Newnan Fumc

This week's service featured quite a bit of special music, so that has been included in this episode of the podcast for all the enjoy!   We started with a special Opening Voluntary, with Marian Steed, soprano, singing “O Gracious Light” in an arrangement by Dorothy Papadakos that features a Whale Recording by Dr. Roger Payne. The unpublished music setting by Dorothy Papadakos offers us the opportunity hear the voice of the whale in the vastness of the ocean. The text (Phos Hilaron) from Ancient Greek praises the light that shines on all creation. Biologist and environmentalist Dr. Roger Payne (1935-2023) is famous for his discovery of whale songs while researching and recording humpback whales. The Phos Hilaron, Gladdening Light, is a Greek song of devotion and prayer. Dorothy Papadakos, Juilliard trained, has served as organist of St. John the Divine in New York City and also worked with Paul Winter. “O Gracious Light” was commissioned for the 60th Anniversary of the Alston Memorial Organ at St. Luke’s Episc

Scripture Reading from Jonah 1:17-2:10   Scripture response is a song played on guitar and sung by Rev. Bell “Jonah and the Whale,” vs. 2 and 3   Verse 2 Then ol’ Jonah forth was sent That old Nineveh might repent But instead of that to Tarshish he set sail Oh the sailors, they were kind But Jonah had a stubborn mind So off the ship he went into the belly of a whale.   Chorus Over there, In that land bright bright and fair Oh he’ll tell me all about it over there On the hallelujah strand God will take me by the hand And he’ll tell me all about it over there!   Verse 3 In the cold and briny deep Tears of grief did Jonah weep And a prayed a prayer that God his skin might save Three long days and three long nights Jonah bargained for his life God delivered him to shore from a watery grave   Chorus

Scripture Reading from Jonah 1:1-6   As a Scripture Response, Rev. Bell played guitar and sang “Jonah and the Whale," vs. 1 and 2   Verse 1 In the Bible we are told Of a prophet who was called To a city that was steeped in awful sin All the people in that place Were devoid of saving grace And the prophet seemed afraid to enter in   Chorus Over there, In that land bright bright and fair Oh he’ll tell me all about it over there On the hallelujah strand God will take me by the hand And he’ll tell me all about it over there!   Verse 2 Then ol’ Jonah forth was sent That old Ninevah might repent But instead of that to Tarshish he set sail Oh the sailors, they were kind But Jonah had a stubborn mind So off the ship he went and into the belly of a whale.   Chorus

Romans 2:29 Circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter.

Philippians 2:12-12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Colossians 3:9b-10 (CEB)  Take off the old human nature with its practices and put on the new nature, which is renewed in knowledge by conforming to the image of the one who created it.

Romans 8:12-17

Joshua 4:4-7   Youth Minister Paul Mosely shared the message during our 11am service as we honored our 2024 graduates.

Galatians 4:1-7

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.   Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV) As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 3:14-22 (MSG) My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spiritónot a brute strength but a glorious inner strengthóthat Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, youíll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christís love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you knowófar more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.   Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

Ephesians 2:11-22 (MSG) But don't take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways had no idea of any of this, didnít know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God's covenants and promises in Israel, hadn't a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of Christ - dying that death, shedding that blood - you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.   The Messiah has made things up between us so that we're now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.   Christ brought us t

Ephesians 1:15-23 (MSG) That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you - every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him - endless energy, boundless strength!   All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of al

"Love Is Stronger Than Death" - Rev. Andrew Chappell's Easter message   Mark 16:1-8

Mark 11:1-11   When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.'" They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,   "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming king

Matthew 10:16-31   16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is

John 3:14-21 | Confirmation Sunday   It’s not just about believing God is who God says God is. It’s about believing and trusting and having confidence that God can do what God says God can do.    Movie Quote Trivia. If you don’t know this about me, I’m a big movie fan. For some reason, I can remember movie lines better than a lot of other things. Often, I can remember movie lines after seeing a movie once better than I can remember what my wife just said to me ten times this morning. (Something about the trash.)    But I love movies, I love movie quotes. I love good lines. And growing up, my family loved to play movie quote trivia. And all that is, is simply, in the middle of a conversation, you could be doing anything, and something makes you think of a quote from a movie, and you just call out: Movie Quote Trivia! And then follow with the movie quote, seeing who might name the movie it comes from first. That’s it. It’s not much of a game. But for anyone who loves a game, or trivia, or sudden interruptions…i

We welcomed Reverend Karen Kagiyama to Newnan First United Methodist Church on Sunday, March 3. She preached on the Gospel of John 2:13-22. Rev. Kagiyama is the O. Wayne Rollins Director of Pastoral Care at Wesley Woods Senior Living. A graduate of Emory University and the Candler School of Theology at Emory, Karen is an ordained elder in the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church. For more than thirty years, Karen has served churches in Colorado, North Carolina and Georgia and was also the Wesley Foundation Director at The University of West Georgia. She is married to David Newton, a professor of English at The University of West Georgia, and they have two children: Kelcy, a graduate of Georgia Tech, and Caroline, a graduate of The University of Georgia. Born in Japan, with roots in Hawaii, Karen enjoys gardening, hiking, reading, and music.   John 2:13-22 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and

Today is DENSE. But it’s not my fault, it’s Paul’s fault.   Romans 4:13-25 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. For this reason the promise depends on faith, in order that it may rest on grace, so that it may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (who is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.    Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So shall your descendants be.” He did not weake