Prayer Blankets Simpson UMC

Here is the congregation joining in prayer over a blanket.  We send these blankets with our prayers to those in need of support.

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Messages received from Sermon “Death Has No Victory” by Ann Henderson

 

We were blessed to receive Ann Henderson’s first sermon at Simpson UMC.

Death Has No Victory

 

Some of the messages received by the congregation are:

• Be humble in your suffering.
• Small quiet deeds.
• Its the small humble deeds we express and we accomplish that will give us victory over death.
• Peace.
• Live for Christ and death will have no victory.
• We have eternal life to look forward to.
• Live life to the fullest and humbly.
• Be humble and consider what is really important in life.
• Consider what impact you have on other people in your deeds and words.

A personal note to Ann Henderson:  One person in a group of people brought up his anticipation of hearing you speak again and the group agreed that your next message is welcome,  your message today was very thoughtful and meditative and uplifting.  Good job we received much from your message.

2014-10-3 Sermon Simpson UMC “Death Has No Victory”

Death Has No Victory

Paul challenges us to look inwardly at all of the great achievements we have created in our lives and count them as nothing in comparison to the greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ.  If we live our lives in a way that is honoring to God, by the time we are to die, death will have no victory.

Ann Henderson, Pastoral Assistant, Simpson UMC

From the Bible passage Philippians 3:4b-14

“I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh.

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ,[a] the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ[b] and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal;[c] but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved,[d] I do not consider that I have made it my own;[e] but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly[f] call of God in Christ Jesus.”

 

 

Thank you to Yogis

There are thousands of people I wish to thank for their support during my recent life changing events.

There is no one good place to start so I am going to have to pick a place in my mind and right now (since I just finished my yoga group a couple of hours ago) at the present time that is my fellow yogis.

There are so many people to thank that I just  have to start doing it and since I am starting tonight it is with my fellow yogis since we just finished tuesday night yoga together.  This is no reflection on the support all of you have given me just a timing thing since I’m starting tonight.  I just find myself strong enough tonight!

Thank you yogis for waiting for me to be strong enough to continue our group you don’t know how much this means and how much I love you for it.

Thank you Terry and John new Yogis to our group you don’t know my personal situation but your presence has been exactly what I need to move forward.  I hope to get to know you better but if your path takes you on a different journey don’t worry about it I enjoyed our time together.

Thank you yogis for waiting for me to be strong enough to get the group going again, you are so nurturing and supportive and loving you’ll never know how much you’ve helped me!  You waited for me to be strong enough to move forward and your confidence in me is amazing.

We are a group brought together by common goal and although our members change our group goal continues to be strong.  Our support of each other!

Namaste.

 

 

 

Taiko Japan’s Number One Energy Export by Marc Steuben

This article appears here with the permission of Marc Steuben and explains how Taiko was born as we know it today and how Taiko came to the United States.

I have taken several lessons from Marc now and the more I get to know him the more fascinating and complex I find him.  Look forward to reading about his other talents and endeavors here soon.

He remains a patient and encouraging teacher even though I have two left hands when it comes to drumming!

Messages received from sermon “God at Work in You”by Tezenlo Thong

Here are some of the comments received from the congregation describing the message received from the sermon “God at Work in You” :

• Service of God without judgment.
• Leaders are ministers too.
• God gives us energy so we may extend kindness, forgiveness, grace, love and humility.
• We the congregation are the church.
• God is our bond to each other.
• Christian love sometimes requires sacrifice.
• Serve each other with a humble spirit.
• We all have the desire to do what is good and God gives us the will, power, courage and energy to do what is good!

Special note to Tezenlo, our thoughts and prayers are with you and Eun Jung and your family during this time of loss.

 

2014-09-28 Sermon at Simpson UMC “God At Work In You”

“God At Work In You”  (Philippians 2:1-13)

What are signs of God at work in you?

How do we know that God is at work, enabling us both to will and to work for good?

The past few Sundays, we have been talking about reconciliation, forgiveness and acting graciously toward one another. These are signs of God at work in you. Whenever we experience an act of reconciliation or forgiveness among God’s people, we know that God is at work among us.

How often do we feel a desire to reconcile with a family member, a friend or coworker? How frequently do we feel the urge to forgive and ask for forgiveness? In all these circumstances, how often do we feel a lack of power or energy to act?

It is not always enough to will something. Good intentions are not always carried out.

Paul sees believers as their will energized by God and then also having the power to work supplied by God. God furnishes the enablement to carry out both the desire to will what is good and the energy to do it.

God is the one working in you, both the willing and the working.

Tezenlo Thong, Pastor

Jennifer Lim at Arts & Crafts Showcase 10-19-2014, Rescued Broken Jewelry

I took my friend Jennifer Lim an huge plastic bag of broken and “I’m tired of this piece” jewelry.

I had been saving all this jewelry with no idea what I was going to do with it.  Since at least half of it was broken I couldn’t take it to the thrift store.

She does this amazing thing with bits of forgotten or discarded jewelry, she re-purposes the bits and pieces and makes entirely new pieces of jewelry!

I wish I had taken a picture of that plastic bag of broken jewelry, sigh, but here are a few examples of what she did with those castaways:

Thank you Jennifer for being so fun and giving me back some memories!

 

 

 

If you would like to see Jennifer’s creative pieces in person, bracelets, earrings and necklaces, join us at Simpson UMC on 10-19-2014.  Her prices are unbelievably reasonable.  All proceeds she donates to the Simpson UMC Chancel Choir for special music and adding musicians to help our extremely talented pianist with Christmas and Easter Cantatas.

A light lunch will also be served until sold out.  There are many amazing artists that display each year and you will not be disappointed!

P.S.  If you would like to donate some broken jewelry Jennifer will make it into something amazing which she sells and donates all proceeds in support of the Simpson UMC Chancel Choir.  Bring your plastic bag of bits and pieces!

2014-09-21 Sermon at Simpson UMC “Grace Is Not Fair”

“Grace Is Not Fair”

Matthew 20:1-16

Today’s passage will make you want to shake your head and say, “That’s not fair.” It is because grace is not fair. God’s grace is indeed not fair. Grace means unmerited favor. It means extending favor to someone who doesn’t deserve it, who hasn’t earned it, and can never repay it.

The scandal of the parable is that God doesn’t give us what we deserve. God gives us what we need, whether we deserve it or not. The point of the parable is that God’s grace is amazing. That God’s grace is beyond our comprehension. That it encompasses everyone, welcomes everyone, forgives everyone, and loves everyone.

The second part of the parable is about us. If you observed the parable carefully, it was not the landowner who distributed the silver coins. He asked the foreman/worker to give the silver coins. The owner of the vineyard has selected you to dispense the silver coins. That’s what the parable is about. God wants you to dispense grace on God’s behalf. As God representatives, we are asked to show God’s grace to others. God calls us to enlarge the margin of grace in our lives. If our grace margin is small, we become exclusionary, judgmental and self-righteous. We become rigid, legalistic and impatient with others. But if or when our margin of grace is wide and big, we overlook each other’s mistakes. We begin to see our own weakness in other people’s failures. We don’t take things too seriously. Enlarge your margin of grace to accommodate people who don’t think or believe like you, people who are different from you. That’s the reason why we are show grace by God. Freely receive, freely give!

Tezenlo Thong, Pastor Simpson UMC

Favorite Artist at 25th Annual Friendship and American Indian Cultural Celebration

 

Angelique was filled with good energy.  Her art was also filled with good energy, happy and moving.

Dream horses she made to ride to your dreams.

 

Cheerful jewelry to pick up your spirits!