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“He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. They will dwell secure, because he will surely become great throughout the earth; he will become one of peace.” Micah 5:4-5a CEB A few months ago, I left work a little early, because I had a night meeting, and went home. It was a beautiful day with no clouds in the sky, a perfect temperature, and a nice breeze blowing. When I got home I decided to hang my daughter’s hammock and rest. The sky was crystal blue and the breeze was just enough to be a pleasant reminder of its presence. The hammock was swaying back and forth, the rhythm was relaxing and restful. It was a perfect break from a busy week, full day, and hectic schedule. The best part of this time in my backyard oasis was the quiet. There were no interruptions. The only sounds were birds singing, squirrels chasing each other, my dogs walking around their yard, and the breeze in the trees. It was peaceful. It was wonderful. It was just what I needed. I believe this is what we all need in our lives. We need moments of peace and quiet. These moments settle our souls and rejuvenate our spirit. The quiet moments of peace in our life remind us to listen to God’s voice and to connect with Jesus. The hectic pace, the busy schedules, the noise of everyday life can be deafening. We can allow the noise of our life to drown out and desensitize us to the movement of the Holy Spirit. Times of silence are crucial to learning how to hear the Holy Spirit. How are you doing at having moments of silence? Are you experiencing quiet and peace? I believe this is part of why Jesus came to earth. I believe the primary reason Jesus came to earth was to seek and to save that which is lost. I also believe Jesus was born in Bethlehem and walked this earth to model for us what it meant to follow God completely. One of the things Jesus modeled was peace. Jesus experienced the quiet peace of being alone in prayer and silence. Jesus would minister, heal, teach, raise the dead, challenge the religious institution of the day, AND withdraw for times of silence and peace. We often think of Jesus giving peace as in John 14:27, “Peace, I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid.” Jesus certainly gives us peace through our abiding relationship with him. Jesus gives peace and modeled peace through his actions. This Advent and Christmas season perhaps the one of peace will serve as a model for all of us to take time for quiet peace in our life. Set aside a few moments every day for quiet. Yes, I know many of you think this is impossible—I assure you it is not. Be at peace—both following Jesus’ example and because of Jesus’ presence. Because of the strength we have in Jesus [Philippians 4:13], the presence of the Holy Spirit [John 14:26], we are able to experience times of true peace. I believe we should all make sure we are intentionally setting aside time for these moments. In the years before Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem people longed for peace. The type of peace that is the absence of war, conflict, or oppression. People across the globe today long for this type of peace. I believe this peace will come one day. I also believe that this peace begins with all the followers of Jesus cultivating a heart of peace following the example of Christ. Jesus came to offer the world salvation from sin and death and to institute God’s peaceable kingdom on earth. The world has been different ever since the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Those who follow Jesus know that their life is different since accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This Christmas is your heart at peace? Are you following the example of the One of Peace? May God grant you moments of peace and quiet in the midst of this busy, hectic, and chaotic season. I pray that we all have moments of Holy encounters with the One of Peace. This weekend at all four worship services we continue the Advent message series Prepare the Way . Micah says the one who is coming will become one of peace. This weekend we will discuss how Jesus is the One of Peace. We will also enjoy a beautiful Christmas Cantata in our 8:15 and 11:15 services. Monday is Christmas Eve and I encourage you to invite a friend or two to one of our four Christmas Eve services: 4:30 p.m. Family Service, 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Service, 8:30 p.m. Traditional Service with Choir and Orchestra, and 11:00 p.m. Traditional Service with Communion, Choir, and Handbells. I hope you will join us this weekend and Christmas Eve. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s as we are on mission together . I can’t wait to see you in church! #advent #preparetheway #aplaceforgrace

“And you will say on that day: “Thank the Lord; call on God’s name; proclaim God’s deeds among the peoples; declare that God’s name is exalted.” Isaiah 22:4 CEB When we moved from Jacksonville to Dunedin in 2008 our girls were 9 and almost 7 years old. It was a difficult move because, at the time, Jacksonville was all they knew. We had spent five really good years there. They went from preschool through third and first grade while we lived in Jacksonville. It was hard for them to leave their friends and school. However, I believe one of the most difficult things for them was to leave their home, especially the backyard. It was a large backyard with trees, a playset, and lots of room to run around. When we told them about the move we assured them we would do everything we could to help them make a smooth adjustment to the new house, school, and church. I remember telling them certain things like, “There’s a big tree in the backyard. Maybe we could build a treehouse for you in that tree.” I do not remember it being a promise —only an idea. Well, we made the move to our new house, we adjusted to a new church, new friends, and a new school. The girls did beautifully at all of this and it seemed all was well. Except for the promise I don’t think I ever made. One night several years later the girls were upset with something that was happening. They were particularly not happy with me. When we started to discuss this it came out that I never keep my promises. As I started to try and understand this assertion it became very clear to me that the girls saw the talk of the treehouse as a promise I had made to them. As I recall, the discussion of the treehouse was a one-time discussion that lived in the realm of a “maybe we could” project. It had never come up again. The house had a pool, a big back porch, and many more wonderful features we all were enjoying. I had not really thought much at all about the prospect of a treehouse. The issue was that the girls had thought about it and, apparently, they had thought about it a lot. We talked it through and they understood that I had not understood it the same way they had. In fact, we never built a treehouse at that house. I believe they were okay with that. Although, if you were to ask them today how they feel they may still say I broke my promise. Have you ever had someone break their promise? It could have been something pretty simple or it could have been something extremely important. It hurts when someone breaks their promise. It could be they promised to have lunch with you. Maybe you even set the date and time only to be stood up and some lame excuse offered afterward. Perhaps you have had the promise of a promotion, raise, or more responsibility from a boss only to have it never materialize. Even worse, maybe you have had the promise made to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, until death, only to be broken through divorce. It hurts when someone breaks their promise. A promise made should be a promise kept. Yet, in our current culture that is not always the case. In fact, it seems like the more we look at the way things are today there are more promises broken than kept. We won’t even get started on politicians and promises made during campaigns. We may have even become a little numb and desensitized to the hurt of broken promises today. The good news is that there is one area of our life where we are assured this won’t happen. We can trust God to never break a promise made. We do not have to fear disappointment or hurt from a broken promise with Jesus. When God makes a promise it is as good as gold. Throughout Scripture there are many examples of how God promised to be there for humanity. Whenever God made a promise, it was kept. Jesus promised to be with those who follow him always. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be given as an assurance of Jesus’ continued presence with us. These promises and so many more are always kept, always true, and perfect. This Advent we focus on the promise of salvation given to the people of God through Isaiah. The foreshadowing is to the promise of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ—the promised Messiah/Savior. Jesus is evidence that God always keeps the promises God makes—always! This is what brings us great joy. Being assured that we can place our hope, or trust, in Jesus. Knowing that God loves us enough to always make a way for us to be in relationship with God through faith in Jesus. This is what it means to experience joy through our relationship with Jesus. As promised in Isaiah, we will be able to “ … say on that day: ‘Thank the Lord; call on God’s name; proclaim God’s deeds among the peoples; declare that God’s name is exalted.’” We both anticipate and remember the coming of Jesus into the world through the lens of the hope, love, joy, and peace made possible by the birth of Jesus. Just as Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and for all time … the promises of God are sure for all time. With God a promise made is a promise kept. This week put your hope in the fact that God loves you and will keep every promise made in Scripture. May that bring you great joy this week and always. This weekend at all four worship services we continue the Advent message series Prepare the Way . Isaiah foretold of the promise of the Savior. This weekend we will explore how the knowledge of God’s faithfulness brings us great joy. I hope you will join us this weekend and every weekend. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s as we are on mission together . I can’t wait to see you in church! #advent #preparetheway #aplaceforgrace

“Because of our God’s deep compassion, the dawn from heaven will break upon us, to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide us on the path of peace.” Luke 1:78-79 CEB The word because assumes that there is a reason something is happening. We painted our house because the old paint had worn off. It means something is taking place for a specific purpose. We went to the car dealership because there was a leak in our transmission. I go to work because I need money for my house, food, and clothes. Whenever we see the word because we should make sure we understand why. What is the reason? In church we celebrate Advent because we are preparing our hearts to receive anew the newborn King. The four weeks of Advent give us time to contemplate anew the reason we sing Come Thou Long Expected Jesus . We are contemplating the why behind Jesus’ birth. The Why is more important than the what in some cases. Christian comedian Michael Jr. explains the difference that takes place when you know the why and not just the what. Something very profound happens when people know the why! Take a moment and watch this YouTube video of Michael Jr. explaining this concept. The why is more important than the what in most things in life. How is the why more important than the what? Even when we are discussing Advent and Christmas the why is more important than the what. Jesus was one of many babies born that night. I would argue that many were born in less than sterile environments. When we think about the what, a child was born, plain and simple. As we then think about the how we begin to see some things that stand out. Jesus was born of a virgin mother. Jesus was born on a night where there was a brilliant star directly over his place of birth. We still have not come to the why. The why of Jesus’ birth is where the importance is held. This child of a virgin mother, born under a brilliant star, visited by shepherds and wise men was the savior of the world. Jesus came into the world “because of our God’s deep compassion.” Luke tells us further that Jesus came because people needed to know how “to be saved through the forgiveness of their sins.” The because is extremely important. Jesus came because people were sinning, straying far away from God. Jesus came because there was no way for people to get themselves out of this sin predicament. Jesus came because the only way for the sin predicament to be resolved was forgiveness. Finally, Jesus came because God knew all of this, and because God loves us God made a way for us to be saved. The because is love made a way for “the dawn from heaven” to “break upon us, to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide us on the path of peace.” Jesus came to earth because … ! This Advent season take time to ponder the why. Not just the why in the greater sense, but the why in your life. Jesus came to earth because my life needed to be saved. Do you believe that you are still a sinner in need of the Savior? What in your life needs to be saved, redeemed, transformed, or renewed? If Jesus came to bring light into darkness, where do you need the dawn from heaven to break into your life? Where do you need Jesus to give light to you? Where are you sitting in the darkness? Why did Jesus come to earth? Jesus came to earth because you and I need him! We need a Savior—Jesus! What is your because? This weekend at all four worship services we continue the Advent message series Prepare the Way . John was one who came to prepare the way. As we now know, this was in preparation of the coming of Jesus the Messiah. This weekend we will discuss how God’s love always finds a way. I hope you will join us this weekend and every weekend. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s as we are on mission together. I can’t wait to see you in church! #advent #preparetheway #aplaceforgrace

by Rev. Dr. Dan Parrish The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill my gracious promise with the people of Israel and Judah. In those days and at that time, I will raise up a righteous branch from David’s line, who will do what is just and right in the land. In those days, Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is what he will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness. Jeremiah 33:14-16 CEB As we gather to worship this week we will see many changes that have taken place to our sanctuary, Family Life Center, office foyer and other areas of the church. This is all predicated on the hope that groups will take responsibility for the various areas that needed to be decorated for the Advent/Christmas season. Sunday will be the first Sunday in Advent and a time when we will focus on the promise of hope for our future. We'll be focusing on the passage found in Jeremiah 33:14-16. Jeremiah is writing as he is imprisoned in the Court of the Guard of the Royal Palace. Jeremiah reminds us that no matter the circumstances we might find ourselves, we can still hold to the promise of hope for the future . Jeremiah knew the presence of God in his life, and the promises that God had given to the nation of Israel and now Judah, promises that God would fulfill in a future Messiah—whom we know was Jesus Christ. Hope has two meanings in the Bible. One has to do with trust, such as our hope in other people. The second, which is used most in the New Testament has to do with expectation and anticipation. During the month of December, Toni and I have understood this concept through events in our own life. Toni asked for a large Christmas gift this year, a full remodel of our existing kitchen—including a new stove, microwave and new to us dishwasher, (I’ll be able to be semi-retired from this home duty now!). When the contractor came to the house, he discussed the various options available to us, and asked for Toni to share her expectations for the final result. Taking all this information and many measurements—the bid was given and the contract was signed. Now we wait in anticipation and expectation of what this remodel will be when completed in January of next year. What are your expectations for this Christmas season and what are you anticipating to happen during the holiday season. Are you aware that promises have been made to you from our Heavenly Father that will be fulfilled when Christ returns in His glory. Does that give you a hope for your future—that no matter what you are going through at this time—God is with you and has promises that He has made to you for your eternal future? This living hope must be claimed. And if you claim this hope then you can be assured that, whatever your circumstances, God is with you. See you at our Father’s house this weekend. - Pastor Dan Parrish #preparetheway #advent #hope #aplaceforgrace

“But the sun of righteousness will rise on those revering my name; healing will be in its wings so that you will go forth and jump about like calves in the stall.” Malachi 4:2 CEB It happens every day—actually twice a day. We have never missed this daily ritual, not even once. It is something that is not only a daily routine, but it is completely necessary to sustain life. Human beings don’t usually get overly excited about this daily event. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, like birthdays and holidays. At our house the excitement is unable to be contained, twice a day. There is dancing around, jumping up and down, and even audible noises of excitement can be heard. What is this daily routine you ask? Twice a day we feed our two Bassett hounds, Beatrice and Bruno. Bruno is nine months old and simply cannot contain his excitement around meal times. You would think that it is the first time ever that someone has given him food. He dances around, voices his excitement, and jumps about when we are getting ready to set his food bowl on the floor. It is actually a lot of fun to watch. At two years old Beatrice no longer exhibits this type of behavior at meal time. She is cool, calm, and collected with a simple wag of the tail in acknowledgment of your kindness. Bruno is still a puppy and has not yet learned to contain his excitement. He lets you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he is SOOO happy you are giving him his food. May I ask you a question? When was the last time you got that excited? The last chapter of Malachi states that the people of God will experience such a healing that they will “jump about like calves in the stall.” When was the last time you felt like jumping about? When we are younger we tend to get more excited about things. We may have even done some jumping about and acted like a calf in a stall, or Bruno at mealtime. We experience a lot in life and tend to come to a point where we settle into a routine. When we reach this point, nothing much seems to faze us. We wake up, eat, work, run errands, meet with people, eat, relax a little, and go to sleep. Each day we tend to repeat this same scenario. Where is Jesus within this routine? Are we noticing where Jesus is at work? Do we allow ourselves to get excited about what Jesus is doing? Or have we all slipped into the daily grind so much that we miss out on the opportunities to jump about? In the context of Malachi’s time the people of God were falling away. Actually, they had settled for less than God’s best for them. They settled for the daily routines of mediocrity and the lackluster return on investment offered. This is what Malachi is sent by God to tell them in the last chapter of the book. Essentially, God tells them that the people who think their way is better than God’s way will experience the consequences of that choice. However, all of those who choose to follow God will experience healing and restoration. They will experience such a healing that they will not be able to contain themselves. They will look like baby animals who get excited about the simplest things like standing up, running, jumping, and even mealtime. These young animals take nothing for granted. Everything is an opportunity for excitement and appreciation. Malachi tells the people of God that they will experience a similar excitement. They will take nothing for granted and they will jump about in praise of all God has done for them. Sounds very exciting. Our natural response to the work of Jesus in our life is praise. Praise can come in the form of excitement, jumping about, and taking nothing for granted. Have you experienced Jesus’s healing? Perhaps you have experienced Jesus’s physical healing through doctors, nurses, and medical staff. Maybe you have experienced Jesus’s relational healing through the restoration of a broken relationship. You may have experienced Jesus’s emotional healing with the help of a Christian Counselor, Stephen Minister, or prayer. Perhaps you have experienced Jesus’s spiritual healing through the ministry of the church, reading Scripture, or the prayers of other Jesus followers. In whatever way Jesus has been at work in your life, have you allowed yourself to jump about? Do you allow yourself to get excited and praise Jesus? Let us all make an intentional effort to get a little excited in our praise of ALL that Jesus has done for us, is doing for us, and will continue to do for us. Do your best “calves in the stall” impersonation. May Jesus Christ receive all the honor, glory, and praise in the name of Jesus. This weekend at all four worship services we conclude the message series Malachi: The Messenger. Malachi was God’s messenger to people and priests who had lost their way. Malachi’s specific role was to help the people of God repent and return to the covenant God has made with them and to tell them of the promise of a new covenant. As we now know, this was in preparation of the coming of Jesus the Messiah and the New Covenant. This weekend we will discuss how God’s judgment and healing go hand in hand. I hope you will join us this weekend and every weekend. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s as we are on mission together. I can’t wait to see you in church! #malachi #aplaceforgrace

“I am the Lord, and I do not change; and you, children of Jacob, have not perished. Return to the Lord.” Malachi 3:6 CEB We traveled back in time, if just for a couple hours. We went back to where it all began and where many memories were locked in a box that had not been opened for years. The surroundings were familiar and as we walked the grounds and hallways the memories began flooding back. I began to see faces of people I had not seen in years and some I had not seen since those days. These were memories of some great times and some challenging. Times of new beginnings, new friends, and new experiences. Also, times of challenge as I navigated a new school, new people, and a new city and state. As we walked the halls of my old junior high school I remembered what it was like to move 1,100 miles from your whole life and start over in a new state and a new community. As I walked the halls of my old junior high school and remembered my time there it was as if nothing had changed and yet—everything had changed. The memories of my days in junior high were pristine and unchanged. If I closed my eyes I could see the people and events as if they had just happened. The layout of the school remained exactly the same and completely unchanged. Yet, in reality everything had changed. As I walked the school the place seemed smaller, the stairways less intimidating. Everything about me had changed as well. I was taller, more mature, and living on my own as an adult and productive member of society. There was a part of it all that was unchanged and a part of it that was totally changed. I believe this is a part of the real life, everyday experience the people of God were living in the time of Malachi. The unchanging part of that time was God and the completely changed part of that time was the people of God. God was, and is, the same God who created the universe, gave life to the animals, and breathed life into humankind. This was the same God who commissioned Noah to be an example of promise, God was the same God who promised Abraham a brilliant future family through Isaac. The God of Moses, Joshua, and David. The same God who continually offered grace, justice, and covenant in the face of the unfaithfulness of the people of God. In a word God was—unchanging! The people of God were the ones who changed. Adam and Eve ate, Abraham and Sarah took matters into their own hands. The Israelites melted down their gold and formed it into a calf and worshiped it. David allowed his lust to overcome his love of God. In Malachi we have seen that the people intermarry with the ones God warned them to avoid. We also have seen in Malachi the priests are allowing people to sacrifice lame, sick, and imperfect animals because the work seemed too tedious. Over time the people with whom God made a covenant either forget the covenant or deem it unnecessary. The people of God changed and continued to keep changing until God sent the messenger—Malachi. What did the unchanging God desire of the people of God? Faithfulness! Faithfulness, first and foremost, to God—their creator, redeemer, and sustainer. God also desired faithfulness to the covenant God established with the people and the priests. God desired an unchanging, unwavering, covenant keeping people. This is the message Malachi is charged to deliver. God was promising a new messenger who would bring news of a new covenant, which would help the people of God to be faithful. We are the people of that new covenant, ushered in through the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Messiah, brought about a new covenant for God’s people—and all who would believe. As people of the new covenant, the unchanging God desires faithfulness from us. In our life will we remain faithful? Or will we drift away little by little—changed by the winds of culture? The call of God through Malachi was for God’s people to return to the covenant and be faithful. The call through the Holy Spirit is for God’s people to return to the new covenant and remain faithful in Jesus Christ. Will you remain faithful? Will your faith remain unchanging and constant? The unchanging God desires an unchanging commitment to the new covenant. Let’s remain faithful in Christ. Let’s make today count for Christ. This weekend at all four worship services we continue the message series Malachi: The Messenger . Malachi was God’s messenger to people and priests who had lost their way. Malachi’s specific role was to help the people of God repent and return to the covenant God has made with them and to tell them of the promise of a new covenant. As we now know, this was in preparation of the coming of the Messiah and the New Covenant. This weekend we will discuss how God’s grace is unchanging and never goes away. I hope you will join us this weekend and every weekend. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s as we are on mission together. I can’t wait to see you in church! #malachi #aplaceforgrace

by Jennifer Blessing Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction; don’t neglect your mother’s teaching; for they are a graceful wreath on your head, and beads for your neck. Proverbs 1: 8-9 CEB I had a most interesting exchange with our daughter, Katherine when she was about 4 years old. She was playing quietly in the kitchen while I was cooking. Suddenly she looked up and said to me, “You’re the best kind of mom.” I was certainly pleased and a little confused. So I asked her what made her say that. Her simple response was “Because you say both yes AND no to us.” I remember being overwhelmed with a sense that she was so mature beyond her years. That she was clearly wise about how parenting works for the good of the child. And yet there have been moments in the nine years since that exchange that have clearly demonstrated she doesn’t always like when I say no. In fact, she may have forgotten our conversation and her compliment all together. The teenage years can do that to the best of us. But the truth of her comment has long stuck with me. Parents are not blessed with children in order that we may be at their beck and call. We aren’t charged with giving them everything they want or desire. In fact, all across the world, the goal of parenting is to not raise happy children, but to raise children to be productive adult members of their society. So we tell our children yes and we tell our children no—in order that they may experience boundaries that set them up for wisdom, patience, and grace. Research in child development demonstrates that children who have boundaries set for them tend to have better self-esteem, better emotional development, and a stronger sense of identity. God sets boundaries for us—just like a good parent. He wants us to remember that His relationship with us is founded on love. And His love means that he sets firm and clear boundaries for us, His children. He says yes and He says no. His love for us is overwhelmingly designed for our good. And He knows that for our good, we need to follow instructions and obey Him. Throughout the Old Testament, His love is demonstrated by the boundaries He set with people. His covenants with His people are how God spoke yes and no. His covenant with Noah, with Abraham, and with Jacob—all are examples of God saying “I love you and that means I say yes and no to you.” His covenants demonstrate His unwavering love—a love that establishes a relationship with us. God is the perfect parent, nurturing us and loving us so well that He knows we need His guidance and even His correction sometimes. This weekend we will continue our series on the book of Malachi. In Chapter 2, Malachi reminds the priests that they have forgotten the covenant God made with Levi. They have broken the covenant and forgotten who they are. Their unwillingness to obey God means God is going to say no to them in a large way. Malachi’s job is to remind them that God loves them and requires them to be obedient. If they can remember the covenant and swing back to God, they will experience the love that He has for them. I look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday as we remember the promise of God’s covenant with us, and the love He continually shows us.  #malachi #aplaceforgrace

“If you bring a blind animal to sacrifice, isn’t that evil? If you bring a lame or sick one, isn’t that evil? Would you bring it to your governor? Would he be pleased with it or accept you? says the Lord of heavenly forces.” Malachi 1:8 CEB Have you ever been excited about receiving a gift? Many years ago, a person in the church I was serving asked if my family would like a used big screen television. The person who was asking had purchased a new big screen television for their home and was looking to give away their older one. I responded quickly that we would take it. A friend, who had a pickup truck, and I went over to the person’s home to pick up the television. I had not seen the TV at the time I said yes. When we arrived, the person took me to the garage and there is was. It was a 15-year-old unit that was huge. It was in its own cabinet where two thirds of the unit was the screen and the bottom third was the speaker and controls. I will admit it was not what I was expecting. I was expecting an older TV, but one that was an older version of a flat screen. Instead, we graciously accepted this monstrous TV into our home. I want to be clear—we loved that TV for many years after receiving it. Even though it was 15 years old it was in pristine shape and worked as well as the day it rolled off the assembly line at the factory. My girls were much younger, and they loved watching their Disney movies, kids shows, and playing their games on that TV. It was awesome. However, it was not what I thought it was going to be. I have wondered something over the years. What if that person, who donated their old TV to our family, had purchased a brand new TV for our family (which I believe that they had more than enough resources to do so)? Would my reaction have been different? Oh, I absolutely guarantee it would have been different! I would have been speechless and quite possibly in tears. At that time, we could not afford any new TV, let alone one like the new one this person had purchased for his home. By the way, the TV that was given to our family was a 54-inch, rear-projection tv. The one that the person had purchased for their own home was an 80-inch plasma TV. In other words, the person had bought the best for their home and given what they no longer wanted to our home. Again, we were incredibly grateful and enjoyed many years of use from that TV. I have simply wondered over the years the difference it would make to offer someone else your best instead of giving yourself the best. This is the main point of the first chapter of Malachi. The people, and the priests, were not offering their best to God. It was not as if they didn’t know any better. Both the people and the priests had been given very specific directions on how to bring offerings to the Lord [see Leviticus]. Despite these instructions, however, the priests were allowing the people to bring substandard offerings. This is what prompts God to send Malachi to deliver the following message, “If you bring a blind animal to sacrifice, isn’t that evil? If you bring a lame or sick one, isn’t that evil? Would you bring it to your governor? Would he be pleased with it or accept you? Says the Lord of heavenly forces.” In other words, you have decided on your own to bring less than what I have commanded—which is evil because it is the opposite of what I require. Even though the people have the means to give their best, they are giving substandard offerings. This is an insult to God and shows that God is not very important to them. We do not bring animal offerings to the Lord anymore. We are not asked to do so. We are asked to give our life as an offering to God. “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me will find them.” [Matthew 16:24-25] This is what makes following Jesus an upside down, counter cultural experience. Jesus calls us to do the exact opposite of our earthly instincts. Two thousand years later we are no different. We have bought into the concept of keeping the best for ourselves and giving the rest, or unwanted, away. We look at giving things we no longer want or need as charity. God desires for us to give the best of what someone else needs to them. God desires for us to give the best of that with which we have been blessed to God. It is by doing this that we honor and value God as the most important thing in our life. Will you commit to giving God your best? Let’s give God our best in all that we do today and always. This weekend at all four worship services we begin a new message series Malachi: The Messenger . Malachi was God’s messenger to people and priests who had lost their way. Malachi’s specific role was to help the people of God repent and return to the covenant God has made with them. As we now know, this was in preparation of the coming of the Messiah and the New Covenant. This weekend we will discuss how we are called to bring our best. I hope you will join us this weekend and every weekend. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s as we are on mission together. I can’t wait to see you in church! #malachi #aplaceforgrace

“Look, I tell you: open your eyes and notice that the fields are already ripe for the harvest.” John 4:35b CEB It was about an hour and a half drive from our house. Some of the drive was on highways, but the best part was on the backroads. The windows down, we didn’t have air conditioning then, and the wind blowing through the car. We passed farms and farmhouses. We drove through little towns with quaint, older storefronts. There were many cornfields and acres and acres of land. My favorite part of the ride was when we left the paved roads and hit the gravel roads. This meant we were getting closer and the ride was almost over. We turned off the gravel road onto a very narrow, very steep decline that led to the cottage my family owned. That last turn meant we had arrived. I loved that trip as often as we made it because of the journey. I also loved that trip because it tested my ability to remember where we were going and which turns we would make along the way. Fast forward many years to when I was in the driver’s seat and my daughters were in the back seat. Almost every trip we made as a family the girls were watching a DVD, playing a game, or later watching something on their iPhone. I’m not saying this was necessarily bad. As a parent it kept them occupied and they didn’t complain about how long the trip was or their boredom levels. There was one fairly unintended side effect of their methodology as passengers. When it was time for them to learn how to drive, they did not know how to get around their own neighborhood and city. They had learned not to pay attention to things going on outside of the car. Instead, they focused on whatever they were doing inside the car. When they earned their driver’s licenses, they had to also learn how to navigate Brandon and Bloomingdale. It took a while, but they now know how to navigate their own neighborhood, town, and even back and forth to college. I believe church can be like this. I believe there are those who are on the journey with the windows down and their eyes wide open to the world around them. I also believe it is human tendency to look mostly at what we are doing and lose focus of what is going on around us. Unfortunately, when churches do this, we look up one day and don’t recognize where we are. We see that the scenery around us has changed and we’re not sure of our location anymore. The world around us isn’t noticing us because we aren’t noticing them. We lose our ability to navigate the landscape of our own community. The good news is that in Scripture God apparently knew this would happen. Jesus gives clear advice, if not a command, to his disciples—really all who would listen. His advice is, “Look, I tell you: open your eyes and notice that the fields are already ripe for the harvest.” Jesus knew that his disciples were focused on themselves and Jesus and were not seeing the bigger picture. They were leaning in intently on Jesus, his teaching, miracles, and the way he was with them. Jesus knew that they needed to refocus—back to the mission field, back to the purpose. In Jesus’ own words he declared that he came to seek and save the lost, set captives free, liberate and rescue a world dead in sin. The disciples needed to refocus, open their eyes and notice the fields that were ripe and ready for harvest. The refocus Jesus was telling his disciples about a harvest of souls. About the world around the disciples that was full of people who needed the Good News. Those who would believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior of their life. We modern day disciples need to heed the words of Jesus. We must open our eyes and notice the communities we live in are full of people who need to hear and receive the Good News. We are the ones who will take the Good News to them. The fields are indeed ripe for the harvest. Jesus also told his disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send workers. Will you be a worker? Will you pray for other workers who will help take the Good News to our communities? We must open our eyes and notice. We must pray that God would send workers to help spread the Good News. And if we will do these things—the future is bright. More and more people will come to experience God’s grace through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Will you open your eyes and notice? Will you join in being on mission together now and for 2019? This weekend at all four worship services we conclude the message series Make a Difference . We'll see clear examples of how we can make a difference by being on mission together , which is the theme of our giving campaign as we prepare for our 2019 ministry needs. In 2019 we will need to be o n mission together to reach more people with the Good News. This weekend we will invite you to turn in your commitment card that you will be on mission together in 2019. I hope you will join us this weekend and every weekend. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s. I can’t wait to see you in church! #makeadifference #onmissiontogether #aplaceforgrace

“In the same way, he took the cup after the meal and said, “This cup is the new covenant by my blood, which is poured out for you.” Luke 22:20 CEB Recently I ate lunch at a brand-new Chick-fil-A restaurant. It was the same exact design as the one closest to the church, where my wife happens to work. I have been in our local CFA more times than I can count. I know it pretty well actually. While the design and layout of the Chick-fil-A I ate at recently and the local one is the same—the other one was new. I walked in and was instantly familiar with the store, but everything in it was brand-new. It was familiar and new all at the same time. Have you ever had that type of experience? Have you experienced something that was very familiar and yet, at the same time, very new? It’s a little unusual and very comforting all at the same time. This is what the biblical account of Jesus sharing the Passover meal with his disciples is about. The Passover was a ritual meal, or festival, that the Israelites celebrated every year. The purpose of the meal was to remember how God had saved them from the hands of pharaoh and led them out of captivity in Egypt. Every part of the meal has significance and helps those who participate to experience the same remembrance that others before them have celebrated for centuries. Each year when the Passover is celebrated the different aspects of the meal are familiar. The familiarity and consistency of the meal aids in the remembrance. Jesus and his disciples celebrated the festival of Passover beginning with their entrance into Jerusalem where Jesus was praised and welcomed as a prophet. Several days later they are in the upper room eating the Passover meal that was so familiar to them. Jesus makes this particular meal familiar and new. The entire Passover meal was celebrated that night. It was familiar. Yet, Jesus made the meal new at the same time. When he came to the bread—which represented the bread the Israelites made in their home the night before the Passover—Jesus gave the bread new meaning. It was now his body given for his disciples. When he took the cup—which represented the blood of the lamb spread across the doorposts of their homes—Jesus gave the cup new meaning. It was now his blood poured out for his disciples and many for the forgiveness of sins. The Passover meal is a meal of remembrance and Jesus gave it new meaning—do this in remembrance of me. This festival of Passover that had been celebrated for centuries was familiar and now new at the same time. Jesus took what was familiar and gave it new meaning. We are to do the same even today. The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has not changed—it is familiar. We should not change the Gospel message ever. However, we are to find new ways of sharing the Gospel, the Good News, with the people in our families, our communities, and around the world. It should come as no surprise to most that the church in America is in decline. We must recover the familiar Good News of the Gospel and find new ways to share the Good News with an increasingly secular world. This is our mission. If we don’t, we will not be able to recognize the church in as little as one generation. The stakes are very high. Jesus charged all his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The present and future of the church depends on our ability to take what we know as familiar and make it new for those who have never heard. It's up to us to take the Good News and offer it in new ways to new people in new places. This is our mission and the stakes are high. We are the ones who must answer the call. Will you take the familiar and make it new? Are you willing to share the Good News? The future depends on you and me. We must be on mission together. This weekend at all four worship services we continue the message series Make a Difference . We'll also introduce our stewardship campaign On Mission Together as we prepare for our 2019 ministry needs. In 2019 we will need to be on mission together to reach more people with the Good News. This weekend we will discuss how the stakes are high and why we must stay on mission together to make a difference . I hope you will join us this weekend and every weekend. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s. I can’t wait to see you in church! #makeadifference #onmissiontogether #aplaceforgrace

“Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.” 1 Corinthians 13:8 NRSV If you have seen the movie Forrest Gump, you will remember the scene where Forrest talks about his decision to start running. He says that one day, for no particular reason, he just decided to go for a run. He ran across the United States from coast to coast and just kept running. Then comes one of my favorite scenes in the whole movie. After running all those miles, he has a whole bunch of people who have decided to run with him. They are all running through what appears to be the western United States surrounded by nothing but wilderness and mountains in the background. Then, mid run, Forrest stops running. He looks around at the people and simply says, “I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll go home now.” This is when he turns the other direction and starts walking home. All the people with him are astonished and don’t know what to do. One of the guys says, “Now what do we do?” This man has failed to realize one of life’s realities. Like Forrest Gump’s run everything in life eventually comes to an end. We are born into the world and a process begins. We grow and mature. Infancy gives way to childhood, childhood gives way to adolescence, adolescence gives way to young adulthood. The process goes on—ending one phase of life and entering another. We all know that at some point even our life here on earth will end. Everything in life comes to an end at some point. We can count on it. There is something else we can count on as well. Love never ends! This is the promise of 1 Corinthians 13:8, “Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.” All the things that people were getting excited about in the early days of Christianity, Paul says they will all come to an end. The gifts that were more spectacular were not the things that would last. What Paul tells us will last is love. Why? Because of what we read in 1 John 4:8, “… God is love.” God never ends! In a world where everything is limited, finite, and ultimately ends—this is an incredible truth. God’s love is constant, always the same and always present. This truth is not just for this world, it is eternal. Making a difference is eternal in nature. Yes, we are making a difference and helping in this world. We must never lose sight, however, of the eternal difference we will make in Jesus’ name. As Christians we make a difference by sharing God’s love in real, tangible, and powerful ways. We also share the love of Christ Jesus and help people catch a glimpse of all eternity. By sharing God’s love in real ways, we are helping people experience what eternity with God is like. When we make a difference we are focused on eternal results, not just the here and now. We are helping love to break through human circumstances. We are helping people experience God’s grace through a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. It is this relationship—this love—that will last for ever and ever. This is what it means to work to make God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Will you share God’s love today? Will you make a difference today? Start with eternity in mind and offer God’s love to everyone. You never know who will need that love today and what an eternal difference you will make. This weekend at all four worship services we continue the message series Make A Difference . Make A Difference is also the theme of our stewardship campaign as we prepare for our 2019 ministry needs. This weekend we will discuss how to maintain an eternal focus as we make a difference. I hope you will join us this weekend and every weekend. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s. I can’t wait to see you in church! #makeadifference #bethelight Looking for a way you can make a difference? Be a part of our Make a Difference Serve Weekend on October 27-28. Register today at SAUMC.NET/BeTheLight

“There’s hope for your future, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 32:17a CEB It was a beautiful summer day in central Michigan and everyone was enjoying time on the lake together. People were swimming, floating in inflatable rafts, and some were water skiing. I was enjoying a little of all three. When my turn came up to go waterskiing I jumped at the opportunity. At this point, I had been skiing for several years. This day I was slalom skiing and really enjoying cutting through the water and having fun. My uncle, who was driving the boat, thought it would be fun to mess with me a little. Instead of the normal speed I would ski at he decided to pull me as fast as the boat would go and make a lot of turns. I hung on and was determined not to fall—despite his efforts. When he decided I wasn’t going to fall he headed back toward the dock to drop me off. As we approached the dock I didn’t realize, nor do he, that we were still going faster than usual. I let go of the rope and began gliding toward the dock—as I usually did—only this time it became obvious I was not going to stop before hitting the dock. I did the only thing I could think to do and laid back on the ski in hopes I could stop in time. I did not. The ski ran into the dock and my body felt like an accordion as the impact worked its way through my body. It hurt extremely bad and I was writhing in the water in pain. It was a day I will always remember. As I lay in the water, I felt as though the pain would never end. It was very intense in the moment. The pain eventually subsided enough for me to get out of the water. It subsided over the next few hours and even over the next couple of days. However, I believe because of that pain I was a different person. I would live a little differently, make decisions a little differently, and understand pain a little differently. It was a traumatic event that would change me and inform me about future decisions. I can assure you that I never approached the dock the same way while water skiing. I am sure also that I have approached other things differently because of that experience. Pain is a great deterrent and a great motivator. We are deterred by times of pain to avoid similar situations where pain may occur. We are also motivated to take more information into account as we consider the potential for pain. The reality is that in life there will be pain. How we handle the pain, learn from the pain, and grow through the pain is very important. Life throws us all kinds of pain in various forms and sizes. When we choose to make a difference with our life we must realize we will see, and sometimes experience, great pain. We will hurt for the people we are called to serve. Sometimes the people with whom we serve will cause us pain. It is also possible to be hurt by the very ones you are trying to help and serve. The story of the Hebrew people is one of pain, hurt, and sorrow. Yet, in the midst of the terrible suffering of the Hebrew people, Jeremiah offers something amazing. Jeremiah the prophet offers hope. God’s hope. In the midst of their suffering he declares, “There’s hope for your future, declares the Lord.” There is always hope! No matter what we see, experience, or suffer there is always hope for the future. This is the message of God through Jeremiah the prophet and it is also the message of God through Jesus Christ the Son. In the midst of pain there is hope. Jesus is that hope for the hurting world. When we go to make a difference in the world around us, we may very well be led into hurting, broken, and dark places. We may be led to hurt, broken, and darkened people. This is okay. Actually, this is glorious. It is in the hurting, broken, dark places where hope is needed the most. This is where our light shines brightest—the light of Jesus Christ. Making a difference is about bringing hope to what seems hopeless and light where darkness seems overwhelming. There is hope—there is always hope. Are you willing to go to the places of pain? Where people are hurting? Where people are broken? Will you go and offer hope? Will you be the light? For certain there will be pain when we go and serve, but there will always be hope as well. For there’s hope in your future, declares the Lord. This weekend at all four worship services we continue the message series Make A Difference . Make A Difference is also the theme of our stewardship campaign as we prepare for our 2019 ministry needs. This weekend we will discuss how pain and hope meet when we are called to make a difference. We also will have another terrific testimony on how God started a fire in one of our members and how the Holy Spirit has been moving in their life. I hope you will join us this weekend and every weekend. The best is yet to come for St. Andrew’s. I can’t wait to see you in church! #makeadifference #bethelight Looking for a way you can make a difference? Be a part of our Make a Difference Serve Weekend on October 27-28. Register today at SAUMC.NET/BeTheLight