Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

I promised to send the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity devotionals and then forget to send the first two.  I apologize for that. Here are scripture and meditation for today: 

Read Colossians 3:12-17 and John 13:1-15, 34-35
 

Meditation

On the eve of his death, Jesus knelt to wash the feet of his disciples. He knew the difficulty of living together and the importance of forgiveness and mutual service. “Unless I was you,” he said to Peter, “you have no share with me.”

Peter received Jesus at his feet; he was washed and was touched by the humility and gentleness of Christ. Later he would follow Jesus’ example and serve the fellowship of the faithful in the early Church.

Jesus wishes that life and love circulate through us as the sap through the vine, so that Christian communities be one body. But today as in the past, it is not easy to live together. We are often faced with our own limitations. At times we fail to love those who are close to us in a community, parish or family. There are times when our relationships break down completely.

In Christ we are invited to be clothed in compassion, through countless new beginnings. The recognition that we are loved by God moves us to welcome each other with our strengths and weaknesses. It is then that Christ is in our midst.

Prayer

God our father, you reveal to us your love through Christ and through our brothers and sisters. Open our hearts so that we can welcome each other with our differences and live in forgiveness. Grant us to live united in one body, so that the gift that is each person comes to light. May all of us together be a reflection of the living Christ.

Jim Oliver wants your photos! 

Jim needs two categories of photos to use in the Sunday morning worship announcements and as backgrounds for worship slides.

(1) First, send a few of your favorite local or vacation scenery photos. Woods, mountains, beaches, the Great Wall: whatever you love, we would love to see!

(2) Second, send us a nice selfie of you and your family, so we can “see” each other during church. We miss your lovely faces!

Please send your photos to numctechteam@gmail.com.

We mourn the death of Ray Dillinger and we celebrate his life. Ray had been la ong-time member of Nashville United Methodist Church until he transferred his membership to Morgantown UMC. 

Ray was well known by us for his love of photography and art. He donated many framed photographs to FallFare over the years and really enjoyed the many blue ribbons that he won at the Brown County Fair. Ray was a kind and gentle person and his smile and his interest in the world around him will be missed.

A graveside service for Ray will be held on Friday, January 22 at 12:30 p.m. at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.