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Sunday Praise & Worship 10:00
Christian Education - 10:00 - Casual Dress - Loving Childcare

Acts 2:1-11 (September 21, 2003)
On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place. [2] Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. [3] Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. [4] And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
[5] Godly Jews from many nations were living in Jerusalem at that time. [6] When they heard this sound, they came running to see what it was all about, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
[7] They were beside themselves with wonder. "How can this be?" they exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee, [8] and yet we hear them speaking the languages of the lands where we were born! [9] Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, [10] Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya toward Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), [11] Cretans, and Arabians. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!"

Sermon Notes

Please join Pastors Vicki and Bo Gordy-Stith in welcoming Bishop Peter Weaver who brings us the message of Good News and presides over the Communion Table September 21. Bishop Weaver appointed our pastors to serve Skyline Church in July, 1997, and has reappointed them to serve our church community every year since then.

Today, his text is Acts 2:1-11, the birth of the Christian Church. His theme: “The Fire Place”. In lieu of sermon notes on the text this Sunday, we have prepared a short summary of information about United Methodist Bishops in general and about Bishop Weaver in particular. You can find Bishop Weaver’s biography online at the church website, and you’ll find more information about United Methodist Bishop’s at:

www.umc.org/abouttheumc/bishops/faq.htm

Paul's letter to Titus (1:7) calls a bishop "God's steward." That stewardship, according to our United Methodist Book of Discipline, relates to "matters temporal and spiritual" with the purpose being "to equip the church in its disciple-making ministry." Bishops are to preach and teach the faith, ordain and appoint the clergy, and care for the ordering and unity of the church as we share together in God's mission in the world.

A bishop serves as a general superintendent of the entire church.  In the United Methodist tradition, bishops are clergy elected and consecrated to the office of bishop by the jurisdictional conferences in the United States and by the central conferences outside of the U.S.  Any clergy member of an annual conference is eligible to be elected a bishop.

Bishops are responsible for setting all clergy appointments in the annual conferences they serve. Most bishops also serve on a general agency board, often as the president. The bishop is the presiding officer at the annual conference session and they rule on points of law.
Bishops are assigned by their jurisdiction to serve a geographical area for a four-year term. There are 50 episcopal areas in the United States and 18 episcopal areas outside of the U.S. 

Bishop Peter D. Weaver was elected bishop at the 1996 Northeastern Jurisdiction Conference and appointed to serve as the bishop of the Philadelphia Episcopal Area, which includes the Eastern Pennsylvania and the Peninsula-Delaware Conferences. the Philadelphia Episcopal Area comprises nearly 1000 churches with over 230,000 members in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. United Methodist institutions related to this area include six camps/retreat centers, one hospital, twelve retirement homes, two children's homes/ministries, four colleges, one UM seminary, and a variety of other community serving agencies.

 John Wesley's Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but Thine.
Put me to what Thou wilt.
Rank me with whom Thou wilt.
Put me to doing - put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for Thee, or laid aside for Thee -
Exalted for Thee - or brought low for Thee.
Let me be full - let me be empty.
Let me have all things - let me have nothing.

I freely an heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Thou art mine, and I am Thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

In 2001, Bishop Weaver reported the following: 101 churches visited; 56 days spent in Cabinet meetings and over 175 changes in appointments made; 40 days in General Church meetings; 22 days in College or Council of Bishops’ meetings; 33 Annual Conference meetings; 16 days for our Annual Conference sessions; 11 District Days; 28 special clergy events; 18 special laity events; 19 meetings with Conference-related institutions; 14 ecumenical events; 22 meetings with community leaders; the equivalent of 57 days driving (averaging 50 MPH for 8 hours a day) going to churches and gatherings in our Conferences (22,723 miles).

Bishop Weaver writes:

When all is said and done, prayer is the most important thing I, or any or us can do. Through prayer God shapes our "being" so that our "doing" more and more reflects God's will for our lives, our church, and the world. Every morning I begin with Wesley's Covenant prayer, "I am no longer my own, but Thine. Put me to what Thou wilt..." Through it all, I am very aware and grateful for the prayers that I know are being offered on my behalf, by you and by congregations, as we seek together o serve Christ in our world. Thank you.

Grace and Peace,
Peter D. Weaver


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