From the Pastor’s Desk – February 2018

BEGINNING OF LENT

Shrove Tuesday, February 13, heralds the beginning of fasting for the period of Lent. This holy day is six weeks after Christmas, and it is the day on which Christ was presented at the temple by his mother. We at Main Street UMC will celebrate Shrove Tuesday with a Pancake Supper at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13, in the Fellowship Hall. COME HUNGRY!

Ash Wednesday—a time when Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of repentance—falls 40 days prior to Easter. We will observe Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Season of Lent, with a 6:00 p.m. service on Wednesday, February 14, in the Sanctuary. We hope you can join us for both of these evenings.

PROMISES, PROMISES

“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed…You can count on it.”
Jeremiah 29: 11-14

In 1970 George Zimmer graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri—with a degree in economics.

Some three years later, George and two of his college classmates opened their first clothing store in Houston, Texas. They named the store “Men’s Wearhouse”.

It was in 1986 that George Zimmer made his first TV commercial. Staring into the camera, George made a promise that has become familiar to all of us. He said, “You’re going to like how you look. I guarantee it.”

It was a promise that resonated with people and made them want to come to one of his stores. What most people don’t know is that George goofed. He made a mistake. He messed up! He wasn’t supposed to say, “I guarantee it.” He was supposed to say, “That’s a fact, Jack,” which is the takeoff of the catch-phrase made popular by actor Bill Murray in the movie “Stripes”.

It turned out to be an excellent mistake. His simple promise produced a billion-dollar business!

In our communities, there are many ways we make promises:

• Scouts make promises to do their best, do their duty, and obey the scout law.
• Politicians make plenty of promises that they hope to keep.
• In our faith choices, we make promises to believe and practice. As members of The United Methodist Church, we promise to support the church with our time, talent, gifts, service, and witness.

We make promises all the time! At work, at school, or in our neighborhoods. The proverbial “fly in the ointment” to making promises is fear. Can we deliver on our promise?

Physicians suggest we are born with only two fears: the fear of loud noises and the fear of falling. Everything else is of our own making. As adults, our fears are so great, we rename them phobias. Arachnophobia, claustrophobia, xenophobia to name a few. These fears of ours, whether real or make-believe, tear at our confidence and wreck the promise within us. In many ways, it is the difference between breaking promises and keeping them.

So once again, it’s a new year, a time when we make resolutions. All of us desire a clean slate to bring change to our circumstances and improve our quality of life. The task at hand for each of us is to make a list of those promises we will resolve to do in the following months.

Maybe this Scripture will be an inspiration:

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This is a promise to count on.

From the “Bishop’s Corner”
By Bishop Jonathan Holston
South Carolina United Methodist Advocate—January 2018 Issue

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