The
fact that I have been a member of this church for
about thirty-five years makes my list of stories
pretty lengthy.
Having shared many joys and some sorrows
with this church family it is hard to “single”
out a time when others reached out to me making me
feel at home…so I will relate one of the most
recent.
Last
year when I was vacationing in
Florida
and fell breaking my leg, having surgery and going
into rehab there for about six weeks, I received
so many cards and telephone calls from members of
this congregation, it was unbelievable!
With all the attention I was getting the
nurses thought I was some kind of celebrity!
I could feel the prayers and sincere
concern, making my recovery a lot easier.
After
retiring, several years ago I moved from
Novi
and thinking I should find a church closer to my
new home, I visited several churches in the area.
In doing so, I came to realize that I am
right where God wants me to be…among a loving
and caring congregation at
Novi
United
Methodist
Church
.
Chris
McQuiston
back
to top
….
Bright eyed, petrified yet confident in my faith
in God, I arrived at the
Novi
congregation in the summer of 1997.
…. I
was delighted to see the mission commitment of
such a small band of God’s people seeking to
reach beyond themselves into the urban centers as
well as across oceans in Christ’s name.
Arriving at age 33 to lead a congregation
through its challenges and into a new chapter of
its history, I was aware of the concerns of some
members who doubted my abilities.
Yet never did I hear a discouraging word
about my leadership.
Were there questions about where we were
going and how we would get there?
Absolutely, but they were questions that
communicated commitment and dedication to the
cause of Christ in this congregation.
Lifelong Methodists and Evangelical United
Brethrens joined with new Christians and converts
to work out their salvation with one another in
Disciple Bible Studies, book studies, council
meetings, street cleaning, and in hospital rooms.
Discussing our faith as it impacts our
culture and individual lives was the highlight of
my memory in
Novi
. We
had lively worship as well as contemplative
services all seeking to open our hearts to God’s
Spirit so that we might make decisions for change
both corporately and personally.
When I reflect on the ministry of Novi, a
wave of faces floods my memory, each person brings
the salty flavor of God’s Spirit.
Some are still in
Novi
leading and supporting the ministry of Christ.
Others are serving in other congregations
both near and far away.
Still others are enjoying the eternal song
of God’s love in the next “great adventure”
which Jesus promised us following this life on
earth.
…. It takes more faith in God to serve in
struggling places with a counter-cultural message.
Yet I believe that is precisely what Jesus taught
us to be in the world.
When living is easy, we forget our need for
God. Jesus
asks us to live in a way that is less comfortable
for the sake of others.
The resiliency of the
Novi
congregation taught me those challenging lessons
of Jesus in ways that I am still processing today.
We live in the already but not yet of
God’s Kin’dom.
There is no arrival in this life.
There is only the journey which is most
often painful, difficult, satisfying, and Godly
when we live in the challenge of following Jesus,
the one who made friends with public sinners and
social outcasts.
I am shaped by the relationships made during
my years among the Novi United Methodists.
The love and support as well as the
guidance and correction I received were gifts of
God given through their hearts and lives.
Thank you is all I can offer and my promise
to pay it forward to those with whom I share the
journey in these days.
Thanks be to God!
Rev.
Louise R. Ott
back
to top
What
Novi
United
Methodist
Church
Adds to My Life
I
had a plan! Together with my wife, Gloria, my High
School sweetheart, I planned that we would finish
our education, start a family, buy a home, travel,
and live “happily ever after”. It was a good
plan. But it wasn’t what God had in mind for me.
As you all know, a series of health crises in my
life have both tested and strengthened my faith.
At age 23, in a startling wake-up call, I
was faced with the shocking realities of cancer.
I cried out to God, “Why are you
bothering me with this? I have done nothing to
deserve it and I’m too young! That began the
struggle. Since then a have had three different
cancers requiring six surgeries, years of
chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and endless
other medical test/procedures.
There
were several times I was at a physical and mental
low in my life. I questioned the value of living
if life was going to be this difficult and
painful. But,
I heard a voice saying something along the lines
– “Your
life has a purpose. You have not yet done what you
came here to do."
After that I wondered what purpose God had
for my life.
I
had divided my life into compartments: School,
Work, Family, Health, Recreation, Religion, etc..
Sometimes when one part of my life (health) was
not going well, I consoled myself with another
part that is going well (work, perhaps). Then
there are those moments when everything seems to
be fine, yet there still was the nagging feeling
that something is wrong. Why do I feel empty? What
is missing? Could
these nagging thoughts be related to my spiritual
wellbeing? Is it possible that my spiritual
dimension was experiencing pain?
Gloria
and I decided we needed to search for a faith
community and we found
Novi
United
Methodist
Church
. I
often wonder what motivates us to attend NUMC?
I believe we attend for the most human of
reasons. Family
history has its place.
If you were raised in a family who attended
church, continuing to do so is only natural.
Gloria was raised in the Methodist church.
As I grew-up, church attendance was valued,
but inconsistent.
Friendship
brings me to NUMC, too.
It's the desire
for friends -- good friends, caring friends,
friends who share your values. I believe God means
for the church to be a place to build long-term
caring relationships, to be a community
in every sense of that word.
Personal
growth is a factor.
I continue to learn about myself. As I past
through various stages and issues in my life, I
find it increasingly important to include God in
my personal exploration.
The
need for significance
is a strong motivator, too. Something inside me
wants to make a difference, to do something
meaningful, lasting, to be part of a cause bigger
than myself. Church is a perfect context for this
type of fulfillment, since, at their best,
churches change communities for good --one person
at a time. I am amazed how often I see individuals
at NUMC who are asking, "What do I have to give
here?" rather than just "What can I get?" Refreshing, isn't it!
Finally,
I attend NUMC in order to come to
know God, to honor him through worship and by
my very presence in his house. I come to church
because I am searching, and I find I can search
for God in this context better than others.
That's
pretty much the list. NUMC is a major part of my
life because that is where I can hear the word of
God explained and applied to my life, see how God
works in people's lives, and experience the
friendship of a loving faith community.
Terry
Smith
back
to top
|
