The Pastor's Corner for August 2017

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

God Sighting Wall!

In Vacation Bible School we handed our student a couple of sticky notes and whenever they witnessed a God sighting they were to write it down and stick it on the God Sighting Wall.  Most of the God sightings by our enthusiastic kids could be described as random acts of kindness like opening doors, helping someone, or just being kind to someone.

The Sunday after VBS we had our VBS program for the faithful at Oakland and it was now time to tear down and put VBS 2017 away.  As we were tearing down all the props and decorations the idea occurred to us to leave the God Sighting Wall up and have sticky notes for the congregation so that they could post their own God Sightings.

So, we invite all who enter the doors of the Oakland UMC, whether it be Sunday morning or any day of the week, to post on the God Sighting Wall any witness to a God Sighting.  Like the kids at VBS you may have witnessed or you, yourself have participated in a random act of kindness.  If so we want to know about it!  If you are going about the day and you felt a touch of the Divine we want to know about it!  Why do we want to know about it because we want to celebrate the many blessings that God and the people of God are doing to spread the good news that all are loved by God our Creator.

Don’t be bashful or shy!  Nothing is too small or insignificant in God’s world.  God does things for a reason and what may seem not much to talk about at the time may grow into something huge in the days and weeks to come.  So, don’t second guess God!  Plus, any time that God does something it is done for everyone.  If you are the witness it is your responsibility to tell others as selfishness.  As Bishop Palmer used to tell us, “your faith may be personal but it is never private.”

The next time you are in the sanctuary take time to look at all the ways God has been seen by a whole lot of people.  When you do you may come to the same conclusion that I did and that is God is blessing us in many, many unexpected ways.  Come and join the celebration!  

See you Sunday, 

Rev. Dennis Hopes