Standing Against Racism

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In this time of injustice and unrest, we are seeing a plethora of resources being shared to learn more about and stand up to racism.

The United Methodist Church has provided some great resources, practical and spiritual, that can help us learn more about allyship and action during the road ahead to protect our black and brown brothers and sisters in Christ.

The graphic shown here can be downloaded and used as a FB profile pic to show your solidarity.

Bishops United Against Racism

Bishops LaTrelle Easterling and Robert Farr discuss racism, the killing of George Floyd by the police and the protests happening across the US.  Listen to this episode of the Get Your Spirit in Shape podcast by clicking here.

Why Black Lives Matter: A Spiritual View

What is required of humanity to address the issues of mass incarceration, police brutality, and so many more?

#BlackLivesMatter!  A growing global movement of the same Twitter hashtag name addressing the civil and human rights of a new generation has been born. A 2016 piece from Rethink Church. Click here to read more.

Moving Toward the Pain

Erin Hawkins responds to the death of George Floyd. General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) website. Click here to read.

Compass Podcast: Speaking for What’s Right with Rob Lee

Rev. Rob Lee, a descendant of Confederate general Robert E. Lee and visitor to Church Street, talks to the Compass podcast about staying strong in the face of criticism around his outspoken support of #BlackLivesMatter. Click here to listen to the episode. 

Racial Justice Conversations Guide

Ideas about engaging with others in difficult, but important conversations on the topics of race, privilege, and inequality. Helpful resources and discussion questions for small groups, too. Click here to see this resource.

 

Ways United Methodists can stand against racism

Practical ways those in the UMC can act against racism. Click here for these resources.

 

United (Methodists) Against Racism

The United Methodist Church’s campaign to recognize racism as a sin, commit to challenge unjust systems of power and access, and work for equal and equitable opportunities in employment and promotion, education and training; in voting, access to public accommodations, and housing; to credit, loans, venture capital, and insurance; to positions of leadership and power in all elements of our life together; and to full participation in the Church and society. Check out the resources by clicking here.

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Holy Week Worship Online

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Though we won’t be able to join together in person during Holy Week, Church Street offers several offerings online that will honor these most important days of the Christian year: Jesus’s death and miraculous resurrection.

Our YouTube Channel is linked here. 

Holy Week Worship Opportunities:

+Stations of the Cross: A new display of 14 masterworks is available for your private viewing and spiritual meditation throughout Holy Week. Each painting depicts a gripping event in the final drama of Jesus’s life on earth. Premieres on Sunday, April 5 on YouTube.

+Holy Week Devotion: Live on Monday, join Pastor Palmer as she follows the lectionary with greetings, scripture from the daily lectionary, a short message, and prayer. On the Church Street Facebook Page at noon, and afterward on YouTube.

+Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday: Join us at 7 pm on Thursday, April 9 on our YouTube channel for a virtual communion table with our clergy. We encourage you to use items in your home already (do not go to the store and risk illness). Preferred items are grape juice and baked bread, but any juice or liquid, along with bread or crackers will work to take part in this spiritual practice.

+Good Friday Program: In remembrance of Christ’s Passion and death, this contemplative program will feature the Passion account from the Gospel of John read by Terri Ward, interspersed with organ chorales played by Edie Johnson. Premieres on Friday, April 10 at noon on YouTube.

+Easter Sunday Worship: Join us for worship on Sunday, April 12, as we celebrate the risen Lord! Premieres Sunday, April 12 at 10 am on YouTube.

+Daily Prayers: We hope you are enjoying Pastor Jan’s daily prayers. If you would like to receive them by email, contact communications@churchstreetumc.org.

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March 20: Church Street’s Response to COVID-19

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“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15

As a body of Christ, we are thankful and fortunate to have resources to continue our worship and work for the Lord, to have dedicated and prayerful members and staff to visit (limited) and call our most vulnerable, and to have so many arms that reach out into the community, even in times of crisis and uncertainty, to care for our neighbors who are hurting.

Church Street wants to stay connected with you and through you in new and creative ways during this time of social distancing and protecting ourselves and each other. Holston Conference Bishop Dindy Taylor issued a letter on March 18 that churches in the conference shall suspend all gatherings until further notice; therefore Church Street’s worship gatherings, Sunday School classes, and all other in-person meetings, activities, and events have been suspended indefinitely.

We are planning ahead for weeks, possibly months, apart and are happy to share the schedule below of how to connect with Church Street (this is evolving):

+ Worship will be shared each Sunday at 10 am online. These sessions, recorded each Thursday with individuals separately to adhere to social distancing guidelines, will honor our Sunday worship services as much as possible, with greetings, music, scripture, children’s moments, homily, prayer, and benediction all included. These will “premiere” on Sundays at 10 am on the Church Street Facebook Page and our website. Due to the visiting restrictions at WVLT, Rejoice! at 8 AM on Sundays will, for the foreseeable future, be previously aired content.

+ Devotion LIVE at Noon, each Monday & Thursday. These short scripture / homily messages will be shared each Monday and Thursday via our Facebook page using Facebook Live. To view, either tune in at noon on those days live and participate in the comments section, OR you can access the video after it has “aired” live using the links on our Connect webpage: https://churchstreetumc.org/connect. All you need is a prayerful heart, about 5-10 minutes, and an Internet connection.

+ Daily Prayer Guide. Pastor Jan is putting together beautiful daily prayers that help us connect to and pray for those amongst us who have joys and concerns. These prayers are sent to our Messenger email list each morning, and they are also posted to the webpage above and to our Facebook page.

If you do not have easy access to our online offerings, please contact communications@churchstreetumc.org so that we may help you receive a hard copy disc.

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God’s Grace is for All

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Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned—sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

 

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Children’s Sunday

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Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

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God Gave the Growth

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And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human?

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.

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Great Expectations

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When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

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Kingdom of Heaven

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Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

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The Lamb of God

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The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

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The Ballad of Baptism

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Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

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