Life Together Community (Jan 30, 2023)

 

*The "Eye of the Needle," the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

"I Can't Do It Now" (Missy Buchanan, Living with Purpose in a Worn–Out Body, p. 20)

I can’t do it now I gave up the keys to the car.

I knew it was time.

In fact, it was a relief.

But it was hard for this do-it-yourselfer to admit I cannot do things I once could.

 

O Lord, my sense of independence has taken a beating.

There are so many things I’d like to do but can’t.

If I could, I would change an overhead lightbulb and balance my checkbook.

But these tasks are hard for me now.

 

At times I feel humiliated by my dependence on others.

I don’t want to be a burden.

Lord, give me a humble spirit to accept help graciously.

In my weakness you are strong.

In the mystery that is life, help me to depend on you and trust your perfect plan.

Peace to you. 

Pray that you are doing well in Christ. 

This past Sunday I have spoken much about how God shapes us into "Christlikeness" through humiliating experiences in our lives. Joyce also shared how God embraces us as we are, but then disciplines us to be a whole Christian with his righteousness (justice) and love. You can watch the services or read the message at the following links:

• Hodgdon: Service
• Houlton: Service, Message
• Mars Hill: Service, Message

May we do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God this week. God bless. 

In Christ,
Pastor Victor

Life Together Community (Jan 29 2023)

"Wherever you are in your journey, 

you are welcome here"

How was your week?

Have you ever felt like
... you are at the end of your rope?
... you've lost what is most dear to you?
... you were humiliated?

That's when you are blessed. That's a good place to be. Jesus says. Really?

In fact, this is part of Jeus' famous sermon, the Beatitudes. If you feel small and worthless, this Sunday's message on the Beatitudes is for you. Wherever you are in your journey, you are welcome here.

Please join us for our Sunday Worship Services. Hodgdon UMC and Mars Hill UMC are gathered at 9 am, and the Houlton UMC at 11 am. If you are not able to come in person, you can worship with us online via the following links:

· Hodgdon: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070411631446

· Houlton: https://youtu.be/UgYOuBR3wB4

· Mars Hill: https://www.facebook.com/MarsHillUnitedMethodist

Thank you for being among us. I am looking forward to worshiping together with you this Sunday. God bless.

In Christ, 

Pastor Victor

"Life Together Community" (Jan 22, 2023)

 

It's a humbling experience. 

I have never learned how to ski. My skiing experience can be counted on the fingers of one hand so far. But as my children loved to go skiing, I had to learn with them. I am still a beginner. 

Last year, Grace and I skied down an easy slope, called a "bunny" hill together. This year she can ski down a mountain. But as for me, a bunny hill is still a "tiger" hill. I still keep falling. 

No beginner is able to ski down a mountain at first. It takes many falls before we can ski down a slope. In the same way, it takes many falls, many ups and downs, before we can grow into fully mature disciples of Christ. 

This Sunday we will be gathered to listen to Peter's call story (Matthew 4:12-22). Joyce and I will also share our call stories which consist of many falls, and ups and downs. Let our hearts be stirred, and let the Lord give us a sense of clarity to discern and follow our calling. 

Houlton UMC will celebrate "family worship" at 11 am followed by a potluck "Love Feast" luncheon. Hodgdon UMC and Mars Hill UMC will be gathered at 9 am. If you are not able to come in person, you can worship with us online via the following links:

• Hodgdon: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070411631446
• Houlton: https://youtu.be/ew4P3hRcEPI
• Mars Hill: https://www.facebook.com/MarsHillUnitedMethodist

Let us keep falling, keep growing. 

In Christ, 

Pastor Victor 

"Life Together Community" (Jan 16, 2023)

 

"Why?" 

My children and I together watched the film, Selma, Lord, Selma as we celebrated the life of Martin Luther King Jr. The film tells the story through the eyes of a 9-year-old African-American girl named Sheyann Webb. Throughout the movie, my children kept asking, "Why?" 

"Why are they so mean to Dr. King?" Grace asked. 

"Why does he have to keep marching?" Esther asked.  

I tried to answer their questions. But some questions were too painful to answer...  

One night a friend of Sheyann's named Jimmie Lee Jackson is killed. Not long after that Sheyann's beloved pastor and friend from North, Jonathan Daniels, is also killed. Nevertheless, they keep marching on together. For me personally, one of the most moving scenes is their hymn singing as they are marching. They sing with love. They sing by faith. They sing in hope. 

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Jimmie let his light shine and passed it on to Jonathan. Sheyann let her light shine and passed it on to her family. The little light of theirs kindled a fire of love for the civil rights movement.

This past Sunday Joyce shared how Jesus came to us to be the light of our life and how he makes us whole because of our shadow, not in spite of it during the Hogdon Family Worship. You can watch the service at this link. 

In our life journey we may ask many "why" questions. We may not get the answer we are hoping for. Instead, we hear Jesus calling, "Come and see." Once we experience Jesus, we cannot but tell our people, "Come and see", though we may still have unresolved questions and problems in life. This is a life of the disciple - Peter, Andrew, Philip, Nathanael... you and me. You can read the entire Sunday service message at this link. You can also watch the Sunday services of the Houlton UMC and Mars Hill UMC. 

I am so grateful for our journey together. Let us keep marching, keep singing, keep shining, as we see the Day approaching. 

Cheering for you, 

Pastor Victor 

Life Together Community (Jan 15, 2023)

 

Peace to you. 

Pray that you and your family stay safe on this snowy day.

Have you heard the term "Sisyphus" or "Sisyphean"? 

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was the founder of Ephyra. Hades punished him for cheating death twice by forcing him to roll an immense boulder up a hill only for it to roll down every time it neared the top, repeating this action for eternity. In today's world tasks that are laborious and repetitive described as Sisyphean. 

This week I felt like I was Sisyphus as I was taking care of my children as a full-time single parent while Joyce was away. You can easily picture my daily routine. After my morning devotion, I have everything ready for school - their clothes, breakfast, snacks, and lunches. Then, I wake them up from old to young in order. After breakfast, I help to wash the younger ones' faces, brush their teeth, and tie their hair, then walk them over to the school. Now Hannah is ready for Dad's School. We go on a field trip to Walmart or IGA. We have recess at snow mountain in the church parking lot. After having simple lunch, I put her to take a nap. While she is sleeping, I wash dishes, do laundry, or clean rooms. Then it's time to pick up the children from school. Now it's a full house again. No peace until they go to bed... 

As I repeated the same routine every day, I felt like my days were so ordinary and mundane. I felt like what I was doing was so laborsome but unimportant. But it was the moment I so desperately cried out to God to come and redeem my time and my work. And he did. Surprisingly, as I look back, more than any other time of the week I was able to stay close to God, feeling his living and active presence moment by moment. 

According to the lectionary, this Sunday we listen to the story of how Jesus comes to common people's ordinary lives and redeems them - Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael, etc. Jesus still comes into our ordinary and mundane lives today. And he invites us to join him in his great work. May we hear him say, "Come, follow me." 

Hodgdon UMC will celebrate "family worship" at 9 am followed by a monthly coffee hour fellowship, Mars Hill UMC gathered at 9 am with "communion" service, and the Houlton community at 11 am. If you are not able to come in person, you can worship with us online via the following links:

• Hodgdon: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070411631446
• Houlton: https://youtu.be/WUtJkjcDbu8
• Mars Hill: https://www.facebook.com/MarsHillUnitedMethodist

Let us come, taste and see that the Lord is good at first hand. I'm looking forward to worshiping together with you all this Sunday. 

In Christ, 

Pastor Victor 

Life Together Community (Jan 9, 2023)

Peace to you. 

What are your favorite bedtime stories?

Last night Grace made a "special" request during our bedtime reading as I was about to tell some famous Bible stories to the Han trio (Grace, Esther, and Hannah). "Dad, I want you to tell us the Bible stories that I've never heard before. I think I heard most of them." "Well..." I had to stop and think hard. 

All of sudden, the story of Ezra and Nehemiah came to my mind as it was part of the Bible reading schedule this week. Thankfully, they didn't know the story and just loved it. I shared the very beginning part yesterday, and the story will continue every night until Joyce safely returns!

For me personally, my favorite part of Ezra's story is this: 

"For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach the statutes and ordinances in Israel" (Ezra 7:10).

I just love how he did it in order: study the word, do the word, and teach the word. Ezra was a man in congruence. It is my prayer that not only do we read and study the Bible, but also we may do the word and share it with others in words and in actions. It's never too late to start reading the Bible today. Attached are the Bible reading plans for your use this year 2023. 

This past Sudnay it was such a joy to acknowledge those who completed reading the entire Bible in 2022. Thank you, BIble readers, for being such shining examples to do the word as well as hear the word. You are our "Ezras."   

I was also very encouraged as we renewed our baptismal covenant with God "as a church." If you haven't had a chance to attend the service this Sunday, you can watch it online at the following links. You can also read the entire message (Victor) at this link. 

• Hodgdon
• Houlton 
• Mars Hill* (*Joyce shared her conversion & call story. You are encouraged to hear the message if you haven't.)

It's my joy and honor to read the same scripture daily together and to say the same covenant prayer together with you all. May the Lord give us new desire and strength to live for Christ always. 

Peace,
Pastor Victor

Baptism

Have you heard of a liturgical calendar? 

It is a yearly cycle that corresponds to the life of Jesus. For me personally, I love the liturgical calendar because it is saturated with Christ: his birth, his ministry, his death, and his resurrection. The purpose of the liturgical calendar is not just to repeat itself year after year, but to draw us afresh and more deeply into our relationship with Christ. 

This Sunday we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of our Lord. It will be a baptismal renewal service. As we are gathered as a church, we will remember what the Lord has done for us and renew our faith and commitment to Christ. 

So come with expectation. Our God is able to give us new life in Christ. In Christ we are able to live no more for ourselves but only for him, who loved us and gave himself for us. Hodgdon and Mars Hill church families will worship at 9 am, and the Houlton at 11 am. If you are not able to come in person, you can worship with us online via the following links:

• Hodgdon: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070411631446
• Houlton: https://youtu.be/Hfk8cibVLbk
• Mars Hill: https://www.facebook.com/MarsHillUnitedMethodist

We are blessed to have you in the life of our church. I'm looking forward to savoring Christ together with you this Sunday. 

In Christ, 

Pastor Victor