Rev. Nate and Julie Ware LET US PRAY “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8:26-27 “And when He had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.”…Keep Reading

DAY OF PEACE “I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people.” Psalm 85:8 It matters who we listen to. Monday is here and who knows what the week may bring. We can’t help the voices that are all around us. There are a lot of gloom and doom, unkind and hurtful words out there. Each day we must choose who we are going…Keep Reading

John 11 Link to YouTube Video – “Waiting Is Faith in Action – Rev. Michael Vaughn of Gate City United Methodist Church” From Pastor Will Shewey – Photos from Tour: We formerly live-streamed at 4:00 p.m. Sundays in real time. We continue streaming at that same time by edit\redaction and upload of previous Saturday service. Through it all, no aspect of our outreach and ministry ceased. We remain strong and…Keep Reading

Rev. Nate and Julie Ware Take….Eat “By eating something, you don’t merely accept it as putting something into your body,: it becomes part of your body.” Luke 22:14-23 “…..it wasn’t the first time that He had spoken of Himself as “bread,” to make He Himself a Life Source. They would have been hard-pressed not to remember that Jesus is the Bread of Heaven, the Bread of Life: John 6:25-69 Several…Keep Reading

Church Sanctuary “For we are to God a sweet smell of Christ…” 2 Corinthians 2:15 The smell of a church sanctuary is like no other. It is the remaining aroma of lives that have worshiped before, and a holy redolence that sleeps in the wood of the pews. The walls have absorbed the breath of singing, praising, and praying for many generations; and the floors have caught the tears that…Keep Reading

MOSAIC OF THE CHURCH “The LORD is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 There are beautiful mosaics that are often made of broken things (such as glass). I am reminded that the church is such a mosaic. It is made out of broken lives that have been gently placed there by the hands of God. He has always found a use…Keep Reading

THE WORDS WE USE “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45 Would you buy water if you knew that it was bottled from a contaminated spring? Does a person continue to use food that…Keep Reading

KEEP DOING GOOD “And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13 Many who try to live a life pleasing to the Lord, and who do their best at doing good, are likely, at some point, to face the temptation to “throw in the towel.” I use that expression because it is a boxing term for accepting defeat. Doing good can seem…Keep Reading

John, Chapter 9 Link to YouTube Video – “The Blind Man” From Pastor Will Shewey: Our congregation is growing steadily at Shades of Grace since worship was moved to Saturday mornings. COVID took a toll over the past three years. Many of our people simply disappeared; death, incarceration, relocation..all this and more. Upon reentry of weekly worship, only about 20 percent of our original crowd returned. I recently took a…Keep Reading

Rev. Nate and Julie Ware Belonging In and To Christ “IN WHOM ALSO WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, being predestined according the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” “Ephesians 1:11” The Apostle Paul’s phrase, “in Christ,” appears 35 times in the Book of Ephesians (1) “Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are in…Keep Reading

Habakkuk 3:17 “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, still I will praise Him.” “DOES IT FIT INTO GOD’S PLAN” By His own example, Jesus gave us the context for prayer when he prayed,…Keep Reading

Rev. Nate and Julie Ware FEEDING ON GOD’S WORD And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Deuteronomy 8:3 A large T-Rex could put 520…Keep Reading