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| Pastor - Tammy Talbert |
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The Last Tuesday of June
After moving up to the mountains in Asheville
one June seven years ago--changing churches, changing schools, leaving friends—and then moving back down the mountain
the very next June—changing churches, changing schools, leaving friends--we started hold a “We’re not moving
this year” party. Over our last 5 years spent in Trinity, we held one of these parties. We usually made
Cheerwine ice cream. It was always on the last Tuesday of June: moving day for United Methodist pastors of our
Western North Carolina Conference. Last year, though, we did not get to hold such a party since we were once again moving.
This year, we look forward to being here the last Tuesday of June and once again holding a “We’re
not moving this year” party. No U-hauls and boxes and bubble wrap for us. Just some ice cream and some time
to celebrate this last year as we begin to look ahead to another.
This year at Annual Conference,
there will be lots of voting. Ballots will be taken for delegates to General Conference (this is where United Methodists
from all over the world come together to make decisions concerning our denomination). Ballots will be taken for delegates
to Jurisdictional Conference (this is where Bishops are elected). Then on the last day of Annual Conference, as the
last order of business, the Bishop will “fix” the appointments. All the appointments involving moves will
be made official. All the appointments not involving moves will be made official. There will be sadness, there
will be joy, but as for me and my house, we welcome the chance to have a “We’re not moving this year” party
this summer in Denton. Thank you for receiving me back.
Please be in prayer for our Annual
Conference as it meets June 9-12 and be in prayer for all of the pastors and their families who will be on the road—changing
churches, changing schools, and leaving friends—on the last Tuesday of June.
Peace, Pastor Tammy
Journey to the Cross - March 1,2011
As March begins,it is Transfiguration Sunday…a day in the Christian
year that bridges the seasons of Epiphany and Lent. Today is a day of crossover if you will-- a moving from the revelation
of God as Savior to the Gentile wisemen (Epiphany) to the journey to the cross (Lent).
But before we make this move toward
the cross, we are given fuel for our journey through Jesus’ transfiguration. This amazing story of Jesus’
glory becoming momentarily visible can be found in Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-9, and Luke 9:28-37. As you make your way
to the cross, remember the glory he showed you. As things turn bad, very, very bad, remember the glory he showed you.
Transfiguration Sunday says to us, “With God, there is always more than meets the eye.” “With
God, there is always more going on than we can see.” “With God, all things will turn out right in the end.”
Our
journey to the cross each year offers us a time for reflection, self-examination & self-denial. A time to confess
our sins and repent. A time to die to our old selves and become new. Some people choose to give up something during
Lent, something that will enable them to be more attentive to God with its removal from their lives. (For example, some choose
to fast from foods or TV or other distractions in their lives). Others choose to take on something extra during Lent,
something that will increase their faith like daily Bible readings or extra prayer times or increased worship attendance.
The
following are worship opportunities that will be happening throughout our Denton Sub-District during the season of Lent. Mark
your calendars and plan to attend as many as you can as we all make our way to the cross together this year.
Shrove Tuesday
Pancakes March 8, 5-7 @ Central UMC
Ash Wednesday Worship March 9, 7pm @ Clarksbury UMC
Noon Lenten Services
Wed. March 16 @ Central w/ Rev. Benny Clodfelter
Wed. March 23 @ Central w/Rev. Bill Foust
Wed. March
30 @ Central w/Rev. Chris Smith
Wed. April 6
@ First w/ Rev. Kelly Creekmuer
Wed. April 13
@ First w/Rev. Doug Rowe
Wed. April 20 @ First
w/ Rev. Tammy Talbert
Maundy Thursday Service April 21 @ Piney Grove UMC, 7pm w/Rev. Bill Foust
or @ Bethany UMC, 7pm w/Revs. David &
Tammy Talbert
Holy Week Drama “Is It I, Lord?” Palm Sunday , April 17 @ Central, 7pm
Second performance, Good Friday, April 22 @ Central, 7pm
Easter
Sunrise April 24, Time TBA @ Canaan with breakfast to follow
Easter Morning Charge Worship 11am @ First (no
Sunday School today)
**At each Lenten service, an offering will be collected and given to the South Davidson Family Resource
Center. The pancake supper proceeds will benefit the Denton Elementary Backpack program.
See you at the cross, Pastor
Tammy
What’s
Your Plan? Feb. 1, 2011
You know the old saying, “There’s
more than one way to skin a cat.” Now having 2 cats of my own, I don’t so much appreciate the subject of
that saying, but I have to agree with its meaning: there are lots of ways to do things right. And in order to
be most effective with the way we have chosen, we have to have a plan, commit to the plan, and follow the plan. No matter
how spontaneous you are, some things require a plan, and daily reading of the Bible is one of those things that requires a
plan.
Perhaps that was one of your New Year’s resolutions: “To read the Bible
daily.” And I suspect that you started out with great gusto. But by this point in February, if you don’t
have a plan, it becomes harder and harder to stay on track. By the time you encounter the book of Leviticus, if you
don’t have a plan, it becomes harder and harder to stay on track.
So I would like to suggest
a few plans to you to aid you in your daily Bible reading. If this was not your New Year’s resolution, I encourage
you to adopt it as something you will commit to anyway, right away. Daily Bible reading gets us into God’s Word
and gets God’s Word into us in such a way that opens us up to a deeper relationship with God --and who among us does
not hunger for that? It also provides God another avenue through which to speak to us. As Christians, we believe
that the Bible contains everything necessary for life and salvation, so why wouldn’t we want to search it and encounter
it daily?
Last year I purchased The Bible in 90 Days, and for me, it provided a wonderful structure
for reading through the entire Bible in just 3 months. What I most appreciated about that Bible was that it was written
in big print and formatted in such a way so that you read 12 pages of the Bible every day. For me, it worked.
But as you know, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Some other plans include reading
through the New Testament in a year by committing 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week. There are also schedules available
to guide you through the Bible in a year cover to cover, or by reading various chapters of various books in various orders.
The important thing in selecting a Bible reading plan is to choose one that best suits you and to commit to it. Also
helpful is finding a friend who will follow the same schedule so that you can encourage one another.
I am placing copies of various Bible reading schedules on the back pew in hopes that you will take one to make a part
of your life over the next months or the next year. And when you are done, plan to start all over again so that you
never find yourself out of God’s Word. Let me know the plan you have chosen and how it is going.
Peace, Tammy
As we enter 2011, what is our mission? 1/1/2011
“To
make disciples of Jesus Christ.” According to our Book of Discipline, this is our mission as United Methodist Christians.
As United Methodist Christians of the Western North Carolina Conference, our mission statement is this: “To follow Jesus,
make disciples, transform the world.”
But what constitutes a mission statement exactly? Well, in the words of
Wikipedia,
a mission statement is a formal, short, written statement of the purpose of an organization. It guides the actions of the
organization, it spells out its overall goals, it provides a sense of direction and it guides decision making. As we enter
2011 and consider what the mission, purpose and vision of Canaan United Methodist Church is, reflect on the following mission
statements of other churches and organizations.
*Changing lives, transforming communities, & renewing the church.
--The
UM Church of the Resurrection, Kansas
*Leading our generation into a transforming relationship with Jesus and authentic
community
with each other so that everyone in our area can flourish.
--Menlo Park Presbyterian, CA
*To bring people to Jesus and
membership in his family, develop them to
Christlike maturity, and equip them for their ministry in the church and life
mission in
the world in order to magnify God’s name.
--Saddleback Church, CA
*To be a community of faith where
the Gospel of Jesus Christ is embraced,
encountered, and embodied. --Christ UMC, Greensboro, NC
*Daily striving to praise
God, make disciples, and love and care for others.
--FUMC, High Point, NC
*To be America’s best quick-service
restaurant at winning and keeping customers
that we might glorify God by being a faithful steward in all that is entrusted
to our care
and that we might have a positive influence on all we meet.
--Chick Fil A Restaurants
As we live in the
present with purpose and look toward the future with vision,
how can we best express who we are in ministry as Christ’s
church in our community?
Think on it and we’ll talk . Peace, Pastor Tammy
Much
to Do 12/1/2010
There are always things to do, to get done, to be done…
and so we must choose how to best and most faithfully spend our time. As we experience this season of Advent with its
call to intentional waiting and hoping and reflecting, may you make plans to choose to be a part of things that will be life-giving
and life-renewing and even life-stretching.
Here are a few of those kinds of opportunities that
will be coming up over the next month and into the new year.
December 11 at 5:30pm at First,
Widow’s and Widower’s Night Out.
December 12 at 7pm at Central UMC, Community Love
Feast with Tammy Talbert preaching.
December 19 at 6pm at Canaan UMC, Canaan’s Choral
Cantata: “Beautiful Star.” Refreshments will follow.
December 24 at
11pm at Central UMC, Community Christmas Eve Service.
January 2, pulpit exchange with Rev. David
Talbert preaching at Canaan & First.
January 2011 in First Fellowship Hall—date TBA—Beth
Moore’s “Esther, It’s Tough Being a Woman” See Tammy to sign up and order a book.
January 29 at First Baptist Indian Trail in Charlotte, Men at the Cross Conference. See Rev.
Benny Clodfelter for info.
January 30 from 2:30pm-5:30pm at First UMC, Lexington, District Leadership
Conference. See back table for listing of workshops.
January 30 from 3-5pm at First UMC,
Lexington, Youth Packing Event for Stop Hunger Now where youth will be packing dehydrated meals in an assembly line process.
Everyone participating is asked to bring $10 to pay for the meals.
February 11-12, Lock-I
n at Shiloh UMC Basic Youth Lay Speaking Class for youth 9th-12th grades. See Tammy if interested.
Tuesdays 7-9pm in February & March at Wesley Heights UMC, Lexington District Adult Lay Speaker Training.
See back table for information.
Over these next several weeks, may you make intentional
choices that will put you in a place where God can bless you and grow you.
Peace, Tammy
What
are “Apportionments” and What in the World Are They For? 11/1/2010
As United Methodists, we are a
“connectional” people through our sharing. Among other things, we share pastors through our appointment
process and we share money through our apportionments.
“Apportionment funding is a method of giving that proportionally
allocates the churchwide budget to conferences and local churches.” Think of it this way: apportionments
are simply “a portion meant for others”. Just as we tithe as individuals, we also tithe—in a sense—as
a local church through our apportionments. Each year, our Western North Carolina Conference uses a formula that calculates
the amount of apportionments each local church is responsible for paying so that our United Methodist Church can be in ministry
throughout the world. In essence, the formula works like this: for each dollar we spend on ourselves--our staff,
programming, property—a portion of that amount is apportioned for us to give toward ministries of The United Methodist
Church for others.
For United Methodists this method of giving has become a strong, generous tradition to which we commit
when we join The United Methodist Church.
Together, through our connected congregations, we accomplish what no single church,
district or annual conference ever could hope to do alone. In this way, each individual, each family, each congregation gives
a fair share for the church's work. We combine our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness to make a significant difference
in the lives of God's people.
Some of our money from Canaan supports ministries of our Lexington District, some money supports
the operating costs and ministries of our Western North Carolina Conference, and some money supports ministries that our general
church or denomination engages in. Here is a brief overview of how some of our money apportioned for the General
Church is spent (for more details you can go to www.umc.org)
General Fund Develops principled Christian leaders for the church and the world, creates new places for new
people and renewal of existing congregations, engages in ministry with the poor, stamps out killer diseases of poverty by
improving global health.
The Ministerial Education Fund provides scholarships to those students studying for ministry in
United Methodist seminaries
The Episcopal Fund pays the salary, office operations, heath insurance, pension, travel and
other expenses of the Bishop. Our Bishop, Larry Goodpaster, is the overseer of all of the churches and pastors of our
Western North Carolina Conference.
Africa University Fund supports the only United Methodist University on the continent
of Africa.
Black College Fund supports our 11 historically black colleges (Bennett is our NC University)
As the Western
North Carolina Conference our apportioned funds also support the following ministries: The Conference Resource Center
& Mission Response Center, Camp Tekoa, Yokefellow Prison Ministry, The Children’s Home, Retirement Homes, Homes
for the Mentally Challenged, Deaf Ministry, Methodist Counseling Centers and many others.
As we continue in our commitment
to giving, I, as your pastor, will do my best to keep you informed of where your money is going.
Peace, Pastor Tammy
Words from your Pastor
Winning Is Losing 10/1/2010
Have
you seen the latest blooper on the internet? Google “Australia’s America’s Top Model” and you
can watch the video. Apparently, last week was the season finale of this TV program that airs in Australia. As
is customary with these sorts of reality programs, this season’s winner was announced on live TV. It was Kelsey
verses Amanda. After a brief pause, Kelsey’s name was called out by the host and declared winner. Balloons
were released, confetti fell, the crowd cheered and victory music played. Kelsey stepped up to the microphone and made
her acceptance speech. Amanda then stepped up to the microphone and thanked those who supported her. In the middle
of Amanda’s speech, the producer radios into the host’s ear “Wrong one. Amanda is really the winner.”
The host stops Amanda mid sentence and says, “Oh, my gosh. I’m so sorry. I’m feeling sick
about this now. This was a complete accident. I’m so sorry, but Amanda is our real winner.”
Come to find out, in the end the loser won. And you know what? This is how it is in God’s
kingdom, too. Those who lose their lives, who surrender to God, who confess that they are sinners in need of saving
are the winners in God’s kingdom. Jesus told us that is the way things work with God. “I have come
to seek and save the lost,” he said (Luke 19:10). The losers. “Many who are first will be last, and
the last will be first” (Mark 10:31) In the end, losers win. Paul explains that “Christ died for
the ungodly” (Romans 5:6)…for the losers. Luke records Jesus saying, “There will be more joy in heaven
over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7) No matter how
we try to work it out, with God the party always turns out to be for the loser…for the loser who has turned winner in
the kingdom of God. May you ever seek to lose in order to win.
Peace, Pastor Tammy
Words from your Pastor
9/1/2010 - Leaving Something Around the Edges
If you were able to gather with us at our 5th Sunday charge
worship service at Canaan, then you heard the words of Leviticus 19:9-10. For those of you who were not with us,
a quick reading of that passage would be in order.
This passage reminds us to leave something at the edges of our “fields”--
our tables, pantries, gardens or freezers. “Don’t gather it all up for yourselves. Leave
some behind on purpose, for you never know who might come along and benefit from your generosity.” And the
way we can do that best is simply to use less ourselves and give more to others. Others who the Leviticus passage
identifies as the poor and alien. Those who are nearby and those who are far away. The people down the
road AND those caught in famine half way around the world. Our responsibility to provide from our “fields” is
not to be limited to those we know or to those who are nearby. Notice too how the Leviticus passage makes no reference
to those in need having to earn or deserve our help. As pastor Jan Brittan puts it, “Our response to their
need has nothing to do with their character, and everything to do with ours.” And when we are willing to share, God
will bring all kinds of people to the edges of our tables.
So the question that I would like for us to be pondering between
now and our next Administrative Board meeting (Tues. Sept. 7 at 7pm) is this: What more can we do in Denton to
help the hungry of Denton, and what more can we do from Denton to help the hungry in the world? Between now and
then, I will be talking to the folks at the South Davidson Family Resource Center to find out what the needs are in our community
and how we might help to meet those needs and you be thinking of some simple, concrete, specific ways that we who have can
share with those who have not.
Bring your ideas to our next Administrative Board meeting so that
we can get started on setting an extra place at our tables for those who are hungry. For as Jesus clearly told
us, “When I was hungry, you gave me food…just as you did it to the least of these who are members of my family—to
those who are on the edges—you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:31-46)
Peace, Pastor Tammy
"Words from Your Pastor"
Signs of Hospitality 7/28/2010
A deli tray from Lanier’s, a pecan pie, a beautiful
plant. Bojangles’ chicken, freshly painted bedrooms, help carrying boxes and sofas off of a U-haul. Garden
fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and cantaloupes; a breakfast out at Rick’s. All of these and more have been expressions
of kindness that you have offered to me and my family as we have entered your life and community. They may appear
simple and ordinary, but to us they have communicated a welcome with a capital ‘W.’ “Welcome
to our lives! Come on in! Be a part, take part, and find your place among us.”
Before you ever met us, you were making ready for us,
for us strangers, people you did not choose but yet accepted as ones sent your way by God. Welcoming the stranger,
the art of hospitality, requires at least two things of us, I think. First it takes intentionality. It
takes effort to approach a stranger (one who by definition is “strange”) and invite that one in, into our lives,
into our circle of influence, into our stories and relationships and homes. And two, welcoming the stranger takes
memory. What was it God told the Israelites over and over again (5 times in the book of Deuteronomy)? “Remember
that you were a slave in Egypt.” Don’t forget that there was a time that you didn’t belong, when
you were new, a stranger, an outsider, and therefore be sure to welcome other strangers just as you would want to be welcomed.
Each time that we welcome a stranger, we do so in hope. In
hope and belief that God has a reason for our lives to intersect. I remember walking into a new church several
years ago and reading an inscription on the back wall: “Strangers are friends who have not yet met.”
As God continues purposefully to connect us as friends, may we never forget what it was like to be a stranger. And
in remembering, let us together pray that God would send to our church “friends we have not yet met” and may we
be ready to welcome them as those God has sent to us for a reason.
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