Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

Joy to the world the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King:
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing.

Isaac Watts’ “Joy to the World” eighteenth century hymn continues to reverberate across the world. As I think about the people, places, and times that this hymn has been lifted, I marvel at the ability of the human spirit to triumph over whatever the current circumstances may be. Whether it be world wars or local peace, rumors of wars or hints of prosperity, famine or plenty, recessions or boom times, the word that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem continues to best the best news ever!

Recent months have brought a new uncertainty to many of our minds. I cannot remember moments like these, and yet for some of us this brings to mind memories that we thought had disappeared forever. As we finish this year fraught with ambiguity I remind us that we know that the source of our joy is Jesus Christ. In moments like these it helps to lean back into the everlasting arms of our God and remember that the promises of love, joy, and peace are ours through Jesus.

This month we will have opportunities to celebrate the birth of Christ with our Christmas concerts scheduled on December 13 and 14. Later, our children will have a birthday party for Jesus on Sunday December 21st during the worship celebrations. Finally, on Christmas Eve we will have two worship celebrations: one at 5:00 p.m. will be a kid friendly and adult savvy family celebration, the other will be a “midnight” communion service at 11:00 p.m. Both services will feature the reading of the familiar lessons, the singing of our favorite carols, and the lighting of candles to celebrate the birth of the King!

Prepare your heart this month to receive the Jesus once again. This year and every year the news that Jesus Christ was born is worth shouting from the mountaintops.

Grace and Peace, Allen

Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ
– the One Who Is, the One Who Was, and the One Who Is to Come!

Two phrase have stuck in my spirit over the past few weeks. One is “the answer to how is yes” and the other is “let the little children come to me.” The first statement I heard when I attended a conference in Atlanta and referred to a book written by Peter Block by the same title. Block’s book invites us to consider whether we too often ask the wrong question when we seek to accomplish something important in our lives. We too often ask “How?” which focuses on how we will get the job done and reveals our desire to control of people, time, and cost. Instead, we need to focus on “Why?” We need to pay attention to what really matters to us personally, from heart-felt commitments in our private lives to the creation of projects in the workplace. To be able to act on what matters, explains Block, we must reclaim our idealism.

As I was considering this phase I was pondering the stained-glass window in our sanctuary that depicts the scene just after Jesus says to his disciples, “let the little children come to me” (Matthew 19:14). Jesus goes on to say, “and do not stop them; for it is to such as these belongs the kingdom of heaven.” How many of us have heard a plea from a Sunday School teacher or a preacher for us to have a more childlike faith? As I pondered the two phrases I remember how children are always asking the “Why” questions and never seem to be bothered by “How” questions. In that moment I sensed in my spirit where we stand as a church.

In the face of needing to pay attention to our children’s spaces, deal with sanctuary renovations, and provide staffing for an emerging generations I find myself bogged down in the “How” questions: How will we pay for this? How will we find new members? How will we …? What Block’s title reminded me was that we need to return to the childlike wonder of the “Why” questions: Why do we exist as a church? Why care about children? Why pay attention to worship or Sunday School? Why, because Jesus has entered our lives and he invites us in big and small ways to beckon others to join us on the journey.

This month we will be asking you to join us for an open house for the Queen Street Academy. You will have a chance to see the kid’s art work, roam the space a little, and spend some time with Bridges and me in conversation about the why questions for the present and future needs for our children’s programs. The following week we will join forces with Stop Hunger Now to provide thousands of meals for starving persons across the world. During this month we will also take time to invite you to commit your resources in the coming year.

I know that asking you to plan your future giving in the midst of current financial stresses is difficult. I invite you to consider two thoughts as you pray about how to utilize your resources in the coming year: First, I invite you to consider the “why” of your gifts and leave the “how” to God, for this is what children do best! Second, if you stand with me in knowing that introducing children to Jesus is crucial, then I invite you to make a deeper commitment to our children and to the renovation of the spaces for the next generation to play and learn.

I give thanks every day that the people of Queen Street Church continue to find a way to say “YES” to God’s future for our life together. I hope you will join me in saying thanks be to God for the saints, sinners, and ministry of the people called Methodist on Queen Street!

Grace and Peace, Allen

Sisters and Brothers in Christ!

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Paul wrote these words when he was asked about how worship was to be conducted within the Christian community in Corinth. Every worship service contained moments of hymn singing, scripture sharing, truth-telling prophecy, and even tongue-speaking … all with no rhyme or reason. The people were confused and Paul said, “step back and take a moment to get organized. Everybody needs to come together ready a moment to share, but then organize your efforts. Everything will come in due course.”

So it is with Queen Street Church this month. We are “disordered!” The worshipping space of our Sanctuary is being refurbished with a renewing of our floors and pews. While that is going on, we are worshipping in our Fellowship Hall and the space is small and we cannot see around columns or over the heads of others. Sometimes the words are “disordered” on the screen and we cannot always hear or see what is going on. In the midst of this I give Gods thanks that we have been a people of peace! Thank you for bearing with us as we begin a season of renovations to our facilities.

We anticipate moving back into the sanctuary in early November and then we will begin renovations of our children’s space on the main floor of the education building. Already you can see signs of the education renovations as carpets are being removed and floors being exposed so that our architect and contractor can help us discern the next steps for our renovation. As events unfold in the coming months I encourage you to remain a people who serve a “God not of disorder but of peace.”

Within this newsletter you will find news of events for young and old alike throughout October. In November and December we anticipate several worship celebrations that will highlight our renewed spaces. We will do our best to keep you apprised of these events as we nail down the dates. Above all else, we know that God is with us to bring peace in the midst of the disorder of our worship space, the disorder of a new Kinston being birthed, and even the disorder of our current economic mess. God is with us – we are not alone – let us give thanks to our Father in heaven!

Grace and Peace, Allen