Waltz Church
A Global Methodist Church

Jesus loves you
and we want to get to know you.
We Observed Worldwide Communion October 1 as "One Lord, One Church, One Banquet" Our altar recognizes the diversity of His Church.
Photo by Cathy Buttolph

Merry Christmas!
2024

Happy Easter!
2024

Welcome
Welcome, and thank you for visiting Waltz Global Methodist Church online, or in gathered worship. We hope that our website highlights the worship, fellowship, and service opportunities available.
We became a Global Methodist Church on July 1, 2023, to insure our continued worship in a traditional style, with traditional hymns, and preaching from the Bible.
Please feel free to read more about our church on this site, or come in for a visit. We would love to greet you and share with you our love for Jesus Christ and for you, our neighbor.
Our Mission
Our mission is to be fully devoted to Jesus by opening our arms to those in search of the truth. All are welcome.
We show God’s love and concern for our fellow man at every opportunity. Through works of charity and opening our doors to listen and love, we feel that we are walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Worship Services
Our traditional Worship Service is 9:30 AM. If you haven't visited us yet, know that you will be a stranger for only about 2 minutes - after that you're family. All are welcome!
Our services are livestreamed. Your can also worship with us on our Facebook page (Walttzgmc Church)
We celebrate Communion on the first Sunday of each month.
Contact us: 7465 Egypt Rd
Phone: (330) 722-1015
Pastor Les is continuing his regular office time, on Wednesdays 9-12 AM, You may call his cell phone to make an appointment if you have a special need
(216)-536-0997

Altar Cross at our outdoor Worship Service
(Thanks for the photo, Eric)
Announcements
Feb 19 Wednesday 10:00 AM Prayer Shawl Ministry
Trustees Meeting
Feb 20 Thursday 7:00 PM Choir Practice
Feb 27 Thursday 7:00 PM Choir Practice
Mar 1 Saturday 8:15 AM Fellowship Breakfast
Hungry Bear Restaurant
Join Us in Supporting Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts
Hurricane Helene has left a trail of devastation across several of our Global Methodist Church communities, severely impacting families and congregations in its path. The destruction is overwhelming, and the need for support is urgent. As we lift up the victims and their communities in prayer, we recognize that immediate financial assistance is crucial for the recovery efforts already underway. While volunteer opportunities will come in time, right now the greatest need is financial support to help rebuild homes, churches, and lives.
We invite you to join us in this critical response by giving financially. Your generosity will directly impact those affected by this heartbreaking disaster. Here’s how you can donate:
Global Methodist Church Disaster Relief Fund:
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Donate ONLINE: Global Methodist Church Disaster Relief Fund (select "Disaster Relief" when prompted).
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Donate by CHECK:
Make payable to “Global Methodist Church” and send to:
Global Methodist Church
11905 Bowman Drive, Suite 501-A
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Please include “Helene Disaster Relief” in the memo line.
For donations exceeding $5,000, please email finance@globalmethodist.org to confirm your contribution.
Additional Global Methodist Church-Related Relief Efforts:
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Faith Responders (Florida): Donate Here
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Mid-South Relief Fund (Eastern Tennessee): Donate Here
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North Carolina: Email missions.ncgmc@gmail.com if you are able to collect and deliver items.
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North Georgia Relief Fund: Donate Here
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On Mission Network:
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Volunteer: Sign-up Here
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Donate: Donate Here
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South Carolina DRT: Donate Here
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South Georgia Relief Fund: Donate Here
Your support, whether in prayer or financial giving, is a beacon of hope to those facing unimaginable loss in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Together, as a Global Methodist Church family, we can make a tangible difference in rebuilding and restoring what has been broken. Thank you for standing with our brothers and sisters in their time of need, and for being the hands and feet of Christ in this time of great challenge.

Showcased Photos

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Baptism of Bella Garcia and Confirmation of Noah Garcia
Nov 19, 2023. Simon (Dad), Sarah (Mom) and Aunt Marie with Bella and Noah.
For Feb 9
Sermon: The Heart of A Champion
Intro: Although It’s not a day you’ll find on the Church calendar, today is Super Bowl Sunday. It’s the climax of the season where 32 teams began formal training in July with hopes of qualifying to compete in the playoffs. The remaining two teams in the playoffs will compete for the trophy today, but only one team will be crowned champion. One player will even be named Most Valuable Player from among the 53 players on the championship team. But recognizing one team as champions overshadows the number of champions that competed on both teams.
Often a player’s value is determined by physical factors, like size and speed that allow an athlete to excel at a particular position. But the intangibles – such as the courage to overcome adversity, perseverance in spite of mistakes, sacrifices made to achieve a valued goal, and an unselfish willingness to help teammates to better themselves factor into what makes up the heart of champion.
I. Champions’ hearts.
A. Those of us who watch the annual Army Navy games see the hearts of champions displayed by both service academies – teams and individuals. Although The Ohio State won the college national championship trophy, the young men of the service academies would not have traded the thrill of competing for the victory of their game for the national trophy. The players weren’t playing for a trophy, or hoping to be drafted by pro teams. They gave all they had for the pride of winning, valuing sportsmanship as they prepared to be leaders of their country. After the game, each team honored their rival brothers by serenading them with their own Alma Mater. They all showcased the hearts of a champion.
B. Against this backdrop, this morning I want to focus on the hearts of God’s champions. Not the beating muscle inside our chest, but the inner spiritual being that makes us God’s champions. We might gain honors on a world’s stage, but never be seen by God as His Champion. None of us are born as God’s champions. It takes a continuing journey of training, commitment, and desire to face the battles as God’s champions.
C. Our Opening Hymn recognizes the beginning of our championship journey. We who love the Lord, letting our joys be known, joining the march forward in sweet accord as His Church, Zion, His family. Our Call to Worship further identified His requirements for us to ascend to His Holy Presence to begin His training: A pure heart, washed by Him, cleansed of our deep sin that once separated us from Him. We can expect to still commit individual sins, but now, in His presence, they can be forgiven, keeping us in His Presence, as we begin to more clearly see and understand our God.
D. Our wills must then be transformed to work as one with Him, rather than each seeking their own way of doing things. We each have different abilities with different talents, but each of us must use what we have, applying them to God’s purposes. Paul tells us that all things work for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to His purpose. But we must submit our wills in obedience to Him, letting Him shape us to His will and purposes, as we sang in our Call to Prayer, Have Thine Own Way, Lord.
E. To become God’s champion takes sacrifice, hard work, and focus. We may not like some of the things we are called to do, perhaps even questioning why. We may even come to a crossroads of deciding whether to persevere, take an easier way, or quit altogether. But God’s champion perseveres, facing adversity as training to overcome even greater obstacles, remembering Paul’s words in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” and encouraged by brothers and sisters. A champion will continue to face and overcome obstacles, while encouraging others struggling with such adversity. God’s champions aren’t competing against each other for individual honors, but to win glory for God. God has given us His best, even His Son, to prepare us to fight the good fight, for the victory ahead. He doesn’t need us to be victorious, He’s already defeated the Enemy. He desires us to be His champions for our salvation, and the salvation of all His children.
II. I Samuel 17:28-37; 45-47
A. Let’s pause here to look at some of God’s champions in the Bible. In the OT, Samuel, Saul, and David were three leaders God had chosen to develop as champions. God had blessed Hannah with a son she named Samuel, and had promised to raise him in God’s service. While yet a young boy living in the Temple, mentored by the priest Eli, God had selected Samuel to be His champion. Samuel developed into a strong champion as God’s faithful voice to His people over many years. But Israel complained that they wanted to be led by a king, like other countries, rather than a spiritual leader like Samuel. God consented, and had Samuel anoint Saul king.
B. Saul had all the physical qualities of a champion king. He was a head taller than most, and quite handsome. God had directed Samuel where to find Saul, who at this point was humble, somewhat shy, uncharacteristic of a king. Although Samuel had warned the people of the dangers of a king becoming too powerful, oppressive, and leading them astray, he followed God’s instructions and anointed Saul King of Israel. But, being anointed by God, and living up to that anointing as God’s champion, proved to be two diverging paths. Saul’s heart began to fall away from God, and he soon began doing things his own way, ignoring God’s instructions, until God decided to begin preparing the next king of Israel to replace Saul. Samuel was told to go to the house of Jesse and choose one of Jesse’s sons. David was almost passed by because he was so young. But God knew David’s heart, and instructed Samuel to anoint David king.
C. But, despite his godly heart, David wasn’t ready to be king. God wanted time to develop him as His champion. We see an early preview of David’s heart of a champion in our OT lesson, the well known story of David’s battle with the Philistine giant Goliath. Although we may know the outcome, I want to focus on what the Scripture shows us about David. His father, Jesse, had sent him to where his brothers, serving in the army, were camped, facing the Philistine army. The Philistines, from the land we know today as Gaza, had the giant Goliath as their champion, who taunted the cowering Israelite army under Saul to come out of their encampments and fight him. His taunts were so brazen that he dared any Israelite soldier to fight him, but the loser’s army would surrender. Israel had no one courageous enough to take that dare, but David, incensed that this uncircumcised Philistine, would dare to taunt God’s army. His brother, Eliab hears David talking to soldiers, probably critical of their fear, and is angry with David. David angrily reacts to his brother’s anger but continues to speak to the soldiers.
D. David’s questioning the soldiers was reported to Saul, who then summons David. David even stands up to Saul, saying he would fight Goliath, telling Saul how God had helped him defeat a lion and a bear threatening his sheep, and would certainly deliver him from the hand of this enemy like those predator animals. Saul must have been amused, but is unable to talk David out of it. Saul tries to outfit David with his own armor, but the much smaller David could hardly even walk in Saul’s gear.
E. David shows no fear standing before Goliath, defiant in defending the Lord God Almighty whom David says Goliath has defied. He boldly tells Goliath that the Lord would deliver him into David’s hands to kill him. But his boldness is not based on confidence in his own skills, nor just smack, but rather in his total belief that by such a victory, everyone there would know the God of Israel, and that it was not by spear or javelin that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s, who would give the more powerful Philistine army into Israel’s hands. Goliath may have been amused, or even insulted, that the Israelite army would send this ‘flea’ to defeat him. Did they think so little of Goliath’s power, or were foolish enough to put their hopes in this insolent child?
F. At least, until the young man used his sling to land a stone to his forehead, killing him. Was it David’s skill, or God’s divine intervention that guided that stone? Either way, David had shown the heart of a champion, defiant in defense of the Lord God, willing to trust God against overwhelming odds, and claim victory in the name of the Lord God.
G. Years later, King Saul turns against David, jealous of his victories while commanding the Israelite army and the people’s love for their conquering hero. Saul spends years hunting down David, trying to kill him to prevent him from being crowned King of Israel. David even passes up several easy opportunities to kill Saul, ending his adversity, but so committed as a servant of God, David refuses to kill God’s anointed king.
H. Finally, when Saul, fearing defeat by a strong enemy, offers a sacrifice for victory, which only Samuel, as priest, would have been allowed to do, God allows Saul to be severely wounded in battle, who then has his armor bearer kill him, not an honorable death for a soldier.
I. Of these three men, chosen by God, Samuel had shown the heart of a champion by his faithful leadership over Israel, obeying God’s calling over many years. Saul had been anointed as king, but failed to let God develop a champion’s heart. David, however, was anointed as king and had let God develop his heart of a champion. As God’s champion, He would become Israel’s greatest king.
III. I Timothy 4:6-16
A. Here, Paul is writing to young Timothy, but he could also be writing to each of us. Despite Paul’s initial defiance against Jesus, Jesus calls him to become His champion, and Paul lives up to that calling, constantly displaying his heart of a champion. In his letter, Paul is preparing his protege to have the heart of a champion. He counsels him, as a good minister of Jesus Christ, to be nourished on the truths of the faith, training himself to be godly, which has value in all things holding promise for this life and the next. Not only in doing these things for his own growth, but teach others. Don’t let others look down on you because you are young, he says, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. Don’t neglect your gift of preaching and teaching that had been bestowed on him through laying on of hands, a form of anointing. By diligence in these matters, giving yourself wholly to them, everyone would see your progress, persevering in them for your benefit and those hearing you.
B. Summarizing these examples to be relevant to our focus this morning, we’ve seen that we’re not born with the heart of a champion, but put ourselves in God’s hands to develop such a heart. We compared two kings, Saul and David, chosen by God, anointed by God through the same champion, Samuel. Both kings were given the latitude to succeed or fail. But Saul relied on his own abilities, and his heart became separated from God. David had a passion for God, willing to defend Him against incredible odds, as a youth against Goliath, and later as king. David was still vulnerable to sin, and he sinned greatly at times. But David always came back to God, repentant and confessing his sin. And God loved him, forgave him, and continued to mold his heart of a champion. And finally, we hear Paul counseling Timothy to be a champion for God and developing his heart of a champion. Insights for us as well.
Conclusion: We’re gathered here, champions in training, having been chosen to follow Jesus, putting ourselves in His will. Jesus wants us to be His champions, wanting to develop in us the hearts of a champion. But we have to let Him mold us, using the gifts He has given us, surrounded by brothers and sisters encouraging one another, working together and individually, to become His champions. So the question posed to us in our closing hymn, is “Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the king?” How will we answer those questions? Amen