holy spirit – First Reflections

Thankfully, saving lives

Kitty Williams, Director of Music Ministries

Excitement – Worry – Anticipation – all these thoughts are going through the minds of those who have planned or are participating in Running 4 Clean Water tomorrow (4917 Duck Creek Drive, Garland, TX US 75043).

This year there have been some obstacles in planning.

But the outcome for the 2022 Running 4 Clean Water 5K is already successful.

Looking back through the years, we have always had setbacks in planning and carrying out the race.

But somehow each year seems to be as successful or better than the last.

I am so thankful for those leaders who persevere through all the meetings, planning, calling and fulfilling every last detail of the race (Willie Kamara, Nancy Sherlin, James Welker, Joey and Cindy Fisher).

I’m thankful for all those generous sponsors who see the vision.

I’m thankful for the City of Garland, which helps with the course.

I’m thankful for the volunteers, runners and walkers who make the 5K happen.

I’m thankful for Seven Hills Global Outreach and Zion Ministries.

I’m thankful for those who continue to pray for the work of our church.

I love to see how the Holy Spirit works despite our humanness!

Lives are being saved.

As a musician, I have lots of projects (musicals, dessert shows, KAMP, choir tours, cantatas, choir projects during COVID) that take a lot of teamwork to fulfill.

Through each endeavor, my faith grows because I give both myself and the project over to God.

So today, here is a prayer for this project – for the Running 4 Clean Water 5K/1 Mile Fun Run.

Loving God, thank you for the opportunity to gather as a community to participate in Running 4 Clean Water.

May our words and actions honor you.

Please give each participant, whether runner or volunteer, strength to finish the task set before them.

May we be kept safe and without injury.

Let this course be a reminder of our faith walk.

“Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”

May this year’s Running 4 Clean Water bring glory to your name as we give ourselves to you.

May those in Sierra Leone be blessed to do your good work through water and the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus name, Amen.

True north

Kitty Williams, Director of Music Ministries

The theme verse for Pure Joy! Youth Choir this year is Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the spirit!

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

There is no law against such things.

This verse is part of a chapter that describes living “by the spirit.”

Those living by the spirit will reflect not only one, but all the fruit of the spirit described in this verse.

“Woah!” one may say. “That’s a lot of work.”

Our focus is not making sure we ‘do’ all the fruit. As Christians, our single focus is following the Holy Spirit.

Basically, our job is to trust in God through Christ by the Holy Spirit. God’s work handles the rest (the fruit in us.)

John 29:28-29 best describes it:

Then they said to him (Jesus), “What must we do to perform the works of God?”

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

One of the songs the youth are learning is called True North, by a worship band from Northern Ireland band called Rend Collective.

Here are the abbreviated lyrics:

Oh, You are my true north
I will follow You into the dark.
I will follow You with all my heart.
I will not let the darkness steal the joy within my soul
I will not let my circumstance become my compass, no
I will not let the fears of life and sorrows of this world
Dictate to me how I should feel
For You are my true north.
I will not let my failures turn into the curse of shame
I will not walk beneath the clouds that taunt me and condemn
For I will stand on solid ground the shadow of Your love
Forgiven, changed, a heart renamed
For You are my true north, everybody sing
Oh, You are my true north.
I will follow You into the dark.
I will follow You with all my heart.

One of the students asked, “What is ‘true north,”

I gave a brief definition. But the question caused me to look it up! (Thank you, Google.)

There is the ‘magnetic’ north and the ‘true’ north. (How scientists figure this out is another discussion.)

This is what I learned:

The magnetic field of the earth changes. Therefore, if you only use a compass, you can be misled and get lost on the way to your destination.
To reach your desired destination, use the compass plus a ‘magnetic declination’ equation for the location (latitude.)

So how does this relate?

Basically, representing the ‘magnetic field’ – our emotions, world attitudes, cultural norms, religious rules and other voices can dictate our action. Following those guidelines, we miss the mark.

However, by seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit, our ‘magnetic declination,’ God’s kingdom can come on earth as it is in heaven.

The decision to follow the Holy Spirit is not a ‘one and done’ thing.

Trusting and believing is daily work, a daily decision.

“I will trust God today.”

The purpose of church community is to support each other in our daily decision of not what to do, but who to follow.

Miracles like Running 4 Clean Water, Good Samaritans of Garland, GLOWS (Garland Overnight Warming Shelter) and the support of knowing that you are loved will emerge.

Individuals and the church will bear fruit!

Playing in the sanctuary

Scot Bontrager, Senior Pastor

When I was a kid I loved to make and fly paper airplanes.

After church my brothers and I would collect used worship bulletins, take them home, and recycle them into our various flying creations.

Sometimes I’d go back to church (First United Methodist, Garden City, Kansas) and sneak into the sanctuary, go up to the balcony, and see how many airplanes I could land on the chancel.

Or better yet, all the way to the high altar at the far back of the chancel.

I knew I had to do it at times when no one else was around, lest I get scolded for playing in the sanctuary.

Imagine my delight when, during Vacation Bible School here at First United Methodist Garland last week, we made paper airplanes in the science room.

My muscle memory took over as I folded a couple of my favorite designs, something I’d not done in over 30 years.

The youth helpers kept saying, “No way!”

My two creations didn’t fly particularly well – certainly not as well as I remembered – but well enough to inspire others to try my designs for themselves.

I didn’t encourage anyone to try letting one sail from the sanctuary balcony, but I wonder if next year we might need to give that a try.

So often when people have an experience of being “born again,” they lose their childlike sense of playfulness.

I think somehow “holy” got confused with “dour.”

The sanctuary is holy space, space set apart for the worship of God.

But it isn’t, and ought not be, dour space.

If setting a paper airplane free awakens us to the presence of the Holy Spirit and gives us joy, then we should take time to refold our bulletins and find a nice place to see how far they will sail.

Worship should frequently fill us with joy, and should always remind us that we are children; we are children who are loved by God.