Hampstead United Methodist Church
15395 US Hwy 17 N., Hampstead, NC 28443
Email: office@hampsteadumc.org
William’s Wanderings
Good Day, Saints,
So, before I share about this week’s message, let me note several items of importance.
Fifth Sunday: It seems that last time we did not do a good enough job of informing you of your traditional Fifth Sunday worship times. I will take the responsibility for that. We will have our normal Fifth Sunday worship schedule of one service at 10:00 on Sunday, 31 October. We will follow the service with a time of coffee and goodies in the Family Life Center. (I will even bake a cake with slices that are individually wrapped.)
Charge Conference will be Sunday, 31 October, at 12:30. Those members of the Administrative Council-chairs and at-large-are reminded that our Charge Conference on Sunday, 31 October, will be a ZOOM meeting at 12:30. You should have received by now the pertinent information that you will need to have in hand.
No Communion on All Saints’ Sunday-7 November. This is in keeping with your past tradition of not having the Lord’s Supper on All Saints’ Sunday, which is 7 November this year, as we remember those who entered the Church Triumphant during the past year. We will have Communion at all three services on Sunday, 14 November.
My message for this coming Sunday comes from Mark 10:46-52- the healing of blind Bartimaeus. This is one of my favorite stories in all of Scripture. I love it because I have been in a position of prayer for personal needs many times in my life. Thus, I understand, or so I believe, what the blind beggar in this story wanted. He wanted to see! It is as simple as that.
Jesus is passing thru the city of Jericho. A beggar-a blind beggar-heard that Jesus was coming, and he commenced to calling aloud for Jesus to have mercy on him. The crowd attempted to quiet him, but he would none of it.
Now, before we become too critical of the crowd that chastised the blind beggar, let’s remember how many times we have been annoyed by those individuals who have come up to us asking for a handout. To be sure, we have reached into our pockets a few times and handed over money to be used for food. However, we have also on more than a few occasions been skeptical of the need, saying to ourselves something along the line “He/she is most likely going to buy beer or drugs with the money.”
Of course, Bartimaeus is a beggar! The man is blind. He has no family. He has no means by which to support himself. He is considered useless by many in his society. His “chutzpah” may have offended any one of us had we lived in his day, or maybe not. Who knows anymore? What we do know from this lesson is that the man did what he most likely felt to be the only thing left to do: He asked Jesus for mercy. He made a request to be made whole. And Jesus did not pass him by.
Again, I have been in a position of prayer for personal needs many times in my life. I bet you have, too. I hope to see you this coming Sunday.
Still in His Peace,
Pastor William
CHAPS for Thanksgiving: The Community Holiday Assistance Program for some time has been an integral part of making the holiday season joyful for those who are less fortunate. We are asking anyone who is willing to participate to donate $60. This $60 will provide one Thanksgiving meal for one family. Please make any gifts by Sunday, 6 November. Your gift can be made out HUMC with CHAPS on the memo line. We will, then, get a check from the church to the proper folks.
POINTS
TO CONSIDER: Immediate Calendar
20 Wed 5:00 PM Praise Band Rehearsal (FLC Gym)
5:30 PM Girl Scout Troop 1525 (Rm. 5/6)
21 Thu 6:00 PM Girl Scout Troop 75 (Rm. 5/6)
7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal (Sanc)
24 Sun svcs 8:30, 9:45 & 11:00
4:00 PM Power Kids Youth Fellowship (FLC)
5:00 PM Power Kids & Jr./Sr. High Youth meet for dinner (FLC)
6:00 PM Jr./Sr. High Youth Fellowship (FLC)