January 4, 2019 DAILY READING Acts 7:44-53This weekend’s reading: Revelation 1:9-19 FIELD NOTESI’ve had the privilege of visiting several amazing and beautiful places of worship through the years — including York Minster in England; St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. When one enters these wonders of engineering, architecture and…

January 3, 2019 DAILY READING Luke 8:16-21This weekend’s reading: Revelation 1:9-19 FIELD NOTESI like to read self-help books. Maybe the topic is time management — learning how to prioritize tasks, get things done, and achieve my highest goals. Or maybe the book is about fitness and health — “growing younger” or following a low-carb diet.…

January 2, 2019 DAILY READING Proverbs 1:1-7This weekend’s reading: Revelation 1:9-19 FIELD NOTESI took piano lessons throughout my childhood. Beginning as a first grader who could barely plunk out “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” to my graduating recital when I played Chopin’s “Military Polonaise,” I studied with the same teacher — Mrs. J. Victor Barr. Mrs.…

January 1, 2019 DAILY READING Psalm 147:12-20This weekend’s reading: Revelation 1:9-19 FIELD NOTESCharles Wesley published these words in 1750 for New Year’s Day worship. Let them be our prayer as we begin a New Year. Wisdom ascribe, and might and praiseTo God, who lengthens out our days,Who spares us yet another year,And lets us see…

December 31, 2018 DAILY READING 1 Kings 3:5-14This weekend’s reading: Revelation 1:9-19 FIELD NOTESAs another year comes to a close today, you may find yourself looking back over the last twelve months and evaluating the results of your choices and decisions. Were they wise? Are you pleased with where your year took you? In today’s reading,…

December 29, 2018 DAILY READING Matthew 10:39This weekend’s reading: 1 Peter 1:13-16 FIELD NOTES “He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.” Matthew 10:39 Judson W. Van de Venter says about his inspiration to write the hymn I Surrender All: The song was written while I…

December 28, 2018 DAILY READING 1 Peter 1:13-16This weekend’s reading: 1 Peter 1:13-16 FIELD NOTES This Sunday, while considering The Covenant in the Wesleyan Tradition, we will also focus on being God’s holy people.  The word “holy” has at its root adoration, separation, consecration, separation, and dedication.  All of this is summed up in the song, Take…

December 27, 2018 DAILY READING Jeremiah 18:1-11This weekend’s reading: 1 Peter 1:13-16 FIELD NOTES Adelaide Pollard wanted to go to Africa as a missionary in 1902.  Discouraged because she did not have the money to make the trip, she went to an evening prayer service.  During the service she overheard another woman say, “It really doesn’t…

December 26, 2018 DAILY READING Genesis 15:7-16This weekend’s reading: 1 Peter 1:13-16 FIELD NOTES Today, while we sign contracts to bind an agreement, in Biblical times, people shed blood to make a covenant to bind an agreement.  The word covenant comes from a word meaning “to cut.”  In Biblical times, if two people made an agreement, they…