{"id":8082,"date":"2015-08-01T16:55:59","date_gmt":"2015-08-01T20:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=8082"},"modified":"2015-09-03T19:27:50","modified_gmt":"2015-09-03T23:27:50","slug":"lets-go-surfing-pumc-hosts-camp-meeting-72615","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=8082","title":{"rendered":"Let’s Go Surfing! PUMC Hosts Camp Meeting (7\/26\/15)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our church was the host church for the Sunday Camp Meeting service on July 26.\u00a0 Members from our praise team lead the music and Pastor Jim preached a sermon on Matthew 14:22-33 entitled “Let’s Go Surfing!”<\/p>\n

Scroll down to listen to a recording of the sermon and to follow through the summary.<\/p>\n

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PUMC Hosts the Camp Meeting Service<\/span><\/h3>\n
\"Ann<\/a>

Ann Downham sings the offertory<\/p><\/div>\n

Each week, different United Methodist Churches from the area serve as hosts for the service.\u00a0 The host churches usually supply the music, and their pastor gives the message.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

There was a bit of a controversy at the beginning of the sermon, however.\u00a0 Someone had informed Pastor Jim that he was wearing the same shirt which he wore during his sermon last year (“Don’t Give Up<\/a><\/span>“) on August 3, 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pastor Jim admitted that his shirt might have been the same,\u00a0 but he also insisted that his hair color and shoes had definitely changed since least year’s appearance.\u00a0 Thanks to the wonder of Internet website technology (and the fortunate serendipity that a picture was taken to mark last year’s service), we can hereby disprove- almost<\/span><\/em> beyond despite- that Pastor Jim maybe<\/span><\/em> did NOT wear the same shirt two years in a row!\u00a0 Similar- yes.\u00a0 But identical- absolutely not… possibly<\/span><\/em>!<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Pastor<\/a>

2014 shirt- Yellow and BLUE<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Pastor<\/a>

2015 shirt: Yellow and WHITE (and the shoes are different too)<\/p><\/div>\n

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Yes, the shirts are very similar. \u00a0 But last year’s version clearly has blocks of dark blue.\u00a0 And it’s not simply a matter of lighting or exposure of the photographs (but there’s substantial disagreement on that claim<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 Upon close examination it can almost<\/span><\/em> be shown that this year’s version is lighter; the blue stripes seem to<\/span> <\/em>have a white background instead of yellow.\u00a0 And yes- it wasn’t tucked in last year but it was tucked in this year.\u00a0 As for the shoes, we don’t have enough evidence to draw any conclusions.\u00a0 As for the hair… no comment…<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

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Now that we’ve addressed these “important issues”… let’s get into the Word of God!\u00a0 God’s Word is the only truth we can depend on (as demonstrated by the above discussion about our “shirt mystery”).
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Click the below “Play” button to begin the recording, then scroll down to follow along…<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\nhttps:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Sermon-2015-07-26-Grove-Lets-Go-Surfing-_JHB.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

The scripture was from Matthew 14:22-33.\u00a0 Click the below drop down box to open…<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Matthew 14:22-33<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.<\/p>\n

23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.<\/p>\n

\"Fishermen<\/a>

Fishermen on the Sea of Galilee<\/p><\/div>\n

24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.<\/p>\n

25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.<\/p>\n

26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.<\/p>\n

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”<\/p>\n

28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”<\/p>\n

29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.<\/p>\n

30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”<\/p>\n

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”<\/p>\n

32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.<\/p>\n

33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\u00a0Let’s Go Surfin’ Now Everybody’s Learning How….<\/span><\/h3>\n

Ah yes.\u00a0 The 60s.\u00a0 Jan and Dean.\u00a0 The Beach Boys.\u00a0 And a host of other one-hit wonder groups.\u00a0 Every musical group was in the surfing craze for a while.\u00a0 But by most accounts, the Beach Boys led the “safari”.\u00a0 Here’s a clip from 1962 when the Beach Boys were really “Boys”…<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sOg1MxozVPc<\/p>\n

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Surfers almost have a spiritual connection with the board, water, and waves.\u00a0 When it’s done right, it looks easy. It’s graceful.\u00a0 Maybe that’s because of the “total focus of energy and attention by the surfer to the task of surfing. It’s absolutely meditative.” (Reference<\/a>).\u00a0 Surfing reminds us that the life we’re given is where we need to spend our time. We’re all called by God to be “soul surfers.”\u00a0 to experience life as God would have it, to be all that we are called to be, to “have this attitude in you which was also in Christ Jesus<\/span><\/em><\/strong>” (Philippians 2:5<\/a><\/span>) we can all learn from surfing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
SURFING THE WAVES<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nWALKING WITH CHRIST<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Become “one with the board.”<\/td>\n\n
Focus on the point of destination.<\/td>\n\n
Move together with the board to ride through life’s waves.<\/td>\n\n