St. Andrew's United Methodist Church
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Sunday Worship Program
    • I'm New >
      • What to Expect
      • Children's Programs >
        • Children's Min Archives
      • Cross-Cultural Ministry
      • Youth Discipleship - Grades 6 - 12
      • Adult Discipleship
      • Mission & Service Opportunities
      • Music and Liturgical Arts >
        • Music Archives
    • Staff
    • How to join
    • Campus Map
    • Church Forms
  • Giving
  • Calendar
  • SAUMC Preschool
  • Community Mission
  • News
    • Newsletter Archives
  • Committees
  • UMCOR
  • Church/ Community Events
  • UM News

Summertime in "The Pastor's Study"

6/3/2014

 
By Dan Hester



"The Pastor's Study" will meet on June 3rd and next week, June 10th on the topic of "Different Prayers for Different Types of Pray-ers." We will then be on Summer vacation until Tuesday, July 15th when we will resume with a series on the book of Revelation. 7pm. Room 4, side door.



"The Pastor's Study" is a one hour class where I teach various topics. Anyone is welcome to come at any time. Don't feel like you have to be present for an entire series. There is no fee, and I try to teach the class in such a way that no preparation is necessary. You should come. 

Testimony

4/7/2014

 
PictureWhen you give your testimony, hand motions are optional.
By Dan Hester

Last Sunday I issued the challenge/invitation for members of this congregation to give a testimony. From now on, I will make space in worship for anyone who wants to provide testimony. Call me or email me and we will schedule a Sunday when you can offer your testimony.  Here are some idea starters for putting together a testimony.  

  • Where has God been at work in your life? 
  • How has God found you? 
  • Who has Jesus been for you? What difference has following Jesus made in your life. 
  • How have you been surprised by God's love? 
  • What is this chapter on your journey meant to you? 
  • When and how has God made you whole? 
  • Testimony can be about the time when you came to faith, although it doesn't have to be.
  • Testimony is, simply put by bishop Ken Carter, speaking honestly of ourselves to God, and speaking honestly about God to others.
  • Testimony isn't about fixing someone else. 
  • Testimony isn't about getting someone else to behave in a certain way. 
  • Testimony is about offering how the speaker has been changed. 

The evangelist Luke tells us in Acts 1:8 that some of the last words of Jesus were, "you will be my witnesses." So I challenge you, and open the door for you to offer your testimony so that we might all see the goodness, the grace, and the power of our Lord.

Christian Practice Bibliography

3/14/2014

 
In no particular order, here are four good books on the Christian life. I'm using them in my current sermon series on Christian practices. Any one of these would make for a great personal or group study. 


Picture
Marjorie J. Thompson. Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life. 

Thompson's book is best if you need to start from scratch with your spiritual life, or are looking to overhaul things for a fresh start. She's accessible, draws from a wide range of sources, and comprehensive. 

Picture
Richard Foster. Celebration of Discipline. 

A classic work. Foster's work has a little harder edge to it and is not for the faint of heart. He's like a really tough personal trainer who gets in your face. But for those who persevere it will reap rewards. 

Picture
Diana Butler Bass. Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith. 

This work points to how these traditional practices can renew a congregation. With a bit more political point of view, she integrates well the inner and outer aspects of Christian practice. 

Picture
Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. A Way of Life in the World: Spiritual Practices for United Methodists. 

Carter is the former pastor down the road at Providence UMC, and now the bishop of the Florida Conference. Carter has a talent for making things clear. This book is the best at articulating a specifically Wesleyan approach to spirituality. 

    About this blog

    Read the latest thoughts on the ministries of St. Andrew's UMC as well as devotionals and generally interesting tales. 

    Archives

    January 2017
    November 2016
    November 2014
    October 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012

    Categories

    All
    Bible Study
    Books
    Caring
    Christmas
    Dan
    Football
    Giving
    Joel
    Leadership
    Learning
    Music
    Neighborhood
    Outreach
    Spiritual Gifts
    Spirituality
    Vbs
    Video
    Welcome
    Worship

    RSS Feed