Guest Writer
Rev. Brain Roberts, Cape Atlantic District Superintendent
MERRY CHRISTMAS
God with us - The Miracle of the Incarnation
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 NIV
I received an early Christmas present this year. Sandra, my wife, and I stopped by to visit a family who are dear friends and to drop off some Christmas cookies. They have two young sons and during the course of our visit, the dad invited me to come outside and help them set up the crèche or manger scene on their front lawn.
Our quest took us first into the garage to get the stable and familiar figures, then out to the lawn we went. The stable, nearly four feet across was placed on the lawn and then father and sons carefully set the figures…. beginning with those in the background. The angel was put in the back corner, as a quiet sentry. The 3 magi-travelers from the East with their gifts were placed, camel-check, donkey-check.
Mary and Joseph were next and located with honor, center stable next to the empty manger. The dad who grew up on a farm did some good teaching as father and sons were on their knees placing the characters of the Christmas story. He taught them the manger was a feed trough.
“Now for baby Jesus!” exclaimed the older brother, seven years old. “Here he is…” shouted the younger 4-year-old brother. The youngest one picked up baby Jesus and looked at him carefully, turning him over. This Jesus had a loose fitting “swaddling cloths” wrapped around his waist that only covered a little of him. “Hey dad, Jesus has a bottom!!!” the boy shouted with a joyful sense of discovery, and a few giggles as he gazed quizzically at the partly exposed backside of the Savior.
My prayer for each of us this Holy season is that we might experience, with a deep sense of discovery, more of the miracle and mystery that the Lord of the Universe-the Son of God-the Savior of the world was born in a smelly, noisy manger with a cast of characters. “Jesus had a bottom!”
How many Christmases have you celebrated? Do you find, at times, that the words are almost too familiar and you don’t pause to ponder the audacious proclamations or realize the full impact for you, for me…for God’s world.
“God so love the world, that He sent his only begotten son,….”
John 3:16
This Christmas may you be guided deeper into the wonder and power of our faith. God is ALIVE! God came into this world as baby Jesus. He was and is fully God AND fully human. He experienced hunger and cried as Mary suckled and comforted him. As he grew he probably hit his thumb with a hammer as his earthly dad was teaching him carpentry and it hurt. He marveled at the beauty of God and knew the joy and pain of relationships.
Jesus had a bottom-meaning he lived, laughed, loved, led, and then was crucified, dead and buried until the third day when he rose again and later ascended to heaven. In Jesus the Christ we have one that is able to empathize with us and understand AND is King of the Cosmos-who was with God and was/is God Hebrews 4:14-16 . I am so thankful that I was able to kneel on a damp front lawn with this family and re-discover the difficult to fully fathom meaning of Christmas.
“You shall call his name Emmanuel-which means God with us!”
Please know how much each of you are appreciated as a true gift, leading and serving in your local congregations. May you be blessed, even as you bless your communities this Christmas season.
Grace and Peace!
-Myrna
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Get Ready, Get Set…IT IS NOT TOO LATE
Is everything in order for your Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship services?
- Do you have greeters who will be outside the door(s) welcoming and directing visitors and “travelers from afar” into your worship services and warm hospitality?
- Do you have a means of getting people’s contact information and a plan for some personal follow up?
- Are you advertising your January sermon series and worship times?
- If you have social media pages-Facebook, website etc. is it updated and does it have information on it about your Christmas weekend services, New Year’s day schedule and upcoming events?
It is not too late to tweak the social media or make a few calls, gather a couple more volunteers and ask them to partner with you to share radical hospitality and the warmth of God’s love.
Thanks for ALL the energy that you as pastors and congregations have been putting into getting everything ready to celebrate the birth of Christ anew this year. Your care for the details is an important ingredient for people experiencing God’s Good News. Your efforts make a difference.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Rev. Myrna Bethke & Rev. Brain Roberts
(Please note: No district newsletter next week. It will be in your inbox the first week of January 2017)
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Church Opportunities and Resources
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Church Happenings
Click here to view all the church to church happenings on the Gateway South District! Church events and flyers are updated on a regular basis so you will never miss out. You can also visit the Southern Regional Informational page to view events that are going on throughout the region. If you would like your church event to be posted on the district events page please email gatewaysouth@gnjumc.org.
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Mandatory Clergy Meeting: Registration now open!
Date: January 11, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Calvary Korean United Methodist Church, 572 Ryders Ln., East Brunswick, NJ 08816
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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2016 Statistical Reports
2016 Statistical Reports open January 1, 2017. The deadline is January 31, 2017 and the report can be accessed by clicking here. Please use username 3360 _ _ _ _ (4-digit church number). Password: gnjchurch16. You will be asked to change your password when you log in for the first time Please keep the username and password available for all users. If you have questions or need help, call your Regional Administrative Assistant or Account Supervisor, Danielle Andrews at the Mission and Resource center at (732) 359-1000.
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Shining The Light In GNJ This Christmas
Click here to watch a GNJ artist create a project with lights symbolizing the many families and lives that have been changed thanks to the GNJ's mission arm, A Future With Hope, which has rebuilt 250 Sandy damaged houses since 2012. Today, there are more than 4,000 families fighting to get back in their homes. This Christmas, there's still light to shine. Click here to volunteer or here to donate.
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2017 Registration now open!
Do you feel frustrated? Do you feel alone? Do you feel like you're reinventing the wheel every single week? Well you don't have to, by joining a PaCE Group! PaCE is an initiative to facilitate peer learning groups that help shape pastoral identity, imagination and develop leadership excellence. This program supports clergy excellence by building trust, reducing isolation, exploring ideas through shared experiences, providing multiple viewpoints, unlocking creativity and engaging in group in deep conversations.
Click here for more information. Deadline to register is January 15, 2017.
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2017 Bishop's Clergy Convocation
Date: January 23-25, 2017
Location: Ocean Place Resort, Long Branch NJ
Featuring plenary and small group sessions led by author, coach and consultant Susan Beaumont and a special event presented by The Music Paradigm
Click here to register!
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Registration Now Open!
Date: February 11, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Calvary Korean UMC, 572 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick 08816
Cost: $15.00
IGNITE Youth Leaders Day will provide practical resources and tools to help students grow in their faith. Churches of any size will leave with a better understanding of youth, youth ministry in 2017, how to organize and grow a youth ministry, and how to help students grow in their faith. Featuring Preston Centuolo, Kenda Creasy Dean, and Greater New Jersey church leaders.
Click here for more information and to register.
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Revolutionizing Stewardship
A Clergy retreat led by Horizons Stewardship
Date: February 22-23, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. registration
Location: Congress Hall, Cape May NJ
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Revolutionizing Stewardship Action Planning and Training
Pastors are encouraged to form a team from their congregation to attend a three session training to create a year-round stewardship action plan and Fall 2017 campaign.
TRACK 1: Churches UNDER 250 in average worship attendance
(Must attend all 3 sessions)
Session One: March 25, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Session Two: April 30, 2017 from 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Session Three: June 24, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
TRACK 2: Churches OVER 250 in average worship attendance
(Must attend all 3 sessions)
Session One: March 18, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Session Two: May 13, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Session Three: June 24, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location and cost is TBD. Registration will begin in January.
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Graceful Controversies Event
Date: March 4, 2017
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Location: The Mission and Resource Center, 205 Jumping Brook Road, Neptune NJ 07753
Cost: $10.00
Bishop Schol invites all laity and clergy from GNJ into a deeper conversation to develop our hopes and aspirations for the future of The United Methodist Church and send them to the Commission on the Way Forward. Click here for more information and resources.
Registration will open February 10
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Wesley Heritage 2017 Tour: July 19 - July 27, 2017
Clergy and laity from Greater New Jersey will be traveling together to England on a nine day Wesley Heritage tour leaving Newark airport on July 19. Optional extensions in London or Ireland is available. There are 2 C.E.U.'s available for clergy and discounts for making registration and payment deadlines. Pastors can contact Glenn Ferguson about becoming a host for a group from your church. Click here for brochure and additional information.
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