If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians. 13:1–3)

There isn’t much in February to celebrate. For most of us, by the time February rolls around we’re tired of winter and ready for spring, and that makes the shortest month of the year feel all that much longer. Of course, sports fans get the Super Bowl and the Daytona 500, and baseball fans start to get excited because pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Outside of that, though, pretty much all there is in February to look forward to is Valentine’s Day. This is a day in which we celebrate romantic love, named after a 3rd century saint who was martyred for his care of the faithful during times of persecution. How a ‘holy day’ commemorating him became associated with romantic love is something of a historical question, but anyway, that’s what’s happened.

So, that’s why I’ve been thinking about Saint Valentine and Valentine’s Day. I’m reminded what Jesus said when asked what the greatest commandment is: ‘“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”’ (Mark 12:29–31) Love! That’s what it all boils down to for us. Many of us have grown up singing the hymn, They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love. How about, this Valentine’s Day (and month) try to get back to the way of love.

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19–21)

Dear ones,

I am reminded once again of the old hymn “ I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” which we will
sing (sung) on the first Sunday of the new year. None of us know for sure what the
future holds for our personal lives nor our church. We may think we do, but we really
don’t. Some things may be a given. But, as we have all learned, life can change in the
span of just one breath. For instance, how many friends and loved ones were with us
on January 1 st of 2025. But they’re not with us today? I imagine we all can think of
some loved one or friend who has left this walk of life. Proof that we don’t really know
what tomorrow holds.

I was reminded this week while reading another’s pastor’s end of year newsletter of the
old Andrae Crouch song entitled “How Can I Say Thanks?” It is also called “My
Tribute”. The first verse goes like this:

How can I say thanks
For all the things You’ve done for me?
Things so undeserved
Yet You gave to prove Your love to me
The voices of a million angels
Could not express my gratitude
All that I am
And ever hope to be
I owe it all to Thee.

That’s how Mrs. Preacher and I feel here at the end of 2025 with the dawn of 2026 looming. God has
blessed us in so many ways. We serve two wonderful churches. Both church groups are such a
blessing to us. You give to us in so many ways. Your generosity (especially this Christmas)
overwhelms us. We are so thankful for all of you! How can we express our THANKS to all of you for
what you mean to us? There are no words. Just please know we are thankful for you.

Even though I, nor we, know what 2025 holds for us, we do know that God’s got this. And we have no
other alternative but to keep our trust in Him. I’m thankful that you dear ones have remained faithful
to trust the Lord and to guide our steps. I believe God has joined us together, congregation and
shepherds, for such a time as this. Let us pray for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that we
may experience new growth both inwardly and outwardly. Surely the best is yet to come as we serve
God together. Jeremiah 29:11

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Tim and Mrs. Preacher (Teresa)

With each passing day, week, month, and year, one of the ways in which God has
challenged and moved me in life is to be more grateful. It is not only because we just
celebrated Thanksgiving that I share this but also because we are now in the season of
Advent.
Advent is a time to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Of course,
we’re preparing for Christmas and all that it involves for each of us and our families. For
many of us we prepare and set up decorations, gatherings, lists, menus, gifts, and much
more. In the life of our church, we go from giving Thanksgiving food bags to giving
Christmas food bags to our pantry recipients, preparing our church with decorations, the
Christmas meals and parties, Advent candle lightings and readings, Christmas Eve
Service, and all the things seen and unseen.
I am so grateful to God for all that we have. I’m thankful that we can celebrate the birth
of Christ and what Christ has done and continues to do for us. I am grateful for how we
can do all that we do, not only for ourselves but also for many who are in need in our
community. I encourage all of us to be more grateful as we go about all that we do in
preparation for Christmas. May we not only prepare the things all around us and on our
to do list but also prepare our hearts and spirits as we look to Christ who came, who
died and resurrected for us, who calls us to be living witnesses and disciple-makers,
and who will one day return.
Advent is a time to prepare for Christmas as well as for Christ’s return on day. And as
we prepare, Jesus calls us to continually be prepared as we do everything for him. In
being thankful for all the gifts, we have received as well as being able to give to others,
let us always be thankful for the gift of Jesus Christ for us and for all!
From Pastor Tim and Mrs. Preacher, we thank you for the blessing of being your
pastoral family, and we wish for you a happy and blessed Christmas season!
Pastor Tim

November is a month where people tend to list the things they are thankful for, (it’s
probably because of that one big holiday called “Thanksgiving”). Some even will list
something each and every day on Facebook (which is not something you will find me doing).
Don’t get me wrong, it is good to be thankful, and I am thankful for many different things …
I just don’t need the whole Facebook world to know it. Besides, a lot of times the things
listed after family and friends are all material things which will eventually break and get
replaced. 
            Please don’t take me as being the Scrooge or the Grinch of Thanksgiving, it is good to
be thankful. The Bible even tells us that. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “give thanks in all
circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
            Wait a second! Look at the verse again! Did you notice what that verse says? “Give
thanks in ALL circumstances.” So … does this mean I have to give thanks in those times
when life isn’t going like I planned it or when something bad happens? Hate to be the
bearer of bad news but … yes, that is exactly what it means. We all know that bad things
are going to happen. People will get sick, things will break or be stolen, feelings will be hurt
by those we call our friends, and relationships are going to go through tough times and
may even lead to a break-up. It may be hard to see these as times to give thanks. But they
are. And here’s why …
            Notice that bold, underlined before the word all? What is it? It’s the word in. We are
told to give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. The evil, the bad things of
life do not come from God. Those are a result of sin being in the world. This is why we are
not thankful for all circumstances. We are thankful in all circumstances because no matter
what we are facing in life … God is still in control and God’s presence is still with you. This
means that His love, His mercy, His grace, His compassion, and all the other wonderful
things God is and does are still with you. They are with you because you are His dearly
loved child. And to prove that, God sent Jesus, His only Son, so that anyone who believes in
Him may have eternal life.
            So, in this month of reflection on what it is we are thankful for … the thing I’m most
thankful for is this … the precious blood shed by Jesus and His victorious resurrection! For it
is through this that you are claimed as one of His dear children. I’m thankful that God
continues to go with you wherever it is that you go. It is my constant prayer that no matter
what you experience in your life, that you remember that He is there with you and that can
you lean on Him all the time. From Mrs. Preacher and I to you and yours, may you have a
blessed, happy, and thankful Thanksgiving!
Pastor Tim

I like to write about spirituality, and I like to share what encouragement I find in
scripture with others. But Church newsletters have always been hard for me.
Invariably the end of the month comes, and I know I must produce an article for
you all, but I sometimes don’t know what to write about, and I wonder who reads
these and if it is really worthwhile. I sometimes ask others what they’d like to read
if they were in the mood to read a church newsletter. Sometimes, they tell me they
are never in the mood. Ouch! Sometimes they aren’t in the mood for a sermon
either. But they get it anyway.

Isaiah 55:11 says that God’s word doesn’t return void, but “it shall accomplish that
which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” I believe that the
extent that I speak the words God gives me, that they mean something, but it
doesn’t make the task of sitting down to write a newsletter article easy. So, usually
I end up sitting back and asking myself, what is it that Homestead Methodist
Church needs to hear right now? And I wait.

God is with us as a congregation, and we that God cares for us. I know church, and
our church along with many others, is facing challenges right now. Whether we like
to admit it or not, we are an aging congregation, and post Covid-19, some of the
folks that regularly warmed the pew next to you are not in worship anymore. This is
not unusual, a year of not going to church regularly and other times of restriction
broke the worship habit many people had. All you need to do to affirm this is look
around you while sitting in your pew. Those of us who remain after the covid years
are increasingly called upon to keep the ship sailing.

As your pastor, I am keenly aware of the challenges of keeping things running.
When there is a lull in congregational giving, I feel it. In this post pandemic world, I
don’t take it personally. The fact that giving is down is more to do with sheer
numbers and expenses. But here is the thing, I don’t think that God is done with us
yet.

I am grateful for the way that Homestead Methodist Church inhabits our
community. It is so surprising each month to see the sheer numbers of people in
our community and surrounding communities who are served by our Homestead
Community Food Pantry. In a post-covid world, I am excited to see all the ways that
HMC meets our neighbors with the love of Jesus. I am extremely grateful for those
of you who sacrificially give so that the ministries of this church can continue to
fund that.

The question that stays with me as a pastor is this: What kind of differences does
our church make for the community at large? I believe that God still has a plan for
us and that our church can make a real impact in the life of our community. Do you
believe this? We have reached a new season in the life of the church at large, that
requires imagination, discernment and awareness as we seek to meet the needs of
our church AND community. And I FIRMLY believe that God is with us as we step
out in faith!

As you know, we’ve been studying from ”The Greatest Chapter in the Bible”, Romans 8, the past several weeks. As I’ve pondered each week over the past week’s sermon and looked forward to the next week’s sermon, it got me to thinking that I should share just a few Bible verses, that have been meaningful to me, during my personal studies for this September newsletter.

The coming of Autumn (this year, the actual date is Monday, September 22^nd), for me, always seems to bring a time of reflection on the past summer and even the entire year.  So, here goes.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any^]trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.-2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NKJV)

This verse assures me that whatever hard things I’m facing, God will use it. Sometimes this happens even as I’m still in the difficult season. To know that the God of the universe is redeeming my situation and working through me to help others is very encouraging.

The next verse is a wonderful reminder to us all of God’s power in our lives. For with God nothing will be impossible.”. -Luke 1:37

The angel Gabriel spoke this message to Mary as he delivered the news, she would carry Jesus in her womb. What reassurance to have as we move forward in faith with fear nipping at our heels!

Lastly, for this month, here are some verses from Romans 8 beginning at verse 26—a great reminder of the power of God’s love.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. As we entire the season of Autumn 2025, may we be more and more aware of God’s grace, power, and peace through Jesus Christ.

It has been a busy summer around Homestead and Dorton, hasn’t it? But, as we grow older, aren’t we thankful that God gives us the strength and ability to stay busy as we serve Him together? By the time you receive this August newsletter, it will be time for school to start. Teachers, students, and school employees will be busy getting ready for the big day.  So, now that we are almost ready for school to start back, let’s look back at a few of the ways we have served him this summer.

Did you know that our Homestead ladies have been meeting to make crafts for our upcoming sale? This will occur during the famous 127 Yard Sale. Many of you have already purchased crafts for use in your homes. Talk to Jackie if you’d like to check out what they’ve been making.

We’ve also been getting really serious about Operation Christmas Child. You may be thinking Christmas is a long way off. Yes, it is. But the time to pack these gift boxes will be here before you know it.

We have several new attenders who may not know much about this great cause. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse which is an international relief organization.  For this project Samaritan’s Purse partners with churches and other local organizations that work with children in areas of the world impacted by poverty, war, famine, natural disaster, or disease.  These organizations can then use these shoeboxes as a way to reach out to these communities with the good news of Jesus as they use the shoeboxes to bless the children who receive them.  All told, Samaritan’s Purse has partners in 170 different countries that they work with!

While, by this time, you have missed the state sales tax holiday, and maybe even some of the back-to-school sales, it is never too late to help out with this project. Shoeboxes are packed based on age category. We are doing ages 5-9 and are packed for either a boy or a girl.   There is a lot that can go into a shoebox.  Some possible items include: Clothing items such as socks, sunglasses, personal care items that are non-perishable such as a brush, washcloths, fun band-aids, and toothbrushes (but not toothpaste); School supplies and craft items such as coloring pencils, crayons, scissors, pencil cases, stickers, and glue sticks.  Of course, since these go to children, small toys are also good options, such as dolls, musical instruments, stuffed animals, and other small toys or figures are all popular options.

The Naomi group, our new widows and widowers group, have begun feeling their way through the beginning of meeting as another ministry of our church.  If you would like to be a part of that group, or help in some way, please see Margaret Hamby or Martha Hale.

Finally, have you noticed the parking lot being full of cars on Thursday evenings. That is the new AA group (Alcoholics Anonymous) that has just been formed.  This group came from another church whose group had grown too large and needed to be split.  We are so proud and thankful that God allows us to make our building available for this vital ministry.

Dorton has been busy, too. Beginning with the First Sunday in June meal at Pastor Tim and Mrs. Preachers, and continuing through the after-school cookout, singings, and fellowships, our wonderful Dorton partners have worked hard this summer to make it a sweet time to serve the Lord.

In closing, please let me remind you that your faithful attendance and giving is what keeps our churches sustained. We are reminded “not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but rather exhorting one another.” That comes from Hebrews 10. The writer is urging us to encourage one another. And one of the great ways to do that is to maintain regular church attendance. Realizing that there are times of sickness, difficulties, and activities for which we cannot miss, we really should put forth the effort to make sure we are in attendance at our church, thereby encouraging one another.

So, you see, it has not been a lazy summer around Homestead and Dorton! I am excited to see what Autumn 2025 holds in store for our two churches. But, most of all, I pray that God’s Spirit continues to influence our every move.

The United States of America, this month, celebrates another birthday. She is 249 years old! You know what that means. Next year, 2026, we will celebrate 250 years. Now, we know what a 100 year anniversary is called. It is a centennial. Cumberland County itself celebrated one of those in 1956. Anyone here that was around back then? I think we have a few native Cumberland Countians who would have been alive then. Charles and Ella? Gordon? John? That year, 1956, was even before my time. But I’ve seen pictures of the great celebration that took place on Main Street that year here in the county. Some of you may have participated in those festivities.

However, I do remember the year 1976 when America celebrated it’s 200^th birthday, known as the Bi-Centennial. I’m sure more of you remember that special time. I remember the great celebration that took place on Main Street to celebrate America’s birthday.

But that brings us to this time next year, July 4, 2026. Know what that anniversary is called? How about Semi quincentennial? Yes, that’s really what a 250^th anniversary is called.

All of this reminds me that we really ought to be praying for our country. With all the uncertainly in this world, it reminds us that prayer and God’s presence in our lives is one of the few steadfasts we have. We’ve been hearing about such manmade catastrophes as nuclear blasts for nearly 80 years. And here it is 2025, and we still haven’t solved this problem. Without trying to be too negative, it behooves us to always be prayed up and ready. No matter what comes our way.

Who knows whether any of us will see the Semi-quincentennial on July 4, 2026! Our lives are precarious, according to James the brother of Jesus in his epistle. He goes as far as to say our lives are “even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”  Some might say that’s a morbid thought. But it’s only morbid if we’re not ready to meet the Lord. We’ve lost several of our church members and church friends in the last year or so. We never know “when our number is up” as the old saying goes.

What’s more, Jesus may come before July 4, 2026! If He does, then we’ll all go flying up through the air to meet Him. Won’t that be glorious! In the meantime, we can pray and be about our Father’s business. If we are around to celebrate the Semi-quincentennial, great! If not, we’ll celebrate in Heaven. Either way, SEE YOU THERE!

June is the month summer begins. These dreary rainy days we’ve been experiencing sure give us cause to long for the warmth and sunshine of summer. The wet, wet, wet May we experienced hopefully gives way to the sunshine of the month of June.

But I’ve been thinking about Christmas! What, you say? Christmas? Yes, the traditional Christmas carol “O, Come All Ye Faithful” has been on my mind of late. I have no idea why exactly. Maybe instead, I should have such songs as “In the Good Old Summertime” or “Summer in the City” on my mind. But instead, it’s “O, Come All Ye Faithful.” I think our good friend Kyle would agree with me that there is absolutely nothing wrong with thinking of, even singing, Christmas songs year-round.

Have you ever really thought about and listened to the words of “O, Come All Ye Faithful”? In particular, have you listened to the words of the second and third verses? Are those words describing us as we enter the sanctuary for worship service?

Obviously, we’re not angels, but we do sing together as a “choir” even though we’re not all gathered together in a choir setting. The second verse says “Sing, choirs of angels…sing in exaltation.” Do we sing when we gather to worship with “exaltation”? Do we really feel it down in our soul and spirit? “Glory to God…All glory in the highest!”  Or do the words just come out kind of draggy and forced? Just a Sunday or two back, one of new attendees remarked as she was going out the door, “I sure do love the singing at Homestead!” That’s what I’m talking about. Let’s sing with exuberance! Le’s enjoy the worship through singing as much as our Lord enjoys hearing it.

Also, we should come to church on Sunday morning ready to worship! One of the most important ways we worship is with our singing. The Psalmist frequently used singing as a means of praising God and expressing joy in his presence. Singing is presented as a joyful expression of worship, a way to declare God’s glory, and a form of thanksgiving. Psalm 96:1 encourages singing to the Lord, while Psalm 100:1 calls for making a joyful noise to the Lord. The Psalms also mention singing as a response to God’s actions, such as in Psalm 40:3 where a new song is given after deliverance. 

What about verse three? “Yea Lord, we greet thee.”  Every day, including worship days, should begin by greeting our wonderful Savior. And to this wonderful savior, we say “to thee, be all glory given.”

O, Come let us adore Him! Yes, Lord, we adore thee! We adore thee in winter, at Christmas time. We adore thee in summer! We adore thee 365 days a year!

Revelation 4:11 says “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

Our God is worthy of our adoration all the time!

Jackie Gleason, the famous comic of the 1960s and 1970s, used to begin his Saturday evening television program with the phrase, “And away we go!”  It reminds me of the hecticness (is there such a word?) of our lives.  Busy, busy, busy! There seems to be no easing down through life anymore. It’s always go, go, go!  I talk to so many folks as pastor whose complaint is, “I don’t have time for anything these days!”  And I whole-heartedly agree. It seems to be the same at the parsonage.

I remember when I was just a lad, and I thought that time surely did pass slowly. My next older brother Nelson, who passed away four years ago this past February, was over seven years older than me.  I can distinctly remember when he was getting ready to graduate eighth grade at Bondecroft Elementary School. Back then, they made a big “to-do” about the eighth grade graduation. Graduates were expected to really “dress up” in the best suits, ties, dresses and formal wear for the graduation ceremony itself. So that has always been a fond remembrance for me, as by the time I got a little older, the powers-that-be had moved the seventh and eighth grades to town to the new middle school. So, our ”graduation”, if you could even call it that, was from the sixth grade. We didn’t even have a graduation ceremony, much less a big “to-do”.

Anyway, getting back to the story, I remember when Nelson was graduating from the eighth grade. I was just coming out of the first grade. And, yes, I do remember that, even though it has been many years ago. I remember thinking, “I’ll never get to eighth grade graduation. Of course, at that time, I never even thought about there not even being a graduation. It seemed so far away…so many years away. And then, next thing I knew, he was graduating from high school in the Class of 1970.  I was coming out of fifth grade by then. And again, I’m thinking, “high school graduation is so far away”.  Out of the six brothers, I was now the only one still in school. And I’d be there another seven years. Of course, little did I know, that six more years of college and grad school lay out there in the future, too.

Fast forward to today!  Wow, time sure doesn’t poke along now, does it?  It seems like only yesterday I was still in school, still at home with Mom and Dad, and still enjoying the innocence of youth. I look in the mirror, and sometimes I’m shocked! Who is that old guy? Where did the time go?  How has time flown by so quickly?

The Bible advises us to use our time wisely because God knows that there are many things in life that can distract us from what truly matters. We shouldn’t waste our time so that we look back with regret – we don’t know what tomorrow holds, but as the old beloved hymn says, “I know who holds tomorrow!” The psalmist wrote in Psalm 31:15, “My times are in Your hands”.  Our best course of action moving forward, be it moving fast or moving slow, is to remember that God’s got everything under control.  And He definitely holds tomorrow.