100 E. Jackson St. Cicero IN. 46034      TEL 317-984-4971          Fax 317-984-7591          Email ciceroumc4u@verizon.net

...a word from the Pastor

As United Methodists, we have an obligation to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, the living reality at the center of the Church’s life and witness. To fulfil this obligation, we reflect critically on our biblical and theological inheritance, striving to express faithfully the witness we make in our own time.

February is upon us and January is gone, only 11 months left of 2010.  Doesn’t that make you see red!  Well it is February and    Valentine Hearts are in every store, and we just left Christmas with all the red bulbs and lights.  In two more months we will be seeing red but it will be the symbol of Christ’s blood upon the cross.  I want to remind you of a scripture when Jesus probably saw red.  Matthew 16:16 Peter says to Jesus, “You are the     Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  And in verse 23 Jesus says to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!  You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”  Setting our minds on human things is so easy, because we live each day with the things of life surrounding us, guiding us and even trying to persuade us to only think on those things that we can see.  This year needs to be a time of looking at the things of God.  I have just finished reading a book, “Becoming a Blessed Church” by Graham Standish and one of his major points is that we need to look to the purpose, presence and power of God.  How do we do this?  Pray!  Prayer is turning our mind upon the things of God and not on only the human things.  Prayer is centering   ourselves into a daily relationship with God so we recognize God’s presence in every part of our life. This does not mean that we have to leave the normalcy of everyday life and become a hermit praying every moment of the day, but                                                                                          

whispering prayers, finding moments to stop and ponder upon the wonders of God, breathing thanks to God for those blessings that we receive from family and friends. On February 13th from 9:00 – 3:00 Dr Terry Teykl with be sharing “An Experience in Prayer” at the Carmel UMC on 6221 Rangeline Rd.  The seminar is $25 which includes lunch and childcare if needed.   I would like to invite any persons in our church who would like to   begin a new experience of prayer to attend this seminar.  This may be the strength that you need to keep your mind on the things of God more that the things of man.  May each of us    become a blessing to one another and most of all a blessing to God.