The Power of Invitation

It’s amazing to me that in an age where we can tweet anything, post stuff on Facebook, and “Google it” that the number one way to get people to church remains invitation.  People come to church because someone invited them to church!  It’s simple, it’s easy, but sometimes it is down right terrifying.  There are times when the thought of inviting someone to church just scares us!  We look at our invitation cards and begin saying things to ourselves like, “What if my neighbor says no, what if the person I work with is offended when I ask, what if a friendship is made awkward by inviting someone to church?”  Honestly, all that could happen!  It could, but it’s not likely to happen.  People are waiting to be invited!  The people in our lives want to know that they matter-they matter to us and they matter to God.    

The Christmas season is an incredible time of the year to invite people to church.  Perhaps more than any other time of the year people are nostalgic, open, seeking and so it’s a great time to step out in faith and invite people to church!  We’ve been passing out invitation cards and want to encourage you to use these to invite your friends, neighbors, coworkers, family members, and people you meet to one of our four Christmas Eve Services, Tuesday December 24th.   On the Delhi Campus we have services in the sanctuary at 7pm (family focus), 9pm, and 11pm, and on the Price Hill Campus we will be having a service at 7pm.  All of our services will be candle light services!  This week I want to challenge you to think about the people you know who don’t have a home church and take the bold step of inviting them to come to church.  It could change a life: yours and theirs.  

On mission with you, 

Pastor Rachel 

Hope after Sandy Hook

It’s hard to believe, but this Saturday we will remember the one year anniversary of the school shooting that rocked a nation.  Last December, lone gunman Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and opened fire on children, teachers, and administrators.  When all was said and done, 20 small children, 6 adults, and Lanza’s mother were dead.  Walking through the Advent and Christmas season, it was hard not to think of the slaughter of the Innocent that Herod order in Matthew 3.  Herod, angry with the wise men for not returning to the palace after their visit with Jesus, decides to kill all children under the age of two years old.  It’s callous, it’s random, and it’s senseless.  Sandy Hook is and was all those things.  Thinking about the town, the school, those parents, those families got me to thinking about just how difficult it is to have hope during this time of the year.  Even though Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, many people find the holidays to be anything but hopeful.  Maybe it’s because they have lost someone they love, maybe it’s because a relationship has been severed, divorce papers have been signed, pink slips have been issued, or a diagnosis has been announced.  What ever the reason, many people find themselves surrounded by utter darkness and depression.  If this is you, you are not alone!  There is hope!  Do not hide in your darkness, do not place a barrier between yourself and people, but allow yourself to experience God’s glorious light.  If this is you, there is an online grief resource I want to encourage you to check out called “grief share.”  You can find out more about grief share groups, events, and even receive daily encouraging emails.  GriefShare’s website is www.griefshare.org  This is the most complicated time of the year, a time when we are reminded of those things we have lost, but also a time we remember the gift of Jesus that we have gained.  It’s during this Christmas and Advent season that God brings to my attention the names and situations of many who have lost loved ones over the last several years, and I spend extra time praying for those persons to experience God’s love, grace, and peace.  Know that your pastor is praying for you and asking God to gift you with God’s peace.  I’m also praying for Sandy Hook, the school, the community, and the families.  I’m praying for signs of hope.  

On Mission with you, 

Pastor Rachel 

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

From the Tree and Wreath Sale to the Live Nativity, it is really beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at Shiloh!  In the midst of all of our hustle and bustle, we can forget to participate in the incredible events that are happening at Shiloh!  These experiences help prepare us to be ready for the Birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Are you ready?  I’m not asking if your shopping is done or you have decided when you are getting together with your friends and family for Christmas.  I am asking if you are ready for Jesus to show up in your life, and not just your life, but for Jesus to show up and change the world.  Here are some of the things happening at Shiloh to help get us ready:

Weekend of December 14/15

Dude You Hear What I Hear? This year’s Children’s Christmas Play is Saturday, December 14, at 5:30pm, and Sunday, December 15, at 11am.  For months our kids have been readying themselves to share with us the good news of Jesus‘ birth.  On Saturday, there will be a Birthday Party for Jesus following the play. 

Live Nativity Do you like animals?  Do your kids or grandkids?  Then come out to the live nativity on Saturday, December 14, from 6pm to 9pm.  Not only will you experience a live version of Jesus‘ family, but you will also have the opportunity to watch the Christmas Play or even participate in Stations of the Crib!    

Stations of the Crib Created as a parallel experience to The Stations of the Cross, Stations of the Crib is an extremely powerful and prayerful way to experience the birth story of Jesus.  The Stations are open on Saturday, December 14, from 1pm to 9 pm.   

Christmas Eve Services 

Delhi  This year’s Christmas Eve Services will all be held in the Sanctuary!  There is a family service with kid participation at 7pm (we still light candles!) Two Traditional Candle Light services at 9 pm and 11pm.  Child care is provided at 7pm and 9pm.     

Price Hill  We will be having a Candle Light Service at 7pm in Price Hill!  

Christmas Eve Service is a great opportunity to invite your friends, your neighbors and your coworkers to church!  Postcard invitations can be picked up at either location beginning this weekend!  

Church, are you ready?  Are you ready for the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?  If not, let’s get ready together! 

On Mission with you, 

Pastor Rachel 

Stepping into the Call

When God begins to whisper a call in your life, it is an amazing feeling!  Suddenly you are face to face with the reality that the God of the Universe has chosen you for God's world-changing purpose.  Honestly, that's incredible and overwhelming.  But it's not enough to merely hear the call of God, you have to do something about it!  You have to take the next step!  This weekend you heard Pastor Danny Drummond talk about his call into ministry.  In January, Danny will be attending The West Ohio Conference's Candidacy Summit.  It's an opportunity for Danny to take his next step toward becoming a local licensed pastor in The United Methodist Church.  Although this next step will include spiritual and educational requirements for Danny, it will not change his role or position here at Shiloh.  In other words, he's not going anywhere!  We have the priviledge of being part of helping shape Danny into the pastor God is calling him to be.  But Danny isn't the only one on staff stepping into their call as pastor.  

Pastor Brent Dearnell is shifting, "changing seats" here at Shiloh.  For the last 6 years Brent has served as the Pastor of Youth and Young Adults.  Brent's leadership and passion for ministry has not only changed the lives of many young people, but has really shaped the direction of our church.  Brent is an incredible leader, and wants nothing more than to do God's Kingdom work!  In September 2012, our church participated in a 3-year visioning process that named Adult Discipleship as one of the main areas of growth needed and necessary for Shiloh to fulfill it's mission of 'claiming our community and the city of Cincinnati for Jesus Christ.'  Brent very prophetically asked 'what are we going to do about it?'  That is when Brent and I, along with the SPPRC (Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee), decided to expand Brent's role as Associate Pastor to include Adult Discipleship.  Brent will serve as the Director of Discipleship, including all persons: children, youth, and adults.  He will be asking the quesiton, "how do we help people become fully submitted followers of Jesus Christ?"  Since Brent's role is shifting and Shiloh is absolutely committed to the sucess of youth ministry, we will be hiring a new Director of Youth Ministries in June.  This person will be committed full time to investing in our youth and helping our youth become fully submitted followers of Jesus Christ!  Brent is stepping into his calling!  It's amazing, church, to see these young men experience the power of God's call on their lives.   

But it's not just Danny and Brent.  It's you, too!  How are you stepping into God's call on your life?  Stepping into a call implies movement.  So what next steps do you need to take?  If you want to talk about next steps, feel free to talk to me, Pastor Danny or Pastor Brent about God's call on your life. 

On Mission with you, 

Pastor Rachel 

Christmas Is Not Your Birthday

Although the mad dash to Christmas has already begun, this year’s Black Friday spend frenzy is going to be crazier than ever.  Many stores are not only following last year’s trend of actually opening the late evening of Thanksgiving, but many are opening for those elusive deals as early as 6pm!  Which means-- as people are gathering with family and friends to eat a meal, they are also calculating how to get their holiday shopping done early.  I can just picture it, Dad’s cutting into the Turkey and we are urging him to hurry because Walmart is almost open!  It is totally wrecking the rest and relaxation of Thanksgiving Day!  Not to mention the thousands of people who are forced to work even earlier or later on Thursday!  ‘Tis the season, right?‘  Actually no!  Advent-those 4 weeks leading up to Christmas Day- and Christmas are seasons in the church purposed to help us prepare for the birth of Jesus!  Jesus, Immanuel, God with us came to this earth and moved into our neighborhood so that we could experience real life transformation throughout the world.  It wasn’t about savings and Santa!  The birth of Jesus was about changing the world!  This Christmas, instead of treating Christmas like it’s your birthday (even if it is), I want to challenge you to focus on others: spend more time with your family and friends, enjoy the benefits of deep relationships, come to church, and give to others.  This year we have a couple ways that you can give to others and be the difference in someone’s life:

The Christmas Shop:  This year we will be partnering with over 20 families on December 7 at the Delhi Campus to give families the opportunity to shop for Christmas.  Not only are we in need of donations for the shop but we also need servants to help serve the day of the event.  We especially need personal shoppers (people to help families shop) and a couple of adults to help with children’s activities.  We will have activities for the children while parents shop.  In addition to shopping, families will enjoy a meal and be invited to attend Saturday Night Worship!  

Imagine No Malaria:  United Methodists world-wide are participating in this campaign to eradicate Malaria.  Over the next three years, Shiloh will be saving lives through something as simple as mosquito netting and medication.  We urge you to give generously to the Imagine No Malaria campaign because each contribution literally saves lives.  We will be taking donations to Imagine No Malaria through Christmas Eve.  So write a check to Shiloh United Methodist Church and write in the memo Imagine No Malaria or go to our website: www.shilohumc.com and click on the WeShare icon to give to the campaign online.   

Christmas is not our birthday!  So let’s not focus on the chaos of overspending, but rather let’s invest our time and our resources on things that really make a difference in our lives and the lives of others.  Be the difference!  

On mission with you, 

Pastor Rachel   

We Can Do It

In 1993, while in Washington DC, I purchased a t-shirt that really became my mantra for life, "We Can Do It!"  It was a replica of a World War II propaganda poster encouraging women who were part of the ever-growing workforce to support the war. This J. Howard Miller original reminds me of the strength and determination of many of the women in my life.   Many of those women of strength have been women in the church and particularly United Methodist Women.    For 150 years, the United Methodist Women have been “fostering spiritual growth, developing leaders and advocating for justice.”  In other words, these women are serious about mission!  They have dedicated themselves to fighting for the causes of women, children, and orphans throughout the world!  Every UMW event is focused on raising funds for mission!  In October, with our Rummage Sale, $2340 was raised for mission.  And just last week 56 vendors gathered for the annual Christmas Boutique.  In December, the UMW will have their annual Christmas Dinner, Thursday, December 5, at The Meadows.    ALL of the women in the church are invited to be a part of this year's Christmas Dinner.   Our United Methodist Women are hard at work dedicating themselves to the cause of Jesus Christ!  If you are interested in becoming a part of the United Methodist Women, please contact UMW President Janet Klem at 251-5015.   The UMW is a legacy of Christ-centered strength!  

We Can Do It, 

Pastor Rachel  

Why School Changed My Life

Dear Educators, Teachers, Administrators, School Staff, and Coaches:

Maybe I didn’t walk your halls, perhaps you never taught me to read, maybe you didn’t have to pick up the mess I left in the cafeteria, or even discipline me when I got rowdy riding the school bus, but someone just like you did. I spent my educational years being encouraged, mentored, and taught by the best. Some teachers, others administrator, still others school staff and coaches. These men and women invested in me, and I recognize just how their words of encouragement changed my life. Miss Hilbert ignited in me a love for writing, Mrs. Maxson a love for teaching, Mr. Woodward a passion for History, Mrs. Morris the belief that I could achieve anything, Mrs. Cunningham a desire for creativity, Mr. Saxton a dream for my future, and many many more. I grew up in place once described to me as “a thin slice of life.” Opportunities didn’t necessarily abound, and yet from a very early age I understood that education mattered. Why? Because it mattered to you! You planted within my heart a desire to learn. With your passion and dedication to the art of learning, you ignited within me a flame that has never died. Although it’s been years since I’ve walked through the halls of a primary or secondary school, I never stopped learning. Learning was the one way, the one avenue I had to experience transformation in my life. God’s dream for my life could be fulfilled because of the doors that were opened to me through a love for learning. That love for learning was planted by you, or at least in me by people like you. I imagine that you have kids in your classrooms, kids roaming your halls, kids sitting in your cafeteria with dreams for their lives, and you hold within your hand the key to their future. You can unlock within them a love for learning. But we have to do our part. This week, those living within the Oak Hills School District will be voting on a levy. As a parent of an Oak Hills student I can’t help but think about how important you are in her life, and how important you will be in the lives of her brothers. I think about how education has changed since I started school over 25 years ago-the pressure, the testing, the expectations, the requirements. Things are different and yet even though education has changed, your influence over the lives of young people hasn’t. You can change lives. I am praying for you this week, and I am encouraging my church family to pray for you as well. We are praying that as people vote they too think about the future of our community and the dreams of our children. I know it’s a lot of pressure being an educator-holding within your hands the future of a new generation, but I suspect you are up for the challenge. I thank you for your passion, I thank you for your patience, and I thank you for changing the lives of student’s just like me.

 Praying for you,



 Rev. Rachel Billups