11/12/22
Some years ago I had the honor of visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was an awe-inspiring moment. The solemnity, the austere way in which this tomb holding the bodies of men and women who sacrificed their very lives, the way in which this tomb was being guarded was so sacred.
Each soldier, walking with measured steps, looking ahead, not to the left or right, but straight ahead. You could blow a whistle or yell out, but it would not break their stride. They had a singular purpose in mind. A duty. For the world to see.
2 Timothy 2:1-4 speaks of this kind of duty:
“You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; 2 and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well. 3 Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer.”
The soldiers guarding the tomb are entrusted with a solemn duty. Guard the tomb. That’s their mission. One of duty and faithfulness. A sacred honor. And so it is for those who follow Jesus. We, too, have a sacred duty, a charge to keep. On November 11 and all weekend long we celebrate the commitment and loyal service of those in the Armed Forces. If you are a veteran, or currently serve, we say Thank You for your service!
This Sunday Rev. Wayne Lavender will bless us with an inspiring message, Yoked to the Cross, and he will give an update on the Dondo Home we support in Mozambique. Join us in-person or you can also join us online at 10:00am. For online worship go to www.umcgt.org.
Service of Remembrance will be on Wednesday, November 16, at 6:30pm. This will be a time of prayer, music, and remembering our loved ones who will not be with us for the holidays. The Care and Prayer Teams and I will be on hand to offer personal prayer after the service.
History in the Making! If you are able to help restore the “African School House No. 4,” the oldest surviving one-room schoolhouse for African Americans in Missouri, we are signing up folks who want to be a part of history in the making! We will do this wonderful restoration on November 19. Look for sign up link in Enews or call the church office at 314-469-6740.
Bible Study will take a break until November 30, but you keep reading the Word! We’ll come back with our Advent study – stay tuned for more info!
The Lord bless you and keep you,
Pastor Linda
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