An Article for the Church Newsletter...about Sabbath

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

I hope this edition of our newsletter finds you well. I am continually amazed how fast time flies: how can we possibly find ourselves in July? Clearly, we must relish every moment of our lives and not let the things that need to be done remain undone! However, we must also find time to rest in God, to savor the beauty of the Creator’s work amongst us, and to enjoy being human. The balance between work and rest, between struggle and Sabbath, is a place of equilibrium that we, as Americans, tend to wrestle with more than other cultures. Our fight with the demon of busyness is often brought to the fore during the summer months: the mercury rises, causing us to want to slow down, the days are longer, providing more opportunity to be together in our neighborhoods, and yet, between our time at work, privacy fences, and the smart phones that surround many of us (I do love my new iPhone!) it is so easy for us to miss what God is doing around us, to forget to rest and to renew, and Sabbath, that we wither in the heat of life.

The Sabbath is vital to who God has made us to be and to become. If we truly believe that if we cease our work for one day a week, than the world will stop functioning without us, than we have made ourselves and our busyness into an idol. Yahweh is pretty clear about his feelings regarding idols. Our God dreams for us to be whole, fully integrated and balanced creatures. How can we become what God dreams for us if we never stop to listen for God? How can we find the peace that Christ promises us if we don’t trust God enough to rest, as he commands us to do?

You know, the Holy Spirit will move where she will. I am mostly greatful for that! My intent for this column was something entirely different, content-wise, than what it has become! If you are feeling out-of-balance these days, perhaps God’s calling you to reexamine your life in light of the Sabbath. There are at least two moral/theological documents that most of us produce: our budgets and our calendars. Take some time this summer, examine both of these documents and see if they really reflect what you believe, who you are, and, more importantly, who God is calling you to become! If these documents disappoint you: DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Friends, time flies. Our time is, quite possibly, the most important gift we have, though, if we are to be honest, we ought to admit that it really isn’t ours to begin with. Before our very eyes, the seasons of our lives move forward and we find ourselves joined into the “endless line of splendor” as Wesley says. What will you do with this and the remaining seasons of your life?

Perhaps this summer would be a good time for a little Sabbath and reflection upon what God is calling you to become? Equally as important, the Sabbath is a day that reflects what the coming Reign of God will look like in its fullness. How would your life look if you lived in the reality of the coming Kingdom of God, a place where lions and lambs lay down together, where everyone has enough, where there is no more war, or hunger, or violence and abuse? How can you participate in what God is doing in this regard? How would living into this reality change who you are and how you live and treat others?

Our Jewish sisters greet one another with a beautiful phrase when the weekly observance of Sabbath begins: Shabbat Shalom. This beautiful, God-kissed phrase translates into English as Sabbath harmony, or Sabbath peace. My prayer for you this summer is for Shabbat Shalom! Have a blessed July, friends! I look forward to seeing you soon!

Grace and peace,

Rev. Joe Stobaugh

An easy opportunity to help two families in need!

Hello friends!

I hope all is well! Yesterday I had the chance to chat with a friend of mine who works for a Christian social service agency. During the course of our conversation, she told me about two families that she is currently working with and some of their needs. God has provided us with a great opportunity to help two families who need a little bit of assistance!

These families, led by two single mothers, together have nine children. The mothers, who are identical twins, are both making the transition from shelters in Dallas to their own homes. The children did not live with them in the shelters but are now thrilled to be with their mothers! Both moms have full-time jobs (that have no benefits) and have not asked for assistance. Friends, they have very little in the way of basic items for their homes, and by little, I mean that they have a roof over their heads and two blow-up beds. They have nothing, no pillows, sheets, towels, cups, silverware, tables, chairs., etc.

So, any kind of household items imaginable are needed! They don't have to be new. They can be items that you have multiple copies of, or that you need to clean out of your home. The children, several of whom are straight-a students, don't have any books or toys. Below you will find a list of items these families need. If you can help, please contact me and I will come and get these materials or arrange for someone to pick them up from you and deliver them to the agency in Dallas.

Friends, God has blessed us richly so that we can bless others!!! Now is the time to return to God what is God's, to love your neigbhor as yourself! Please let me know how you can help!

Items needed:
KITCHEN
Plates
Silverware
Glasses
Pots & pans
Dish towels
Pot holders
Kitchen utensils
2 non-electric can openers
Big bowls
Food storage containers
Small kitchen table and chairs
or children's picnic table
Beginners cookbooks
2 dishpans

BATHROOM
Towels
Wash cloths
Bath mats
Shower curtains

BEDROOM
Sheets-any size
Pillow cases-regular size
Pillows-regular size
Blankets-any size
Small Chest of Drawers
Plastic Bins to Store Clothes

MISC.
Laundry bags or baskets
2 brooms
2 mops
Sponges
Cleaning supplies
Laundry detergent
Band-aids
Toys for kids 20 months-8 yrs old
Balls to play with outside

FOOD
Any canned or boxed foods.

BIBLES
Adult- easy to read, big print
Childrens' Bibles

CAR SEATS
4 regular carseats
5 booster seats

NASA is headed back to the moon

I came across this article tonight from cnn.com:
http://tinyurl.com/l5wfr6
NASA is headed back to the moon! I'm excited to see any news coming out of NASA at all these days, none-the-less exploratory trips to the moon! Any thoughts?

Monday Morning at Annual Conference

At this moment I am sitting in the opening session of 2009 North Texas Annual Conference gathering in the Plano Center, in Plano, Texas. I am growing to love Annual Conference! Even with all of our challenges as United Methodist's, we can do amazing things! A report was just given regarding the status of Africa University (in Zimbabwe): what God is doing there is INCREDIBLE!!! Our conference set a goal two years ago of raising a million dollars to build a student health facility on campus. While the original goal was set to be completed in one year (it took us two years to complete the goal) the building will be opened in July! We just heard that this facility, once completed, will be the largest and most comprehensive health facility in the country of Zimbabwe! This is, of course, a wonderful and sad thing!
THe wonderful piece however, is that the North Texas Conference was able to do this! What a testament to connectionalism! We can do so much more together than we could individually!
God is good and faithful!

A Quote from Mother Teresa

A big thanks to my colleague in ministry, Todd Mead, for sending me this quote:
"I am but a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world."
--Mother Teresa