“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed.”
Romans 12:2

On our recent mission trip to Tennessee, our team was asked
by one of the staff members of A.S.P., “Is the situation of poverty
hopeless?”
At first, the question stunned us. Of course poverty is hopeless,
the poor have always been and will always be with us. The complexity
of social, political and cultural influences that contribute to
poverty are beyond any human capacity to understand or address. So
why do we go on missions to try and help poor people?
Our group concluded that while the situation of poverty may
be unavoidable, it is not without hope. The hope of the poor does
not lie in the fixing of houses or the alleviation of economic hardship.
Hope is found in the promise of relationship.
We spent time with the poor.
We shared meals with the poor.
We Witnessed to our faith in Jesus Christ with the poor.
We found hope in our common experience of God’s grace in
our lives and our connection as God’s children.
God’s grace in Jesus Christ is the answer to hopelessness.
Hopelessness is found in big cities as well as mountain hollers. It is
found in the homes of the affluent as well as the needy. Meeting the
physical needs of the poor is how Christ calls us into oneness with all
God’s children. The mission of the Gospel is to combat hopelessness.
Grace & Peace,
Gary

“Sing to the Lord a New Song”
Psalm 33:3

Above the sanctuary door under the bell tower is a glass
encased instrument. It was used 200 years ago to call people to
worship and to spread the good news.
Music is in the DNA of Front Royal United Methodist
Church. This summer our church will be adding a new instrument
to our church in the form of a full-time Minister of Music
and Worship Arts. This position will replace the two part time
positions we currently have and bring a new member to our staff
team. The new Minister of Music and Worship Arts will be selected
from nearly 50 applicants from around the country, and will
possess all the skills to continue our current music program and to
develop new ones.
I am anxious and excited to grow into a new staffing
model and ask for your prayers and support during the transition.

Grace & Peace,
Gary

“…and Jesus came and stood among them and said, PEACE BE WITH YOU.”
John 20:19

The world is in conflict and turmoil. Our resurrected Lord
tells the church to be at Peace. If there is anything that will show the
world how Christians are different and changed by the resurrection, it
will be our ability to be at peace in the midst of a world in conflict.
On May 15th, we will begin a Preaching & Teaching Mission at
Front Royal United Methodist Church that will demonstrate how the
Christian Church can engage controversial issues while holding on to
the peace of Christ and the love for one another. The Rev. Dr. Barry
Penn-Hollar will bring four days of Teaching on the Christian response
to War, Mortality, Sexuality and Poverty. Rev. Penn-Hollar is
the Professor of Ethics and Religion at Shenandoah University and a
member of the Virginia Annual Conference.
He asks the question…
What if an essential dimension of our mission as Church…
…is demonstrating the possibility of loving, supportive community
even as we come to different conclusions about difficult issues!
…and, living our lives and making decisions about controversial matters
in ways that bear witness to our faith in Jesus Christ!
Come to Front Royal United Methodist Church and hear the
good news! God in Jesus Christ makes it possible to be part of a community
that is above the fray, transcending the hostility that divides
our society. God in Jesus Christ makes it possible to live in ways that
bear witness to our hope for a world in which all things have been
made new!
Please make plans to attend the preaching on Sunday morning,
May 15th. And the teaching on:
Sunday, May 15th at 6:00 p.m.
Monday, May 16th at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 17th at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 18th at 7:00 p.m.
Please invite friends and neighbors to this Preaching and Teaching
Mission.
Grace and Peace,
Gary

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:21

On Ash Wednesday, Dr. Mark Jordon of First Baptist Church
started off the season of Lent with challenging us to write a new story
of our lives. He told us to consider that God has a story for our lives,
but we must write it with our choices and behavior. Best of all, it is
never too late to start writing a new chapter more in line with God’s
hope for how our stories could turn out.
God’s story for our lives is a love story about the power of
love to overcome any obstacle. Lent and Holy Week and Easter are
the climactic revelation that nothing will stop God’s love from reaching
us. Love overcomes sin and doubt and betrayal and pain and
death. Too often, our stories get bogged down in regret, desperation,
ambition or hopelessness. The Easter message is that resurrection
power is available to everyone who, like Jesus, can begin a new chapter,
a new life, a new story.

Grace & Peace,
Gary

―He has told you, O Mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.‖
Micah 6:8

It’s hard to think of now, with the trees bare and the wind so cold, but there is sweaty work ahead for missions at Front Royal United Methodist Church.
This summer a caravan of pick-up trucks will leave Front Royal for the mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky to do mission work. The work that is to be done is not just fixing homes for the needy. There is also work that God wants to be done in us. Many who take part in a mission trip like A.S.O. find that their own spiritual and personal lives are forever changed by the experience.
Mission is about meeting peoples needs, and we learn that our greatest need is love. Please do all that you can to support and en-courage all the missions of FRUMC.

Grace and Peace,
Gary

“We have seen His star rising…”    Matthew 2:2

The “Magi from the East” were said to be wise for their willingness to look to the future and begin taking action in the present.  In order for them to arrive in Bethlehem, they had to prepare for their journey months or perhaps years ahead of time.  Without any guarantee or “what ifs,” they determined to plan and execute their course in order to offer their very best.

It is my hope that we, the Front Royal United Methodist Church, share that same conviction to offer our very best to Christ.  In order to offer our best, we, like the Magi, must plan ahead.

When we last worked through a long range plan for ministry, we knew that a good plan included a plan to plan again.

That time is upon us.  In the early spring of 2011, you will be invited to offer input to a new long range plan.  The church leadership is currently formulating the process we will go through in order to produce our next long range plan.

As we begin, remember that no process is perfect, and there will be many obstacles, detours and diversions along our path.  We take on this task; because we, like the Magi of old desire to offer our very best to Christ.

Grace,  Peace and Prayer for a vital New Year

Gary

“Make me to know thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.”

Psalm 25:4

The most beautiful expression of love in all creation is the yielding of one will to that of another. The Christian Gospel is the story of how God shares that love with the world. As Advent begins and Christmas approaches, believers are encouraged to draw closer to the place where the Gospel story begins.

There are many obstacles, distractions and trials that can make it challenging to draw close to God’s will and God’s way. In this Advent and Christmas Season, the Sunday morning services will be designed to help us find our way to God and to tell of how God found a way to us.

Grace and Peace,

Gary

“Therefore friends, select from among yourselves, seven men of good standing, full of the spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint.” Acts 6:

The Ordering of the Church
Charge Conference
November 9th 7:00 p.m.

There are almost 900 members of Front Royal United Methodist Church, of all the members, only about 1/3 attend worship regularly. The United Methodist Book of Discipline lifts up (among other things) per-sons of genuine Christian character who love the church, and are morally disciplined; as eligible for being members of the “Charge Conference.” The Charge Conference is the basic unit of the connectional system which administers the affairs of the local church.
The early disciples organized for ministry, and the Methodist have perfected church organization. For those who are interested I thought I would offer a thumbnail of how our church is organized.
The basic unit of United Methodist Christians is the Charge Confer-ence. It meets annually to carry out the administration of the church. The Charge Conference is made up of leaders who represent the program and administrative work of the church. When necessary, a “Church Con-ference” can be called. In a “Church Conference” every member of the church has a voice and vote on all matters. The Administrative Board acts on behalf of the Charge Conference throughout the year.
I am grateful to all those members of Front Royal United Methodist Church who agree to represent our mission and ministry in
servant leadership through our work areas, committees, taskforces, boards and Charge Conference participation.
Perhaps in our next Tower Notes I will describe the organization of United Methodist Christians beyond the local church. I know you can‟t wait!
Grace & Peace,
Gary
REMEMBER
TO
VOTE !

“And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom.”
True freedom is the ability to give.
We hear so much from advertizing, politicians, and the media about the importance of freedom.
Freedom to choose.
Freedom to vote.
Freedom to be an individual.
And yet, all this freedom and all these choices don’t seem to bring us peace in our spirit or serenity in our lives. The truth is that freedom does not come from the outside; freedom comes from within. We are only free when we become whole and holy within. Holiness and serenity begin with humility and self control through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, self denial, worship and giving. You will never feel more free than when you practice proportional giving (tithing). Giving back a portion makes our faith come to life. We become more conscious of God’s grace and abundance when we give a percentage of what God gives to us. Tithing is the spiritual practice of proportional giving.
In this month when you are asked to estimate you’re giving to the church for next year, focus less on the amount and more on the percentage. You will find true freedom.
Grace & Peace,
Gary
Celebration

―For in much wisdom is much vexation.

I was surprised last month how “vexing” it was for me to turn 50. No longer introduced as “our new young pastor.” No longer ea-ger to carry boxes up three flights of stairs to a daughters dorm room. No longer up on all the latest jargon and trends. 1960 was a long time ago.

However, I have been surprised by how much joy I take in the achievements of others. I spend a little more time in conversation about a person’s health and family, and I have much more confi-dence in the power of God’s grace in the world. Turning 50 has made me much more intentional about where I spend my time, talent and resources. I try to do my best and then not worry about whether my best is good enough.

Most of all my 50th birthday has made me grateful. I’m grateful for:

God’s grace in my life.

God’s goodness in my family and friends.

God’s faithfulness in my church and co-workers.

God’s promise of peace and presence in the next 50 years.

I look forward to growing in wisdom and spending less energy in vexation.

Grace & Peace,
Gary