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Pastor's Notes
from the desk of Isaac Dusenbury

If you’re like me, you like to approach new situations with optimism and gusto. As a new pastor, my goal was to hit the ground running. I’m pleased to say that this goal has been duly accomplished! People like to ask me if I’m keeping busy. Interestingly, I’ve noticed that many who ask that question already seem to know the answer—as if busyness was a well-established norm here at Belin Memorial prior to my arrival. Indeed, I’m keeping busy, which has surfaced in my mind a couple of questions: what sustains me in my busyness? How do I stay the course? My faith is the answer to both. 

Whether you plan to attend The Harbor or The Sanctuary this Sunday, you’ll encounter scripture from the Letter to the Hebrews. In Chapter 12, we are taught a valuable lesson: perseverance is undergirded by faith. If we are to persevere down Christian paths, then we must have faith in God Almighty as revealed in Jesus Christ to guide us on such paths. God is not merely waiting at the finish line for us to exhaustively arrive. God sends God’s only begotten Son to prepare the way, to keep just ahead of us, to carry us through when the going gets tough. 

Has your faith ever waned? Is it always easy believing in God? Why does God allow our faith to be challenged? The Letter to the Hebrews was written to both Jews and Gentiles suffering great hardship and persecution. In such a context, the author finds it necessary to speak of faith in boldly reassuring ways. Faith is courageous. Faith is enduring. Faith is grounding; it gives us peace in the midst of chaos. Faith means obedience. The story of God and God’s people cannot be told without faith. As good as faith can be, however, we must still wrestle with it. We must allow it to be honed. We must expect that God will grow and mature us in our faith in ways that aren’t always painless.

In my last sermon on prayer, I made the point that prayer doesn’t necessarily come naturally to us. I think faith functions in a similar way. Faith isn’t something we go about alone, but rather faith is something we must be taught. We must see it in action; we must see it exemplified in others. We cannot be faithful apart from a Christian community—apart from the collective witness of God’s people throughout scripture.

Moreover, faith is a response to what God has done in both the life and community of believers. We have faith not because it’s a nice idea or concept, but because we’ve had a direct experience with the Risen Lord. God has shown up in our lives and kept God’s promises. Faith is our response to God’s reality—God’s in-breaking into our reality. Sure, faith can mean believing in the unseen. However, I encourage you to ask yourself what you’ve already seen. What has God not only revealed to you, but also to God’s community in the past and present? Hebrews likes to remind its audience of the true power and scope of the God in whom their faith is placed.

As you contemplate the dynamics of faith, keep a lookout for our upcoming events. Parents and youth alike will be celebrating Back to School Night tonight beginning at 5:30 PM in the Family Life Center . For those of you who have purchased tickets, there’ll be a Pelican’s Baseball Night this Friday, August 16 at 7:05 PM . The summer’s winding down, families are preparing for school, and the work of God continues to unfold. I have faith that we’ll persevere through it all together.

Grace and peace,
Growth Group Sign-ups
Growth Group Sign-Ups Sunday, August 18!

Growth Groups:
  • INVITE you to connect with one another
  • GROW your love for God and love for others
  • SEND you out to serve others

This Sunday (August 18) is your opportunity to sign up for our Belin Growth Groups that begin in September. Growth groups are composed of people that choose to meet in a small group setting to promote fellowship, study and prayer. Sign-up tables will be outside of all services. Any questions may be addressed at that time as well. Should you be interested in facilitating or hosting a group please contact Jane Sparks , 843.357.5185.
Belin Backpack Mission Food Drive
Saturday, September 7, 11 AM - 3 PM
Lowes Foods
11903 Hwy. 707, Murrells Inlet

It's that time again and we are gearing up for the first Backpack Mission food drive of the school year! These drives will occur every other month during the school year and positions are currently open for both adult and youth volunteers.

The next food drive after September 7 will be Saturday, November 2, 11 PM - 3 PM. If you are interested in volunteering or have questions, please contact Kara Dellinger , 843.855.4227.
Blood Drive
Belin Memorial United Methodist Church and the American Red Cross are hosting an upcoming blood drive.  Please join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today!

Family Life Center
Tuesday, August 20, 8 AM - 1 PM
 
The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime. Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood program!
New Women's Studies
New Women's Studies starting in September!

Perfect Love  by Lisa Harper

Do you wish for a deeper, more intimate relationship with God? This six-week study for women will guide you toward that goal using the Song of Solomon. This study starts on Thursday, September 19, 6:30 PM in FLC and will be led by Nancy Ward and Mary Mallick. To register please contact Jane Sparks , 843.357.5185.
 
ROMANS: Good News That Changes Everything  by Melissa Spoelstra

Do you want to find the good news that brings hope and spiritual renewal? We live in a world full of bad news. God has given us Good News. The Gospel truths shared with the early church in Rome echo into our day. Come listen and learn as we ask God to do a mighty work in and through us. This study, led by Jane Bowers, will begin on Wednesday, September 11, 9:30 AM in the FLC.  To register please contact Jane Sparks , 843.357.5185.
Colorama Program
The Annual Colorama Program
Brown Chapel United Methodist Church

Come one, come all, and praise Him. All congregation members are invited to the annual Colorama Program at Brown Chapel on Saturday, August 31, 4 PM. They ask that you wear any of the following colors: yellow, green, purple, orange, blue, or red.

Come help make Coloroma a success in building God's Kingdom as Brown Chapel celebrates the birthday month of Gayle Smalls. Join us to edify and beautify God's name!
Worship With Us
Congregational News
  • The Trustees have approved tree maintenance for our lovely campus. Fear not! No trees are slated for removal, so if you see crews working on them, it is only for their health.

  • The United Methodist Men are meeting on Monday, August 26, at 6:30 PM. This month's speaker will be the Reverend Will Malambri. Join us for Christian fellowship and a great meal provided by Chef Ray Coleman. Please RVSP by Friday, August 23, by clicking HERE or calling the church office at 843.651.5099.

  • Frances Wilson Circle will be meeting Monday, September 9, 10 AM in the FLC. All are invited to attend.

  • There will be a "Back to School" pizza and pool party for our youth on Sunday, August 25, 5 PM - 7 PM, at the Collins Creek Landing Clubhouse. Bring your swimsuit!

  • The next ZOE informational meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 26, at 6 PM in the FLC. The dates for our next ZOE trip are February 18 - 27, 2020. Please join us if you are interested in learning more about ZOE and our next trip to Kenya. 

  • Belin Youth Ministry needs you! Want to feel like a teenager again? Do you have the positive energy needed to have fun and play games while getting to know them? If you are interested in working with youth on Sunday evenings and special events, please contact Brandy Streett, 843.385.1676.

  • Save the Date: Youth Group Family Night Kick Off has been scheduled for Sunday, September 8, 6pm in the FLC.
The Week Ahead
Take a moment to look through the calendar for the upcoming week to see what's going on in the life of Belin Memorial United Methodist Church.

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