Hello Friends,

I hope you have all enjoyed this mild winter, as I have, as we look forward to spring and the joy we experience with it.

This is a special time of the year.  We have entered the season of Lent. This is a time that many will give up something that they particularly enjoy so as to experience discomfort. It is a reminder to those who have chosen to give up something that Jesus gave up a great deal more for us, and the discomfort he experienced far exceeds ours. So, just a thought, if you have not given up anything yet for Lent, why not do that today? There is still time! Lent ends with Easter, so you still have another six weeks.

We are reminded, also, during this year that it is an election year! We are already reminded everyday that the primaries are going on, and we hear news of how the Republicans are progressing through them, and the Democrats sit awaiting the outcome as their nominee is already in the White House. It promises to be an exciting year, but while I enjoy politics a great deal, you will not hear me expounding from the pulpit who my favorite candidates are, or who you should vote for. I know there are pastors who do that, and I suppose that is their prerogative, but I know there are people of this church who are strongly for one side or the other, and I don't think I would help the situation at all by telling them how to vote. I will tell you this. If you listen to my sermons closely, you may get an idea about my politics, because I believe that the things Jesus taught were pretty political in many cases, and I will, of course, espouse the teachings of Jesus. One of the foundations of Methodism is that you have a mind. You can think things through, and you don't need someone else to tell you what decisions you must make. Scripture, Tradition, Reason, Experience....the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.