----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------               VIEW FROM THE PULPIT by Rev. R. James Weiss            

                                                                                    'LENTEN SEASON 2012'

 March 22 (Ash Wednesday) , the beginning of lent for many people, is the time of the year when we begin to think about spring.  When I lived in Illinois we looked or the coming of spring with certain signs that would tell us that spring was coming.  We would see a robin, view early flowers that let us know the ground was beginning to be warm enough for plants to come forth, as the blast of winter was weakining,

     Ash Wednesday for the church is the timne of the church when we think about our relationship with God.  For many people the importance of Lent was a time when we would seriously "give up something" in order to be more religious.

      I would like to share with you my idea of Lent.  I feel that Lent is a time when we spend more time being more disciplined in our bible readings and our prayer times before God, about family and friends whom we are very much interested.  We become concerned about neighbors, and people who live down the street.  Have we talked to people about what Christ and His church mean to us?  We must remember that people make up their own minds about their lifestyle.  We have a message of what God has done for us.  Share what God means to us.

                                                                           GOD BLESS

                                                                            PASTOR JIM 

                                                  those who guard their mouths preserve their lives;                                               those who open wide their lips come to  ruin 

Psalms 141:3 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rev. Dr. Rinaldo Hernandez, District Superintendent

My exhortation to all of you, pastors, lay leaders and members of our congregations is to increase our awareness of the importance of prayer in the life of our churches and to practice the kind of prayer that opens doors for ministry in our communities and make the chains that are preventing us from being effective communities of faith fall off our hands and feet. Our prayers can cause earthquakes and produce liberation from slavery and imprisonment.  We were made free by the blood of Jesus, free to worship, free to bear fruit, free to bring people to Christ and to make a difference in our communities.                                                                                                            

                                                        'ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE'

PRAYER.....It is all about asking..........We here at the First United Methodist at Avon Park need to ask (PRAY)   for a special lady, a long time member of our church who has given much of her time and talents serving our ministries.  Her name is Susan Foster.  It has been brought to the attention of our congregation that Susan is battling cancer.  She, her husband Barry, all the Foster family members need all the prayers we can muster up.   Just this past Sunday members of this congregation joined Pastor Jim Weiss at the communion rail during his call for prayer time.  Several answered his call to join in prayer for her speedy recovery to good health.  It is important to note hat she is not alone.  Others in our congregation have battled this disease, are still doing so, while others have won their battle.  'PRAISE GOD'  is a tribute that has echoed throughout the sanctuary by those who asked (Prayed) for God's help and received it.

Sol Moseley, father of Martha Ann Pendrak is back in Royal Care nursing home in  need of all our prayer and let us not forget Martha Ann as she continues her recovery from her recent treatments.  P>S> Gary too.

ecently, our Liturgist spoke of a statistic that the average person only prays 3 to 4 minutes daily.  We here at the First United Methodist Church in Avon Park cannot allow ourselves to be "Average in our asking (Praying) for Susan who has given so much and all others in need we are made aware of

                                                                                  Web Page Administrator 

 Also Bev Fulwider, Marie Renfro . Leslie Le Brunch,  Lois Krick,  and Kay Alexander are in need of prayers.   .  

  Also continue to pray for our  firends residing at Fairway Pines, Crown Pointe, Kenilworth, The Oaks,  Sunny Hills, Deland: Fred & Mary Anne Reddick.

ALSO :    Our Church and Our Community

Storm victims and family members all across America.  

Missionaries serving here and abroad.

   Christians who are being persecuted for their faith

   Our President and all elected officials .

   All Military Personnel and their Families and areas of war

  If you have a prayer request you would like to have placed on our Prayer Chain, call the church offices during the week at 453-3759.