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Rev. Missy Turbeville *From the November 2025 FUMC of Bartow Newsletter
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. -Psalm 100: 2
Fall is such a busy time in the church. We resume ongoing ministries after our summer break, create and file reports for Charge Conference (soooo many reports!), and make plans for worship, nurture, and outreach as the holidays approach. It can be easy to become bound up in all our responsibilities and fail to recognize and rejoice in the abundant reality that is our life in Christ together.
We have so much to be thankful for! We have been fearfully and wonderfully made by the creator of the universe! No matter what, God continues to love us and seek relationship with us. God doesn’t leave us floundering to find our own way, but has shown us what is good, walked with us in Christ, and continues to be at work in our lives through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus recognized the difficulty of telling his disciples to be perfect as their heavenly father is perfect and did not abandon them (or us!) to try to figure this out all on our own. As promised, the Holy Spirit gifts us so that we can grow closer to God and help others to have opportunities to grow closer to God! We are given tools to help us fall more and more in love with God. These Means of Grace (spiritual disciplines) include worship, Bible study, prayer, tithing, fasting, and acts of mercy. While many Means of Grace can be done on their own, we are meant to also practice them together. What a joy it is that in our church we have so many opportunities to worship, study the Bible, be in prayer, discover the importance of tithing and fasting, and practice acts of mercy through helping others and sharing our resources!
Despite all that we offer, we can sometimes get caught up in what we notice others doing that we are not doing. This steals our joy and distorts the wonderful reality of the opportunities that we have helped create for our ourselves and others as we respond to the Holy Spirit in our church, community, and beyond!
This November, as we approach Thanksgiving (and soon after will experience Advent), let us celebrate!
November 2, let us celebrate communion and those saints in our lives who have helped us stay in love with God through their support and example. We will hear about the woman at the well and connect her willingness to go back to her village to share the good news of the Messiah to those who have shared that good news with us! Later that evening we will sing hymns together with our siblings in Christ!
November 9, let us thank God for the support and steadfast love that empowers us to serve others. On that Sunday before Veterans Day, we will look at the Parable of the Last Great Judgment and lift up the opportunities we have to serve others before we head to the Bartow Airport and hear about the veterans who served our country, including some who would not only serve on earth, but also in space!
November 16, let us praise God as we read Daniel 6 to better understand how spiritual disciplines, including fasting, tithing, and prayer strengthen us for the living of these days.
November 23, let us rejoice as we hear again the story of the ten lepers and are challenged to practice gratitude even when we are busy. Then we will gather for a huge Thanksgiving covered dish luncheon, celebrate all that we have to be thankful for, and take leftovers to share with friends and neighbors. And on Thanksgiving Eve let us join in prayers of thanksgiving with our siblings in Christ at Asbury UMC.
Finally on November 30, let us worship God, decorate for Advent, light the candle of Hope, and remember the impossible love of our God who is always with us.
This November, let us celebrate that we live in a reality of divine gifts, opportunities, and tools as resurrected people who are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us! Let us joyfully share from the abundance that is our life together in Christ!
With love in Christ,
Pastor Missy
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. -Psalm 100: 2
Fall is such a busy time in the church. We resume ongoing ministries after our summer break, create and file reports for Charge Conference (soooo many reports!), and make plans for worship, nurture, and outreach as the holidays approach. It can be easy to become bound up in all our responsibilities and fail to recognize and rejoice in the abundant reality that is our life in Christ together.
We have so much to be thankful for! We have been fearfully and wonderfully made by the creator of the universe! No matter what, God continues to love us and seek relationship with us. God doesn’t leave us floundering to find our own way, but has shown us what is good, walked with us in Christ, and continues to be at work in our lives through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus recognized the difficulty of telling his disciples to be perfect as their heavenly father is perfect and did not abandon them (or us!) to try to figure this out all on our own. As promised, the Holy Spirit gifts us so that we can grow closer to God and help others to have opportunities to grow closer to God! We are given tools to help us fall more and more in love with God. These Means of Grace (spiritual disciplines) include worship, Bible study, prayer, tithing, fasting, and acts of mercy. While many Means of Grace can be done on their own, we are meant to also practice them together. What a joy it is that in our church we have so many opportunities to worship, study the Bible, be in prayer, discover the importance of tithing and fasting, and practice acts of mercy through helping others and sharing our resources!
Despite all that we offer, we can sometimes get caught up in what we notice others doing that we are not doing. This steals our joy and distorts the wonderful reality of the opportunities that we have helped create for our ourselves and others as we respond to the Holy Spirit in our church, community, and beyond!
This November, as we approach Thanksgiving (and soon after will experience Advent), let us celebrate!
November 2, let us celebrate communion and those saints in our lives who have helped us stay in love with God through their support and example. We will hear about the woman at the well and connect her willingness to go back to her village to share the good news of the Messiah to those who have shared that good news with us! Later that evening we will sing hymns together with our siblings in Christ!
November 9, let us thank God for the support and steadfast love that empowers us to serve others. On that Sunday before Veterans Day, we will look at the Parable of the Last Great Judgment and lift up the opportunities we have to serve others before we head to the Bartow Airport and hear about the veterans who served our country, including some who would not only serve on earth, but also in space!
November 16, let us praise God as we read Daniel 6 to better understand how spiritual disciplines, including fasting, tithing, and prayer strengthen us for the living of these days.
November 23, let us rejoice as we hear again the story of the ten lepers and are challenged to practice gratitude even when we are busy. Then we will gather for a huge Thanksgiving covered dish luncheon, celebrate all that we have to be thankful for, and take leftovers to share with friends and neighbors. And on Thanksgiving Eve let us join in prayers of thanksgiving with our siblings in Christ at Asbury UMC.
Finally on November 30, let us worship God, decorate for Advent, light the candle of Hope, and remember the impossible love of our God who is always with us.
This November, let us celebrate that we live in a reality of divine gifts, opportunities, and tools as resurrected people who are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us! Let us joyfully share from the abundance that is our life together in Christ!
With love in Christ,
Pastor Missy
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Worship on Sundays at 10:30AM both at the sanctuary and streamed online on our Facebook page.
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