From Behind the Pulpit

We've Moved — Updated

2009-02-01T17:39:00.002-06:00

We've moved! We're now at www.revcollins.com. Someone this morning mentioned to me that they had to update their RSS feed. If you're reading this via an RSS reader you'll want to update to our new feed at http://www.revcollins.com/feed/. If you don't know what an RSS reader is, then you have no reason to worry.

We've Moved!

2009-01-30T14:52:00.001-06:00

We've Moved! We're now at our new home at www.revcollins.com.

2009 Newsletter Available

2009-01-28T19:33:00.000-06:00

The February 2009 edition of The Parish Visitor, the church's newsletter, is available on the downloads page of www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org.

Emergency Assistance Fund

2009-01-28T10:37:00.001-06:00

We collected $868.62 for the Emergency Assistance Fund on Christmas Eve. Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Vision Team Meeting Still On

2009-01-28T09:45:00.002-06:00

Today's Vision Team meeting is still on.

Shut-In List

2009-01-28T09:11:00.000-06:00

We’re trying to compile a comprehensive list of all members of First United Methodist Church who are shut-in. If you know of someone who should be on the list, drop Linda a line at linda@coffeyvillefirstumc.org.

Church Office Open

2009-01-28T06:35:00.001-06:00

School's on for today and the church office will be open (although you might give us a little extra time to get in).

Church Office Still Closed Today

2009-01-27T13:08:00.001-06:00

The church office is still closed today (Tuesday, January 27, 2009) because of snow and ice (mostly the ice).

Fund Balance Report

2009-01-26T16:08:00.001-06:00

We started 2008 with $13,663.49 in the General Operating Fund and ended with $16,876.35. We got there through faithful giving during difficult times. Thanks to you all and may God bless you.

Church Office Closed

2009-01-26T15:29:00.000-06:00

The church office is now closed. I sent Linda home early because of the deteriorating conditions of the roads. Remember, if school is canceled or delayed tomorrow, the church office will be closed or delayed.

You 404’d it. Gnarly, dude. — Update

2009-01-25T20:34:00.001-06:00

Problem solved. A shout out to Rick Beckman, creator of Thesis Openhook.

Sermon Available for Download

2009-01-25T16:01:00.002-06:00

Today's sermon, bulletin, and scripture insert are all available for download on the "Podcasts" page of our website: www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org.

Update: The "Podcasts" page has now been changed to Multi-Media — Podcasts.

Faithful Inclusiveness

2009-01-25T14:32:00.001-06:00

According to an article in Sojourners, Rick Warren's prayer was far broader than I realized. Here's an excerpt from the article by Arthur Waskow:

I was especially moved by his speaking, in English, the Jewish “Sh’ma“ about God’s unity and the Muslim “Bismillah Er Rachman Er Rahim” — “In the name of God who is Compassionate and Merciful.” I doubt that most Christians knew what he was doing in either case, but Jews and Muslims did.

Warren didn't water down his own beliefs, but was aware that others might not share them, an important starting position for sharing one's Christian faith. Waskow continues:

And I respected his going out of his way to affirm that he spoke in Jesus’ name not as if Jesus were the self-evidently, universally accepted God Incarnate, but rather explicitly that Jesus is the aspect of God that Warren himself feels called by.

The full article also discusses the great benediction given by Rev. Lowry and notes that it contained lines from "Lift Every Voice and Sing," something I immediately caught, but many on air commentators apparently did not. As I have indicated in an earlier post, I was enthralled with Lowry's benediction, and though I often disagree with Warren, I was impressed with his thoughtful faithfulness in this case.

The full article is at: http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/2009/01/22/gods-inaugural-spokespersons/.

New Website Up

2009-01-25T03:58:00.001-06:00

Looking at that last post, I realize that it may not be particularly obvious that the new website is up.

You 404’d it. Gnarly, dude.

2009-01-24T04:02:00.003-06:00

Our redesigned website is now up and running. Unfortunately, if you bookmarked or made a favorite out of the old home page you get an error message that reads as follows:

You 404’d it. Gnarly, dude.

Surfin’ ain’t easy, and right now, you’re lost at sea. No worries, though—simply pick an option from the list below, and you’ll be back out riding the waves of the Internet in no time.

* Hit the “back” button on your browser. It’s perfect for situations like this!
* Head on over to the home page.
* Punt.

The wording of this error page doesn't match the rest of the site and I'm trying to change it. In the meantime just click on the "HOME" tab in the top left hand corner and reset your bookmark or favorite.

Update: My first attempt to change the page made it worse and the second made no discernible difference. For the time being, I'm just going to have to content myself that the page goes with our "Surf's Up" 2008 VBS theme.

The End of U.S. Sponsored Torture

2009-01-23T08:49:00.002-06:00

From the New York Times:

One of Mr. Obama’s orders requires the C.I.A. to use only the 19 interrogation methods outlined in the Army Field Manual, ending President Bush’s policy of permitting the agency to use some secret methods that went beyond those allowed for military interrogators.

My Christian conscience feels better already. The whole article is available at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/us/politics/23GITMOCND.html?_r=1&hp.

New Baptismal Font

2009-01-22T08:32:00.002-06:00

The new baptismal font Tracy and Iris Alban made for the sanctuary, photographed in Tracy's workshop. A new pulpit and new altar table are in process.

Sermon Available for Download

2009-01-21T13:50:00.002-06:00

Jenny's sermon from this past Sunday, "Listening to the God Who Knows Us," is available for download on the sermons page of the church website at: http://www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org/Sermons.html.

Guess Who's United Methodist

2009-01-21T07:36:00.002-06:00

From United Methodist News Service:

Two United Methodist veterans of the civil rights movement were invited to share the inaugural platform on Jan. 20 when Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States.

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, 87, gave the benediction after President Obama’s inaugural address. Dorothy Height, 96, was also invited to be among the special guests. Both had worked alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday was celebrated a day earlier.

The full article is here: http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2429867&ct=6637097&tr=y&auid=4425137

United Methodist News Service has video of Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction here: http://media.umcom.org/umns/_2009/20090120_inauguration/rev_lowery_inaguration.asx

Redesigned Website

2009-01-20T20:44:00.002-06:00

We're getting pretty close to bringing the church's redesigned website online. We're not there yet, but you can get a sneak peak at http://blog.coffeyvillefirstumc.org. Let me know what you think.

In the Year that King Uzziah Died

2009-01-20T08:12:00.003-06:00

"In the year that King Uzziah Died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple" (Isaiah 6.1, NRSV). So begins the account of the call of the prophet Isaiah. King Uzziah had been a popular, successful king, and his death provoked anxiety about Judah's (the southern kingdom if Israel) future. So it was probably not a coincidence that it was at this time of anxiety that Isaiah had his vision of the real King of Israel, the Lord of Hosts. Of course, the Lord of Hosts ruled not only Judah but the whole world and that still holds true today. I don't want to pour cold water on inaugural celebrations, but it's important for us, as Christians, to remember that presidents come and go, the Lord, the true king, abides.

*Please note that I was telling my congregations the same thing eight years ago when George W. Bush was inaugurated.

Sermons on CD

2009-01-19T19:47:00.004-06:00

The church purchased a new digital recorder that produces great quality recordings and we're gearing up to produce copies of the sermon on CD (Compact Disc). If you know someone who can't make it to worship but would like still like to hear the sermon please let us know. We're willing and able to provide inexpensive CD players.

Office Closed Tomorrow

2009-01-18T19:30:00.001-06:00

Just a reminder that the church office will be closed tomorrow in honor of Martin Luther King Day.

VeggieTales

2009-01-18T19:26:00.004-06:00

We had 14 kids and numerous parents at this afternoon's VeggieTales Movie Event. That came after having 10 kids in the Children's and Youth Sunday School Classes this morning. I just got home and I originally went over to church at about 7:10 this morning. I'm blessed to have a job I love.

Quote of the Day

2009-01-17T07:31:00.002-06:00

Via Sojourners:

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
—Martin Luther King Jr.

The Ethics of Sweatshops

2009-01-15T08:11:00.003-06:00

My understanding of the ethics of sweatshops just got more complicated.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/opinion/15kristof.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Apportionment Payout

2009-01-14T21:35:00.003-06:00

We've received the year end apportionment data for the forty largest churches in the annual conference. We contributed 100% of our apportionments for a total of $33,144. Ranked by the amount of apportionments paid, Coffeyville First is 27th out of more than 330 churches in the conference (I don't remember the exact number). Well done people.

Exciting Theological Development

2009-01-13T15:57:00.002-06:00

I got the chance to speak with Bishop Jones during a break. He told me that N. T. Wright's concept of "Life after life after death" with paradise as an intermediate stage before the final restoration of the new heaven and new earth matches the understanding of John Wesley found in his Notes on the New Testament.

John and Charles Online

2009-01-13T14:38:00.002-06:00

Jenny and I are at the Kansas Area Seminar on Professional Ministry. We just learned of a great online resource for the works of John and Charles Wesley: www.divinity.duke.edu/wesleyan/texts/index.html.

Taking Risks

2009-01-12T20:50:00.002-06:00

By way of Will Willimon's blog (see the link at right), I found the mission statement of the North Alabama Annual Conference: "Every church challenged and equipped to grow more disciples of Jesus Christ by taking risks and changing lives." That got me thinking, what risks do we at Coffeyville First need to take? Have an answer? Drop me a line at johnandjenny@revcollins.com

No Vision Team Meeting

2009-01-12T20:46:00.000-06:00

The Vision Team meeting for this Wednesday is being postponed because Jenny and I will be in Wichita (see the previous post).

Off to Wichita

2009-01-12T20:45:00.002-06:00

Jenny and I are off to Wichita for the Kansas Area Seminar on Professional Ministry tomorrow. We'll be back Thursday. Jenny's dad will be here to take care of Elizabeth.

An Atheist’s Praise of Evangelism in Africa

2009-01-12T20:43:00.000-06:00

An interesting blog entry by Brian McLaren over at God's Politics.

Three Technological Developments

2009-01-10T08:31:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we made three technological developments that you might be interested in:

Embedded Video: For the Video sermon illustration for this coming Sunday, I've managed to take the movie clip and embed it in the presentation. What this means: playing the movie is as simple as moving through to the next slide and thus the sermon should flow more smoothly.
Website: With help from Tony Wood I've gotten started on rebuilding the church website upon the more expansive, widely used, and free Wordpress platform. The old website will remain in place until we launch the new one.
Recording Sermons: We've wanted to make recordings of the sermon available online and by CD for shut-ins, but the process was very time consuming and the results were of questionable quality. We received a new portable digital recorder (a Tascam DR-1) that in early tests is easily and simply producing very high quality recordings.

UMNS on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

2009-01-09T15:00:00.000-06:00

From UMNS (United Methodist News Service):

UMNS now offers a Twitter feed to keep followers informed with daily headlines and links to its stories online. The feed will also include updates and other pertinent information from the News Service. You can find our feed at: http://twitter.com/UMNS. UMNS also has a Facebook page – go to www.facebook.com and write “UMNS” in the search engine – and you can find UMTV stories on YouTube, Google video, and GodTube.

Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

2009-01-08T20:08:00.001-06:00

Come celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and the continuing of his dream on Saturday, January 17, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Christian Church, 9th and Elm, Coffeyville, KS. Refreshments follow. Celebration sponsored by PINCH.

De-Dowdyfied

2009-01-07T19:34:00.000-06:00

The November/December/January 2008-09 edition Circuit Rider (a magazine for United Methodist clergy) had an article titled "The Art of the Coffee Hour" which included "A Quick Guide to Hosting Coffee Hour." The fourth suggestion was:

Pay attention to the room. Most churches could stand to be de-dowdyfied. Most rooms where we have coffee still look like last year's tag sale or last century's parlor. That doesn't send the right message to newcomers. Make sure the room is clean, comfortable, and easy to move around in.

This is important within the context of welcoming newcomers. What looks homey and familiar to long time members, all to often looks dowdy to a new person. Aside from the curtain on the stage, our room for the coffee hour (fellowship hall) has already been "de-dowdyfied." Throughout the church building as a whole, "de-dowdyfication" is an important project where much has already been accomplished.

Taizé Worship Service Tomorrow

2009-01-06T15:37:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow is the first Wednesday of the month, and thus date of our next Taizé worship service.

The End of Christmas

2009-01-05T18:32:00.001-06:00

Today is the 12th and last day of Christmas. My thanks to USD 445 for giving the kids all twelve days off. (Although I would have added tomorrow, Epiphany).

Return to Regular Posting

2009-01-05T05:55:00.001-06:00

We've been out of town with family, so even though I've been doing a lot of reading, I haven't done much blogging. We're coming home today, so you can expect more regular blogging beginning tomorrow.

The Breadth and Width of Salvation

2009-01-01T20:06:00.007-06:00

I've been reading over this short Christmas—New Years vacation at Hays. One of the books I've been working on is Who Will be Saved? by Will Willimon. He's been making the argument (as I understand it) that God not only desires the salvation of all, but that God will perhaps achieve the salvation of all—"our eternal destiny isn't over until God says it's over, until God gets as much a victory as God wants." (Willimon, 67) I've always struggled with universalism (the proposition that in the end all will be saved), both because I believe that God respects human freedom, including the freedom to say "no" to God's offer of salvation in Jesus Christ, and because the Bible makes so many references to the existence of hell. I once amused a fellow seminarian by bluntly stating that I would like to be a universalist, but that Jesus talks about hell way to often for me to believe that. However, I was really struck by the following from Willimon as a recommended course of action:

To deny universal salvation as implication and possibility, as hope and desire, is to limit and to restrict the power and grace of God. To assert with absolute certainty universal salvation is to restrict the freedom and grace of God. Still, we may, indeed we ought, to hope and pray and to work for what we hope. (Willimon, 66)

I've never believed that everyone will be saved, but I've never doubted that saving all is God's ultimate desire and will, therefore it naturally follows that we should align our hopes with God's will and work for what we hope. As Willimon wrote earlier in the same chapter:

One reason why the church flags in its evangelistic drive is its mediocre soteriology. When God's great 'Yes' degenerates into a constrained 'perhaps,' there is little urgency to tell the world. (Willimon, 60)

As a church and as individuals, we need to regain our sense of urgency.

Update: A clarification, it's not that I don't like the idea universalism, it's that I don't believe in it. I believe that there are people who repeatedly and continually say no to God's will being done in their lives and their selves and that in the end God accepts this no.

Last Minute Hymn Change

2008-12-30T13:58:00.002-06:00

Jenny and I just realized that "Star-Child" may be a new hymn for you and we won't be here Sunday to help you through it. So we're switching it out for "The First Noel." I know that we sang that just last week, but it talks about the magi and on Epiphany our choices are kind of limited.

January Newsletter Available Online

2008-12-29T14:39:00.001-06:00

The January edition of The Parish Visitor is available on the Newsletter page of the church's website.

Newsletter Article

2008-12-29T14:32:00.003-06:00

From the January 2009 edition of The Parish Visitor:

A View From the Pulpit: a New Year Covenant Prayer
Rev. Jennifer Collins

This week marks the beginning of a new calendar year. And if you’re anything like me, it may take you a few weeks to get used to writing 2009 instead of 2008. As with any new thing, it takes time to get used to it. With the new year and the resolutions that often accompany it, we may find ourselves promising to make changes or resolving to do things differently. And more often than not, we tend to make resolutions to take better care of ourselves, whether that is eating better or exercising more or getting rid of some bad habit. A resolution to take better care of ourselves is one way we can be good stewards of God’s good creation.

In the Christian Year, the new year started just over a month ago with the beginning of Advent. The beginning of the Christian Year begins by celebrating the advent, or the coming of Christ as a baby into the world, and looking forward to Christ’s second coming when all things will be put right in the world. During Advent we remembered Mary and Joseph, ordinary people called by God to do extraordinary things. On Christmas Eve we celebrated that the Light has come into the world and the darkness has not overcome it.

In the midst of all of the New Year celebrations, it is fitting that this Sunday Rev. Jack Gregory will be sharing with you what we call, “A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition.” The Covenant Prayer is a prayer we pray to once again commit ourselves to following Christ. It is a prayer that asks God to use us as God’s servants. It is a prayer to affirm our covenant with God. Along with any other resolutions we make this year, may we resolve once again, or perhaps for the first time, to be servants of God. Whether or not you are at worship this Sunday at First UMC, I invite you to join in praying this Covenant Prayer:

"I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen." (UMH 607)

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols II

2008-12-24T09:23:00.001-06:00

Our Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols will be different in at least three ways: 1. no mention will be made of the queen; 2. familiar hymns; and 3. the NRSV instead of the KJV.

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

2008-12-24T08:10:00.005-06:00

A festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College Chapel in Cambridge, England will be broadcast live today at 9:00 (CST) on 107.5 FM. It is an adapted (perhaps very adapted) version of this service that we will be using this coming Sunday.

Update: You can download a pdf file of the bulletin here.

Link: http://americanpublicmedia.publicradio.org/programs/festival/

The Messy Work of Renewal

2008-12-23T09:11:00.003-06:00

There is a good article on the hard, messy work of renewing a congregation available from the Albin Institute. My favorite part of the article is the opening sentence:

"If you've ever remodeled a house while attempting to live in it, you have a sense of the chaos and complexity of congregational renewal. It will take far longer, cost you more, and prove messier than you ever imagined at the start."

Link: www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=6850

Passing the Plate

2008-12-21T19:01:00.004-06:00

Ron Sider has a informative review of Passing the Plate: Why American Christians Don't Give Away More Money over at Christianity Today. Among other bits of information from the book by Christian Smith, Michael O. Emerson, and Patricia Snell, he shares the findings that 20% of American Christians give nothing to the church and that a mere twenty percent of all Christians give 86.4 percent of the total. I was saddened, but not surprised, at the affirmation of my hunch that higher-income Christians in America give less as a percentage of household income than their poorer counterparts. Near the end of the review, Sider writes:

"A good deal of the problem is that pastors are not leading their congregations to think clearly about this issue. I have often said (without any hard data) that I do not think one American pastor in fifty is talking about God's concern for the poor as much as the Bible does. ... overall, our pastors, seminary professors, and denominational leaders are simply unbiblical in their failure to lead their people into persistent, honest wrestling with faithful Christian stewardship of resources and the way that generosity could advance Christ's kingdom."

I myself am guilty as charged, but thankful for the thankful generosity shown by so many of the members at Coffeyville First. The article in its entirety is well worth the read. and I plan to order the book.

Update: I have the book on order.

Link: www.christianitytoday.com/bc/2008/novdec/5.11.html?start=1

Seminary Student Loans

2008-12-21T17:51:00.003-06:00

Today I received official notification that my student loans from seminary have finally been paid off. Happy Day!

2008-12-20T14:43:00.002-06:00

Below are pictures of the new baptismal font that Tracy Alban is in the process of making for the sanctuary.

Revised Hymn Schedule (Again)

2008-12-19T16:00:00.001-06:00

Below is the further revised Advent—Christmas—Epiphany hymn schedule.

Fourth Sunday of Advent (December 21)
240 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
215 To A Maid Engaged to Joseph
234 O Come, All Ye Faithful
219 What Child is This

Christmas Eve (December 24)
230 O Little Town of Bethlehem
239 Silent Night
246 Joy to the World

First Sunday after Christmas Day (December 28)
217 Away in a Manger
218 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
224 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice
228 He is Born, the Holy Child
229 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
237 Sing We Now of Christmas
245 The First Noel
227 The Friendly Beasts
240 Hark the Herald Angels Sing
230 O Little Town of Bethlehem

Epiphany (January 4)
254 We Three Kings
251 Go Tell it on the Mountain
2095 Star Child

Early Christmas Present

2008-12-18T14:56:00.003-06:00

I just received an message from Rev. Kent Rogers, president of the Conference Board of Trustees, that property and liability insurance coverage will increase by less than 1% in 2009.

Revised Hymn Schedule

2008-12-18T12:07:00.001-06:00

Below is the revised Advent—Christmas—Epiphany hymn schedule.

Fourth Sunday of Advent (December 21)
240 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
215 To A Maid Engaged to Joseph
234 O Come, All Ye Faithful
219 What Child is This

Christmas Eve (December 24)
230 O Little Town of Bethlehem
239 Silent Night
246 Joy to the World

First Sunday of Christmas (December 28)
217 Away in a Manger
218 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
224 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice
228 He is Born, the Holy Child
229 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
237 Sing We Now of Christmas
245 The First Noel
227 The Friendly Beasts

Epiphany (January 4)
254 We Three Kings
251 Go Tell it on the Mountain
2095 Star Child

Voice of the Day: Frederick Buechner

2008-12-17T14:57:00.002-06:00

Via Sojourners:

"The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens. Advent is the name of that moment."
—Frederick Buechner, Whistling in the Dark.

Christmas Baskets: The Numbers

2008-12-16T19:52:00.003-06:00

We had 16 people show up to help fill 25 Christmas baskets, designated for 44 adults and 47 children in just under 1 hour. What a night. I got there late, but what I was there for was a great experience.

Coffee Fellowship

2008-12-16T11:29:00.002-06:00

Elizabeth Collins and Emma Thompson are signed up to provide snacks for coffee fellowship time this coming Sunday, but all the Sundays after that are open. Please sign up if you would like to help. The sign-up sheet is on the pillar by the table where we put the coffee and the snacks.

Christmas Baskets

2008-12-16T10:48:00.002-06:00

Supplies have been set out in the basement in preparation for putting Christmas baskets together tonight. We will be preparing Christmas baskets for 25 families beginning at 6:15 tonight. Come and join us.

Voice of the Day: Advent

2008-12-15T16:36:00.005-06:00

Via Sojourners:

"A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes ... and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent."
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian (1906-1945) who was imprisoned and executed for his participation in an attempt to overthrow Adolf Hitler.

Handicapped Accessibility

2008-12-12T13:41:00.002-06:00

The trustees decided several meetings ago that at least one of our thirteen bathrooms needed to be handicapped accessible. The bathroom in the brides room was chosen for alteration. The two small doors on either side have been removed and a new, wider door installed in the front. Other modifications, such as a new toilet, will also be made. Dave Larimore has been hard at work on this project.

Volunteers Needed for Transportation

2008-12-11T20:25:00.002-06:00

In talking with the local manager of the Crisis Resource Center, I confirmed that they have folks at the shelter who would like to go to church if transportation could be arranged. So we're looking for volunteers to provide transportation we need either women or couples to volunteer.

Christmas Basket Time

2008-12-11T19:42:00.003-06:00

We'll be putting 25 Christmas baskets together on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 (weather permitting) starting at 6:15 pm. Thanks to everyone who donated food.

Advent—Christmas—Epiphany Hymn Schedule

2008-12-11T14:51:00.005-06:00

Here's our working Advent—Christmas—Epiphany hymn schedule for 2008-2009:

First Sunday of Advent (November 30)
202 People Look East
203 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

Second Sunday of Advent (December 7)
211 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
220 Angels from the Realms of Glory
196 Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Third Sunday of Advent (December 14)
221 In the Bleak Midwinter
249 There’s A Song in the Air
238 Angels We Have Heard on High

Fourth Sunday of Advent (December 21)
240 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
215 To A Maid Engaged to Joseph
234 O Come, All Ye Faithful

Christmas Eve (December 24)
230 O Little Town of Bethlehem
239 Silent Night
246 Joy to the World

First Sunday of Christmas (December 28)
217 Away in a Manger
218 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
219 What Child is This
224 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice
228 He is Born, the Holy Child
229 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
237 Sing We Now of Christmas
245 The First Noel
227 The Friendly Beasts

Epiphany (January 4)
254 We Three Kings
251 Go Tell it on the Mountain
2095 Star Child

Let us know if we missed anything near and dear to you and yours at johnandjenny@revcollins.com.

Sermon this Week: Joseph the Husband of Mary

2008-12-11T13:33:00.001-06:00

This Sunday we'll be returning to our Peculiar Treasures sermon series. I'll be preaching on Jospeh the Husband of Mary. The scripture reading will be taken from Matthew 1.18-25.

Your Tithes and Offerings at Work

2008-12-11T11:11:00.002-06:00

We'll be giving $500 to the Crisis Resource Center (formerly Safehouse) for Christmas for the women and children in their care. I'm really pleased by the fact that we were able to get this together in less than 24 hours.

Verse of the Day: A Little with Righteousness

2008-12-10T10:41:00.001-06:00

Better is a little with righteousness
than large income with injustice.
—Proverbs 16.8 (NRSV)

Church Office Closed

2008-12-10T09:46:00.003-06:00

Linda Beever is sick for a second day and so the church office is closed. I'm back in the office after a day off and can be reached by phone, just follow the voice prompts.

Plenty of Green Beans

2008-12-10T09:41:00.004-06:00

Jan Hester informs me that we already have plenty of green beans for the Christmas Baskets project. We don't need anymore. However we could put tuna fish and spaghetti (separately) to good use.

Quote of the Day: Head and Heart

2008-12-08T19:45:00.003-06:00

One day we will learn that the heart can never be totally right if the head is totally wrong. Only through the bringing together of head and heart – intelligence and goodness – shall man rise to a fulfillment of his true nature.
—Martin Luther King Jr.
From Strength to Love, a collection of Dr. King's sermons.

Hymns for Sunday

2008-12-05T08:15:00.002-06:00

I understand that there is some concern about hymns for Sunday. We'll be singing Angels from the Realms of Glory, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.

Church Conference and the State of the Church

2008-12-04T17:50:00.001-06:00

Jenny and I will be presenting our "State of the Church" report tonight at Church Conference. In case you aren't able to make it the text is below. The entire church conference packet is avaialable at www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org on the Downloads page.

STATE OF THE CHURCH REPORT
2008 Church Conference
Revs. John and Jennifer Collins

In 2007-2009 John and Jenny served consecutive terms as president of the Coffeyville Ministerial Alliance. This year John continues to serve as chair of the LTRO (Long Term Recovery Organization), which is working with the long term flood recovery in Montgomery county.

Jenny took on the role of Registrar of the District Board of Ordained Ministry. To balance this large responsibility, John pulled back on District and Conference responsibilities in order to spend more time addressing the needs of the local congregation.

Although church membership and attendance continues to decline, we have however increased our mission and outreach to the community. This year we had a work team participate in flood recovery and we continue to give financial aid to flood victims and many others in need. We collected flood buckets to observe the anniversary of the 2007 flood and have become a depository for flood buckets in this area. We have distributed much needed lice kits to both Coffeyville Schools and the Crisis Resource Center. Our substantial contribution to the Salvation Army’s back to school backpack program was very much appreciated. In keeping with our focus on children, we have agreed to adopt larger families for the Christmas basket program this year.
The Vision Team continues to work under the rubric of the Bishop’s handbook of “Effective Congregational Evangelism,” Jim Collins’ Good to Great, and Dan R. Dick’s Vital Signs: A Pathway to Congregational Wholeness. Who Stole My Church by Gordon MacDonald has been commended to the congregation.

In May the Church Council approved "Excellence in Children's Ministry" as our BHAG (Big Holy Audacious Goal). This supplements, but does not replace our mission of “Making Disciples of Jesus Christ.” The church continues the process of spreading lay leadership across all generations.

Our youth group, while small in number, is a very dedicated group of young people. This year we have begun doing more youth events at the district and conference levels which has brought excitement into the lives of our youth and inspired them to want to share that with others. The youth have shifted from a fellowship model to a discipleship model. Our work on starting a preschool in the church again has been postponed currently, as we could not find anyone to teach it and because the public school is looking into adding on additional pre-K classes in town. Jenny is currently serving on the Early Childhood task force in town, which is looking at early childhood education and childcare needs in the community. We had a very successful Vacation Bible School this year and we continue to host Movie Events almost monthly.

John regularly visits folks in the hospital. He has also been doing the monthly care home service at Asbury village.

With our new upgrades to our worship spaces with sound and screens, we have folks trained to run both the sound and the slides in both services. With the help of Tony Wood we continue to offer the most comprehensive and functional church website in Coffeyville.

Continuing Education 2008: John attended the Kansas Area Seminar on Professional Ministry. Jenny participated in a Webinar: “Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation” by Carol Howard Merritt. John and Jenny both attended the 2007-08 Sexual Ethics Quadrennial Training, and a workshop on Dismantling Racism by by Dr. Eliezer Valentin-Castanon of the General Commission on Religion and Race.

Continuing Education 2009: Our continuing education in 2009 will depend on what is available. We would like to participate in the “Good$ense Money Management” program. John plans to attend the Kansas Area Seminar on Professional Ministry.

No Taizé Worship Service Tonight

2008-12-03T10:19:00.000-06:00

There will be no Taizé Worship Service Tonight because of the visitation for Doreatha Moon.

Voice of the Day: God has no Grandchildren

2008-12-03T10:13:00.004-06:00

But at the same time the idea of "family" can take us in the wrong direction. As many preachers have said (I've heard it attributed to Billy Graham, among others), God has no grandchildren.
—N. T. Wright,
Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense, page 202.

What if Starbucks Marketed Like the Church?

2008-11-30T19:32:00.004-06:00

What if Starbucks Marketed Like a Church? by Richard Reisling:

Reisling put his faith into practice when he left a new home, one of his cars, and the salary and benefits of the corporate marketing world to turn his attention to churches full time. What does marketing mean for churches? Reisling gives the following explanation:

What is marketing all about? Webster’s says that marketing is “an aggregate (sum) of functions involved in moving goods from producer to consumer.” So how does that apply to the church? The sum of everything your church does to connect Christ with your members and the outside world is marketing. Many might wonder why the video is about marketing. It's because marketing (connecting Christ with people) is in your parking lot. It's on the outside of your building. It's in the way you greet me. It's in your members. It's in your message. It's in everything we do that forms the perception of who we are and what we value to the world we are called to reach.

I'm not sure what to make of all of this, but I thought the video was worth passing on. The website, Beyond Relevance, is here. His background story, in which he lays out what he thinks is wrong with many current church efforts, is here.

Link: www.beyondrelevance.com

This Weeks Meetings

2008-11-30T19:21:00.003-06:00

We'll be having a Church Council meeting tomorrow (Monday) at 7 pm, a Trustee's meeting on Wednesday at 5:15 pm, and a PPRC Meeting on Thursday at 5:30 pm followed by the Church Conference at 6:45 pm.

"Caring and Sharing"

2008-11-29T18:47:00.002-06:00

A few days ago I posted a note asking for suggestions for a new name for the "Announcement Insert" that runs in the bulletin. To date, I've only received one, "Caring and Sharing." What do you think? Do you have a suggestion? Let me know at johnandjenny@revcollins.com.

Parsons District Youth Lock-In

2008-11-28T21:11:00.002-06:00

I received a flyer from the Parsons District Council on Youth Ministries for a lock-in that begins at 5:00 pm on Sunday, December 28 and ends at 8:30 am on Monday, December 29. Registration (which you can get from Jenny or I) must be received by Thursday, December 18. Cost is $5.00 per person and boys are to bring chips or cookies and girls are to bring a 2-liter bottle of pop.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T19:07:00.002-06:00

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
—Revelation 7:12.b (NRSV)

Voice of the Day: Sojourner Truth

2008-11-26T21:11:00.001-06:00

Via Sojourners:

"I am not going to die, I’m going home like a shooting star."

–Sojourner Truth, former slave, women’s rights activist, abolitionist, and great orator who passed away on this day in 1883.

Church Office Closed

2008-11-26T20:58:00.003-06:00

The church office will be closed on Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving Holiday (Linda is taking a vacation day on Friday). The pastors can be reached via cell phone.

The Announcement Insert

2008-11-25T12:17:00.003-06:00

For as long as we've been here, "The Announcement Insert" in the bulletin has been referred to as just "The Announcement Insert." It seems to me that there has to be a better name for it, but I can't come up with one. Anyone have any ideas?

New Baptismal Fonts

2008-11-24T11:28:00.006-06:00

Tracy Alban has been hard at work building two baptismal fonts (one for the chapel and one for the sanctuary). They're designed to match the decor in each location. Pictures are below. The piece of plywood at bottom of the font for the chapel is for construction purposes only and will be removed.

Hanging of the Greens

2008-11-23T20:56:00.003-06:00

I wanted to say thank you to the folks who showed up this afternoon to help with the hanging of the greens. The church looks great. The UMW will be soon be providing the finishing touch with the crismon tree.

Community Thanksgiving Service

2008-11-23T20:51:00.002-06:00

The Community Thanksgiving Service this evening seems to have gone well. I really enjoyed worshiping with leadership provided by my colleagues in the ministerial alliance. When the service was over, I felt that I "had been to church." Thanks to all the members of First United Methodist who showed up to provide their support.

Bishop's Thanksgiving Message

2008-11-20T14:55:00.005-06:00

A Thanksgiving message from Bishop Scott Jones:

December Newsletter Available Online

2008-11-20T11:11:00.003-06:00

The December edition of The Parish Visitor is available on the Newsletter page of the church's website.

Newsletter Article

2008-11-20T11:04:00.001-06:00

From the December issue of The Parish Visitor:

A View From the Pulpit
Rev. John Collins

As thanksgiving draws near, this passage from Deuteronomy 26 comes to mind:

1When you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. 3You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, “Today I declare to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us.” 4When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the LORD your God, 5you shall make this response before the LORD your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me.” You shall set it down before the LORD your God and bow down before the LORD your God. 11Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house.

The above passage from Deuteronomy is found in the middle of the law of Moses given to the people of Israel just before they entered into the land that God had promised their ancestor Jacob (the wandering Aramean) and his ancestor Abraham. The people of Israel were instructed to offer back to God the first portion of the harvest along with the above recitation of all that God had done for them to fulfill the promise.
This recitation and the accompanying offering of thanksgiving had a purpose; to remind the people that they had not brought themselves up out of Egypt, that the land they possessed was a gift of the Lord and not the result of skill, intelligence, cunning, or even hard work. Remembering that the land, the source of all that was good in their lives (milk and honey) was a free gift and not the result of hard work or intrinsic merit was essential. It was crucial that they not forget who and whose they were, it was critical to their integrity that they remember that they were not self-sufficient, but were instead dependent upon the continuing mercies of God.
It was vital that they remember that they had not earned the land, but instead received it as a gift, so that they would not forget that the land was to be utilized in a manner congruent with God’s will, not done with as they pleased. God’s will was that they provide for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. God’s will was justice, both legal and economic, for all people. God’s will was not easy, it was not, and is not, the default setting of humanity. God’s will could only be done by a people who remembered and gave thanks for all God had done and was doing for them.
We do not live in the promised land and we no longer offer the first fruits of the land to God while reciting a historical summary that mentions a wandering Aramean, but we do need to remember and give thanks to God for all that is good in our lives in order that we not stumble into unfaithfulness. I encourage you to take some time in the coming week to do just that.

Hanging of the Greens

2008-11-20T09:52:00.000-06:00

We'll be hanging the greens (decorating for Advent/Christmas) this coming Sunday, November 23 at 2 pm.

Nova: The Bible's Buried Secrets

2008-11-18T20:59:00.003-06:00

I'm watching Nova: The Bible's Buried Secrets on PBS. I'm not in complete agreement, but overall the show is fascinating, a good introduction to the development of Old Testament, and well worth watching.

Coffee Fellowship

2008-11-18T15:26:00.002-06:00

We need someone to bring treats for the Coffee Fellowship Time next Sunday. If you're willing call the church office or drop me a note at johnandjenny@revcollins.com.

"Luxury Addiction Recovery"

2008-11-17T04:49:00.003-06:00

I just saw an online ad for "Luxury Addiction Recovery" and thought to myself, that's something I could use, at last we as a society are taking long overdue steps to simplify our lives. Alas, upon closer inspection the ad wasn't for recovering from addiction to luxury, but rather for recovering from other addictions in luxury.

VeggieTales Movie Event

2008-11-16T20:41:00.002-06:00

We had 15 kids at the VeggieTales Movie Event this afternoon. The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything was a hit and the VeggieTales version of Dance, Dance Revolution was very popular until the computer crashed.

Round-Up for Hunger Lock-In

2008-11-15T19:58:00.004-06:00

Apparently–I say apparently because I didn't attend, I only have reports from Jenny–the youth lock-in in Lawrence was enjoyable for all. There were about 150 youth for the lock-in and then more showed up to volunteer this morning. Lots of donated items were unloaded, sorted and then reloaded to be shipped to mission sites within the Kansas East Conference. Thanks to Jenny and Kendall Garten for going as adult sponsors.

The Bishop's Round-Up for Hunger

2008-11-14T09:21:00.002-06:00

If you're keyed into the calendar of the Kansas East Conference, you know that tomorrow is the Bishop's Round-Up for Hunger. We'll be sending four youth, two adults, and one Elizabeth to the lock-in tonight and they will help unload, sort, and load round-up contributions tomorrow. But Coffeyville First will go on collecting items until December 16. This is because we have again designated everything we collect for local distribution, whether directly through the church (e.g. Christmas Baskets for those in need), or indirectly through Genesis and the Salvation Army. This year we're again focusing on collecting money and non-perishable food items. We're unable to take clothing.

Sunday's Sermon

2008-11-13T10:56:00.002-06:00

Sunday's sermon title will be "Peculiar Treasures: the Mighty Widow" The text will be Mark 12.41-44.

Organ Tuning

2008-11-11T21:44:00.002-06:00

The organ will be receiving a fall tune-up tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday. I'll be working from home.

The Heat Is On

2008-11-11T16:42:00.001-06:00

The heat is on throughout the church building.

Prayer Concerns

2008-11-07T08:42:00.003-06:00

Our list of prayer concerns has gotten pretty long and we need to trim it a bit. For the next two weeks please write the names of those you would like to see remain on the prayer list on the prayer request card in your bulletin. The prayer request card is on the back of the "Attendance Insert."

Correction

2008-11-06T18:01:00.005-06:00

The letter that went out for consecration Sunday had "Finance Committee Chairperson" under Carmen Winston's name. That should have been "Consecration Sunday Chair." Kathy Wood remains the Chair of the Finance Committee.

From Behind the Pulpit

We've Moved — Updated

We've Moved!

2009 Newsletter Available

Emergency Assistance Fund

Vision Team Meeting Still On

Shut-In List

Church Office Open

Church Office Still Closed Today

Fund Balance Report

Church Office Closed

You 404’d it. Gnarly, dude. — Update

Sermon Available for Download

Faithful Inclusiveness

New Website Up

You 404’d it. Gnarly, dude.

The End of U.S. Sponsored Torture

New Baptismal Font

Sermon Available for Download

Guess Who's United Methodist

Redesigned Website

In the Year that King Uzziah Died

Sermons on CD

Office Closed Tomorrow

VeggieTales

Quote of the Day

The Ethics of Sweatshops

Apportionment Payout

Exciting Theological Development

John and Charles Online

Taking Risks

No Vision Team Meeting

Off to Wichita

An Atheist’s Praise of Evangelism in Africa

Three Technological Developments

UMNS on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

De-Dowdyfied

Taizé Worship Service Tomorrow

The End of Christmas

Return to Regular Posting

The Breadth and Width of Salvation

Last Minute Hymn Change

January Newsletter Available Online

Newsletter Article

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols II

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

The Messy Work of Renewal

Passing the Plate

Seminary Student Loans

Revised Hymn Schedule (Again)

Early Christmas Present

Revised Hymn Schedule

Voice of the Day: Frederick Buechner

Christmas Baskets: The Numbers

Coffee Fellowship

Christmas Baskets

Voice of the Day: Advent

Handicapped Accessibility

Volunteers Needed for Transportation

Christmas Basket Time

Advent—Christmas—Epiphany Hymn Schedule

Sermon this Week: Joseph the Husband of Mary

Your Tithes and Offerings at Work

Verse of the Day: A Little with Righteousness

Church Office Closed

Plenty of Green Beans

Quote of the Day: Head and Heart

Hymns for Sunday

Church Conference and the State of the Church

No Taizé Worship Service Tonight

Voice of the Day: God has no Grandchildren

What if Starbucks Marketed Like the Church?

This Weeks Meetings

"Caring and Sharing"

Recommended Reading: N.B.

Recommended Reading: Simply Christian

Parsons District Youth Lock-In

Happy Thanksgiving

Voice of the Day: Sojourner Truth