“Therefore, keep alert, because you don’t know the day or the hour.” Matthew 25:13 CEB “Life is too short, stay awake” might be the moral behind this parable told by Jesus. Be prepared, don’t wait to the last minute, don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today, or you may end up like the foolish bridesmaids and miss the party. Sounds like advice your mother would give you. Yet this is the advice that Jesus is giving. The last words of the parable are the punch lines or the moral. Jesus says, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Many scholars believe that Jesus is making references to the end times – the end of the world. He's talking about his own return in glory at the end of all time. Yet there is more, there is something more engaging for our lives than simply to be prepared because Jesus is coming again. There are opportunities that come our way in life that do not come again. There are opportunities for us to reach out and make a difference in someone else’s life that may be here once and then gone. There are moments that occur that do not recur. There are moments where God intrudes in our lives in a powerful way, yet often only in a momentary or fleeting way that if we are not attuned to His presence, it will disappear. We must be ready. We try to reassure ourselves with “There will always be a tomorrow.” But life cannot be endlessly deferred. There are opportunities that come to us that don’t come again. So, we are to be alert, to watch, to be prepared, to be attuned to the movement of God’s spirit in our life. For the time in which we live at this moment may be the time for a decision, a commitment, an action. Therefore, keep alert. #grace

The General Conference of the United Methodist Church is ending at the end of this week. It has been eight years since our last General Conference. It has been a hard eight years with both the pandemic and all the disaffiliations within our denomination. There was much change voted on over past two weeks and it is almost as if the United Methodist Church is starting anew. Yet, for St. Andrew's we will just continue to do ministry. We will have the same goal to love the world around us and be Christ to them. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 says, "so then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!" All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation. The ministry of reconciliation is to be an example to the world through love that helps them find a relationship with Jesus so that they too can be reconciled to Him. That is both our individual calling and our corporate calling as a church. To hear a Post General Conference Briefing of all that occurred this past two weeks, there are two options. 1. The first option is a Zoom on May 7 which you must register for. Register HERE 2. The second option is an in-person gathering at First UMC Plant City on May 19, at 4pm for a review by Rev. Magrey DeVega of Hyde Park UMC. I hope you will take time to consider one of these options so that you are well informed. Blessings, Jayne #UMC #GeneralConference #Grace

“…Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast…” 1 Cor. 5:6-7a In the context of Paul’s letter, he is referring to a certain individual in the church that has been dabbling into some immoral behavior. And bragging about it. Consequently, through his influence he has taken the church of Corinth down a corrupt path. Worked his influence into the whole “body.” A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough applies to our own lives also. How often do we let a little indiscretion, a morsel of coldness, a smidgen of disgust, a dash of resentment, a drop of immorality, or a touch of anger works its way into our souls until it has worked its way through our whole being? Without even us sensing it. Until one day we find ourselves filled with bitterness, jealousy, antagonism, envy, pride, rage, and even hatred. I remember as a young boy going to the beach with my family. As soon as we got to the beach, my brother and I would make a mad dash to get in the water. My mother would always yell to us, “Now don’t get too far away from us.” My brother and I would be busy jumping into the waves and trying to body surf. Pretty soon we would look up and notice that our mother was way down the beach from us. How did she get so far away? She must have gotten up and moved to be so far away from us. We certainly hadn’t moved. But wait a minute, if she moved then so did all the houses and the trees and the lifeguard station. While we were distracted in our fun, we hadn’t notice that the undertow had slowly carried us down the beach a ways. Wrongdoings, immorality – sin is a lot like this too. Without even noticing that we have moved, suddenly and ever so subtly we have strayed, been carried away downstream in our relationship with God. The only solution is to fix our eyes on Jesus the Christ. The one who can work his way through our whole being and free us from the “old yeast” and give us a new batch – a new life in His spirit. #breadoflife #grace #mercy

Last Thursday, Maundy Thursday, our youngest daughter Meredith got engaged. It has been fun to celebrate, but this is not the main event. There will be an engagement party, bridal showers, and eventually a wedding. Yet this still is not the main event. It is a bit like Easter. This past Easter was glorious with the music and all the special services, but if we are honest, it is what happens on the day after Easter that has the most impact on our lives. Like a wedding with all the planning, it is still only about the life that will begin after the wedding is over. A life as a new family, together for ever. The reality of Easter is also the life we live after Easter is over. Because of Easter, we are gifted with the hope of eternal life. Because of Easter, we now have the power to overcome sin in our lives. Because of Easter, we can know resurrected life in any situation that we struggle with or experience despair. Because of Easter the Holy Spirit can reside within anyone who desires Him. Because of Easter we have the comfort and strength that comes with the Holy Spirit. Because of Easter we have been gifted with spiritual gifts that help us expand the Kingdom of God. Because of Easter, we have hope every single day, regardless of how horrible the day is or what we experience. All because of Easter. Romans 8:11 says," If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you." This is the hope of Easter. While Easter is glorious, what happens the next day, the next week, and the next year is far more wonderous all because of an empty tomb and a risen Savior. #Easter #Resurrection #Life #Victory

Be still and know that I am God … Psalm 46:10 NIV   This is the theme verse of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church that is currently convening in Charlotte, NC until May 3rd. Our Florida Conference Bishop, Tom Berlin, delivered a message earlier this week, to the Council of Bishops, on this passage. The Council of Bishops consists of all bishops, active and retired in the UMC. This Scripture is a fitting passage for this Conference. For up to this time, there has been a lot of activity and actions being taken in the confines of the UMC and beyond. We have gone through a time of order, then disorder. Now it is time for the Lord to reorder us. And reorder the church.      There are still many things to do in the next 2 weeks. Yet Bishop Berlin states that one of the things to do among them … is to be still. To wait for the Lord. “Being still is a sabbath from ego.”   Bishop Berlin continues, “ I don’t meet myself in stillness and I don’t exalt myself in stillness. I meet God, and that allows me to see myself as I am and the world as God would have it. Being still reminds me that I am not in charge or in control, even when I am at my business. Being still quells my anxiety.”  We are tired and exhausted from being disordered.  We are tired of people causing disorder.  It is time for reorder.  “And if we can do that in stillness, we will also begin to treat each other better. We will begin to love one another with a deeper love, a stiller love, that is patient and kind and gracious. We will forgive as we have been forgiven.”  The Scripture says, Be still ………. and know……… that I am God.  Bishop Berlin concludes, “This one verse is the first step in the new life we seek and long to experience.”  (To watch the livestream or to read summaries of the day’s activities, go to General Conference 2020 ( resourceumc.org ) ,  Yes, technically this Conference is the postponed 2020 GC.)    Set aside a moment to be still...watch: #UMC #GeneralConference #BeStill #Grace

The much-awaited General Conference of the United Methodist Church is rapidly approaching. It will be held from April 23rd to May 3rd in Charlotte, NC. We wanted to give you some background on the Conference so you could be better informed about it and what it involves. The General Conference is the chief decision-making body of the UMC. Yet that is not the only thing that is done at the Conference. The conference is also a time for delegates from around the world to gather to worship, pray, share ministries, and to meet other UM friends. It is a celebration in sharing what God has done in the worldwide church and in the local churches. Given the challenges that have faced the UMC, this Conference in Charlotte will be an affirmation that the UMC is alive and hopeful for the future. Some background on the General Conference (GC). A GC convenes every four years and meets for about 10 days. However, because of the pandemic, there has not been one since 2016, (however there was a specially called Conference in 2019.) The United Methodist Church is a worldwide church, that covers 4 different continents. So, it is a major undertaking to assemble all the delegates in one place. The General Conference is a representative body, which means that delegates from all regions of the world, where there are UM churches, elect who will attend this event. Convening at this upcoming conference will be 862 delegates, half are laity and half are clergy, The breakdown of the conference includes 56% from the US, and 44% from outside the US. There will be 16 delegates from Florida who will participate. These delegates were elected for the 2020 General Conference, that was postponed due to the pandemic. To view the list of delegates (8 clergy and 8 laity) click on FLUMC - Florida GC Delegation. Listed on this site also, are the SE Jurisdictional Delegates, the body the selects bishops, which convenes from July 10th to 12th. The task of considering and voting on petitions to be passed by this body is a principal task for this conference. There are 3 major topics being addressed this year. Worldwide Reorganization of UMC into Regions – This proposal would create 8 distinct regional governing bodies, of which the United States would be one. Each region could then adapt parts of the Book of Discipline for their context so that churches in the region can be the most fruitful and more relevant within their context. Regions could not change Parts I through V which contain the Constitution, Doctrinal Standards, Theological Task and other items that are considered “unchangeable”. To pass this proposal would require an amendment to the UMC’s Constitution. Changes to the Constitution require a 2/3rd majority and then must be voted on by each of the area Conferences, (Annual Conferences) also by a 2/3rd majority. Revision of Social Principles – Major changes have been proposed to the Social Principles of the church while still leaving it as a globally relevant document, biblically based with strong Wesleyan theological grounding. The most prominent one is to change the language on homosexuality, which currently reads that homosexuality is incompatible with Scripture. The changes would also remove the language banning gay or lesbian clergy and the ban on same-sex marriages. The language would be removed, but it would still be up to the discretion of the local church and/ or the pastor to allow either of them. Approval of Budget for the Next Four Years – Since 2016 about ¼ of the churches in the US have disaffiliated with the United Methodist Church. Because of this, budget cuts are needed. The budget being proposed is 47% smaller than the previous General Conference budget. If you want to know more about the upcoming General Conference watch the Pre-General Conference Briefing https://www.flumc.org/general-conference-2020 . Or, go to the UMC site at General Conference ( umc.org ). Some of the Florida delegates will be writing blogs during the conference, so check the FL Conference web site https://www.flumc.org/ . Bishop Berlin will also be creating daily videos from the conference that will be linked at FLUMC - Home. Also, you can email the FL Conference delegates at fldelegation@flumc.org . This is a watershed conference for the United Methodist Church. But no matter what is decided, the church will still be in the ministry of Kingdom building, sharing the Gospel and making disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world. Remember that this conference is not just about deciding on legislation but continuing the ministry and mission of the UMC. Keep the conference in your prayers, especially the FL Conference delegates. #UMC #GeneralConference #grace

The soldiers led Jesus away into the courtyard of the palace known as the governor’s headquarters, and they called together the whole company of soldiers. They dressed him up in a purple robe and twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on him. They saluted him, “Hey! King of the Jews!” Again and again, they struck his head with a stick. They spit on him and knelt before him to honor him. When they finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. Mark 15:16-20 CEB If today is Good Friday, what’s so good about it? Let’s recap the events of Jesus’ life this week. He was betrayed by one of his own to be handed over to the Roman authorities and arrested. When the authorities arrived, his closest followers all fled and left him alone, of which the leader of the group denied even knowing him. Not once, but three times. He faced two quick and unjust trials in the wee morning of that day. One in the presence of the high priest, Caiaphas, and one by the Judean Governor, Pontius Pilate. Pilate tries to release him, but the crowds clamor to crucify him. The same crowds that shouted his praises just a few days before on Palm Sunday. He was led away to be executed, and as we read from the passage above, he was mocked, humiliated, tortured, spit upon, and insulted. He was nailed to a cross between two criminals. After hours of hanging on the cross, experiencing indescribable pain, he breathed his last and died. He was taken away to be buried in a tomb. It seems as if all hope was lost. Yet, we call it Good Friday because Sunday’s a-coming. A Sunday that completed God’s mission for him on earth. In that, Jesus took our sins upon himself, that we are promised eternal life, that through his death, Death, itself, was defeated, that we are free from bondage of slavery to sin, and in Christ, we are reconciled to God. You may be experiencing trials in life that leave you feeling hopeless. Maybe you have lost a significant relationship in your life. Maybe you are in such financial strife that you don’t see a way out. Maybe you or someone you love is facing serious medical issues. Maybe you are so burdened down by life that you can hardly get out of bed in the morning. But don’t despair. For Sunday’s a-coming. In Christ there is always hope . That is the message of Easter. Sunday is coming! The story of Jesus Christ's crucifixion is one of betrayal, brutality, despair, and pain. Yet we know even before His death that redemption was promised to be coming soon. We know that the story does not end at the cross. We know what many did not realize-that Sunday's coming. The voice for Sunday's Coming is Pastor John L. Jefferson. Watch below: #Easter #Resurrection #HeIsRisen

"Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest!” Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. After he looked around at everything, because it was already late in the evening, he returned to Bethany with the Twelve. Mark 11:10-11 CEB This Sunday marks Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem before the events of Holy Week began to play themselves out. The crowds come to greet his entry into Jerusalem and shout “Hosanna,” which is an expression of adoration, praise, or joy. They shout “Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest!” They welcome him waving palm branches that are typically reserved for royalty. The disciples throw garments on the back of the colt and the crowd spreads cloaks and branches along the pathway before Jesus — are symbolic of Jesus' authority. The crowds praise Jesus enthusiastically because they believed he would overthrow Rome. They recognized him as the promised Messiah from Zechariah 9:9 NIV: Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Jesus, who has just celebrated a messianic-type entrance into the city, symbolically "claiming" Jerusalem as his own. People are revering him as some kind of superhero or big brother who has come to give a thrashing to all who have caused them anguish. Yet, suddenly in verse 11 he calls a sudden halt to this messianic mission. Why? Because it is late. It is bedtime. We can so relate to this. When we have hit the wall, it’s time to turn in for the day. Jesus is just like one of his. His humanity is showing through. He is one that we can connect with as Jesus is one that relates to us. In this passage, Jesus chooses to emphasize that he is not the kind of Messiah they have been expecting. His kingdom is of mercy, love, forgiveness, and grace. #Lent #PalmSunday #grace

Jesus raised him up, and right away he picked up his mat and walked out in front of everybody. They were all amazed and praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:12 CEB I remember in my chaplaincy training at FL Hospital in Orlando, it was ingrained in us that you never referred to a person as to their ailment. She is not the woman with pneumonia in room 305. Call her by their name. She is a person - Mrs. Watson, for example. Reading through the Gospel of Mark, it is surprising how many of the people that Jesus helped and healed are not named. The paralyzed man, the man with leprosy, demon-possessed man, the Syrophoenician woman, the woman with great faith, the blind man. Even though the Bible does not name them, Jesus knew them as a person. Knew their name and cared for them as a child of God. The people who he encountered in his journeys were not defined by their ailment. In fact, Jesus freed them from this identity, and restored them. He saw them as living, breathing human beings with needs and fears. He was more concerned about these needs and fears, because of his care and compassion for all. This passage in Mark chapter 2 is the end of the story of the paralyzed man who was lowered by four friends through the roof of a house where Jesus was teaching. Those in the house probably saw a man who was an interruption and causing a disturbance. He and his friends were “off-base” by intruding. Yet, Jesus saw one of God’s children who needed help. A person with needs that Jesus could remedy. There is no one whose needs are too trivial, too great, or too bothersome for Jesus. Even us. #Lent #discipleship #healing

While most of us would agree that the church is the place to come to connect to God in worship, many others do not understand that the church is also the vehicle which provides opportunities to be in Christian service. The church provides numerous ways to serve because we understand we are all uniquely gifted, and we are all drawn to different types of service. I Peter 4:10-11 explains it well. “And serve each other according to the gift each person has received, as good managers of God’s diverse gifts. Whoever speaks should do so as those who speak God’s word. Whoever serves should do so from the strength that God furnishes. Do this so that in everything God may be honored through Jesus Christ. To him be honor and power forever and always. Amen.” Sometimes we must wait for the right opportunity to serve. This weekend, we will be introducing a new Family Promise Team who has graciously agreed to help us to continue to host Family Promise at our church. They are also thinking about how they can use their gifts to help this ministry continue to thrive within our church. Another opportunity will be opening this spring. We are looking for a team of people who will take on our Meals on Wheels programs serving 45 meals each Tuesday in our county. Our present leaders will be moving this summer and would like to begin to train new leadership now. While their team of kitchen volunteers is already formed, we are looking for a couple of people to plan the menu, shop, and prepare the food on Tuesday along with the volunteers. We already have a team of drivers who do the deliveries. This is an important ministry of St. Andrew's and someone reading this article is probably called to bring leadership to this ministry. God gives us gifts to bless others and some of you are amazing cooks and planners. We need you to answer this call. If you are feeling the nudge of the Holy spirit, please reach out to the pastors and let them know you are interested. God bless and have a good Friday, Pastor Jayne Rideout #Lent #discipleship #service #calling

"The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself with these words, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like everyone else—crooks, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of everything I receive.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn’t even lift his eyes to look toward heaven. Rather, he struck his chest and said, ‘God, show mercy to me, a sinner.’" Luke 18:11-13 CEB Lent is the forty days before Easter, which is the time where we seriously examine our lives. Historically, Lent was a time for penance for those who have committed grave sins who had applied for reinstatement into the church. Because it became a season where one dwelt on and lamented over their sins, the season of Lent sometimes takes on a somber and dismal mood. It goes against the grain of everything we seek in our world. Why dwell on the things that bring us down? Focus on those things that build us up. Everyone needs to have healthy self-esteem by focusing on the good points, practicing positive reinforcements, and combating that critical inner voice. Nothing good can come out of facing our mortality and our sin. It can only make things depressing and miserable. And besides, I’m not as bad as that guy. Isn’t that what the Pharisee was saying in the story from Luke? Even the most despicable of people can find someone who is more despicable than they are. So, I’m not the one who needs to examine myself, it’s that other guy. Yet, the whole motive for dwelling on our faults and our sins is not to make us feel so miserable and so worthless but is to allow us to be freed from the things that hinder our relationship with God. It is to remind us that God is not with us simply to console affirm, heal, and love us. God is with us to challenge our illusions and confront our personal idolatries. God is in the business of remodeling and is constantly calling us to reorient ourselves. God knows exactly what you've done, even after years of running and hiding. Even when every impulse we have says “don’t go there.” It’s OK to “go there.” God is big enough to handle it, even though we may not be. For God's not interested in locking you up. No, God wants only to free you up. Free you through forgiveness. May our prayer in everything be "Lord, have your way." Watch this video as a reminder: #Lent #Jesus #freedom

Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” … So they removed the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. I know you always hear me. I say this for the benefit of the crowd standing here so that they will believe that you sent me.” Having said this, Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his feet bound and his hands tied, and his face covered with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” John 11:39-44 CEB Word got to Jesus that Lazarus, Mary and Martha’s brother, lay dying in the town of Bethany, not too far away, about 30 miles from where Jesus had retreated. By the time, Jesus gets there, Lazarus had died of his illness and had been buried in the tomb for four days. When he does arrive, Jesus startles Martha by saying that their brother Lazarus will rise again. By this time, Martha is not even sure that she wants her brother back. Lazarus has been dead for four days. By this time, her hope and trust in Jesus has turned into hesitancy, discouragement, and cynicism. Yet Jesus commands that the stones, that were laid across the entrance to the tomb be rolled away. We don’t know who the stone-rollers were. Scripture only refers to them as “they.” “So they took away the stone.” Once the stone was rolled away, everyone could see, could experience the glory of God, that Lazarus was alive. They see the glory of God revealed. They see for themselves that power of God’s love, grace, and mercy that extends beyond the laws of our natural world. We all need stone-rollers in our lives. Those who help us out of the depths, the despair, the “tombs’ of their lives. In our lives when we are so filled with doubt, despair, discouragement, hopelessness, we need those persons that roll the stones away in our spirits so that we can see the presence of Christ in our lives, when we are unable to see it ourselves. When we often cannot do so ourselves, we need the stone-rollers in our lives. The stone-rollers in our lives are those that are willing to step in for us to challenge us in our crisis to move the stones that hinder our view of Christ, when sometimes we are not sure we want to move the stones. We all need stone-rollers in our lives. Or to be one for someone else. #Lent #Jesus #hope