In Remembrance of You

For the next few weeks we’re delving into the topic of faith. Why do we have faith? Why should we have faith? What are the basics of our faith? Consider this a bit of a crash confirmation course (CCC for short). We think you’ll enjoy these questions and the discussions we will all have. But I wonder if you’re concerned about all of these why questions. They’ve not gotten any easier. In fact, they seem to be getting more and more personal. First why church, then why God, now why believe? Are we just questioning everything!?! Well… in a word, yes. But we’re not questioning anything for the sake of questioning. This is discipleship work! And I know it is because the disciples themselves asked Jesus many questions. “Who is the greatest?” “When will this take place?” “How should we pray?” This list goes on and on, but I want to show you a greater truth. You see, Jesus is our model for living in the world. Jesus modeled for us so many behaviors, and he did not stop here. When you look through the Gospels you might be surprised to see Jesus asked 307 questions (some say 305). So many of those questions were why questions, and many questions were given in response to questions someone else asked Jesus (Don’t you hate it when people do that?)! What I hope you’re thinking now is… why would Jesus ask questions? (I know… more questions). Doesn’t he know it all, already? Well, probably so. Though statements always convey authority—I know something and I’m gifting it to you. Questions, on the other hand, are something two or more people can hold together. If you share a question with someone, the two of you can work on it together. And when you figure it out together, you can celebrate together! That’s some pretty slick relationship practice Jesus is modeling. Any more questions? Pastor Stephan

In the United Methodist Church, ordination is understood as one “set aside by the Church for the specialized ministry of Word, Sacrament, and Order.” A person who believes they are “called” by God to enter full-time Christian ministry embarks upon years of discernment, guidance, and accountability. Generally a person speaks with their pastor, and their local church must affirm that they too believe an individual is called to Christian ministry. Likewise, the District and Conference must also affirm an individual’s call to ordained ministry. Ordinands must complete a four-year college degree and a Master of Divinity degree. After completing all educational requirements, a candidate for ordination who wishes to become an Elder must serve as a “provisional member” for at least two (2) years. Provisional membership is a “residency program” designed by the Annual Conference (generally the State in which one resides). The provisional member status is for the continued process of discernment for the individual and the denomination to affirm one’s calling to ministry. This discernment process includes writing and defending one’s theology, calling, and sermons before the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. Additionally, ordinands must successfully complete lengthy psychology exams. It takes a minimum of nine years from the time one embarks upon the process of ordination to completion. It is a massive undertaking to be an ordained clergy in the United Methodist Church and when one completes this process it deservedly should be celebrated. Thus, it is with enthusiasm and excitement that we celebrate our own Stephan Margeson as he has successfully completed all ordination requirements, and has been approved for ordination as an Elder in the United Methodist Church! Stephan’s Ordination service will take place this summer at the North Carolina Annual Conference in June. The date we at Front Street will celebrate Stephan’s ordination will be announced soon. In the meantime, please join me and congratulate Stephan for this huge lifetime achievement! In Christ’s Grip, Pastor Ray

Imagine this, you’re living in ancient Israel. Your town is small but it’s located along a busy pathway to Jerusalem. All around you are rolling, green hills scattered with rocks of varying sizes which, though annoying, have been useful in building most of the town’s houses and stables and a small house of worship. Just outside of town on the hillside is a flock of sheep being watched over by a shepherd with a long staff standing at the crest of the hill. Because of the town’s location there are always new people visiting. There’s a group of people who take turns at the town’s entrance welcoming strangers to stop for a rest and a cool drink of water. Hospitality is common place in here, but these people are odd. You’ve never understood why, but this group welcome strangers into town by washing the feet of every person—an act normally reserved for entering a home. Time passes and you’re invited to journey with a group to Jerusalem. As you enter into the city, the group you are traveling with outright ignores the clangs of bells and drapes of color in the market. They find their way to a large bath located in a small corner of the city. Once there, the priest of your town begins to talk about baptism, which you’ve heard him talk about many times over. This time though, it’s not an invitation to learn but instead to know. One after one the members of the group step into the pool on one side and emerge from the other where a new white robe is waiting for them. Finally, you step into those same waters… When you return to your small town there’s only one thing you want to do. You walk to the entrance of the town, kneel beside one of the people you once thought odd, and you welcome the next stranger into town as the dirt falls from their feet onto your new white robes. You think, “everyone should experience what it means to be loved like this.” -Pastor Stephan 

I frequently meet with congregation members about making funeral or memorial service arrangements, most often when a loved one has died, but sometimes in planning their own service. We talk about their preferences for songs, scripture, visitation or reception, and other elements of the service. We discuss facets of their lives which they have lived, as well as their walk with Christ. Often I ask, "What is the most important thing you have done in your life?" or "At the end of your life celebration, what are the most important things you want people to hear and remember about you?" These two questions are asked in an attempt for them to think about the kind of legacy they hope to leave behind. These two questions most individuals appeared to find difficult to answer. The simplest responses to these questions are usually my favorites: "I helped people," "I was a good parent," or "I was kind." All of these responses represent loving lifestyles. And isn't it the reason we're here? To use loving others to help bring earth closer to the kingdom of heaven? I wonder how much more purposefully we could leave a better legacy if we lived our lives with those two questions in mind. A friend a few years ago said, “When you die, would you rather have people talk about the great things you have done, or have them stand around your resting place telling great stories about you—who you were to them?” I know my answer. Let’s pray: Almighty God, We are grateful for the legacies left behind for us. Those legacies from our church, our families and friends, who have influenced and molded us into the people we are today. Help us live our lives in such a way, that we too can make a difference in others’ lives. Amen. -Pastor Ray

This is indeed a question many in our post-Christian world ask. Many don’t see the need for church, they perceive they have all they desire. However, studies show that people have a deep desire to connect to others, want loving, caring, close relationships with others and to whom they can turn in difficult times. Yet, they find it difficult to find places where those type relationships can develop and grow. Church is where we worship, celebrating what God is doing among us, going out to share what God is doing, and growing in deep relationships with one another. David and Anna are a wonderful, young couple who give of their time and worship here at Front Street and find themselves in a tremendously difficult situation. How will we respond as a people of God? Many of you may know the Merrill Family, David, Anna, and Caid. David grew up at Front Street with his parents Ellen and Keith. David attended youth group and went through confirmation at Front Street. David and Anna married at Front Street in 2014 and their family grew in 2017 with the birth of their son Kincaid (Caid) who was baptized at Front Street. Caid attends Front Street’s Afterschool program and is making lots of friends in the church. In February of 2019, David became ill and sought testing at the Mayo Clinic and then Duke to seek answers. He was initially diagnosed with neurogenetic pots and ataxia. When his health continued to decline more tests were run, and Anna and David received the shattering news that David had a progressive form of early-onset Alzheimer’s. To say they were devastated is an understatement. David’s disease continued to progress, and he began to have seizures and hallucinations. In January of 2023, he was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. In their most recent doctor’s appointment, they learned that David has gone from stage 4 to stage 5 in six months. There are 6 stages of this dreadful disease. Anna, a teacher at the hospital school at Duke Hospital, is David’s primary caregiver. During the day, she cares for students who have complex care and multiple handicaps. She is as passionate for her students as she is for her family. David cannot be at home alone because of the seizures and passing out. Anna is in a constant state of worry, but you can’t tell it by the beautiful smile that is always on her face. Her church family, friends, family, and faith are getting her through this tough time. With everything that the Merrill's are dealing with, they continue to trust in God and greatly appreciate the help from their church family. There are several ways that you can show love to Anna and David. They covet your prayers first and foremost. If you want to do more, you can take them a meal or purchase something from their Amazon wish list . If you want to donate money to help cover their medical expenses or help pay for Caid to attend summer day camp/ afterschool at Front Street, contact Tammy Page or Melissa Miller . You can find the Merrill’s most Sunday mornings sitting in the back of the sanctuary at the 11 o’clock worship service, and then in the Heritage Center enjoying the fellowship of their church family. Go say hi to them. You won’t regret it! Grace and Peace, Ms. Melissa

Front Street’s Fresh Mobile Market ministry is making a difference in the community. The following is feedback from one of the clients of the ministry. What attending the Fresh Mobile Market meant to her: " Yesterday was our first visit. We got a notice from the social worker at school (Newlin) and were very excited about the “fresh from the garden” aspect. I was also glad to see it listed on the weekly United Way food pantries calendar so I can look for it again in the future. I am the grandmother of 3 boys and I was picking up the food to drop off at their house. Their mom (our daughter, “B”) is at boot camp and our other daughter (“O”) is living with them and parenting them for now. Daughter O has been stressed about spending too much of B’s money on groceries while B is gone. She has already gone through their food stamps for the month. O has been cooking a lot and introducing the boys to new meals and fresh ingredients. They love it and are thriving! So, I was absolutely delighted to drop off the huge boxes of REAL food for them! I photographed the squash and the fruit to send them pics, I was so excited for them! What I really liked about the food from you and the way I described it to the family is, “this looks like stuff you would steal from your mom’s kitchen! And so much gorgeous fresh bread, I feel like Jean Val Jean!” Real fresh food and bread bagged up in zip locks like it was made just for us! I also really appreciated the traffic direction, both when I first pulled in the parking lot and then as the cars merged at the actual pickup spot. Thank you to everyone involved! It was cold out there yesterday (January 17, 2024) and we appreciate you!! " The children, military moms, grandparents, and many others in the community is why we do Fresh Mobile Market. This ministry is touching lives and giving hope to many families. Fresh Mobile Market is held on the third Wednesday of each month at Northside Presbyterian Church across from Eastlawn Elementary School. Volunteers are needed to pack food, load cars, and direct traffic. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, you may sign up to participate at www.frontstreetumc.org/C4C. For additional information on this ministry, contact Melissa at melissa@frontstreetumc.org. And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’ -Matthew 25:40

Do you still have your gift from Epiphany Sunday? That simple little metal string that’s used to pull lights on and off is a reminder of something not so simple. It’s a testament to the powerful truth that you and I have the opportunity to let the light of revelation work within us and around us. It reminds us that we are looking for AHA! moments where we understand more fully the truth of this word and God. But HOW we accomplish that is still unfolding. WHAT we do next is still being defined. WHEN and WHERE? Those are great questions too! I have a strong suspicion that those things will come to us easily as we wrestle with this question of WHY. While we ask honestly “why?” and if we listen well, I believe we will discover our purpose (maybe new or maybe for the first time) and our relation (we’re more connected than we might realize). We’ve just started this journey, but at the same time we’ve already come so far! Just by asking the question we’re engaging God in a brand new way, and if I know anything about God I know God is all about creating new things of heaven and of earth! -Pastor Stephan

Can you believe that Christmas 2023 has come and gone? How did things go for your holidays? I must tell you about a friend of mine who had some folks over for Christmas Eve lunch. This friend of mine is a great cook. One of the things that is so unbelievable about her cooking is that she often cooks for many people and her food is always so very, very good. One of the dishes that she is known for, her specialty, is her homemade chicken pot pie. She decided that she would make this scrumptious dish for her family and friends for their Christmas Eve meal. Because she knew that she would be very, very busy on Christmas Eve, she mixed up her famous pie on the night before (December 23). When she left for church on Christmas Eve morning, she put her chicken pot pies in the oven to cook. After church she arrived home to the wonderful aroma of her chicken pot pies her family loved so much. She promptly went to the oven to pull out her dishes. As she began to pull her chicken pot pies out of the oven, they looked odd. “What happened to my crust” was her puzzled thought. Dishing out a sampling of her dish to taste, she discovered her crust was a gooey dough, because it had sponged up juices from the chicken. She was frantic! Her family would be arriving any moment and what could she do? She told her husband that they would have to take everybody out to lunch that day, that she couldn't serve that awful dish. Then her children and husband tasted the tragic dish, only to find that it tasted - great! Still not convinced of the goodness of the dish, she persisted that the family and friends be taken to lunch. However, when her extended family arrived and heard of her cooking catastrophe, they insisted on tasting this new dish. They loved the new variation of chicken pie. No it didn't taste like “normal” chicken pot pie, but it certainly tasted delicious. So they all sat down at a wonderful family lunch, with a new dish and great fellowship! They shared Christmas Eve eating, sharing, and exchanging gifts. What more could you ask for family and loved ones being together? So... sometimes what you might think a tragedy, could actually be something good. Think about a baby born in a feeding trough. Some would say "how awful." But looking back as we can now, what a grand plan for all of human kind. Turning tragedies into triumphs is Jesus Christ’s specialty! -Pastor Ray

Friends, I know 2023 is not over and you are still excitedly waiting for Lessons and Carols and Christmas Eve! What a wonderful time that will be. However, there are some exciting things being planned for 2024, and I just can’t wait to tell you about them! Instead of just individual sermons… and rather than spending time with a simple series of sermons on the same topic… in 2024 we will be spending the ENTIRE YEAR with a single focus! During the entirety of 2024 we will be asking the question “WHY?” There isn’t a better question in life than why. Why questions reveal two things: (1) they point us to purpose, and lead us to understand why something is the way that it is; and (2) they teach us about relation, and how we are connected to something. It’s these types of questions and revelations we want to discover in 2024. The first season of our year-of-WHY will be learning from the question, “Why Church?” Join us on January 7th as that question “WHY?” begins to unfold. Pastor Stephan