Peakland UMC

From Linwood:

Several weeks ago, I asked one of our members if he would lead us in worship one Sunday morning with a song. He asked if I would accompany him on the piano as he sang and played his guitar. Well, the response was quite overwhelming. I’m not sure everyone in the room had any idea that he could sing and play, much less with such inspiration.

A few days ago, I asked him to come in so we could record the song, just for the fun of it for him as he had never done any recording before, and for me to use on this Music Monday, Labor Day 2022.

Here is my friend, Mike Petrikonis - 10000 Reasons.

From Pastor Joe:

In our devotion today we’re going to do three things. Can you hold up three fingers? We’re going to sing our song with our mouths and use our fingers. We’re going to listen to a story from the Bible with our ears, and we’re going to pray the action prayer with using our words and our actions.

from Peakland United Methodist Church in Lynchburg, Va.

Grace and peace to you, welcome to Sunday morning worship September 4, 2022.

All are welcome to this worship and all are welcome for our online communion today.

This Sunday at Peakland we are celebrating communion in person and today we expand the table to include you. Welcome. Whether or not you are a member of Peakland church or any church, whatever age you are, you are welcome. Adults, children, youth all are welcome. If you seek to follow God more closely, if you seek to live in right relationship with your neighbor, then you are welcome to celebrate communion today. We’ll do that after the sermon. You’ll need a bit of bread and a cup of grape juice to participate.

From Pastor Joe:

Two months ago on one of my very first Trusting God devotions, I shared with you that I was running in the mornings. I’ve been using an app the 5k runner to help me eventually to run 5 kilometer or just over 3 miles.

I have an update for you.

From Pastor Dave:

his summer my devotions have featured Charles Wesley the poet. It has been noted that Charles wrote around 9,000 poems containing nearly 180,000 lines. Yes, some of these became hymns but the vast majority were never put to music or meant to be sung. Charles Wesley understandably is recognized as one of the great hymnists, but seldom is he included among the great English poets.

Frank Baker, Professor of English Church History at Duke Divinity School is quick to point out the gifts and skills of Wesley, and the eloquence of his poetry. He cites that the vast volume of Charles work means that he on occasion pens only average verses .For example Charles might pen as many as thirty verses for a hymn or poem which John would edit down to four to six verses to be published.

Baker notes the many times where Charles displays sheer inspiration, as in the case of “Father of Everlasting Grace”

Andrew reflects on how something unfortunate led to a connection and moment of joy he never saw coming.

From Linwood:

The other day I was looking for one thing and found another haha. I know you know how that works! I found an arrangement I had done of It is Well, with just piano. But I also stumbled across another folder in my music folder on my Mac, also labeled It is Well.

From Pastor Joe:

We’re going to do something radically different in just a moment, something we’ve never done while I’ve been pastor here. Some of you are not going to like it. I know this, but we’re doing it anyway.

From Pastor Joe:

Grace and peace to you and welcome to Trusting God at all Times Kids Edition. This devotion is created for children of all ages. I’m Rev. Joe, and I’m the pastor at Peakland United Methodist Church in Lynchburg Virginia. All are welcome

Let’s begin with our song….this little light of mine. We imagine our finger is a little light, a warm light and a friendly light. In the Bible Jesus tells us to let our light shine, so Let’s move our bodies and sing together.

Andrew reflects on one of the things he has observed of Pastor Joe's prayers, and the invitation that is offred through silence.