First United Methodist Church, Elizabethton, TN -

Announcements

• Wednesday Night Bible Study

  

   
• 

  Daily Devotion

  Rev. Ray's January 26th Devotion

  "Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young-- a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God." Psalm 84:3

  We had a bluebird house that was visited each year by the little family wearing royal blue jackets and rosy shirts. I came home one day, and Pat told me that she had been watching the mother bird and her little ones perched on the clothesline. She said that it looked like mother was giving them final instructions; and then they all flew away. After that day, the little house was silent until the next spring.

  One of my favorite times in worship is the children's moment. You never know what's coming next. With children, all I must do is prime the pump and we will have some spontaneous worship. The biggest reason I do this is the same reason they come to church: we want them to know that they too have a place near the Lord's altar.

  The children may offer us the best glimpse of Heaven we can get on this earth. (At least they can take some of the starch out of worship.) After all, it was children that Jesus was talking about when He said, “…of such are the Kingdom of Heaven.”

  I wonder where little birds fly when they get their first feathers? How do they know the way? In his poem "To a Waterfowl" William Bryant wrote, "There is a power whose care teaches thy way along that pathless coast." Baby birds and little children share the pathless way into an unknown future; but then, don’t we all.

  “Where are you going my little one, my little one? … Turn around and you’re tiny, turn around and you’re grown.” This one thing I know: When you get there, the Lord will be there too.

  Grace and Peace, Rev Ray

• Sunday Morning Worship, January 23, 2022