Pastor's Page
Pastor Abby Auman
I often get strange looks the first time people see me wearing the most important shirt I own. It's that orange one that says, "Buzzkill" on the front. People stare with these puzzled faces until they read the back, that says, "Malaria kills. Send a net. Save a life. www.nothingbutnets.net."
Here at Mt. Carmel, our kids voted to take on Nothing But Nets as their mission project this winter. Their votes were instant and simple: "If we don't do this, people will die!" They weren't being over-dramatic; this is not a case where someone else would've filled in the gap. Malaria, a disease spread by mosquitoes, is both treatable and preventable. But every 30 seconds an African child dies of malaria. (Every 30 seconds - so how many will die while you surf the 'net today?" Malaria infects half a billion people per year, mostly in Africa. This has the effect of keeping poor people poor, when they are too sick to work, or they have to spend precious money on drugs, or children can't go to school, or other ripple effects that we can't imagine.
So, we voted to join the Nothing But Nets campaign, not only for the winter missions project, but continuing throughout the year. After VBS, we are up to 52 bed nets, which is a lot of nickels. We are not a big Church - our worship average is only 75. Nor are we a rich Church by any dollar measure! But when we all put our pennies and quarters together, God turns them in to $10 bed nets. Ten dollars is a small price to pay for someone's life. If we are worth more than the sparrows, we are surely worth more than $10! It's the best way we have to say to people we will never meet, "God loves you, and so do we." It turns out that the answer to Cain's ancient question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" is yes.
It is not just the United Methodist Church who thinks this is important. I've lost track of the number of partners, but to name a few: Sports Illustrated, NBA Cares, the United Nations, MLS, the Mark Gordon Foundation, the Gates Foundation, etc. Would you ever have expected the UMC to partner with all these groups? So far we've raised millions together.
This summer, the focus has been on the refugee crisis along the Chad-Sudan border [http://www.nothingbutnest.net/files/ChadCrisis.pdf]. For more on the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, see this 60 Minutes story: [www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/20/60minutes/main2111909.shtml].
Or visit SaveDarfur.org [www.savedarfur.org]
Nothing But Nets is a way for us to be the light of the world that Jesus talked about in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7). In Matthew 25, he told us how he would know his followers: by what we do in his name for others. Is offering a bed like offering a cup of water? And is trying to save people who have been beaten, raped, orphaned, and displaced a way of saying "no" to genoicde and "yes" to being the light of the world in dark times and places?
Send a net. Save a life. Be the light of the world.
Pastor Abby
PLAN OF SALVATION
1. Admit that you are a sinner. Romans 3:23
2. Be willing to repent of your sin. Act 3:19
3. Believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and that he rose from the grave. I Corinthians 15: 3-6
4. Invite Jesus to come into your heart and receive Him as Savior and Lord. John 1:12
5. Pray:
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Savior and Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
AT MT. CARMEL , WE BELIEVE...
that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God who died for our sins and arose from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
that the Bible is the inspired word of God - “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.” 2 Timothy 3:16
that every person has worth as a creation of God, but that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
that forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life are available to those who trust Christ as Savior and Lord. John 3:16
that those accepting Christ should repent of sin, confess their faith and be baptized into Him. Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38
that the Church is the body of Christ on earth and exists to save the lost and edify the saved. Ephesians 4:1-16
that Jesus Christ will one day return to earth and reign forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
