From Palms to Passion

Matthew 21:1-11 Lexham English Bible (LEB)

The Triumphal Entry

21 And when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village before you, and right away you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie them[a] and[b] bring them[c] to me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you will say, ‘The Lord needs them,’[d] and he will send them at once.” 4 Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying,

5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
    ‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
    and[e] on a colt, the foal of a pack animal.’”[f]

6 So the disciples went[g] and did[h] just as Jesus directed them, 7 and[i] brought the donkey and the colt and put their[j] cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 And a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them[k] on the road. 9 And the crowds who went ahead of him and the ones who followed were shouting, saying,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord![l]
    Hosanna in the highest heaven!”[m]

10 And when[n] he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee!”

Rev. Robert McMillan, Pastor Music Leaders: Renee James, Katie Aiken, Randy Smith Taylor Reynolds, Samuel Thompson April 5, 2020 Announcements MAUNDY THURSDAY WORSHIP, APRIL 9, 6:30 pm. On-line worship celebrating the Last Supper. We will take Holy Communion together: you may use any bread and your own grape juice or wine.

Please note changes or corrections on the clipboard at the back of the Sanctuary or email to kaiken@gulftel.com . Prayer requests will normally stay on this list for one month . Please advise if someone should be taken off sooner, needs to stay on longer, or be moved to Standing Prayer list.

When We Face an Unknown Future

When We Face an Unknown Future
(Tune: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus or Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee)

When we face an unknown future that we can’t imagine yet,
when the closeness we have treasured turns from blessing into threat—
As we miss our friends and loved ones, as we crave community,
may we look, God, in this season, for a whole new way to be.

Jesus faced the lonely desert as a time to look within.
There he met such trial and conflict; there he knew you were with him.
In this time of separation when we miss the life we’ve known,
may we hear your voice proclaiming: “I am here! You’re not alone.”

May we cherish those around us as we never have before.
May we think much less of profit; may we learn what matters more.
May we hear our neighbors’ suffering; may we see our neighbors’ pain.
May we learn new ways of offering life and health and hope again.

God, when illness comes to threaten, and when so much here goes wrong,
may we know this thing for certain— that your love is sure and strong.
You’re beside us in our suffering, and when times are surely tough,
we may face an unknown future, but it’s filled, Lord, with your love.

Text: Copyright © 2020 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved. Used by permission of the author.

celebrate Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, and Holy Communion

Dear Friends, 

This Sunday we will celebrate Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, and Holy Communion.

Although we cannot come together in our sanctuary for these sacred events, we can participate from home.  We will be able to celebrate Holy Communion together by using any bread and grape juice or wine that you have at home.  Those elements will be consecrated by our pastor as part of our online service at 9:30 Sunday morning, April 5, or you may celebrate the sacrament in the same way if you view the service later on.  

Link to Sunday April 5 service below:

https://youtu.be/VqV-GoNzjOQ

On Thursday evening, April 9, at 6:30 we will again celebrate the Lord’s Supper as part of our Maundy Thursday worship service, which will also be on YouTube Live and will be posted to our website, 

morganschapel.org.

A letter to the Morgan’s Chapel Family from Pastor Robert

As we face these uncertain times, I find myself thinking back to the many times God has delivered. Our scriptures are filled with these examples.  Think for a moment what it must have been like for the Israelites as they walked, not just out of slavery in Egypt, but as a victorious army taking with them all the gold, silver and jewels they could carry. I can only imagine the elation that filled their hearts.  Yet within what must have seemed like moments, they now faced an uncrossable body of water to the front, and an angry army bearing down on them from behind. They have gone from celebrating victory to facing certain death! How much they must have asked why? Is this what God intended, to simply bring them out of what had been their only home to die here in the wilderness? 

Aren’t we facing just such a time?  We have seen life going well, perhaps even better than it ever has.  Career, family, finances, church; all at a point that has done nothing but improve over the last years, perhaps even to the best point in life.  God has delivered us from the slavery of our sin, of extreme need, to an economy that has been running at full steam for years. But now, we are standing on the banks of the Red Sea, looking at uncrossable waters.  We have an unseen illness that seems to spread faster than the plague. In an effort to stem its spread, our economy appears to be on the edge of total collapse. Why God? What is the point of this? 

The fear is real. We really are facing a complete unknown.  Our leaders have failed us, our careers have failed us, our medicine has failed us. It is no wonder why so many people are afraid.  But remember the Israelites, when they too faced what was surly certain death, they were delivered. God did a thing that no one could have imagined.  God found a way to offer safety by doing the impossible. Yes, we face uncertain times. No, I don’t see a way out. Yes, it feels like I have been deceived. But throughout our history as a people of faith, God has worked the miraculous. God has found a way.  And it has always been a way that no one could have seen coming. I hold to the hope that God will provide, that God will deliver us from this time as has been the case so many times in the past.  

Amen.

Out of Depths

Special thanks to our pianist: Alice Hilton

“Out of the depths I call to you, O Yahweh. “O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If you, O Yah, should keep track of iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you is forgiveness, so that you may be feared.” I await Yahweh; my soul awaits, and I wait for his word. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning. Yes, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, wait for Yahweh. For with Yahweh there is loyal love, and with him there is abundant redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭130:1-8‬ ‭LEB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/90/psa.130.1-8.leb

Scripture and Songs for 3/22/2020 Worship Services

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

https://youtu.be/atb6ArTj6CA

“Shout in triumph to Yahweh, all the earth. Serve Yahweh with joy; come into his presence with exultation. Know that Yahweh, he is God; he made us and we are his. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise. Give thanks to him; bless his name. For Yahweh is good; his loyal love is forever, and his faithfulness is from generation to generation.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100:1-5‬ ‭LEB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/90/psa.100.1-5.leb

This Is My Father’s World

https://youtu.be/N6wmWrDWLiQ

Apostle's Creed
 I believe in God, the Father Almighty,  maker of heaven and earth. 

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;  who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;*  the third day he rose from the dead;  he ascended into heaven, and sitteth (sits)  at the right hand of the Father Almighty. From thence ( there)  he shall come again to judge the quick ( living)  and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit,  the holy catholic** Church, the communion of saints,   the forgiveness of sins,  the resurrection of the body,  and the life everlasting. Amen.

O God, Our Help in Ages Past

https://youtu.be/N-hN740J6qA

“Yahweh is my shepherd; I will not lack for anything. In grassy pastures he makes me lie down; by quiet waters he leads me. He restores my life. He leads me in correct paths for the sake of his name. Even when I walk in a dark valley, I fear no evil because you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare before me a table in the presence of my oppressors. You anoint my head with oil; my cup is overflowing. Surely goodness and loyal love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will stay in the house of Yahweh for a very long time.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:1-6‬ ‭LEB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/90/psa.23.1-6.leb

Blest Be the Tie That Binds

21/03/2020 Saturday Work day

Attention: Church work day scheduled for tomorrow 21/03/2020 is postponed. Stay tuned in to www.morganschapel.com for the latest updates.

Message from Pastor Robert

Our Bishop has asked that we suspend services for the forseeable future.  Please read his message below.  With this in mind, Katie, Lee, Ron: can we make plans to meet just the few of us and produce a service for our members next week?  Lee and Ron especially, what do we need to ba able to provide this to our members?  Katie, I know you can get creative on what kind of music we might do.  I plan to focus my message on the possibilities that being on line might provide.  Let's get creative, let's think outside the box, and let's look at this time as a new opportunity from God.  

I think we should offer the Bishop's message to everyone as we begin to finalize our plans.  

Robert

Friends,
These are unbelievable times for us all. As one who could not imagine canceling worship services, I cannot remember a circumstance in my lifetime when churches were asked to suspend worship services and meetings.
As I watched social media this weekend, I marveled at the creativity and leadership of our churches and pastors. The Alabama-West Florida Conference is filled with Christ- centered followers. It is a blessing to be your bishop.
Yet, I write to you today specifically around the COVID-19 pandemic. Health experts warn us that it is in the best interest of church members, especially those in the high-risk categories, the community, the states of Alabama and Florida, our nation, and the world for us to stop assembling for a time of worship services and other group meetings. We have been told the best time to slow down the spread of the contagious coronavirus is now. We need to take measures to avoid large gatherings of people along with practicing social distancing. Many of you did that this past Sunday by canceling worship services and using social media to reach your congregation and beyond.

It is out of the plea from national and local health officials that I urge and request for at least the remainder of March all our Alabama-West Florida United Methodist Churches suspend in- person worship and other large gatherings.  We will assess the situation week-by-week to determine when it is safe to resume worship services. It is a day-to-day, week-to-week and at times hour-by-hour situation.

In the spirit of this request, we have already planned to close conference office for meetings. Staff are working remotely except for a few people each day. Click here to read the full statement. 

Though we are calling for a suspension of in-person church worship services, the church will continue to be in ministry. Some of our churches offer on-line and Facebook live stream or video service. I have been blessed by the number of our churches already reaching out in creative and caring ways. I have heard several stories of how churches are assisting the neighborhoods where they are located. The conference staff has put together a tool kit and resources of how to assist you in carrying out the mission of the church in these uncertain times. Click here to access this information.

Please remember that although worship services are canceled for a season, our relationship with Jesus and the Church continues each day. Be mindful, expenses of each local church continue everyday as well. Please look for a way to give electronically or simply mail in your tithes and financial offerings. Click here for information about electronic giving methods.  Your continued faithful giving will ensure the church is ready to respond to the needs as they arise. In fact, I feel the church will be asked to do more in these days. Therefore, your faithful giving is critical. As I think about all these things, I continue to recall this scripture from Ephesians 3:14-19 NLV, When I think of all this, I fall on my knees and pray to the Father. The Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And you may have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Thank you for being who you are. I just believe amid all we are going through that this will be one of the church’s greatest moments that we have seen in a long time. Revival!

In Christ,
David W. Graves

Communication and Connection

https://forms.gle/STY638Fop9H1DanX8

Please click link to connect with us during these trying times.

“Come, let us sing for joy to Yahweh; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; with songs let us shout joyfully to him. For Yahweh is the great God, and the great king over all gods, in whose hand are the unexplored places of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are his, to whom belongs the sea that he made, and the dry land that his hands formed. Come in, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before Yahweh, our maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. Today if you will hear his voice: “Do not harden your heart as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, when your ancestors tried me. They put me to the test, even though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation, and said, ‘They are a people whose heart wanders. And my ways they do not know.’ Therefore I swore in my anger, ‘They shall surely not enter into my rest.’ ”” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭95:1-11‬ ‭LEB‬‬ https://www.bible.com/90/psa.95.1-11.leb

Relief

“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32:1-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/111/psa.32.1-11.niv

Together

“Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:1-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/111/1co.3.1-9.niv

Leaning o the Everlasting Arms

“Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor. The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭112:1-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/111/psa.112.1-10.niv

And Can It Be

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:18-31‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/111/1co.1.18-31.niv

Tell It!

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened — burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.” I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly. Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40:1-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/111/psa.40.1-11.niv

Epiphany Sunday

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2:1-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/111/mat.2.1-12.niv

Light hope joy peace

“Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7:10-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/111/isa.7.10-16.niv

2nd Week of Advent

“Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Judean wilderness and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!” For this is the one who was spoken about by the prophet Isaiah, saying, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ ” Now John himself had his clothing made from camel’s hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! And do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! Already now the ax is positioned at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who comes after me is more powerful than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3:1-12‬ ‭LEB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/90/mat.3.1-12.leb

Peace

““But concerning that day and hour no one knows—not even the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone. For just as the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark. And they did not know anything until the deluge came and swept them all away. So also the coming of the Son of Man will be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know what day your Lord is coming! But understand this: that if the master of the house had known what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think he will come.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:36-44‬ ‭LEB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/90/mat.24.36-44.leb

Christ The King Sunday

“And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:5-9‬ ‭ASV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/12/1jn.1.5-9.asv

Charge Conference November 17,2019

“And in that day thou shalt say, I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; for though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid: for Jehovah, even Jehovah, is my strength and song; and he is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name, declare his doings among the peoples, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto Jehovah; for he hath done excellent things: let this be known in all the earth. Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great in the midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭12:1-6‬ ‭ASV‬‬