I remember doing my first pastoral visit to an evening meal  with a family in our community. As food was passed around, I would take what I wanted and sit the bowl down, and sure enough someone would ask me to pass the dish they were looking for.
Like others around that table sharing the meal together, they brought something to the table and so did I. Each of us shared what we had brought.
The table we gather around is actually about more than just food, and drinks. It’s about enjoying the company of those who sit around the table with you.

There are a couple of great lessons I think we can learn from the family table, lessons we can apply to our Bethel family.
Every person at the table brings something of significance to the table.

When we sit at the table its not about agreeing on everything. Sometimes it’s just about sharing what we understand, and understanding what is shared.

The one thing each of us brings to the table, is the love of Jesus, and that experience should be shared with everyone, when we gather together.

What are you sharing at the family table? Each week when we gather at Bethel, we are gathering around the table, and you bring something to that table. That’s what it means to be family.

We have dedicated the last Sunday of each month throughout the summer to have a family tell their story on a Sunday morning. Perhaps you haven’t signed up to tell your story. Would you kindly consider it? You may feel you don’t have much of a story to tell, or perhaps you’re not comfortable in front of people, please don’t worry the experience is set up so you won’t have any surprises. Everyone has a story to tell, and the scripture is clear that we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. You may never have considered how important your testimony is.
I also want to encourage you to consider another way to tell your story, right here in the CONNECTED article that we print each month. Perhaps you would consider sending in a paragraph or two about how God has touched your life or blessed you. We would love to include that in an upcoming edition of the CONNECTED newsletter. You can simply e-mail it to the church or drop in off anytime. Your article should be about 250 words or less.

I want to encourage you throughout the summer months to look for opportunities to share your story with those you have relationship with. You never know how your story can change someone else’s life. I heard it said once, “Every life tells a story”. Don’t be ashamed to share yours!

It’s just a thought.

If you’ve ever been away somewhere for a long time and come home, you will know what its like to have that “Ahh… I’m finally home!” feeling. I really enjoying getting away with Sarah, and it’s always nice to visit somewhere different. We have taken different holidays over the years and visited a number of places, sometimes places that actually aren’t far away at all, just far enough.  But it always feels god to get home.
It was about 5 years ago now we were talking about getting a pet, and a short time later we came home with a little puppy named “Molly”.  That puppy grew into a full sized dog. Who would have guessed that was going to happen? Well the joys of that dog, besides the walks, picking up the left behinds and finding piles of golden retriever fur everywhere, is that we have a great family friend. It didn’t take us long to discover that Molly loved to have us home, and hated to see us leave. When we would leave the house she would sit by the door and wait for our return. Naturally over the years she got used to the idea that if we left, we would soon return. The assurance Molly felt allowed her to live out her day, and do whatever dogs do while everyone is away. When we would return from either a day away at work, or even a vacation over a number of days, the response from Molly was always, and has always, been the same. She would rush from whatever part of the house she was in, and greet us at the door with her tail wagging her whole body.  You don’t think twice about that greeting, until it doesn’t happen.
There is something wonderful about being greeted when you arrive at a place and are made feel welcome. Today, perhaps you were greeted by someone, and made feel welcome somewhere. It’s a reminder to us to also make sure others who come across our path are made feel welcome. Have you welcomed anyone today? I look forward to the day, when I am welcomed home to eternity. I trust you also look forward to that day.

It’s just a thought.

Have you ever been to a great parade, or a processional where lots of other people were gathering to celebrate an event? Perhaps there was limited room to stand and everyone wanted to best view. Lets be honest the only reason people gather at an event like a parade is because there is an expectation of something great to come.  At a Christmas Parade people or children look forward to the arrival of Santa Clause at the end of the Parade, notice they never put him at the front of the Parade, that’s because no kid really cares about the marching band, as much as they do the guy in the red suit at the end.

As we study the Bible, we find that all four gospel writers describe the triumphal entry. John speaks of it briefly in chapter 12, verses 12-19. Matthew give us a more full account in the 21^st chapter. In Mark it is found in chapter 11 and in Luke Chapter 19.  You all know the story, Jesus went to enter Jerusalem for His final visit. On nearing the city, He sent two disciples with instructions to go to a specific place, where they would find a donkey tied with her colt. They were to bring the animal on which no one had yet ridden.

Jesus finds himself on the coats the disciples placed on the coalt for him to sit on. The colt then is lead into the town, and as it is, they lay what we would know as a red carpet for the colt to walk on. The Pharisees didn’t think this was very proper, in fact they thought so little of it, they instructed him to tell them, to stop what they were doing.  Jesus response to those was simple “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40). See the disciples and those who saw him come down the mountain that day into the town, were cheering and celebrating his arrival, and the Pharisees didn’t think this was needed, much less acceptable.

God’s plan for the world is bound up in His promise of a King, a King who can solve the problems of our sick and confused world. This brief recognition two thousand years ago declared that God had kept His promise.  God’s King had come. He would not rule right then, for He had a greater purpose. But His eternal Kingdom has been established.

Have you ever considered how amazing that plan was and is? I think Palm Sunday is a great time to remember the celebration of a great arrival, a coming King, who humbled himself to be what you and I can experience today as Saviour & King!

It’s Just a thought… think about it.

Again, its just a thought

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What’s amazing about the grace and love of God is that even in our short sitednesslong and view that is distorted He can still work His plan in our lives if we will allow Him.