Ready or Not

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.  Matthew 28:16

Jesus sends his disciples out to change the world, but there are two striking problems. One is that there are only eleven disciples. All through the gospel the number twelve reminds readers that the disciples have been chosen to be a picture of the redeemed, restarted twelve tribes of Israel. Twelve is the number of wholeness, completeness, readiness. Now they don’t have enough players.

But it’s not just that they have the wrong number. “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted” (Matthew 28: 17). They had a quantity problem; now they have a quality problem. They don’t have enough disciples, and the ones they do have don’t believe enough.

This is the group Jesus chooses to change the world. He doesn’t say, “First, let’s get enough numbers” or “First, let’s get enough faith.” He just says, “You go. We’ll work on the faith thing and the numbers thing while you’re doing the obedience thing. I’m sending you out. Ready or not … ”

Christian discipleship isn’t a democracy. Jesus didn’t ask his disciples if they wanted to go to Jerusalem. Nor did the disciples offer alternate meeting places to the mountain on which Jesus appeared to them. A disciple is a follower and a follower does just that-follow. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just give us the peace that passes understanding or comfort us in the midst of sorrow. The Holy Spirit leads us. Usually the Spirit leads us out of our comfort zones and along paths that others might consider foolish. Once we discern the Spirit’s guiding, though, our response of faith is to obey.

In the Bible, when God calls someone to do something, no one responds by saying, “I’m ready.” Instead we hear I’m too inarticulate, too weak, too old, too young, too sinful, too dangerous, too rich, too poor, too much baggage. And God says to us what he has always said, what Jesus said to his disciples: “Ready or not … ”

The truth is you don’t know what you can do until you actually do it. “Ready” comes faster if you’re already moving. If you wait to move until you’re fully ready, you’ll wait until you die. Jesus doesn’t say, “Go; you’re ready.” He says, “Go; I’ll go with you.”

Jesus takes his friends up a mountain. Not enough of them, and not enough faith, but it doesn’t matter. What matters isn’t whether they’re ready. What matters is that he’s ready and he tells us “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Pastor Bob

Sunday School. Sunday mornings 9:00 AM. Open to all youth pre-k through high school.  For questions or more information, please contact Robin Stolarcyk. End date for Sunday school is May 20th. Sunday school will resume in the fall. June 3rd Sunday School Party!

Christian Fellowship Class. Sunday mornings 9:00 AM. Room B6.  Please join us. Leader: Shirley Prentice: 648-3485. End date for Sunday school is May 20th. Sunday school will resume in the fall.

Pastor’s Study & Prayer Group. Sunday mornings 11:30 AM, Room B6. Everyone is welcome to join.  Questions contact Pastor Bob. No class 4th Sunday’s please join us for Pot luck luncheon after service in fellowship hall.

Unity Circle: Ladies Group, 2nd Monday of every month 11 AM. All ladies are invited to join. Contact Bev Hamm for more information. No Meetings in July & August.

Knitting for the Lord. Tuesday evenings at 6 PM. Room B2. Contact Lynn Masland at or Sue Alcott. To confirm summer meetings & meeting place please check with the leaders. Knitting for the Lord the accepts monetary donations for their mission & they also accept yarn that is machine washable. They will accept partial skeins.

Women’s Group. Tuesday’s 12:45 p.m. in the Disciple Room, for a time of friendship, good food, & great conversation. Questions or information for summer meetings contact Dottie Brownlow, as these meetings are not always at the church. All are invited!

Rachel Circle: Ladies Group, 3rd Tuesday of every month 10 AM—11:30 AM in the Frazer Room (B18). All ladies are invited to join. Contact Marita Root  for more information.

WordGirls: Wednesday 9:15—11:15 a.m.  All ladies are welcome to join. Questions contact Amy O’Brien. No Class when the nursery school children are not in session.

Choir. Thursday evenings 7:00-8:00 PM.  Everyone is welcome to join. Contact Carla Fako for more information. End date for choir is May 17th. Choir will resume in the fall.

*Note: If you wish to contact any of the leaders listed in the announcements please contact the church office at 648-4339 or email: chenbridgeumc@outlook.com for their contact information.

Sight and Sound Theater Trip to Lancaster, PA; “Jesus”: Wednesday, September 19th: Coordinated by Dorothy Trout (692-4262) of The Castle Creek UMC. Reservation due by June 24th. Call Dorothy to reserve your seats. Cost $180.00 includes theater ticket, bus and lunch at Miller’s smorgasbord. Go to sign up forms for registration form: here

Wi-Fi Access at Church: If you would like access to wireless at the church please contact Mike Howard at: cbfumc@hotmail.com. Thank you.

Graduate Sunday, June 10th: Please submit names of High School, College, or other degree program to the church office (648-4339 or chenbridgeumc@outlook.com) by June 1st. We will recognize and pray for them during worship.

Volunteers requested: We will be providing dinners for the Men’s  Rescue Mission at 5 PM every 4th Wednesday.  Please join us as we cook and serve!   Questions?  :Karen and Wes MacKenzie (contact the church office 648-4339 for Karen’s contact information).

12th Annual United Methodist Night at the Ball Game: Thursday, June 28th; 6:35 pm; $9.00 Adults; $6.00 Children. Please contact Pam Wasley to purchase tickets (contact the church office for Pam’s contact information).

Trustees Project Board in the back of the Narthex for those of you that may want to sign up for projects or may wish to contribute to a project. Please contact Hudda Aswad if you have any questions. Thank you.

Liturgists Needed: If you would like to volunteer to be a liturgist please contact Pam Wasley or the church office 648-4339. If you cannot do a month at a time, that is fine. We will fill in the weeks around what you can do.

Audio & Video Volunteers are Needed: Training will be provided. Please contact the church office; 648-4339 or Mike Howard (contact the church office for Mike’s contact information)  if you would be able to help.

Rummage Sale: Save the Date, June 9th, 8 AM – 1 PM. Start saving items to donate for sale. Volunteers are needed to help set up on 6/8 at 9:00 am until?  We welcome clothing, tools, books, small household items, toys, etc. Please no large  furniture, CRT (fat) TV sets, exercise equipment or outdated computers.” Contact Jill Lyon (204-0032) if you are able to volunteer or donate things. You may drop off items from Monday June 4th – Friday, June 8th. Save your items to drop off. 

Fund Raiser for First United Methodist Church of Chenango Bridge.     Present this advertistment (below) and 10% of all work done will be donated to the church. For all questions and appointments please contact Quality Steam Cleaning. (You may also find this coupon in the back of the church or contact the church office.

Reminder: Maines Food & Party Warehouse – GiveBack Program. 1^st United Methodist Church of Chenango Bridge/Maines GiveBack Program: “Chenango Bridge UMC” endowment current totals 50% members as of February 1, 2018. FUMC’s goal is 90% membership by the end of 2018. Important: Upon receipt of your membership card application Maines will turn around the application in (2) weeks). Maines account is “Chenango Bridge UMC” in order to receive the proper credit. Obtain your application of a Maines membership card from David Lewis or the church secretary Monday – Thursday 8 AM – 1 PM. For every twenty (20) dollars spent, God’s church receives $1.00.