Beulah Landers

Allow me to tell you about one of the churches I serve. Beulah United Methodist Church is a small congregation church located just out of Salemburg, N.C. It has been serving the Lord as a church since 1900 and was greatly influenced by the Azusa Street Revival as the Holy Spirit swepted across America. I've read the history of these early days of Beulah but I'll save that for another time.

From the first Sunday that I preached from the pulpit at Beulah I have felt the mighty present of the Holy Spirit there. I know what everyone is thinking as you read that, that the Holy Spirit is everywhere and in every church as well. I understand that and know that, but what I'm saying is that it's as if its different, as if the Holy Spirit is waiting for me to walk in to sit me on fire each morning that I walk in. You walk in knowing that you are in a special place of refuge, where nothing can bother you, where you are in a different dimension than the world you just stepped out of. You can walk in with the weight of the world on your shoulders and as you step through the door the weight is lifted off and you do not feel that heaviness any longer. It's a God place, a Thin Place, whatever word one may use to describe a place they know that they are in a special place where you feel an especially closeness to God. Doubt if you must, but though I may not use fancy words, I know what I am talking about.

And the people! This small but powerful group of people are used by the Holy Spirit to be an extension of His arms. I have seen it time after time after time people who came through the front door who has never been inside before act as if they have known everyone there all their lives. The people of Beulah, all of them welcome everyone as if they are family. Almost everyone who comes will not leave without a hug from somebody. I learned that on my first Sunday there.

Over the past nine years since I've served as the pastor, we have experienced many ups and downs in the numbers during worship. We've had many who have moved into the area who came and then moved away, many who still stay in contact with members. We have a saying that "once a BeulahLander, always a BeulahLander". We've had many who went home to the Lord. We've had some who have left and we've never heard from them again. We've had as many as 40+ in morning worship and as few as 10+. Up and down, up and down. Sounds familiar? But we've never stopped praising the Lord.

The music and singing is amazing, full of the Spirit. Many times I have seen people start crying during the opening songs because the Spirit is using Sue Fann, our worship leader, and her gift of playing and singing to touch our hearts. When you come to Beulah, you don't what is going to happen.

Everyone, is a family when they come through those doors. We laugh together and we cry together. We rejoice with each other's joy, and we suffer with each other's suffering. We worship even at meetings. If we think one of us need prayer, we don't wait to see one another, we pray on the phone for one another. Beulah is just a fun place to be!

At the presence time, Beulah is experiencing a low in attendance since we have had many who have moved on in their journey. We pray that many more will come, knowing some like many before them will be there for a season in their spiritual journey. We pray for those who are going through trying times in their lives who are searching for a place of refuge where the burden will be lifted. We pray for families who decides that they need to bring their children to church to plant the seed of Christianity so that when it comes time for those children to decide for themselves whether they will continue their journey in faith, they will know they have given their children a special gift. We pray for those husbands and wives who needs to find a place they believe will give them something to have in common to give their relationship a sense of peace it has been missing. We pray for those who are seeking a church home. We pray for those who are looking to re-connect with the God they once knew. We pray for those we have never met, the stranger, who will be a stranger no more. We pray for you, and we pray for our church.

At Beulah we gather for Sunday morning worship at 9:45. Morning worship is over most of the time by 10:45 and then some will stay for Sunday School. Some leaves and heads to some of the local eating establishments, beating the 11 o'clock church crowds. I always like telling people that. It also gives more time for folk to spend more of their day visiting or traveling to see family or going on special drives. Whatever they like to do. Like I said, Beulah is just a fun place to be!

If you would like to come and experience Beulah, we're located at 4610 Corinth Church Rd., Roseboro, N.C. We're only a few miles down the road from Salemburg, but have a Roseboro address so don't let that confuse you. We look forward to meeting you. If you have questions give us a call at 590-4372. Come and let us worship with you.

If you have a special memory of Beulah, please leave a comment.

Beyond the Possibilities

Seeing beyond the possibilities and believing in what we can't see is the faith we have when we say, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord."--Bobbyology

He Heard Me The First Time

Having just returned from a mission trip with a team to Nicaragua I have many things to write about from the experience. But I'll save that for later. There's no better place to begin a story than at the beginning of the story so this is what I will do.

I have not flown in a very long time and I have grown into certain fears over the years, including the fear of heights. I used to love flying, especially helicopters having flown many times while in law enforcement as well as small planes. But as I said, I have grown into certain fears and this was playing somewhat on my mind as the time approached. Approached it did, and there I was sitting on the plane waiting for the moment when we would roll down the runway and lift up toward the wild blue yonders. Didn't have to wait long.

I began praying before we even started rolling and when we finally lifted up, I just kept on praying and praying and praying. No matter how high we were getting I just kept praying the same prayer asking for protection. It didn't take long before I realized this and thought to myself that at this rate I would call out to God and ask for his protection somewhere in the count of a billion before we landed. It finally came to me that the Lord was probably holding his hands over his ears saying to one of the angels, "I knew I shouldn't had allowed that boy to fly."

I thought how silly I was being, after all do I not trust God, and if I do trust God, why would I keep praying the same prayer over and over as if He did not hear me the first time. So I took in a good deep breath and prayed one more time, though this time I started by asking for forgiveness. I then said to my Lord, "Lord, I know you heard me all the way up here, I'm not worried about it no more, you have it." And that was it, no more worries, no more praying, no more doubting, no more fear.

I often picture Jesus and Jairus standing side-by-
side as the crowd came up to Jairus and said those horrifying words, "No need to bother the teacher anymore, your daughter is dead." I see Jesus laying his hand on Jairus' shoulder and with that reassuring hand of God in the flesh upon his shoulder, Jairus hears those amazing words of instructions and love, "Do not fear, only believe."

Somewhere around 37,000 feet above the earth, I felt the hand of Christ upon my shoulder, and yes, I believe.

Stand Up Speak Up

  Sitting down reading "The Story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer" by Michael Van Duke and found the following excerpt captivating. Bonhoeffer is talking with Bishop Bell. I'll start with the words of the bishop:

"Perhaps the heaviness you feel comes from the weight of the prophet's mantle across your shoulders?"
 Dietrich replies, "I do not aspire to the prophet's role. I only want to be a good disciple of Jesus Christ."
 The bishop sighed. "Yes, but the shame nowadays is that, even in the Church, anyone who makes such a statement is laughed at and treated as a fool. Insincerity is automatically assumed."
  "Do you think I am a fool, George?"
  "Of course I do," the bishop said, smiling back. "But we could use many more fools like you."

  These words rekindle in me the words I shared in my sermon this past Sunday as I stated that as Christians we have allowed ourselves to be pushed so deep into the corners by society, that if we do not stand up and speak up when we need to, then will we become the next human torches of Nero's garden parties. We must become the disciples that we have been called to be, commanded to be. - Bobbyology

We Remember

Today we remember. We remember that day that for many Americans became the day we lost our innocence. We lost that thinking that something so horrible carried out by other human beings against another was something we only saw on TV or read about in the paper or magazines that occur thousands of miles away across vast expanses of water. America was changed by the tragic event that took place in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on April 19, 1995 at 9:02 am.

Timothy McVeigh detonated a bomb filled truck outside the Federal Building in OKC killing 168 people, including 20 children and injuring more than 600. The world never seemed the same after that. Never again would we be able to say that we, as Americans, were immune to the happenings we only saw on TV.

The image that comes to my mind when I hear about the OKC bombing is the picture of firefighter Chris Fields carrying baby Baylee Almon who would die a just after the picture was taken. That picture haunted me for a long time after the bombing. I kept a copy of it on a table behind my desk as a sort of memorial I guess, and as a way to keep myself from forgetting the horror that man can inflict on another. As a law enforcement officer at the time, I felt it was important for me to remember that.

It was also a reminder to myself to do everything humanly possible to protect my family at all cost. My oldest daughter Brittany wasn't quite a year old when the bombing occurred and Baylee reminded me so much of Brittany. Brittany even had a small pair of yellow socks just like Baylee was wearing in the picture. For days after I got the copy of the picture I would tear up whenever I looked at it.

I don't want to imagine what the people of OKC went through following this terrible event. I just pray for them to carry on even after twenty years, the scars, both physically and mentally are carried bravely. I've read many articles over the past few days. One was an interview with firefighter Fields and Baylee's mother, who have remained friends over these past twenty years. It is a blessing to know that Mrs. Almon began a non-profit in memory of Baylee which aids families in dealing with the effects of disasters, both natural and man-made disasters. Fields will be retiring within the next three years he said in the interview. He suffered PTSD and received counseling and remain in the fire service with the strong support of his wife.

May God continue to watch over those people of the OKC bombings wherever they may be today. and may God continue to bless America and may we continue to become stronger and more united as we face continue attacks as a country and as a people.

An Orange for Christmas

 

Like so many other pastors, my sermon was focus on the theme of the third Sunday of Advent; Joy. As I prepared to begin my sermon a strange thought came to my mind. It was really a simple thought. It was the thought of an orange. Yes, I said an orange. What does an orange have to do with Advent or joy? I guess it was the thought of simplicity.

As a young boy I thought oranges and apples were a luxury that was something that you mostly got on Christmas morning. I can't really remember having them any other time. I'm sure there were times when we may have had them, maybe on occasion at school. In those days you didn't pick what you wanted on your tray. You just went down the line and the lunch ladies would put on your tray whatever was on the line that day. Maybe a friend had them in their homes and I may have been offered one, but the only time I remember having an orange is on Christmas morning right there by the Christmas tree along with whatever else Santa brought us during the night. Man they were so good! Even now when I eat an orange, it's like tasting Christmas.

Over the many Christmas' that I've been a part of, I'm sure I got some nice gifts. But I can't really remember any gifts that stands out now, more than those oranges. So maybe it really is the simple things in life that brings us the most joy. It's the simple things that last forever in our minds and in our hearts.

I can't think of a simpler thing than a manger that brought this world the most joy.

Heroes Aren't Born

Heroes are not created, or born. They are reactionaries. Reacting to a particular situation in time and space, putting the life and well-being of others ahead of their own. I give thanks to God for the heroes who been there for me, and for all those heroes past, present, and future, who reacts when God puts you where you are needed. - Bobbyology

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