See Sunday January 17 Worship: “Allness”         >>> We’re Open! <<<       

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Devotional January 14, 2021

1 But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my sight,
and honored, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for I am with you.

-Isaiah 43:1-5, NRSV

About a week ago, versions of the meme circulated widely on social media. With some variation, it read:
“I have completed my 7-day free trial of 2021,
and would like to cancel my subscription.”

Now we’re two weeks into 2021 — a 14-day free trial, if you will. We may still wish to cancel the subscription. We may still long to send 2021 packing, right along with 2020. Yet in our best and clearest moments, we recognize that a mere change of calendar year cannot guarantee a reality free from difficulty, stress, loss, tragedy, or pain. 

As Christian people, we also recognize that faith in God cannot guarantee a reality free from difficulty, stress, loss, tragedy, or pain, either. Indeed, God does not promise to shield us from life’s challenges — not even the considerable challenges of 2020 and 2021. God does not promise to shield us from life’s challenges; rather, God promises to be present with us in the midst of those challenges. 

Do not fear, we read in the words of the prophet Isaiah, for I have redeemed you. I will be with you. I love you. I am with you. It’s the refrain of this passage from Isaiah, the refrain of the whole of scripture, the refrain of our lives of faith. Do not fear — I am with you. 

No matter what the remaining fifty weeks of 2021 may hold in store for us, we can hold fast to that truth. God is with us, friends.

… and remember:

Our God is bigger than coronavirus. 
Our vision is bigger than coronavirus, too. 
We are people blessing people. 
We are Wesley Church.   


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During the Week…

SPR –
Tuesday, January 12 at 7:00 PM via Zoom

Prayer Group
Thursdays  10 AM
Connect with Pastor Candy or Pastor Debbie
to get the login information.
Have a prayer request? Send here.

Tuesday Book Club
Tuesdays at 7:15 PM
Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson
Contact Chris Foster to join.

Thursday Night Women’s Group
will resume on January 7, 2021.
Journey through the Gospel of Luke.

Click to learn more

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Weekly Wesley E-News

Wesley E-News: January 8, 2021



Catching Up
with Pastor Candy:
January 16
We’re Open!

    Currently, the doors of Wesley Church are open for RSVP worship, limited in-person gatherings, and certain mission efforts (with distancing and other mitigation procedures, of course!). While we’re certainly not back to “normal” yet (at least, not the pre-COVID kind of “normal”), we’re grateful for the opportunity to see one another face-to-face.

 

Read more …

Today’s Community Connections

  • If you are interested in providing fresh flowers for worship, please sign up at the Connections Corner table.
  • Feel like you missed something? The Connections Corner table can help. Head across the atrium and get the information you need just under the tv monitor.
  • Don’t receive our Weekly E-News? Please email Sue Kiefner at: SueK@wesleychurch.com to get on the list! Or sign up at the Connections Corner table.
  • Do you enjoy being creative with pictures and video?  Do you like telling a story through images?  We are looking for people who enjoy making videos, who can use technology to help represent some of the music we use in worship, and possibly other parts of the worship service such as announcements, testimonies, and more.  If this interests or excites you, please see Becky Graybeal for more details and to get plugged in!

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Child care available all morning.
Contemporary Service9:00 AM
Sunday School for All Ages10:15 AM
Classic Service11:00 AM
Hospitality Offered in the Atrium

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