Good morning everyone,

This quote comes from one of my favorite theologians who is quite a character. When he would lecture at Duke, you never knew what he might say. This comes from the book I am reading for devotional time, An Altar on the World by Barbara Brown Taylor.

"Christianity is not a set of beliefs or doctrines one believes in order to be a Christian, but rather Christianity is to have one's body shaped, one's habits determined, in such a way that the worship of God is unavoidable."
Stanley Hauerwas

How are our bodies being shaped at Trinity UMC? What do we do every day that shapes us more like Jesus Christ? What sort of habits do we have that create a spirit of worship within our hearts and minds? If you don't feel like you are being shaped, I invite you to take time and be silent. Listen to your breath and your heartbeat. Listen to the birds chirping and the bugs buzzing. Pray with a spirit of openness rather than a laundry list of issues. Read the Psalms. Read the book of James. Look in the mirror and marvel at the work of God's hand. Do something today that shapes your body to be one of worship and praise.

Blessings,
Pastor Mary Frances

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

I am in love with Trinity UMC in Red Springs. There are some wonderful people in this place! God is glorified! WOW!

We had such a warm welcome yesterday both literally and figuratively! Thank you so much for the wonderful food, time of conversation, and laughter we shared together at the reception. It was a wonderful way to begin to get to know people. I really appreciate all who participated in the afternoon!

And if you didn't make it to church, you would have seen what a very warm welcome Trinity gave to me and my family at worship! We didn't have air conditioning for half of the service! I know it was distracting for me as well as you. (If you couldn't hear my sermon as well over the fans, I can email you a copy!) Yet, even with the difficulty we all persevered! God was glorified! And we had fun as we worshipped!

It reminds me of what Paul wrote in the fifth chapter of Romans:
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we so rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

We persevered through the uncomfortable heat, and I am renewed in feeling grateful for gifts like air conditioning! I had forgotten what it was like to be without air conditioning in the summer like when we would visit my grandparents in Waynesville, NC. They didn't have such things! I am sure our character was molded by our experience.