Lexington First UMC | Lexington First UMC Sunday Worship | By First United Methodist Church Lexington TN | The lord be with you. Good morning. My name is Josh Gatlin. I'm the director of music and media here at FUMC Lexington. We'd like to welcome you to our service today on the fifth Sunday of Easter. I'd like to give thanks that you've decided to join us in person online. We are glad to have you as part of our worship service this morning. Um I'd like to call to your attention, some announcements that have been printed in the bulletins. You can be aware of events happening in the church. Um today, the United Women in Faith will meet immediately after worship in the LEC for a luncheon and all the women in the church are encouraged to stay for that. Uh there is interest in resuming the ministry of the Friendship Club. This ministry provides fellowship for adults who have special needs and much needed respite for caregivers. We are in need of volunteer buddies to provide one-on-one attention for the friends we serve and if you're interested in supporting this ministry, please see Patty White or Lisa Thomas. I'd like to offer an invitation to attend the National Day of Prayer. It's a community gatherings taking place at the courthouse on this Thursday and May the second at noon and brother Roger be among those leading us in that prayer. Our pastors began a six-week study called Bean United Methodist Christians. This six-week study began today, I'm sorry, I think it began last week actually and we'll meet weekly during the Sunday school hour from nine to 945 in the Deborah classroom until June the second. The study is for anyone who desires to join the church, has recently joined or has been a member for a while and wants to learn more about United Methodist beliefs. This will be a seasonal study our pastor will offer each spring and fall as a type of adult confirmation. Mark your calendars for Youth Sunday on Sunday the May the fifth when our youth will participate in leading and worship that's taking place next week. Um on June the third through the seventh, Camp Firelight, our VBS is scheduled to take place and then Sunday, May the nineteenth is our blue tape Sunday. Um if you are going to be able to donate blue tape for that for our children's ministry to use, please make sure you brought it in by May the 19th as they will be they will be coming together that day to help start creating the decorations for VBS. What an invitation for you to join us in our Wednesday night meals at 545 our Wednesday night meal and activities for children, youth, and our adult discipleship study. Um our meal begins at five and then the Bible study and children's activities begin at five forty-five. If you are going to be there, we ask that you please reserve your meal by tearing out the slip in the bulletin and placing that in the offering plate when they come around. The cost of the meal is $7. Invite you to connect with us in our Breeza or in Breeze, our church management app where you can access our church directory, event calendar, and secure securely give online. I was able to take part in an event titled Tidally Next this week on Thursday. Kinda gave an update on Tithely and our and Breeze and what they're doing as a company and they've got several updates that they are getting ready to roll out specifically for you, for you, the user in the app. Um lots of reliability updates, some issues with touch responsiveness, touch recognition, page navigation. So, hopefully, as they continue to add more and more users and updates, you will continue to see improved usability of that app as time goes on. Um we'd like to warmly welcome those of you who are joining us for the first time. If today is your first visit with us, we'd like to ask if you'd be so inclined to fill out the visitor card in the back of the PU and place that in the offering plate. Um we would love to have take an opportunity to reach out to you after today's service. If you would stand as your able in body and spirit to worship our lord. Amen. Greetings in the name of our lord Jesus Christ. It's so good to see everyone in worship this morning. Whether you're joining us in person or online. I invite you to turn with me in your bulletin and join me in our opening prayer for the Sundays of Easter. Let's offer this prayer in unison together. Let us pray. Almighty god, you give us the joy of celebrating our lord's resurrection. Give us also the joys of life in your service and bring us at last to the full joy of life eternal through Jesus Christ, our lord, amen. Our hymn is number 2126 and the faith we sing, all who hunger. Let's sing together this morning. Wondering you in joy sing on this day taste and eternal If you would remain standing and join me in the apostle's creed. I believe in god, the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only son, our lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. The third day, he rose from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and seated at the right hand of god, the father almight from then he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Thank you so much. You may be seated. While they're coming up. Um I just wanted to give you a little backstory. We're going to try something new today that we've been working on Um for the last few Wednesday nights. Um doing bucket drumming and we have been practicing several songs. Um but they decided that this was the one they were going to choose to perform for you guys today. Um so we hope you enjoy our bucket drumming. Seen a cloud in forever over me but I believe your rain is coming I've been hanging on to high hopes because you're the one who's making dry bones come to life you're the life I put my trust in every word you say is going to come true you will need me to the promise land everything you said is going to happen even though I haven't seen it yet I will build a boat You're the map, you're my compass, you help me navigate the you take the leap promise land everything you said is going to happen even though I haven't been a beautiful innocent where they say it never rings I must stand up in faith I'll do anything it takes for joy I said your love never fails to I've been abode in the desert place Amen. Before we get into our prayer list, I just I want to lift up a praise. Um aren't you grateful for the work of our dedicated staff? I want to lift up Lauren Gatlin, our children's ministry director for her innovation and creativity. Uh didn't you enjoy that this morning? Yes. It was absolutely amazing. That is a a testament to the the hard work and creativity of our of our talented staff and I give god thanks. I want to share with you a a note. Uh this is from principal Whitney Owens from Lexington Middle School. Uh she wants to share this note with us and I thought this would be a good time to share this note. Dear First United Methodist, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous snack donations during TCAP testing week. Uh your thoughtfulness and support made a significant impact on our students. And providing them with fuel that they need to perform their best during this important time. Uh your contribution not only helped to alleviate stress but also created a positive and uplifting atmosphere for our school community. Uh thank you for your kindness and being a valuable partner in our students' success and so we I lift that up as a thanks to god for your witness in our public school system and supporting our students in our in our community. As we go through our prayer list this morning, you'll notice there the names of our delegates to general conference are listed in the bulletin. I encourage you to continue to be in prayer for our delegates as they do their work in Charlotte throughout this week and keep the date of May the 2-2nd. That's a Wednesday evening on your calendar. Wednesday, May the 22nd at 6 PM in the sanctuary. Uh we will offer a post briefing from General to the members of our congregation. Uh we do encourage everyone to plan to attend that evening. Let's go to god today with the the list that we have on our prayer request. If you have a request, you would like added to this list. You'll find prayer cards in the back of the pews. You are are encouraged to fill those out and place those in the offering plate. In just a moment, we'll be happy to add your prayer needs to our list. But today, we lift up those who request the prayers of god's people. We pray for Doctor Tom McDonald, for George Et Holland, for Jean Bear, Lauren Lewis for Mary Ann Rhodes for the oldest daughter of the Keith family for Pam Sanders. I would add to this list the name of Kay Henderson. Uh miss Kaye is scheduled to go in for a pacemaker this week on Wednesdays, okay? We remember you in prayer this morning. We lift up the names of our delegates to general conference from the Tennessee Western Kentucky Annual Conference. Uh we pray today for Rob Martin, for Harriet Bryan, for Amanda Hartman, Westmoreland, for Steve handy for Mary King for Sam McLaughlin, for Jim Allen, for David Reed, Maggie Taylor, Josh Shaw, George Brown, We pray for them and their ongoing work as well as their recess today as they gather in places of worship in the Charlotte area. For those hospitalized, recovering at home, we pray for Cody Fronenberger. This is Deborah Snow's grandson. We pray for Gail Roach. For Susie Bunts recovering at home from a surgery this week And for Todd Wingarden. And we lift up those who celebrate. We give thanks to God for the birth of Magdalene Ren Walker. Uh born to the parents of Jacob and Carrie Walker. Uh Maggie is the granddaughter of Paula Walker and great granddaughter of Miss Barbara Clement who Miss Barbara also celebrate her ninetieth birthday this last week. So a lot of celebrations for that family. We we give thanks to god today. Let's go to god in prayer. Loving and gracious god, we humble ourselves this day. We offer you our thanks and praise. We thank you for the church who is gathered across the world this day to lift up the name of Jesus and with your church across the world today, god. We stand as witnesses to the power of your resurrection. And it's in the name of Jesus that we come today boldly to lift up the needs of your people. We pray oh god today for all who are sick. We pray for for healing for those who are burdens and struggles in this life. We ask that you sustain and uphold them by the power and presence of your holy spirit. We lift up the work of our delegates, the general conference. We pray, oh god, that you continue to bless them and give them wisdom and guidance and discernment in their important work for your church. That you keep them safe as they travel back and forth. For those who are in the hospital, we ask, oh god, that you continue to be with those who are hospitalized and we pray for their their recovery and their their ability to regain their health and strength. We lift up those who celebrate. We thank you for the announcement of the birth of Magdalene Ren Walker. God, we give you thanks for this child that is born in your image and we pray that your church, as your church, that we would offer a place of welcome and nurturing to nurture all your children toward faith Jesus Christ. We remember those across our our country who today are recovering from devastating tornadoes. Uh we ask oh god that you continue to be with them in those communities that were deeply impacted. Uh we pray that the relief would would be speedy and that you would help these communities to recover from such a devastating loss. And we pray for your church across the world to be a witness to the of god and Jesus Christ this day to all who are hurting We thank you for Jesus who came to die for our sins and to offer the way that we might know the hope of eternal life and that we would draw in our walk with that we would grow in our walk with Christ day by day. Help us to be his disciples. Now, together with confidence as god's children, we join together in praying the way that Jesus taught. Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen This time I'll invite our accolites and ushers to come that we might give unto god, god's tithe, and our offering. If you are joining us online and wish to participate in giving today, I would direct you to our website FUMC Lexington. org or you can use the Breeze app to give securely online. However, you are led. Let us pray. Loving and generous god. We thank you that your word teaches us that you love a cheerful and generous giver. God, may we give with gladness and joy. May we freely and joyfully give of our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness until the whole world knows of god's love in Jesus Christ. We pray your blessing on this or offering you this day. In the name of god, the father and god the son and god the holy spirit. Amen. Typo in the bulletin. Uh there is actually no anthem today. That was a misprint from last week. So, I'm going to invite Sean Flanagan to come to the lecture now for our scripture reading from Acts chapter eight and you're invited to open your Bibles to this passage for the reading of god's word today. Good morning. Good morning. Today's New Testament lesson is read from Acts chapter eight verses 26 through forty. Then, an angel of the lord said to Philip, get up and go towards the south. to the road that goes down from Jerusalem, to Gaza. So we got up and went. Now, there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home, seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the spirit said to Philip, go over to this chariot and join it. So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, he asked, do you understand what you are reading? He replied, how can I? Unless someone guides me. And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was was this, like a sheep, he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb, silent before itsure, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation, justice was denied him. Who can describe generation. For his life is taken away from the earth. The eunuch asked Philip, about whom may I ask you? Does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else? Then Philip began to speak and starting with the scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, look, here is water. What is to prevent me from being baptized? He commanded the chariot to stop and both of them Philip, and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch saw him no more. And went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azitus. As he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. This is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen. Thank you, Sean for reading our scripture lesson this morning. Uh invite you church to have your Bibles open in the passage that was read and please join me once again in prayer. Please pray with me and for me. As we turn our attention to the preaching of god's word. Almighty, all knowing, and ever-present god by your goodness and grace, we approach this divine appointment for the proclamation of your living word, that so faithfully speaks to our condition. Grant our ears to listen carefully to the voice of your holy spirit. Grant our eyes to see your kingdom at hand and grant our hearts the courage to respond in joyful and faithful obedience. Uh may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing and acceptable in your sight. Oh lord, my rock, my redeemer. The name of the father, and god the son and god the Holy Spirit. Amen. In October 17 thirty-five. Uh along with his brother Charles, John Wesley boarded a ship and together they they set out with a group of others on a missionary journey to the colony of Georgia. Along the way And see John Wesley had an encounter. Uh, a storm arose. And it was a fearful storm. And as the ship was was being tossed about, John Wesley knew that he he feared for his life. Yet as he as he feared for his life, he noticed a group of Moravian Christians who responded differently and in the, in the storm-tossed waters, they demonstrated no fear at all. But they were singing hymns, and praising God. Not knowing whether or not they were living their last moments. And John Wesley saw something in them that he knew he was missing. And he continued his journey as as he landed in Georgia and began his work, he began to evangelize the natives and ultimately, we know that anybody that's been through confirmation, you have heard this story and you know what an epic failure. Uh John Wesley's missionary attempt to Georgia ended up being. Uh he he was not able to convert the natives and he he left he ended up leaving Georgia. Uh under the the cloud of of scandal. Uh you see, he he left after denying he he left after denying communion to Sophie Hopke whom he was in love with and had inter wrestlings whether or not he should marry or not and he counseled her because he decided not to marry his counsel to her also was not to marry and when she chose otherwise, he decided not to administer communion to her and her her new husband was so angry that he pressed charges and so he John Wesley ended up leaving, leaving the colony of Georgia feeling like a failure. But praise be to God, that was not the end of John Wesley's story as as we know. As John Wesley went on to have an encounter at Aldersgate where during the the reading of Luther's preface to the epistle of Romans. Uh John Wesley felt his heart strangely warmed. And he felt that God did love him. And it was through that heartwarming experience that transformed John Wesley and initiate something was birthed in in John Wesley in that moment and he all of a sudden was able to connect head and heart to the saving power of god in Jesus and because of that, much fruit came as a result of the work of the Holy Spirit in his life. When we talk about following Jesus, we we talk about the work of the Holy Spirit also in our lives to produce fruit. What we mean by by that is that we produce something that shows an evidence of what is in our heart by faith. And as followers of Jesus and as followers of of Wesley as as Methodist we see the need to to tell others about the good work of Jesus and how Jesus has changed our hearts and our lives and as a result of that, the fruit, will, the fruit follows. Here in Acts, if for those who have been joining our Wednesday night study on Acts, you you know that as we get to this scene in Acts chapter and and Philip is where the angel appears to Philip and Philip has this encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, the the context of this scene comes when it's important. Now, this is Philip the evangelist not Philip the apostle that we see in the list of the gospels but this is one of the seven that we see earlier in Acts chapter six. He was one of hot reputation who was set aside to the of feeding the poor and caring for the widows that what we call the ministry of of the deacon and so, Philip is is called by god to to advance the mission of the good news of Jesus Christ. And as he is going about, he he first, he goes to Samaria after after Saul who comes to the scene before his conversion, he was persecuting the church and because of the persecution that that had arisen, Philip and all the others were were scattered throughout the world. Even though as they are being scattered, we see that they are advancing the mission of god who we see the in the words of Jesus in Acts chapter one and verse eight. When Jesus told his disciples before he ascended to heaven, that you will go from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the ends of the world. Once you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will be my witnesses. And so it's important to understand that what's happening here in in Philip evangelizing the the Ethiopian eunuch is the fulfillment of the words of Jesus because you see the the disciples had gathered in Jerusalem and even against great opposition they they they showed up at the temple and in homes for worship and to preach and to teach about Jesus and the power of his resurrection and Cuz of that, that that drew a whole lot of unwanted attention and then after Stephen was murdered, then, they're scattered throughout the region and they go into where did Jesus say? Judea and then earlier in chapter eight, before the interaction with the eunuch, Philip goes to Samaria. And then he encounters this Ethiopian eunuch. Now, it's important to know in in that day and time in the Greco Roman world, Ethiopia was known as the end of the known world and so in fulfillment of scripture, Philip accomplishes what Jesus had instructed them to do as as he has this encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch. In carrying the gospel to the people in Africa. And as we reflect on the scripture reading today and and even as we reflect on those like John Wesley and and the fruit that came because of the Holy Spirit in his lives. I want to encourage us today to reflect on god's word and to apply the truth of god's word to be those who follow Jesus in a way that produces fruit. That we bear fruit as we share Jesus with others. Now, that may sound a little intimidating. Maybe you're here today and you're not quite sure if you can go and tell somebody about Jesus. Well, I want you to know today that you can. You can not only by the words that you say but by the way in which you live. Because you see we we bear fruit by sharing Jesus in unlikely places. If you have your Bible and if you look at the text, you can see where does the angel instruct Philip to go? Tells them to go along a wilderness road. Now, in my Bible, it has that in parenthesis and that's important Think about the wilderness for a moment. Where else do we see in scripture where god shows up in the wilderness? We see that god shows up in the wilderness with Moses, right? When Moses was in the wilderness, he saw a burning bush and in that burning bush, he had a revelation at Theophany, an encounter with living god, who called him and gave him his life's purpose to bring deliverance to god's people. That wasn't Moses' last experience in the wilderness, was it? We know that even after god delivered the people from bondage in Egypt, they ended up again the wilderness. An unlockly place a barren place, a place where you would not expect fruit to be shown. And we see that what happened in the wilderness when god led the people through the wilderness. They, when they ran out of food, what did god do? God provided. He provided manna from heaven and water from a rock. Aren't you glad friends that the god who we follow and the god who we worship? Wherever god calls us to go and whatever unlikely place god calls us to go, god is able to provide. So, never doubt where god may be calling you to go to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Maybe your unlikely place is is is a relative or a friend Who you have tried many times to to have a conversation about their faith or invite them to church no matter what conversation you have. They they they shut the conversation down or are resistant. Maybe that's the unlikely place where where god is calling you to share the good news of Jesus Maybe it's it's with a person or or someone who has had some kind of trauma in their life and because of that trauma, they they they have a a barrier that noone can can penetrate. Maybe god is calling you to to interact and spend time to demonstrate, to share god's love with them. So, we, don't be discouraged by going into unlikely places because it is in those unlikely places that god has a way of doing god's greatest work. So, we bear fruits by sharing Jesus in in unlikely places. See, Philip, as he goes along this way, as he goes along this way, he probably never expected to encounter a court official of the the queen of Ethiopia. But it was just that encounter, just the right moment that god showed up in an unlikely place and with an unlikely or unfamiliar person. It's interesting how much the scripture does tell us about this person the Ethiopian eunuch. Now, we don't have a name. But what we learn is that this Ethiopian eunuch, he is a a prominent person. Uh he's one who is charge of the treasury of the the queen and he is it says that he's on his way from Jerusalem to worship and this is a very insightful thing that we learn. So, either this is a Jewish person who has come to worship at the temple or maybe more likely one who was known as a a god fearer or a someone who was trying to become and trying to trying to become and to convert to the Jewish faith. There's here, right? This man being a eunuch. Uh he would have been considered unwelcome or impure because of who he is. Yet, it's it's very unfamiliar and it's very unlikely person that that Philip is called to to go and to reach. And it's interesting that he is received. As this as he is told to to go and interact with his Phillip with this with his Ethiopian eunuch. Is what is the eunuch say? How's what's the eunuch respond? If you look in your text, he says, come and sit with me. Now, he was receptive. Sometimes the the greatest opportunity for evangelism is is not standing on a street corner with a bull horn. Maybe the greatest opportunity for evangelism is pulling up a seat next to someone and hearing their story and getting getting to know them and as Phillip does that, they begin to look at this text in Isaiah and the the eunuch asked Philip to interpret it for him. What we see Philip doing here is modeling what we call relational evangelism. And I believe that is the only effective means of really truly spreading the gospel. It's getting to know a person for for who they are so that they know that they are valued in love and then you can begin to have that conversation. I want to lift up an opportunity for just that such a thing. Uh maybe if you subscribe to our Email newsletter, maybe you saw recently a couple weeks ago an invitation. Uh there is some interest and we would like to be able to resume a ministry that we that was a thriving ministry in our congregation before we had to the restrictions of COVID. Uh it's a ministry the Friendship Club It's a ministry that serves adults, adults with special needs. And not only does it give them a place for fellowship and community that also provides respite to their caregivers. Many of them who are their their their parents. And it gives them a few hours once a month. Uh to enjoy fellowship. And for their caregivers to have some respite. And that is an opportunity to build relationship with others. But we need and help We need some help. We need volunteers to be buddies. It doesn't take much and I know it may sound intimidating but it's really all we're asking is for you to to care, to care enough, to spend time with with someone else. We've had some response but we need more in order to be able to do it and I'm asking. I would love to see us to be able to resume this important ministry as a witness in our in our community and if you're interested, come see me or Patty White or Lisa Thomas. I see Lisa in worship today. Lisa, would you mind to raise your hand so people know who you are? Please see Lisa and she would love to hear from you and and tell you more about the Friendship Club. So, I hope you'll consider that. That is a way that we can live out the embodiment of bearing fruit and sharing good news with our neighbors. So, we bear fruit by sharing Jesus in unlikely places with unfamiliar people. And we share, we bear fruit by sharing Jesus. Virtue of our baptism So, as Phillip interacts with the Ethiopian eunuch, the eunuch asked him a question, what is to prevent me from being baptized? Now, I believe this is a question that he is asking because up to this point, everyone, every door that he's trying to open has been closed to him. And he's wondering, is this something, is this really real? Is this a place where even I, where even I can belong. And what is Philip's response? Well, here's some water and then they go and then Philip baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch and we know by, now, this is not scripture but we know by church tradition. Tradition tells us that this Ethiopian eunuch went on to establish a church and to build a community, a Christian community that grew and spread into the rest of the world. Virtue of his baptism and we affirm by virtue of our baptism that we are all called to ministry. Guess what? Ministry is not just my job as the preacher. Ministry is a job that we share together by virtue of our baptism and I give god thanks. I give god thanks for the witness of this church who live, you live into your baptism every day and I see it. To the the Bible ministries that we're able to offer in our community One of the strongest ministries we have every Thursday as we feed our neighbors through our food pantry. That continues to be a thriving ministry in our church. And why? Because you live into your baptism. You live into that and you accept by virtue of your baptism that god calls you to to share in ministry. See, the one requirement of bearing fruit is to sow the seed If you don't sow the seed, it's hard to produce the fruit, right? Reminded of the the parable of Jesus that we see in Mark chapter four. When Jesus says that a sower went out into the field and sowed the seed. Some fell on rocky places. Where it didn't where the sun scorched it. Some fell among the thorns. Where it got choked out. But some fell on fertile soil. See, friends work him. We're not called to just produce, to be the ones that produce the fruit. The spirit does that. That's the work of the spirit. Our job is to sow the seed. So, in response to god's word today, I want to give you the invitation to ask yourself the question, where is god calling you to sow the seed of the good news of Jesus Christ. Yes, some may, some of the seed may fall in rocky places where it can't take root. some might fall in the thorns, but some of it is going to find fertile ground. And I don't know about you, but I I believe there's fertile ground here in the people called United Methodist at Lexington First. So today, let's respond to god's word. Let's be those who bear fruit by sharing the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. In the name of god, the father, and god the son, and god the Holy Spirit. Amen. Before we sing our our closing hymn, we have an announcement that needs to be shared this morning. I'm going to call on Carrie Holmes, the chair of our SBRC committee to come to the podium and share the announcement. Well, it's the time of the year where the United Methodist Church has received their their pastoral appointments. So, I have a letter from the bishop that I want to read and we'll see how it goes. Um bishop Bill McElely and the cabinets of the Tennessee Western Kentucky Conference worked prayerfully together to make missional appointments to every church in our annual conference. As chairperson of the Staff Parish Relations Committee, I give thanks for the ministry of our pastor, Reverend Roger Brown, who continues a servant leader among us and I'm happy to share that he will be returning as our pastor for the 20twenty-four, 2025 conference year. Certainly on behalf of the committee, want to thank Roger for all the outstanding work and ministry that he's done and and we certainly, that's that's good news. That's certainly what the committee wanted and we look certainly look forward to this upcoming year. So, I want to offer this prayer. Um lord Jesus Christ, our living savior, we give you thanks for our church. It is a gift of grace to us. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Reverend Roger Brown who will continue to serve as pastor, teacher, leader, and friend in Christ. May your grace be upon him and his family, giving peace and joy and confidence as we begin the new conference year together. Open our hearts and minds to receive the gifts you have for us in these days as as we give thanks for what has been and anticipate what will be. Our life is in you oh god and to the holy spirit, we pray this day. Amen. I want to express just a few moments of personal privilege. May I want to thank Carrie Holmes for his leadership chairing our SBRC committee and the good work that that that the committee is doing. Uh it is a privilege to to be your pastor and it's a privilege. I considered a privilege and an honor to have this opportunity every day to do this work and to be entrusted with a a sacred trust to to this appointment. Uh I serve year to year. By appointment from our bishop and I give thanks to god for for our bishop Bill McAllily. Uh he will be retiring after annual conference and so I want to lift up his time among us and I ask that you be in prayer for for him and his family as they prepare for retirement. Um I want to share a lot. Carrie did mention this. Um there is a consultation process that goes into this decision and it it was a mutual it was a mutual thing. It was a mutual agreement for for for us to stay. Uh there is no other community or no other church where where I would like to serve and right here at Lexington First United Methodist Church and this will be this will be my third year with you. and I give thanks to god for that and I give thanks to god for all the good that continues to work among us and I thank you for the the that we truly that we share together and I look forward to another great year of ministry together to the glory of god. Praise be to god. Amen. I want to invite you to stand for our closing hymn and so we're going to ask you to pull out the the the faith we sing from your pew for this one. Uh it's number twenty-two fifty-one. We were baptized in Christ Jesus. We were baptized in Christ Jesus we were baptized who is I want to thank you for joining us for worship today. Whether you join us in person or online. I hope that our worship together has been an encouragement as you go forth into this week to be a witness of Jesus and to share and spread the good news of god's love in Jesus. Uh I invite all our ladies to stay. I hope that you will plan to stay to join our United Women in Faith Luncheon in the LEC immediately after our worship. Uh I know you'll be fed well and it will be some good fellowship. I hope that you'll plan to stay. Hope to see you back next week. You're going to want to be here next week for our youth Sunday. Uh our youth will be leading and participating Worship and I know you want to be here for that. So, hope to see you back again next week. Again, I look forward to going into our third year together of ministry to the glory of god. Receive this benediction and prayer. Gracious and loving god, we thank you for your son, Jesus. Who came to show us the way of eternal life and because of his resurrection and the indwelling power of your holy spirit, we may go forth to be bold witnesses to the ends of the world to share the good news we have in Jesus. May we go forth and may we bear fruit that leads to eternal life. Thank you for your church and for the ministry that we share together. As we go forth, god, may we go forth filled with your spirit. May we go forth with love in our hearts minds with joy in our soul. May the words that we've said with our lips be believed in our hearts and what we believe in our hearts, may we practice in our lives. In the name and to the glory of god the father and god the son and god the holy spirit. Amen. Amen. Go in peace. Amen.