and Savior with others that know Him.

We also must Go beyond the bounds of the church to build relationships with others to lead them to Christ. So, at work, at the YMCA, at the cloth shop, or wherever you go, get to know others who are interested in the things you are interested in and build a relationship with them so that you can introduce them to Christ. The mission of the church is relational and so we cannot be isolated and be faithful to the mission of making Disciples.

Peace,

Burt

Hope and Thanks

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 03 May 2023 13:38:43 GMT

Hope arrives in little things....

Hey Church,

No great theological insights here today, just simple observations after a period of stress. If you were unaware, my wife, Sharon, had a cervical spine fusion this week. I had been in denial leading up to it that I was stressed out about it. I now know I was after not sleeping much for the two days before and then sleeping for about 12 hours afterward. Stress and worry sometimes come for us in ways that are difficult to elude. But at the same time, hope shows up.

Hope shows up in the form of text, prayers, food, and offers of help that are genuine and heartfelt. Hope arrives in little things that remind you that people care about you. When these little things come from church people it reminds us that God cares about us too!!!

So, thank you to all who have been praying and continue to. Thanks to those who have sent texts or comments to social media posts. Thank you to those who have brought a meal or will be. Thank you for being a supportive and caring church.

Sorry, this week, that’s all I got on this Tuesday night: Hope in Christ, Hope in His Church, and a Thankful heart.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Gusts and Whispers

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 15:15:51 GMT

“Come and See then Go and Tell!”

We have been centered on the need for Christians to be those who “Come and See then Go and Tell!” This is the call for each of us to Come and See Jesus and to Go and Tell others about Him. We heard this on Easter Morning from the women who came to Jesus’ tomb, in particular Mary Magdalene. That theme continues as we witness Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances as described by John.

The mandate of coming to see is an invitation not only to witness the biblical accounts of the resurrected Jesus but to share in the experience of our encounters with the Holy Spirit as we worship together and witness to one another. To be sure, the biblical accounts are primary, but the movement of the Holy Spirit within our lives gives us a personal experience with God. These experiences will always be in harmony with the witness of the scripture and always point to Christ; if they don’t, then they are suspect.

Encounters with the Holy Spirit are often in the “still soft voice” that follows the big events.

1 Kings 19:11–13 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind, and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire a still small voice.

So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Testimonies about extreme life change as people come to Christ often impress, and too often those who have lived tamer lives and come to Christ feel their stories are inferior or not worth celebration. Yet each of us has a story of the difference that Christ has made in our lives.

Your story may be similar to mine.

I grew up in a family on my mother’s side that were faithful church-going disciples of Jesus. My father had grown up in church, but until I was in my mid-twenties did not come to church with us and was a little hostile towards the church but not overly so. My experience was one where I was not too rebellious. I didn’t do drugs nor was I promiscuous sexually. I came to believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at an early age and have tried to walk faithfully since with varying degrees of success and failure. Yet from the beginning, I was convinced that I needed forgiveness for my sin, and I needed a conversion of my nature. As I grew in faith I realized that my sins were just as wicked as other sins. Sin does not separate us from God by degrees, but completely. The idea that some sins are more acceptable than others is in our view of them, not God’s.

But all sinfulness on our part first requires recognition and remorse then forgiveness. Forgiveness comes from our laying our sin before Christ and sanctification comes from our willingness to allow Christ to reform us so that we do not continually fall to the same sin again and again.

As we experience Christ’s forgiveness and His reformation in our lives these become the basis for our witness to others. Our testimony is that Christ can forgive the sin of anyone because we are convinced that He has forgiven our own. We can offer the comfort that Christ has come to save us and not to condemn us (John 3:16 and surrounding). We stand as sentinels pointing the way to the one who forgives and as witnesses that His mercy is boundless.

While you walk through the wildness of the world filled with threatening sounds, know that God speaks in the silence of a whisper inviting us to come out of hiding and walk in the security of His love.

Peace,

Burt

The Tapestry of Eternity

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 15:27:57 GMT

Romans 15:15-18 -- "Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—"

This week my oldest son turned 27, Joshua is now older than I was at his birth. It is both a moment of reflection upon his life and my own. He has accomplished a lot academically to this point, just as I had, but now he is applying his knowledge to his vocation, just as I did. We are in different fields, my training and vocation in the relationship between humanity and the divine and his in the scientific. Half of my working vocational life lies behind me and Joshua’s entire vocational life is in front of him.

As I look back over the course of the last 26 years what have I accomplished? I have pastored God’s people in Jesus Christ in several congregations. I have preached the Word of God as contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. I have helped people join those churches and about a fourth of those professed their faith in Christ publicly for the first time. I have comforted many sick people. I have held the hands of many as they breathed their last breath in this world. Then I celebrated their lives as their families mourned their loss. I have held the children as I baptized them into the family of Christ the Church. I have also had the privilege of baptizing adults who have come to the church later in life. I have ordered the life of the church (local) through administration, and I have also built facilities and remodeled others for the work of the church. I have helped start a Hispanic church and a community food pantry and I helped grow a major homeless mission and worship service. In my personal life, I have helped to parent two fine men and have been a fairish husband.

While this is not a complete summary it hits the highlights.

Yet all this is nothing compared to what Jesus has done for me. None of these counts for anything when I will stand before Him, and He judges my life. My victories and my failures are nothing to Him for His victories are greater than all I have accomplished or failed to. The only thing that will count is my faith in Him. The only thing that will save me from damnation is His mercy. Only through His Grace can my transgressions and my sin be covered by His sacrifice. No matter what I have done it is overshadowed by His Cross.

So, is my life meaningless? No, it is meaningful to the Kingdom as Christ as He has made use of me. They are both of great and small use to the Kingdom as He has deemed it and as He has woven my life into the tapestry of eternity. None of what I have done is of credit to me only to Him.

My life is not lived so that I may receive honor but that I may honor Christ and Him alone.

None of this makes sense to the world and it is not supposed to! A life lived for Christ is a counter-cultural statement for the Kingdom of God that those who live enslaved to the ways of the world can not understand. That is our call as Christians not to live unto ourselves, but to live as a witness for Christ, to point to Him when we accomplish something, and to seek forgiveness when we fail. We need to understand that everything is for His use as He is working out all things for the good of those who love Him.

So stand ready for the great things, big and small, that He plans to do through you!

Peace,

Burt

The Sinless Lamb

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 14:41:25 GMT

The Connection Between Isaac and Jesus

This week in Sunday School, the discussion reminded me of the connection between Abraham and Isaac and the Crucifixion of Jesus. As I have thought about it this week, it still intrigues me. So, I have been reading about the connections again and want to share how they are linked.

Let’s begin with Genesis 22, where we are told that God tested Abraham’s faith. In the first 19 verses of this chapter, God directed Abraham to go to the Land of Moriah and sacrifice his son, Isaac, born to Sara, his wife. He did as God instructed; he took Isaac and traveled three days before seeing the place to which God was directing him at “a great distance.” We believe he went to Mt. Moriah. And there, he built the altar and placed the wood. He then tied Isaac up and placed Isaac on the wood. Now Isaac was at least a young man; we know this because he was the one to carry the wood “a great distance.”

As Isaac took the knife in his hand, God spoke to Abraham through an Angel: “But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

God then provides the Ram, who is caught in the thicket, which becomes the sacrifice offered to God on Mount Moriah.

Later, God ordered Moses to order the sacrifice of Lambs and the use of their blood (essence) to cause the Angel of Death to pass them by (see Exodus 12). The sacrifice of the Ram as a substitute for Isaac prefigures the sacrifice of lambs to save the firstborn sons of Abraham and Isaac’s descendants in Egypt, which become the Passover that Jesus and the disciples celebrate the night before His Sacrifice.

2 Chronicles 3:1 says: “Then Solomon began to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father, David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David.” (This was the same threshing floor mentioned in Ruth 3:2-8.) And once the temple is built, it becomes the only place where His people make sacrifices to the God of Abraham. The Temple on Mount Moriah!

Jesus’ crucifixion was on Mount Moriah. Therefore, the spot where God substitutes the ram for Isaac, the ram being a perfect full-grown sheep. God also substitutes, His Son, a full-grown man, Jesus, for you and me.

Why does God do this? Because this is how He can save us. Our first parents sinned against God in the Garden; we have been broken and filled with sin ever since. The penalty for sin is death Romans 6:23. Also read John 3:16-18 where Jesus teaches that God had sent Him so that the world could be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

This is because God cannot pretend that our sin does not exist, for He is just. But He is also merciful and gracious! So He sent His Son to become one of us so that Jesus, as the perfect one who was Human, was also not blemished by sin and, therefore, could take upon Himself all the sins of all of Humanity. He became the sacrifice that paid the debt and suffered the cost of sin so that His blood sacrifice makes those who believe He is Lord and Savior righteous.

This is Substitutionary Atonement theology: Christ substituted Himself for us on the Cross on Mount Moriah, the same mount where God provided a ram to substitute for Isaac. God’s capacity for providing the proper sacrifice is connected by God’s overwhelming mercy and the place He chooses for the sacrifice.

Glory Be to God!

Christ Alone, Cornerstone

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 15:24:11 GMT

‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone..."

This week there is not a passage between last Sunday’s lesson and the coming Sunday so we will jump ahead to a teaching of Christ from his last week in Jerusalem.

Matthew 21:42-46. Verse 42 gives us a powerful analogy of Jesus’ position: “Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

If you did not know, in constructing a building, the corners receive the most stress and weight. So when building with stone the corner block at the base has to be able to bear the weight and stress of the walls that connect to it without breaking or moving. A builder would be careful to select a perfect stone in shape, size, and structure of the block, no cracks and the striations in the best alignment for the corner stone. For without the strong cornerstone, the wall will collapse.

In this short quote from Psalm 118:22-23, Jesus lets the Chief Priest and Pharisees know that he is the strong stone that they have rejected, and he will be the one upon whom the faith stands.

Our friends in the Jewish faith worshiped in the Temple; their faith was centered there as the one true place for sacrificial worship. Without the Temple on the Mount in Jerusalem, their faith continues but the practice of the faith is missing its cornerstone.

In the rest of the passage from Mathew 21, Jesus warns them that the Kingdom of God that had rested on their worship at the temple would be taken and given to others who would produce fruit. The same warning still stands for us. If we do not produce fruit, by living into and inviting others into the kingdom we will lose that which we have and others will take it up. That is to say if any church or denomination ceases to bear fruit it will fail and crumble and the mission it has will be given to others.

This is reminiscent of Luke 19:39-40 “39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ 40 He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’”

We cannot be silent; we must proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah, the Holy One, the Sinless One, our Savior. To do less is to invite the blessing to pass to others.

Peace,

Burt

When The Workday Is Done...

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 15:10:59 GMT

The next section of Matthew between the Sunday Sermons is

Matthew 20:1-19 .

Matthew records many parables between the Mount of Transfiguration and the Crucifixion. This Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard is a tale of God’s abundant mercy and grace. Jesus tells of a landowner who goes and looks for people to work in his vineyard. He finds some early, some mid-morning, some mid-day, and some late afternoon. When the workday is done, he pays them all the same. Those who worked from the early morning were upset that the landowner paid them the same daily wage as those who came late. The landowner points out that being generous with those he wishes is his prerogative.

When reflecting that at the very beginning, Jesus tells us the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner, we see that this is how God is with those of us who come to Him. Some of us come early in life, some in our early adulthood, others later at mid-life, and others later in life. But God, in His Grace and Mercy, treats us all the same, welcomes us all the same, and rewards us all the same. It would be easy for those who came early to say to those who came late that they don’t deserve the same reward or to complain to God about the inequity of His generosity.

But what standing do we have to complain that any of us are welcomed into God’s Heavenly Kingdom? Our salvation is utterly dependent on God’s grace made possible by Christ’s death upon the cross. For all of us have sinned against God, and none of us are worthy of salvation but have earned eternal punishment; but God who is both just and gracious allowed He who never sinned to become sin so that He could substitute Himself for us and bear our punishment. If He chooses to reward us all, those who came early and those who came in late in life, by welcoming us into His eternal presence, it is merely Grace upon Grace!

So let us give thanks to God who is merciful, for He has redeemed us from our sin! He has given us the gift of His Son. So let us live in this life and the life to come for Him!

Peace,

Burt

Difficult Discussions

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:41:47 GMT

The message between the sermons:

The passage between last week’s sermon text and the upcoming sermon ( Flipping the Script Matthew 19:16-30) is Matthew 19:1-12! One of the reasons for using some sort of guide in studying scripture is that it forces us to deal with difficult scriptures that we would rather not have to and would otherwise avoid. So, it is with Matthew 19:1-12

There was a societal debate taking place during Jesus’ day around divorce. The Pharisees were looking to force Jesus to choose a side between the followers of Rabbi Hillel who taught that Deuteronomy 24:10 taught that you could divorce for any reason and those of Rabbi Shammai who held to a stricter reading that you could only divorce for infidelity. What did Jesus say?

4 He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6 NRSV) Jesus goes back to scripture, Gen. 1:27–28; 2:18–25. In essence, he agrees with Rabbi Shammai and undergirds his argument using scripture.

Then the Pharisees ask why Moses would have allowed them to divorce with a certificate of dismissal and Jesus says that it is because they were “hard-hearted”, but in the beginning, it was not so.

Jesus then names adultery as the only acceptable reason for divorce.

Then in verses 11-12, he recommends celibacy in singleness for those who can rather than marriage.

This is a difficult passage for us today in our society, we have a high divorce rate, and we have a high number of couples living together before marriage and this passage makes us uncomfortable. We would rather that Jesus not said any of this. But he did. If we now find ourselves in this position, can we name our sin and accept his forgiveness? Can we move forward with him and strive to move out of sin and to live into his holiness which he gives to us? Each of us has fallen to sin whether this is our sin or not, each of us is called to recognize our sin and confess it to Christ and move with him through the power of the Holy Spirit into his holiness. If we have divorced let us recommit ourselves to celibacy in singleness and fidelity in Christian marriage, if not let us also do likewise.

Note also that when Jesus is asked about marriage and divorce, he describes God’s original intent for marriage “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Matthew 19:5-6 NIV) God’s original plan was that one man would marry one woman and that only death would break this bond.

We live in a broken and sinful world as broken and sinful people. May Jesus, the Son of the Living God, redeem us so that we may accept his invitation to live a new life where we can strive to live for him and where we receive forgiveness when we fail.

Peace,

Burt

The Heart of God

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 16:57:39 GMT

God doesn't follow human logic

I am a Science-Fiction fan, I was raised to be as the genre was coming of age on screen. I watched Star-Trek the original when I was a child and saw all the movies in the theater, along with BattleStar Galactica, Star Wars, Close Encounters, Alien, and many more. I was a fan because Mom was a fan.

As I read the scriptures between the Sermons this week, I am looking at Matthew’s version of The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Matt 18:12-14). It made me remember Mr. Spock’s line near the end of The Wrath of Khan (1982), “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Captain Kirk answers, “Or the one.” It was a great line that as Spock was dying and to save him would endanger everyone else. It also made the audience struggle with this idea of the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few or the one.

Moving to a higher authority, Jesus teaches us in The Parable of the Lost Sheep a different lesson. That God sees the need of the one who is in danger as the priority. “If a certain man has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that wandered away?” (vs 12).

In God’s economy, the one that has wandered away is the priority! Mr. Spock would disagree with that. But thank God, His values are not Spock’s values. We who follow Christ are called to value what God values.

I was recently asked by a fellow pastor to talk about church health and the things that help a church grow, with their congregation. As I was thinking about this the first place to start is that the congregation must value what God values. In this parable, the lost one wanders away from the flock.

13 And if he happens to find it, truly I say to you that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not wander away. 14 In the same way it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

You see God does not want any of those who wander away, to perish. Who are the wanderers? The ones outside the church; they have wandered away from the flock and don’t enjoy the safety of numbers or the shepherd.

One of the ways we value what God values is to be focused on those who are outside. Churches fall into danger when they turn inward. When they close ranks to protect themselves and take care of themselves to the exclusion of caring for the widowed and the orphaned, the least and the lost.

It’s an easy trap. Now, caring for the hurt and the lost does not mean that the church will necessarily grow. It does mean that the church is open to and shares God’s heart, the heart of Christ! And God will prosper those that share his heart and his priorities.

In a few weeks, we will hold an Easter Egg Hunt. It's a mission event; an opportunity to share some love with those outside. We have invited the YMCA, Covenant Community Preschool, and others to come. Some of those who show up may not know Jesus or the story of the empty tomb, but we have the opportunity to love them and to share God’s love with them. And we have the opportunity to help continue to develop in each of us and our congregation the heart of God!

Peace,

Burt

The Right Passage to Walk

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 16:20:35 GMT

Sometimes, our tanks run dry; we get writer’s block, or we wait too long and just hit the wall.

That’s where I am tonight at 11:35 pm. I promised myself I would be in bed by 10:00 pm and that I would be asleep by 10:30, but here I am in the spare bedroom where I have a computer trying to write this article. Why? Because I need to join you all, at least some of you, for breakfast tomorrow morning.

I wrote one tonight, but as I was finishing it, I realized it was for March 22nd, not tomorrow. I planned on writing about the passages I was skipping over in this sermon series as we travel with Jesus from the Mt of Transfiguration to the Gates of Jerusalem. So, I looked at the wrong gap and finished one reflection, and then I realized my mistake; so, I pulled the sermon series plan and saw that this Sunday’s passage directly followed last week’s.

Then, I spent another half hour figuring out what to write about. I thought about the spiritual “Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley.” I went to YouTube and looked for a good baritone voice singing it, but I couldn’t find one. As I listened to several, I realized that even though I love the song, I have a theological issue. The first verse is great: Jesus walked that lonesome valley. He had to walk it by Himself. O’ nobody else could walk it for Him; He had to walk it by Himself. Yes, that is right, He had to walk it by Himself because we could not. The valley could be the temptation of the wilderness that follows His baptism. Each of us would have failed and fallen to temptation. Only the Son of God could walk that valley and emerge victorious over temptation. Or the Valley of Sin, your sin, my sin that he walked as he hung upon the cross because only one without sin could walk it to make atonement for our sin.

But my hang-up comes with the second verse: We must go and walk that lonesome valley. And so forth. No, we cannot walk it; only Jesus can walk it. The song is soulful and beautiful, and I love it, but it’s wrong. Or am I interpreting it wrong? If it’s the latter, I need to be corrected; if it’s the former, I must shake its dust from my feet and leave it behind. Neither is an easy road to walk, but it’s the road before us.

So there. I’ve either written something or nothing, and it’s almost midnight. To sleep, I must go so that “In the Morning When I rise…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rZ8k9m2hwo

Peace,

Burt

Mustard Faith

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 15:51:37 GMT

"Preach faith until you have it. Then you will preach faith because you have it!”

Having somewhat recovered (all except the fatigue) from Covid, I have a renewed appreciation for being sick. As we work our way from the Mount of Transfiguration to the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem for Holy Week, we will encounter Jesus healing several people. The first will not be covered in the sermon series. It is the casting out of a demon from a boy just as Jesus, Peter, James, and John reach the base of the mountain (Matthew 17:14-21). The nine other disciples tried to cast out the demon they had previous experience with doing so (Matthew Chapter 10) but now they were unable to do this. He blamed the inability of the disciples on their being of little faith. The disciples’ faith grew and waned, much like our own faith. Jesus cast out the demon, and the child was freed from bondage and restored to health. Jesus tells them that if their faith is but like a grain of mustard, nothing will be impossible for them.

There is a famous story that the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, tells of in his journals. After returning from a failed missionary foray in the colonies of America, he was despondent at his inabilities there. On the way to the Colonies, he was aboard a ship filled with Moravians. On the way to South Carolina, the ship ran into bad weather and rough seas. Many thought that the ship might go down in the storm. Wesley was on deck to try and fight off seasickness. While on deck, he heard the Moravians singing hymns. When he went below, he was amazed by their faith despite the storm.

When he returned to England, he sought out the Moravians there and Peter Bohler. Wesley confided to Bohler that he was thinking about giving up preaching because he had no faith. Bohler said, “I need faith that will give me three things: peace in the face of death, joy, and victory over sin.” Bohler encouraged Wesley to “preach faith until you have it. Then you will preach faith because you have it!”

Sometimes we lack the power of conviction; in those moments, we must speak with conviction and confidence until we have it. Christ Church is at a critical juncture, we need to grow, but we have been wounded; we know it. But if we want to become a thriving church on the path to leading a community to Christ, we have to speak that into being. We must believe that Christ will make it so, and then we must live into it. Speak only about the good things happening, and share them with each other and with our friends, neighbors, children, and grandchildren. Speak and act on it; then you will speak to it because we have it!

Have just the faith of a mustard seed, and you can do anything.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Repentance

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 17:28:10 GMT

Lent, not lint

Get ready for Lent. No, not laundry lint! Lent! During the season of Lent, the church prepares us for Jesus’ crucifixion. This year we will primarily focus on the gospel accounts of Jesus as he moves from the Mount of Transfiguration to Jerusalem for the Passover that will mark His death. The sermon series will be called “ On the Road to Jerusalem .” We will start this Sunday, a few days before Lent begins with Ash Wednesday next week. We will have two Ash Wednesday services, one at 12 Noon and the other at 6:30 in the evening. The Noon service will allow those who would rather come out before dark to participate. The Noon service also will enable others to see us marked with the ashes of the palm branches from our past Palm Sundays.

When others see the black marks on our foreheads, they will know that we are Christians and follow Jesus. Some who do not know about Ash Wednesday will inquire or warn us that we have something on our forehead, allowing us to witness our faith in Christ. Traditionally, Ash Wednesday is a day of repentance. The altar is draped in sackcloth or burlap, and the ashes remind us of how the ancient people marked their sorrow and repentance before God. There are several references to people wearing sackcloth as they turned from their wickedness back to God. I hope you will come to one of the services on Ash Wednesday. They will be short and focused on repentance and our mortality.

As to the larger series “On the Road to Jerusalem,” Jesus was preparing His disciples for His death and resurrection. From the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus travels a winding road down to Jerusalem. We will travel it with Him and learn even as did the twelve from His teaching and His actions.

Join us on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. as we, too, travel the Road to Jerusalem.

Peace,

Burt

Uncertain Times, Unshakable God

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 15:59:40 GMT

Christian Generosity

To say that we are living in uncertain times is an understatement: from what is happening in our economy to the future of the denomination to the direction that Christ Church will choose is all uncertain at the moment. On first reflection, it is easy to say that this is a horrible time to ask people to estimate what they’re giving to God through Christ Church Gastonia; however, when you remember that we are estimating our giving to God, we must remember that there is nothing more certain than He. Amid the uncertainty, we stand upon the Solid Rock of Salvation. We hold fast to that which is unshakable. We ask you to estimate what you’re giving to God despite the currents and tides of the world because He is worthy, not because the church is worthy. The church is as broken and flawed as the people in it, and we freely admit that we are all sinners. We are sinners seeking forgiveness and redemption but sinners nonetheless.

As you come this week, we will have an estimate of giving card to give to you that looks like the one above, or you can go to our website to print one at home before you come (click the red button on the homepage). The following Sunday, February 19th, there will be a time to present it if you are ready at the close of the service. This represents your intentions to give for the coming year (March 1st, 2023, till February 29th, 2024). This is just an estimate for you to use in your giving in the coming year. It will be registered in our Realm Software as a reminder of your intention. We fully expect that you will adjust your giving if things change for you financially in the year. This is a tool for you to use in your stewardship before God. I hope you will join Sharon and me in estimating our giving and offering it to God on the altar on February 19th.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

PS -- I have been advised by the doctors that I can be out of isolation after five days with a mask from the onset of symptoms (this Friday). I will lead worship Sunday. Still, I will only enter the sanctuary after worship starts and will not greet folks at the close for their safety. Thank you for your prayers of healing.

Budgets and Worship

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 17:40:23 GMT

Week Three of the Pyramid of Christian Generosity

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More about the Pyramid of Christian Generosity

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 18:58:01 GMT

We are climbing, higher and higher (on the Pyramid)!

Church Family,

We are in the midst of a Stewardship Campaign, The Pyramid of Christian Generosity.

I hope you are reading the daily devotionals. You can find them linked on social media daily and on our Bulletins and Newsletters page here https://www.christchurchgastonia.org/bulletins-and-newsletters .

The primary principle to take from this is “We have a greater need to give than God does to receive.” The Sermon from 1/22/2023 was about this if you missed it you can go to the link here to find it at https://youtu.be/TMHOKGTGbzY?t=2648

The sermon starts at 44:08 the link should take you to the correct time.

Over the next three weeks, we will talk about our need to give back to God for the gracious gift of our life and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This Sunday 1/29/2023 we will be looking at Ephesians 1:18 and how we give Occasionally and Intentionally. If you can’t be here in person you can see the service at 9:30 a.m. or later at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4T4R5rEQW8

Most of all don’t let a stewardship campaign intimidate you. We are talking about money, but it's non-threatening, low anxiety, relaxed and spiritual. So I hope to see you on Sunday.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Pyramid of Christian Generosity

pastor@christchurchgastonia.org (Burt Williams) — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 18:46:16 GMT

This week starts the Pyramid of Christian Generosity!

This is our Annual Stewardship Campaign for our General Budget. The budget sets the ministries that we can fund and support from Worship, Adult Ministries, Missions, Apportionments, Children’s Ministries, and Evangelism. Our General Budget is our most important giving area because it enables all other church activities and without it, nothing else would happen. Giving to the General Budget is our first and most important giving opportunity.

In the material for the Pyramid there is a daily devotional. We are posting the daily devotional on social media and we have them posted on our website already here (the complete guide and days 1-8 are up now…more to come) … https://www.christchurchgastonia.org/bulletins-and-newsletters .

The authors, Mark King and Andy Langford, are both pastors in Western NC and Mark is the conference treasurer. Each day they provide insightful and challenging devotionals that ask us to examine our need to give and to give generously, in response to God’s own generosity towards us. Each Sunday we will examine a biblical example of stewardship and how we give.

On a personal note, the Pyramid of Christian Generosity has challenged Sharon and me to remain faithful in our giving through the church and to grow in our giving. Most importantly it has helped us see our giving to the church as an opportunity and not an obligation.

In two weeks, you will receive an Estimate of Giving card, electronically or in print. We will invite you to estimate your giving to God through Christ Church for the 12 months starting 3/1/2023 to 2/29/2024. Note that I did not say a pledge card; we are not asking you to pledge, rather we are asking you to be intentional in your giving and to set a goal and thus to estimate your giving for this period.

Lastly, for now, we want you to focus on your need to give, and not on God’s need to receive. That is, that you and I have a need to reciprocate God’s abundant generosity toward us by giving back through His Church! If we all give in this way, the church will more than meet its financial goals and be able to invest more in mission and ministry each year to the Glory of God.

Also, I want to thank all of you for your generous spirit. I had help with the recent sewer issue at the parsonage, and with the help of Bobby Anderson, David Smith, and Jeff Hutchins we were able to save the church approximately $5,000 for that repair. Also, we have received a gift from the Sonshine group to replace the shower and a toilet at the parsonage, both are very needed and give me another project to work on. Thank you Sonshiners!

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Jesus's Baptism and His Power

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 16:23:00 GMT

The Baptism of Jesus

Sunday’s Sermon is on the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus goes to be baptized by John the Baptist. Next week we will be talking about the ways people give and how they decide what to give.

We will skip over most preachers’ least favored passages to preach, Herod’s killing of the babies in Bethlehem. It is a barbaric act by a mad king trying to hold on to the illusion of power. Herod was already a figurehead. Rome ruled the land. He was tolerated by Rome to keep the people pacified. But his authority had limits and was a shell of King David’s. Which may be what drove Herod over the edge.

When the wise men told Herod that the king of the Jews had been born, he asked where the Messiah was to be born and then ordered the death of all the children of Bethlehem to try to keep his hollow throne.

Control or Power are illusionary; we like to think we have them but, we are only given freedom of will not control of the world around us, no matter what chair we sit in. We need not protect our authority or perceived power for all authority and power have been vested in Jesus Christ.

We are best advised to place our faith in Jesus and to accept his rule over our hearts and lives rather than trying to remove him from our chosen path. Invite him on your journey and let him be your friend and guide.

Peace,

Burt

New Year, New Ideas, Same God!

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 20:29:42 GMT

New Year, New Ideas, Same God!

Thank you!

First, thank you for all the joy you have brought me and others during the Christmas season. You were very generous during the Pastor Appreciation month of October and again with the staff at Christmas from all of us. Thank you!

New Technology
The new website is up and will be fleshed out over the next few weeks. Thanks to Nick Laughridge and Matt Smith for all their work on this. Please also note that the giving portal has changed. We are still working on Realm, but we are ready for you to join in on the fun. Tomorrow we will be sending out Realm invitations. If you don’t get one, we don’t have your correct email address. You can email Matt Smith at office@christchurchgastonia.org to get one next week if you don’t receive your invite this week.

Also, we have upgraded the equipment for streaming our services, and soon Nick will have new software. Please be understanding as we make these shifts, as there will undoubtedly be some hiccups along the way.

Questions about the UMC
Over the past decade and longer, there has been an internal debate about the direction of the United Methodist Church with the tension between our orthodox and liberal constituencies. In 2019, a window opened for churches to disaffiliate from the UMC to join another denomination or become independent. There are theological questions about disaffiliation, along with questions regarding finances, governance, clergy, and more. Several folks will discuss the options, including our District Superintendent, David Christy. Rev. Christy will give us some general information about the process, and he will encourage us to #beumc. David will be with us on January 18th at 7 pm for a presentation and discussion. Other meeting announcements are coming soon.

Christ Church is serving Christ Jesus
Whatever may come, we are here to serve Christ and to worship Him. We do that as we engage those around us. Soon, we will start a new ministry for people moving into the area. More information is coming.

Peace,

Pastor Burt

Realm and Connect App

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 16:52:33 GMT

Realm & Connect App introduction

Realm Church Management System

We are implementing our new church management system, Realm by ACS Solutions. Realm allows us to integrate and manage many kinds of data into one central system such as membership info (phone, address, birthdate, etc), ministry groups, volunteers, outreach and finance. We have integrated most of your data from the previous apps, so recently changed info may not be correct. However, you may update this when you log on to the Connect App. Membership categories and 2022 giving records will be updated during January.

You will receive an email invitation to join the Connect app. Please do not delete the email. Please mark the following address on your safe list so it does not fall to your spam folder. notifications@onrealmmail.org

Intro video

Click here ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg5tK1Atc-g

... to watch a 2-minute introduction to the Connect App

Online giving
Our new online giving site is active now. If you had previously bookmarked the old link, please visit and update your bookmark with this address:
https://onrealm.org/ChristChurchGastonia/Give

This link is active on our new website as well. The giving section of our newsletter will look the same (as displayed below), but the new Realm Giving link has been added.

More info to come!
We will be discussing these updates in church and small groups more in the coming weeks. Realm will be a huge benefit to our ministry by saving time, consolidating information and helping us reach more eyes and ears with the mission of Jesus Christ.
Feel free to email the office with any questions. office@christchurchgastonia.org

Blessings for your day!

christ-church-gastonia

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