Sullivan UMC—J. Michael Smith

Highlights of the day

• My day began a little after 5 a.m., going over “paperwork” and getting ready for the day.  Bible reading, prayer, devotional reading, writing in my diary, assembling thoughts for this coming Sunday’s sermon, making lists of people I needed to contact for the day.
• At 9 a.m. I was in a room full of curious men (Walking with Jesus men’s group at the church) who asked me some very difficult questions about the Bible.  Not sure I’ll be invited back—but I really enjoyed the depth of their thinking.
• Ran over to Pana today to have lunch with my mom.  It’s been too long since I’ve gotten away to do that, but it worked out well because after lunch was headed over to Shelbyville…
• To Shelbyville Manor to meet Fred David and Mary Storm for the first time.  Not every day you get to meet someone 97 years old and 98 years old within an hour.  Thank you to Lois, Ann, and Laura for introducing me.
• Got signed up with the church accountant to start getting paid.  For the past two months I’ve been the cheapest preacher you’ve ever had.  (No smart-alecky comments please.)  From now on you will be checking to see if you’re getting your money’s worth.  Pressure is on.
• Heading in a few minutes to Mattoon to join the Tuesday supper-out club.

Save the Date

The men set two dates for burgers and brats this year:  May 23 and September 5  (Saturday before Memorial Day and Saturday before Labor Day.)

Quote

It’s not often that someone speaks up during one of my sermons, but in both services Sunday I did get an “Amen” (or something like that) for this comment:

“Have I seen fire in the hearts of the people of our church?  Do we have enough people with fire inside them to see revival here?  After all the deaths and break-aways and drift-aways?  The evidence is overwhelming:  among the people of this congregation there is fire enough, passion enough, determination enough, strength enough, money enough, people enough, power enough, enlightenment enough—to do anything God wants us to do—inside this church, all around Sullivan, throughout Moultrie County, and even beyond our local area.”