Category Archives: Pastor

Church: What, Why, and How?

Ever think Church was a waste of time?

Do you think Church is a required event for salvation?

Maybe you are one of those folks who think Church is outdated since there are plenty of preachers on radio and TV.  Maybe you have no real idea why we have Church or why anyone should go to church?  How about this – does denomination matter? What does the Bible say about church and the behavior of the Church?

Beginning this Sunday we will spend the next three weeks talking about the ‘What, Why and How’ of Church, according to the Bible, and I think you might be surprised.  Worst yet, if we used that measure for Church found in the Bible, we might be very disappointed at our Church evaluation score.

Join Us every Sunday as we challenge our Church to be more like the true Church described in the Bible as we grow our parish in ministry and members.

A.C.T.S. and Kairos Prison Ministry Team will be using the Church this Saturday so you will see a lot of cars in and out.  WE are fortunate to have a Kairos team at Dorsey and to see our Amazing Christian Teens in Service.

A.C.T.S. will meet at 2pm to go to two different locations to do mission work.  We will return at 5pm for dinner provided by Donna Benzing along with a guest speaker who will share his testimony of growing up in a less than perfect situation – from soldier and war, to a severe car accident and now cancer – all while living a life trusting Jesus.  He is also a youth leader at Celebration Church in Columbia for their group called W.I.N.D.  Don’t miss our meeting and dinner and bring a friend to hear Donovan share his testimony.

 

Calendar

Kairos @ Dorsey Thursday – Saturday

A.C.T.S. Saturday 2-6:30

Sunday Worship – Wesley 10am, Dorsey 11am, Lorien 2pm

Wednesday – Howard County AGAST 7pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center

 

SPECIAL NEEDS ASAP

Wesley Chapel needs money and or school supply donations right away for two back packs at Jessup Elementary

Dorsey Emmanuel needs prayer boxes filled for teachers at Ducketts Lane Elementary

Pastor has a homeless situation that he often needs food and money for a room.

 

PRAYERS

Bob J., Naomi, Dan S., Charles O., Clifton, Jessica, Bill W., Wendy M., Ann M., A.C.T.S., Children’s Ministry, Hungry Baby Mission, our partner schools

 

Make church happen in your neighborhood!

Rick

Summer Fun and Outreach

It’s been fun to see pictures of our members and friends on vacation posted on Facebook, but wouldn’t it be interesting if we either brought pictures to Church for a bulletin board or have you share them on the Church Facebook pages.  Your family vacation could be shared by sending pictures to Verna or Rick and we can add them to our Facebook page.

As for the Outreach and Mission pictures at present only A.C.T.S. has those pictures.  What can we do about it?  Send us your picture when you participate in mission or when you share the story of our parish with someone else not already attending our churches.

In addition you could help us plan an OUTREACH Activity like free bottles of water at the local sports park, conduct a prayer walk in your neighborhood, have your neighbors to an ice tea, iced coffee or hot coffee or movie night  get together. Your imagination is the only limit and you can always Team Up with another family.  Remember we have a great fire pit in the Prayer Garden at Dorsey.

A.C.T.S. Calendar

  • August 5 Boating Morning @ Centennial Park – Meet at Dorsey 10am
  • August 19 Mission Day and Dinner Meeting – Meet at Dorsey 2pm

Check out our new Facebook Page!

 

Calendar

  • Sunday July 23
    •    Worship @ Wesley 10am
    •    Worship @ Dorsey 11am
    •    Worship @ Lorien Elkridge 2pm
  • Monday July 24- July 28 Pastor at Seminary
  • Wednesday July 26 Howard County AGAST Meeting 7pm
  • Monday Aug. 7 – Friday Aug 11 VBS @ Dorsey 6-8:30 pm

Prayers

VBS, Children’s Ministry Team, Wesley Chapel Leadership Team, A.C.T.S., Naomi, Margaret B., Justin O., Cheryl S. family, Lois F., Frank and Arlene, Roy and Betty, Charles and Eleanor, Tammie and family

 

  • How are you living out your faith?
  • Invited anyone to church?
  • Invited anyone to VBS?
  • Volunteered to work with VBS?
  • Encouraged anyone to join A.C.T.S.?
  • Made a new relationship in your community?
  • Decided to join a house group?
  • Decided to lead a house group?
  • Volunteered for the church audit team, serve Holy Communion, lead worship, PREACH?
  • Thought about baptism or church membership?

 

Let’s work and worship together to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!

 

See you in church and church can happen ANYWHERE!

Rick
**Songs of Summer Sunday Sermon for July 23 – Great Are You Lord!**

Does your role define you? 

Sunday we challenged men, women, youth and children to be inspired by the Wonder Woman of Proverbs – so how is it going?  Sure, we made reference to the summer movie hit Wonder Woman but we were really concerned about becoming the Wonder Woman/Man/Person of God.  If you were not in church on Sunday checkout the online message connected with the Dorsey Facebook and website then start looking at your life through the lens of Proverbs 31.

What defines you?  Are you defined by your relationships or lack of relationships?  Parents – are you either intentionally or unintentionally encouraging your children to see their value through human relationships when really the only relationship that matters for you and your kids is the relationship you have with Jesus.

Does your role define you?  I am a mom, dad, husband, wife, computer geek, musician, athlete, etc.  Often the world tells us that all we are called to be is a parent or spouse and if that is true then what are we when the kids grow up and we are no longer someones spouse?  In reality the only role that is essential to our identity is the role of a child of God.

Are you defined by your reflection?  I need to dress like this because it is my identity.  Even our must rebellious kids choose to dress identical to their non-conforming group that unfortunately would reject them just like other groups as soon as they dress or act at all different.  Does your reflection tell you that you are not worthy of joy or success?  Does your reflection say that if you want to be in this culture you must act, dress, choose music and food to match or you don’t belong?  In reality, the only opinion that matters is God’s opinion and God thinks YOU are worth dying for!

Check out the five traits of a real Wonder Woman of God and remember that those traits are the traits that men should reflect in their lives and most of all teach to the young boys and men so they will seek those traits in their friends and relationships both male and female.

PRAYERS

Roy, Betty and family, Charles and Eleanor, Almeda D., Naomi J., Leon P., Leon E., Cheryl Smith’s family, Doris, Al and family, all of the names on our church prayer lists, Our Hungry Baby Mission, Our VBS Team, Margaret B.  Pray daily for our community and government leaders.  Pray to be a Proverbs 31 influence on others.

 

Sunday Message – O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing!

How are you living out your faith?

Invited anyone to church?

Invited anyone to VBS?

Volunteered to work with VBS?

Encouraged anyone to join A.C.T.S.?

Made a new relationship in your community?

Decided to join a house group?

Decided to lead a house group?

Volunteered for the church audit team, serve Holy Communion, lead worship, PREACH?

 

Let’s work and worship together to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!

 

See you in church and church can happen ANYWHERE!

Rick

Guest or Member?

On Pentecost, Sunday June 4, we will be receiving NEW Members into our parish.  Some are coming in by letter of transfer from another United Methodist Congregation.  Some are coming from other denominations and, hopefully, some of the new members will be making the decision to join the Dorsey Emmanuel/Wesley Chapel Parish because they have decided that just doing church is not enough to continue on the path to true discipleship in Jesus Christ.

If you are interested in transferring membership you need to contact the United Methodist church where you were confirmed or last held membership and they will send a letter to me at the church address and we will then receive you on the 4th.

If you are in one of the other two categories I will be holding a new member instruction class on Sunday May 21, 2017 6:00-8:00 pm at Wesley Chapel to discuss what it means to be a member of the church versus a guest and to offer you the opportunity to discuss theological differences that may or may not agree with your beliefs.

You need to let the Pastor know if you are interested in becoming a member so I can prepare accordingly.

Membership is a big step in your decision to be a disciple versus a guest and, if transferring, is a statement of your commitment to the ministry of our parish.

———-

 

PARENTS with students A.C.T.S. age PLEASE show them the activity schedule in the last newsletter and add the dates to your calendar to be supportive of your young adult being involved in growing their faith and discipleship.  Being a Christian parent means to value raising a Christian family.

REMINDER – Pastor is preparing for school and is spending a lot more time in the home office preparing assignments so if you or someone you know is in need of a visit or contact please let the Pastor know.  If it is someone you know remember that we have one pastor but many ministers and and your call or visit is just as valuable if not more so.

 

Check out the Announcement Sheet, Facebook, or our Website for special events on our calendar.

 

THIS SUNDAY is Mother’s Day and Wesley Chapel has professional photographer coming to take FREE family portraits after worship so invite the entire family for a special Mother’s Day Photo Op.  The event will continue until after the worship ends at Dorsey so ALL families in the parish can take advantage of this opportunity.  For those new to Dorsey Emmanuel our sister church Wesley Chapel is less than 10 minutes from Dorsey and there will be refreshments.

FINALLY, A.C.T.S. (Amazing Christian Teens in Service) have applications for yard and house work for those in need and will work on at least one location every month beginning in June.  If you or someone you know is need of this kind of mission outreach please ask one of the A.C.T.S. leaders or members for an application which must be returned by June 1 so we can review them and schedule them.  A.C.T.S. is a four church youth ministry so apply early.  And yes, when we are doing projects we will take all additional help once the schedule is posted.

 

See you Sunday!

Rick

What do you use to fill “Empty”?

Last Sunday we expanded our celebration of the Empty Tomb by beginning a sermon series on emptiness in our lives followed by a group movie event to see The Case for Christ.

It is interesting that many times Christians as well as others feel empty in their lives and feel the need to keep it to themselves or worse yet to punish themselves because there must be something wrong with them, especially if they are a Christian.  Yet we can find instances in the Bible where people were empty in their lives, their finances, their family relations and never did Jesus turn them away.  Never did Jesus say go fix yourself!  Jesus said come to me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  In that spirit we will spend the next few weeks looking at areas of life that often seem empty and challenge each other as to what we are using to fill that emptiness and discuss how it is working and see what The Bible says we should use to fill that emptiness.

This past Sunday we looked at the statement “My Life is Empty” and determined that the emptiness in our life we often believe can be filled by worldly things and pleasures and when we try those fillers they are short lived and usually lead to more problems.  That emptiness can only be filled Jesus.

This week we look at the statement “The Earth is Empty” as we follow up on Earth Day 2017.  We often look around at the world or the environment and see desolation and extinction and we again choose some answers that on paper look good but are those answers really the best scientific answers much less the best Biblical answers?

The third week we look at the statement “My Checkbook is Empty”; now I understand that I may have to take a few minutes and teach what a checkbook is to our e-finance generation, but the problems with debt and how to get out of it are the same for paper check writers and ETR specialists.  Join us as we discuss what the Bible really says about debt.

Finally on Mother’s Day we will look at the statement “My Marriage/Family is Empty”  On this day at Wesley Chapel there will be FREE family portraits taken after worship and the photographer is staying so folks at the Dorsey Church can go over right after worship and have their photo taken too.  Invite the whole family to church so they can be part of the special memory photo.

 

Tuesday May 2 Life Bread Small Groups @ Dorsey Dinner 6:15, Group 7 pm

Thursday May 4 National Day of Prayer – Pastor will be in Annapolis at the Governor’s Celebration

Saturday May 13 Mother/Daughter Tea at Melville Chapel – Check out Facebook Ad

 

Prayers

Lisa Maloney and the 7 Mile Walk with Jesus Team, Roy and Betty, Frank and Arlene, Charles and Eleanor, Rodney and Mary Truscott, Bev H., Tony L., A.C.T.S., Lois F., Doris L., Princella W., Clifton and Jessica, Amie, Nathan, and Abby, Mike K., Leon E., Naomi and Bob, Margaret B., Almeda D.

Holy Week and Easter Celebration

It was a great Holy Week and Easter Celebration!  Let’s not let it go!

On Holy Thursday we shared worship with Melville Chapel, Harwood Park and Wesley Chapel at Dorsey Emmanuel.  After a nice meal about 30 of us joined in worship and Holy Communion led by Pastor Joanna from Melville Chapel, Pastor Rick from Dorsey/Wesley, CLM Verna Prehn from Dorsey/Wesley and the choir from Melville Chapel joined by members of the Dorsey choir.

On Good Friday over 35 members and guests of the same four churches joined in worship at Wesley Chapel this time led by Pastor Cynthia Belt from Mt. Zion/Harwood Park, Pastor Rick and numerous lay people from all of the churches.

On Saturday Dorsey Emmanuel held the Annual Easter Egg Hunt attended many kids and adults.  We had some great community business sponsors:  Texas Road House Restaurant in Pasadena donated 100 filled eggs, certificates for free food and special recognition which we will also use during our VBS.  We also are very thankful for Frank’s Produce partnership for the fruit and Weis Markets for their food donations.

Please take time to stop by these business and patronize them and, even more important, tell them thank you and that you are from Dorsey Emmanuel.

Saturday evening also celebrated ice cream, fun, devotion, and business with the new Amazing Christian Teens in Service (A.C.T.S.) as we planned out our spring and summer fun and mission calendar.  If you know a middle school or high school student then ask them to join the rest of us as we continue to grow and oh yea get a real cool black and neon T-Shirt.

Community Easter Son Rise was again an enjoyable worship as we shared with Jessup Baptist, Payne AME, and all four of our United Methodist Churches. 

Resurrection Sunday Worship at Wesley and Dorsey was celebrated by over 130 people and our final worship service of the day was at Lorien Nursing and Rehab Center in Elkridge and we shared with a dozen residents and their families.  One couple in particular was very thankful for our ministry.

So why stop now?  Sunday we asked you to see the cross through our own eyes and we highlighted that the message of the cross required Sacrifice, Commitment, Service and Cost.  As with all of God’s Covenants we are called to fulfill our end of the covenant so let’s grow together each Sunday, Tuesday Night Small Group, A.C.T.S. Ministry, Our Daily Bread Mission Team or any aspect of our joining together as the Body of Christ.

 

This Sunday (4/23) we begin a sermon series entitled “Empty” and before you feel too down and out realize that “empty” is often the feeling one has particularly after a high worship time like Holy Week and Easter. But this feeling is often present in our lives and some think Christians just shouldn’t feel this way so how do we get out of the empty feeling?

This Sunday we acknowledge and Discuss that “Sometimes My Life Feels Empty” even after Easter.

 

April 30 will focus on “Sometimes Our Earth is Empty” as Earth Day will have just passed.

May 7 will focus on “Sometimes My Checkbook is Empty” as many of us try to plan our finances for the summer or our children’s schooling in the fall.

May 14 (Mother’s Day) closes the series with “Sometimes My Marriage/Family is Empty” since this day is celebrated in the United Methodist Church as Mother’s day and Celebration of the Christian Home.

On this day there will be several family celebrations not the least of which will be FREE Family Portraits at Wesley Chapel.  Maybe it has been awhile since your family had a true family photo together so invite the whole family to church and after worship join us for coffee and we will have a photographer ready to take your family photo.

 

As I close the message today we continue to ask prayers for those who are grieving as today we lay to rest another beloved long time member of our parish.  At 2pm today we will celebrate the life of Juanita Shipley at Kaufman’s Vermillion Funeral Chapel.

 

Calendar

Saturday April 22 – Earth Day. If you’ve never seen the Rain Garden at Dorsey Emmanuel go over and check it out.

Tuesday April 25 – Life Bread resumes Small Groups @ Dorsey Emmanuel 6:15 meal, 7 pm groups

Thursday April 27 Church Council @ Dorsey Emmanuel 7pm

Thursday May 4 – Governor’s National Day of Prayer @ Navy Marine Corps Stadium

 

Prayers – Kevin F., Charles and Eleanor, Leon E., Naomi and Bob, Lois F., Shipley family, Margaret B., Almeda D., Carol B., all of the names on our published prayer list, A.C.T.S. Ministry, Hungry Baby Ministry, Gloria our AOET sponsor child.

 

Let’s make disciples for the transformation of the world!  TOGETHER!

Rick