But I Don’t Know How to Pray!
Variations on this that I often hear include, “Please don’t ask me to pray,” “I’m not good at prayer,” and “I don’t like to pray in front of people." However, when I ask, “Do you like to talk?” “Do you like to listen to people?” or “Do you talk to people in front of others?” the answer is usually, “Well, yes.” Now, I have them thinking because these are the very elements of prayer—both with God and with others. We listen, we talk, and we talk in the presence of others. Prayer is simply doing this with the person who loves you most, wants to listen to you most, loves you unconditionally, and desires to have an ever-closer relationship with you. That person is God—God the Father, God the Son (Christ), or God the Holy Spirit. Take your pick, as any of them will do, since all three "persons" are the same God.
“But pastor, I don’t know how to pray well.” Good news: prayer is not graded! Better news: there are many ways to pray, each of which can be used depending on personality, disposition, season, or mood. I’ve mentioned several in my sermons during this series: contemplative prayer (which focuses on listening), breath prayer (which focuses on the rhythm and closeness of God), Lectio Divina (“divine reading,” which focuses on receiving a word from God), prayer journaling (which helps us articulate words that are hard to say), sung prayer (for the musically inclined), and more.
I’m delighted that my friend and layperson Jeff Bouis will be preaching this Sunday. You can’t help but like Jeff. An engineer and lifelong learner, Jeff is a keen student of prayer and a member of the Order of St. Luke—an organization with small groups that focus on prayer. He is a member of Grace Avenue UMC in Frisco and will be our guest this Sunday. He will also be in our Chapel during the Sunday School hour to talk more about prayer techniques.
So, if you’ve ever said, “But I don’t know how to pray,” you may find both Jeff’s preaching and teaching to be inspiring and helpful. I hope you will join us—God will be there!
Breathe peace; laugh often,
Matt
You Gave What??
Don was a member of a church that Cammy and I planted. He was nearly retired from his corporate career, and seemingly always around the church, available to help out. Don came to us out of the Quaker tradition where prayer and service to others was simply a part of life. Don ushered, was a teacher in his and Bobbie’s Sunday School class, helped with the annual Tent Garage Sale for Mission, and directed our twice-a-year blood drive. A quiet man with a gentle smile, Don alerted me he would be unable to attend a blood drive he had organized for church. The American Red Cross had invited him to attend a gala in Houston, for what he was unsure. All he knew was he and Bobbie were being flown down and put up at a 5-star hotel for the occasion.
When he returned, Don had his usual quiet and wry smile and a twinkle in his eye. He had something to share.
“Well,” I said, “what was the secret?”
Don said, “At their annual black-tie dinner event, the American Red Cross awarded me a large piece of crystal with my name on it for having passed the 50-gallon mark in blood donations.” I was slack-jawed. “You gave WHAT??”
I was furiously doing the math in my head. Fifty gallons over about a 50-year span of donating is a gallon a year. There are eight pints in a gallon. Don was donating eight units of blood every year. With a job, wife, kids, church, vacations, sickness, Don was donating eight units of blood every year for 50 years. And I was feeling pretty good about my twice a year church donation!
Turns out that only 3% of the American population gives blood. Don reminds me we can do better for those who have no options beyond our donations to sustain their lives. So we have a blood drive this Sunday with openings available around our time receiving the blood of Christ at the prayer rail. Thank you, Don for reminding us of the essential nature of both for our lives and those we serve.
Connecting God and Grace to Self and Community,
One Spirit, One Voice, One Prayer
In 1937-38, the leaders of more than 100 churches from 120 countries voted to create the World Council of Churches (WCC). That body includes Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Reformed, Orthodox, and United Methodist churches to name only a few. Together, the WCC has worked to forge common voice, prayer and work world-wide, united by our convictions around the triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and specifically the saving grace of God for all the world through the one Christ.
Like any large family, there are squabbles and disagreements but in the end we remain committed as family to this holy proposition: that in Christ, we are stronger together in our witness. Member WCC churches are called to:
the goal of visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship;
promote their common witness in work for mission and evangelism;
engage in Christian service by serving human need, breaking down barriers between people, seeking justice and peace, and upholding the integrity of creation;
foster renewal in unity, worship, mission, and service.
This is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. I am reminded of its importance in a world and a world faith that is so fractured and pained; our witness is diminished to a skeptical but hungry world. Therefore, in this month of prayer emphasis in our worship at FUMC Plano, I share with you the World Council of Churches (WCC) prayer for Day 6 of this designated week:
God of heaven and earth, your Son Jesus Christ has revealed you as our Father and promised us the gift of the Holy Spirit: grant to your Church to overcome the scandal of our divisions, so that we may bear witness to your life of communion, in the unity of our profession of faith and in the love of mutual service. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN
See YOU in prayer and worship this Sunday,
Matt Gaston, Lead Pastor
God Moves in Mysterious Ways!
We say this a lot, but the ways God has been moving at FUMC Plano really have been mysterious.
Sunday I reported that thanks to the generosity of many in the last two months of 2024, we had closed a $164,000 deficit gap to $13,000 by the end of the year – a huge victory for a $1.9 million budget that projected in February a $125,000 deficit. But then over last weekend, we received a letter postmarked Dec. 28, 2024, from a resident in Plano. It had arrived 15 days late. It was a check for $10,000. That one gift of grace enabled us to end with just over a $3,000 deficit against a $1.9 million dollar budget. This clears the way for our Finance, SPRC, and Church Council teams to forge a 2025 Budget without the burden of a carryover deficit.
To be sure, the headwinds remain before us and all churches: the costs of utilities, supplies, cleaning, staffing, repairs and insurance – even at same levels of use, do not go down. But what also is before us are new families and individuals who are coming for the first time and finding the comfort and love of God here – in you. God will provide.
I am not sure what had me more excited Monday – that surprise news from our Finance Manager, Lori Kimbrell, or the fact that during our First Impressions Gathering, 38 out of 39 persons returned a survey said that we are going in the right direction with our spring capital campaign and that they were excited to pay off our mortgage, fully fund our endowment to make it a revenue generator, and attend to capital upgrades needed in our 22-year-old church home. That is a remarkable level of alignment among diverse people in a church around any issue, especially one regarding money. Yet here we are – a two-week late check that nearly balances a $1.9 million dollar budget and near unanimity in a major initiative that will positively affect our church and its outreach to people for decades.
God is indeed mysterious; thanks be to God … and to you!
Character Counts
“What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
Watching the snow fall this morning in a beautiful call for more hot chocolate, I am reminded of irony and truth.
We call it a "blanket of snow" when that blanket is anything but warm. In a similar way, we teach our children growing up that character counts but then act as though that is secondary to action to, "getting things done." Jesus and all of holy scripture is consistent in its witness that character and action cannot be separated and still be faithful. Yet there are millions of Christians who justify this double standard to attain an agenda, as though you can separate bad character from good and faithful action.
I am reminded of this truth because as the snow falls, I am also listening to the testimonies about President Jimmy Carter at his national funeral. Regardless of political opinion, most everyone agrees that President Carter was one of the most consistent in character and faithful action on behalf of others of any president we have had. A devout Christian and veteran, Carter taught Bible studies his whole life, was a faithful husband and father, empowered and elevated women and persons of color, strove to eradicate disease in developing world countries, brokered a peace agreement between Israel and the Arab world, and worked for bettering our environment before "climate change" was in our lexicon.
Years later, a group of pastors and I worked alongside President and Rosilyn Carter in building affordable Habitat for Humanity homes in south Dallas for persons who would otherwise not have access to home ownership and equity. Up close, President Carter's character and faithful action on behalf of others were aligned, consistent and on full display. There was no irony. In today's world, I am grateful for the witness of one who lived as our mothers and fathers and teachers taught us: character counts.
Connecting God and Grace to Self and Community,
Prayer: it Begins with a Search
Misplace your keys. Looking for your cell phone. Where's your wallet?
In each of these cases, a search begins – sometimes a frantic one. Sometimes it takes losing something, even for just a brief period of time, to realize how vital that thing is to us, igniting urgency to find it again.
What is true for material things is also true for immaterial things like peace of mind and inner joy. Even with all of the fun and festivities of the holiday season, we can find ourselves running on empty by the time the new year arrives – just when we don't need it. That can be a physical, emotional, and/or spiritual depletion. So, on Sunday, we are beginning a two-month series on prayer. We have focused much on the outward workings of our spirituality the last several months; now we will focus on the interior workings of our spirituality.
This Epiphany Sunday, marking the arrival of the Magi at the manger, I will talk about their search to find something that is missing in their lives. At the same time, our Sunday School classes all have the opportunity to begin a thoughtful readings and discussions about prayer and its varied forms; included is the opportunity to experiment and "try on" new forms of prayer that we believe will be life-giving as we begin the new year. Consider it a new year's spiritual resolution to help ground us as a congregation for the rest of the year.
But it begins with a search – a search for something we know we need to live our lives well. We will do so together at the communion table, open to all, and then see what God has in mind for us in 2025. I think you and the people in our mission field will be blessed by our collective search. Happy New Year!
Connecting God and Grace to Self and Community in 2025,
What Child, What Youth is This?
“Those Sixth Grade Boys,” now seniors in high school: Zach Hopson, Noah Ryu, Griffin Spears, Henry Pittman, and Erek Smith. Their performance in the Christmas Pops Concert can be seen here!
In a completely unscientific poll, I will say that last Sunday’s Christmas Pops concert was possibly the most moving and memorable we have had in some years, and that is saying a lot. Comments abound around the deep appreciation people have for what they felt in the witness of our choir and orchestra Sunday night. A dear unchurched friend said he shed tears as he was moved by the beauty of the evening’s music.
Among the comments heard admiring, “And what about those YOUTH?!”
“I was so proud of our college-age alumni jumping in with the Children’s Choir to sing.”
“So proud of ‘those 6th grade boys’ – now young men – singing like a barbershop quartet +1”
“So proud of our several students boldly singing their faith in solos and in duets.”
What youth is this, indeed?!
What made their witness felt so deeply was that their singing came from a place of deep faith in Christ. As Robin said about them all, “They are just good people.” They know who it is they are singing about; they know, “what child is this who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet.”
These are students who welcome all, encourage all, laugh with all, work with all, pray for all. They and their witness are the fruit of our raising them within the loving context of this church; of “teaching them the contents of the Old and New Testaments,” supporting them to “resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves” and always extending them grace and support – much of it financial. They have learned well and returned to us all Sunday night a small portion of our loving investment in them. They witnessed boldly from their hearts that, “This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing; haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.”
What child is This? What youth is this? Come this Sunday and on Christmas Eve and see and hear for yourself!
Connecting God and Grace to Self and Community,
Homecoming
“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up ... And went to the synagogue ...”
It is especially important for us all to get away as part of our regular self-care. It does not have to be far; it does not have to be expensive; it does not have to be for an extended period of time. But it works best to get away from our daily routine.
Time away affords us a change of perspective with fresh input and hopefully some rest. Time aways affords us the opportunity to see our lives and life patterns from a unique perspective. With that perspective, we are more empowered to see things differently and make better choices once we are back home. We are better equipped to reground ourselves in new patterns than we were before we left.
In Luke's gospel, Jesus gets away from Nazareth for a break – to find himself. He goes away and is baptized by his cousin John and then takes a trek through a wilderness area for a long time. There he assesses for himself what and who are most important to him. In Luke 4 he comes home – regrounded and clear-eyed about who he is and what he is about: "The Spirit of the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, liberty to the captives, sight to the blind, and liberty to those oppressed." In getting away, Jesus comes home and finds his purpose in life.
Now, most vacations don't have that profound an outcome, but they do give us the opportunity to reset. Advent is a perfect time for that reflection within us. The new Christian year has begun (Dec. 1 officially this year), Christ is coming, and a Spirit-filled future is ahead of us.
What will coming home look like for you? What are you leaving behind from the past year? What are you planning to be and what are you planning to do in this new year? Where and who will you serve? What is the positive difference you want to make for the "kin-dom" of all people?
I know after our bucket-list Thanksgiving vacation, we will be staying close to home in 2025 – close to our house and close to our church family because we know these are the places from which we can make the biggest differences Christ wants us to make.
I look forward to seeing you in "the synagogue" to discover the same this season and in 2025.
Welcome home!
Renewing our Baptism: Renewing our Faith, Renewing our Passion
“John went ... calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins.”
Advent marks the beginning of the new Christian year. Last week, Rebecca preached from Luke 21 where Jesus says, "Take care that your hearts aren't dulled by drinking parties, drunkenness and the anxieties of day-to-day life" (Luke 21:34). 2024 has been a year and like you, I am ready to turn a page. So, in a twist from our rhythm and the liturgical calendar, we will hold a renewal of baptism this Sunday, Dec. 8 at both services.
The timing is perfect. I will be preaching on the text above (Luke 3:3) where John comes with a passion to find and baptize people who have a passion to turn away from their sin and instead walk with God. For those baptized by John, it was a new beginning of their lives – lives intended by God to be lived anew with Christ. Renewing our baptism with Christ gives us opportunity to give to God the sin that has clung too tightly this past year and receive again the faithful joy – the faithful passion – of our salvation, JUST in time for this blessed Christmas season.
During this Sunday’s service, you will have opportunity to touch the waters of baptism, touch your forehead or palm, and then clasp your hands in prayer at the kneeling rail. Stay as long as you want to find the forgiveness you need and that God is ready to grant. Your pastors will be available to you for prayer then or after the service, whichever is helpful to you. This Sunday receive from God the passion – the joy of your salvation again – just as those disciples did by way of John the Baptist in the Jordan River.
There is a lot of preparation we all do for Christmas, but I can think of none more important than being on our knees this Sunday in worship. I hope you will make every effort to attend; it will be memorable.
Grace and much peace,
Conferencing
It is often news to people when they hear that the basic unit of the United Methodist Church is not the local church but the conference. From our origins with John Wesley, we have always believed and structured ourselves to support the notion that we are stronger together as the body of Christ when we are yoked in covenant with other churches and denominations. Wesley was always seeking those alliances and common ground.
On September 28, our North Texas Conference unified with the Central Texas Conference and the Northwest Texas Conference to be become the Horizon Texas Conference – a covenant of over 400 UM churches spanning from east Texas to Amarillo to Waco and Round Rock. Last Sunday, ten of those from our area met at FUMC McKinney for our annual Charge Conference where we worshipped together, shared communion together, and voted together on the work we are doing in our individual churches. Our own Tim Hopson, who is our District Lay Leader, assisted. We voted in a new slate of leadership for each of our churches. We voted to approve 2025 Budgets for several churches (we will do ours in February). We voted to affirm all those who had been baptized and joined our churches and recognized those who had died or been removed from our rolls. All of this occurred under the auspice of our Metro North District Superintendent, Rev. Debra Hobbs Mason, whose District Office is in our building. She in turn represents Bishop Reuben Saenz, Jr., who oversees our Horizon Texas Conference and pastors it for health and growth, just as I do at the local church level. Our collective efforts in our local churches translates to the success of our conference in making disciples for Jesus.
I struck up a conversation with a layperson – Sung Lang – from Fairview Korean UMC on Hwy 5 north of Allen. Cammy and I attended that church a year ago for the memorial of that that church's pastor Kwang-Bae Park. He was a colleague with whom I served for five years on the Board of Ordained Ministry, vetting candidates to become pastors. Kwang-Bae was a husband, father, honorable, generous, faithful … and someone I would never have known without our conferencing – without our connection. Our children and youth know of this experience when they talk about their "camp friends" from Bridgeport. Our conferencing as United Methodists makes this all possible.
I am ever so thankful for FUMC Plano, my local church. But in this season I am also thankful for our United Methodist Church and the conferencing that makes our world bigger, richer, and more effective for Christ's work on earth; thanks be to God