Pastor Robert Delivers His Last Semon At Faith Comunity

July 28, 2009

Pastor Robert McDowell preached his last sermon yesterday (Sunday) as senior pastor of Faith Community United Methodist Church.

True to the itinerate nature of UM preachers, he transfers to First United Methodist Church in Lancaster, OH (Will he ever get used to FUM instead of FCUM?).

In his eight years at Faith Community he was very instrumental in the founding, the Leadership and the Support of the Common Cup churches. He should feel good that he is leaving the Common Cup in such a healthy and vigorous condition.

Robert's last sermon at Faith Community was rather light hearted (which helped to stem the congregational tears) to a crowd who were challenged to find a parking place.

One of the chuckles came when he was recounting things people say just before something horrible happens to them.

The attached photo captures him asking, "What does this button do??"

Most of his approximately 2700 word sermon ( yes, he tries to keep his messages to a ear pleasing length) was devoted to heaping praise on the work and workers of the church- then at the same time, giving the uninformed stranger the idea that he was being pulled along by those workers. Actually, the opposite is true.

We captured a few shots taken during the aforementioned last sermon and are posted at the Common Cup website. Click here:

http://commoncupchurches.org/photos/galleries/pg_2009_Jul_Robt_Farewell.htm

One puzzlement in the photo shown above is a multi colored band seem on Robert's wrist

(See the adjacent enlargement). It doesn't look like a watch, so I ask you, is it:

1. A Guatemalan emergency room band
2. A reminder to not forget his Penn State cuddly cub.
3. Some sort of secret Wesleyan code.
4. A crib band with directions to Lancaster.
5. A wrist support for his overworked ditch shoveling arm.
6. A new electronic gadget which he doesn't know how it works but he just had to have one.

If you know, let us in on it....

Yesterday, Faith Community also held a luncheon for Robert following the 11am service. It was a fun affair where Robert sorta got "roasted"

Our friend, Pastor Mark Putman came up from Cincinnati to act as MC. He was nice to Robert's wife, Penny, but showed little mercy to Robert.

A number of other people got their digs in, including Rex Robinson (Port William UMC) and Terry Heck (Bellbrook UMC).

We will have photos of that event in a couple of days,

Pastor Robert's Sunday sermon title was "The Last Word"

So we decided to capture his very last words as pastor at Faith Community:

Now to him who by the power at work among us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever, Amen (Ephesians 3: 20-21)

John Fristoe (Interim eNews Editor)

Visit us at http://commoncupchurches.org/