Blog & Trail Talk-May 30, 2025

jei614
3 days ago
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The Church: Prequel Trilogy

The Call

Dr. Linda Settles

5/30/25

Have you heard the story of the pig and the chicken?

A Pig and a Chicken are walking down the road.

The Chicken says: "Hey Pig, I was thinking we

should open a restaurant!"

Pig replies: "Hm, maybe, what would we call it?"

The Chicken responds: "How about 'ham-n-eggs'?"

The Pig thinks for a moment and says:

"No thanks. I'd be committed, but you'd only be involved."

Sometimes, the story is told as a question: In a bacon-and-egg breakfast, what's the difference between the Chicken and the Pig?

Answer: The Chicken is involved, but the Pig commits!

The point is – there’s a difference between being involved and committing. If you look at that from a church perspective, there’s a difference between believing and following. Believing Jesus costs your loyalty, but following Jesus costs your life!

We are approaching the third part of the Church prequel trilogy. Things that led up to the birth of the Church. We have learned that the foundation of the Church is the Rock, Jesus the Christ. And that we, like Peter, are living stones, pieces of the Rock, who are being formed into a spiritual house that we call the Church. Then we learned that it’s not easy to wait for what we want. Jesus told the disciples to wait for the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4), but what do you do while you’re waiting on the Lord? We remember Jesus, we prepare for Jesus, and we trust Jesus.

And in our final sermon we go back to Acts 1 and in verse 8, right before Jesus ascended into Heaven, we see why the wait on the promised Holy Spirit was necessary:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8

Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem so that they could be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). But what does that even mean? Well, verse 8 gives us a clue as to what happens when the Holy Spirit comes upon (baptizes) you. First, the power of God is unleashed, and we are empowered. You receive a strength you didn’t gain on your own. All the exercising and power drinks can’t give it to you. It is only the Holy Spirit who enables us to do great things for Christ.

Second, we are empowered to bear witness to Christ! We bear witness by proclaiming what God has done and is doing in Jesus and we call upon people to be a part of what God is doing in the world to spread His unconditional love. We bear witness that God forgives sin, heals brokenness, liberates the oppressed, reproves the oppressors, disturbs the comfortable, comforts the grieving, transforms sinners, and offers new life to all. The gospel message is not a pre-packaged formula but a message that meets people where they are, in the particularity of their personal situation. And it is only the transforming work of the Holy Spirit that can bring change to our lives.

That, my friends, is the call on the life of every believer. To receive the Holy Spirit, and then to bear witness to the risen Christ. We are part of the ministry of believers, which means that each of us are called as disciples of Jesus Christ, to spread the message of the gospel, the good news, everywhere and every time we can. Or as John Wesley’s Rule of Life says:

Do all the good you can,By all the means you can,In all the ways you can,In all the places you can,At all the times you can,To all the people you can,As long as ever you can.

Translation: don’t be a chicken – be a pig! Commit your all to the Lord. Answer the call to embody the love of Christ and to take that love to the world!

I hope you will join me on Sunday as we continue the sermon series: The Church: Prequel Trilogy! This three-part mini-series will include: The Rock, The Wait, and The Call, culminating on June 8, Pentecost Sunday, with A Church is Born! Don’t miss an episode! (or you’ll have to binge watch it online!). This Sunday is: The Call.

WOW Bible Study WOW (Word on Wednesday) has two more weeks before taking a break for the summer. We are discussing another set of Essentials of Faith, from RightNow Media. Don’t forget, if you haven’t signed up for your own free account, just contact the office and we’ll send you a login link. This study is about why Jesus matters. Join us on Wednesday at 6:30p for class. And if you’d like to share in the potluck, come at 5:45!

In the Word You’re invited to the Sunday School class that takes place on Sundays from 9:00-9:45am. The study is on the book of Revelation and it is being led by Don Weaver and Tim Felthouse, on the lower level, room 108.

Next Gen Leader We are recruiting a part-time Next Generations Leader. This position will lead children and youth ministries. If you know of anyone who not only loves young people but has a passion to lead them on their faith journey, please let us know!

Father’s Day Speaker will be Rev. Arnold Parks, PhD. He is a retired elder of the MO Conference, and Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Lincoln University in Jefferson City. Let’s celebrate fathers and our father-figures on June 15!

Annual Conference will be held at the St. Charles Convention Center again this year! That means it’s accessible for anyone who wants to go. Visitors are always welcome, in fact, there are visitor sections for anyone who would like to see the greater connection in action! If you have never attended one, please plan on going for a session or two. The dates are June 6-8. For the agenda you can go to: moacinfo.com. You don’t have to register, you can just come in as a visitor. This year, the Annual Conference will vote on several constitutional amendments pertaining to regionalization, gender inclusiveness, racial justice, and clergy voting rights. I encourage you to take a peek at over one thousand UMs gathered in worship, prayer, and the business of the Church!

Volunteer to Pray at Annual Conference! You’re invited to be part of the volunteer Prayer Team during the 2025 Missouri Annual Conference on June 6-8, 2025 at the St. Charles Convention Center. Prayer is central to the kingdom work we will accomplish together next week and it would be a great way to pray for the conference, as well as witness the conference.

VOLUNTEER PRAYER ROLES

There are 2 volunteer prayer roles and you are invited to serve in one or both:

Exhibit Hall (In Front of Stage) – Located in the main exhibit hall of the St. Charles Convention Center, volunteers will sit and pray quietly in front of the stage for the people and work of the Missouri Annual Conference.
Lobby Prayer Chapel – Located in the main lobby of the St. Charles Convention Center, volunteers will be available to welcome and pray with Annual Conference attendees upon request.

CHOOSE YOUR ROLE(S) and SHIFT(S)

Please add your name, email and mobile phone number in the prayer schedule linked below to choose your time slot:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dJNUzJv0R9SBwN9yMcUHNLRUW3nZLb77EJbtf-i9zn0/edit?usp=sharing

Please direct any questions to Rev. Jim Peich at pastor@csofallon.org.

Vision for 2025:

Deeply Rooted:

Growing Through Discipleship!

Blessings,

Pastor Linda

This Week!

*Sunday, June 1* 9AM-Small Groups The Bethany Siblings-Room 204 Children's Cafe-Room 206 Youth Group-Room 210 In the Word-Room 108 Circle Makers-Room 109 10AM-Sanctuary Worship Prequel Trilogy: The Call Pastor Linda Settles	*Tuesday, June 3* 10AM-Multipurpose Room Tai Chi 6PM-Multipurpose Room After Hours Community Band *Wednesday, June 4* 5:45PM-Multipurpose Room Potluck Dinner Bring a dish to share or just yourself! 6:30PM-Multipurpose Room Word on Wednesdays *Saturday, June 7* *8AM-Multipurpose Room* Zumba with Julie Durham

**Join us at 5:45 for potluck dinner and stay for WOW at 6:30!**

Save the Date!

Register Here

Childcare Coordinator and Other Hospitality Volunteers Needed!

Click on the Registration tab for more info!

A new challenge for a new year!

Write a verse a day from the Bible. Here is May-click below to print out a copy or use your own notebook!

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