First United Methodist Church of Pekin Web Gathering

Thank you for allowing me to attending the National Cathedral College Writers’ Workshop.  I returned to Pekin Sunday afternoon around 4:00.  It is so good to be home.  If home is where the heart is, I am definitely home.  You have made this home to me and Ron.  Thank you.

This workshop on writing was a real stretch for me.   I often read for reading’s sake.  I learned sometimes there is a message between the lines and I should look for that message.  Most of all, I learned a few techniques that might improve my writing.  It takes time to develop those techniques so don’t expect too much too soon.

I also learned how much I love my husband, family, friends, congregation and, boy, did I ever missed you all.

Looking forward to seeing you next Sunday.

By the way, if you want to make comments on this blog, please do.  As it is, I don’t know if anyone is even reading it.

God bless.

Rev. Judy 

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I am SO ready to come home. I wouldn’t say I’m homesick, but I ready to see my friends, my congregation. I’m ready to see my husband, sleep in my bed. I’m ready for my time zone, not Washington DC’s zone. I’m ready to respond to my time schedule (strange as it is) and I ready to eat my type of food even if some of what I eat isn’t good for me.

Friday afternoon I board a United airplane and fly to Indianapolis. There I get to visit with my brother, sister-in-law and friends. My sister-in-law asked me to go to church with her Sunday. After their worship, I am going to hop in my car and return to Pekin. I am SO ready to come home. Can you tell?

Wouldn’t be great if we had the same attitude about attending church or even being ready to go home to God. Are you SO ready?

God bless. See you all soon.

Rev. Judy

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I am attending the Writers Workshop Conference at the National Cathedral College (connected to the National Cathedral). I came with alot of apprehension. I LOVE to write, but to have my work critiqued by others while I am in the room under orders not to speak or defend what I wrote, was something I hadn’t experienced before. All of the other participants have written memoirs, essays, sermons, e-mail letters, etc. I write fiction. I think I’m the only one here writing fiction. Well, my day in the “hot seat” is over. Thank goodness. However, it went much better than I expected. Although some of the participants were overly concerned (the small group leader’s words) about the lesser characters, generally speaking, I had positive comments. Today, I am much more relaxed.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that requires your to stretch your comfort zone? This has been my experience this week. I can tell you without any hesitations. Allow the stretch to happen, God is with you and will comfort you.

Looking forward to seeing you next Monday. Maybe some time I will share some of my writings with you. God bless

Rev. Judy

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During our Annual Conference, held in Peoria, we heard a lot about John Wesley’s General Rules.  They are simply:

1. Do No Harm

2. Do Good

3. Stay in Love with God

Well, let’s strive to follow Wesley’s General Rules. 

Wesley also said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

Tough to live up to, but let’s at least try.  With God help, we can do anything.

God bless you.  Rev. Judy

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I should have posted this in January. I didn’t have a blog and didn’t know how to blog. So you are getting my January thoughts in May.

There was a time I had the energy of college students. It was about . . . oh, who cares about the number of years that have past. The Milliken University Chorale, directed by Dr. Guy Forbes, was preparing to present a musical concert deserving of an invitation to Carnegie Hall.

As I sat in our church’s library guarding the luggage for approximately forty people, I was privy to their pre-concert rehearsal and all the instructions. It was an almost eerie experience; the young people were actually attentive. There was a dedication to music most young people do not have. Of course, the music is not RAP or HIP-HOP, rhythm and blues, jazz, or rock. Oh no, these young people were singing classical musical - you know, longhair stuff. And I was thoroughly enjoying it.

Yet, right in the middle of their rehearsal, something happened totally unexpected happened. On January 7, 2008 in Central Illinois, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning, not a watch, a warning. For this writer that was not a good thing. Not only am I the associate pastor here, but I’ve been training to respond to a variety of emergencies and disasters. Gosh, I hated interrupting their rehearsal. However, I was painfully aware of the need of safety. Suddenly I felt as if I was a police officer directing traffic.

“Go down these stairs to the basement. Go to the far end of the fellowship hall,” I clipped my instructions. “Go down the hall to the double doors, at the bottom of the stairs turn right, turn right, turn right and go to the far end of the fellowship hall,” I directed others.

The young people were respectful and orderly and not at all frazzled by the threatening weather. I, on the other hand, hate thunderstorms and my anxiety level always increases considerably when the tornado sirens are sounded. But that night forty plus young adults and their chaperones were safely tucked away in the basement fellowship hall. And the person with an almost palpable fear of tornadoes was sitting upstairs (in harm’s way) guarding luggage and computers. Rather ironic, wasn’t?

Finally, the warning was lifted and the rehearsal continued upstairs in the sanctuary. As this “old fogey” listened to their music, I found it inspiring. It inspired me spiritually, but it gave me a sense of comfort. The classics would continue to be sung, perhaps enjoyed by future generations because these young people loved music enough to dedicate themselves to it.

Yes, I know there are some folks who hate “that high church music.” But God is in classical music as much as God is in the contemporary worship music. Yes, even I need to admit it, God is also in some RAP, HIP HOP, jazz, rhythm and blues, rock. It isn’t the music, the words make music religious. If I was a betting person, I’d bet God would like any music that glorifies God.

God bless you all. Rev. Judy

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I’m what I call a “frustrated musician.” Years ago, more than forty years ago, I learned to play a cornet/trumpet. Oh, how I loved playing. Press lips together and buzz your lips into the mouthpiece. The tighter one pulls one’s lips, the higher the note. However, if one doesn’t practice, the embouchure will not develop enough for the trumpeter to play for very long. The lips will become weary and appear to be swollen. The frustrated musician “plays” guitar. Okay, I strum a few (very few) chords.

In my home office I have a keyboard. No, not the keyboard for my computer, but a piano keyboard. Now, don’t let that lull you into the belief that I’ve finally found my musical knack. I “play at the piano.” After less than six months of lessons, I quit. I had an incentive to quit, I moved and didn’t have enough money or time to practice. I “play” piano for my own amusement or amazement.

I share all that mundane information to share this tidbit with you. Today, on a very dreary, rainy, supposedly spring day, I sat down to “play” the piano. Mozart is not in my repertoire, but I do enjoy playing hymns. As I began “tickling the ivories (not really ivory), I was singing an old, old hymn popularized by George Beverly Shea. I can carry a tune, so when I felt a lump in my throat, I knew it was because God had spoken to me because of the words of the hymn.

There’s a wonder of sunset at evening.

The wonder as sunrise I see;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul

Is the wonder that God loves me.

O the wonder of it all!

The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me

.

O the wonder of it all!

The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me.

It is this knowledge that keeps me going some days. When things go wrong at work, God still loves me. When I’ve said something I shouldn’t have, God still loves me. When someone questions my work ethics, I know God still loves me. Most of all, when I sin against my God, family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors, God still loves me.

Remember God loves you, too

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“The best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry.” My apologies to Robert Burns who actually said, “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft agley.”

Have you ever experienced a day like that? You know what you want to do, you have it all planned and then someone or something throws a monkeywrench into the plan? That was the way my day began today. In protest of the $4.00 a gallon gas prices, I’ve begun riding my bicycle. I know it isn’t going to make a difference, it’s just my way of protesting (and the side benefit is exercise). I rode my bike to the office this morning and realized as soon as I opened the doors, I’d left something important at home. Not to be deterred, I was going to bike home to get it. Rev. Terry was arriving about that time and he told me to drive his car home to get it. So much for protesting the gas prices! Okay, I’ll bike home at noon for lunch. WRONG! It was raining. Dick Gay loaded my bike in the bed of his little pick-up truck and gave me a ride home. We got home and I realized I’d left the remote garage door opener at the office. Ah, fortunately I had my house keys. Things weren’t going well.

I wonder if things might have gone differently if I’d taken time to listen to the weather forecast? Or if I’d taken the time to check to see if I had everything? I wonder if things might have been differently if I’d taken time to consult with God?

Perhaps I need to heed the advice Williams D. Longstaff who wrote the words to the old hymn, Take Time to Be Holy. He said in verses 3 & 4,

Take time to be holy, let him be thy guide

and run not before him, whatever betide.

In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,

And, looking to Jesus, still trust in his word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,

each thought and each motive beneath his control

Thus led by his spirit to fountains of love

Thou soon shall be fitted for service above.

Perhaps today has been a good learning day for me. May we all continue to learn from our Great Teacher.

God bless you.

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Graduates

You have been looking forward to this day for years. Remember: It is not the end, but a new beginning. You will have new opportunities to grow into the person God wants you to become. Brian Wren wrote the hymn, “This is a Day of New Beginnings.”

Christ is alive,

and goes before us

to show and share what love can do.

This is a day of new beginnings;

our God is making all things new.

I challenge you to remember that Christ is alive and wants to show us what love can do. Stay in love with Christ.

Blessings! Rev. Judy

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I’ve been reading Max Lucado’s book “3:16″. Today I read about George Matheson and his “unrequited love.” I learned the history of the hymn “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go.” Beautiful story. However, I’m not sure I can post copyrighted information, so get the book and read it. Lucado says, “God will not let you go.” When others seem to turn their backs to you, when you feel like two cents waiting for change, remember: “God will not let you go.” God loves you and will NEVER leave you.

God bless.

Rev. Judy

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From time to time, Ron reminds me of the advantages of being short. I rarely need to “duck” going down the basement stairs and rarely do I need to “duck” under a tree branch. Still, a couple of more inches to my height would be nice. My mother would say, “Mighty things come in small packages — like dynamite.” Well, I don’t know about that, but I know John Wesley wasn’t much taller than me and he was mighty. John Wesley was probably about 5 feet 3 inches tall. However, he had the power and stamina of a man twice his size. He rode over 250,000 miles throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland and was a little over 80 years old when he died. Small in feet and inches? Yes, but he was mighty in service to his God and the world.

You might think you can’t be anything like John Wesley. God doesn’t expect you to be like John Wesley. God wants you to be you, but God will empower you with the Holy Spirit. With the power of the Holy Spirit, you’ll be surprised what you can do. God bless you.

Rev. Judy

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