Thinking of visiting Harrisburg UMC, if so, we invite you to join us for Taste of Harrisburg. Sunday, Sept. 10th at 10 am in our fellowship hall. Taste of Harrisburg is a chance to talk with the pastor, meet church staff, ask questions, learn more about Harrisburg UMC.
Questions call 704-455-2311 or email: administration@harrisburgumc.org
Movies and the Bible
Pastor Fredrick will be using movie clips during our July worship services. As you review the list of clips, you might wonder how these movies clips could possibly relate to a Sunday sermon.
Movies often connect faith and culture. Looking past the surface, movies challenge us to be wise interpreters. Drawing us together through the message, meanings, and influence the film has on our hearts, minds and spirit. This past week Pastor Fredrick used a clip from Shawshank Redemption with a sermon titled: Shield by Peace.
The character of Andy Dyfresne a quiet, thoughtful, and proud man. Andy refuses to let the dehumanizing atmosphere of Shawshank break his spirit. During a challenging and uncertain time in his life Andy was endlessly hopeful. In the clip Andy plays a recording of “Le Nozze Di Figaro” over the loudspeaker, which invited all the prisoners to experience a reminder that they were more than prisoners, regardless of their past transgressions, they remain people. Andy states “There’s something inside that they can’t get to, that they count touch, it’s yours. Hope.”
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Movie Schedule
You might want to take some time in July to watch one of these movies or another movie with friends and then discuss the movie. Here’s a few questions to get you started.
Sunday Breakfast April 23rd 10 a.m.
Everyone is invited to join us for breakfast during the 10:00 am Sunday School hour on April 23rd.We’ll have activities for children after they eat, devotion, conversation, and fellowship for adults! Please let us know you are joining us at rsmith@harrisburgumc.org.
The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22nd. we invite you to join us for worship on Ash Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
As a community of faith we’ll be making the commitment to read a Lenten Devotion for each of the 40 days of Lent. Here is the link for the 40 Days of Lent Devotional: Easter Prayer and Scripture Reflections. Visit our Facebook page once a week one of the weekly devotions will be featured we’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the reflection question.
Except from the UMCDiscipleship.org
Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. The English word “Lent” comes from the Anglo–Saxon word lencten, which means “lengthen” and refers to the lengthening days of “spring.” In many other languages, the word used for this season refers to the 40-day length of the season (cuaresma in Spanish and Tagalog, carême in French, quaresimain Italian) or to the fasting that characterizes it (Fastenzeit in German, fastan in Swedish, paasto in Finnish, posta in Russian). The season is a preparation for celebrating Easter.
Historically, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by converts and then became a time for penance by all Christians. The First Sunday describes Jesus’ temptation by Satan; and the Sixth Sunday (Passion/Palm Sunday), Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his subsequent passion and death. Note that the readings during Lent, until Passion/Palm Sunday, focus primarily on the meaning of baptism and discipleship, in continuity with the season’s original purpose. Because Sundays are always little Easters, the penitential spirit of Lent should be tempered with joyful expectation of the Resurrection.
