Author: First UMC

“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.” (John 17:20)

Like in the TV show Survivor, Christians have voted others “off the island” since the beginning. What became the Catholic and Orthodox churches excluded and condemned Christians whose views were radically different. The more we learn about the early church, the more varieties of Christian churches there were—much more theological diversity than we have today. For example, Ebionite Christians put their faith in Jesus as their Messiah and insisted on obeying the laws of the Torah, as Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, did. Marcionite Christians believed that the God of the Old Testament was not the same God as the God of the New Testament—two completely different Gods and that the Old Testament was totally irrelevant to Christians. Gnostic Christians believed that what led to salvation were the teachings of Jesus, not his death and resurrection. Because they were labeled as heretics by “orthodox” Christians, they were excluded from their churches. Next week is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Let’s join Jesus in that prayer.  Next week is the Week of Prayer Christian Unity.  Let’s join Jesus in that prayer. 

Dr. Sam

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  (2 Timothy 4:6-7)

Paul writes to his protégé Timothy about his coming to the end of his ministry. We know that Paul was martyred for his faith.

I am grateful that the end of active ministry for a United Methodist minister is not so dramatic or demanding. There is mandatory retirement at age 72. I will be within six months of that on June 30, 2024. That will be my last day as an appointed United Methodist elder. I am so grateful to have served this congregation and the others before FUMC. I have not quite finished my race yet. I plan to finish strong these last six months before I cross the finish line.

Rev. Dr. Debbie Allen met with our Staff-Parish Relations Committee in September. She will represent FUMC to Bishop Berlin and the Cabinet as they prayerfully discern who to send to First Church as the next senior pastor.

In the United Methodist system, the bishop appoints pastors for a year at a time. I am grateful to have been appointed to FUMC eight times. United Methodist congregations accept the clergy that are sent. (Thank you for graciously welcoming and accepting me.) Pastors agree to go where we are sent. So, the system works.

SPRC and I will do everything possible to make a smooth transition. SPRC will inform the church (probably in late April) whom Bishop Berlin will appoint to follow me as senior pastor. I know you will welcome and accept her or him.

In the meantime, we still have work to do. Thanks for all the ministry each of you does every day!  Have a blessed 2024!

Dr. Sam

I love your Instruction. I think about it constantly. (Psalm 119:97)

CONGRATULATIONS! to those who accepted the challenge to read the Bible in 2023 and accomplished it. Reading through the entire Bible is difficult. First, the Bible is massive—about 800,000 words (depending on the translation). That is the length of ten modern novels. Second, the Bible is filled with different genres of literature, some of which do not exist in our culture, such as apocalyptic literature. Third, the Bible’s historical, cultural, and theological backgrounds are foreign, leaving us with questions. For example, what is a cubit? Would our God command that every living thing be destroyed when the Israelites attacked a city? Why is Jesus crucified on Thursday in John’s Gospel but on Friday in the other gospels? However, despite our questions and because of them, God still speaks to us as we read the Scriptures. That is why we continue to read and study the Bible.

Dr. Sam

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them  in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  (Matthew 28:19 )

No mountains in Florida, but we still have good news to share. The hymn invites us to tell others about the good news of Jesus’s birth. God’s love for us was personified in Jesus Christ—tremendously good news. At First United Methodist Church in Sarasota, there is even more good news. While most churches are declining, our congregation is growing. By the end of the year, we will have welcomed 44 NEW MEMBERS—a record number for FUMC, more than double recent years.  Some of our new friends are transferring from other churches, and some are affirming their faith for the first time and being baptized. Others are reaffirming their Christian faith. Welcome to the family! It truly is good news!

Dr. Sam 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.  (John 1:5) 

Before Halloween I drove near the University Town Center Mall and saw workers with trucks and ladders putting up lights. Why so early? It’s a massive undertaking with more than four million lights. The magnificent light displays take a great deal of time every year and have to be ready before the deadline. Santa was to arrive on Saturday, November 11. All the lights had to be up ahead of his Santa’s visit. (With four million lights, surely Rudolf got the night off.) 

The birth of Christ means that light has come into our darkness. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). The light of Christ has spread to more than two billion people on the planet who identify themselves as Christians. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, tells his disciples, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). As we follow our Lord, we reflect the light of Christ to others. With so much darkness all around us, may we shine in all we do and say. Amen. 

Dr. Sam

“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

In the last 24 hours I’ve talked to three women whose husbands just died. This morning I spoke with a man whose son took his own life a week ago. This afternoon I met with a friend who may not survive a brain procedure, and if he does, he may not be functional. There are people all around us struggling in one way or another. What they need is for us to come alongside them and be a friend. We can’t fix their problems, but we can listen if they want to talk. We can be a compassionate presence in their lives, especially during the holidays, which can be especially hard. I’ve often seen you doing that for each other in this congregation. Thanks for being reflections of God’s grace.

Dr. Sam

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to their custom. After the festival was over, they were returning home, but the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t know it. Supposing that he was among their band of travelers, they journeyed on for a full day while looking for him among their family and friends. When they didn’t find Jesus, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple…  His mother said, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Listen! Your father and I have been worried. We’ve been looking for you!” (Luke 2:41-46, 48)

Mary and Joseph traveled on foot from Galilee to Jerusalem for the Passover festival, a time to celebrate and give thanks for God’s delivering Israel out of slavery in Egypt. It was a little more than 90 miles, probably a three-day trip each way. Mary was not happy that her son had shown such disrespect for her and Joseph. Jesus had remained behind in Jerusalem without telling them. Traveling with children is not always easy. AAA estimates that 55.4 million people will travel more than 50 miles from home this week. Many will be traveling with kids to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. Although we don’t always get along with them, we are grateful for our families.

Save travels! Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Dr. Sam

Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one!  (Psalm 133:1)

If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:18) 

Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy. Esau plotted to kill his brother Jacob after Jacob cheated him. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Some of the worst conflicts erupt between people who are related.  Ukrainian and Russian come from the same Slavic ancestor language. Hebrew and Arabic come from the same Semitic root language. My guess is that the DNA of a Russian soldier and a Ukrainian soldier would show close connections, as would Israelis and Palestinians. More American soldiers died in the U.S. Civil War than in World War II, World War I, Korea, and Vietnam combined. Conflicts, even among our own families, can crescendo from disagreements to estrangements and beyond. Deep in our hearts, we long for harmony among all the families on earth. May God help us live in peace. 

Dr. Sam

He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
(Isaiah 2:4)

Mass shootings, terrorist attacks—when will the violence end? Our hearts are heavy with grief over people killing each other. As Christians, we are called to be people of peace. We value each person, regardless of race, religion, nationality, or ethnicity. We affirm that each is created in God’s image and that Christ Jesus gave his life for all humanity. Our hope is found in the Prince of Peace, who teaches us to live without being violent. Our prayer is captured in the lines of the hymn, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with____.”

Dr. Sam

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion. (Proverbs 18:2)
When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble. (Proverbs 11:2)

She had no training in her job, but she refused to take a course to learn more. He insisted that he knew more than the others on staff despite having less experience and education in the field. Psychologists call this the DunningKruger Effect. It’s a cognitive bias in which a person with limited competence in a particular area overestimates their abilities. The less we know about something, the more confidence we have. We do not know enough to know what we do not know. It’s unfortunate that we think this way because if we were humble enough to realize we do not know what we do not know, we might be willing to learn and grow. Ironically, those with a great deal of knowledge and skill in a field tend to be less confident because they are aware of how much they do not know. Jesus invites us, “Take my yoke upon you,
and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)

Dr. Sam

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.”
Psalm 122:6-7

It’s hard to watch the news from Israel. In the early 1980s, Yvonne, our toddler son Samuel, and I lived south of Jerusalem. We spent the
Thanksgiving holiday at the invitation of other Americans in Gaza. I was privileged to speak with some Arab nursing students (all male) in Gaza—very gracious and hospitable. We listened to lectures from Jewish and Islamic scholars at the ecumenical institute near Bethlehem where I studied. I had long conversations with Palestinians and Israelis. I studied Arabic in Bethlehem and Hebrew in Jerusalem. I’ve been back to Israel three times. Friends in Jerusalem hid in a bomb shelter when sirens went off. They are okay. In addition to articles about more than 900 Israeli deaths and 2600 wounded, the bodies of 1500 terrorists found, and the declaration of war, today’s Jerusalem Post has a practical article on what to take if you have to stay in a bomb shelter. Please join me in praying for the peace of Jerusalem and Gaza.

Dr. Sam