December 22, 2018

Please forgive the oversight of not publishing earlier this week.  You can find the sermon link from Dec. 16, 2018 below.

https://youtu.be/42tHRWwdFMQ

The Smallest Acts

     At 3 pm, on Sunday the 16th, 30 members of Herbst UMC gathered together at church to pray.  We prayed for the individuals that we would be visiting with Christmas songs and good cheer.  We set out across the fields and went from Swayzee to Sweetser to Marion and back to the church.  We concluded with soups, sandwiches, sweets and fellowship.  It was a wonderful time and a joy-filled experience.

     The greatest joy was in the faces of those we encountered.  Simply showing up for a few minutes, only bringing songs, a smile and a few Christmas cards made by our children, brought out a warmth and joy in all the people we visited.  While we planned our trip and houses to visit, it was at Colonial Oaks that God took it up a notch.  There were people their that we knew and additional singing was brought to those rooms.  In some cases, individuals broke off to visit and pray for those staying there. 

     The simple act of showing up with God on our hearts and minds led to spreading good news and joy in unexpected places.  God loves to take a willing and faithful heart to spread faith, hope and love to places that need Him.  Caroling 2018 provided a great reminder that what we might consider small acts of kindness can be used in big ways by God.

    Keep looking for small ways to share joy and kindness in the name of Jesus this holiday.  It might be the present someone needs at that moment.

In Christ's love
Pastor Jeremy