What Resolution?

It’s been a while since January!  Although I find myself dreaming of January  temperatures, it’s hard to remember all of the things that I resolved to do on January 1, 2013: get in better shape, drink 8 glasses of water a day, read 25 books, and the list goes on and on.  Perhaps one of the most challenging items on my list was something that we resolved to do together-read the Bible in a Year!  Now many of us are still reading, others have found themselves falling behind, and others have given up all together.  But just like moving toward improved health, it’s never to late to start!  Even if you haven’t been reading your Bible, even if you are REALLY behind, I want to challenge you to begin again.  Don’t feel like you have to start over, just begin were you are.  Right now we are reading in the book of Jeremiah.  Jeremiah is one of the major prophets in the Old Testament and has some really tough stuff that he has to say to God’s people.  It’s interesting!  Soon we will start Mid-Week Bible Study- Thursday, September 19 at 7pm.   We will gather in the sanctuary to learn more about Jeremiah and many other Old Testament Prophets, and then on to the New Testament!  If you haven’t been to Mid-Week you should check it out.  It’s a great way to learn more about the Bible: 40 minutes of teaching and 15 minutes of questions and answers.  Life groups will be begin again and our Disciple I Bible study will be finishing up in October and another Disciple Bible Study will be offered in January 2014.   So pick up your Bible, grab a Bible Reading Plan (there are copies in the Gathering Space or in the Church Office), and recommit to that New Year’s Resolution that may seem like a distant memory.  The Year’s not over!  It’s not to late to have some victory!  Church, reading and reflecting on God’s word has the power to change our lives!  

Blessings, 

Pastor Rachel   

Back to School

Many of us remember the anxiety we felt as we anticipated that first day of school.  From butterflies in the stomach to pure dread, you could say that the years brought forth a mixture of emotions.  What if my friends weren’t in my class?  What if I couldn’t handle this semesters schedule?  What if I forgot to bring my lunch?  These questions and many more filled our minds.  But it seems there are a new set of questions-some involving security, some involving curriculum, and even some the future of education in the U.S.   Perhaps that’s a parent’s perspective.  But whether you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or a concerned citizen, we realize that education is important!  Education shapes our perspective, our worldview, and it gives us a hope for future.  With the return of school I can’t help but think about the future.  The future that teachers, administrators, school board members, mentors, parents, and leaders are investing in--our kids!  It’s also our job as the church to invest in these future generations.  One of the ways that we have committed to investing in our kids is to pray for them.  From prayer during Vacation Bible School to the start of the school year, we want to pray for our kids!   So, on weekend of September 7th & 8th we will be praying over our kids and this 2013-2014 school year.  It’s the blessing of the backpacks.  We want to encourage your kids to bring their backpacks to one of our weekend services: Saturday Night at 5:30pm, Sunday at 9:30am or 11:00am.  Yes, we will bless the backpacks, but more than just blessing the backpacks, we will be praying over our kids.  Prayers for their safety, prayers for focus, and prayers for an incredible school year.  This is a great way to get this school year started!  So come to worship on the weekend of September 7th & 8th and invest in future generations!  

Blessings 

Pastor Rachel 

The Bigger Picture

Sometimes it’s easy to get so focused on our own lives, our own stuff, and even our own drama that we miss the bigger picture.  We are part of something larger than ourselves.  The same kind of self-focus is true for the church.  It’s easy to get so wrapped up in what God is doing in a single location and forget God’s work throughout our community, city, nation, and world.  You may not realize it, but as a United Methodist Church we are part of a larger network of churches (over 8 million people) throughout the world!  United Methodism is our brand, it’s the branch of the movement of Jesus Christ that we are a part of, and although there is a lot of diversity throughout the world when it comes to Methodism, it’s part of our bigger picture.  

Since Methodism shapes who we are, it’s important to know a few things about this network of churches.  For example, Did you know we are part of The West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church?  Geographically The West Ohio Conference makes up 58 of the 88 counties in Ohio; it includes Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo, Dayton, and Marietta, and incorporates nearly 1100 churches!  Within the West Ohio Conference there are 8 districts and we are a part of the Ohio River Valley District.   United Methodist churches in Hamilton, Warren, Clinton, Clermont, and Butler Counties come together to form the Ohio River Valley District.  We certainly are not alone in claiming our community and the city of Cincinnati for Jesus Christ!  

Since we are connected, it’s important to name and see this part of our bigger picture.  How do we see it?  Next weekend we will have the honor of meeting our new Assistant District Superintendent, Reverend Doug Johns. Rev. Johns will be preaching on Saturday Night, August 24th at 5:30pm and Sunday, August 25th at 9:30am & 11:00am.  It’s a great opportunity for us to welcome Rev. Johns and to catch a glimpse of our bigger picture! 

We are United Methodists.  It’s our brand, our movement, and our part of the larger body of Christ.  Church, that’s the whole picture- all of us together no matter what church we come from- we are all part of the body of Jesus Christ!  

Blessings, 

Pastor Rachel 

   

We Are Family

We Are Family

In 1979 Sister Sledge released the hit dance song, “We are Family.”  This catchy tune is a reminder that family is more than just biology, it’s more than the people that share your DNA, family is a reality that crosses social, economic, and political structures.  Family is such a strong word that drums within us emotional responses.  Sometimes when we think of family our hearts are flooded with joy-filled memories and then there are moments where the term family tears open a wound.  Family is complicated, but one of the greatest realities of the word “family” is a spiritual one.  From the Old Testament to the New, we Christians embrace our identity as members of the family of God.  We are family.  Perhaps one of the most profound examples of being family is the early church.  As people started following Jesus a new family reality began to emerge.  A reality where widows were taken care of, children that were abandoned adopted in, and the poor and powerless embraced.  No longer were religious people concerned with DNA and biology, now they embraced a family marked by the waters of baptism.  Baptism, not biology became the marker of what it meant to be part of the family of God.

This week as I have embraced the newest member of the Billups’ family, I am reminded of just how awesome and powerful it is to be part of the family of God.  Throughout this week, not only have I received hundreds of messages through cards, Facebook, email, and text, but also I have felt the prayers of my family.  It is incredible to be a part of the family of God right here at Shiloh Church!  Jon and I are grateful for your love and support during this time of new life in our lives!  And I am also incredibly grateful for the leadership of Shiloh Church, both our staff and also our lay leaders.  Everyday I am reminded of the gifts and passion of Pastor Brent, Pastor Danny, and Pastor Dorian and how they are giving their all to gift me with this time away.  As family I want you to know that I am praying for you daily and I ask you to pray for me, Jon, Adeline, Christopher, and Baby David.  We will need all the prayers you can send our way.  

Shiloh, we are family!  I thank God that I have such an incredible family at Shiloh Church!  

Blessings, 

Pastor Rachel