What a wonderful Easter Day! It is a happy day when we celebrate that the Savior who died for us has risen from the grave. Pretty amazing and I hope you have been able to celebrate today. Maybe you have laughed. Maybe you’ve been a little silly or goofy! There is certainly no harm in being a fool for your Lord. 

To celebrate such foolishness that abounds when joy is present is a right and good thing to do. So…in that spirit I share with you this goofy fun-filled song of celebration shared by Mark Schulte. Simply enjoy, courtesy of Mark, and Happy Easter!

-Shauna Weil

Have you been praying for the situation in Ukraine? I certainly have! My prayers and tears flow up to God often. War takes me to my spiritual knees. 

A powerful thing happened to me last night at church. I went to bell choir practice to play a violin part on our keyboard as part of a piece the Choir will play on Maundy Thursday (April 14) during our service at 7:00 pm. I had practiced the violin part at home and nothing particularly special touched me in its melody. 

I got to practice and we began to play together under the direction of Linda Compeau and all of a sudden everything was different and oh so powerful. I love making music with others – I think that was part of it. I felt us working together to make this piece live. The song is a plaintive one to match the mood of Maundy Thursday – the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane and Jesus’ arrest. There is so much uncertainty on this night and as we played this song called Lost In The Night – the world fell away and we were all together lost in a night not of our own making. The last note played and was released and the momentary silence was full of unspoken emotion. 

Linda said, “That was so beautiful,” and touched her heart at the same time. I agreed and said quietly, “It makes me think of Ukraine,” and I, too, touched my heart. 

We played it again. During a moment’s break – John, who is a wonderful musician and director and, by far, the tallest member of our bell choir, came toward me carrying the bell part of the song we just played and said, “This is why you thought of Ukraine. Here, read the poem/hymn verses that go to this music.”

As I quickly read, my heart simply ached for Ukraine and I understood why my heart felt the poignancy just naturally in the music. I was so glad that John had revealed the depth, the history, the mystery of the music to me – it will be part of me as I play it every time and in my memory. It is a special piece. 

You are all welcome to come to our Maundy Thursday service on April 14 at 7:00 pm to hear this special piece that requires a lot of musicians to make it come to life. It is beautiful when individual musicians come together to create – something greater than each part alone is revealed. The same thing happens when individual people of Christ gather together to acknowledge deep meaningful passages in our history as Christ’s people. 

Here are the words that reached deep in my heart. The words that musician John felt compelled to share with me. 

Lost in the night do the people yet languish,

longing for morning the darkness to  

  vanquish;

plaintively sighing with hearts full of 

  anguish. 

Will not day come soon? Will not day come 

  soon?

Must we be vainly awaiting the morrow?

Shall those who have light no light let us 

   borrow,

giving no heed to our burden of sorrow?

Will you help us soon? Will you help us 

  soon?

Sorrowing wand’rers, in darkness yet dwelling, dawned has the day of a 

  radiance excelling, 

death’s deepest shadows forever dispelling. 

Christ is coming soon! Christ is coming 

  soon!

Light o’er the land of the needy is beaming;

Rivers of life through its deserts are 

  streaming,

Bringing all peoples a Savior redeeming. 

Come and save us soon! Come and save us   

  soon!

(Nordic Hymn, translated by Olav Lee, copyright 1932.)

Lent comes at an interesting time in our life cycle this year. Not only are we walking our way through Holy Week this year in our Christian focus, but world events have us being called upon to hear the cry of the needy and respond in some way that suits our gifts. I have seen plenty of musicians in Ukraine, help in the only way they know how and so they play and pray for their people on the sidewalk, in a square, in the day, in the night, together and alone. We are no different whatever our gifts. 

Join us on Maundy Thursday this coming week on a night when Jesus has yet to serve the disciples and finish another part of his walk. Listen to the bell choir offer to God, “Lost In The Night”. In addition, sign up this Sunday and next to be a part of our prayer vigil on Sunday, April 24. Check out the Bell Notes on how to sign up online or stop by the table at church tomorrow and one of our Care Team members will be available to help you do so. 

Prayer can be a powerful means to partner with God as we repeat the plea: Come and save us soon! Come and save us soon!

~Shauna Weil

A devotion provided by the Devotion Ministry of Goodrich UMC 

I have been to the mountain!

Sounds so Biblical or reminiscent of MLK Jr., right? But there is truth in that statement for I first went with my husband for some time away from the busyness of the farm and we hiked the mountains in southeastern Arizona. Then we came home and I took off with my daughter Stephanie and we went to Utah and did the Mighty 5, hiking mountains and canyons for almost 9 days. 

The more I hike with my kids, the more I am convinced that hiking is a wonderful metaphor for our faith lives. Steph pushed me and she pushed me hard. It was a vacation but I also pushed myself hard because I knew she wanted to see what every park had to offer and my failure of will might hinder gaining that goal. Even though my will did not fail, my more than twice her age body kinda did. I damaged myself the second day on a river hike called The Narrows – it is a very popular hike in Zion, so maybe some of you have done it. In March, the mountain snow melt is farther along and hence the river water level is higher and running hard against you as you hike up the river against its flow between narrowed canyon walls. The temp was about 50 degrees and the water temp was at about 55 degrees. 

I was so frustrated with myself when on my journey several miles in, I lost focus and stumbled on the rocky bottom of the river accompanied by an unexpected low spot I dropped into with a jolt putting me almost up to my waist in powerfully moving river water and I went down – not once but twice. I took on gallons of cold cold river water in my waders and cracked my knee against a river rock. I cried in frustration that this had happened to me and I had denied my daughter the full hike. I determined to push on. On we went but the cold of the day with the totally soaked nature of all of my clothes and I mean all, forced me to tell Steph that I was uncontrollably shivering and I wasn’t sure what had happened to my knee, my fingers wouldn’t bend around my river hiking pole anymore and we had miles to hike to get back out of the narrows to a shuttle bus to return us to civilization where I could get out of all the gear and take stock of my situation. 

She saw the need. I was upset because I absolutely loved that hike and one or two careless moments had me going down and ending it for both of us. 

That was just one hike. There were many that challenged me. In Zion, you started at the foot of the mountain and always hiked up and at the end of the hike you came down – which seems easier but affords its own set of rigors on different muscles. But, say, in Bryce Canyon,  you always started on the rim of the canyon and hiked down in first, knowing that the arduous climb would come at the end of your journey. But, oh so gorgeous! It was colder than Zion and the strong wind ripped right through you sending cold into your very bones, even though we were layered and topped off with our warm puffy coats and were working hard and generating heat from our bodies. Such journeys – each one different but presenting challenges to my body, mind and soul. 

I learned after my trip with Dan not to go so heavy on books in my backpack. So in traveling with Steph I reduced my books to a Sarah Young devotion book and one more book. I felt bare without more books but it was the right call and I made the right choices. I was either hiking, traveling to another park to hike or just too tired to even think of reading.

I prayed a lot on that vacation and I saw the struggles with hiking each route as a close parallel to things I struggle with each and every day in my faith life or more simply said ‘in my life’. I did regularly read my devotions. I kept returning to one devotion often. There were many that I read that were so comforting to me and they nourished me. But the one I kept returning to reminded me of something very important and hard to remember in the busyness of our days and even in my temporary misery on some of our hikes. I’d like to quote a portion for you now from Jesus Today by Sarah Young. May her words speak to your life in a way that resonates and feeds you, as it did for me. (Remember she writes as if Jesus is speaking directly to you.)

“There is an open road ahead of you – all the way to heaven. I am your traveling Companion, and I know every twist and turn of your path. You see problems and limitations impeding your progress no matter which direction you look. But your vision is ever so limited. All I ask of you is to take the next small step – refusing to give up, refusing to stop trusting Me. 

“Your life is truly a faith-walk, and I am absolutely faithful! Though your understanding will fail you, I never will. The challenge before you is to stop focusing on your problems and limitations – and to believe that the way ahead is really an open road, in spite of how it looks.

“When you are struggling, simply take the next step and thank Me for clearing the way before you – all the way to heaven.”

I took God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit with me every day on the trails we hiked and kept them close as the elevation inevitably got too hard for me to challenge on my own strength alone. Though the way was often difficult and I could not see how I would gain enough air in my lungs and power in my muscles to finish the course, I did every time. By small steps and never giving up that all important trust when I couldn’t see but feet ahead of me on my journey’s path – I couldn’t see the goal or prize sometimes for hours on a hike. This is life and I have brought home a rich souvenir that came at a cost to me but nothing anywhere near the cost that our Savior paid for us. 

Hiking kills me regularly, but there is also something that keeps drawing me back as I learn deep lessons of faith that it seems I do not gain in other ways. I have brought this lesson home and pray that I will honor it in life in my regular surroundings for it affords me peace to know I ultimately have to give my trust, not to myself or others, but to Father, Son and Holy Spirit alone. 

Have resolve, Devotioneers! Absolutely refuse to let your trust in God waiver. Remember our vision is limited whether we can see it or not. 

~Shauna Weil

A devotion provided by the Devotion Ministry of Goodrich UMC 

The world is a rotten place to be right now with a war in Ukraine, civil unrest, rotten politics, Mr. Covid, the usual unrest and general thankless bunch of people. We often seem to be an oarless group of folks who only care about how these things affect us. 

I’ve been reading books and newspapers looking for acts of kindness – viewing TV for some good news. In my everyday life here at home, neighborhood, grocery stores and church, I’ve been looking for signs of people being blessed by others. I’m glad to report to have been blessed by many acts of kindness and concern. 

The first thing I was excited to see on national news showed me a young man who was helping to get supplies to Ukraine. He stated very proudly that he was a United Methodist who was following Christ and he NEEDED to care about what was happening and do something! I shouted at the TV, “Thank you, Lord!” I can’t help but wonder how ready we are to tell the world that we are Christ’s followers and doers and we are willing to serve and help our fellow man. 

Yesterday at church after a surprise snow in the night, a church attendee was trying to pick a safe way into the main entrance of the church. Along comes another worshiper and takes the lady’s arm and guides her safely. As they enter the church, I heard the elder lady say, “good to see you and thanks for the help.” As they both made their way into the sanctuary they were both smiling. I said to myself, ‘thank you Lord for caring folks.’ I also remembered the younger lady’s own mother died not too long ago. She got involved helping someone who needed some assistance. Being a Christ follower is being willing to help our fellow person.

I am speaking from experience, there can be a cost, you can be rejected in offering your help. It’s happened to me and I have also rejected help offered to me. How ungrateful am I? In my next breath I will tell someone how tired I am. Pride is a sin, folks. Father forgive us for not offering help; forgive those who reject the help. 

Our Lenten soup night each Wednesday has been a wonderful blessing and when the youth bring our soup to our door, I am very thankful to them as they deliver and serve. I also let the driver know how appreciated they are for taking time to bring soup to us. It was really special during Covid because we saw folks we hadn’t seen for a year. It truly meant a lot to many of us isolated at home! Thank you, Lord, for those who served and made soup. 

Never underestimate a phone call. Some days a phone call or text will just help a person realize that they are cared for – it may just give them a much needed lift. Cards sent will do the same. These are small acts, but are very meaningful to the folks who receive them and send them.

After communion Sunday, I was able to take communion to people who aren’t able to get to church. What a blessing to be able to share my faith with them and for them to share their faith with me. We Christ followers are supposed to bring faith, hope and encouragement to everyone- not just our church family, but neighbors, family, friends, and even those whom we do not know. When we have Christ in our lives we are a changed people. Following Christ in the way we live our days here on earth is important. We will ultimately be judged by God as to how we lived our lives in this world. I have never worn a bracelet that has the words “What Would Jesus Do?” As we approach Easter, maybe we need to ask that question during this Lenten season.

We have been looking at the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed in our learning time after Sunday service each week which is available to all ages. These show us what we are committing ourselves to as servants of Christ. Pastor Joel recently sent out a letter about our United Methodist General Conference being canceled – this also gives us room to think about how we should move toward accepting and loving every one of God’s people. If you would like a copy of any of this information you can certainly call the church office. (810-636-2444)

My thoughts have served to remind me ways in which we can grow and love in serving God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.  I have found I often need these seemingly simple reminders to stay close to my faith. Let’s support each other in the journey. 

WWJD

-Barb Maki

A devotion provided by the Devotion Ministry of Goodrich UMC

Forgiveness – A Devotion

Yesterday I woke up and found my daily devotion to be about forgiveness, that familiar story in Mathew Chapter 18 where Peter asks Jesus just how many times it is that we have to forgive someone and Jesus tells him:  Not just the gracious 7 times that Peter offered, but 7 times 70 times!  A Godly amount if there ever was one!

This morning I woke up early (again) and turned on the Contemporary Music Channel to hear the song Forgiveness by Matthew West.  And I had a topic!”

Can you imagine forgiving ‘some hurtful person’ more than even once!  Yet that is what we are told to do.

When? Who? Why, and How?

When and Who: Driving, raising our kids, interacting with our friends (yes EVEN CHURCH FRIENDS), our employer, our Spouse, telemarketers, ourselves, and last but most – God!

Why: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that all whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.” NKJV Jn 3:16-17.

How: Love others as God loved us.  When I think of all of the times in my life that I have asked God for forgiveness 490 does not seem to be a large enough number. Surely, I have used that much grace from my spouse over the last 40 some years.  So, the number is real…and I have needed it. But thanks be to God that for Him, through Jesus, he stopped counting at one! 

 Hallelujah!

Listen to Matthew West’s song -What a telling first verse – the Second is even stronger…

It’s the hardest thing to give away. And the last thing on your mind today. It always goes to those who don’t deserve. It’s the opposite of how you feel. When they pain they caused is just too real. Takes everything you have to say the word

Forgiveness.  

Pass it on!

-Mark Schulte 

I don’t know about you, but I need frequent reminders that God takes care of all my needs. You would think that memories of all the needs God has met for me in the past would be enough. But, I still find myself asking God, “Where are you? Why am I going through this?” 

Jesus reminds us that the Lord provides clothing for the flowers in the field (Matthew 6:28). Jesus says in Matthew 10:29 that he watches every bird that falls to the ground that dies. How much more does He care for you? 

Where are you with God today? Are you grieving the loss of a loved one, or suffering with a physical illness? Maybe you are lonely or suffer from depression or other mental sickness. Wherever you are today, think about what David wrote in Psalm 100 as he was inspired by the Holy Spirit: 

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

I invite you to listen to the words in the song attached. But, don’t just listen. Open your mouth, your hands, your arms – anything you can to receive Him and worship Him while thanking Him. Even if you don’t feel like it, just do it anyway. Don’t worry about who sees or hears you and thinks you’re weird. Your Heavenly Daddy sees you and you will KNOW that He is God Almighty and that He loves you like none other. What a blessing to receive today! Amen.

From Heidi Arvin in Tennessee

Take time to meditate on the picture above from Sarah Young’s calendar based on her book Jesus Calling. It is a gift to us for March. 

This may seem like a delightful expression of generosity by Sarah from our God. 

However, Gifts are not always what they suggest themselves to be – the gift inside can hold so much more than it’s wrappings allow us to know. I believe that God’s gift above offers more depth than perhaps the day or the coming of spring. Certainly a gift to give praise for, make no mistake. I merely believe that he gifts us with so much more. 

His gift is for us to know that he is always present and we are always supposed to be learning; to grow in our faith, and that perhaps this small promise of Spring above might really mean a deeper life with Him. Maybe it holds a completely new and unforeseen season in the journey for you personally. Only you and God truly know your life, so stay close would be my gentle encouragement. 

Today I watched a YouTube video spoken by Maya Angelou on learning. (She was a renowned and treasured American poet, writer, actor, speaker and so much more.) Parts of it were hard to hear but I try to be mindful to remember that some who listen to it may indeed identify with even the hardest parts. So do not close your ears, instead open your hearts. Her wisdom is beautiful and amazing. You may go to YouTube.com and search ‘Maya Angelou on learning’ to listen to her powerful words. 

Whether you search her out or not – what is important is that she calls us to keep learning. Even though she became mute from trauma at the age of 7 and remained so for 5 years, she spent that time learning. Warning! One of the side effects of learning can be change. Do not fear – move forward and onward. My daughter in law, Michele, shared a sticker with me that she had bought for herself but upon pondering felt that ‘Mom needed one too.’ Indeed I did! I read it frequently. 

The sticker says: Change is hard, but we can do hard things. 

Indeed we can! We need to call on God to help us be brave and, yes, we’ll even do brave with fear as a companion, so that we can lean into the hard things, go through instead of around. Forged and healed by a fire that may cause us great pain but will not consume us. Not if you call God alongside you – for God has promised he will not let the fire consume us. (Check out the beginning verses of Isaiah 43.) 

To travel with our most important companion is not called cheating it or trying a dodge that is called beating it or living with God! 

Indeed we can!

Be ready to learn where you can and when you can and go forth a changed person, a better person in and for God, the one who loves us. 

~Shauna Weil

A devotion provided by the Devotion Ministry of Goodrich UMC 

How do we find God’s presence in this world? Today I was looking at pictures on my camera roll. There were so many that just shouted to me. “Of course there is a God. AND…of course he loves you even if at times you don’t do so well at loving him back.” Take a look of the pics below that reminded me today that God is with us.

“The Lord your God in your midst…He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” -Zephaniah 3:17

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.’” -Jeremiah 31:3

These are words which portray our God at his being oh so gentle. We see absolute tenderness and thoughtful care for us in the images these words evoke. Think of the words, “I have drawn you” – my goodness, our God might have gotten his hands dirty to pay attention to take the time to draw us. The word choice ‘draw’ is a thought provoking one. God didn’t just wave a hand and populate the earth with all of us – no, he drew each of us. What a beautiful way to express the closeness God has with each of us. 

I think these verses show us one of the many faces of God. It is interesting and marvelous to note that our mighty powerful God is not ashamed to let this softhearted side of himself be shown and known to his people – his children whom he adores. Let us adore our God and rest in this today…..just rest. Yes, rest.   rest

If you have a moment, take a look at your camera roll, spy God there with you in the little moments of each day. 

rest

~Shauna Weil

A devotion provided by the Devotion Ministry of Goodrich UMC 

Thank you to Beth Gray, Pastor Joel and my hubby Dan who contributed photos to my God seek and find experience today. ♥️

I awoke today with words in my mind and heart. They are not new – there is not much new in this world of ours that God has not witnessed before from the peoples of his creation. Perhaps it is my trepidation over the situation in Ukraine that brought them to the fore today. The actions of a leader like Vladimir Putin are not new to our God. For many centuries our God has watched humankind hunger and covet lands and peoples that do not belong to them due to greed and quest for power. All of the situations we find ourselves in that bring us worry, doubt and fear are not new to our God. 

This was my comfort as I opened my eyes and thought my first thought of the new day this morning. 

“This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

God has set a new day before us. 

I am encouraged to go forth and be his child in it following the ways taught to me. 

I know the ways God has shone me deep in my heart – they are not ways that are new to this world, though perhaps many do not hear or follow. 

That does not mean that I should or shall ignore what I have been taught. 

No. I shall embrace it even more and shine my light with God’s courage and not tremble though timid I may be. 

God is my rock and refuge for all time. 

Let us go out to serve together with our hearts joined in God in his new day. 

I ask. What better way is there to use our days?

There is no better way. For we already know the alpha and the omega. 

Dear God,

Take us out into this day, do not let us pull the covers of night over our heads in this your morning. Open our eyes and let your light shine out from us. Let us serve in your name in the unique ways you have gifted each of us. Help us move forward even as we may be held down by hurt, anger, doubt, sorrow, jealousy, pain, anxiety, depression, regret or any emotion or heavy weight that works in us. We know you have seen it before in other travelers in your name. Your heart understands our hearts. 

We call out to you and we ask that you will respond with strength for each of us and our lives lived in you. Thank you for each new day you set before us, your children, that we may go out with you as our ever companion to serve others. Blessed be your name! Amen. 

~Shauna Weil

~Shauna Weil

A devotion provided by the Devotion Ministry of Goodrich UMC 

Thank you to Kathy for allowing me to share one of her anchoring faith moments in life even as she grieves the recent loss of her son. Without hesitation she said, “Most certainly you can share this story!”

Please say prayers for those who have known loss and are trudging along right now or have done so in the past. It is a hard and unique walk for each person. God made us that way. 

Let your compassionate soul rise today to meet the moment and fill your heart to overflowing. Let it simply flow out to touch those who have known loss. It’s a big prayer to meet big hurt and God wants to hear us send up prayers knowing our hearts can be bigger. Bigger than even we can imagine. May the Holy Spirit work in you today.