Rev. Andrew's Adventures

Community UMC, Quincy “The Practice of Repentance” Rev. Andrew Davis March 24, 2019 Luke 13: 1-9             Now I admit that I’m not one who likes to admit when I’m wrong about something.  I remember back as a child having to answer something I didn’t want to answer whenever I did something wrong because I knew it would get me in trouble, maybe even grounded.  While telling the truth and confessing my wrongdoing might have gotten me in trouble in the short-run of things, it kept my parents or teachers’ faith in me in the long-run of things, which is an important lesson.  When it comes to admitting wrong or having to fess up, it can be very painful to confess any wrongdoings, whether it’s before our family, our teachers, our bosses, our preachers, or even God.               Repentance is one of those words that has...

Community UMC, Quincy “Fighting Temptations” Rev. Andrew Davis March 10, 2019 Luke 4: 1-14 One of the biggest challenges in life any given day of the week can be a trip to the grocery store.  How many of you in here  find that to be the case, especially when going in and turning left inside Safeway and see that wall of Easter candy, or immediately inside the entrance when you go into SavMore, or when you go down the promotional aisles at Rite Aid, a Dollar Tree, or Dollar General?  Same goes for the snack aisle.  It’s especially true in that time period between mid-September and Easter which I always call the “candy holidays.” — It’s nearly impossible to pass up a brilliantly decorated display with bright colors and bags of candy that just scream “buy me!” Or, when you’re walking through the seasonal aisle, it’s hard not to notice the bags of candy corn in the Fall, candy canes and peppermint candies around Christmastime, those little...

Community UMC, Quincy “See All the People: The Astounded Crowd” Rev. Andrew Davis March 3, 2019 Luke 9: 28-43             I love a good mountaintop experience!! Whenever I make the drive up to Bucks Lake or Silver Lake, there are a couple little clearings where I can the valley below and it’s always awe-inspiring, at least to me it is.  A couple summers ago, there was a loop trail I wanted to try near Oakland Camp, although it involved a lot of switchback trails.  While I didn’t get up to the loop trail, as my legs and heart weren’t ready for steep switchbacks, I did get a nice view of the American Valley below and once again felt a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of where we live.               It’s very fitting that we live in the mountains as we talk about Jesus’s transfiguration on the mountain that we just he...

Community UMC, Quincy “See All the People: The Questioning Crowd” Rev. Andrew Davis February 24, 2019 Luke 6: 27-38             This last week has been a test of will, no doubt. I think since we are having a real winter, this year, there are things we tend to take for granted at times, such as heat and lighting, even electricity.  And likewise, we are in the midst a test of will for our denomination, Nevertheless, if I’m being fully honest with myself and others, it’s been a test of individual will with stress and anxiety being sky high this last week. At the same time, there’s always a reminder that no matter how hard things are, they could always be worse and that this too shall pass, even if it may pass like a kidney stone.  So when I become a whiny, little, you-know-what, there’s always a reminder things can be much worse and that we can still rejoice in God, even when the entire s...