We love because God first loved us. [1 John 4:19 CEB] I write this in the midst of Hurricane Ian, looking out the window of the parsonage as the winds are gusting and shaking violently the large tree in our backyard. The rains come and go. Sometimes it’s a drizzle and other times a driving force pelting the windows. And all the time I wonder if it will get worse than this. We still have power, so I try to distract myself by watching mindless TV shows and not the weather reports. But it is tough trying to keep my mind off what is going on outside. I would guess that this is the fifth major hurricane that the Rideout family has endured. But what is ironic is that when I think back on those storms, most of the memories are of people helping each other and performing acts of love and kindness as we struggled through the storm. After Hurricane Charley hit in 2004, dozens of majestic oak trees in Winter Park were toppled, some damaging homes and cars. But the next morning we saw neighbors banding together with chain saws, helping to remove the wreckage. In Hurricane Irma, we lost power. But one family from the church came by with their generator to loan us because they had power. After Hurricane Frances, one friend, who was a chef, came to the church and made omelets for those who came to the church for refuge. I assume the same will happen after Ian makes its journey through our area. What made this experience more bearable is the number of texts that our family received from church members, family, friends, and even Natalie’s work colleagues asking how we are doing. In times of troubles, even in the aftermath of storms, people lean on each other, showing love and kindness. And as Christians we know the source of this great love that can overcome the hurricanes of life. “We love because God first loved us.” #aplaceforgrace

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. [1 Timothy 2:1-2 NIV] The whole world is united in mourning the loss of a cherished leader, her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. As Americans, we are not accustomed to a tradition of a lineage of royal monarchs. Yet Scripture reveres those kings and queens who were also godly servants of the people and of the faith. King David, Queen Esther, King Solomon. Even Jesus is called a king, yet of a kingdom unlike any in this world. Royalty is a noble calling with great responsibility that very few in the Bible ever achieved. I did not appreciate the greatness of Queen Elizabeth until I watched the series “The Crown.” It is a historical chronology of the reign of the queen, starting even before her reign when she was a child. Elizabeth was not in the direct line to be queen, but she was thrust into the line of succession when King Edward VIII, her uncle, abdicated the throne. She became queen at the tender age of 26 after the death of her father. Yet, she lived up to the challenge. Her 70 years of monarchy encompassed many crises in the history of England and the Commonwealth. Throughout it all, she was a rock and an example for her people. An example of a Christ-like life. Her deep, personal Christian faith was an inspiration. In an address to the people in 2011 she stated, “Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves—from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person — neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Savior, with the power to forgive.” We pray at this time a prayer of gratitude for the life of servanthood that Queen Elizabeth shared with the world. She made her place in history, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. We also pray for the people of the United Kingdom, and for the queen’s family. We, along with the entire world, grieve her loss. And finally, we pray for Charles as he begins his reign as king. #aplaceforgrace

He (Jesus) told another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his field. It’s the smallest of all seeds. But when it’s grown, it’s the largest of all vegetable plants. It becomes a tree so that the birds in the sky come and nest in its branches.” [Matthew 13:31-32 CEB] How did Jesus announce the coming of the Kingdom of God? Smoke started spewing from the ground, angels on white horses darted across the heavens? Not at all. He simply stated in His very first sermon, a short, succinct message straight to the point: “The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news.” That was it. But what was this kingdom of God? Where was it? Where were the legions of armored warriors on horseback ready to smite the enemy? Jesus picked up a handful of mustard seeds and said, “The kingdom is like a mustard seed ..." Then He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." The Kingdom of God is simply wherever and whenever God’s rule is supreme. It is wherever love of God is foremost, His mercy and compassion. Where perfect justice exists. It is wherever people take a stand against the things that rule society—the callousness, the insensitivity, the hate, the spitefulness, the immorality, the materialism. It is also wherever people humble themselves to let God reign in their lives, so that this world can be what God created this world to be—a blessing. The kingdom is not yet complete, but we can see pockets of it all around us. To make His point about the kingdom, Jesus used ordinary things, commonplace items to try to describe this new Kingdom. It is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, yet it can grow to be the largest of garden plants. Not by our own doing, but through the work of God. It is like the yeast that a cook works through the dough. You cannot physically see it after it has been mixed in, but it is blended all through it. God uses the simple, everyday, ordinary items: mustard seeds, leaven, bread, wine—things sitting around us that we may not even take notice of, things we may even take for granted. But God uses them in powerful ways to achieve His purposes. Bread and wine are no longer just bread and wine, but a compelling reminder of the power of Christ’s sacrifice for us, to wash away our sins. We can think of ordinary and common people in our own lives who inspired and touched us. Names of people who only we may know. None of them were celebrities. More often than not, the saints are the ones walking among us, the ordinary. They are the people we see every day and mostly we take for granted until they are gone. They are people who were not especially gifted, yet are extraordinary because they humbled themselves to God. They let God use them so God’s powerful love and amazing grace could move mountains. Where is the Kingdom of God? Most likely it can be found among the commonplace and ordinary. That’s where we will find it. #aplaceforgrace

Learn to do good. Seek justice: help the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow. [Isaiah 1:17] In the church world, I have learned to appreciate baby steps. By this I mean that the Kingdom of God grows slowly, and often I feel like I am not making a big enough difference with leading people in closer to a relationship with God. Yet occasionally, we get the chance to be a part of something bigger than we could ever do on our own. St. Andrew's is part of an organization called HOPE . HOPE stands for Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality. It is comprised of 25 churches in our area that work together through their words, prayers, presence, and finances. When we support HOPE, we see the big impact of people coming together for something bigger than themselves. HOPE works hard to address issues of affordable housing, rent assistance, justice for juveniles, employment issues, health care, education reform, public transportation and even neighborhood improvement. HOPE is all about working toward justice and helping the oppressed who cannot help themselves. When we support HOPE, we are bringing justice to those in need. So here is the first way to help. Join a Listening Meeting to share the needs of your family, as well as the needs of your community. The results of these listening meetings will help HOPE determine where they will put their efforts in 2023. Later there will be an opportunity to participate (in person or online) with other church communities in the annual Nehemiah Action event, where HOPE leaders challenge our city officials to do their part for those who are disadvantaged and not receiving fair and just treatment. This is a fun night of energy and excitement to hear the officials agree that the problem of injustice must be shared by us all. It is a night to be part of a ministry that is far larger than we can do on our own, yet on a personal level we can still feel proud to have participated. Be sure to register for a Listening Meeting this September by clicking HERE . There are in-person and Zoom meetings to help accommodate as many people as possible. Be a part of something big. #aplaceforgrace #justiceministry #HOPE #beapartofsomethingbig

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. [Isaiah 43:2 NIV] "What exactly is going on in the United Methodist Church?" This question has been resounding through our church in the past months. Some of you may not even know that something is going on. And some of you are fully aware and want to know what St. Andrew’s UMC is planning to do. For the past few decades, our denomination has had some major disagreements on issues—the focal point being the issue of human sexuality. Should same-sex marriages be allowed in the UMC and should practicing homosexuals be allowed to become ordained? Over the past years, much has been done among all involved to try to come to an amicable agreement, but to no avail. So, in 2019, the General Conference, the legislative branch of the UMC, drafted the Protocol of Separation that would allow churches to disaffiliate or leave the UMC on this issue. The assumption being that the continuing UMC will strike any language about homosexuality from its Book of Discipline. The Protocol was to be voted on at the 2020 General Conference. But then you know what happened in 2020. The pandemic took center stage and so, the General Conference was postponed until 2022, and then 2024, and until then we are in limbo. But are things really in limbo? Yes. In a way, we are in a waiting game. But back in May, a group known as the Global Methodist Church who desires to leave the continuing UMC because of differing beliefs, was organized and launched. They are a more conservative denomination, who desires to uphold the traditional standards currently in the Book of Discipline on human sexuality. In an effort to be transparent with our congregation and provide unbiased info on the new developments, we had announced that a task force had been set up to address this situation and held a Q&A session with our District Superintendent Emily Hotho in June. A few things have transpired since then and we want to take a moment to provide answers to basic questions to help our church community understand what is currently taking place. Please know that we are just scratching the surface in addressing this complex state of affairs. First let's answer the question, "can a church just leave the UMC and join the GMC?" The answer is they are allowed “a gracious exit” if they follow a defined procedure. You see, the UMC is a connectional denomination, not a congregational denomination. One aspect of the UMC, that was established by John Wesley and is used by other denominations, is the “trust clause.” A church community does not own the church and its property, but is owned by the United Methodist Church overall. This was put into place so that a group of people within a church could not decide they wanted to leave the church and then take everything with them after the United Methodist Church had invested so much of their time and resources in founding and nurturing the church. In other words, the trust clause states that the congregation can leave, but they cannot take the building with them. Nevertheless, a process to leave the UMC was approved at the 2019 Conference (known as Paragraph 2553) so that churches could disaffiliate and not be bound by the trust clause, i.e., they could take the building and resources with them. In a nutshell, this involves paying their financial obligations, such as a share of the assessed value of the property, mission shares, and any unfunded pension liability. Recently we were made aware that there was a lawsuit of about 100 churches against the Florida Conference of the UMC to challenge the stipulations established for disaffiliated. The Florida Conference published a Q&A regarding this lawsuit. We are sharing the Q&A with you to help answer some questions you may have (click HERE ). Are there churches that have disaffiliated? Yes, there were 13 churches in the Florida Conference that were approved for disaffiliation. The decision to disaffiliate must be approved by a 2/3rd majority of its members at a called Church Conference. To clarify, a church does not need to vote to stay in the UMC, only to disaffiliate. However, if a church disaffiliates, that does not mean that they will join the Global Methodist Church. They may decide to become an independent church. Where does this leave St. Andrew’s? As stated back in June, the leaders of this church have decided to wait to see what happens at the 2024 General Conference. Things may change at that conference. Let me rephrase that … things most likely, WILL change at that conference, in my opinion. So, it will be premature to make any plans now. In the meantime, we have put together a task force of lay people, headed by our Church Council chair Alan Chastain, who will research and investigate thoroughly the circumstances to discern a clear picture of the situation, as well as dispel myths that have been floating around. They are also available to answer any questions you may have. You can submit your questions by clicking HERE . In the future, they will continue to communicate on a regular basis any information or clarifications that would help us at St. Andrew’s to understand more clearly what is before us. Where does St. Andrew’s stand on these prevailing issues? St. Andrew’s will continue to be the beacon of light at the corner of Bloomingdale and Bryan, making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. It will still lead people to know God and experience His grace through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by reaching people with love, creating Christian community, and serving others as followers of Christ. St. Andrew’s will do whatever it takes to continue its mission into the community and the world. This will not change. In this season of uncertainty, this community will know that God is with them. Even when we passed through the tumultuous waters of the pandemic, the rough rivers of a challenging economy, the myriad of changes, we were assured that we would not be swept away. As long as we are constant in prayer and look to our Heavenly Father, we can walk through the fires and not be set ablaze, as the prophet Isaiah wrote. With God’s help, we will endure and thrive. #aplaceforgrace

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. [Proverbs 12:18] I was watching an Andy Stanley video recently. Andy Stanley is an author and senior pastor of North Point Ministries, a non-denominational church based in Atlanta and one of the largest churches in the country. He made a statement in which he hopes that the world would get right, especially those in the church. It really resonated with me and gave me pause to think. His statement was “our approach to communicating the message of Jesus is a primary factor in how people will respond to the message.” We can share the most ultimate of truths about God and Jesus Christ, yet it is possible that the message will be dismissed if expressed in the wrong way. It will fall on deaf ears if the approach used to share the message is non-loving or has any hint of being disparaging. As the words in Proverbs say, “rash words are like sword thrusts." It’s all about the approach. No one knew and practiced this better than Jesus. He understood the hearts of men and women. He, more than anyone, knew what was right and wrong. Yet, rarely did he scold those He encountered—with the possible exception of the religious leaders and the disciples, because they should have known better. Look at the story of the woman He met at the well. Here was a woman with a litany of wrong relationships with men. Yet instead of chastising her, Jesus offered her living water—water that is life-giving, not only in the present but into eternity. What about the woman caught in adultery? First, it takes two to commit adultery. Where was the man? Maybe that is why Jesus did not condemn her. He waited for someone else to throw the first stone of condemnation. When no one did, he sent her away; but, with a proviso not to do it again. Jesus didn’t come into our world intending to show that He was right. He came to seek and save the lost; to bring words of healing to the hurting—a message that can resonate with anyone. #aplaceforgrace

This week I have been driving by the groups of kids that are waiting for the school bus. Even though I don’t have kids in the school system anymore, I feel the changing rhythm of the season. My brain still adjusts itself for the school year. In the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 is a piece of beautiful poetry that is familiar to most of us. It goes like this, “There’s a season for everything and a time for every matter under the heavens: a time for giving birth and a time for dying, a time for planting and a time for uprooting what was planted.” It goes on for eight verses reminding us that life is never stagnate. It changes and we are called to change with it. It is now a season to go back to school, for all the sports to start up, for all the traffic to increase. It is a season of learning, which is wonderful, but it is also a season of more stress. This is the time to go to God and ask for help. Personally, I am struggling. My daughters are going in different directions. We raise them to become independent and leave the nest, but leaving is so painful. I have had a lot of days this week of simply asking God to lift my spirits and get me through my day. I have asked him to help me focus and not lose hope about the future. I have had days of pushing off worrying about money because that is not how we are called to live. This is a time when I go to the 23rd Palms. I know lots of folks view that scripture as a comfort when someone dies. I tend to look at it differently. My favorite phrase from this passage is “He restores my soul.” (Psalms 23:3) The NIV translation reads “He refreshes my soul.” What that means to me is He cares about my emotions. He cares that I am down or discouraged. Most importantly, He will help me feel better. Not instantly, but as my day goes on, I feel lighter and more hopeful. That has been my continual prayer this week. God, please restore my soul. If you are feeling the weight of a new school year and all the changes it brings, I encourage you to try it. #aplaceforgrace

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. [Psalm 5:3 NIV] As I write this, I am at Lake Junaluska, NC, on a spiritual retreat called the "Festival of Wisdom and Grace," an event I attend each year. It is a time to get away for some rest and renewal. Each morning we gathered for a devotion and communion at lakeside, surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation. There is something about being away from our normal setting to take away our distractions that typically hinder us in our walk with God. And boy, was I in a different place! I looked up at the mountains surrounding the lake, shrouded in the morning fog and it was obvious that I wasn’t in Florida anymore. It was a perfect setting to start a day, anticipating what it will bring. What is typically the first thing on my mind when I wake up to a new day? “I’m tired and I have a lot to do today.” Being away from my normal routine, I asked myself, “why can’t all days be like this day in the mountains?” Why not let the first thing on my mind be God, instead of “I need to get so much done today?” Switch the focus to God and not on myself. “Lord, help me this day, I need you.” If our focus is on us, it’s no wonder that we feel overburdened. Start each day with the assurances of God. God has gone before us, so we can trust Him on our path. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 118:6 We need to reframe ourselves each morning to see the day before us in God’s eyes—that we are to simply love God and love others. This singular focus sets the agenda for our morning and for our whole day. Love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, so that we may love our neighbors, and serve our neighbors. Ask God for the strength to face whatever the day may bring. At the start of a new day, remind yourself that you are created in the image of God, just as God wanted you to be—that you are a child of God. Go into the day with quiet confidence and know that the Lord is with you. The challenge for me as I return home is how can I keep my focus on God each day? That is indeed a question for all of us. #aplaceforgrace #familypromise

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ [Matthew 25:35, 37, 40 NIV] We all can probably think of family members, friends, people in our community whom we can turn to when times get tough or we are “down on our luck.” We have people we could fall back on if we lost our job, if we had to move out of our home, if we were inundated with costs from a serious medical concern in our family. But what if we didn’t and the unthinkable happened—something unexpected and unforeseen. We had no job, no place to live, no source of funds. This is the plight of those who come to Family Promise. Family Promise is a nation-wide ministry where families who have no where else to go, except to be on the streets, find help and support to achieve sustaining independence. Not having any prospects to fall back on when tough times come may be the only thing that separates us from them. St. Andrew’s is one of a network of churches throughout the country that is providing a local response to a national problem. Churches in the network agree to open the doors of their facilities to provide temporary housing, meals and other services to families who have nowhere else to go. Family Promise also has services to mentor at-risk families, teach financial literacy and help find jobs and affordable housing. Our church hosts these families for a week every 2-3 months. Our next host week is August 7-14 . You can volunteer to provide food, host dinners, provide laundry services, and serve as overnight hosts. There are also donation opportunities available. For those who will be personally interacting with our guest families, the church is offering a training session Sunday, August 7 from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Family Promise is a great place to serve not only because you are helping families in need, but also because you can easily fit one of the opportunities into your schedule. And it is a ministry that is intergenerational. The whole family can serve together. For more information or to register to help, click HERE . Family Promise, as well as St. Andrew’s, envisions a nation in which every family has a home, a livelihood, and the chance to sustain lives filled with hope in the love of Jesus Christ. #aplaceforgrace #familypromise

Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. [Psalm 106:1 NIV] In the 16th chapter of Acts, we read that Paul and Silas were captured by a mob in the marketplace of Philippi because the people did not like what they were saying and doing in their town. Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in the inner dungeon of a prison with their feet shackled. Yet what do we find them doing around midnight in that dark and dank prison cell? “Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.” (Acts 16:25). Why would they be praising God and singing in their dire situation? Are they in a serious state of denial of their circumstances? How many of us find it in ourselves to praise God when we are in the depths of our troubles? Granted, troubles that pale when compared to Paul and Silas’ predicament, but troubles, nonetheless. For when we find ourselves in the depths of despair— in situations for which we don’t know where to go or what to do, circumstances that seem hopelessly bleak—isn’t that all we can think about. Isn’t it our nature to be totally consumed and obsessed by our predicament? A troubled relationship in our family, a hopeless mess at work, a huge financial debt for which we see no resolution. The last thing we feel like doing is praising God. Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their troubles and enter God’s presence and power. Praise is not primarily for God’s benefit. God doesn’t need an ego boost. But praise is primarily for our benefit. To remind us of who God is, to remind us that God’s presence is still with us, to remind us that God is still in control, even when we feel that things are out-of-control because we cannot look past the blinders, we place on ourselves. Praise is refocusing our attention on God and away from ourselves. It reopens our hearts to God. We all need reminders of God—His greatness, His mercy, His love, His faithfulness. Praise is a way to do so. Focus on God, not on our circumstances. With praise we direct our focus toward God and acknowledge that we are not the only thing around. We understand that the world doesn’t revolve around us. For God is a God who can be trusted, is sovereign, is in control and ever-present. When we praise God, we do so with grateful hearts, seeking His Holy ways, searching for His holy face so that we do not live out our lives in quiet desperation but in abundance of blessings. #aplaceforgrace #abundanceofblessings

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. Jesus came near and spoke to them, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.” [Matthew 28:16-20] I love the authenticity of this passage. The followers of Jesus who have followed his teachings, who witnessed his death and eventually his resurrection are about to receive final instructions from Jesus. Jesus is returning to the Father, but first He gives them a job. They have come willingly to see Jesus, but don’t make any assumptions about the mindset of this group of disciples. Some of them have doubts. We are not told what they doubt, but we know they are not all in perfect agreement. They are not all secure in what they believe. They are not all on the same page as they are given work to do for the sake of the Kingdom of God. They are told that they are responsible for making disciples. Sometimes when you read this passage in Matthew it is easy to get overwhelmed. It says to go into all the world. It says to teach people and baptize people. That is intimidating work. Many people just dismiss this command all together—Jesus made it too hard, too demanding. This week starting on Monday we are making disciples of Jesus Christ. We will host a Vacation Bible School that will disciple over 200 kids. We will disciple teenagers as they lead and help support VBS. We will disciple a lot of adults who will be doing so many different tasks, like working in the kitchen, leading games, teaching Bible stories, teaching crafts and science. Some of our volunteers will help move a lot of kids from one location to the next. Everyone has the same common goal, discipling kids. We will hopefully expose these 200 kids to the truth, the hope, and the joy that comes to us when we have a relationship with Jesus. It turns out that it isn’t that hard to disciple others. We can show up and do our part and some of these kids' lives will be changed forever. We don’t have to all be teachers and we don’t need to have perfect faith. We just have to be willing to serve. #aplaceforgrace #willingtoserve #makingdisciples #VBS22

The other day I was talking with someone about a prayer need and they said in passing, “I am not worried, I have tons of people praying.” This made me ponder. Does this imply that the more people we gather to pray, the greater power we have to get the results we desire? If this is true, then the more people praying for us, the better? Right? Well, in a way, that is true. But not in the sense you might think. Jesus encourages us to gather to pray. Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them.” Jesus is all about the community aspect of prayer. But I don’t think the numbers matter like we think they do. Think about it. If someone is sick and they have lots of friends praying, are they more likely to receive God’s healing touch than the person with no friends who simply cries out to God? No, God hears all our prayers. We cannot influence the will of God through numbers. Yet the Apostle Paul often asks groups of people to pray. So, is it a numbers game or not? I like the responses of Philip Yancy in his book, "Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference?" He says praying for others, interceding for people you know and people you don’t know, is always a good thing. Yet not because it influences God. Instead, it influences us. Yancey says that interceding for others increases our awareness of others. As we pray for another, we become more empathetic. We can see with new eyes the need of another, and it gives us a new perspective. We pray out of obedience to God, but we are changed and transformed through the process of prayer. So, should we bother asking our friends and families to pray for us? Absolutely. By inviting them to pray, we are opening our life to them, sharing our need, and remembering as Christians we must live out our lives in community. We are also loving them by inviting them to join us in prayer. Personally, I love to prayer for others. I often take someone’s hand or wrap my arms around them to pray. I can feel my love for them grow as I pray, and I remember once again that this is what Christian community is all about. #aplaceforgrace #prayerproblem