Petoskey United Methodist Church 1804 East Mitchell Road

Petoskey, MI 49770

Tel. 231 / 347-2733

info@petoskeyumc.org · www.petoskeyumc.org

Pastor: Dr. James P. Mitchum · Ministries Director: Doug Mantha

August 11, 2020 Dear Friends,

David wrote a Psalm that speaks to our lives in amazing ways. Psalm 8 reads,

1 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in the whole earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. 2 You have made sure that children and infants praise you. Their praise is a wall that stops the talk of your enemies. 3 I think about the heavens. I think about what your fingers have created. I think about the moon and stars that you have set in place. 4 What are human beings that you think about them? What is a son of man that you take care of him? 5 You have made them a little lower than the angels. You placed on them a crown of glory and honor. 6 You made human beings rule over everything your hands created. You put everything under their control. 7 They rule over all flocks and herds and over the wild animals. 8 They rule over the birds in the sky and over the fish in the ocean. They rule over everything that swims in the oceans. 9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in the whole earth!

God thinks so much of us that God desires our praise and prayers. Prayer is talking and listening with God. You would think that prayer would come naturally but apparently and experientially it doesn’t. We are not alone in that reality. Jesus’ first disciples had their prayer issues. Luke 11 tells us, One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples spoke to him. “Lord,” he said, “teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

We know prayers by memory and yet, we have a need to be taught how to pray. Prayer is more than words. Prayer is expressing the hopes and desires of our hearts. When Jesus meets his disciples in the upper room, the disciples are broken hearted. They have been guided and protected by Jesus but now they know that Je-sus is going to leave them. Herein we have a huge advantage because we know that Jesus will never leave/forsake us. Jesus tells his disciples, [John 15:1-7]

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes[a] to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed[b] by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for what-ever you wish, and it will be done for you.

The word to center upon is abide. Jesus uses this word at least a dozen times in John 15. Some translations use words like “join” or “joined”. The important part is that we “abide” in Jesus and Jesus’ word “abides” in us. When we pray, God talks to us. When we open our Bibles, God talks to us. When we pray, God “abides” in us. When we open our Bibles, God “abides” in us. This could be called the “first” part of prayer.

Part of prayer is simply asking. Jesus teaches us, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for what-ever you wish, and it will be done for you. Prayer is about giving thanks, worshipping God, and submission to God. Prayer is also about asking. Maybe asking God for anything seems presumptuous. Asking is not pre-sumptuous. Psalm 34 tells us, the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry. [v. 15] Remember John’s words in 1 John 3:1, See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! In Luke 11, Jesus also reminds us of God’s care say-ing, 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your chil-dren, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” God loves you. God wants to give to you. God invites you to pray and ask.

God answers prayers. Seems simple enough. We should take this statement at face value. John 15:7 told us, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. As a parent cherishes the opportunity to give to their child, God cherishes meeting his children’s needs. God an-swers prayers and meets our needs. Maybe the most difficult part of prayer is the problem of waiting for God’s answer. We tell God our need. We trust God to provide. Nothing seems to happen. Sometimes our need to is to trust that God knows both how and when to answer our prayers. God has promised to work for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

During these days, continue to pray. Continue to abide in Christ and God’s Word. Continue to ask by telling God what is on your heart. God is good and God will answer our prayers.

God bless and keep you,

Additional notes: Last Saturday morning we shared prayers and Holy Communion under the portico. There was a steady stream of people stopping for prayer, Communion and conversation. God was present with us.

Through the preparation of God, we live in an age where gathering together online is not only possible, it happens. Meeting online does not meet all our needs to gather face to face but we will continue to navigate these uncharted waters of physical distancing. We will re-evaluate and open the church for worship as soon as possible.

Let us continue to connect with calls and letters. If you or someone you know is in need, please contact the church office. Let us continue to connect through the internet, worship together with the live stream and radio broadcast until the hopefully soon day when we can meet face to face. (Livestream the worship service at 10 AM @ petoskeyumc.org. Services are also posted to the website following worship. Worship service can also be heard on 1270 AM or 102.3 FM at 11 AM or you can find the live broadcast @ www.wmktthetalkstation.com. )

Thank you for your resilience and patience as we journey through these times.

Long-Term Care &

Shut-ins

Bay Bluffs

Mary Brubacher

Miriam Rasmussen

Boulder Park Terrace

Gail Liebold

Jackie Carper

Independence Village

Chuck & Mitzi Cook

Martha Palmateer

Betty Hayner

Marian Jurries

Pearl Dally

Louise Yeager

Winn Sluyter

Mallard Cove

Betty Doherty

At Home

Shawn Bell

Jennifer Joneson

Barb Fannin

Jennifer Osborn

Marijane Ricketts

Friends & Relatives of Church Family

Norma Wirgau

Mother of Bob Wirgau

Active Military Duty

Jed Hutchinson, US Air Force

Son of Sue Hutchinson

Jacob Kuziel

Mitch Kuziel & Deb Munn

Adam Upleger

Nancy Miett

Ethan Gulledge, U.S. Navy

Grandson of Bob & Sue Gulledge

Tia Brown, Army

Ashley Brown, Navy

Elijah Brown, Army

Grandchildren of Sue Herrington

Cards and notes are always welcomed. Contact the church office for addresses.

Names can be added or removed to the prayer list by calling Pastor James or Doug Mantha.

For Those Who Mourn

The family & friends of Dean Carper