The Connection Winter 2020

The Connection

WINTER 2020

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EVANGELICAL METHODIST CHURCH

Falling Apart...

or Falling Into Place?

Contents 3

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General Notes Rev. Max Edwards International General Superintendent

Prayer is NOT the Lesser Work!

Mrs. Judy Edwards

Bringing the Traditions of Advent into Your Home

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Going Under to Go Out

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God Has Always Saved

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Church...interrupted.

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Fear & Anxiety

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Thinking About Mary’s World

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Dr. Jim Halbert

Mrs. Kristen Street

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Rev. Tad Stinson

Rev. José Macías Flores

Cure for a Deceitful Heart

Rev. Brian Gordon

Rev. Nate Williamson

Mrs. Hannah Brouillette Ellis

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Loving Like Jesus Mrs. Lisa Walker

God’s Pathway

Rev. Max Edwards

The Connection The Connection is a publication of the Evangelical Methodist Church.

International offices are located at the Hamblen-Bruner Headquarters Building 6838 South Gray Road Indianapolis, Indiana 46237 Telephone: [317] 780-8017 Fax: [317] 780-8078 www.emchurch.org publications@emchurch.org

MAGAZINE STAFF

Editor-in-Chief: Rev. Max Edwards Pre-Production Editor: Ms. Deborah Mitchem Graphic Design: Rev. Nathan Williamson Editor: Rev. Elias P. Stinson, Jr. Editor: Mrs. Nancy Utt HQ Executive Secretary: Mrs. Karen Parsons Department of Prayer: Mrs. Judy Edwards Translator: Rev. José Macías Flores, Spanish

SUBMISSIONS Send articles to: Ms. Deborah Mitchem

dmitchem@frontier.com

ADVERTISING SALES publications@emchurch.org All quoted Scripture is from the NIV Bible, 1984, unless otherwise noted.

MISSION MISSION Connecting Connectingpeople peopleof ofall allcultures culturesand andpromoting promotingthe thework workof ofthe theKingdom Kingdomby bycommunicating communicatingour ourstories storiesof ofchanged changedlives. lives.

General Notes “Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time. Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?

Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God …” Ecclesiastes 7:2-4, 13-14

Well isn’t that just a rosy perspective?

Funerals are better than parties Sorrow is better than laughter We would rather have it straight and easy, but God sometimes makes things bent and hard.

Just a barrel of fun.

We might tend to write off Solomon’s musings as the unwise ramblings of a cynic, except for the fact that the Old Testament says that “God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure and breadth of mind, like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt”(1 Kings 4:29); and that Jesus noted that people “came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon …” (Luke 11:31).

Just maybe there is some truth in those seemingly dark thoughts. Indeed, there is.

Fact is, we struggle when things are hard. We’d much rather have a well-lit, comfortable path to walk, but sometimes our way grows rough, difficult, steep and dim. In times like that, it is our tendency to think that we’ve somehow strayed from the correct trail. Surely God’s path wouldn’t take us through such trials. It is precisely in these times that we need to be reminded that God has not promised an effortless and trouble-free journey. Quite to the contrary, we have been warned not to “grow weary and lose heart,” and that we must be ready to “endure hardship” (Hebrews 12).

When things get difficult, as the year 2020 has been for many of us, we tend to think that things are falling apart. Sickness and death are on the rise; social tension is growing in many places; anger has replaced civility; and governmental restrictions have threatened to impede our ability to worship freely as a family of believers.

But maybe, just maybe, these things have not taken God by surprise. Indeed nothing, absolutely nothing catches Him off guard. Maybe He is working in and through these challenges to refine and retool us. Maybe He is removing those things that we have grown too

comfortable with, in order to re-align our priorities to better match His. So, while we think things are falling apart, could it be that in God’s economy, some things are finally beginning to fall into place? One thing is sure: Our Heavenly Father is not distracted. He is not remiss in His oversight. He is unrelenting in His love and watch-care. Bottom line is this: HE CAN BE TRUSTED. This issue of “The Connection” is all about looking for God’s hand in the middle of our distress. In April, the EMC Publications team rallied to produce several weekly articles to offer hope, encouragement and insight into some of the challenges 2020 has brought us. Some of those articles are reprinted in the pages that follow. They will encourage us to drink deeply from the truth that God’s character will never change, and He will always be for us and with us.

One of those weekly offerings was a personal testimony by Pastor Ryan Call. In it, he wrote: “In the beginning of our stay-at-home order here in Virginia, I saw a quote from Pastor Tony Evans. At a time when the term social distancing had become common, he said the following: “We are physically distancing, not social distancing. Stay connected.” As I look back, that simple [thought changed] my personal perspective. Yes, there was a lot I could be frustrated about, but I am a child of God. In my devotional time, I [read] Romans 8:28 ESV: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” That verse says it all, and that means everything, the good, the bad and everything in between.

My spirit began to swell as my own personal perspective began to shift. I now not only hoped but believed that God would use this pandemic for His glory, and would strengthen our marriages, relationships with our children, and His church as we seek Him.” Amen, Ryan. May we all look for those kinds of positive outcomes in the middle of the mayhem.

Rev. Max Edwards

International General Superintendent

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Bringing the Traditions of Advent into your Home As Christians, we know that Advent is the

time of year leading up to Christmas, but do we really take the time in our homes to prepare our hearts for the coming Christ? How do we begin to tackle all the traditions and messages that our churches bring to us this time of year, when we are living in a time of social distancing? Many people will be unable to attend church this year during the holidays due to the current pandemic; however, we all have an opportunity to make Advent meaningful in our homes. These activities will lead to a richer, deeper understanding of the miracle of Christ while creating lasting memories for families or individuals. We need to transition our minds from the confinement of Advent during a pandemic to the blessing and beauty of Advent in our homes.

Setting the Environment One thing that makes church so meaningful throughout the Christmas season is the atmosphere.

Nativity scenes, garland, Christmas trees, Advent wreaths and music are those familiar reminders of the season. We don’t realize the importance of these decorations and symbols until we are not able to be immersed in them. Decorating your home with Christian symbols that you would normally see while you are at church can bring about wonderful

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by Mrs. Kristen Street

memories and conversations within your family.

An Advent wreath, along with a weekly Sunday devotional, could hold a prominent place in your home to remind you of the hope, faith, joy, and peace that we have because Jesus came to us.

Have you ever heard of a Chrismon tree? They are Christmas trees that are decorated with Christian symbols, each having a different meaning that points us to the story of Christ. These ornaments can be ordered or made using salt dough, then hung on your Christmas tree. Other important events that normally take place in church, such as an Angel Tree or caroling, can be completed individually as a family or with another family in the church so that we can bring the joy of Christmas to our neighborhoods.

Advent Devotionals With so many options available for devotionals, the question becomes, how do I know which one to choose? When you are planning your Advent devotional, you will want to consider: •Child(ren)’s ages and abilities in reading and concentration.

•Plan when you will read the devotional so they do not get forgotten in the busyness of life. Reading a short devotional around a daily occurrence such as

right before a meal, or at bedtime makes it part of your daily routine.

•Adding a phone reminder or having your children mark off on a calendar when readings are completed could keep devotionals as a priority.

•Keeping it simple and fun •Devotionals such as Ann Voskamp’s “Unwrapping the Greatest Gift” include Jesse Tree ornaments which can be pre-made or printed out to be colored while listening to the reading.

Interactive Activities Children (and many adults too) can often lose focus if we do not include interactive activities.

As a busy mom, the more simple, fun and Christcentered ideas are the best. Here are some ideas: •Advent Tree of Kindness - use blank labels to write down 30 simple and attainable acts of service or kind gestures that can be done for others •Advent Prayer Tree - make a list of 30 people or groups that you want to pray for each day •Advent wrapping paper - decorate plain packing or drawing paper rolls using symbols and pictures that remind us of Jesus’ coming •Create your own Christmas cards with Nativity and Advent symbols •“Shepherd on the Search” - a book that puts a spin on the Elf on the Shelf craze with activities including memory verses and crafts that lead to the Shepherd finding baby Jesus on Christmas morning.

•Nativity Scavenger Hunt - search and add to

your Nativity scene every few days until Christmas morning when you add the last piece, which is baby Jesus.

Ministers in our homes Many of us have relied on the church to feed us spiritually so that we have not been diligent about learning God’s Word and bringing Christian traditions into our homes. Whether you are part of a big family or living on your own, let this season be a time that you begin digging into the Word of God so you can experience the true meaning of Advent.

Resource List: Advent Activities Resources: 1. https://adrielbooker.com/family-adventactivities-christmas-countdown-fun/ 2. https://www.loyolapress.com/catholicresources/liturgical-year/advent/activities/ Shepherd on the Search Resource: www.shepherdonthesearch.com Devotional Resources: 1.“Unwrapping the Greatest Gift” by Ann Voskamp with free Jesse Tree ornaments at: https://www.tyndale.com/sites/greatestgift/ 2.“A Walk Through Advent” published by “Our Daily Bread” Mrs. Kristen Street is the Youth Coordinator at Covenant in Morgantown, WV.

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God Has Always Saved

by Rev. Tad Stinson

To some, our situation is grim because they focus only on a material existence in this short life, with no belief in a loving God who watches over us, nor hope of a glorious afterlife. From that perspective, things seem dismal to be sure! Our beloved country is borrowing trillions of dollars; approximately 33.6 million Americans are out of work; there have been nearly 90,000 pandemicrelated deaths; and some economists are warning we have entered a second Great Depression. Horrible as our condition is currently, with such terrible losses, there is a saving light shining across our land and the entire world. Individuals are being forced to take inventory of their lives and think about eternal things and the meaning of their existence. God’s people have been in similar situations before, and far worse, yet ultimately those who belong to God triumph!

Adam and Eve fell from grace, yet God gave them a remedy for sin and a promise of salvation.

Noah and his family were faced with the extinction of humanity, yet God showed them a way of escape and safety. Abraham and his family were in a pagan land, yet God gave him and his descendants a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses and the people of God were trapped in slavery and degradation, yet God provided deliverance and a new life in the Promised Land. God’s people in Judah were allowed to be taken away into slavery by the Babylonians because of their sins; yet in their bondage, God

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restored them and allowed them to return to their homeland. When the world was lost under the heel of the pagan Roman tyranny, and all humanity labored beneath the weight of sin that no one could remedy, Jesus stepped into our world. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Dear brothers and sisters, this is perhaps the greatest opportunity within our lifetime to share the saving grace of God. I have never seen individuals more receptive to the Gospel than now! The church, God’s people, may be relegated to individual homes in many places, but that may be a tremendous reawakening for us all. Though we have beautiful and wonderful places of worship, we are now forced to put our boots on the ground among the people, communicating with others in new and amazing ways, connecting with the pre-saved as never before.

Christ-followers have been called by God to be ministers of grace to a desperate and hurting world whose ears are open to something beyond this brokenness. Be part of the redemption and hope! Share your faith by whatever means you have available! Know that God will save His people through this awful time, just as He has always saved those who love and obey Him. Rev. Tad Stinson is pastor in Moses Lake, Washington.

Fear and Anxiety

by Rev. Jose Macías

If fear is the anguish of real or imagined imminent danger, and if anxiety is closely related to fear, why is our heart so distressed? Described in the President’s words: “We have an invisible enemy,” an enemy that is lurking around the corner. The danger is real, and in addition to this, we are being bombarded by statistics, reports and stories of the progress of this fatal and dangerous virus. There are tens of thousands who have died. It is as if we were walking on a dark road where a silent assassin that we cannot see, but has the ability to end our lives and the lives of our loved ones, lies in wait. A regrettable attitude is to ignore the warnings and put ourselves in a dangerous situation as if nothing happened. The other option is to be filled with panic and anxiety, and lock ourselves in stone and mud, becoming paralyzed.

Some warning signs that anxiety and fear have taken over are that we will physically experience headaches, nausea and dizziness, excessive sweating, tremors, stomach problems, numbness and fainting, among others. Emotionally, we will have days of depression, lack of hope and will see an uncertain future; but the most dangerous thing is the spiritual implication. Fear and anxiety will replace our faith

and trust in the Lord. Anxiety contradicts faith and hope, creates doubt and uncertainty about the power of God, and anguish about leaving our family.

The Bible tells us of three young Hebrews who went through the fire of trial, but in the midst of the flame, walking in the fire was a fourth man, similar to the son of the gods. The Lord did not put out the fire, but His presence was with them (Daniel 3:25).

If we see our loved ones being infected, the alarming news increasing, and our hearts filling with anxiety and fear, I Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” It is a good spiritual practice to say, whenever fear knocks on the door of our heart, “He will take care of me.” In these days, we are crossing “the valley of the shadow of death.”

We must say, “I will not fear any evil because you will be with me,” and “certainly goodness and mercy will follow me every day of my life,” (Psalm 23). We are also reminded in 2 Timothy 1:7: “Because God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, love and self-control.”

Reverend José Macías Flores currently pastors unreached tribal groups in Sonora, Mexico.

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Cure

for a Deceitful

Heart

by Rev. Brian Gordon

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Hatred. Racism. Murder.

Destruction. Anarchy.

All of these things are the symptoms of one root cause: SIN. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it” (Jeremiah 17:9)? So what are we to do? Continue to hate?

Spew racist ideology? Fight everyone who disagrees with us? I mean, the heart is deceitful and beyond cure. Or does it have to be?

“Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24b-25a)!

I know things seem dark right now. Our nation is crippled by the COViD-19 pandemic (whether

real or contrived). People are outraged because they feel their rights are being threatened or taken away. Others are outraged because they feel no one is taking this seriously enough.

Many African Americans are enraged because yet another unarmed black man was killed by an officer who is supposed to be protecting us. A city is on fire because of a senseless and preventable act, one we have seen played out way too often.

Others call the looters and violent protesters thugs who should be in jail.

“The heart is deceitful ...” But, “thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” There is hope in Jesus Christ, because in Christ, there is: - No condemnation (Romans 8:1) - Freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17) - Neither black nor white (Galatians 3:28) - Love (Romans 12:9-13) - Reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18) - Hope (Hebrews 6:19) Then why all these problems? I mean, those outside the church have an excuse. But what about those who call themselves Christian? Why do we still hate? Why are Christians sometimes the most racist people? Why don’t we look any different than the world? Why? Because many who hold the moniker Christian haven’t let Jesus deal with the root problem. But you might say, it’s not possible … we can’t be perfect. Or, it’s those other people’s fault.

Maybe you haven’t read John 8:34-36: “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So, if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

If we truly grasped this; if we truly allow God to cut the root from our hearts; if we are set free to be all God called us to be, what would change?

How different would the world be? Our churches?

How different would our response to injustice be?

How quick to forgive would we become? Oh, that we would dig past the symptoms, expose the root, and allow God, through Jesus, to excise the sin from our hearts!

Rev. Brian Gordon is the senior pastor at Riverside EMC in Salem, VA.

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God’s P The clouds poured down rain; the thunder rumbled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed. Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook. Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters— a pathway no one knew was there!

Psalm 77:17-19

Most of us have experience with thunder and

lightning long before we learn how to spell the words, or understand the science behind them.

We have listened as the already loud noise of the pouring rain is overshadowed by the roar of a thunder clap. These powerful forces usually elicit some level of fear or dread in us. Heavy clouds wrench out their reservoirs as each lightning flash is followed by peals of thunder so powerful that the very ground quakes.

The writer of Psalm 77 recalls one of Israel’s predicaments as they neared the sea with Pharaoh’s armies bearing down on them. Whether the storm described in verses 17-18 was real or allegorical, it was certainly true that dread surrounded them as they were hemmed in by the powerful and deadly obstacle of the Red Sea. From the perspective of a person facing these kinds of storms and obstacles, the question marks are huge, and naturally lead to the seemingly obvious conclusion, God must have turned against me: 7 Has the Lord rejected me forever?

Will he never again be kind to me?

8 Is his unfailing love gone forever?

Have his promises permanently failed?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he slammed the door on his compassion? Interlude 10 And I said, “This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me.” But just when hope was vanishing, and all seemed lost, the unexpected happened. God opened a trail right through the middle of the torrent … “a pathway no one knew was there!”

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Over and again during their exodus these kinds of calamities repeated themselves: no water, no food, attacked by enemies, internal rebellions.

One crisis came after another. And each time, the natural human tendency was to doubt. Woe is me, all is lost …

We know the story well, because we do the same thing when facing our parade of setbacks.

Even when we start out well with bold faith like the Apostle Peter walking on the water, we can (like him) become distracted and overwhelmed by the wind and the surrounding waves. We feel ourselves sinking in a sea of dread.

Our world seems to be falling apart.

But isn’t it obvious that story, after story, after story in Scripture is about this very thing?!

Women and men from Genesis to the maps are confronted with disaster, disease, and disappointment.

There are scores of examples: • Noah’s flood • Abraham and Sarah’s barrenness (and Rebekah’s … and Rachel’s) • Jacob’s family experiences famine • Joseph’s betrayal by his brothers • Israel’s slavery • Moses’ parents (and others) face orders of infanticide • The Exodus and its many challenges • Facing the giants in the land promised to Abraham • Routine invasions by other nations

Pathway

by Rev. Max Edwards

• • • • • • • • •

Ruth is widowed, endures poverty with Naomi David faces Goliath David hunted by a jealous King Saul The nation divided Prophets such as Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah and Jeremiah face persecution Judgment follows idolatrous rebellion Nehemiah’s challenge to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem Daniel betrayed, and thrown to the lions Esther conscripted in the King’s harem; bravely thwarting genocide

And these are just a few of the many stories, including those of Jesus himself, and the challenges, death threats, and indeed deadly persecutions faced by the disciples.

In almost all of these instances, the person or persons facing these trials could not see the eventual pathway that God provided. And even when the earthly story ended for those who remained faithful, their sacrifice served as stepping stones for others.

The martyrdom of Stephen and how it seemed to have been a part of Paul’s journey to faith is an obvious example.

When facing difficult circumstances such as those we have been experiencing in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, we ought to remind ourselves that just because some things seem to be falling apart, it may very well be that God is opening a pathway that we could not have seen.

And that is exactly what we will be expecting. Like Moses, we must strive to see with eyes of faith, as the writer of Hebrews puts it: “… Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27).

Worship leader, Don Moen set these thoughts to music, writing: “Oh, God will make a way where there seems to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see; He will make a way for me. He will be my guide; hold me closely to His side. With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way, He will make a way.”

Rev. Max Edwards the International General Superintendent of the Evangelical Methodist Church.

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Prayer is NOT the lesser work!

by Mrs. Judy Edwards

A

nd you are helping us by praying for us.

Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety (II Corinthians 1:11).

It’s probably safe to say this year has not been exactly as expected for anyone. Many things we often took for granted have been absent. We missed interactions we looked forward to with family, friends and other important relationships in our lives. Many have experienced health crises, lost businesses, faced financial loss and many other life altering struggles. And our churches were closed for a period of time.

We tried to fill the void with digital meetings through Zoom, Facebook, etc. which were a blessing and for churches even spread to people who wouldn’t come to a church. Those efforts continue to be used thankfully and continue to be essential to many. But I believe we also learned those tools couldn’t fully replace the face to face fellowship of believers. Thankfully we are all meeting again in some measure – at least for now. I think maybe we’ve all suffered from a dip in our ability to have the relational interaction that we crave and need with other believers.

I also believe that during this unusual season we had an awakening to the importance of prayer.

When we couldn’t be together in person we could still intercede for one another. I feel sure many of you, like myself, had someone reach out to say the Lord brought you to mind and I’m praying for you just when you were feeling the weight of isolation.

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And you most likely reached out to someone the Lord brought to your mind just when they needed it. We know prayer is important, but during the most isolated time frames of Covid, I think we were reminded that it is ESSENTIAL. We were driven to our prayer closets more often, as prayer was the way we could touch others outside our own homes.

Have you ever said all I can do is pray or I can pray but I wish I could do more? We mean well when we say those phrases, but truly they misrepresent the priority of prayer! Please don’t view prayer as the least you can do, view it as Ephesians 6 shares – a weapon of warfare! Prayer can change ANYTHING and EVERYTHING! Remember who we are communicating with and listening to in prayer – the God of creation, the God of transformation, the Way, the Truth and the Life! When you are sincerely praying for another in intercession, you are carrying them to the throne of God – that is NEVER the lesser work. It is the greatest work.

Some of us are in communities that have nearly fully re-opened, others are still quite closed and some are moving back into earlier restrictions.

But no matter where you are in this journey, let us not forget the awakening we experienced to the importance of praying for one another while we were isolated. As we reopen more and more and even when Covid becomes a past memory, don’t forget that awakening! May we ALWAYS be mindful of how essential it is to pray for one another – in good times and bad. Someone may be depending on your obedience to pray for them today.

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them (I Timothy 2:1 NLT).

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere (Ephesians 6:18 NLT).

Judy Edwards is the Chairman of the Evangelical Methodist Department of Prayer

Going Under to Go Out

by Dr. Jim Halbert

Can we have church without a church

building? The earliest evidence we can find of church buildings is after Christianity was officially adopted as the religion of Rome in 325 A.D. How in the world did the church get along without buildings? To be truthful, it got along quite well.

It grew from a handful of disciples to over 120 million believers in 300 years. Buildings don’t hinder growth in the church, indeed it can clearly grow rapidly without them! The early church was an underground movement spreading light into the darkness in what may have seemed, to some, to be small and apparently insignificant ways.

How did the Christian church in China, in the midst of utter persecution grow to 120 million adherents under the communist revolution? They grew like the early church and without buildings.

The early Methodist movement met in homes and wherever they could gather. Every Holy movement in the past 2000 years has understood, that the

priesthood of believers is called to reach others with the message of God’s love, whether there is a place to meet or not.

America has now been through a time where we’ve realized that even without our buildings, we are still the church. We have forged new friendships with people and the light of Christ in us has again, permeated the darkness. We went underground in the sense of not being able to gather in groups, but we also went out as a result and remembered our calling! As Ephesians 4:12 reminds us, the gifts of the Spirit (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd and Teacher) are given to equip God’s people (that’s all of us) TO DO THE WORK OF MINISTRY. When we all minister, the church matures, and we end up having a greater impact on the world. We went under, and ended up going out, and I hope we’ll never be the same.

Dr. Jim Halbert is lead pastor Crossroads Church in Nampa, Idaho.

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Church...interrupted.

by Rev. Nate Williamson

Covid-19 has caused the whole world to come to a screeching halt. The fear of the spread of

illness and the possibility of death has caused us to slow down economically and socially. The Church is no different. We have been forced out of our normal routines of worship and community; our personal routines of work, school, extra circular events and entertainment have been interrupted. But, has the Church really been interrupted or is God trying to teach us something new in this season?

Perhaps this season is not about loss but reclamation of what has already been lost. The early Church in the Book of Acts did not have regular places of worship. There were seasons when they couldn’t gather together publicly because of fear of persecution or death, or simply distance. And yet, we see the Church growing exponentially during that period in spite of the hindrances and hardships they faced. No one can disagree that North American churches are spoiled. We have our large buildings, air conditioning, lights, inspirational music and more. We have become so reliant on structures that pastors are still preaching their sermons to empty seats in their sanctuaries.

Christianity has become too polished and professional, and is no longer just being a group of

believers locking arms and following Jesus. God has stripped all those things in this season and left us with the reality of a simple, relational faith.

Since the Church has been dispersed into separate homes, however, each home is now a place of worship. We are not confined to seeing how many people we can fit into one place at one time, but each believer is called to be a light in his household and community. God has blown out the four walls of our churches, forcing His people to be the Church. The early Church knew that the new life in Christ meant four things that they had to do every day: dedicate themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to prayer, to the breaking of bread together and fellowship. Nothing in this season is hindering these four tenets, core processes of the new life in Christ. We can study God’s Word daily, and prayer is not the least we can do but the most.

Fellowship and the breaking of bread together can be realized virtually through video conferencing.

As things open back up and our old routines are available, don’t forget the lessons He is teaching us now. Let’s look back at the Book of Acts and the early Church, realizing that the Holy Spirit has freedom to move because of seasons like the one we are experiencing now, and not in spite of them.

Rev. Nate Williamson is the senior pastor of Covenant in Morgantown, WV.

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Thinking About Mary’s World Mrs. Hannah Brouillette Ellis

Becoming a mother, and holding my precious baby for the first time was a dream I have had since I was a little girl. In February of 2019, as a new wife, this dream was working its way into reality.

I had a feeling that I may be pregnant, so I privately went to take a pregnancy test. The first line showed up on the test right away, and as the second line began to faintly appear, so did the tears in my eyes. My parents were at our house so I couldn’t shout out loud as I wanted to, but my husband had already guessed the result because in my excitement, I struggled with and finally burst through the door to where he was. I told him, “You’re going to be a daddy!” Together, in that moment, we experienced such joy and happiness that I could never adequately describe. Even though I knew it was best to wait to break the news to others, I sincerely wanted to tell everyone about this great blessing!

During this time, I began to think about Mary.

I can’t fully grasp how she must have felt in that moment when she was told she was going to be a mother. How will I tell Joseph? Will he even believe me when I tell him that I am pregnant, yet remain a virgin? Will he stay with me or leave me? What will people think about me, unmarried, but pregnant?

Instead of her being excited and wanting to tell everyone right away as I was, I’m sure her heart was heavy and confused. In that moment, it probably seemed to her that her world was falling apart. “This is not how I planned my future!” Mary’s whole life changed. Not only was she going to be a mother, but she was told that her child would be the Jewish Messiah!

Then, late in her pregnancy, Joseph and Mary were forced to make the long journey to Bethlehem.

When my own pregnancy was in the later stages, I had a hard time even walking to the car, much less having to travel on foot to Bethlehem! I can’t imagine the exhaustion and need for rest. Then, even after the arduous travel, they arrived and found no place to stay. Mary may have wondered why God had not prearranged some comfortable accommodation. After all, this child is the Son of God, right?

My husband and I once took a weekend get-away and he didn’t think to make a hotel reservation in advance; we spent half the night stressing, trying to find somewhere to stay. Most wives would understand me when I say that I was more than upset!

Mary and Joseph were ultimately offered a less than ideal place to stay, and Mary indeed gave birth and the Savior was born. I can imagine that when she held Jesus for the first time, all of those troubles, stresses, worries and doubts, began to melt away.

Even though things seemed to be falling apart, they suddenly seemed to be falling into perfect place. The Savior had arrived at just the right place and time.

Sometimes our lives seem to be turning upside down, and we don’t understand why things won’t just go according to our plans. We might feel like Mary … tired and exhausted, troubled and weary. But when the Savior enters into our lives, everything falls right into place. Will you invite Him in?

Mrs. Hannah Brouillette Ellis lives in Marion NC with her husband Joshua and their daughter Natalie.

The Connection

WINTER 2020

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Loving Like Jesus

by Mrs. Lisa Walker

They say that bad times bring out the _________ in you.

I am sure that during this time of pandemic, we can think of several words to fill that blank. We see the best in people who are reaching out and checking in to help their neighbors. We see people volunteering to pick up and deliver groceries, and we see nurses traveling to different parts of the country to serve on the front lines. We have also seen the worst in people who are yelling at or trying to guilt people to wear a mask or not to wear a mask, to stay home or not stay home, to open the church building or wait longer. Unfortunately, there have been people who have shown hatred.

Another word we could put in that blank is real.

The true you tends to show up when the pressure is on. In a recent youth meeting at a Chinese church, we were studying John on the topic of loving like Jesus. In the context of discussing how we can show love during this time of quarantine, one young man asked, “How do we show love while dealing with heightened xenophobia towards Asian-Americans in this time...” I immediately experienced a range of emotions. I was both impressed and proud that he would ask such a question, angry that my kids were feeling hurt and attacked, heartbroken that such was their reality, even coming from some who dared call themselves Christ-followers. In response to his

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question, we talked about being steadfast in their walk with God, being bold in their faith, asking Christ to help them love those who hate them, loving as Christ loves. I have thought about that moment several times since then.

I have seen that sentiment play out over and over with our immigrant and ethnic brothers and sisters. Rather than being helped and loved, they are often blamed and shunned. I cry and ask why. Here is what we all need to remember: in the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34, ESV). Galatians 5:22-23 says that the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” 1 Corinthians 13 says “the greatest of these is love.”

Do a fruit check: is your life filled with the Fruit and love of the Spirit? We must love all, not just those like us, but EVERYONE, in ALL circumstances.

For a Christian, the statement should read, “The bad times bring out Jesus in you.”

Rev. Lisa Walker is the Chairman of the EMC Department of Multicultural Ministries.

The Board of Directors would like to welcome Rev. Ron Smith, Ph.D. as the new president of the Francis Asbury Society (FAS). Dr. Smith is no stranger to the Society, serving as the chief executive officer on two previous occasions and as an FAS evangelist for over twenty years. He is a graduate of Asbury University, Asbury Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Drew University, where he was awarded his doctorate in Church history. Dr. Smith is the former president of Wesley Biblical Seminary and recently retired as an ordained elder from the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he pastored some of the conference’s largest churches. He brings great wisdom, experience, and commitment to the Society’s call “to spread Scriptural holiness” throughout the world.

Please join with the Board as we pray for the new president, Dr. Ron Smith, and celebrate the leadership of our former president, Rev. Stan Key.

Dr. Chris Bounds Chair of the Francis Asbury Society Board of Directors