LIFE TOGETHER ON WEST MORRIS STREET
A weekly information and prayer journal by Pastor John Hay, Jr.


December 12, 2007

CONTENTS

- Active Waiting
- Advent 2007: Living Hope
- Praying
- Gathering
- Word Centering
- Incarnating Christ
- Blessing

ACTIVE WAITING

"Waiting is essential to the spiritual life. But waiting as a disciple of Jesus is not an empty waiting. It is a waiting with a promise in our hearts that makes already present what we are waiting for. We wait during Advent for the birth of Jesus. We wait after Easter for the coming of the Spirit, and after the ascension of Jesus we wait for his coming again in glory. We are always waiting, but it is a waiting in the conviction that we have already seen God's footsteps. Waiting for God is an active, alert - yes, joyful - waiting. As we wait we remember him for whom we are waiting, and as we remember him we create a community ready to welcome him
when he comes." -- Henri Nouwen"

ADVENT 2007: LIVING HOPE

HOPE IS THE WORD If waiting is the spiritual discipline of Advent, then hope is the grace. We are exploring hope as a grace during December. Week by week in Morning Worship we are discovering how hope changes our past, shapes our future and gives purpose to our present challenges. The Compass is a weekly resource in this exploration.

GET DAILY DOSES OF HOPE In addition, I am preparing Daily Doses of Hope and making them available on our website. Yes, "daily." Go to www.westmorrisfm.org and click on "Daily Doses of Hope" to get your daily dose! These are Word-centering Scriptures, reflections and spiritual exercises that build this grace into our daily living.

A MONTH OF HOPE Here are the weekly areas of focus in "Living Hope" during Advent. Join with us each Sunday of Advent at 10:30 am and then engage with the Word each day to grow hope in your life.
Dec 2: On the Edge of Time
Dec 9: Future Hope, Present Faith
Dec 16: Hope in the Darkness
Dec 23: Drawn by Expectation
Dec 24: Fulfillment Begins (Christmas Eve - 5:00 pm)
Dec 30: Living In Purpose - Dec 30

PRAYING

PRAY IN INTERCESSION Pray God's comfort, healing touch and answers for the following requested concerns:
-- Pray comfort for Pat Strange and all the family of Jim Strange in these days of coping with grief and new challenges.
-- Pray daily strength and healing grace for Kathy Fryman who is in her fourth round of chemotherapy. We're all thankful to God for news that cancer markers are way down and good progress is being observed.
-- Pray healing grace for Mike Leak as he improves and recovers at Methodist Hospital. Mike's hoping to transition to rehab this week.
-- Pray healing and encouragement for Ruby Hill at Clarian West. Ruby fell a second time and has had to have surgery as a result of the fall.
-- Pray healing for Duane West, who is now recovering at home
-- Pray healing for Jackie Logue who continues in treatment at Methodist Hospital.
-- Pray encouragement and grace for Betty Duewel.
-- Vance Robbins continues receiving medical care at home and is doing well.
-- Grace for Joe Black at Lakeview; also for Phyllis who attends to him each day.

PRAY FOR BREAKTHROUGH With thanksgiving, pray for encouragement, wisdom and spiritual breakthrough:
-- Pray wisdom for our President, Congress, and Supreme Court as they consider weighty decisions of leadership, direction, and compassion for our nation.
-- Pray a hunger and thirst for righteousness in our church, in our community, in our nation, and in our world.
-- Pray breakthrough in our clothing ministry this evening.
-- Pray for spiritual breakthrough and salvation for adult children of parents in our fellowship.
-- Pray daily for our Free Methodist missionaries: Dr. Joel & Janette Miller (Mexico), David & Sheryl Yardy (Asia), Kay Stotts (Chile), and Michael & Maria Long (Greece) Check new prayer requests online at: www.fmwm.org.
-- For spiritual breakthrough during our Advent focus on Biblical hope.
-- For Comunidad Cristiana and Associate Pastor Donna Saylor.

MEN'S PRAYER BREAKFAST All men are invited each Wednesday @ 6:15 am in Ellis Hall. Food, fellowship & prayer. Donations support Dr. Wes Duewel's ministry.

GATHERING

WEMO SOCIETY MEETING This Sunday, December 16, immediately following Morning Worship, West Morris Street FMC members will gather at the front of the Sanctuary to review and consider the proposed 2008 Church Budget. Hopefully, this will be a brief meeting. You may request an electronic copy of the proposed 2008 church budget via e-mail - wmsfmc@juno.com. The document requires Microsoft Excel to read.

LOOKING FORWARD Please note the following upcoming gatherings and opportunities to express and experience the Body of Christ:
- WEMO Society Meeting - This Sunday, Dec 16, 12 pm, front of Sanctuary (to consider 2008 Church Budget)
- Dr. Duewel's Class Christmas Luncheon - Sun, Dec 16, 12:15 pm, Lower Level
- College/Career Lunch-out - Sun, Dec 16, 12:15 pm @ Grindstone Charlie's
- All Teen Paintball - Sun, Dec 16 6:30-9 pm
- Youth Christmas Party - Dec 19, 6:15-8 pm
- Christmas Basket distribution - Sat, Dec 22, 9 am
- Christmas Eve Service, Dec 24, 5 pm - "A Celebration of Hope!"
- College/Career Carry-in Dinner & ice skating-Dec 28 @ 6:30 pm
- "Sixth Day of Christmas All-Church Pitch-in Dinner," Sun, Dec 30, 12: 15 pm, L L
- Campus Crusade for Christ Neighborhood Outreach - Sun, Dec 30, 1 pm
- New Year's Eve Praise Celebration - Dec 31, 8 pm
- Youth Party in The Underground - Dec 31, 9 pm

WORD CENTERING

PAST FAITH, FUTURE HOPE In Sunday's time with the Word, we worked with Romans 15:1-13, exploring how Biblical hope ties the past and the future together in a purposeful life here and now. Here are The Compass points:

1. God's Word in the PAST points us to a life of hope. Romans 15:4

2. The path into a future of promise is through ENDURANCE and the ENCOURAGEMENT of the Scriptures. Romans 15:4

3. Hope-filled living is characterized by glorifying God in ways that ANTICIPATE the future God brings NEAR.
This calls upon individual believers and the church to: (A) express a spirit of UNITY in the Body; (B). ACCEPT one another; and (C) live as a servant WITNESS to others. Romans 15:5-12

4. The God of hope wills that we OVERFLOW with hope: (A) filled with all joy and peace; (B) through your trust in God, (C) by the power of the Holy Spirit Romans 15:13

Check out The Compass online each week, and access Daily Doses of Hope on our website during December.

THE WIRED WORD All post-high school and young adults please consider: "The Wired Word" with Mike Conkle on Sundays @ 9:30 in the Lower Level. Not your typical Bible lesson!.

SUNDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY A chapter-by-chapter open Bible study will not meet on Sunday evenings until January, as Steve & Judy Strange are planning to visit Matt, Susan and their grandchildren in Taiwan until the end of the year.

INCARNATING CHRIST

COLLECTING WINTER ITEMS FOR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS Again this year, we are collecting gloves, scarves, hats, socks, and underwear for our homeless neighbors who are guests of Horizon House. Please place these items in the gift box at Main Foyer Christmas Tree on Sundays through December 16.

CHRISTMAS BASKET HELP NEEDED Volunteers are needed on Saturday, December 22 at 9 am to help pick up and deliver Christmas Baskets for 20 families. Please contact Dee or Denise in the church office if you can help.

SERVING IN THE SEASON Please note the following updated and upcoming opportunities to put hands and feet to your faith. Will you volunteer for one of these?
- Available to transport children or older adults to and from church (what's it take--an extra 15 minutes?)? Please contact the church office today.
- Help serve in the Clothing Ministry either by sorting clothing on Mondays at 8:30 am or by staffing the monthly neighborhood meal (5:30 pm) or the clothing pantries (6:30 pm) on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
- Volunteer to prepare a meal or work with 7-12 grade youth in The Underground - Wednesdays, 6:15 to 8:00 pm. No experience or expertise necessary.
- Guide K-6 children in CLC & CLC+ Wednesdays, 7-8 pm. You can do this!
- Available to disciple/tutor a new Christian? Let me know this week.

BLESSING

YOUNG FAMILIES THANKS More than 30 people participated in the Young Families Christmas Party last Saturday. Thanks to Denise Bowles and Angela Larrison for the hours of work the put into this fellowship time.

THANKS FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY Thanks each household that brought in food for the Strange family on Monday. Also, a special thanks to our hospitality team who set up, served, and cleaned up after the family meal in the Lower Level after the funeral and graveside service.

POTS & PANS Thanks for bringing in hot food! You can pick up left-behind pots and pans in the Lower Level. Please double check before we place them in the clothing pantry for distribution.

A LINGERING BLESSING May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. "" - Romans 15:13

West Morris Street Free Methodist Church
2302 West Morris Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46221
John Hay, Jr., Senior Pastor
Phone: 317.632.8311
Office e-mail: wmsfmc@juno.com
Website: www.westmorrisfm.org

Return to the top
Go to Index of past Life "Together on West Morris Street" issues
Return to main page