Peakland UMC

Grace and peace to you. I’m Rev. Joe Cailles, the pastor of Peakland United Methodist Church in Lynchburg Virginia. Today is Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Peakland United Methodist Church is reading this book, Being a United Methodist Christian which explores our beliefs, our best practices and our history as a United Methodist Christian.

This past Sunday, Rev. Denise Bates preached at Peakland and emphasized that as United Methodist Christians, we lift our hearts to God in worship and we unite our hands with each other and with all Christians everywhere in service and care for the world around us. We United Methodist believe that all Christians United Methodists and Lutherans and Roman Catholics, and Baptists and Presbyterians and Anglicans and Orthodox and Non-denominational and all the many and varied Christian churches and communities are all part of the one body of Christ.

John Wesley himself had a powerful experience with a group of Christians from central Europe called the Moravians who shaped his spiritual growth and formation.

Wesley met a group of 27 Moravians during his sea voyage aboard the Simmonds to Savannah, Georgia, in October 1735. Wesely was traveling to Savanah to become the local priest of the newly established colony. At one point during the voyage, a storm came up and broke the mast off the ship. While most folks panicked, the Moravians calmly sang hymns and prayed. Wesley saw that these Christians had an inner strength and peace that he sorely lacked.

Wesley’s time as a parish priest in Savanah was a failure. His high church practices were of little interest to the colonists. He was involved in an unsuccessful love affair that ended badly and fled the colony in December 1737. On his return to England, Wesely was at a low point in his life spiritually and professionally. He wondered how he could preach faith in Christ when he felt his faith was so shallow. Wesley sought counsel from a Moravian minister named Peter Boehler, who encouraged Wesley to preach faith until you have it, and then preach faith because you have it.

Wesley did indeed feed encouraged by Peter’s words, and there is some wisdom for us today. Like Wesley, our faith may fluctuate. We may feel strong in the faith one day and weak and so uncertain another. That’s as normal and natural as breathing in and out. I believe Christ helps us to persevere. I have found that helping others helps me to feel closer to Christ and closer to other Christians. Later today, I have a lunch meeting with other United Methodist clergy in our area in which we provide moral and prayerful support to one another. I have a home visit with a retired pastor and I’m volunteering for the first-time serving supper at Parkview Mission here in Lynchburg. Next week, I am tutoring at Bedford Hills Elementary. I’m joining with other United Methodists and people of other faith traditions and folks with no faith tradition, all of us who want to do good in the world. That’s what I love about being a United Methodist Christian.

You can find more about all of our ministries on our website Peakland UMC.org, and on our Facebook page. You are welcome and invited to join us in these ministries and for Sunday worship in the sanctuary at 8:30 and 11:00, for our contemporary Horizons worship in the fellowship hall at 9:45. We livestream our 11:00 worship on Facebook and YouTube.

Peakland’s mission is reaching out, serving all and extending God’s Table. If you’d like to know more about what we do here and how to join us, reach out to me at [email protected].

Thanks be to God.

So yesterday, which was Sunday the 15th of October, I was sitting at the piano in the Fellowship Hall going through the songs we were going to use in our Horizons service in a few hours. I usually get to church on Sunday mornings around 6:30 AM - it gives me an opportunity to prepare, rehearse some and just collect my thoughts and spend some quiet time with God. As I was getting ready to run through the last song, the thought slipped into my mind that this would be a good song for a Music Monday. Like today!

I thought I might start a little more quietly today, to give you an opportunity to tune out the distracting thoughts in your mind, and give you an opportunity to spend a quiet moment or two.

You’re listening to Music Monday with Linwood. You can find this song, and some others on my website - linwoodcampbell.com. At the end of November my flugelhorn friend Lynn Nash and I will be releasing our Christmas album for you to enjoy during the Holiday Season. Songs like “Deck The Halls”, “O Holy Night”, and a fun little arrangement of “Ding Dong Merrily on High” that features my son Matt on bass. It’s arguably one of the best project I have ever been part of and I look forward to sharing it!

If you enjoyed today’s Music Monday, please consider sharing it with a friend. See you next time!

Grace and peace to you. I’m Rev. Joe Cailles, the pastor of Peakland United Methodist Church in Lynchburg Virginia. Today is Wednesday, October 11, 2023

On February 9, 1709, a five-year-old boy by the name of John Wesley was caught in a house fire. Young John Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Rev Samuel Wesley, a priest in the church of England, and they lived in the rectory in the town of Epworth in central England.

On the night of February 9, the rectory caught fire, and John was trapped in the second-floor nursery. John’s father tried in vain to rescue his son, but the flames beat him back each time. Convinced that John could not be saved, the family knelt in the garden and prayed God to receive his soul.

A couple of quick-thinking neighbors acted to save John, one standing on the shoulders of the other, pulling John through the open window to safety, just as the house fire brought the roof down on John’s room.

After the fire, Susanah referred to John as the brand plucked from the fire, which is a Biblical reference to Zechariah 3:2, in which God saves a High priest of the Temple from ruin.

John Wesley would grow to become a priest in the Church of England like his father and when he was in his mid-20s John Wesley led a group of fellow college students at Oxford University in daily and weekly bible studies and acts of service to those in need. Those were the first methodists.

That small group grew and expanded beyond Oxford into all of Britain and into the British settlements in North America. In 1784, the methodists in America established the Methodist episcopal church, the first Christian denomination established in the new United States.

We at Peakland United Methodist Church are reading this book Being United Methodist Christians, and this week we consider how United Methodists read and understand the Bible.

From our start, we United Methodists have been people of the Bible. Scriptures are at the heart of every Sunday worship service. We United Methodists read our Bibles individually and in small groups. When we consider how we are to be in mission out in the world, the first place we look is our Bibles. At Peakland our mission is reaching out, serving all and extending God’s table, and that comes straight from the stories of what Jesus and his first disciples did. When we consider God’s actions throughout the Bible, we see God reaching out to all of humanity, serving us with grace and mercy and salvation, and extending God’s love and God’s table to all.

We United Methodists have no official version of the Bible. I tend to read the New Revised Standard Version. Many folks like the NIV or the Message or the Common English Bible.

And in the same way, we United Methodist have no one person who is the end all be all authority in interpreting the Bible. As your pastor, part of my ministry is preaching and interpreting the scriptures in the way God has laid on my heart, and you may agree or disagree with what I say. That’s normal. That’s one of the best parts of being United methodist. We read the scriptures and talk about them and debate them and maybe disagree and then we go about our ministries with each other and out in the world. As I said this past Sunday in worship, that’s one of the things I love about being a United Methodist.

This upcoming Sunday, October 15, Peakland welcomes Rev. Denise Bates, our Mountain View district superintendent to preach in our worship services. She will share with us the challenges and blessings she sees in being a united methodist and what we United Methodist have in common with other Christian churches.

Join me on Sundays in person at our 8:30 and 11:00 worship services in the sanctuary, our 9:45 contemporary Horizons worship service in the fellowship hall and online beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Wouldn’t you know it - it’s Monday again!

I took the day off yesterday - that being a Sunday. I don’t like to miss for a number of reasons, but sometimes you just have to take a break, so thanks to all who covered for me!

I spent a little time yesterday getting ready for Music Monday, and in the search for something to share with you, I remember this recording my friend Mike Petrikonis and I made of the Matt Redman song, 10, 000 Reasons. Mike took ownership of this song, and I believe what follows is quite the extraordinary interpretation of this song. It’s not complicated, or overloaded with instrumentation - it’s just, well, it’s just there.

You may have heard me play this arrangement before in past years, but it bears playing again. Mike plays guitar and sings, 10,000 Reasons.

Song plays

You’ve been listening to Music Monday with Linwood. You can find this song and a lot more on my website, linwoodcampbell.com. And before you know Christmas time will be here and my flugelhorn friend, Lyn Nash, and I have a brand new Christmas album that will be released. More on that as we get closer to release time.

If you enjoyed this, please consider sharing with a friend. See you nexqt time!

Andrew talks about what it means to him.

Back in the day, my Flugelhorn friend, Lynn Nash, and I spent a lot of time together playing in our High School Band, the Pep Band, and then afterwards we played in a rock band for a number of years. He played trumpet and I played trombone, and our friend W. B. played sax and hammond organ. We had a lot of fun, back in the day!

I remember, back in the day, sitting at the piano and playing some of the really classic rock songs from Bread (If A Picture Paints . .. ), Chicago (Color My World), James Taylor (Fire and Rain, which we recorded and used as a Music Monday a few weeks back). One of Nash’s, favorites was the horn song, “Grazin In The Grass” A year or so ago we did an arrangement of that song and I wanted to play it for you today. We had way too much fun with this tune and I think you’ll see - hear why as we get into the old classic - “Grazin’ In The Grass”!

Video Plays

You’ve been listening to Music Monday by Linwood. Today, you saw the software I use to record our arrangements. I’m a Mac guy and the software is Logic, which is an Apple product. I also use Final Cut Pro, another Apple product, for video production.

You can find a lot of our songs on my website - linwoodcampbell.com. If you enjoyed this, please consider sharing it with a friend. See you next time!

Grace and peace to you. I’m Rev. Joe Cailles, the pastor of Peakland United Methodist Church in Lynchburg Virginia. Today is Wednesday, September 27, 2023. +

Just over 30 years ago, I was a student at Indiana University and worshipping at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Bloomington, Indiana. One Sunday in January, the church announced they would be sponsoring a trip for college students to work with Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta Georgia over spring break.

I turned to my best friend who was sitting next to me and said, I want to do that.

I had never worked with Habitat before. I had not done any carpentry since my wobbly plant stand in 8th grade shop class. I really had no business trying to help build a house, but felt called to go on that trip.

And I did. I joined about 15 other college students, most of us had not volunteered with Habitat or had construction work, but the Habitat folks in Atlanta were skilled and taught us well. At the end of our week there, we had built the foundation of a new home. A sturdy, well-built foundation.

At the end of that week, I had experienced the very best of being a United Methodist. Our small community of college students and adults formed a spirit filled community. We ate together and played together. We worshipped together and prayed together and we did our small part at making our world more like the world Jesus talks about

That was the start of me wanting to do more and learn more about being a United Methodist professionally.

Beginning in about 10 days on Sunday October 8, Peakland will begin a sermon series and a weekly book study on this new book Being United Methodist Christians, living a life of grace and hope. This book was written by a family of United Methodist pastors who have a combined total of nearly 150 years being United Methodists.

I’m eager for us to hear from as many United Methodists as possible, so on the Sunday mornings in October and through November, Peakland will welcome to the pulpit Rev. Denise Bates, our Mountain View District Superintendent and Rev. Leigh Anne Taylor, an ordained deacon and the Director of Connecting Ministries for the Mountain View District. They will share their experiences of being a United Methodist, the great blessings, and the challenges. Pastor Dave, Deacon Andrew, and I will also share our United Methodist stories.

As a congregation we’ll gather to read and discuss this book as well. Beginning the week of Monday October 9, I’ll lead a class on Monday evenings, and Andrew will lead one on Tuesday mornings. If you are a long-time veteran in the United Methodist Church or new to being a United Methodist, I think you’ll find our discussions meaningful.

Being United Methodist Christian is also about service, and Andrew has a host of opportunities for us throughout October so that we can do our small part in making the world more like the world Jesus talks about.

A big part of Being Untied Methodist is gathering around the table for good food and good times. We’ll have a Baked Potato congregational supper on Sunday, October 22 at 5:30.

All the information on these Being United Methodist ministries are found on our website under the ministries tab and then click on the fall ministries, or reach out to me at [email protected]

Being United Methodist at Peakland means that we are reaching out, serving all, and extending God’s table and extending God’s love. I hope you’ll join me for these awesome Being United Methodist ministries in the days and weeks to come.

Thanks be to God.

When I start setting up my computer and keyboard to start working on a new arrangement, a lot of times I have no idea where it’s going. In fact, there are times when I don’t really know how it’s going to start!

Now I’ve been making sound tracks for a long time haha. Way back in the day I worked at a music store right at the time when the MIDI communication system and keyboards were just developing. So as it grew and developed, so did I. It’s amazing what one can do with a keyboard, a computer and the right software.

So I start an arrangement. Sometimes it sort of just flows out of my fingers - sometimes I have to restart a number of times. The real message here is that I really can’t take credit for what comes out of these fingers. The inspiration all comes from above and most of the time I don’t know where I’m going until I get there.

So today’s Music Monday, from one of my favorite Christian Artists - Tommy Walker, is from the COVID years here at Peakland UMC. I brought singers in one at a time to record, and then sent it to my flugelhorn friend, Lynn Nash, for some brass. He sent it back and I added some trombone. Mix it all up, and you get:

When I Don’t Know What To Do

You can find Music Monday’s on my website - linwoodcampbell.com. There are 2 versions - one with all of the introductions included, and one with just the song itself. And you’ll also find some of the other music I have recorded in recent years - some with my flugelhorn buddy, Lynn Nash, and some with my son, Matt. Occasionally all three of us!

And there is a new Christmas album in the final stages. Lots of music to listen to!

And as always, thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this, please consider sharing it with a friend. See ya next time!

Grace and peace to you. I’m Rev. Joe Cailles, the pastor of Peakland United Methodist Church in Lynchburg Virginia. Today is Wednesday, September 20, 2023. +

Do you know the word liminal? L I M I N A L liminal. It means a transitional or an in-between time or space. A hallway is a liminal space between two rooms. A liminal time is what I’m experiencing this week at Peakland: we are in-between big church events.

In the past two weeks, we started our fall kickoff with huge successes. With Rise Against Hunger, over 70 of us packaged over 10,000 rice and grain-based meals in about an hour and 10 minutes.

Last week, I presided at Peakland Pre-school’s all-school chapel service in the sanctuary. Dozens of preschoolers, all the Peakland preschoolers, gathered in the sanctuary together with their teachers, and we sang this Little light of Mine, enacted the first creation story in the Bible, and prayed our action prayer together.

This past Sunday, Parkland After Dark had its first regular meeting of the season. We had children, youth, parents, and grandparents together and we created homemade pizzas as a spiritual exercise by praying together and individually during the preparation, and the eating and clean up.

During these big church events it is easy to know and feel the presence of God during these big ministries.

Looking ahead, in October Peakland will begin a congregational study called Being United Methodist Christians. We’ll explore the United Methodist story, our beliefs, and our best practices as well as the challenges we United Methodists face. This is going to be a great study for all of us both lifelong United methodists and for those of us who are new comers to Peakland and to being United Methodist.

Next month, on October 17, the Ruth Circle will hold its grand Card Party here at the church to raise funds for supporting the helping agencies here in town. We also have our annual blood drive on November 9 and during Advent, we’ll have the second annual mission fair where we’ll have half a dozen ways to contribute and support helping agencies here in town.

Those are the big spirit filled items that lie ahead.

But this week, not a lot is happening at the church. We have our usual ministries and meetings. The Peakland staff met yesterday, and we prayed for our people and discussed church matters. The sanctuary choir and praise choir will rehearse later today.

I am working now with lay nominations to identify our church leaders for the upcoming year, so when someone calls and asks you to serve on a committee, I trust your answer will be, Of course, I’m willing and able to swerve. With pride and pleasure.

We are also in the middle of our Pave the way to grace Parking lot stewardship campaign. So far we’ve raised just over half the amount we need to raise. I turned in my first check and my pledge card this past Sunday. If you haven’t yet, now is the time.

This is a liminal week for me at Peakland, in between big church events. While it’s easy to see and know God’s presence in the big events both here at church and in our own lives, the good news for us is that God is also present in these quieter, in-between liminal moments of life as well. God is with us when we are high on the mountain top with us when life is rewarding. God is with us in the valleys of shadows when life is challenging and hard, and God is with us in the routine, every day, neither high nor low places in life. Today and in the days to come, look for God in the ordinary, run of the mill liminal spaces in your life.

Thanks be to God.

Grace and peace to you. I’m Rev. Joe Cailles, the pastor of Peakland United Methodist Church in Lynchburg Virginia. Today is Wednesday, September 13, 2023. +

This past Sunday, September 3, Peakland gathered for worship in our sanctuary and in our fellowship hall and online for Sunday worship. We sang, we prayed, we listened to the scriptures and how Jesus tells us to fight like a Christian. In worship on Sunday, we had babies and children and youth and young adults, not so young adults and all people are welcome. It was a good Sunday morning here at Peakland.

Later that same Sunday afternoon, over 70 folks from Peakland came together to Rise Against Hunger and create these – sealed bags of rice, sorghum, dehydrated vegetables, and a vitamin packet. Each of these bags contains 6 servings.

It took us about an hour to set up our fellowship hall into a meal making factory, with stations for filling the bag, weighing the bag, sealing it, and packing them up.

In an hour and 10 minutes our Peakland volunteers created 10,126 meals. We finished the job 20 minutes sooner than expected. Cleanup happened in about 40 minutes, but you may still see one or two errant grains of rice in the fellowship hall and on the sidewalk outside. Rober is one the job though!

My great thanks to the people of Rise Against Hunger for coming to Peakland and helping us reach out, serve all, and extend God’s Table and God’s Love.

From Peakland, these meals will be stored for a short time with Rise Against Hunger and then sent to a needed to community, could be a community in Haiti, could be a community in southern Africa. Rise Against Hunger will let us know when and where the meals end up, and I’ll keep you posted.

I’m grateful to all the people who donated funds so this ministry could happen at Peakland.

I’m grateful to God for the many, many volunteers of all ages who gave their time and energy. We had folks younger than age 8 and older than 80 giving of themselves so others might eat.

There aren’t too many places in the world where folks of all ages and stages of life can come together to worship and to work together to make a difference in the world.

I’m grateful to God that Peakland is such a place where all are welcome, and everyone has a place here. My hope is to bring Rise Against Hunger back to us again next year at this time. Perhaps we can raise enough funds to prepare 15,000 meals.

Next Sunday, we’ll gather again for worship and Jesus will teach us how to forgive like a Christian. And in the weeks to come we’ll gather for food and fellowship and service and worship.

If you are looking for a church home, or if it’s been a while since you were here at Peakland, now is the time to be present here.

Reach out to me at [email protected], I want to hear from you and help you find your place in this great church community. Thanks be to God!