FOCUS - Tidings from Thomas

My taste in music is sometimes a bit eclectic, which partly explains why I once heard Clarence Carter at a concert in Gaffney. At one point in the concert, Clarence said to us, “I’ve been married seven times.  Something was wrong with those women.” Clarence spoke with obvious irony, but he gets at an important point. It’s a whole lot easier to find fault in the people around us than it is to find fault with ourselves.

I write these words on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  Lent may be one of those words we hear bandied around at church.  We may hear people talk of giving something up for Lent.  But, you may be asking yourself, what does it all really mean?

Lent is the 40-day season of penitence (excluding Sundays) from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. After His baptism, Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness. Jesus spent His time in fasting and prayer as a preparation for His earthly ministry. This time prepared Jesus for the work of ministry, but it also prepared Him for His ultimate death. Jesus knew there were hard days ahead. In preparation Jesus didn’t read books on leadership or scour the internet for tips on holy living, instead, He prepared through a 40-day season of solitude and introspection, founded on a regimen of prayer and fasting.

Our theme for Lent this year is FOCUS.  These 40 days offer us the opportunity to focus on our relationship with God instead of all the things that distract us from growing as disciples of Jesus.  During Lent, we remember Jesus’ self-giving love for us.  As a way of remembering, many people give something up or take something on. Giving something up or taking something on for Lent offers a reminder of Jesus’ saving work. For example, giving up chocolate for Lent does not make you a better person, but when you feel the urge for chocolate it can serve as a reminder of all Jesus did for you.

This Lent we’ll have several opportunities at Central to observe the season and realign your focus on God:

·  Mid-Week Services – Each Wednesday in Lent we will have a special service at 12:30, with lunch served both before and after.  Inspiring guests will lead us through music and preaching.

·  Thursday Services – We have a weekly service of prayer and Holy Communion every Thursday, but Lent may provide an opportunity to add this service to your spiritual practice.

· Daily Scripture Readings – If you haven’t already, go to centralmethodist.net and sign up for this prayer and Bible reading guide.  It comes right to your email box and social media platforms.

There are a lot of opportunities to connect with God this Lent and I hope you’ll take advantage of them.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas W. Smith

What is your story? - Tidings from Thomas

As a minister, I am occasionally called upon to share the story of my call to ministry.  I am happy to do this.  At the end, I like to remind people, “YOU have a story.” 

I occasionally find myself in conversation with someone who is skeptical about matters of faith.  From time to time I have been challenged to prove the existence of God or the truth of Christian teachings.  These are matters of faith, which means I cannot prove anything.  Instead, I can share my experience of God and the difference those experiences have made in my life.  In other words, I share my story.

When I was a teenager, a regular feature of youth events was the ringer who would be brought in to share his or her story.  It usually involved a speaker who was raised right, did wrong, suffered dire legal consequences, became a Christian, and everything changed for the better.  I began to ask myself, “Do I have a story to share?”  Nothing in my experience came close to these kinds of stories of people coming to faith in Jesus.  I thought I didn’t really have a story worth telling, but I was wrong.

One of the vows we United Methodists take when we join the church is to support the ministries of the church with our witness.  Think of a witness’ job in a court of law.  He or she is not supposed to convince a judge or jury or anything, but to share what he or she saw and heard.  In other words, a witness shares what he or she experienced.  A witness shares his or her story.  So I ask, what is your story?  You might not think you have a story, but you do.  How has God worked in your life?  Make no mistake – your story is important!  You have a story to tell and you never know when telling it might make a difference in someone’s life.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas W. Smith

Tidings from Thomas - February 3, 2020

I have been thinking over the last few weeks about the nature of the church.  But first, a story…

Not too long ago, I managed to get my truck stuck in the mud.  The details are a little embarrassing and not germane to the point I’m trying to make, so I’ll leave them out.  Suffice it to say, I was unable to remedy the situation by myself.  I tried and tried to no avail.  It’s not in my nature to ask for help, but I knew I had no other options.  I called my good friend Derrick who came without hesitation.  In the process, two good Samaritans happened along who also pitched in.  In short, I spent an hour and a half unsuccessfully trying to get my truck unstuck.  With the help of a friend and two friendly strangers, I was unstuck and rolling again in a matter of minutes. 

If we pay attention, we can see God working in the stuff of everyday life.  This story illustrates this idea for me.  In sum, we need each other.  It’s no coincidence that we are born into families.  God created us for relationship and to help one another.  God created the church to be the body where we find nurturing relationships and mutual support. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12b comes to mind, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help…  A threefold cord is not quickly broken.”  Let us remember that whatever else the world throws at us, we need each other.  This is a gift from God.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas Smith

Tidings from Thomas - January 7, 2020

Many of you are aware of the news splash the United Methodist Church made over the weekend.  On Friday, a group of United Methodist leaders announced a proposal for the separation of the United Methodist Church.  This is one of several similar proposals that will come before General Conference when it meets May 5-15 in Minneapolis.  You can read our bishop’s response to this announcement, as well as the full text of the proposal and an FAQ, by clicking this link:  https://www.umcsc.org/bishop-holstons-statement-on-separation-proposal/.

Keep in mind that only the General Conference can speak for the entire denomination.  Legislative or structural changes can only be approved by General Conference.  Some media sources are reporting as if this is a “done deal,” which is not the case.  As General Conference grows closer, we will continue to see news stories such as those we have seen in recent days.  The secular media rarely understand how the church operates, so please take news reports with a grain of salt.  If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to me or any of our ministers.  We would welcome an opportunity to meet with you.

Also note that on February 9th, South Carolina’s delegation to General Conference will hold a listening session at Central.  This is an opportunity to let our delegation hear your concerns and for the delegation to share their thoughts and concerns with us. 

In his response, Bishop Holston offers these words:

“As we enter this new year and a new decade, I invite you to:

• Pray as your first and best response and continue to earnestly seek God’s will in your life.

• Engage in discussions, conversations, and debates in ways that honor God and allow the fruit of the Spirit to be made known. It is of vital importance to be willing to listen to others who may or may not agree with you.

• Practice the Three Simple Rules: to do all the good you can, to do no harm, and to stay in love with God.”

I echo the bishop’s sentiment and encourage us to continue the journey together in Christian love.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas W. Smith

Tidings from Thomas - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

New Year’s resolutions – we’ve probably all made them and we’ve probably all broken them.  I read recently that 40% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions.  To put that in perspective, about 33% of Americans watch the Super Bowl.  Even though we keep our New Year’s resolutions with varying degrees of success, chances are a lot of you will be making them.  Even if you are making the usual resolutions relating to waistlines or personal habits, I’d like to suggest four resolutions to add to your list.

1)     Read your Bible – The Bible is God’s revealed Word to us.  It’s as if God wrote us a letter containing the most important things ever.  We deprive ourselves of those things if we don’t pick up the Bible and read.

2)     Take it easy – It is easy to fill your day with activity.  Try scheduling and keeping time to do something you enjoy, simply for the sake of enjoyment.

3)     Remove the negative – This is a perfect time to remove from your life habits and other things that keep you from being the best you. 

4)     Add the positive – Removing negative elements from your life allows room for new, life-giving hobbies and pastimes.  Don’t be afraid to try something new or challenging.

Regardless of whether you make New Year’s resolutions, a New Year gives us an opportunity for new beginnings.  May God richly bless you in 2020!

Yours in Christ,

Thomas Smith