the Tidings Inside this issue: Adult Education . . . 12-13 Board of Trustees . . 14-15 Care Ministries . . . . . . . 5 Children’s Ministry . 20-22 Churchwide . . . . . . . . 7-9 Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Generosity . . . . . . . . . . . 4 GUMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 GUWF . . . . . . . . . . 16-17 Hospitality . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Membership . . . . . . . . 13 Message from Pastors Tim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Scott . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Mimi . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Music . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Older Adults. . . . . . 17-19 OLEC . . . . . . . . . . . 25-27 Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
In the Details The Statue of Liberty was given to the U.S. in 1876 by France, and, at the time, was the tallest structure in the country. In the mid-1980’s, restoration was done to the statue. The workers were amazed at the detailed work, not on the face or body, but on the top of the head. In 1876, before people were able to fly, no one would have Tim Carpenter imagined anyone ever seeing the top of the head of the Senior Pastor Statue of Liberty. It could have been left without any detail, and no one would have foreseeably known the difference. Yet the sculptor was a dedicated person, and that was shown in his attention to detail. In January, we remember the baptism of Jesus. When Jesus was baptized, it was a small thing for Jesus to do. It was not necessary for Jesus to be baptized to repent of sin. Yet, he submitted to John's Baptism of repentance as a sign of righteousness and dedication, as a sign of doing even the smallest things right. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist says, concerning Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” I used to think that John the Baptist was simply saying, “Here is the one who will die for our sins.” But Dr. Jim Fleming makes an interesting observation that has expanded my understanding. The word “lamb” in ancient rabbinic writings also meant “sacrifice.” John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as “sacrifice” at the beginning of his ministry, not at the time of His crucifixion. John is pointing to Jesus, not only as the one who will sacrificially die, but, just as important, as one who will sacrificially live. We learn from Jesus that inheriting the kingdom of God is not about waiting until we die. Inheriting the Kingdom of God is a part of life, even in the smallest of details. And every time we sacrifice something of ourselves for the glory of God and the good of someone else, we experience that life—in the here and now. The details matter.