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Stop holding on to your hurt and pride
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Sometimes when I preach, I will write a sermon and never use it. God will change what I preach about at, what seems like, the last minute. This article is very much in that category. I had an article about Pontius Pilate and his role in the crucifixion. I thought it was a good article, a nice follow up to the Easter message. Apparently, it wasn’t what I needed to write about. Maybe you will read it in the future, maybe you won’t. I just want you to know where this is coming from. I want you know that I need to hear what I am about to say as much as anyone else.

Were you and your family excited about Easter Sunday? We buy new clothes, Easter baskets, and lots of chocolate. We hear the message that Jesus suffered a humiliating death on the cross that he did not deserve. He died our death, the death we deserve. He took my place on the cross and he took your place as well. He saved us from sin and death.

We forget that Jesus left heaven to become a man and die for us. The crazy thing is that this was God’s plan.

God knew we were going to mess things up so bad that our relationship with him would be broken. He knew that the only way this relationship could be fixed was with the sacrifice of a perfect and blameless lamb. He has been telling us this since the first Passover. That perfect, spotless, blameless lamb is Jesus Christ.

We all know what John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This tells us about that sacrifice and the gift of salvation that is available. Most people stop there. If you read John 3:17, you learn that he had this planned all along. John 3:17 tells us this, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Jesus came not to damn us to Hell. Jesus came to save us from Hell, a hell we deserve.

God knew when he created us that we were going to botch things so bad that He would have to save us. He knew that he would have to sacrifice his son so that we could have a relationship with him. He knew all of this and He created us anyways. How much love is that? We cannot imagine love like that.

If you knew someone was going to mess things up as bad as we did, you would never associate with that person. You would probably avoid them like the plague.

God did the complete opposite. He loved us even though we don’t deserve it. Let’s mirror the love that God shows us and love everyone we come into contact with. Let’s love those that have hurt us, talked bad about us, wronged us, took advantage of us. Let’s love those that we think don’t deserve to be loved.

Because God loves us no matter how broken, how messed up we think we are.

He loves you where you are, wherever you are.

You may be saying, “But Andy, you don’t know how bad this person hurt me!” Guess what? You are absolutely right. I don’t know how bad they hurt you. God does. He loves you and he loves those that hurt you. He also loves those that you have hurt.

We have to stop holding on to our hurt and pride. We need to run to the cross. We need to embrace the cross. We must stop letting our hurt define us. We need to be defined by the cross. Meaning, our lives must reflect the love that Jesus showed us. We need to love others expecting nothing in return, nothing but hurt. This is a hard lesson. I don’t want to hear this and I know you probably don’t either. We need to hear it though.

With the gift of Easter still fresh in our minds and with the evidence of rebirth all around us this spring, remember the love that was shown to us, not only on the cross, but through creation.

The poet Albert Laighton wrote, “Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees sweet flowers growing.” God sees the beautiful flower we are. So, let us stop looking at everyone that hurt us as weeds.

Andy Butts was born and raised in Newton County. He is the youth pastor at Journey Church in Oxford, GA. He loves God, his wife, his children, food, Ethiopia, and Star Wars.

Covington First United Methodist Celebrates 200 years
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Photo via First United Methodist Church of Covington, Facebook.

Covington First United Methodist Church is celebrating 200 years of serving its community, growing in faith and connecting Newton County with Christ.

Located just off the Covington Square at 1113 Church Street, Covington Ga, Covington First United Methodist Church, led by Senior Pastor Chris Shurtz, is a congregation of approximately 850 members operating under the motto of Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.

The church is a charitable stalwart of Newton County, serving its community through an abundance of missions, being a leader in feeding the hungry, gathering others to give back, and spreading the word of Jesus Christ. Its building is a beacon throughout the region, serving as a hospital during the Civil War, and being featured in several film and television productions.

Covington First United Methodist will celebrate its 200th birthday on Nov. 10, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. but each day is a celebration of centuries of service rendered and a future of continued praise.

“What a privilege to serve this church that continues to be a light for Jesus Christ after 200 years together,” Rev. Shurtz said. “Even better news is that God is not finished with us yet. We are looking forward to sharing Jesus’ saving grace, hope and love for the next 200 years. Covington First is committed to making room for each and every person interested in encounterings the risen Jesus and God’s forgiving love. No matter who you are or where you come from, we want our church to reflect God’s global  Kingdom on earth for generations to come.”

The seed that would grow into Covington First United Methodist Church began when Andrew Hamill was appointed Minister to the Yellow River Conference in 1823. The purchase of the church followed on June 29, 1824, with Hamill leading services as the first recorded minister of the church.

The earliest site for the Covington Methodist Church was facing Church Street, bounded by South and Elm streets, two blocks off the public square. The church moved to its third and current location bordered by Church, Conyers and Monticello streets in 1855.

Since then it has seen several additions to include church offices, a chapel, an educational wing, fellowship hall, larger educational building and Wesley Chapel. Inside the sanctuary is a beautiful Austin Pipe Organ, Opus 2577 installed in 1975 and a chandelier, of similar design to one in the White House, weighing 1,100 pounds with 550 pounds of brass and 550 pounds of lead crystal donated to the church in 1990.

Covington First United Methodist has been led by 98 pastors throughout its history. That leadership is still felt today through legacy programs and new missions that impact Covington in 2024.

Covington First United Methodist currently participates in the following missions:

  • Change the World Day and Gifts of Grace 
  • A Night to Remember -
  • Giving Hands Food Pantry – 
  • Meals on Wheels delivery - What began as sandwich delivery on Saturdays is now a service bringing hot meals to residents who request a meal in the High Rise.
  • Live Nativity Drive-Thru 
  • Vacation Bible School 
  • Local missions, including home repairs and yard work. 
  • Covington First Preschool .
  • Community on Our Knees 
  • Pumpkin Patch

Covington First UMC lives by the motto “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors”  We are known for our hospitality and welcoming of all that enters our doors for worship, our campus for outreach events or to meet utilizing our facility. 

Covington First UMC provides worship services on Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Small group Sunday School classes for all ages at 9:45am with childcare for nursery age children from 8:30 a.m.- noon.  Children, youth and senior adult programming, spiritual growth, Bible Studies, music program, missions, outreach and fellowship opportunities are available for our youngest to our most senior.  We are a church believing in the power of prayer with a strong prayer blanket ministry and church care team for those sick, shut in or homebound.