In seeking to fulfill the Great Command and Great Commission, First UMC Tallulah is trying to focus on 5 major areas that will help us better put these basic guidelines into practice.  They are:

COMMUNION: Holy Communion, the Eucharist, or the Lord's Supper, is an ordinance that Christ instituted during his physical time on earth. Methodists historically celebrate it every first Sunday of the month and at special occasions as deemed by holidays or the pastor's discretion. The frequency, every first Sunday, we enjoy is a result of the frequency at which the circuit riders of early Methodism were able to get to the churches on their circuit.

After automobiles took over, it seems that the churches, being able to have their pastors every week, adopted the once a month communion service and placed it at the beginning of each month. John Wesley's understanding was that one should have the Eucharist as often as possible.

Methodists, as most Protestant churches agree, do not believe that the elements of bread and (non-fermented) wine are mystically changed into the actual body and blood of Christ. Our Wesleyan heritage understands that Christ is present in the act, acting within the believer along with the reception of, but separate from, the elements. John Wesley affirmed the Lord's Supper as a "means of grace," an act of human initiation in which one encounters, through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, God's ongoing redeeming work in one's life.

As a result of this belief, Methodists have the attitude that this Table Fellowship of Communion is not our doing, but we, as all of humanity, are simply recipients and participants in Christ's invitation to "Do this in Remembrance of Me." Thus, in our celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ we welcome all comers who desire to follow Christ and walk in his love--which flows through the believer to others.

However, there seems to be a feature of Holy Communion that the modern church is missing. In the early days of the church, communion was actually a common meal that they celebrated and would, at some point, institute the bread and close with the cup. The meal was sort of a potluck in which everyone, according to their means, brought something to the table to share with the rest. This indicated that God's provisions are to be shared in community with each person having equal access to the provisions.

One can easily envision Jesus at the community of believer's  table gesturing toward those present saying, "This [you my disciples] is my body, which is given [as a gift] to you. Do this in remembrance [to act according to what was initiated] of me." Thus, the Eucharist (literally: The Thanksgiving) arises out of Holy Community in their regular communion into which every believer enters upon receiving Christ as Lord and Savior.  Questions? Comments? (click)

COMMISSION: No, not on sales volume. But as a response to Jesus's instruction, or possibly creative word, in Matthew 28:18-19, one enters into the world as a living testament to God's salvific work in Christ. The word Jesus used in that particular passage as a blessing to go forth was, in Greek, "metatheses," which most completely translates to mean, "mentor."

So Jesus instructed us to go "mentor" the world and, thereby, teach them to walk in the ways of Christ and induct them into the Communal Body (see"Communion" above) through the ordinance/sacrament of Baptism, which is another means by which the community can participate in God's Speech-Act (human initiated action through which God promises to speak) to announce divine grace and purpose of life intended for all of humanity Questions? Comments? (click)

COMMUNITY: 

COMPASSION:

CONSECRATION: 

These are the 5 areas of focus at first UMC Tallulah.  We are still in process of searching these things out and putting them into practice. 

More to come soon...