Avon United Methodist Church

“God’s Toy Box: Lite Bright” with Pastor Natalie Bowerman from 11/25/18. The way we highlight what is important in our lives can be simple and straightforward. But following Jesus is complex! His light only shines through us to others from those areas where we place “our emitters.” Alone, we are each a tiny little peg. But together, we can form big pictures that are a mighty illustration of God’s being in the world.

“God’s Toy Box: The Rocking Horse” with Pastor Natalie Bowerman from 11/18/18. Columnist Erma Bombeck once wrote, “Worry is like a rocking chair; it gives you something to do, but never gets you anywhere.” A rocking horse is like that, it keeps us busy but when we get off we haven’t really moved. We need to be mindful when we serve, to making progress. Worry is the biggest obstacle to moving forward. (Natalie lists quite a few common sources of worry back in 2018. You can no doubt make note...

“God’s Toy Box: Mr Potato Head” with Pastor Natalie Bowerman from 11/11/18. This toy above all others can help display our most “fun-damental” creative choices. What decisions do we make in presenting ourselves to others? Some of us have more to choose from based upon resources available, and some choices can be intentionally deceptive. We need to be careful making judgments of others based upon appearances, which are always on the outside. In the end, it is what is on the inside that shows...

“God’s Toy Box: Slinky Dog” with Pastor Natalie Bowerman from 10/21/18. This toy from the past is most interesting in the way if moves. It stretches out and then reconnects, and is designed to be pulled from in front, and not pushed from behind. Jesus is our head, and goes out ahead of us to lead the way. Each of us is an individual link, our positions changing with circumstances. But no matter how far behind, we can’t get separated. And we always need to help assist those behind us.

“God’s Toy Box, Part 1: Legos” with Pastor Natalie Bowerman from 10/14/18. First in a series adapted from “Toy Box Leadership.” Though written in a totally secular style, there are many lessons in the book that can be applied to building strong congregations. Many of the skills we’ve learned were first encountered through play situations, alone or with others. Legos help illustrate that we can build strongest and highest toward God through our connections with others. The church grows...

“Witnessing” with Pastor DJ Robinson from 05/21/17. How do we speak up and share our ways of believing with others, when there are so many other interpretations and approaches to life? We need to first live our beliefs in order to share them, seek to know God better in order to explain Him, and try to understand what others believe and why; to “meet them where they are.” The Gospel of Christ must be articulated in today’s language in order to be shared in our current reality.

“Leading Causes of Life” with Pastor Kim Ferrel from 09/11/16. On this day of remembrance of an overwhelming national tragedy, it is perhaps easy to think sometimes that death is winning. But the choice is always before us to choose life. We need to focus on our connections with each other, and our connectedness with (and through) God. We are meant to lift each other up. How are we reminded of this? What are our opportunities now to do so?

“War, What is it Good For?” with Pastor Natalie Bowerman from 09/02/18. Over the course of our history, the United States has been involved in armed conflict about every 20 years! We’ve all been shaped by wars in our lifetimes. Yet, “War is incompatible with the teachings of Jesus.” As United Methodists we understand the subject is complicated and it is sometimes better to fight against injustice and tyranny. Our Book of Discipline and Book of Resolution specify clear limitations.

“Loving Ministry” with Pastor Mary Martin from 02/08/15. Who was the first “deacon” in our Christian tradition, through representing Jesus’ teachings with others? “Service” is the key way we express those teachings. We cure modern-day sickness by promoting wholeness through Jesus. Even a gentle touch can be a powerful expression and means of outreach to others.

“Trusting in the Reality of God” with Pastor Marvin Krieger from 02/17/19. While not a “Lazarus Story”, Marvin’s message shares some of the same dynamics with trust issues we might have with God. Would you give up everything to follow Jesus, as the Disciples did? We tend to give of our own accord, but must sacrifice more, being especially proactive in issues of social justice as part of sharing Jesus’ love with others.

“Living Our Baptismal Calling: Believe” with Pastor DJ Robinson from 04/02/17. Another take on the Lazarus story, with social, cultural, and spiritual ramifications of the event portrayed through descriptive narrative. This story illustrates bringing hopelessness back to life. We need to take the shackles off our own thinking… “Unshackle it, and live!”

“Come Out” with Pastor Kim Ferrel from 04/06/14. “If you had been here…” Sometimes we want God to swoop in and fix things for us. Mary and Martha were feeling let-down and abandoned by Jesus when their brother Lazarus died. But when life feel like death to us, resurrection will come! We find hope again in the face of hopelessness, and with God working through each of us, help to “unbind” others from their limitations.

“The Well” with Pastor Natalie Bowerman from 04/07/19. An unusually personal first-hand account of challenges encountered during a difficult maternity leave, interviewing for Commissioning in the UMC, being reassigned to a new district conference, packing to move, preparing for an open house, transitioning school districts, and preparing to say goodbye to a beloved congregation. Where does one find strength in times such as these?

“Where Do Broken Hearts Go?” with Pastor Mia Richardson from 03/15/20. We’ve all faced some measure of heartbreak at one time or another. Where do we find help, where do we go? We need to “go to the well” alone or together to get through the immediate challenges we face, and whatever is to come. This was the final in-church worship gathering prior to pandemic restrictions and an unknown future facing us at that time.

“My Name is Mary Magdalene” with “Mary Magdalene” from 04/21/19. In this special Easter presentation, Pastor Natalie Bowerman shares a first-person narrative that recounts the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and those that followed, from the perspective of someone very close to him... a beloved member of the lowly and downtrodden whom Jesus came to save and offer new, and everlasting life!

“Hosanna!” with Kim Ferrel from 03/29/15. Our typically festive celebration of Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week, a title which sounds wonderful in itself, but we know what is to come. It is a preparation for the reality of being a Christian then, and even now! “It takes courage to follow Jesus.” “This week we will remember again, all the events.” “It is a difficult story, the story of our salvation.” With lots of Palm Sunday musical celebration.

“God’s Love- How Deep and How Wide?” with Pastor Mary Martin from 03/17/19. “Looking for clarity in scripture” is forefront in Mary’s approach to studying Biblical passages. She reads to us Philippians 3:17– 4:1 from a modern translation couched in today’s vernacular, and illustrates that 2000 years have not diminished the pointed relevance of this message. If anything, the warnings and admonitions are perhaps even more apropos today! Also, music from the Dolci Venti instrumental group.

“Acceptance” with Pastor DJ Robinson from 03/12/17. Have you ever been in a place where someone didn’t accept you? Never-the-less, each of us is fully accepted by God! But we need to accept this gift which is freely given to us. Acceptance of a gift is a gift, and as God blesses us, we are a blessing of God to others. Plus, DJ instructions on how to achieve a “Holy Ghost spiral!”

“God Calls Us” with Pastor Kim Ferrel from 03/30/14. In order to fulfill our individual calling, we need to know our own unique identity. The same holds true for our church body, as a whole. We need to identify its strengths to most effectively minister to each other, and outside our congregation. Let’s figure out how to best celebrate our calling! Plus lots of 4th Sunday hymn singing!

“Thirsting for God” with Pastor Mary Martin from 03/24/19. What are we thirsty for? Do we sometimes demand our own way? Self-righteous anger can make us feel superior and more powerful, and able to rise above the perceived shortcomings of others. Biblical repentance is God’s way to bridge divides and be able to see things as others do; to empower us to share a common perspective.