Pleasant Grove UMC » General http://pgumc.net Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors Thu, 17 May 2012 13:45:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 2006-2007 junmattox@yahoo.com (Pleasant Grove UMC) junmattox@yahoo.com (Pleasant Grove UMC) 1440 http://pgumc.net/wp-content/AlbumArt-med.jpg Pleasant Grove UMC » General http://pgumc.net 144 144 Sermons from Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, LaGrange, GA. Pleasant Grove UMC Pleasant Grove UMC junmattox@yahoo.com no no A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP WATSON http://pgumc.net/archives/2011/02/06/a-message-from-bishop-watson/ http://pgumc.net/archives/2011/02/06/a-message-from-bishop-watson/#comments Sun, 06 Feb 2011 19:29:01 +0000 admin http://pgumc.net/?p=463 Making disciples for Jesus Christ in 2011
By B. Michael Watson
As soon as this new year arrived, someone for whom I have great respect shared a bold and hopeful prediction about what 2011 holds for the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church!
I was told to expect that our congregations will receive more new members by profession of faith in Jesus Christ than ever before. Of course, I responded with a joyous Glory Hallelujah! I’ll expect it and I’ll work toward it!
My prayer is that this will be a self-fulfilling prophecy, and we will be challenged to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s desire and power to make it so. After all, we United Methodists proclaim that the mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. It is our sacred calling. It is our holy task. It is our reason for being, and it is exhilaratingly fun.
There is nothing better for any local church, any Christian layperson, or any Christian pastor than to share the thrill of seeing another person come to accept God’s mighty love as revealed most clearly in Christ.
Vital congregations are fertile grounds for new Christians. Every congregation can grow by professions of faith unless every person in that congregation’s ministry area is a professing Christian, and, even here in Georgia, I have never been to a place like that.
Any congregation that is not receiving people into membership by profession of faith must sincerely pray for a revived movement of the Holy Spirit and seek whatever help it needs to become more vital. Any pastor who is not regularly receiving new members by profession of faith must ardently ask God to renew his or her ministry of personal evangelism and must do whatever it takes to become a channel for God’s saving and redeeming grace to be accepted by those who have not yet experienced that joy.
Evangelism is a ministry for us all. There are some among us who are more gifted in it than others, but all of us have influence and God can use each of us to reach someone. When we love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind and love our neighbors as ourselves, we will find that the Holy Spirit works through us to enable others to profess faith in Jesus, our Lord.
Now is the time for every congregation in North Georgia to be a vital congregation. Let us intentionally open our hearts, our minds, and our doors and receive precious souls by the profession of their faith in Jesus Christ. Dear God, let it be so for every congregation and every pastor. Every one, Lord, every one.

Grace and peace,
Mike Watson
Resident Bishop
North Georgia Episcopal Area
The United Methodist Church

]]> http://pgumc.net/archives/2011/02/06/a-message-from-bishop-watson/feed/ 0 Trusting God http://pgumc.net/archives/2010/08/22/trusting-god/ http://pgumc.net/archives/2010/08/22/trusting-god/#comments Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:08:19 +0000 admin http://pgumc.net/?p=399 This past week I attended Renew “U”niversity at Simpsonwood.
During the two days of this seminar we were reminded of many of the things that we already know but often forget.
We are wonderfully made of multiple and interconnected spheres of health.
We are physical, emotional/mental, social, financial, and spiritual beings. To be well is to be whole and balanced in each of these areas. To suffer in one aspect of ourselves is to suffer in each of them in turn.

While, there were many other lessons learned, the one I want to share with you is a simple one.
We are continually stretched and pulled in many directions. But we also need time to be alone with God.
How can we possibly be still with so much going on. The answer is simple and yet equally difficult and profound.
We can trust God to hold all of our worries for us for a little while. We don’t have to ask God to take away all our struggles and burdens, but just take the weight off our shoulders for a time of worship.

Can you trust God to hold on to your cares for a while? Of course the answer is yes. The deeper question is will you.
This week I have started trusting God to hold things for me so that I can catch my breath and really be present to God in times of worship and prayer. As a result God has been faithful and has usually given me back that which I have placed in God’s care. But I haven’t gotten everything back. Somethings God has chosen to keep at least of now and what I have received back has not seemed nearly as heavy or as daunting as when I laid it down.

May you be restored in all aspects of your health.
May you be made whole and filled with peace.
May you be filled with the boldness to trust God to hold your worries so that you may be cleanse and healed.

In Christ,

John

]]> http://pgumc.net/archives/2010/08/22/trusting-god/feed/ 0 New Site http://pgumc.net/archives/2007/09/09/new-site/ http://pgumc.net/archives/2007/09/09/new-site/#comments Sun, 09 Sep 2007 14:24:19 +0000 admin http://pgumc.net/2007/09/09/new-site/ Hello Folks,

We’re getting this site for the church setup. Please bear with us as we try a few things and get the construction under way.

]]> http://pgumc.net/archives/2007/09/09/new-site/feed/ 0