Coming Together

Pastor's Weekly Devotion
MARCH 3, 2010
Coming Together Rev. Craig Duke Rev. Duke is the Senior Pastor at Hillside United Methodist Church in Princeton, Indiana. Hillside United Methodist Church Online Hillside Welcome Meet Our Staff Hillside History Hillside Calendar Hillside Ministries	The Weekly Devotion James 2:14-18 (The Message) 14-17 Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soupwhere does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? 18 I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department." Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove. Coming Together It begins with a notebook filled with lines and directions. This is not an atlas, the lines are for memorizing and the directions indicate where to stand and what gesture to use. The note book is filled with the manuscript for a play. Each actor receives the same information and then highlights his/her respective part. Then come the rehearsals. The director has one idea on the interpretation and the actor has another. For weeks they work on developing the character to best of both their abilities. There is tension as the play progresses. If a person attends an early rehearsal, it may appear discouraging. It would seem that the group will never be ready in time for opening night. And yet, some how, some way, the play finally comes together. Incredulously, the whole thing comes together after a lot of hard work and numerous rehearsals. At long last, the applause of the crowd affirms their work. James reminds us that or faith and our deeds sometime do not coincide. We rely on one more than the other. It is a struggle of faith to live out that faith on a daily basis with our actions. A tension allows the coexistence of faith and works. A long life allows a balance to take place. As James says, they fit together, hand in glove.)verse 18) As we live out our faith, God applauds. We have to listen for it, but its there. God revels in our coming together as we discover the need for both faith and works. Our manuscript is the Bible and the teachings of Jesus. Our director is the Holy Spirit. The local Middle School is preparing for a play this Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. I invite you to attend and witness the coming together of Guys and Dolls Jr. The young actors and actresses have worked hard. Maybe our applause will spur them on to future hard work in all their endeavors including their journey of faith. Sharing in Faith, Rev. Craig W. Duke

Contact Info
	Senior Pastor	Rev. Craig Duke	(812) 385-2910	revcraig@hillsideemail.com
	Office Administrator	Brenda Witt	(812) 385-2910	brenda@hillsideemail.com
	Choir Director	Sandy Nixon		sandy@hillsideemail.com
	Pianist	Debbie Ford		debbie@hillsideemail.com
	Preschool Director	Julie Goedde	(812) 385-2910	julie@hillsideemail.com
	Worship Coordinator	Linda Duke	(812) 385-2910	linda@hillsideemail.com