By Pastor John Warren

Life it is said will teach you if you let it.

I have learned so much about what is and what is not important in my life these months. It is remarkable how quickly your life can change isn’t it. Many of you are still in various conditions of rebuilding your lives. Physically it will take a while, emotionally it may take longer.

My family escaped the flood but not the effects of it.

As a pastor, some 50-60 families of my church suffered from the flood. Most are still rebuilding.

A few have moved away and a few have passed from the stress of the situation.   I went though a time of grief for my community and church and yet life moves forward.

Still I represent a future of hope that is possible through the Lord.

The church I serve is blessed to have the Marjorie Malloy Spiritual Retreat Center located in the old telephone office located on 6^th Street across from the church. It is usually used for hosting Emmaus Walks and spiritual retreats or family reunions. We can sleep up to 78 in bunk beds and we have showers and a commercial kitchen.

As soon as the water went down enough to get into the church and Malloy Center it has been used to house work teams coming to help rebuild Orange.

We have had folks from Colorado, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Iowa, and this weekend we will have college students from both the University of Indianapolis and Texas A&M University.

This Sunday my friend Rev. Max Mertz the Wesley Chaplain at A&M will be preaching at the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services. The Wesley Center contemporary band will play at the 9 a.m. service and their gospel group will sing at the 11 a.m. service. We hope you will join us for worship and wear your maroon!

In the coming weeks at First United Methodist we will be talking about choosing a scripture to guide your life in the year 2018.

I am sure that through your struggles with life in the past few months God has hopefully made you wiser. I know I have learned a lot about perseverance and patience and the appreciation of the littlest things that I have so often taken for granted.   So I will be exploring those things with you as well.

If you do not have a church or are looking to make a fresh start come visit us at 502 North 6^Th Street.

If you need help go to the internet txcumc.org and click on Texas Recovers then go down to the third button that says I need help click that and follow the directions. A case worker will come and visit with you to see how we can help. You do not have to be a United Methodist to be considered. God Bless.