Rev. Jan Buxton Wade
We await your coming, O Promised One, for you arrive with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, extending your counsel and peace. We, your wandering children, long for these qualities; yet today we especially seek your holy peace, O God of Calm. Despite your gracious bounty and mercy, our hearts remain restless this time of year. Those ancient threats of wars and rumors of war still color our era. The destitute, who have long waited for reprieve, remain in want. Evil and anger walk our streets, ready to pounce upon innocents who dare to voice differing views. Our youth are too often estranged from family, church, and community, living in danger within the boundaries of their neighborhoods and schools. We travel an uneasy road, O Lord; therefore, we still rely on the word of the prophet who shares the good news that, even today, every mountain and hill will be made low and the rough places will become a plain.
O God of Promise, come to us with your peace.
In our yearning, we indeed realize many of our present troubles are of our own making. As we linger here for you, could it be that you are also waiting — waiting for us to set things right? Surely you long for us to repent of our selfish ways, and to earnestly become part of that transformation we so desire. We confess that we have been reticent to become involved when our efforts could make a real difference. There are persons we have refused to love, harmful habits we have not bothered to alter, and doorways we have neglected to open. Courage lies at the heart of peace-keeping, so give us resolve and boldness through the power of your Spirit, we pray, to will and to work for the good of your kingdom. Forgive our reticence, Good Lord, and fortify our efforts that they may be those that prepare the way of the Lord!
O God of Promise, may we strive for your peace.
We remember, Abiding One, when Jesus offered his words of solace to his disciples, it was in a time of tremendous turmoil. Though he knew his own death was imminent, he spoke of that lasting peace that he himself embodied. Help us to know that the charge before us is to work in our temporal realm; yet may we also take hold of that most sacred gift of a lifetime: that unflappable peace of Christ. Set us on that path this season, we pray.
O God of Promise, we yearn for your abiding peace.
The storms of life have overwhelmed so many, O Lord, and raging winds have broken even the strongest among us. May the words of Christ the Comforter resound in the spirits of those who are lonely, confused, ill, grieving, and dying: “Peace be still!” Soothe the souls of those who are frightened in every corner, we pray, and bring your light of hope to each darkened corner. And receive also these earnest prayers of petition and praise brought to you by your people at Church Street:
- Gratitude for prayers: Sister’s cancer scans negative
- Thankful that a mother’s dangerous infection has cleared
- Joy shared during the Advent Crafts Festival
- Grateful for generosity – many gifts delivered to Beacon of Hope families
- Thanksgiving: Ongoing mission work of the UMW
- All who are contributing to the Stewardship Campaign
- Gratitude: Meaningful Spiritual Life Advance Retreat for 70 youth
- Thankful: A stroke victim is much improved
- Prayers for safe delivery of first grandchild today
- Prayers for church couple recovering from Covid
- Young man suffering from PTSD, healing prayers please
- Solace for members grieving recent death of a brother
- God’s healing presence with members ill at home
- Relieving anxiety of daughter, estranged from her ill mother
- For doors of employment to open for a talented professional man
- Patience and healing for mother following colon surgery
- Beloved husband undergoing chemotherapy
- Church families grieving during the holidays
- Member enduring physical and emotional trials
- Healing of a family’s broken relationship
- Wisdom and strength for young mother enduring a painful separation
- Solace and strength for one – end of long-term relationship
- God’s guidance and healing for a mother with cancer diagnosis
- Continued strength for four members in cancer treatment
- Four members struggling with harsh effects of Parkinson’s
- Healing prayers for adult daughter suffering dire illness
How blessed we are by the Prince of Peace! In the midst of our flaws, our misunderstandings, and our distress, he offers us that unshakable promise that we are never alone. His hand is outstretched, as it was for his disciples so long ago, and he shares that peace that will never let us go. In the name of the One Who Was, Who Is, and Who Is To Come, we make our prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
All are welcome at Church Street! We believe every person is of sacred worth and created in God’s image. We welcome and celebrate the gifts God has given to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, status, economic condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religious affiliation. We respect diversity of opinion and expressions of Christian faith. We believe God loves everyone unconditionally! As God loves us, so let us love and serve in the name of Christ.
December Youth Update
YouthYouth Christmas Party
Christmas Eve Services
Confirmation Parents’ Meeting
Weekly Prayer – December 8, 2021
UncategorizedWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of December 8, 2021
Rev. Jan Buxton Wade
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled,
and do not let them be afraid.
(John 14:27)
We await your coming, O Promised One, for you arrive with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, extending your counsel and peace. We, your wandering children, long for these qualities; yet today we especially seek your holy peace, O God of Calm. Despite your gracious bounty and mercy, our hearts remain restless this time of year. Those ancient threats of wars and rumors of war still color our era. The destitute, who have long waited for reprieve, remain in want. Evil and anger walk our streets, ready to pounce upon innocents who dare to voice differing views. Our youth are too often estranged from family, church, and community, living in danger within the boundaries of their neighborhoods and schools. We travel an uneasy road, O Lord; therefore, we still rely on the word of the prophet who shares the good news that, even today, every mountain and hill will be made low and the rough places will become a plain.
O God of Promise, come to us with your peace.
In our yearning, we indeed realize many of our present troubles are of our own making. As we linger here for you, could it be that you are also waiting — waiting for us to set things right? Surely you long for us to repent of our selfish ways, and to earnestly become part of that transformation we so desire. We confess that we have been reticent to become involved when our efforts could make a real difference. There are persons we have refused to love, harmful habits we have not bothered to alter, and doorways we have neglected to open. Courage lies at the heart of peace-keeping, so give us resolve and boldness through the power of your Spirit, we pray, to will and to work for the good of your kingdom. Forgive our reticence, Good Lord, and fortify our efforts that they may be those that prepare the way of the Lord!
O God of Promise, may we strive for your peace.
We remember, Abiding One, when Jesus offered his words of solace to his disciples, it was in a time of tremendous turmoil. Though he knew his own death was imminent, he spoke of that lasting peace that he himself embodied. Help us to know that the charge before us is to work in our temporal realm; yet may we also take hold of that most sacred gift of a lifetime: that unflappable peace of Christ. Set us on that path this season, we pray.
O God of Promise, we yearn for your abiding peace.
The storms of life have overwhelmed so many, O Lord, and raging winds have broken even the strongest among us. May the words of Christ the Comforter resound in the spirits of those who are lonely, confused, ill, grieving, and dying: “Peace be still!” Soothe the souls of those who are frightened in every corner, we pray, and bring your light of hope to each darkened corner. And receive also these earnest prayers of petition and praise brought to you by your people at Church Street:
How blessed we are by the Prince of Peace! In the midst of our flaws, our misunderstandings, and our distress, he offers us that unshakable promise that we are never alone. His hand is outstretched, as it was for his disciples so long ago, and he shares that peace that will never let us go. In the name of the One Who Was, Who Is, and Who Is To Come, we make our prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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A Recipe for Morals
advent, FeaturedDaily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Wednesday, December 8
By Beth Cooper-Libby, Preschool Director
A Recipe for Morals
Read Judges 21:25
“In those days there was no king of Israel.
Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
A boy in Sunday school had been taught by the same teacher for a number of years. She had a way of telling stories and she always ended them by saying: “And the moral of the story is …”Eventually, he was promoted in Sunday school and had a new teacher.
After a few weeks, his mother asked on the way home from church how he liked his new Sunday school teacher. He replied: “She is great; she does not have any morals.”
From the beginning of time, people have been interested in ethics, attempting to determine the basis for what is right and wrong. Although there has been abundant disagreement over what creates the standard of ethical judgments, most people believe there is some sort of objective standard to which human beings are accountable.
Where do your morals, values and ethics come from? This is an essential question, because, whether we realize it or not, each one of us has a defined moral and ethical framework, and many of our ideas come from what we choose to put into our hearts and minds.
Like ingredients in a recipe, you are responsible to pick and choose what goes into your morals. Are you kinder to strangers than you are to your co-workers? Do you give work your best focus, time and energy, leaving the left over scraps for your family? Do you give God the opportunity to offer you the ingredients for your morals or do you select from other informational channels such as gossip, negative media and entertainment? If you reflect on the choices you make during the day, at bedtime can you honestly say, “I was kind.” “I made good choices.” “Did I do what was right in God’s eyes?” Fortunately, God has already given us what is right and wrong. We do not have to wonder or guess. The answers are found in His Word. He tells us, many times in story form, what we can and should do. What ingredients for your recipe can you find there? Parables are easy to understand and rich in guidance. Proverbs also gives us some solid food-for-thought to consider in our seeking guidance for our morals, values and ethics.
Prayer
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.” Proverbs 2:6-8 (NIV)
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The Past and the Promise
advent, FeaturedDaily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Tuesday, December 7
By Steve Richardson
The Past and the Promise
Read John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son …”
In recent weeks, Mary Ellis has led the charge in our house to comb through mountains of files, documents, photos, clippings and other mementoes accumulated over the lifespans of our two sons. The pragmatic goal was to purge and re-organize these to reduce the space they’ve claimed. But the reality turned into something quite different: An emotional series of strolls down many memory lanes. Recalling and reflecting on the happier memories brought smiles and laughter. It was outright therapeutic.
Thinking about this in the context of Christmas, I can’t help but wonder what stories Mary and Joseph must have shared with Jesus about his birth and “growing up” years. The Gospels’ writers offered us glimpses, yet I suspect there were more and richer events that we’ll never know.
How wonderful it is, though, to have the stories that do exist. These stories remind us of the humanity of our Savior – God in human form – who experienced the world as we do. They inspire and lift our spirits by demonstrating the glorious magnificence of God. They elevate the status of the more “lowly” people of those days, so even the shepherds are as highly admired as the Magi. And the stories frame the foundation of Advent’s themes of hope, peace, love and joy.
For more than 2,000 years, believers’ traditions of re-telling the stories have helped anchor and sustain our faith that God’s ultimate will can – and will – be done. For each of us, blessed are the stories, blessed are the memories, and blessed is the promise from our Creator that the stories provide.
Prayer
As we ponder the Gospel writer’s claim that you loved the world and each of us so much that you gave us your son, Jesus, help us today to experience the great joy, peace and hope your act of love offers us.
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Be Faithful Through the Hard Times; Good Times Will Return
advent, FeaturedDaily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Monday, December 6
By Paula Morrison
Be Faithful Through the Hard Times; Good Times Will Return
Read Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Sometimes the things we learn the earliest stick with us the longest. We moved to Knoxville from Atlanta in June, 1962. That year, between bedtime Christmas Eve and crack of dawn Christmas Day, it snowed! Just 0.2 inches, but that was amazing to a 3-year-old who got to wear her snowsuit for the first time. It snowed a lot before Christmas in 1963, so I got my snowsuit out on Christmas Eve to be ready for post-present-opening sledding. Jump to 1964, Christmas Eve, after dark: Daddy passed my room as I was getting out my beloved snowsuit, and asked, “Paula, whatcha doin’?” “Getting my snowsuit!” “Paula, sweetie, it’s not going to snow tonight, it’s 72°!” I burst into tears, inconsolable. I eventually stopped crying because of Daddy’s loving understanding and assurances of more snow one day. And he was right!
Isn’t that what our Almighty Father does? We must strive to be faithful, because better times will return.
Prayer
Almighty Father, thank you for always sticking by us, through the good times, and the ones that aren’t so good. For the times I lapse in my faith, thank you for reminding me of how fortunate and blessed I am. I want to be grateful always, thanking you in prayer, and showing kindness to others. In your name we pray, Amen.
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Never Normal Again
advent, FeaturedDaily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Sunday, December 5
By Rev. Rick Isbell, Retired Minister of Discipleship
Never Normal Again
Read Isaiah 43:18-19
“Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
During the last 18 months I have heard the phrase “when things return to normal” many times. I do not know what “normal” means to a lot of people; but I’m pretty sure that all things will not return to what they were or what people define as “normal.” Our health care system has changed and more vaccinations will be a part of our lives. The wearing of our many masks will no longer seem strange. We have gotten used to certain sections of the grocery store shelves being empty and we have changed how we greet those we meet. There is more fist and elbow bumping than ever before. The “normal” things in our lives before March 2020 will never be the same.
But as we enter this Advent season, we must remember that the birth of the Christ child in Bethlehem also changed everything. Mary and Joseph were no longer the ordinary, normal Jewish couple. The shepherds and wisemen who came to see Jesus were not the same after their visits. Some of Jesus’ disciples never returned to their normal jobs of fishing. Jesus was not the “Messiah” that was expected. The birth of Jesus, his life, his teachings, death and resurrection changed everything that was “normal.” You and I being “born of water and the spirit” are never just normal again. The coming of the Christ into the world turned the normal into something extraordinary. The world was changed. We live our lives in different ways and we prioritize different things. As we prepare for the birth of Jesus, let us remember that nothing should ever be normal again.
Prayer
God, help me not to just live my life in normal ways. Help me this Advent season to expect and do the extraordinary. Help me to see Jesus in new ways and to serve Him by serving my neighbor. AMEN.
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Silent Night, Holy Night
advent, FeaturedDaily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Saturday, December 4
By Laine Thomas
Silent Night, Holy Night
Read Psalm 62:5
“My soul, wait in Silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.”
It’s hard to imagine silence in the heart of the Christmas season. There is always so much to do. The season is filled with so many gatherings and traditions that finding quiet can be very hard. And yet, it’s silence I often find myself craving. Silence becomes a chance to anticipate all that is to come.
Every year, after I put up my Christmas tree, I love to turn all the lights in my house off, only having the tree lit. It’s a moment to enjoy all the anticipation of the season. To sit, in silence, and know that it will be a special year. While there will always be more to do, the start of the Christmas season is a perfect time to take a moment and breathe in the silent, holy beginning. There is no rush in those first moments.
I think of Mary during this time, anticipating the birth of her son and all that will come. I see her enjoying her last moments of silence before the world changes forever. “Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright.”
I hope this season you can find your moments of silence. Let it be a comfort from the noise of the everyday.
Prayer
Lord, as we celebrate this season, let us find moments of silence to take in the moment. Allow us to quiet our minds and hearts and see the true meaning of the season. Let the twinkle of Christmas lights be a reminder of all the special moments this season brings and let the silence be fulfilling. In your name we pray, Amen.
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Is Your Gift List Complete?
advent, FeaturedDaily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Friday, December 3
By Elizabeth Reagon; Reprinted from the 2018 Advent devotional in honor of Murphy Builders Class
Is Your Gift List Complete?
Read James 1:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:8-20
By now most of us are well along with our plans for Christmas—cards, decorations, gift list. But is your gift list complete? Is God on your list? James tells us that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. What can we give God? God desires and expects our love and obedience.
Some of the ways we show our love are the time we spend in prayer, meditating on God’s word, worshiping, giving, sharing, especially with the sick and needy. We show our obedience by living according to God’s word. A good review of many rules for Christian living is found in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian Christians in chapter 5. Paul tells these early Christians they must have hope, and so must we—a firm hope in God’s promises. This leads us into a brief discussion of Advent.
We are in our church season of Advent (arrival, specifically the arrival of God’s son). During December we recall the faith stories from the Old and New Testament scriptures and prepare our hearts for Christmas. A beautiful tradition is the use of the Advent wreath, which comprises three purple candles, one pink candle and a white Christ candle in the center. Each of the four candles is named to emphasize an important aspect of the obedient Christian life: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Beginning four Sundays before Christmas, the Hope candle is lighted. Each following week another candle is lighted in the order of Peace, Joy and then the pink candle of Love. The Christ candle is lighted on Christmas Eve.
And now we return briefly to some of Paul’s instructions: “Be at peace among yourselves,” “Rejoice evermore,” and “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Many of us fall far short of what God desires, but thanks be to God, He is ready to forgive as we ask. And as we study His word, these traits become a natural part of our lives.
Prayer
Holy God, forgive us when we fall short of your expectations. May hope, peace, joy, love and thanksgiving be manifested so vividly in our lives that the world may recognize us as Christians. In Christ Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
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Shadows Under the Star
advent, FeaturedDaily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Thursday, December 2
By Fran Wheeler, Stephen Ministry
Shadows Under the Star
Read Luke 2:35b
“And a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”
Christmas—a fantasy, all gold and red—excitement and joy! But personal sadness and loss may overshadow Christmas, leaving some adrift and alone, and perhaps feeling guilty for not sharing the joy. Scripture, however, reveals a deeper story, filled with glory, yet also tempered by loss and fear. The story includes circumstances as difficult and heartbreaking as our own might be. Is there a blessing included for those who suffer?
We usually ignore the shadows within the Christmas story, looking only at the glory. Angel appearances mask the fears of a young girl and a man with shattered dreams. Living the hard reality overshadows the joy Mary experienced with Elizabeth. The star, angel choir, and adoring shepherds make us forget that the baby was born far from the comforts of home and family. Even when the child is presented to the Lord, a prophet speaks frightening words: “And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” And soon, as they planned to go home, Herod sent other baby boys to their deaths, forcing Mary and Joseph to flee to Egypt. In spite of exciting moments, Mary indeed had much to ponder in her heart.
What is the lesson for us? Whether we grieve losses or are caught up in the beauty of Christmas, we should remember the sacrifices made: Mary’s fear, the couple’s life forever changed, a difficult journey, a lonely birth, and the prescient words of the pain to come when the baby becomes the rejected Messiah and is crucified. But Christ arose, and his words still ring out: “The light has come into the world and it will never be overcome by darkness.” Whatever our circumstances, Christmas brings to all of us the eternal message of hope.
So for everyone, Hope is the blessing of Christmas.
Prayer
Lord, as we celebrate Advent and Christmas, help us to recognize and give thanks for the sacrifices made, and walk in the Lord’s everlasting light. Amen.
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Weekly Prayer – December 1, 2021
FeaturedWeekly Prayers for the Church Street Family
Week of December 1, 2021
Rev. Jan Buxton Wade
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
(Ps 42:5)
O Root of Jesse and Hope of our World, upon you we depend, for it was you who sent the Promised One to be born and live among us. The love of Christ has grounded us in the hope that whatever is disquieting us at the given moment does not have the final word; for you make room in all our tomorrows for your own surprises. Even in our darkest hours, we are shored up by that stirring deep within us, that root of hope that you planted there so long ago. Fortify that root, we pray, that we might become living examples, moving in your world with that sense of confident expectation.
Forgive us, O God Ever New, that in our search for newness, we often overlook the sacred gifts you have placed on our doorsteps already. Help us to ponder your sacred messages written upon the morning, afternoon, and evening skies; turn our gaze to behold your love inscribed upon the radiant hills and mountaintops, painted in vibrant colors across the valleys that surround us. Grant, that with every refreshing raindrop, we may hear you speaking our name.
Companion Most Compassionate, go before us as we travel these days of Advent, showering us with your prevenient grace. May our footsteps take us to the forgotten byways, the roads less traveled, where the dispossessed are huddled. May our hands be the ones that touch the shoulders of the friendless and forgotten, imparting courage. May ours be the voices that speak kindness to those who have known only harshness and derision. And may our spirits be those that offer hope in those places where all seems to be lost. As you have called us, empower us through your grace, we pray, to serve at your command.
Truly there is much to torment us in our present world: from automatic weapons being wielded by young and old to the continuing fears of the dreaded virus; from the widening gap between the “have” and “have nots” to the rancorous disputes within our nation’s legislative bodies; from the growing aggressiveness of our country’s enemies to the rage carried out in our own neighborhoods. May we, as the Psalmist, turn to God for solace and strength, believing that any work to bring about change is indeed the Lord’s work and is for his glory.
As you are our Eternal Hope, we place our personal concerns before you in this hour, naming in the silence of our hearts, those persons and situations that are closest to us . . . . . . . . . . And also we share both the praises and worries expressed by your people at Church Street:
As evening closes in around us, Lord, may we set aside our work, knowing it is enough. And as we rest, may the efforts we have made this day somehow reveal the love you harbor for your people. It is in this assurance that we offer this prayer in the name of your Son, who came to redeem us and who taught us to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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