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Challenge: Walk with Jesus

Posted on May 3, 2017 in BLOG, Challenge, Latest News |

Our challenge for this week was for us to walk with Jesus.

How have you walked with Jesus this week?

Challenge: Give

Posted on Apr 28, 2017 in BLOG, Challenge, Latest News |

Our challenge from Sunday was for us to find ways to give.

Mark 12:41-44 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Member Spotlight, Amber Beckermann

Posted on Apr 28, 2017 in BLOG, Latest News, Member Spotlight | Tags: amber beckermann

Member Spotlight

Amber Beckermann

April 28, 2017

Amber Beckermann was born in Georgetown, and moved to Taylor when she was four. She is the oldest of three children in her close-knit family. Her sister, Shelby, is two years younger, and her brother, Dustin, is 7 years younger. Her mother, Monica Johnson, has worked for State Farm in Austin for 34 years. Her dad, Joe Johnson, does bidding for an Austin company, Texas Cutting and Coring. Amber and Daniel Beckermann, a long-time member of First UMC of Taylor, married three years ago on December 13, and have a darling baby boy, Turner, who was born last July 16. Daniel works for Brant Plumbing which is located in Austin, but he works all over wherever he is called. Amber counts her family as her biggest success in life. Her family is very open and talk about everything. She has a really healthy family which is a great support system.

Amber is very close to her grandmother, Dorothy, who she calls Granny. Granny tells a story of when Amber was little and in trouble with her mother. She was supposed to be sitting in the corner. Granny telephoned her mother during Amber’s time out and her mother confessed that she was close to spanking Amber. Amber piped up and said, “You can’t spank me because I am so precious. Granny says so.”

Amber was very close to her grandfather, too, who recently passed away at the age of 89. He had been sick and gotten better, but then worsened and died. So the family was not prepared. It was a very tough time for Amber. Her grandfather, along with her Granny, was the glue that holds the family together. Amber realized, “I knew I had to be stronger for my family.”

Amber works at Trinity Lutheran with the 3- and 4-year-olds. She started there last October. “I like it a lot,” says Amber. She has worked with kids since she was 17 (a LONG time ago, not!) She loves working with kids because they are all so different and they are excited about what they’re learning. One thing she misses about being a kid herself is taking naps. (Somehow with a little baby at home, this seems beyond understandable.) She tells the kids, “You will miss this when you are older.”

She worked for State Farm for three years, but didn’t like sitting behind a desk all day, so when the opportunity arose to work with children again, she took it. She says her dream job would be to be a counselor for children, especially those that have mental disabilities. She would like to work with kids who need special attention and be someone who has the time to give it to them.

If money were no object, Amber would be a stay-at-home mom. She would take Turner and go do fun things. “I’d spend as much time with him as I could,” she says. She would also do charity work.

Amber joined FUMC of Taylor this year in March. Formerly, she went to St. Mary’s in Taylor. Before joining, of course she knew Turner’s proud grandparents, Marsha and Raymond Beckermann, and she knew Shelli Cobb. The whole congregation, especially Vesta Ryan, was warm and welcoming. Amber is a big fan of Pastor Sela, and she likes how laid back the church is with an emphasis on being there to worship and be happy with each other’s fellowship. “Everyone wants to be there and help. There is a family-type feeling,” Amber says. Her favorite hymn is “Eagle Wings”. She loves the way it can fit in any mood or any situation. When sorrow hits, it comforts. When joy comes, it expresses that, too.
One of Amber’s hidden talents is cooking. She doesn’t have a single special dish so you could say her specialty is trying new things. “I cook really well and I love to cook. I like trying new recipes,” she says. Happily, Daniel is not a picky eater, and he enjoys the new recipes.

Another thing church members may not know is that when Amber was attending junior college she played softball. She loves to play. Both she and her sister played softball since they played T-ball as children. Amber doesn’t play anymore, but her sister is a softball coach at Ranger Junior College.

After junior college, Amber began to attend Texas State. She is still taking classes there, and is finishing as she is able. She is majoring in Applied Arts and Sciences, with special emphasis on Elementary Education, Psychology, and one more area still to be chosen.

Her friends describe her as an outgoing, people person who likes to look at the positive side of things. Her mother-in-law adores her and says she is the ideal daughter-in-law.

That positive nature shows up when Amber says that her life has taught her that you learn as you go. She says she hasn’t done everything by the book, but she has found love and started a family and she is doing what she loves – working with kids. Her life reminds her that measuring up to the status quo isn’t that important.

When asked about the most fun she’s had, Amber has a hard time choosing. She has a lot of fun with her friends and family. Her wedding day was amazing. Turner’s birth was amazing. She finds fun in large things, but also in small ways. Once when she was a junior in high school, she was at a softball tournament. After the tournament, they and her friends were at the hotel. They were watching something on TV, and one of the girls made a comment. “It’s a beached whale.” “We all died of laughing,” she reports. Maybe you had to be there, but “fun in life comes from making jokes, being fun, and silly. It was a great experience,” she says.

Amber’s eyes light up when asked where she would like to travel. “Europe,” she says. Which country? No one in particular but all over Europe. “There are so many places to go and such much history and culture. That would be amazing. I love history. I could sit and watch the history channel all the time.”

We are so lucky to have such a brilliant light in the world as Amber as a part of FUMC of Taylor. Be sure to give her a big hug and welcome her to the congregation.

Written by Robin McKinley

Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017

Posted on Apr 16, 2017 in BLOG, Devotions |

Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017

Easter Prayer

We praise and thank you, Lord, for the gift of your victory over death, for the gift of holy awe that comes upon us as we enter into our Easter joy. Christ has passed from death to life, may we always know you as our way through the desert and wilderness, our food and drink as we hunger and thirst. You are our safe passage through treacherous waters and the home that awaits us at the end of all our journeys. In our doubts and in the pressures of our busy lives, we seem to lose you. Help us remember that you are always with us and that your way is always before us, we have only to pay attention to hear you call us by name. Teach us to recognize you in one another and with deep gratitude continue to bear witness to the life and hope with which you sustain the world. Amen.

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Day 40: Holy Saturday, April 15, 2017, #Lent Devotion

Posted on Apr 15, 2017 in BLOG, Devotions |

Day 40: Holy Saturday, April 15, 2017
Rev. Sela Finau

The Breath of God

Scripture: Genesis 1:2 (NRSV)

The earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

Devotion: As we journey through life, we encounter multitude of people. Some we quickly bond with and embrace. Others we simply do not know how to connect with, nor do we make an honest attempt, and we simply walk by and pretend they are not within our sight. Some we admire and long to imitate. Others we wish they would change their way of life. Some we welcome into our homes. Others we simply ignore and secretly do not invite. What would Jesus have done? I think we all know the answer to that question. Yet, many times, we do the un-Jesus thing of doing only what is comfortable, of doing only the popular things, of doing only things that will benefit us. As the season of Lent comes to an end, and we look forward to Easter, pause for some time to reflect on what Jesus had done. In our popular culture, we rush from Good Friday to Easter without serious reflection. Pause for a moment and be in silence. Take a deep breath in. Pause for 5 seconds. Breathe out. Repeat it for several minutes. 5 minutes. Feel and hear your breath. The breath of life. Give thanks, for it is the basis of all things, from the beginning, from Creation, to the life of Jesus, and to our own breath and beyond. Feel the presence of God. Feel the breath of God.

The Hebrew word ruach could mean wind, spirit, or breath. Recall the Genesis story of how the earth was formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while “the breath of God” swept over the face of the water. This day, Holy Saturday, is such a day for me as I reminisce of what it must have been like thousands of years ago. Yet, just as the Book of Genesis tells the story of creation, that “the breath of God” swept over the face of the water, so it must have been that the breath of God was also present this day, with Jesus. Meditate on that story a while, not just today but throughout your journey in life.

Prayer: Creator God, remind us daily to walk as Jesus walked, to reach out to those in need, and to stop for a moment to greet a ‘stranger’ who may simply long for a smile or a reason to grin. May the gift of breath that is in us empower us to do the unpopular things. May we, instead of wishing for someone else to change their way of life, may we be humble enough to offer ourselves in service and to let the experience transform us. May we be reminded of the love of Christ. The breath of Christ. May the breath that is in us remind us to enjoy in all its fullness the complexity and simplicity in life, and everything in between, enjoying all of creation. May the gift of breath within ourselves move us to become that wind of God and sweep over the face of the earth. May we be reminded that the breath of God, your breath God, is always present. Amen

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Day 39: Good Friday, April 14, 2017, #Lent Devotion

Posted on Apr 14, 2017 in BLOG, Devotions |

Day 39: Good Friday, April 14, 2017

A Good Friday Prayer for Meditation

We praise and thank you, Lord, for the gift of yourself on the cross. On this somber day of remembrance, as we contemplate Christ’s suffering for us, help us find meaning in the wounds we endure and in the travails of the world you created. You have called us to accept our common mortality, and to serve one another in love, keep us firm in our faith as we are called to suffer for others. You have called us to keep telling the story of your salvation in the unjust and violent world we live in, help us see past the limits of our vision to your limitless love, which transcends death. In the prophecies, gospel stories, and witness of scripture may we always find consolation and hope, never faltering in our certainty that you are the God of a kingdom of justice and the author of everlasting life. Amen.

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Challenge: Pray

Posted on Apr 13, 2017 in BLOG, Challenge, Latest News |

Our challenge from Sunday for this week: Take the time to be in prayer for one another, for your church, for your community, for your country, and for the world. Take the time to meditate on God’s holy words and listen for God’s voice. Pause. Listen. Reflect. Pray. Remember why this week is referred to as the holiest week for us Christians.

Day 38: Maundy Thursday, April 13, 2017, #Lent Devotion

Posted on Apr 13, 2017 in BLOG, Devotions |

Day 38: Thursday, April 13, 2017

A Maundy Thursday Prayer for Meditation

“MAUNDY” is derived from the Latin word for commandment, “mandatum.” It was on this day that Jesus gave his disciples what he called a “new command”: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus imparts his understanding of this commandment by instituting the Eucharist. In John’s Gospel he demonstrates it by washing the feet of the disciples. We will receive the sacrament of Holy Communion on this sacred day.

We praise you, O Lord, for your gift of Christian community, and we thank you as we humbly, and with reverence, celebrate Christ’s initiation of our communal Eucharist. May we never fail to be grateful for the diverse people who make up the body of Christ, and sustain our faith in each other at times when we disagree. In the face of disappointments and betrayals keep us thankful for the new commandment Christ has given us, and help us to better love each other as he has loved us, with a sacrificial and unconditional love. As we struggle with doubts and fears, help us to trust that you will always provide the nourishment we need. We ask this in the name of your son, Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.

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Day 37: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, #Lent Devotion

Posted on Apr 12, 2017 in BLOG, Devotions | Tags: foot washing

Day 37: Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Rev. Sela Finau

Foot Washing

Scripture: John 13:5-8 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”

Devotional: A few years ago when I was a student at Perkins School of Theology@SMU, we had a foot washing worship service. I was intrigued by what this service would offer since I had not experienced one prior, so between classes I attended this service. I was surprised to see that many of my professors and the Dean were present. I thought to myself, “Oh this would be interesting.” When it came time for the foot washing ceremony, we simply got in line and made our way forward. There were two basins of water and clean towels for the two lines we formed. The person in front of me would wash my feet, and I in return would wash the person’s feet that was behind me. The person in front of me was one of my professors. The experience played out in my mind that this professor was my teacher and was similar to Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Jesus had set an example for his disciples to follow.

Yet, so many of us would probably feel uncomfortable in carrying out Jesus’ teaching literally. Foot washing was a sign of hospitality in the ancient world. The host provided water and cloth, and then the guests washed themselves or allowed a servant to wash them. Jesus’ point of foot washing was serving one another out of love. He called his disciples to a deeper level of love, humility, and service. Jesus calls us to love him and be willing to serve one another with humility and complete love.

In this season of Lent, may we humble ourselves as Jesus did and offer hospitality and love to others by serving them.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your gift of love and service. Continue to teach us your ways so that we may also do likewise. Amen

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Day 36: Tuesday, April 11, 2017, #Lent Devotion

Posted on Apr 11, 2017 in BLOG, Devotions |

Day 36: Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Rev. Sela Finau

Global

Scripture: Psalm 19:1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament[a] proclaims his handiwork.

Devotion: While in seminary I worked at nights, and before you start wondering “what kind of job?” I will soon explain. Needless to say, working at nights had not always been a pleasant experience, especially working 12-hour nights and being up for more than 24 hours at a time. That is never good for the body, mind, and spirit. Nevertheless, that had been my work schedule for about 5 years. I had to find employment that would work with my seminary school schedule. How I managed seminary work, work in a church, and that overnight job was beyond me. That is one of those things I consider a God thing.

In any case, I realized early on, working in the financial industry specifically a brokerage firm, that while America slept, the rest of the world was awake, from Asia to the Pacific to Europe, and that we were all connected in this global network, financial or otherwise. That meant that what happened around the world affected the U.S., and vice versa. I thought what happens to us as individuals and a people affects God.

One of the benefits of having worked from evening till dawn (7 to 7) was that I was privileged to see many sunsets, sunrises, endless clouds and skies in incredibly astonishing colors and forms. Each time I saw it, whether I was on my way to work or on my way home, I was always in awe of the beauty of creation and how fortunate we are to be given the opportunity to witness the splendor and magnificence of this world that we live in. Since moving here to Taylor, I have enjoyed the sunsets. I pondered on how amazing it is that we’re all connected to the sun and endless clouds in the skies, giving us a glimpse of God’s glory.

I am reminded of how humanity seem insignificant in the midst of vast stretches of the cosmos and time and space. I thought about how we’re all tiny specs in this big cosmos, but I am always comforted in knowing that God takes notice of us and journeys with us each and every day and watches over us whether we’re asleep or awake.

Prayer: Creator God, we give you thanks for all of creation, and we give you thanks for the gift of life. This Lenten season, a time of self-reflection, a time of growth and renewal, open our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts, so that we may live into what you have created us to be. Amen

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