Traces of Grace

Don’t miss our worship service this Sunday morning live on Zoom at 10:00am.  We will have a Kids Corner you won’t want to miss with Lisa Mountain. Pastor Matt will be continuing our sermon series "Simple Prayers... Faithful God" with a message from Psalm 25:1-2 & 4-6 called "A Prayer for Guidance".

The Zoom link and Meeting ID for our service is in our online calendar, which can be accessed via our website at fumccollingswood.org/calendar. After the service is over, you will be able to view a recording from our website (www.fumccollingswood.org) or our Facebook Group (www.facebook.com/groups/CollingswoodFUMC)

A few weeks ago Lisa and I were able to witness the most amazing thunderstorm as we were driving by the ocean. The skies started out blue, but then turned white, then grey and then all of sudden out of nowhere big black clouds came blowing through with thunder and lighting and hard rain. Then in a few minutes the clouds moved away and everything reversed back to a beautiful blue sky again. While it was raining, some had to take cover, and even shelter from the storm. It kind of reminds me of the storms of our lives. Storms and difficulties in life can loom large and blow in and out in a moment's notice, but our shelter is what's the constant in our lives. It's so easy to focus on the storm.

Sunday Pastor Matt will be sharing about a Prayer for Guidance as we continue our series…”Simple Prayers, Faithful God”. The message is based on Psalm 25, where David seeks God for more than comfort from life’s storms but something spiritually deeper. There is a cry for a deeper truth that only God can provide.

In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

- Psalm 25 1-2,-4-6.

In these moments we continue to pray for the spiritual condition of our world that needs to experience the love and forgiving power of Jesus in a fresh new way. We need our Lord’s help through the pandemic, the natural disasters, and the social issues like racism and even politics that divide so many. I hear many crying out from so many places, Lord hear our prayer.

I was challenged by something I heard from “Prayers on the Porch” this week …”Lord have your way in me, make my heart tender for the things and people around me.”

From the porch we continued to pray for...

• our church and the community
• the schools and the children
• Joy Evans as she goes for treatments (and Craig and her family)
• Dean Stefano as he faces surgery
• Linda Rameriz’ family ~ Jaime’s mother-in-law, Claire, is back in the hospital in New York City with a blood clot. Her husband, Kevin, is also very sick and is waiting for results from a COVID- 19 test.
• Sherry Rappe for medical concerns
• and so many more concerns.

Then John began to sing quietly this week the chorus to the song “Way Maker”...

You are, Way maker, miracle worker,

Promise keeper, Light in the darkness,

My God, that is who You are.

You are Way maker, miracle worker,

Promise keeper, Light in the darkness,

My God, that is who You are.

As John sang quietly, there was something special about our prayer time. Tears flowed from my eyes as I was gently reminded that no matter we're facing, God is there to guide us. He is our way maker in every season of life if we just put our trust in Him! May God add his blessing to the reading and living out his word this week because he is our Way Maker. AMEN!

If you have any prayer concerns or ways we can serve you, please let us know. We desire to journey with you even through these days of social distancing. Remember, you are loved!

In His Grace,

Pastor Sam and the Staff