Regathering and Rejoicing!
Last Tuesday the Pine Valley United Methodist Church Ever49ers had the opportunity to come back together in the Sanctuary! The program was started off by Mr. Doug welcoming everyone and sharing a joke or a “groaner” as he referred to his jokes. “A minister has just died and is standing in line waiting to be judged and admitted to Heaven. While waiting he asks the man in front of him about himself. The man says, ‘I am a taxi driver from New York City.’ The angel standing at the gate calls out next, and the taxi driver steps up. The angel hands him a golden staff and lets him pass. The taxi driver is quite pleased and proceeds through the gates. Next, the minister steps up to the angel who hands him a wooden staff. The minister is very concerned and asks the angel, ‘That guy is a taxi driver and gets a golden staff! I spend my entire life as a minister and I get a wooden staff! How can that be?’ The angel replies, ‘Up here we judge on results—all of your people sleep through your sermons—in his taxi, they pray.’"
What is Ever49ers? It is designed for senior adults to come together in fellowship in joy and take that joy out to others, sharing Jesus. Most who attend have retired and most have time that they did not have before. Many things have started with our senior adults. Congregational Care Ministry started with senior adults. Prayer Ministry had direct input from senior adults.
The Ever49ers want to be about their Father’s business. And Pastor Barry reminded us, “not that we have to be about our Father’s business, but we GET to!” Rejoice! Tonight they got to reunite and rejoice! His devotion reminded us not to let the enemy get us down. We have the power of the Holy Spirit. We have the blessing of God to get us through anything!
The entertainment last week was the PVUMC men’s singing group and ensemble. Standing with a group (socially distanced of course) and hearing, “Praise the Lord, I saw the light” was wonderful! True praise going up! They sang one of my favorites, “How Great Thou Art.” Then we sang, “Victory In Jesus!” “Oh victory in Jesus, my Savior forever. He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood.” Again, what a night of worship to hear this group of friends, reunited, rejoicing together!
I think everyone who attended felt they had been restored, renewed, and revived! Pastor Barry reminded us in the benediction that we are thankful to be out and share in the love of Jesus with each other. We need to rejoice! We are blessed people! He sent us off with, “Go and rejoice and be glad in it!”
Another glory sighting this week was getting to see our front desk volunteers! I love getting to see them on my days in the office. What would we do without our volunteers? I think most of them were just as excited to be back! PVUMC is full of volunteers! What is a volunteer? One definition is “someone who enters any service, especially military, of his own free choice.” The flower ministry is starting back up! Oh, how I have missed seeing those beautiful flowers waiting to go out and brighten somebody’s day! And I think about the people who will be so excited to start seeing visitors again!
In 1 Peter 5:5, Peter says, “ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’” Notice Peter says, ALL of you! People all around us need help whether, at home, work, church, school, etc. Serving God is not a chore or a job - it is our duty. As Pastor Barry says, “We GET” to serve God! God loves a cheerful giver and a volunteer!
There is so much going on and so many things opening back up! Let’s be about our Father’s business. Not because we have to but because we GET to! Let’s rejoice as we begin regathering! To God be the glory, great things He has done! Psalm 126:3, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”
For more information on the Ever49ers, email Pastor Barry at barry@pvumc.net.