Durham Cathedral was built in the 12th century and sits overlooking a hairpin curve on the River Ware.  When the Nazi blitzkrieg swept over northern England destroying everything in sight a mysterious mist settled over Durham concealing it from Nazi bombers.  "God saved the cathedral," it was said.

Coventry Cathedral, built in the 14th century, was not so lucky.  It died a horrible death, the victim of the first use of saturation bombing by Nazi bombers.  No mist protected Coventry.  It was a pile of charred timbers and stone.  It was then a verse from Haggai was read: "The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts...."

And it was.  Leaving the cathedral today you see a curious inscription: "To the Glory of God this Cathedral burned...and is not rebuilt."  It is a strange phrase until you see that somehow in the mystery of God's providential leading it has all been - even the bad - to the glory of God.  Somehow, through the grace of God, the latter glory shall be greater than the former.  Providence is not to be seen ONLY in the miraculous rescue from danger, but also when we are lifted up by the sheer grace of God out of our tragedy into a latter glory.

At Coventry two charred beams were fashioned into a Cross and placed behind an altar.   The grace of God turns even the worst ruins into resurrection.  From the ashes of life, God helps fashion something beautiful as a sign of His Love!

As you stand at the back of our sanctuary you see a beautiful angel hanging from the cupola.  The angel is surrounded by lights, and you can almost hear the angels singing, "Glory to God in the highest."  Then just beyond the angel hanging from the cupola there is another symbol - the Cross hanging over the altar.  The symbolism I see is that despite what many might be facing the angel is proclaiming that through the Birth, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus there is HOPE!

I hope to see you Sunday.  The sermon is PREPARE AND BE HOPEFUL!  (Romans 15: 4 - 13)  The second Advent candle will be lit by Sarah Sailor (8:30) and Joyce Scheel (10:30).

and the folks are friendly!

Russell

Bishop Bruce Ough, the President of the UMC Council of Bishops, has issued a call to the church to remember global refugees and migrants:  "Brothers and Sisters of The United Methodist Church, Grace and peace to you in the compassionate name of our Lord Christ Jesus.

Nearly one percent of the world's population-or over 65 million people-is forcibly displaced in the world today. Whole families and entire communities have been forced to move because of hunger and poverty, lack of economic opportunity, persecution, war, conflict and terror. Forced migration, in all its forms, is a denial of human dignity and a violation of human rights.  Our Book of Resolutions speaks to the current crisis of global migration and how we, as United Methodists, understand and respond to it:

 

"Human migration is as old as human history. Individuals, families, tribes, and nations have been on the move since the days of Abraham and Sarah and before...Today, migration is a critical international and at times a pressing national issue; a matter of last resort and no other choice for millions of human beings." (2016 Book of Resolutions, #6028).

 

I write to you on behalf of our Council of Bishops to invite you to observe Global Migration Sunday on December 3, 2017. This is the first Sunday of the season of Advent, a time when we remember the coming birth of the Christ Child who was himself a migrant.  From Asia through Europe and Africa to the Americas, the plight of the over 65 million men, women and children forced to leave their homes and migrate to places unknown calls all Christians to remember what God requires of us.

 

As United Methodists, we believe that the prayers of God's people can cause the outpouring of God's mercy and justice. As your bishops, it is our fervent hope that on Global Migration Sunday on December 3, United Methodist congregations in all the places where we serve around the world would join our voices to pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering on the journey of forced migration on the face of the earth. In addition, as a people who pray and act upon those prayers, we ask that all our congregations also gather an offering to be dedicated to responding to the human suffering inflicted by forced migration.  Offerings collected should be sent to the Migration Advance No. 3022144."