Welcome to The York River District of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church, one of 16 districts in the Virginia Conference. It stretches from Mathews to Isle of Wight counties. The District consists of 66 churches, grouped in 58 charges, and 1 Wesley Foundation. There are 59 pastors serving in the District, including Associate pastors and the pastor serving at the Wesley Foundation.
The administrative office is located in the Towne Bank building on Route 17 just south of Denbigh Boulevard and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. We ask that you call ahead to make certain we are in the office. If you are not vaccinated against the coronavirus, visitors are asked to wear appropriate face coverings when coming to the office. Making more and better disciples for Jesus.
The District Office will close at noon on Friday, September 24, 2021.
September 2, 2021
Deliverance (Psalm 34)
In my devotion this morning, I focused on Psalm 34. This Psalm is one of my favorite biblical passages. I may have said this to you before, and if I did, please pretend that you are reading this for the first time.
Each morning during my devotion, I do four things, using the acronym ACTS. First, I acknowledge the LORD. Second, I confess my sins. Third, I offer thanksgiving to the LORD. And fourth, I pray a prayer of supplication. For the past two years, I added two elements to my prayer. First, I pray that I may do something that glorifies the LORD. Second, I pray that in glorifying the LORD, may I be a blessing to someone. I do the latter two things because as a redeemed and delivered sinner, I owe my allegiance to the LORD in bringing others to salvation.
In Psalm 34, David expresses similar allegiance to the LORD as one who has experienced the LORD’s goodness. He, therefore, praises the LORD and invites his audience to do likewise. Friends, to know the LORD is not enough. To think about the LORD’s attributes and goodness is not enough. Knowing the LORD means one must acknowledge the LORD's presence and share it with others.
David extends the invitation to listen and rejoice; to lift the name of the LORD up high. I extend a similar invitation to you. Amid our challenges, let us not forget to call on the name of the LORD. Remember, David sought the LORD and found an answer. He was delivered. And so, he invites us to try the LORD who listens, saves, protects, and delivers. He summons us to take refuge in the LORD. Let us follow his example and bring our petitions to the LORD and listen, for the LORD hears us.
Through this scripture, David invites us to do good, seek peace, and pursue it. If you are in search of peace and feel broken, know that the LORD is close to the brokenhearted. The LORD saves crushed spirits. The LORD protects those that are vulnerable. Let today be your day of a new beginning. Speak into existence that you are redeemed. Speak into existence that you will have peace. Speak into existence that you are freed. Speak into existence that you are cleansed. Speak into existence that you are changed. Speak into existence that you are favored. Speak into existence that you are delivered.
I encourage each of us to act and speak in ways that allow others to appreciate the presence of the LORD. Let us bless the LORD. Let us praise and rejoice in the LORD so that the unchurched can see us and hopefully be delivered from the bondage of sin.
As we prepare to commemorate 9/11, let us pray for the peace of our nation, the Afghan people, our men and women, and their families, those who are separated from us by death, and for our global community. The LORD we serve delivers, and I am sure that we can count on that.
Charles
