CELEBRATION NEWS • MAY 3, 2019 COME AS YOU ARE! · 5/3/2019 · series “Tidying Up with Marie...
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Just These Lines, My Friends... … to say “What sparks your joy?” That would be the question of the day for fans of the popular Netflix series “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” based on her bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. If you’ve ever seen the show or read the book, you know that Kondo’s decluttering process invites persons to hold an object in their hands and ask themselves a simple question: “Does this object spark joy for me?” If the answer is “yes,” then keep it. If the answer is “no,” then discard or donate it. It’s that simple. Her premise is that most of the things we have are not worth keeping. The things that are worth holding onto are those items that please us, give us contentment, and fill our minds with happy memories. I’ll admit that I, like some of you, have begun to “Marie Kondo” parts of my life recently, and I’ve found the exercise to be helpful. It seems to me that if there is a biblical word that captures some essence of what it means to “spark joy,” it would be the word agape, the most important Greek word for “love.” We often think of agape as a love that is unconditional and self-sacrificing, the kind of love that God has shown us in Jesus. That’s true. But the Bible also uses that word to describe ideal relationships between human beings--and, yes, between people and their possessions. The 19th century American Methodist biblical scholar James Strong defined agape as a feeling of being “well pleased and contented at or with” an object, and “to welcome, to entertain, to love dearly, and to be fond of” another person. That sounds a lot like the “spark of joy” to me. But here’s the real kicker, and the thing that makes the words of Jesus even harder to understand, let alone apply. In Luke 6:27-38, Jesus tells his disciples, and says to us, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Oh, yes … that word for love is agape. We aren’t simply supposed to tolerate our enemies, or refrain from hurting our enemies, or just coexist with our enemies. We are to agape our enemies. We are to hold them in our hands and allow them to “spark joy” for us, rather than ignore them, discard them or reject them. Whew! That’s really tough. I don’t think it means that we ignore the pain and suffering that relationship has brought us. But it might mean acknowledging that surviving the pain and suffering has made us stronger in ways that happiness never could. I don’t think it means that we are to become dear friends with our enemies. But it might mean practicing empathy, to see in their eyes our own woundedness, fear and insecurity, and therefore learn things about ourselves that we otherwise could not have learned. I don’t think it means accepting what they did to us as permissible, especially if there was violence or abuse. But since we can’t ever “discard” the past like we can an old piece of clothing, we can ask God to bless it, redeem it and transform it into part of a brighter future. The truth is, I’m not yet sure what it fully means to agape our enemies the way Jesus commanded, but I’m willing to explore a few further steps in that direction. In the meantime, happy decluttering. May your life be filled with sparks of joy. Claim Some Easter Hope This Week, Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson II [email protected] CELEBRATION NEWS • MAY 3, 2019 WORSHIP The Magic of Music Music Appreciation Sunday Ephesians 5:15-20 @MatthewsUMC CONNECT MatthewsUMC.org/Connect • Subscribe to Weekly Highlights, Just These Lines & Celebration News • Watch Live Worship & Archives • Give Online, Text dollar amount to #704-885-5982 or via the ChurchLife ACS App • Submit a Prayer Request • Learn, Grow & Lead with Worship Resources on Social COVER PHOTO A huge “thank you” to all who served at the MUMC Family Fun Day event on Saturday. The event was a success, with many in attendance from our community! #WeAreMatthews COME AS YOU ARE! Sunday mornings at 8:15 & 11:00 (Traditional) 9:30 (Contemporary) 11:00 (801South) 12:30 Centro Cristiano Hosanna (Servicio en Español) 9:30 The Deep Family Worship (second Sunday of each month) Read the complete “Just These Lines” at MatthewsUMC.org or subscribe under the Connect tab to receive weekly correspondence.
Transcript of CELEBRATION NEWS • MAY 3, 2019 COME AS YOU ARE! · 5/3/2019 · series “Tidying Up with Marie...
Just These Lines, My Friends...… to say “What sparks your joy?” That would be the question of the day for fans of the popular Netflix series “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” based on her bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. If you’ve ever seen the show or read the book, you know that Kondo’s decluttering process invites persons to hold an object in their hands and ask themselves a simple question: “Does this object spark joy for me?”
If the answer is “yes,” then keep it. If the answer is “no,” then discard or donate it. It’s that simple. Her premise is that most of the things we have are not worth keeping. The things that are worth holding onto are those items that please us, give us contentment, and fill our minds with happy memories. I’ll admit that I, like some of you, have begun to “Marie Kondo” parts of my life recently, and I’ve found the exercise to be helpful.It seems to me that if there is a biblical word that captures some essence of what it means to “spark joy,” it would be the word agape, the most important Greek word for “love.” We often think of agape as a love that is unconditional and self-sacrificing, the kind of love that God has shown us in Jesus. That’s true. But the Bible also uses that word to describe ideal relationships between human beings--and, yes, between people and their possessions. The 19th century American Methodist biblical scholar James Strong defined agape as a feeling of being “well pleased and contented at or with” an object, and “to welcome, to entertain, to love dearly, and to be fond of” another person. That sounds a lot like the “spark of joy” to me. But here’s the real kicker, and the thing that makes the words of Jesus even harder to understand, let alone apply.In Luke 6:27-38, Jesus tells his disciples, and says to us, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”Oh, yes … that word for love is agape. We aren’t simply supposed to tolerate our enemies, or refrain from hurting our enemies, or just coexist with our enemies. We are to agape our enemies. We are to hold them in our hands and allow them to “spark joy” for us, rather than ignore them, discard them or reject them. Whew! That’s really tough. I don’t think it means that we ignore the pain and suffering that relationship has brought us. But it might mean acknowledging that surviving the pain and suffering has made us stronger in ways that happiness never could. I don’t think it means that we are to become dear friends with our enemies. But it might mean practicing empathy, to see in their eyes our own woundedness, fear and insecurity, and therefore learn things about ourselves that we otherwise could not have learned. I don’t think it means accepting what they did to us as permissible, especially if there was violence or abuse. But since we can’t ever “discard” the past like we can an old piece of clothing, we can ask God to bless it, redeem it and transform it into part of a brighter future. The truth is, I’m not yet sure what it fully means to agape our enemies the way Jesus commanded, but I’m willing to explore a few further steps in that direction.In the meantime, happy decluttering. May your life be filled with sparks of joy.Claim Some Easter Hope This Week,
Dr. Charles (Chuck) W. Wilson [email protected]
CELEBRATION NEWS • MAY 3, 2019
WORSHIPThe Magic of Music
Music Appreciation Sunday
Ephesians 5:15-20
@MatthewsUMC
CONNECTMatthewsUMC.org/Connect• Subscribe to Weekly Highlights, Just These Lines & Celebration News• Watch Live Worship & Archives• Give Online, Text dollar amount to #704-885-5982 or via the ChurchLife ACS App • Submit a Prayer Request• Learn, Grow & Lead with Worship Resources on Social
COVER PHOTOA huge “thank you” to all who
served at the MUMC Family Fun Day event on Saturday. The event
was a success, with many in attendance from our community!
#WeAreMatthews
COME AS YOU ARE! Sunday mornings at
8:15 & 11:00 (Traditional)9:30 (Contemporary)
11:00 (801South)12:30 Centro Cristiano
Hosanna (Servicio en Español)9:30 The Deep Family
Worship (second Sunday of each month)
Read the complete “Just These Lines” at MatthewsUMC.org or subscribe under the Connect tab to receive weekly correspondence.
UPCOMING
5/3 Fall Sunday School Registration Begins at the Noah’s Ark Desk or at Kids.MatthewsUMC.org.
5/16 Hearts & Hands-10 am in Room 158. Contact [email protected].
5/19 Deadline to submit the Graduate Form to be included in the bulletin. Graduates of High School, College & Graduate/Masters Programs invited to participate. Graduation Sunday is June 2. Contact [email protected].
5/26 Rev. Larry Whitley from Mt. Moriah Church will share the message at Matthews UMC as he and Pastor Chuck Wilson participate in a pulpit exchange!
5/27 Church Closed for Memorial Day.
7/14 Dr. David Wilkinson will share the message and then lead a series of presentations Sunday evening and Monday, July 15.
MUMC Seeking Administrative Assistant for United Kids Ministry - Job description under About MUMC on the Connect tab at MatthewsUMC.org.
Celebration is a weekly publication for families and friends of Matthews UMC. Submit content to [email protected]. Submission deadline is noon each Monday, the week of publication.
Please note that all content is subject to editing. Subscribe to weekly correspondence under the Connect tab at MatthewsUMC.org.
801 South Trade St, Matthews, NC 28105 • (704) 847-6261MatthewsUMC.org @MatthewsUMC
Please remember in your prayers: Jim Murphy upon the death of his father; Sondra Smallwood upon the death of her father; Holly Milligan upon the death of her grandfather; and all those in our Church family with special needs and concerns.
Global Impact Prayer: Mighty God, you continue to bless our long-standing partnership with Oasis
Ministry in Belize. May the interest meeting for the fall mission trip encourage and inspire others to step out in faith and use their time, talents and resources by serving and sharing
their faith in that community.
CCH Intercessory Prayer: Saturdays at 6 am in the Chapel.
For care and protection, we lift up all the men and women serving in our Armed
Forces throughout the world.
STUDIES & GROUPS
Registration for all studies must be made one week in advance of the study start date.
iPad Basics Tuesdays, June 25-Aug 12Mondays through June 17, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm. FREE! 6:30 - 8:00 pm. Cost $17. Led by Sheila Meador Led by the GriefShare team.
The Thirteen Apostles Mondays, May 13-August 12, 10:30 am -12:30 pm, Cost $12 Led by Carolyn Perlman & Mary Ann Davis.
Connect to classes and grow in your journey by visiting MatthewsUMC.org.Contact [email protected].
Interested In Joining MUMC?If you would like to become a member, please plan to attend
Coffee With Pastors Chuck & Paul on Sunday, June 2, 3:00-4:30 pm; Tour 4:30-5:00 pmA Disciple’s Path Classes Sundays, June 9 - July 7, 9:30-10:45 am
Register with [email protected]. Joining will be held Sunday, July 21. Details under New Member Class at MatthewsUMC.org.
