There’s a story about Jesus clearing out the temple. In John’s gospel Jesus does this at the beginning of his ministry while in Luke’s gospel Jesus does it at the end of his ministry. Perhaps this was something Jesus did every year on his annual trip to Jerusalem in the week leading up to the Passover Feast. Which was it? I’m not sure it really matters. What matters is that it happened. 

Many people read this story and think it has something to do with money changers or exchangers and vendors setup in the temple selling stuff while people came to worship. Yet, that wasn’t the full issue. The problem was the way the religious leaders setup the process to enter the temple. They had actually created an admission process in order for people to worship. 

The priests, legal experts (aka scribes or lawyers), and religious leaders known as Pharisees all worked together to moderate the temple. They helped ensure the sanctity of what happened in the courtyard and within the temple walls.  Part of this process included using the proper currency. For example, coins with the emperors face on them were forbidden They were considered idolatrous. So, money exchangers traded Roman currency for Jewish currency. Of course, they had an exchange fee. Moreover, the religious leaders had to approve your sacrifice. This had been turned into a racket. No one’s initial sacrifice was approved. However, they had a pre-approved sacrifice they were ready to sell you. They were essentially robbing people. This made Jesus angry.

While these practices were inconvenient for some or mildly infuriating for others, the real issues lied in the event if you didn’t play along, you were not allowed into the temple. In other words, you couldn’t offer sacrifices. You couldn’t receive absolution for sin. You couldn’t receive the blessing of the priests. You couldn’t properly worship God with the community. This made Jesus angry. 

These practices were unquestionably taught to the people. They became part of their own specific doctrine. As a result, the people who were outcasts, outsiders, and outlaws, the lowly, poor, or even with broken relationships could never find reconciliation. They could never find grace. They could never find peace without undue burden. In short, the blessings of God’s love were withheld from them by the religious. This made Jesus angry.

So, Jesus turned the tables. He chased the vendors, exchangers, and religious leaders out of the temple while proclaiming “My house will be a house of prayer!” (Luke 19:46) The temple, or place of worship, was not to be limited access for those truly seeking God. Jesus’ enthusiasm for people being able to worship reminded the disciples of the psalmist’s writing, “passion for your house has consumed me.” (Psalm 69:9) Jesus took their exploitation and prohibition of people personally. 

Every year, when the Lenten season approaches, I reread this story and am reminded of what it means. I ask myself, how am I keeping people out? How am I keeping people out of worship, preventing them from praying, or alienating them from God’s presence?

Examine me oh God, as the Psalmist wrote, “Examine me, Lord; put me to the test! Purify my mind and my heart.” (Psalm 26:2)

This year, I’m also asking us all similar questions.
What do we need to do to clear the temples in our lives?
What things do we need to remove that inhibit people’s experience of God?
What do we need to remove from ourselves that prohibits people from coming to Jesus?

Maybe it’s the way we see our neighbor, or perhaps the way we don’t see them. 
Maybe it’s the way we expect someone to conform to our ideals before we will love them, welcome them, or even dare to be around them. 
Maybe it’s the things we’ve held onto without question that prevents us from serving God. 

Whatever it is, let’s clear the temple in our lives. May we gather together to experience God’s presence and God’s grace through prayer, worship, and service. Let this be the time to love God by serving in the church, helping those in need, offering our time to mentor the upcoming generation, and by giving generously. 

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Daniel 

Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. The forty days represent the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry. Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by new converts and then became a time of penance by all Christians. Today, Christians focus on relationship with God, growing as disciples and extending ourselves, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of ourselves for others. Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter" and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection. Pray about your own self-examination this Lent. Parents, talk to your kids about Lent and maybe give up something or add something as a family this Lenten season. It is important to experience this self-refection and the sorrow of Holy Week and the Passion of Jesus so that we can truly celebrate the joy of Easter and the Resurrection. Plan to attend the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services. They are both very powerful and help us to remember the days leading up to Easter.

In the Gospel of Luke, we find stories of Jesus’ ministry with “Outsiders, Outcasts and Outlaws.” As we explore Jesus’ life through Luke’s stories, we’ll meet the ordinary, even unexpected, people who Jesus chose to be his friends and do his work – people who aren’t perfect, may be struggling, and don’t yet have their acts together – people just like us. This Lent, we invite you to read along in the Gospel of Luke and to worship with us each weekend as we meet Jesus, who loves us whoever we are. You can download the reading plan (with dates) below.

During Spring Break on March 21st, Our 2023 confirmands, parents and mentors are all invited on a day trip to the Conference office in Little Rock to meet the new Bishop, Laura Merril and tour the conference offices and see 2 Methodist colleges.  The bus will leave the church at 7:30am and return at approximately 4:00pm.

Ozark Center of Hope is in need of jugs of any kind: laundry soap, milk, orange juice, almond milk, etc. Any kind of plastic bottle 1/2 Gallon or Gallon will work.  They are to use to dispense our bulk laundry soap.

On March 2nd we will begin a 5-week DVD study entitled “The Path to the Cross” by Ray Vander Laan.  This study was filmed onsite at many of the places of Jesus’ ministry and will cover some of the major events of his life leading up to and including the last supper.   This is part of the “That the World may Know” series which illuminates the historical, geographical, and cultural context of the Scriptures.  There is no study guide requirement for this course.  Just come, watch, discuss and enjoy!    

Thursday Morning Joy meets Thursday mornings at 9:30 AM in the Seeker’s Classroom, #213.  New members are always welcome -  just come, listen and try us out.  It’s a great way to spend a Thursday morning!  Call or text Sandra Bainbridge at 656-3950 for more information.

Easter Lilies will go on sale this month. Lilies can be purchased for $18 each.  You can order by filling out a form at the church office, filling out an online form using the button below or calling the church office Monday-Thursday 8:00-4:00.  Payment for lilies can be made by check to the church, online via the website at fumcmh.org/give or using the direct link provided after you have submited your order. Remember to type "Easter Lilies" in the notes/memo section. 

Join us for our Wednesdsay Night fellowship Meal at 5:30pm. Dinner begins at 5:30pm. There is no cost but donations are appreciated.

MARCH MENU

March 1: Breakfast for Dinner
March 8: Baked chicken with rice
March 15: Irish shepherds pie
March 22: NO DINNER Spring Break
March 29: Chicken Alfredo

Hello Families!

One of the easiest ways for your family to have a fruitful Lent is simply to take the time to plan what you want to do. It’s hard to do Lent with today's busy family life, but taking fifteen minutes to make a plan can make a big difference.

This can be as simple or involved as you like . . . the point is to be intentional, which is why you’re going to write it down. Here’s what to do:

Print out the "Our family plan for Lent" sheet. This is a simple table with spots for each family member to put his or her name and how he/she plans to pray, fast, and give this Lent. Use this sheet to write down your Lenten commitments. Remember that fast isn't just about not eating. This is a form of self denial, where we give up a bad habit or something maybe we over indulge in. You an also choose to add something beneficial, such as reading your bible, having a family game night or eating together as a family (if you don't already do that regularly) or maybe praying before each meal (if you don't already). Be creative. Set a plan and do your best to stick with your commitments during the 40 days of Lent.

On Palm Sunday, our children and youth will be singing and processing with palms at the start of both the 9:00 and the 11:00 service.  Then children will also sing after the processional at each service. 

After Lent comes the joy of Easter!  Be sure your family plans to attend our Rise Up With Jesus Easter Extravaganza family event which will be the day before Easter, Saturday, April 8th. And of course, plan to attend one of our Easter worship services on Easter Sunday.

Have a blessed month of March!

It takes a community to raise a child..... truer words have not been spoken than those, especially in this society today.

Our kids are increasingly exposed to more and more indecent content at a younger and younger age. With parents needing to work more and family units growing increasingly busy all the time, it has become even more important for a community to come together to raise up the next generation.

But what does this mean? Does it mean being more aware when others are around you? Does it mean recognizing others and being more recognizable to them? Does it mean greeting those you know and don't know with a hello? Yes, it means all of those. Yet it means even more, I think. Christianity is a faith that asks us to be in relationship with one another. A relationship is an intentional and deliberate attempt at getting to know someone on a deep level. This is accomplished best when we step outside of our comfort zone and have a real conversation with someone we don't know. That can be hard when it is so much easier to just sit with the same people in the same chairs every week. Yet I think we are called to more in the church. 

If anyone has watched the Chosen recently you will see that the show has done a great job of showing the humanity of Christ. He takes time to build relationships with those around him by having conversations with them and answering questions about himself. Once again Christ has given us a great example to follow and has shown us how to do it! 

I write this because if anyone has been to church on a Wednesday night you would see a hive of activity with young people of all ages. Some of these people you may recognize from their time in church, some have never been to church on Sunday. The one thing that all of these young people share, is that they are all yearning for real relationships with adults. So this church has a unique opportunity to fulfill the opening quote and to be a community raising children together.

Important dates:
Veritas!!!! March 3-5
Spring break March 20-24 

Isaiah is a Junior at MHHS. He has played football, and is currently playing soccer. However, wrestling is his favorite sport and it shows based on his 2nd place finish in State this year. He is an honor student and is part of a wildlife club in school. Isaiah spends his evenings working here at the church as a custodian. He desires to attend Purdue University and study Wildlife Conservation. Next time you see Isaiah say hi and ask him about himself.

Scholarship applications for the 2023/24 school year are now available for graduating High School seniors who plan to pursue a post secondary academic education. Applications are available on the youth page of the website fumcmh.org or download here using the button below.  Application deadline is May1st to be announced at the school awards night. July 1st is the final deadline to apply for the scholarship.

Holy week begins April 2nd on Palm Sunday.  Children and youth will be processing with palms at both services and the children will sing at both services.  This year we have something scheduled almost every day of Holy Week.  Wednesday we will have a service of prayer and healing at 6:30pm.  We invite you to come for the Fellowship dinner at 5:30and stay for the Prayer & Healing Service. Thursday we will have our Maundy Thursday service of Holy Communion at 6:30pm.  Friday will be our Tenebrae Service, a powerful service of shadows also at 6:30pm.  Saturday we will have our Rise Up With Jesus Easter Extravaganza for children 0-5th grade and their families.  There will be an egg hunt at the end of our time so bring your Easter baskets!  Then of course on Sunday morning we all gather to clelbrate the joy of the Resurrection on Easter morning! Services will be at the usual times at 9:00am and 11:00am  The choir is preparing special pieces for each of these services. What a powerful and meaningful Holy Week we have in store! 

Holy Week Schedule
Sunday, April 2: Palm Sunday 9:00am & 11:00am
Wednesday, April 5: Prayer & Healing Service 6:30pm
Thursday, April 6: Maundy Thursday Service of Communion
Friday, April 7: Good Friday Tenebrae Service 
Saturday, April 8: Easter Extravaganza 11:00am -1:00pm
Sunday April 9: Easter Sunday Services 9:00am & 11:00am

You will not want to miss this family event on Saturday, April 8th from11:00-1:00! Kids and their families will experience the true joy and excitement of Easter as they make their way through the stations at Rise Up With Jesus! You will travel together as a family from station to station and experience fun, hands on activities. Our hope is that you will experience the promise of Easter while having a super-fun time!

On Palm Sunday, April 2, 2:30pm at the Sheid Auditorium, the Mountain Home Symphony will present a concert showcasing great classical music that celebrates Easter and the renewal of Spring. Tickets are $10, cash or check at the door.  Children under 12 are free.  Doors open for ticket sales at 1:30pm.

BACKPACK FOOD FOR KIDS
In honor of Bev Thompson
Cathy Roshon

MUSIC
In memory of Debby Stanuch
Vicki Kauth

Concerns:
Kristine Doornebes (3/12/23)
(Bill & Donna Kimes' daughter)
Shannon Owens (3/5/23)
(Don & Kay Owens granddaughter)
Jim Brown (2/26/23)
Melissa Duncan (2/26/23)
(Judy Kuenzli)
Reba Long (2/26/23)
(Justin Long)
Kim Miller (2/26/23)
(Justin Long)
Anita Buswell (2/19/23)
Chuck Burch (2/19/23)
(Vicki Kauth)
Matthew Hawthorne (2/12/23)
(Gail House’s niece’s stepson)
Suzanne Schrodt (2/12/23)
(Donna Bohaty)
Ann Steelman (2/12/23)
Dave Epperson (2/12/23)
Scott Cain (2/5/23)
(Jill Chandler’s son)
Rina Vargas (1/29/23)
Chris Holsted (1/29/23)
(Joyce Holsted’s son)
John Rice (1/22/23)
Lonnie Burch (1/22/23)
(Terre Ware)
Brandy Nelson (1/22/23)
(Kellye Cannon)
Mike Mallory (1/22/23)
(Mike Densmore)
Ruth Clark (1/8/23)
Nancy Olsen (12/11/22)
(Shirley McDowell’s sister)
Lyn Yarborough (11/27/22)
(Christine Rohr)
Rexene Watson (11/13/22)
(Dr. Tom Yoder’s sister-in-law)
Julie Bates (11/13/22)
(Dovie Tinsley’s cousin)
Jackie Knight (11/6/22)
Guyla Morris (11/6/22)
(Shirley Poynter)
Nancy Reed (10/16/22)
(Mary Margaret Pearson)
Nira Wilkerson (10/3/21)
Andrew Youngblood (9/11/22)
(Carolyn Youngblood’s husband)
Russel Jones (9/4/22)
Beth Pierson (9/4/22)
Doug Engle (9/4/22)
(Beth Pierson’s brother)
Don Owens (8/21/22)
(Johnny Brown & Gail House)
Monica McElyea (8/21/22)
Bobby Myers (8/14/22)
(Gail House’s cousin)
Don Pickett Jackson (7/31/22)
(friend of Carl Pickett)
Terri Chapman (6/26/22)
(Cindy Long’s sister)
Denise Rohr (5/22//22)
Joe Bodenhamer (5/1/22)
Richard Henderson (5/1/22)
(Hazel Long’s nephew)
Darrell & Ann White (4/17/22)
(Iva Jones)
Rob Holmes (4/10/22)
(Phyllis Holmes’ son)
Alan Erickson (2/20/22)
Marti Gilbert (2/13/22)
Ron Odegard (1/30/22)
(Sandy Odegard’s husband)
Glenda Bodenhamer (1/9/22)