Month: October 2020

COVID-19 & Family Time

Scott Carnes Our Family Page Posts , , , , , , , , , , , ,
COVID-19 & Family Time

Henry’s playroom was turned into a worship video studio, and, without childcare, Carrie and I take shifts (along with a high school student in the mornings) taking care of our son and trying to work full-time. It has been a challenge, but in the midst of all of the challenges we have spent a lot of time as a family. This pandemic has forced us out of our routines and caused us to re-assess how we organize ourselves and order our time, yes, but also the quality of life we try to pack into that time.

My hope for all of us as we continue in this, potentially, drawn-out pandemic is that we would, yes, lament our losses but also look for gifts. Here is a gallery of some of what we’ve been up to in the Carnes house!

Loving People, Loving God

Scott Carnes Finding My Way

Many times when we think of church, we immediately think of God. Of course, God-made-human…the Christ…is the focus of all we do at church, but scripture is as much about people as about God. God came to earth to touch lives. God came to earth to heal this world. God came to earth to bring peace between nations and neighbors. God came to earth to experience humanity in an all new way.

So, when we think of church, loving God might be our first thought, but loving God is closely connected to loving people. I hope that when we think of Abingdon United Methodist Church we not only think of an other-worldly God and perfecting our own hearts. I hope that we also think to a God who is here-and-now and imagine…and re-imagine a church that is connecting with people in our community and world. A church that cares for the conditions of our own hearts, minds, and spirits AND a church that reaches beyond ourselves to touch lives, heal this world, bring peace, and experience the human condition in new ways.

In other words, I hope that we take our God seriously enough that this congregation never turns inwardly -making it all about ourselves. I hope that we take our God seriously enough that we continually try to live as Christ making our faith about others, exploring the depths of our own hearts, and calling out to a God who loves us time-and-time again!