May 9, 2024
The poetry of William Ross Wallace is known to many of us through this intriguing last line in a famous poem that he wrote. It is, to be sure, a line that commands our attention. “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.” The implication, of course, is that there is often unrecognized power in the role that, in his day (1865), belonged exclusively to mothers. This was, I believe, Wallace’s way of celebrating the role of motherhood in a time when it was not always fully appreciated. While we would understand that role quite differently today, there is, I believe, value in considering his perspective.
As I prepare for worship this week, I am thinking about this poetic line as it applies to the life and witness of Susanna Wesley, mother to 14 surviving children, among them, her sons, John and Charles, both instrumental in the growth and development of Methodism. While John and Charles were the “founding fathers” of Methodism, it is important to recognize that their significant contributions would not have been possible had it not been for the great contribution that their mother, Susanna, made to their lives and through their lives, to us all.
Being a mother has never been an easy task, especially in the 18th century world of which Susanna was a part. And yet, Susanna displayed a remarkable skill and determination in making the best of her assignment. With great discipline and grace, she provided her children with the education, wisdom and spiritual awareness that enabled them to grow into remarkable human beings. Some historians have suggested that Susanna was the most educated woman in England at the time. Whether or not that was actually true, her witness of faith was one that left an indelible mark on all of her children and especially Charles and John.
While these two individuals often receive most of the attention for the role that played in the formation of the Methodist movement, I would like to give credit where credit has long been overdue—to the witness of their mother Susanna.
I will plan to celebrate her life and witness in my Mother’s Day message this week. Hers was indeed, “the hand that rocked the cradle,” the hand that would allow the Methodist movement to become the powerful force in our history that it has become. It’s time, I believe, to give Susanna the attention she deserves.
May 2, 2024
Well, I guess you could say that I am “back in the saddle” as I have returned from some time away, fishing in Montana. There’s something about Montana and something about fishing that seem to go together. It is a beautiful place, and these are beautiful fish (Cutthroat Trout) that I am referring to. The combination is hard for me to resist.
In my absence, I am most grateful to Mark Renfrew and Ron Packer for leading worship and offering the message over the past two Sundays. It is, I believe, a great quality of our congregation that we have those who are not only willing, but actually, wanting to share the good news of the gospel in the context of worship. It is a real blessing not only for me, but for our congregation. We are all the better for it.
As I anticipate leading worship this coming Sunday, I am planning to reference one of my favorite passages of scripture, one that is found in John 21. This is the story of Jesus’ post resurrection appearance to Peter and the other disciples on the shores of Lake Galilee. If you are familiar with this passage, you will recall that it begins with Peter’s declaration that he is going to go fishing (v.3). Other than that being one of my favorite verses in the Bible, I would suggest that it also reflects Peter’s desire to get back into the rhythm of the life than he had known prior to his decision to follow Jesus.
We can image that Peter was somewhat exhausted from the emotional roller coaster that he had been on during the arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. He had known great moments of agony and despair and he had also known moments of unmitigated joy. Now, in this moment, he simply chooses to get away from it all and get back to the familiar rituals of fishing the Sea of Galilee. The other disciples decide that this is a good idea and suggest that they join him.
The stage is then set for what becomes yet another post resurrection appearance of Jesus. In the very early morning when the sun was just beginning to rise, they see a man on the shore who calls out to them, asking if they have had any luck. They replied that, no, they had caught a single fish all night. This “stranger” then instructs them to try casting their nets to the right side of the boat where they will surely find some fish. Figuring that they had nothing to lose, they do so and to their astonishment, their nets are suddenly filled to overflowing with fish!
In that moment, they recognize that, “it is the Lord” who had given them these instructions. Peter simply cannot wait for the boat to make it into shore. He strips down and dives into chilly morning waters to be the first to reach Jesus. What follows is a delightful breakfast reunion on the beach.
Then, as the breakfast winds down, Jesus and Peter find the opportunity to have the conversation that they have been waiting to have. I invite you to read (ahead of time) the exchange that takes place in John 21: 15-19. It is a tender and poignant moment in which Jesus makes clear to Peter that the past and his three-fold denial of Jesus, has been forgiven and forgotten. Jesus then proceeds to commission Peter to the work of being the rock upon which Jesus indicated he would build his church.
It’s a wonderful story and one that suggests that, despite our disappointments and our failures, our God is one who never gives up on us—no matter what! Instead, we are invited to “cast our nets again” and trust that God will still find a way to use us. Our assignment, therefore, is simply “to begin again.”
As you prepare for worship this week, you may want to reflect upon those moments in your own life in which you have discovered, by the grace of God, that you could “begin again,” without living under the shadow of the past. Peter’s experience, you see, is one that I believe we can all identify with.
April 25, 2024
As we all know, Pastor Ron has been enjoying some personal fishing time, and I was invited to lead our worship service this Sunday. I hope you all perceive my invitation from Pastor Ron as a positive experience, and I will share how I feel God has guided me throughout my life, as I believe He has been very active in it.
My theme for Sunday’s service is focused on “How God Speaks to Us”. Before I start sharing how I believe God speaks to us, and more specifically to me, I first ask you to read the Book of Jonah. It is a short Book in the Bible (REALLY), but it provides an excellent foundation for my message. Really, it will only take you a little bit of your day to read this powerful story. When you get to the end, think about how God finishes his conversation with Jonah. There will be a pop quiz on Sunday during the service.
Then, think about how God has spoken to you or been involved throughout your life. Perhaps you feel you have an excellent relationship with God and speak with Him frequently. Maybe you feel He hasn’t spoken to you because you have never heard a human voice answer you. Maybe you feel He has never spoken to you because you feel your prayers are rarely or never answered. Maybe you feel He actively speaks to you through the Bible, through unexpected outcomes or surprise events. Whatever your beliefs, I look forward to sharing my thoughts and welcome hearing your thoughts as well.
As I answer the question of my message, I hope you get to learn a little about me and my religious philosophy. Perhaps you will be motivated to examine How God Speaks to You.
April 18, 2024
Did you note that it says personal rather than “parsonal”? Pastor Ron is taking a well-deserved vacation and this Sunday I have volunteered to lead worship. As others have done when leading a service for the first time, I will be sharing my personal faith journey with you. While somewhat presenting my journey in chronological order I will also concentrate on my answers to this question presented to me at a men’s retreat weekend years ago: “What are the five most important action items to living your faith?” Take some time to think about your answers. What would your top five be?
In addition, Monday is Earth Day. I would be remiss if we didn’t take some time to celebrate and rededicate ourselves to caring for God’s wonderous creation. First celebrated April 22, 1970, as a nationwide environmental teach-in, it quickly sparked action by both individuals and governments. By the end of 1970 the U.S. had enacted the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) among others. The Clean Water Act followed 2 years later. But clearly, we still have work to do. Take some time this week to be thankful for all the blessings our earth provides and perhaps resolve to change a habit or two to better care for our planet. This year’s Earth Day focus is “Planet vs. Plastics” Perhaps focusing on reducing the use of plastic is a great way to start.
The Wesley Ringers will enhance our worship as well, so I hope to see you all in church this coming Sunday.
April 11, 2024
If you were in worship last week, you will recall (I trust!) that my message was focused upon the post-Easter story of Thomas, the disciple of Jesus who refused to believe that the resurrection had taken place until he was able to see the risen Christ and place his fingers in his wounded side. I suggested that for his stubborn stance, Thomas has often been cast in a negative light and even nicknamed, “Doubting Thomas.”
I suggested, however, that rather than denigrate Thomas for his doubt, we might want to celebrate him for his willingness to be honest not only with the other disciples, but with himself, as well. I further suggested that honest doubt, in and of itself, is nothing to be venerated, but that it can be the key that unlocks the door to a vibrant and vital faith. Rather than being an adversary of faith, doubt can be the very thing that makes faith possible.
It was Alfred Lord Tennyson who wrote, “There is more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.”
This week in worship, we are going to continue to explore the importance of honest doubt and the struggle to better understand our faith through the questions we ask. My message will be devoted to responding to the questions that the people of our congregation choose to raise in regards to their own questions (or doubts) about faith.
This will be an experiment of sorts, but one that has a specific purpose in mind—that of thinking together about some of the faith questions that many of us wrestle with. Rather than assume that we are all alone in dealing with these questions, we will have the opportunity to explore them together and, hopefully, develop a better understanding of what we actually believe and why.
The success of this endeavor depends, in part, upon your willingness—and the willingness of others—to ask your questions in advance. I would find it most helpful to have some time to think about these questions ahead of time! So, let me ask you to please email any question(s) that you may have and I will do my best to respond on Sunday—time permitting!
March 28, 2024
As this Holy Week moves toward its dramatic finish, I am mindful that this week, more than any other, seems to encompass the full range of human emotion. This week began, of course, with the celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into the City of Jerusalem on the day we now refer to as Palm Sunday.
That note of joy and celebration, however, proved to be short-lived as the week progressed. Tonight, we gather to commemorate Jesus’ final gathering with his disciples for the celebration of the Passover meal. It was, I think, a bittersweet occasion for all of them as they shared in this traditional ritual. There was joy, to be sure, as they reclined at the table and talked amongst themselves. Yet, there was also an undeniable tension that was felt at the same time. It wasn’t a tension that the disciples could quite put their finger on, but they knew that something wasn’t quite right. And it wasn’t. Judas was preparing to hand Jesus over to the authorities and, in fact, left the meal early in order to do so.
Tonight, we will remember that occasion as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper and the strange combination of joy and sorrow, of hope and fear that was so tangibly present.
That, of course, was merely the prelude to the dramatic events that would follow. After Jesus’ arrest in the garden and the hastily called “trial,” there would come the defining moment when the people who gathered before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Procurator, would, with loud voices, call for his crucifixion. Then, there was the agony of the crucifixion itself and the terrifying specter of Jesus’ death.
We will commemorate this sequence of events in our Good Friday Service tomorrow at Emmanuel Episcopal Church (across the street) as we share with the Episcopalian and Peace Lutheran congregations.
In the somber aftermath of the crucifixion, we are left to contemplate how such an event could happen—how good, well-intentioned people could allow such a tremendous injustice to take place—not only then, but in our own time as well.
However, this is not the end of the story that we share or the week that it spans. This coming Sunday, we will culminate our week-long observance with a service and celebration of joy and thanksgiving. We will celebrate the “good news from a graveyard” that dares to suggest that the grave could not hold the One who had been laid to rest. We will celebrate the astounding news that the tomb stood empty and that death has been defeated!
Quite an emotional swing, don’t you think? It’s difficult to imagine how it could be any greater—beginning in joy and jubilation, moving to doubt and despair, then to anger and agony and finally, to surprise, astonishment and a joy like no other! All of this taking place in a single week!
While it is difficult to describe it all or to put it into words, Isaac Watts managed to do that as he wrote the lyrics to one of the great hymns of our faith, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” In the third verse of this hymn, he wrote: “See from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down. Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?” This beautiful description does, in fact, capture the essence of the emotions that this week brings to the surface.
I am grateful for the privilege of sharing, with you, in these holy week observances that will, of course, culminate on Sunday with our joyous Easter celebration. I am looking forward to it.
March 21, 2024
I have a simple question for you: “Are you saved?”
It is, of course, a rather loaded question—one that conjures up images of revival services and Bible thumping street corner evangelists. In the minds of many, of course, these are not exactly popular images. Instead, they portray a manipulative approach to faith sharing that is not especially healthy or helpful. In fact, it is this approach that has sometimes left a bitter taste in the mouths of those who have experienced it. Understandably, they have come to resent any approach that seeks to “guilt them” or coerce them into choosing a life of faith.
Be that as it may, the question still remains. “Are you saved?” The logical response would seem to be, “Saved from what?” And that, I believe, is an excellent question. What is it that we are being saved from or for?
In the thinking of some, of course, we are being saved from “the eternal fires of damnation and hell.” While that has carried a lot of weight in the past, I am increasingly unable to see the positive benefits. If the only reason to adopt the Christian faith is to “save our hides” from eternal damnation, I don’t think that this is an especially noble reason for doing so. In my understanding, faith ought not to be a response to fear or the threat of punishment, but a response to the possibility of grace, acceptance and love.
To put it succinctly, I am a Christian not because I am afraid of going to hell, but because I have experienced the power of grace, forgiveness and love.
So, then, if we are indeed, “saved,” what is it that we are saved from? I will be thinking about this question in my message this Sunday morning in worship as I focus my attention on Jesus as “Savior.” As we consider the traditional Palm Sunday reading from the Gospel of Luke (Chapter 19, Verses 29-40), it is clear that those who greeted Jesus on his way into the City of Jerusalem, were filled with great expectation that Jesus would save them. They were convinced that, as their long-awaited Messiah, he would save them from Roman rule and initiate the new reign of God’s mercy and justice, a reign that would restore Israel to its rightful place as God’s chosen people.
They would, however, be disappointed. Their Palm Sunday cheers turned into jeers before the week was through and the One they welcomed with palm branches would be hanging from a cross. Not exactly what they had planned on!
And yet, let me be clear. I do believe that Jesus came to save them—and us. I do believe that God’s salvation is something that each one of us needs. The problem is that we, like the Palm Sunday crowds, often tend to place our own expectations upon Jesus and in doing so, we easily overlook the “saving grace” that Jesus offers.
While I can indeed affirm that Jesus is my savior, I would like to suggest that what he saves me from is not the “fires of hell,” but from the life of self-centered devotion. What he saves me from is not from the “wrath of God,” but from the feeling that I am not loved or valued. What he saves me from is not from God’s judgment, but the temptation to feel as if there is nothing that I can do to make a difference in this world.
As you prepare for worship this week, I invite you to reflect upon this critical question of “being saved” and what it actually means for you in the day-to-day context of your lives. In what ways does your faith in Jesus actually save you? And what is it that you are being saved from?
I look forward to comparing notes with you on Sunday as we celebrate the life and witness of the One we know as “Savior.”
March 14, 2024
It was, as I recall, a rather popular song at the time–rather in keeping with the current events of our world in the late 1960’s. Revolution was a familiar topic among members of my generation in those days of war protests and civil rights marches. There was a shared feeling that we were on the cusp of ushering in a new day and that revolution was the path that would lead to that desired future.
Some envisioned a revolution that would be peaceful—without resorting to violence. Others were convinced that violence would be a needed, if not necessary tool, in bringing about that future. In looking back upon that tumultuous time and those heated conversations, it is possible, I think, to see the outlines of a debate that dates all the way back to the first century. Indeed, as we read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry, it is apparent that there was a clear difference of opinion concerning the matter of revolution among Jesus’ contemporaries.
Some, such as the Zealots, were absolutely convinced that the time was at hand to take up arms and begin terrorist action against Rome and that is precisely what they did. On the other end of the spectrum were the elites (religious and otherwise) who actually benefited from the status quo even if it was made possible by the hated Romans. These elites did not want anyone or anything to disrupt the power sharing benefits they enjoyed. In between these two extremes was the majority of the people who were just trying to get by, making sure that they had enough to live on. Their primary concern was day to day survival.
Against this backdrop, Jesus conducts his ministry and as he does so, it becomes clear that he is not without an opinion about the political climate of the day. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the passage from Mark’s Gospel (Mark 12: 13-17) where the religious authorities try to trap him with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. They wanted to know if it was lawful to pay the Roman tax. They knew that, no matter how Jesus responded, he would alienate (aggravate) either his own people or the Roman rulers. If he indicated that it was lawful, then the many who hated Rome would be angry with him for saying so. If he suggested that it was not, then Rome might view his statement as a punishable act of sedition.
The trap was set, but Jesus was not naïve about their intentions. He knew what they were trying to do. So, he asked for a Roman coin and then asked whose image it carried. “Caesar’s,” came the reply. “Well, then, Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
A simple and direct response that did nothing to satisfy the disappointed authorities. Yet, it was a response that revealed a great deal about Jesus’ perspective. He wasn’t interested in playing the political games that were focused only on which party or group should have power over the other. Instead, he devoted his attention to the political struggle that pitted human kingdoms against the kingdom of God.
In this sense, Jesus was highly political, and his witness could be understood as revolutionary. His mission was to peacefully usher in the reign of God and to bring about needed change in the systems that refused to act with justice, love and mercy. For that reason, both the Roman rulers and the Religious Authorities were threatened by Jesus and deemed him worthy of execution. He was perceived by the powerful as a revolutionary and revolutionaries were to be killed.
Yet, before we apply this description too readily, it is important to be clear that Jesus, in effect, broke the mold of what a revolutionary might look or act like. In fact, the revolution that Jesus initiated was unlike anything this world has ever seen. This Sunday in worship, I will plan to explore just what that revolutionary witness of Jesus was all about. Not one to engage in “partisan politics,” he was, nevertheless, deeply concerned about challenging the dominant systems of injustice, wealth and power that benefited a few at the expense of many. And that, I believe, was and is revolutionary. See You on Sunday!
March 6, 2024
Every Sunday in worship, we share in the ritual of what we call, “the passing of
the peace of Christ.” It is, I believe, one of our most important rituals in that it
reminds us that, not only do we greet one another as friends, but we do so as
friends who share the common bond of Christ’s peace. This is an
understanding that serves to underscore the important bond of the unique
fellowship that we share as the body of Christ.
But what does the “peace of Christ” actually look like? What does it mean to
offer the expression, “May the peace of Christ be with you?” What are we really
saying to each other?
I will be thinking about this question this coming Sunday as I put another piece of our Lenten jigsaw puzzle of Jesus in place. Our focus for this week will be on Jesus, the peacemaker. In the Gospel of John, he says to his troubled disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” (John 14: 27) Jesus, of course, makes the important distinction between the peace he offers and the peace that the world provides. They are, needless to say, worlds apart.
The peace that the world provides is often a fleeting peace, one that is temporary at best. The peace that Jesus provides, however, is grounded in the reality of an identity that comes from God—an identity that is shaped not by trying to accommodate all the demands of the world or the self, but by simply choosing to be faithful to God and God’s will for our lives.
When we are able to do that, we experience a peace unlike anything this world can offer. It is indeed, the “peace that passes all understanding” as the Apostle Paul has described it.
I will also be thinking about peace not only as we experience it internally, but as we express it externally. In the familiar Beatitude, Jesus announces that those who make peace will be blessed. They will be called the “children of
God.” Notice that he didn’t bless those who wished for peace or those who hoped for peace or even those who wrote impressive songs about peace. No, he noted that those who actually made peace would be blessed. That, of course is a tough assignment in the world as we know it. Peace making
is seemingly in short supply as our world so easily resort to violence and warfare rather than engage in the difficult and time-consuming work of actually making peace. But that, as difficult as it may be, is our assignment.
We are called to dedicate ourselves to the work of making peace both in our personal relationships and the global relationships we share as world citizens. Yes, to be honest, that often seems like dreaming the impossible dream and yet,
that it is the work that Jesus sets before us. I can’t help but believe that once we personally experience “the peace of Christ,” we will be better prepared to “make peace” in the relationships that we share both locally and globally.
I look forward, as always, to exploring this matter a bit further with you in worship this Sunday. In the mean-time, I invite you to think about one practice of peace making that you might be willing to undertake in response to Jesus’ to call to be peacemakers. That might be the best place to start! See you in church!!
February 22, 2024
As we make our way into this season of Lent, we continue in our efforts to answer the question that Jesus posed to his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” To be sure, this is not an easy question to answer.There is a certain mystery to this man that often makes it difficult for us to be clear in our response. What we know about the historical Jesus, has been pieced together primarily from the Gospel accounts in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Beyond that, we have little to work with.
What makes the problem even more challenging is that the Church has had a tendency to add its own layers of “Jesus interpretation” that have accumulated over the centuries like coats of varnish on an antique chair. Sometimes, it becomes very difficult to discern if the picture of Jesus that we are looking at is an original view or if it isn’t a view that has been “layered on” by later sources.
Thankfully, there are certain scholars who have dedicated themselves to the task of helping us to discern what the “original” Jesus was really like. Marcus Borg and Dom Crossan are two of these scholars who have made it their mission to strip away the accumulated coats of varnish while enabling us to get a closer, more realistic glimpse of the flesh and blood man who walked in the hillsides of Galilee somewhere in the vicinity of the early first century of the Common Era (C.E.)
This isn’t to suggest that their work is definitive or absolutely accurate. They would be the first to admit that there is much about Jesus that remains a mystery. Yet, I am grateful that they have been willing to think honestly and openly about what is possible to actually say we know about Jesus. While some have been threatened by their work, I have found it inspiring and helpful in my own pursuit of developing an accurate understanding of Jesus.
If you were with us in worship last week, you will recall that I suggested that, in effect, we will be working on a jig-saw puzzle of Jesus during this Lenten season. This week I will be examining the “puzzle piece” of Jesus as Wisdom Teacher.
We all recognize that Jesus was a masterful teacher, one who had the ability to invite people to really think about the nature of God and what it was that ultimately mattered to God. While Jesus often used parables to illustrate his message, he was careful to engage people in a way that invited them to really think for themselves and not just accept what was handed to them by their religious leaders.
When you stop to think about it, that was a much-needed approach—one that has lost none of its relevance today. My goal this Sunday is to invite you to think for yourself about the essential message of Jesus and how we might respond to it in the context of our present day lives. My message will be grounded in the teaching from Matthew’s Gospel in which he challenges his listeners to:
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
(Matthew 7: 13-15)
As you prepare for worship this week, I invite you to think about the two “ways” that Jesus references—the Broad Way and the Narrow Way. What is Jesus referring to? What does he mean by the “broad way?” And what is the “narrow way?” I will plan to share my response to these questions on Sunday and I hope that you will be willing to do the same. It promises to be interesting!!
February 15, 2024
We now find ourselves entering into the Season of Lent. Last night, we held our Soup Supper and Ash Wednesday Service to officially mark the occasion. Those attending left the service with the sign of the cross marked with ashes on their foreheads, a reminder that we are mortal and that life is finite. As the ancient verse from the Book of Genesis would remind us: “From dust you are and to dust you shall return.” This isn’t really intended to be a morbid or fearful fixation upon the reality of death, but merely a reminder that, try as we might, we cannot escape death’s parameters. This understanding, I believe, can enable us to live our lives with more meaning, purpose and passion.
As we now move deeper into this season, I will be turning my Sunday morning focus to a series of messages entitled, “Who Do You Say That I Am?” This, you may recall, is the question that Jesus asked of his disciples on the road to Caesarea Philippi. (Mark 8: 27-30) And it remains, I believe, a question that is posed to each one of us as we contemplate what it means to be followers of Jesus.
This Sunday morning, I will provide an overview of this series with my message which is entitled, “The Most Interesting Man in the World.” On each of the following Sundays of Lent, I will be taking a look at a different aspect or characteristic of Jesus and his ministry. I will be looking at Jesus as healer, as wisdom teacher (sage), as peacemaker, as prophet/revolutionary and as savior.
You might compare this Lenten approach to piecing a jig-saw puzzle together. As we are able to fit each of these pieces into their proper place, we will better be able to understand not only who Jesus was (the historical Jesus), but also, who Jesus is for you and me in this present moment of time (the Jesus who is personal). From my perspective, both of these dimensions carry great importance for us in our own respective journeys of faith.
In addition to these Sunday morning messages, we will be providing two small group discussion opportunities for those who want to dig a little deeper. Using Marcus Borg’s video series, “Beyond Belief,” Bill Croker and Mark Renfrew will be hosting one of these groups on Sunday mornings (in the Susanna Wesley room) immediately following worship. I will be hosting the other small group opportunity on Wednesdays at noon in my office. You are invited and even encouraged(!) to check these opportunities out.
As you prepare for worship this Sunday morning, you may want to reflect upon some of the ways your impressions, understandings and images of Jesus have changed over the years. How did you “see” Jesus as a child? How have those images or understandings changed as you have grown older? What are the things about Jesus that you question or don’t understand? What are the things about Jesus that you are willing to place your faith in?
Not that you have to have clear answers to each or any of these questions, but your willingness to wrestle with them a bit may help to better prepare you to engage more fully in this effort to answer the question: Who do you say that I am?
I hope that you will plan to join us for this important Lenten series. Jig-saw puzzles are always a lot more fun when there are a lot of people working on them together. See you in church!
February 8, 2024
n the Celtic tradition, the “thin places” are those places (moments) in which earth and heaven (the secular and the sacred) come so close together that they almost touch. Thin places, then, are the places in our lives in which we experience a deep and profound sense of the holy. While they have often been associated with the natural places that are far removed from civilized life, it is possible to experience a “thin place” in the midst of urban sprawl with its traffic and congestion. There is no limit to where we can experience the holy presence of God in the day-to-day routine of our lives. Perhaps you can think of some “thin place” experiences that you have been privileged to have?
This coming Sunday in worship, we will be taking a look at the “thin place” moment that is described in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 9 2-9). In this story, better known as the story of “The Transfiguration,” Jesus and three of his disciples get away from the pressures of everyday life by climbing to the top of a mountain for some retreat time.
Once there, however, the unexpected takes place. Jesus is transfigured before them as his robes become glistening white and radiant. Then, he is joined by two figures whom Mark identifies as Moses and Elijah—rather select company to be sure. Peter is terrified and does not know what to say. But that doesn’t keep him from saying something anyway! He makes the suggestion that they use this moment of holy inspiration and revelation as a reason to build three dwellings—one for Moses, Elijah and Jesus.
That suggestion, however, is overshadowed, (literally) by a great cloud that spreads over them and the voice of God is heard: This is my Son, the beloved. Listen to him!” With that, the voice ceases, the cloud disappears along with Moses and Elijah and Jesus is left alone with Peter, James and John.”
With this divine revelation / vision coming to its abrupt end (all too soon in Peter’s thinking), Jesus and the three disciples make their way back down the mountain to the day-to- day ministry that awaits them. We who read and reflect upon this “mountain top moment,” are left to consider just what meaning or application this “thin place” experience might have for us and our own experiences of the holy.
As we prepare for worship this Sunday, I invite you to take a few moments to reflect upon any and all of these experiences that you might have had. They need not be brilliant or breathtaking as in the case of the transfiguration of Jesus, but instead, they may be simple, unobtrusive moments in which you experienced a sense or a glimpse of God’s glory, presence or power…moments in which you had the profound sense that you were not alone and that God was present.
If you have experienced such a moment (or moments), you might want to ask yourself about how you have translated that experience (those experiences) into your day-to-day witness of faith. What difference, if any, has it made? What purpose, if any, has it provided for you in the living out of your life?
Please bring these thoughts with you to worship this Sunday as I will be “thinking out loud” about, not only the experience of the holy, but the purpose and direction that it may provide in the living of our lives.
February 1, 2024
A happy wet groundhog’s day eve to you! It is yet another rainy day in what now seems to be a relentless stream of rainy days. Not that I’m complaining! In the aftermath of our recent drought, I remain most grateful for the gift of rain and refuse to take it for granted. Still, these rainy/cloudy days do have a way of running together as they seem to blend into a steady stream of days that lack any quality or characteristic that sets them apart from each other.
These are, for some at least, the days of the “winter doldrums,” where we can find ourselves seemingly reliving the same day again and again as Bill Murray did in the film, “Groundhog’s Day.” As a result, we may not be inclined to feel as if our living is very productive, worthwhile, or meaningful. We may be tempted to feel as if we are just “going through the motions” of living without really “feeling it.”
Yet, as author Annie Dillard suggests, “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” That is to say that, how we spend our waking moments each day is, in effect, how we spend our lives. While there is a part of me that is tempted to argue that this isn’t true, I do understand her point. While we would like to think that the way we spend our lives is captured most accurately by those moments where life is full and each day brings an abundance of passion, purpose and meaning our way, the truth of the matter is that, more often than not, those days are the exception rather than the rule. Our lives are likely most accurately described by what we choose to do in the “everyday moments” of our living.
This Sunday in worship, I will be focusing my homiletical attention upon what I like to refer to as “a day in the life of Jesus.” Using the text that is found in Mark 1: 29-39, we will be following Jesus around as he goes through a 24-hour period of time at the very beginning of his ministry in Galilee.
Actually, the day, for Jesus, begins with the story that we looked at last week from Mark 1:21-28. This, as you may recall, is the story of Jesus’ teaching and casting out an unclean spirit in the synagogue at Capernaum. Mark informs us that the people were both “amazed and astonished” by the authority that Jesus demonstrated. With this opening teaching and healing story in mind, we will then follow Jesus throughout what might be seen as an average day in the life of his ministry.
Now, while an “average day” for Jesus might not be an “average day” for any of us, I think it is important to recognize that not every day was buzzing with excitement or major success stories. I imagine that he had days where things didn’t exactly work out as he had hoped; days when plans fell through, appointments were canceled, and the Spirit didn’t seem to be especially alive or present. After all, since Jesus was indeed human, it would be very surprising to me if he didn’t experience an occasional bout with the “doldrums.”
What is instructive, I believe, is to pay attention to the way that Jesus, nevertheless, went about his day and how he invested himself in it and the work that he was doing. As we shall see on Sunday, Jesus had the ability to live each day by being fully present to the people that he was with and fully present to the God that he was serving. As a result, even “rainy days and Mondays” didn’t keep him from living each day fully.
January 25, 2024
As a “child of the sixties,” I was part of a generation that made it our mission to “question authority.” That simple challenge was to be found everywhere you turned, from the bumper stickers that we placed on our cars to the music we listened to on the radio (yes, we actually had radios!). That message, of course, came of age in a time in which it became apparent that authority could not always be trusted. The debacle of Vietnam and the tragedy of Watergate made it somewhat risky to place absolute trust in the various voices of authority that ruled the day. Questioning authority seemed like an appropriate and important thing to do.
Today, some fifty years later, I still believe that it is important to continue this practice. If there is anything that I have learned about the human condition it is that not all forms or expressions of authority are trustworthy. Sometimes, the voice of authority is one that speaks out of greed and self-centeredness rather than compassion and concern for others. It is, therefore, important to be able to discern whether or not the voice of authority is actually worthy of being listened to.
In my message this coming Sunday, I will be thinking about the matter of authority and what it is that gives credence to the message that it proclaims. We will be taking a look at the story of Jesus casting out the “unclean spirit” of the man who confronts him while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. As you may recall, the people who listened to Jesus speak on that occasion were “astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Mark 1: 22)
After Jesus proceeds to cast out the unclean spirit, the people are even more impressed. Mark informs us that, “They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” (Mark 1: 27)
As I try to place myself in that synagogue setting, I can’t help but wonder, what was it in Jesus’ presence and power that enabled him to earn the confidence and trust of the people? What was it that enabled him to claim a sense of authority that the more traditional religious leaders of his day clearly lacked?
Genuine authority, of course, is something that cannot be guaranteed by a title or a position. While the religious leaders (the Scribes and Pharisees) certainly held the titles to claim authority in the eyes of the people, they lacked the one thing needed to gain their confidence: trust. I think it is safe to say that the people didn’t trust their religious leaders to fully embody the message that they offered. Something didn’t match up between what they said and what they actually did. And the people could see that as plain as day.
They could also see that Jesus was one who was willing to practice what he preached, to be who he said he was. There was no pretense or posturing—just the simple choice to be faithful to his mission of healing and helping others. For that reason, the people were not only “amazed and astonished,” they were also willing to place their trust in Jesus.
As you prepare for worship this Sunday, I invite you to reflect upon the examples of authority, both good and bad, that you observe in today’s world. What voice of authority do you trust and why? What voice don’t you trust and why?
Ultimately, each one of us is called to “Question Authority” and to discern what message is worthy of our trust and investment and what message is not. In the story of Jesus’ teaching and healing at Capernaum, we have the opportunity to sharpen our understanding and awareness of the very nature of authority and how we can discern the difference between “good authority” and “bad authority.” In a world such as ours, that is, I believe, an essential skill that we all must cultivate.
January 18, 2024
It’s good to be back! As you may know, I have been away for the better part of two weeks. My most recent journey took me to Chicago / Kankakee where I officiated at a memorial service for a friend that I have known since my “seminary days” in Dayton, Ohio fifty years ago. It was, of course, a very sad experience, but one that also included a lot of laughter and love as memories were shared and tears were shed. While I am not exactly fond of the experience of growing older, I have discovered that there is a blessing in having friendships that have aged well over the years.
I am glad to be home for many reasons—not the least of which is the fact that our day time temperatures are approximately 50-70 degrees warmer than those of the Chicago area. With wind chill factors considered, we dipped down into the 20 below zero realm—not a realm I particularly care to visit again!
Anyway, it is good to be home and to have the opportunity to experience the regular rhythm of daily life once more. A significant part of that rhythm, for me, involves planning for our worship celebration each Sunday. This week, we will be taking a look at the story of the calling of the Prophet, Samuel. As some of you may recall from Sunday School lessons as a child, Samuel was called to be a prophet while he was still a young boy, serving as a Temple apprentice to the Priest, Eli.
You may further recall that Samuel was called on three specific occasions before he realized that it was God who was trying to communicate with him. When Samuel (with Eli’s assistance) finally does respond, it is because he has taken the time to truly listen to God.
In my message this week, I will be thinking out loud about our own response to the calling (nudges, insights, inspirations) that come our way through the work of God’s Spirit. Sometimes it seems that we are simply too busy to notice, too preoccupied with other things to pay attention to the “still, small voice within us.” Being products of a culture that believes passionately in “doing,” we sometimes find it difficult to simply “be.”
The experience of Samuel and his calling is one that, I believe, invites us to reconsider our choices. While it is tempting to want to “take control” and “do it ourselves,” there is a not-so-subtle message here that suggests that there is great value in learning to place our “busyness” on hold while we learn to listen carefully for the message that God has for us. Not only is this true for us as individuals, I believe that it is true for us as a congregation.
As we think about our future together, I am trusting that we will avoid the temptation to define our direction through our choice to “make it happen” through our own initiative, but instead, learn to listen together, not only to each other, but also to the God who is calling us into our mission and ministry.
Have a great rest of the week and plan to reserve your pew now for worship this Sunday.
January 11, 2024
The weekly Memo by Rev. Ron Dunn
On my recent vacation, I did some of the reading I had promised myself that I would do. Not exactly a New Year’s resolution, but a good step in the right direction, nonetheless. One of the two books I read was entitled, “The Lost Journals of Sacajawea” by Debra Magpie Earling. Ms. Earling is a Native American writer who is a part of the Bitterroot Salish Tribe. By virtue of her ethnic background, she brings to this work a perspective rarely seen in the familiar story surrounding Sacajawea.
That story, as you might suspect, has largely been told from the perspective of the dominant (White) culture of the time. Most of us have learned about Sacajawea through the history textbooks that relayed a somewhat idealized and sanitized story about this amazing and courageous woman who was a member of the Lemhi Shoshone Tribe.
Yet, as we are all aware, the history that is told by those who conquer is not always an accurate reflection of the history that actually took place. Debra Magpie Earling chooses to offer her own understanding of what the actual life of Sacajawea might have been like. Using a lyrical form of poetry to relay the thoughts, hopes and dreams of Sacajawea, the author provides a counter narrative to the mythologized version of the story of this “Indian guide” to Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Northwest in 1804.
Earling makes it abundantly clear that it is likely that Sacajawea’s life was anything but easy or enviable. She invites the reader to understand what it must have been like to be a woman who was treated as property not only by the White trader who “owned her,” but also by the enemy tribe (the Hidatsa) who stole her from her own people and then sold her into slavery. Today, we would call this “sex trafficking,” but in those days, it was considered to be an acceptable practice.
To be sure there was and is a great deal of mystery surrounding Sacajawea and her story. Having long been fascinated with her role in American history, I was able, several years ago, to visit the cemetery where she was allegedly buried outside of Lander, Wyoming. It was, for me, a special privilege to make this visit and to reflect upon the ways in which this courageous woman actually helped to shape the future of the emerging nation that would, one day, engulf her own people and cast them aside.
While much of the “true story” of Sacajawea will remain lost to us, I think that it is important to realize that at least a portion of her truth, is likely revealed to us through the eyes of a “sister” who understood in ways that our history books could never imagine, just how great was her sacrifice and how stunning was her courage in her choice to accompany Lewis and Clark on their much-heralded journey. They, of course, would be celebrated as heroes upon their return home. Sacajawea, on the other hand, would soon fade into the mists of history.
I am grateful that Debra Magpie Sterling has offered to us another way of seeing and understanding the life of this Shoshone woman. While history may regard Lewis and Clark as true heroes, it is quite clear that without the presence and the wisdom of this much belittled and oppressed woman, they would have not likely have survived their perilous journey.
While this is a fictional work, it speaks, I believe, to a reality that needs to be better recognized and appreciated for the contribution that it has made to those of us who share in the American story.
I hope you don’t mind, but I just felt like taking a slightly different approach to the Memo this week. I welcome any thoughts or ideas that my ruminations may have stirred within you.
December 28, 2023
I trust that you had a good Christmas and that you are looking forward to the New Year that lies ahead. These last few days of December often represent something of an “in-between time” in which we find ourselves looking back over the year that is now coming to an end and looking forward to the year that stretches before us. It is a time in which some people choose to make “New Year’s resolutions” concerning the changes they would like to make as the New Year begins. Are you one of them?
While I am not a great New Year’s resolution maker, I do understand the basic human need that many of us have to make choices that can lead to desired change in our lives. Sometimes, those choices can be of relatively minor importance and, at other times, those choices can be of major importance. The fact is that, as human beings, we need to have the opportunity to choose to live differently in order to live the life that we desire to live.
This need, of course, is likely as old as humanity itself. As we prepare for worship this week, I have been reflecting upon the choice that Moses invites the people of Israel to make as they prepare to enter into the so-called, “Promised Land.” This represents a critical time in the life of the Israelite people. After years of wandering in the wilderness, they would be making a huge transition into a more settled life, living in the midst of various Canaanite tribes with their religious and cultural differences.
In preparation for this new existence, Moses gathers his people together and calls upon them to renew their ancient covenant with God. He challenges them to make a “binding agreement” with God to love God with heart, soul and might. This was Moses’ way of preparing them for the changes that they would experience. He wanted them to be clear with one another and with God as to how they would live in this time of change and transition. It was, I think, an important strategy for enabling his people to remember and reclaim their identity as God’s people.
This week in worship, I will be reflecting upon the Covenant that Moses and the People of Israel renewed prior to entering the Promised Land and the significance that this act of covenant renewal might hold in our own lives. You see, I happen to believe that the beginning of a New Year is really an excellent time to be clear with ourselves and with God as to how we want to live and the changes we will make in the year ahead.
Those attending worship will have the opportunity to do just that as we share in a portion of John Wesley’s Covenant Service and conclude our worship with the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Please note that this will represent a slight change from our usual “first Sunday of the month” observance of Communion.
I hope that you will be able to join us as we reflect upon our own covenant with God and any changes that we might need to make. Frankly, I can’t think of a better way to welcome in a new year.
December 21, 2023
As the days of Advent dwindle down, we find ourselves approaching the precipice of our Christmas celebration. Thus far in our journey, we have been considering the “Re-VERB-erations of Advent,” those action-oriented verbs that call us to “Watch…Prepare…and Proclaim.” This coming Sunday morning, we will conclude our sermon series by focusing our attention upon the invitation to “Dream!”
I think that it is interesting that both Mary and Joseph experienced what might be called a “mystical moment” as they anticipated their role in what would become known as, “the Christmas story.”
Mary’s “dream,” of course, comes in the form of a visit from the angel, Gabriel, in our reading from Luke’s Gospel. This visit, better known as the “annunciation,” is Luke’s attempt to describe just how Mary responded to the stunning news that she would become the mother of the “Son of God.” That response, of course, has been celebrated throughout history for its simple intent to be an instrument of God will. “Let it be to me according to your word,” was Mary’s humble way of choosing to be a “servant of the Lord.”
Interestingly, Joseph also has a dream concerning the role that he will play in the story of the birth of Jesus. Joseph’s dream is described in Matthew’s Gospel and it appears that it was more likely of a nocturnal nature, a holy visitation in his sleep from a nameless angel who informs him that he is to take Mary as his wife and to trust the fact that the Holy Spirit is at work in the impending birth of their son. Joseph does as the angel has instructed and the stage is then set for the birth of Jesus.
In both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke, therefore, we read of dream encounters with the holy that inspire both Joseph and Mary to be faithful to God’s unfolding plan of salvation.
These encounters, of course, appear to be very “biblical” in the way that they unfold. By that, I mean that the Bible has a certain familiar way of describing holy encounters where the will of God happens to be communicated to human beings. Often, these encounters are described as angel visitations in the form of a vision or a dream. More often than not, this seems to be God’s chosen method of communication in the Bible.
I can’t help but wonder, “What about today?” How does God choose to communicate God’s will or way to those of us who live in this present moment of time? To be honest, I am not aware of too many people who have had God appear to them in a dream. I’m not saying that it can’t happen, just that it doesn’t seem as likely that God will choose to take that approach.
The challenge, for us, I think, is to recognize that God is still speaking, even if it is not in the literal ways that the Bible sometimes describes. I happen to believe that the Holy Spirit still plays an active role in our subconscious lives if we are willing to be open to the “tugs” and “nudges” that it employs.
This Sunday in worship, I will be thinking about the importance of being open to the dream that God would have us dream, the dream that God’s Spirit still uses to invite our investment in the emerging reign of God’s love and justice. It may not happen in dramatic fashion in the middle of the night, but it may, nevertheless, still take place in those moments in which we, like Joseph and Mary, are simply open and receptive to the nudge of God’s Spirit.
As you prepare for worship, I invite you to reflect upon the ways in which you have felt that nudge of the Spirit (or not) and the ways you have responded to it (or not). What lessons have you learned? What insight can you share?
I look forward to sharing in this special time of Christmas Sunday worship—both at 10:00 a.m. for our regular Sunday morning worship and at 7:00 p.m. for our Christmas Eve Service.
December 7, 2023
With the word, “Watch!” still reverberating in our thoughts from last Sunday, we move ahead, this week, to consider yet another of the action verbs of Advent. This coming Sunday is the second Sunday of Advent and our “word for the day” is that of “Prepare!” Advent is a season that calls for us to “watch” for the ways that God is at work in our world and then to help “prepare the way” for God’s coming.
The message of both Isaiah and Mark is essentially the same. The reason, of course, is that Mark, the Gospel writer, finds in the ancient hope and instruction of Isaiah, the very description that he was looking for in order to introduce the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. In Mark’s Gospel, there is little build-up to the appearance of Jesus. There is no elaborate genealogy as there is in Matthew’s Gospel. There is no lovely story that introduces the birth of Jesus as there is in Luke’s Gospel.
Instead, Mark wastes little time getting to the introduction of his main character. It is, of course, John the Baptist who makes this introduction and he does it with an unmistakable reference to the vision of Isaiah that had been shared centuries before. John is portrayed as Isaiah’s “voice crying in the wilderness,” a voice calling upon the people of his time to “prepare the way of the Lord.”
These two passages, of course, were written hundreds of years apart and were addressing two very different historical contexts. Isaiah was writing to a people living in exile, a people who had been carried off from Jerusalem to live in the foreign domain of Babylon.
Mark, on the other hand, was addressing a people who were living under the heavy thumb of Roman rule and oppression. Although their exile was not physical in nature, it was, nonetheless, real. They had been cut-off from the freedom and the life they longed for. They too, knew the estrangement of living their lives in a social and spiritual exile.
While their historical contexts were certainly different, these two passages both point to the same essential message: God has not abandoned nor forsaken God’s people. God is still at work, offering hope and comfort to God’s people. With that understanding in mind, the reader is invited not only to find hope in the future, but, also, to realize that he/she has a role to play in helping that future come to pass.
The reader, both past and present, is called to work with God in the redemptive work that God is doing. They are called to “prepare the way of the Lord, to make straight the highway of our God!” While this is a direct reference to helping provide a return home to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon, it is instruction that certainly applies not only to the first century audience that Mark was writing to, but also, to the 21st century audience that I am writing to. That would be you!
The metaphor of exile is one that can be applied, you see, in any age, including our own. I certainly don’t think that is a stretch to suggest that there are many people in our own time who find themselves living in an exile of one form or another. For whatever the reason, they find themselves “cut off” from the home that they long for, “carried off” to a place of estrangement and alienation, a place that prevents them from living the life of meaning and purpose that they desire.
In both Isaiah and Mark, the “wilderness” is the name given to this place of exile. Suffice it to say that, if we look around us, we can see that there are many people today who find themselves seemingly alone in the wilderness, exiled from the life that they desire to live.
This Sunday in worship, I will be reflecting upon this present-day reality and the ways that we might choose to respond to it. Clearly, our passages call us to roll up our sleeves and get in on God’s redemptive work by “preparing the way of the Lord,” by “making straight the highway of our God.”
My question then, is this: How might we choose to do that? In what ways can we actually “prepare the way” for the One who comes? In what ways might we make the highway (of the return from exile) straight? What excavating work (leveling, smoothing) do we need to do?
While these questions are not likely to yield quick and simple answers, they do provide us with a good place to pause on our Advent journey as we consider our own response. I look forward to doing just that with you as we gather for worship this Sunday morning. I would love to see you in church!!
November 30, 2023
Suddenly, the Christmas season is upon us! At least, according to the endless television commercials and relentless ads that we encounter on social media. As soon as the Thanksgiving dishes have been put away (and, in some cases, well before) the harbingers of Christmas consumption make their presence known. If you ask me, it’s too much, too soon! There ought to be a segue into this season that allows us to gradually adjust to and prepare for the celebration that lies ahead.
Fortunately, there is and the name of this “segue” is Advent. As you know, Advent is the four-week period of time that essentially invites us to “prepare the way” for the One who comes. It begins, appropriately enough, in a minor key. Its music and its message both seem to reflect the fact that we live in a world of brokenness and struggle, a world that “walks in darkness,” to quote the Prophet Isaiah.
The texts have Advent begin with strange and mysterious apocalyptic imagery that point to a world convulsing in the death throes of greed and violence while suggesting that there is another world that is waiting to be born, the world where God’s dream of justice, peace and righteousness takes root and grows. The older I get, the more I have come to appreciate the gift that these texts give to those who want to truly celebrate “the meaning of Christmas.”
The fact is that unless we are able to truly confront the world as it is in this present moment of time, the chances are that our celebration of the “good news of great joy” on Christmas will not have the benefit of having had to face up to the pain and the struggle, the brokenness and the bruises that are so evident in the news of every day.
Advent begins by choosing to face that struggle and to confront the ways in which that struggle is our own. But it never loses sight of its ultimate goal which is, of course, to “prepare the way.” With that goal in mind, it leads us slowly forward through the texts that stand as testimony to the ways in which God has been at work in the past, the ways in which the light of God’s love has confronted and overcome the darkness.
As we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent this week in worship, our focus will be upon our need to “watch” for the ways that God is currently at work in our world. When you stop to think about it, that is a good discipline for all of us to observe. In a world in which we are constantly reminded of our brokenness, we need to have the ability to not allow that brokenness to so overwhelm us that we are unable to see the hand of God at work in our midst.
In your preparation for worship, this week, I would like to invite you to think about the signs of God’s presence and power that you happen to notice in your day to day lives. What exactly is God doing and how is God doing it? Who are the people that God is using to make God’s presence known?
Our reading from Mark’s Gospel (Mark 13: 24-37) calls for us to be on the look-out for the ways in which God is at work in our world. We are encouraged to wait and watch. While that advice may not be well received by those impatient enough to try to jump immediately into Christmas celebration, it is, I believe, needed advice for those who understand that the experience of true joy and celebration is one that begins with a willingness to see our world as it really is and to pay attention to the ways in which God is at work in it.
November 22, 2023
On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am feeling grateful for many reasons, not the least of which is to have the privilege of writing to you about things that matter. And gratitude is certainly one of those things. Too often, I’m afraid, we approach the matter of gratitude with a perfunctory “nod to God” in the form of a quick prayer or a brief conversation about what we are grateful for. After all, this is a part of our time-honored tradition at this time of year.
And yet, when we find ourselves willing to sit down long enough to think about it more deeply, gratitude involves so much more than what often passes for our attempts at “thanksgiving.” As Diana Butler Bass suggests, “Gratitude is not about stuff.” It is, instead, an “emotional response to the surprise of our very existence, to sensing that inner light and realizing the astonishing sacred, social and scientific events that brought each of us into being.”
Not that there is anything wrong with being grateful for the “stuff” of our lives, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Genuine gratitude involves so much more! Rather than serving as an annual, or, even an occasional reference point in our lives, the “attitude of gratitude” is one that we would do well to cultivate as a part of our daily lives. The choice to live gratefully is one, I believe, that can, and does, make all the difference in our ability to truly savor life and find joy in our living.
While it may sound simplistic, I believe that truly happy people are grateful people because they have acquired the ability to find joy and appreciation in the little things of life that others might easily overlook.
Recently, I was walking my dog, Jonah, on the nature preserve trail near my home. As we walked, we found ourselves overtaking an older gentleman on the trail. I was prepared to pass him by when he started up a conversation, one that I hadn’t anticipated. Before I knew it, we were walking side by side and deeply engaged in a thorough assessment of the way that the 49ers have been playing as of late. Player by player, play by play, we managed to break it all down and then offer our own conclusions about the possibilities that lie ahead.
In the course of a few minutes of conversation, this stranger was a stranger no longer. We had shared something that had given both of us reason to pay attention to the other and, for me, it was a pleasant reminder that there is joy to be found in unexpected moments and in unexpected ways. As we parted company, I had a good feeling within me and I suspect that the reason why has a lot to do with the feeling of gratitude.
There is an old hymn that some of us used to sing that is entitled, “Count Your Blessings.” One of the lines suggests that you should “count your blessings, count them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done.” That’s not bad advice. In fact, it’s a practice that may enable us to cultivate an attitude of gratitude that doesn’t overlook the little things in our lives, but chooses, instead, to savor and appreciate the small gifts that are waiting to be unwrapped with the arrival of each new day.
I trust that you will be able to do just that—not only during our official Thanksgiving Day celebrations, but also in the unofficial moments and unofficial ways in which we find ourselves blessed with the joy and meaning that life has to offer. It’s not about stuff. It’s about so much more than that.
November 9, 2023
In a world that tends to assume that “bigger is always better,” we might want to pause long enough to consider the meaning behind this parable that Jesus tells. In Matthew’s Gospel, he suggests that the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a tiny mustard seed—the smallest of seeds. And yet, when it is planted, it can become the largest of shrubs—large enough to welcome the birds of the air to come and nest in its branches.
That must have come as quite a surprise to his listeners. After all, they had long been taught that God’s kingdom would come in power and glory with a good dash of splendor and might. They believed that their long-awaited Messiah would recapture the “glory days” of King David as he restored Israel to its rightful place among the nations.
Yet, here is Jesus, making the suggestion that the long-awaited reign of God might more closely resemble the growth of a tiny seed that becomes the greatest of shrubs. Not exactly what the people of his time had envisioned. Certainly, he himself did not resemble the “king” that Israel had expected. Rather than assuming the role of King David, Jesus more closely aligned himself with the role of the suffering servant.
Let me be so bold as to suggest that, in many respects, little has changed between the time of Jesus and our own time. We still have an inclination to assume that “bigger is better” when it comes to our expectations of the ways in which God chooses to work in our world. It’s difficult for us to imagine that God might choose to work in any other way. Yet, the reality is that God often chooses to work in ways that are often overlooked and ignored all together. That was certainly true in the life of Jesus and remains true in this present moment of time.
This Sunday, we begin our Stewardship Campaign that takes its inspiration from the wisdom of this simple parable of Jesus. Like a tiny grain of mustard seed, I believe that God is, even now, at work within our congregation, planting, cultivating and enabling us to grow in new and unexpected ways. Our theme for this campaign is, “On the Growing Edge.” We have chosen this theme because we happen to believe that this is precisely where we are as a congregation—on the growing edge.
Perhaps you’ve noticed, but there are signs of new life, energy and optimism sprouting up everywhere you look. Worship attendance is trending steadily upward, our Sunday morning small group participants number close to thirty and our outreach ministries (Last Friday Supper / Pastie Ministry) are currently planning to expand their operations. There is a growing feeling among many of our members that we are on the right path and heading in the right direction.
The challenge that we face, of course, lies in the need that we have to invest in our future in order to sustain and nurture the growth that is now taking place. We are, therefore, asking our members and friends to consider making that investment by participating in this financial campaign that will culminate on Consecration Sunday on November 26th. You will soon be receiving a letter that will outline the details of this effort and the specific needs that are before us.
I hope that you will take some time to reflect upon the contribution you might make in order to nurture the mustard seeds that have begun to sprout in our midst. It is an exciting time to be the church! See you on Sunday!!
November 2, 2023
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been feeling rather overwhelmed with all the tragic news that has been taking place in our world as of late. From the continuing saga of violence in Israel and Gaza, to the war in Ukraine and the recent mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, it seems as if we, as human beings, have reached a new low in terms of our capability to harm and destroy one another. When you add to this litany the reality of the horrific damage of climate change related storms and fire, the chaos taking place in Washington D.C. and the ongoing divisiveness in our culture, it all begins to feel as if it is too much to bear or even to acknowledge. Perhaps you know that feeling.
The temptation, of course, is to respond to all the pain and struggle going on in our world by choosing to ignore it and pretend that it isn’t even happening. After all, we reason, what can I do about all of that but feel so depressed that I don’t want to do anything?
The choice to ignore all the bad news of our world is one that psychologists often refer to as, “disassociation.” When we choose to disassociate ourselves, we attempt to insulate or protect ourselves by disconnecting from the pain and struggle of others. While that may certainly be understandable, it is not especially helpful.
I recently read an article by Dr. Lisa Hancock who was writing in the United Methodist publication of the “Equipping Disciples Newsletter.” Her perspective, I believe, is quite helpful.
“If our go-to response to overwhelming environments and situations is to shut off and disconnect from what’s happening around us, we miss the opportunity to share in the connection, mutual support, and love that we need to flourish. Dissociation protects us from attachments and connections that aren’t safe. But dissociation won’t help us process or move through everything that overburdens us. We need a way to process the relentless stress and distress that bombards us in a community where it is safe to name our burdens to God and one another so that we can stay present to ourselves, to one another, and to God.”
Dr. Hancock then goes on to suggest that, “What we need is lament. And not just individual lament. We need to gather together to tell the truth about the things that haunt us in the middle of the night and hold us in a vise of worry in the middle of the day. We need to listen to what breaks our hearts and trust that God can handle our anger, anxiety, and grief. We need to cry and struggle together in worship so that we can remember we’re not alone as we stare at the ceiling, wishing our brains would slow down as we try to go to sleep. More than anything, we need space to tell the truth about all that is wrong in our world in a space built on the foundation of God’s love and care.”
I believe that Dr. Hancock is exactly right in her assessment. What we do not need to do in the face of all that is wrong is ignore it or pretend that it isn’t happening. What we need to do is to face it and face it together in ways that remind us of our humanity, ways that encourage us not to disengage from one another, but to connect with each other in love and support.
It is for this reason that I would like to begin to experiment a bit with our prayer time in worship. I would like to explore ways in which we might include the practice of lament as a part of our prayerful expression to God. Given the tragedy unfolding in our world, this feels to me as if it might be a helpful ritual that will enable us to live in greater solidarity with those who struggle and those who suffer.
While the choice to lament might appear to be a “downer” to some, I believe it actually might be a key ingredient in helping us to recover a sense of hope and optimism about our humanity. There is, I believe, great power in the choice to share not only our joy with one another and with God, but also our sorrow.
October 26, 2023
You may have noticed, but Halloween is just around the corner! It is time to think about carving pumpkins and stocking up on bite sized candy bars. It is also time for those of us who are a part of the Church to “remember the Saints” by celebrating the lives of those who have gone on before us. It is not by accident that “All Saints Day” takes place on November 1st each year, the day after Halloween (All Hallows Eve).
The tradition of “remembering the saints” is an ancient one, dating back through the centuries. In recent years, it has enjoyed something of a resurgence as various faith communities have chosen to mark this occasion in their worship services. This Sunday, October 29th, will provide us with the opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of the saints in our own service of worship—even if it is a couple of days early!
As you prepare for worship this week, I invite you to reflect upon the lives of those whom you might consider to be, “saints.” Often, of course, when we think of the saints, we think of the lives of those who have been named “official” saints in the Christian tradition. The likes of St. Francis, St. Peter and St. Theresa come to mind. While all of that is well and good, I believe that it is important to suggest that the saints we recognize on “All Saints Day,” need not be limited to the famous saints who have a reputation for being good.
I happen to believe that the term, “saint,” should apply not only to the famous and the well-known, but also, to those who have, simply and quietly, gone about the task of choosing to live faithfully as followers of Jesus Christ. In this respect, there are, then, many people in our own lives that we might choose to remember and celebrate on the occasion of “All Saints Day.”
There is, I believe, great wisdom and meaning to be found in the choice to be mindful of the men and women, boys and girls, who have gone on before us, choosing to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Indeed, those who fail to do so, will likely find that an important part of their lives is missing. Our ability to remember our past and those who have been a part of it, is critical to shaping our present and inspiring our future.
Why not make a list, this week, of those you would nominate as saints in your own life? Why not write down the names of those in whom you have witnessed the presence of God and the power of the Holy? Bring that list with you to worship this coming Sunday and join us as we together celebrate “all the saints” and the legacy that they have left to us. It will be an important time and I hope that you will be a part of it.
October 19, 2023
t’s no secret that we live in a culture that takes special pride in “earning our way.” An important ingredient in the recipe of the American way of life is found in the idea that we must “pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps” in order to achieve a life of significance and worth. Certainly, there is something to be said for the belief that we must “pay our way” by doing what we can to apply ourselves and our abilities to whatever task is at hand. That makes sense. It is a way of holding ourselves accountable and responsible.
The problem is that we can become so consumed with this way of thinking that we become incapable of recognizing that there are some things in life that cannot be earned—only received. Faith is a prime example. If you have paid any attention to the teaching of the Apostle Paul, you will recall that he was quite clear that faith is not something that can be earned by doing “good works.”
Instead, it is something that can only be received as the gift from God that it is. And the best way to do that is to trust enough in God’s love and grace to accept it “as is,” without needing to earn it. Now, for some of us, that is much easier said than done. We can acknowledge this “gift” intellectually, but when it comes to actual practice, we may find it difficult to accept. We are inclined to want to earn it by proving our worth through our works.
Perhaps you are familiar with this struggle. Many people are. After all, we have been “born and bred” to think this way and to act this way. When we spend so much of the rest of our lives always proving and improving ourselves, we find it difficult not to view our faith in a similar way.
This week in worship, I will be “thinking out loud” about this dilemma and the importance of learning to let go of our need to try so hard that we lose our ability to trust. From his own personal experience, the Apostle Paul knew the pitfalls of this approach and therefore, challenged his readers “not to go there.”
As you prepare for worship this week, I invite you to spend some time reflecting upon your own approach to faith. Is it something that you feel compelled to earn? Or, is it something that you have learned to accept as a gift—with no strings attached? I will be interested in hearing your thoughts.
In the meantime, have a wonderful rest of the week and enjoy what remains of our warmer fall weather. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
October 12, 2023
I trust that this pastoral note finds you enjoying yet another beautiful fall day. We have been blessed with quite a few as of late. After the heat of summer, this is a good time to simply revel in the colors and the coolness of mid-October—a very special time of the year.
Thursday Memo time means that Sunday is just around the bend and I wanted to offer a “heads up” as to our focus in worship this coming Sunday. We will, of course, be launching a new small group series this Sunday by offering a brief orientation session after worship this week. That series, as you may recall, is entitled, “Living the Questions” and we are excited by this opportunity to explore our faith together.
The premise upon which this series is built is one that suggests that it is only when we are willing to let go of our need for the security of certainty that we will begin to discover what it means to truly grow in faith. In other words, it is only when we are willing to “live the questions,” to wrestle with our doubts and uncertainties that we will be able to move forward on the journey of faith.
You have, no doubt, noticed that we live in a time and place in which certainty is pursued at all costs. People want to have all the right answers to the deep questions of life and faith—and they want them right away, without having to struggle to acquire them. In a “quick fix” minded culture, this should not be surprising.
The truth, however, is that a vital faith is one that is not necessarily dependent upon certainty. In fact, certainty can become the enemy of this vitality as it suggests that there is no further need to pursue wisdom, truth and insight. It has already been found and neatly labeled as it sits comfortably on the shelf of one’s personal library. Certainty suggests that there is no further need to wrestle, question, doubt or struggle. All the issues have been resolved.
John Spong suggests that this kind of certainty is really a vice that keeps us from thinking and growing and becoming someone that we are not yet. He has a point and it is one that can benefit us all. The Christian life really isn’t a destination or, at least, is shouldn’t be seen as such. Instead, it is a journey in which we are always “in process,” always learning and growing in faith.
In my message this week, I will plan to develop this thought even as I invite you to join us for a small group adventure that just might changes your life!!
September 28, 2023
Yet another week of glorious fall weather! I hope that you have had the opportunity to fully appreciate and savor the gift that it has been—especially now that the leaves are beginning to turn into various shades of red, yellow, orange, and brown.
As I anticipate our worship experience this coming Sunday, I am mindful of just how challenging it is for the human family to get along. Republicans and Democrats are at it again—this time in the form of the finger pointing taking place concerning the possible government shut-down. Some things just don’t seem to change.
On a more local front, it seems that we have more than enough issues to create friction and division among us. The world of social media seems to be constantly introducing new controversies and attacks that tend to keep people riled up and angry with one another. Is it just me or wouldn’t it be a great idea to impose a month-long period of grace in which no one would be permitted to say anything disparaging or unkind about another? Can you imagine how calming and refreshing that would be?! We spend so much of our lives, these days, dealing with the conflict that takes place on so many levels of our lives.
This Sunday in my message, I will be thinking out loud about the ways in which we as people of faith, might best deal with the reality of our differences and the conflicts that often divide us. I will, once again, be asking the question of “What If?” What if we chose to be a congregation that dealt creatively with our differences and saw them not as a threat, but a possibility? What if we understood that listening was a prerequisite to learning? What if we didn’t try to avoid conflict, but instead, chose to confront it with courage and with love?
Needles to say, this would be, at the very least, a rather tall order! Many would likely say that it simply wouldn’t be possible. And they, of course, would have good, practical reasons for making that claim. The human track record in dealing with our differences and disagreements is not very impressive. Just read the morning news headlines if you are not sure.
Yet, it must be said that there is another way of choosing to live together. While it is not a very popular way, it is the way that Jesus demonstrated, the way of choosing to respect those with whom we disagree without trying to dismiss them or disparage their point of view. While that is never an easy thing to do, it is the very thing we have been called to do—to find ways that enable us to listen to others and learn from them, to find ways of dealing with our differences without disrespecting the value and importance of the other.
As difficult as that may be, that is our assignments as followers of Jesus who happen to be a part of the church. As you prepare for worship this week, I invite you to think about your own response to these challenging issues and the questions they raise. How can we respond in ways that are faithful to the gospel and true to our faith? In what ways (and with which people) have you been able to do that? What have those people and experiences taught you?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comparing notes with you as worship together this coming Sunday morning.
September 21, 2023
After spending the last ten days camping in Southern Oregon, I am looking forward to getting back to my weekly routine—which happens to include worship with you this coming Sunday.
My message this week will pick up where I left off on September 10th. As you may recall, I began a three-part sermon series that is entitled, “What If?” In each installment, my goal is to share some of my dreams for our congregation by simply responding to the question, “What If?”
This coming Sunday, I will be asking:
What if we…
Walked with the poor and were advocates for the powerless?
Viewed service to others as its’ primary form of witness?
Practiced a stewardship of the earth and all living things?
As you prepare for worship this week, I invite you to reflect upon these questions and to dare to dream a bit about what our church would look like, what it would be like if we chose to take these ideas to heart. What would the neighborhood grapevine be saying about us and the ministry that we provide in our community?
As you do so, you may not want to get too practical too fast. There is, to be sure, a time and place for practicality, but good dreams do not concern themselves with the practical in the initial phase. They are concerned, instead, with the energy and possibility of the dream as something that inspires their thinking and motivates their living.
Right now, we are in the inspirational and motivational stage of thinking about our future. So, let your mind get carried away in whichever direction the Holy Spirit may choose to take it. Hopefully, this will be an exercise that provides a glimpse of the kind of church that you would actually get excited about, the kind of church that you would love to be a part of. I am looking forward to the opportunity of comparing notes and seeing where our conversation will take us.
Shifting to another matter, I want to offer a “heads up” that Bill Croker and I are planning to launch a small group study experience that is entitled, “Living the Questions.” Some of you may have used this material in the past. If you have, my guess is that you would probably find it worthwhile to sign up for “round two” as we launch this new edition. The details will be forthcoming very soon, so be sure to keep your eyes—and your minds—open to this new possibility. Sign up sheets are about to be passed around!!
One further matter before I go…
Today, September 21, is not only the first day of Fall, but it is also, National Gratitude Day. This is a day that we may need much more than we realize as, so often, our lives are weighed down with all of the baggage of our frustration and despair concerning all the things that are wrong with our lives and life in general. It is easy, if we are not careful, to get so swept up in our litanies of woe, that we fail to savor and appreciate the gift of simply being alive.
Diana Butler Bass writes, “Gratitude is resilience of sorts, the defiance of kindness in the face of anger, of connection in the face of division, and of hope in the face of fear…Gratitude empowers us. It makes joy and love possible. It rearranges the way we see and experience what is all around us. Gratitude makes all things new.”
I think Diana Butler Bass is exactly right! Why not take some time on this beautiful first day of Fall to reflect upon the many reasons that you have to be grateful. I have a hunch that if you do, you will find that your day is actually much more enjoyable than you might have imagined it to be. I believe that it is true that “the attitude of gratitude” makes all the difference.
Have a wonderful week-end and I will be most grateful to see you in church this coming Sunday. It will be good to be together!
August 31, 2023
I must admit that the first time that I read this quote from the philosopher, Frederich Nietzsche, I was captivated by the message it conveys–the idea that our God is not one to sit back and stoically remain on the sidelines of life, but instead, is one who steps out on to the dance floor and actually moves to the rhythm of all of Creation! Somehow, that is a reassuring thought to me—the idea that God feels the joy and the sadness, the promise and the pain that comes with human life and is able to respond accordingly. It’s enough to make me fall in love with God all over again!
Dance, of course, has long been recognized as a vital part of spiritual practice, from the Hasidic Rabbis who would dance in times of both joy and sorrow to the Pentecostal Groups who have been referred to as “Holy Rollers” for their wild and ecstatic expressions of worship. Dance has often been viewed as a powerful expression of the ways in which God’s Spirit communicates in and through us. I have, therefore, come to the conclusion that not only is God a dancer, but a pretty good one at that!
Not that I necessarily envision God in human form, but it’s hard for me to resist the idea of a dancing God. There’s something very captivating about the thought that our God is one who created the gift of music for a reason and, at least part of that reason was for the purpose of dancing—of moving to the beat, of feeling the deep rhythms of life, and of expressing ourselves in ways that only music seems to make possible.
As you know, we will be celebrating the gift of music this coming Sunday as we will offer a variety (eclectic) musical expression that seek to honor and worship God. From the traditional to the contemporary, from the formal to the casual, we will be celebrating God’s great gift of music in ways that invite us to experience and express our faith in ways enable us to come alive with renewed spiritual energy and hope.
I hope that you will take this opportunity not only to join us for this wonderful worship experience, but to invite your friends and family to come with you. I trust that it will not only be a very meaningful time, but one that is downright fun and enjoyable as well. After all, it seems to me that we could use a little more fun in worship!
Who knows? Some of you may even be moved to the point where you want to get up and dance! If that’s the case, I want you to know one thing…I will be right behind you!
August 17, 2023
As our week winds its way toward the week-end and yet another Sunday
morning worship experience, I’ve been thinking about Jesus. That probably
will not surprise you. After all, that is a significant part of my job description as
a pastor—to think about Jesus. But there are times when thinking about Jesus
becomes a bit more challenging because it involves addressing certain biblical
texts or stories that are rather complicated and not easy to understand.
This coming Sunday, I will be addressing one of those texts. It is known to us as
the story of Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman and her request for
Jesus to heal her daughter. This, of course, was not an unusual request to Jesus
to encounter. In fact, it happened quite often in the gospel accounts of Jesus’
ministry. But what is unusual in this account is the way in which Jesus
responded to her request. It isn’t exactly what we would expect. In fact, far
from it.
“He Said What?!”
Rather than embrace the moment and immediately respond to her need, Jesus
appears cold and indifferent. The gospel writer tells us that, initially, he was
silent and said nothing. His disciples, however, were not. They complained
that the woman was too noisy and needed to be sent away. Then, even when
Jesus does speak, he suggests that healing this Canaanite girl is beyond his job
description. “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel” he tells
this worried mother.
He then underscores this message by pointing out that it is not fair to take the
children’s (People of Israel) food and throw it to the dogs (gentiles). Say what?!
Are we sure that this is Jesus who is speaking? Yet, the woman does not give
up. Instead, she goes toe to toe with Jesus in making her plea on behalf of her
daughter. “Yes,” she acknowledges Jesus’ point but then responds, “Even the
dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
At this point, is so impressed with this woman and her persistent faith, that he
agrees to heal the little girl as he commends the woman for her great faith.
While the story ends as we might expect—with the little girl being healed—it
manages to raise some disturbing questions about why Jesus initially
responded to the mother’s request with indifference and reluctance.
As you prepare for worship this Sunday, your homework assignment is to,
first of all, read this text in advance. It is found in Matthew15: 21-28. You
may want to read it through several times in order to get the feel for what was
actually taking place. After you’ve done that, I invite you to answer the
fundamental question raised by this text. Why did Jesus respond in the way
that he did. Did he truly not care about the woman and her daughter or
was there something else taking place? You may also want to consider
Matthew’s (the writer’s) point of view. How much of his perspective does
this exchange reflect?
While these are not easy questions to answer, I believe that they will help to
guide us as we seek to better understand this passage and the meaning that it
holds for us in this present moment of time. I look forward to comparing notes
with you as we look at this somewhat confusing text together.
Have a great rest of the week—and don’t forget to do your reading! There will
be a quiz!!
August 3, 2023
Happy first week in August to you! It’s nice to be able to report that it has been,
relatively speaking, a fairly cool week for a usually hot month. I wouldn’t mind
a few more like it!
A portion of my week has been devoted to trying to “crawl inside the skin” of
Jacob in the famous account of his wrestling with God. This story is found in
Genesis 32: 22-32 and serves as a prelude for the next chapter and its account
of Jacob’s long-awaited reunion with his estranged brother, Esau. Apparently,
there is a connection here between Jacob’s epic match with his “Divine
assailant” and his anticipated reunion with Esau.
It would appear that Jacob is here in the process of coming to grips with not
only his brother, but also with himself and with God. His fear and uncertainty
over seeing his brother for the first time since he fled from home in fear of his
life, may have well served to make him more vulnerable and more open to
seeing himself as he really was (or, as he had been). As a general rule, Jacob
was not one to have “second thoughts,” but now, he was having third and fourth
thoughts as well. Fear will do that to a person.
It’s funny, isn’t it, how, sooner or later, life has a way of catching up with us and
reminding us that if we want to grow and move forward in our journey, we
need to confront our past and the choices or decisions we may have made. As I
read the story, this, it seems, is what Jacob is experiences as he wrestles until
day break with this mysterious man in the darkness. Jacob appears to have
reached the point where he is willing to be honest with himself and with
God—and for Jacob, that is no small matter.
Impressively, he is tenacious enough to hold God to a draw as he manages to
secure a blessing. One thing you would have to say about Jacob is that he was
not a quitter! He held on until he managed to secure the blessing he longed for.
As you prepare for worship this Sunday, I invite you to read, once again, the
account of this epic wrestling match in Genesis 32 and then to reflect upon the
moments or experiences in your own life in which you may have found yourself
“grappling” with God. What were those moments like? What prompted them?
What have they taught you about yourself? Your relationship with others?
Your relationship with yourself?
While there are, of course, many different lessons that can be drawn from this
classic encounter between the divine and the human, the lesson that I will plan
to lift up is the lesson that suggests that it is only when we are willing and able
to see ourselves as we really are (and not as we might want to be seen) that we
are able to experience the grace of God that allows us to grow forward in our
lives and to become the people God is calling us to be.
That was certainly the case for Jacob as he prepared to meet Esau and I believe
that it can be the case for you and for me as we continue to travel the road of
faith.
June 23, 2023
I could see where we were headed—and it wasn’t good! The conversation I
was having with the campground host had taken an unexpected turn and was
becoming increasingly angry. My real clue was that he said something about
not having to “take my guff!” Slightly surprised and partially stunned, I realized
that I needed to make an important decision—either just walk away and go
back to my unsolved problem at my campsite or “reboot” my approach and
start over in my failed attempt at communication.
I chose the latter and then decided to do so with an extra measure of kindness.
There was, almost instantly, a remarkable change in the tone of his response.
The edge was gone and he actually began to smile! Before I knew it, he was
walking with me to my campsite in order to resolve my problem. When our
stay in the campground came to an end, we stopped at his site to say, “thanks
again” for his assistance. We were beginning to approach the “best buddies”
category of friendship!
If I ever needed a reminder of the difference that a kind and encouraging word
can make, it was in this recent exchange that I had. Someone has suggested
that words are like bees—some create honey—other leave a sting. This coming
Sunday in worship, I will be thinking about the importance of the word,
“Validation,” and the very tangible way in which it can make all the difference in
the world in our relationships. The choice to validate others by offering an
encouraging word, a note of thanks or an expression of kindness is a choice that
has the potential to turn what has been a negative downward spiral into a
positive one.
This is, of course, not exactly rocket science! No, this is what you might call a
basic “nuts and bolts” approach to cultivating healthy and happy human
relationships. It is something that we already know deep inside of us. Why
then, is it often so difficult for us to remember and put into practice?! A good
question—one that we will be pondering together as we consider the
importance of “validating others” even as God has “validated us.”
And if you happen to need it, bring in your parking receipt. As you might
expect, we will always validate!
June 15, 2023
Over the past couple of weeks, we have been thinking about the matter of
discipleship. More specifically, the commission of Jesus to “make disciples”
(Matthew 28: 16-20) and the witness of Jesus in calling his disciple, Matthew
(Matthew 9: 9-13). I have suggested that, by definition, a disciple is “one who
learns.” Eugene Peterson, author of the paraphrased version of the Bible
known as, “The Message,” uses the term, “apprentice” to describe the role of the
disciples. They were indeed, apprentices, learning, first hand, from their
Master about the work they were called to do.
In our focus this week in worship, the specific nature of that work becomes
clear as Jesus sends them out into the “harvest”
This week, our focus shifts, yet again, to the sending out of Jesus’ disciples as
they take up the work of ministry—even as Jesus himself has done. They are
instructed to, “Proclaim the good news that the kingdom of heaven has
come near.” They are to “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers and
cast our demons.” (Matthew 10: 7-8)
Now, at first glance, that would seem like a pretty tall order! I don’t know about
you, but I am inclined to think that the call to raise the dead is a little bit beyond
my pay scale! I’m not sure I would know where to begin. In light of that, I am
thinking that it might be wise for us to not insist on a literal rendering of these
instructions. Otherwise, we are quite likely to fail in our efforts.
It would, I believe, be much more helpful to read these instructions as a kind of
gospel code for the call to serve others in ways that heal and help in the
circumstances of every day. While we may not know how to go about bringing
healing to a leper, we likely do know how we can offer encouragement and
support to the one who is struggling to believe in themselves and the
possibilities that lie ahead of them.
The challenge that Jesus extends to his disciples, both past and present, is
essentially one of moving beyond one’s comfort zone and to respond to the
needs, the hurts and hopes of the world around them. In other words, we are
called not to sit on our hands, but to get up and get out into the world in order
to connect with people right where they are.
That, it seems to me, is our assignment—in a nutshell! As you prepare for
worship this week, I invite you to reflect upon the ways you, as an individual
and we, as a church, are doing just that. What hopes do you have for the ways
in which we might fulfill our calling in the future?
I look forward to thinking with you and talking with you about your thoughts and
ideas concerning how we can best respond to this invitation / challenge of Jesus.
June 8, 2023
You have likely heard the news, by this point, that our beloved Nancy
Thompson has passed away. After dealing with all of the challenges and
changes that were associated with a deteriorating back, Nancy has now gone
on to her great reward with God. While that is news worthy of our
celebration, it is also news worthy of our lamentation. Just as the writer of
Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time to rejoice, that same writer
suggests that there is also a time to grieve. Now is that time.
“
Nancy was blessed to be with her husband, Arlie and the rest of her family as
she made her journey from this life to the next. While many of us were not
able to say our “proper good-byes” to Nancy while she was still with us, we
have the opportunity to share our memories of her with one another in the
spiritual community that we are privileged to share. At this point, I have no
information concerning a possible memorial service for Nancy, but will relay
that information whenever it is determined.
I do want to say, on a personal, note, how much I have enjoyed getting to
know both Nancy and Arlie. I had the good pleasure of visiting with them in
their home not too terribly long ago and enjoyed the opportunity to the share
stories and experiences that were a part of our “church goin’ past.” I could
clearly see that Nancy was, in fact, a dedicated woman of faith who had the gift
of using faith to connect with others and thereby, helped to build a stronger,
more vital community of faith. Nancy was very good at doing just that and, as
a result, we are a stronger community of faith for it. I am most grateful for the
life and witness of Nancy Thompson, servant of God and friend to us all. Our
thoughts continue to be with Arlee and the rest of Nancy’s family.
As we look toward this Sunday and our celebration of worship, I invite you to
continue to be thinking about the matter of Christian discipleship. Last week
in worship, you may recall, we focused our attention on what is known as,
“The Great Commission” and its instruction to, “Go, make disciples of all
nations.” In fact, we spent quite a bit of time talking together about just how a
disciple is made. I suggested that the process was a bit like making pickles
(you had to have been there)!
This week in worship, I will be considering the way that Jesus went about the
task of making his own disciples in the ninth chapter of Matthew. It is there
that he recruits Matthew, the tax collector, who happens to be despised by
many. Indeed, Jesus is roundly criticized by the religious authorities because
he spends an awful lot of time with “tax collectors and sinners.”
It is striking to consider the “portfolio” of those whom Jesus challenged to
follow him. They were hardly a “Who’s Who” of impressive people were
sparkling resumes. As a matter of fact, they were quite the opposite—a rag-
tag group who seemed to have little to offer in the way of their own witness of
thought, speech and action. On the surface, one would be tempted to ask,
“What was Jesus thinking? When he asked these individuals to follow him.
This is the question we will be considering Sunday as we think about the
essential credentials for being a faithful follower of Jesus. If you were to make
a list of those credentials, what would it look like? What would you include?
Then, if you would be so kind, bring that list with you to worship Sunday and
we will compare notes as to the common characteristics of faithful disciples of
Jesus Christ. It should be a very interesting discussion—one that I hope you
will not want to miss!
Have a great rest of the week and I will look forward to gathering with you for
worship this coming Sunday. And, if you think about it, why not ask a friend
or a neighbor to join you?
May 30, 2023
I hope that your week is off to a good start and that you are still feeling a sense
of “Pentecost passion” as you go about your day-to-day tasks. A faith with
feeling is something that most all of us could benefit from—especially when the
challenges of life make their presence known.
This week in worship, I will plan to focus my attention upon what has become
known as “The Great Commission” Matthew 28: 16-20. In this closing act of his
ministry in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus commissions his disciples to:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching
them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”
This is, as best I can tell, our “mission statement” as a church, our “marching
orders” as followers of Jesus. We are called to “make disciples of all nations.” So,
allow me to ask just what that actually means. If you were to “make a disciple,”
where would you start? What ingredients would you include in your disciple
making recipe? What are the qualities you would seek to instill?
As you are thinking about that, I would like to suggest that the art of disciple
making is not one that can be reduced down to a simple 1-2-3 step process or
formula. Flow charts and diagrams about disciple making never quite seem to
capture the experience of choosing to become a follower of Jesus. Instead, the
experience of becoming a disciple of Jesus is one that tends to unfold gradually, at
times, imperceptibly, as one immerses oneself in the day-to- day choice to follow
in the footsteps of Jesus.
Yes, there are certainly the ingredients of prayer and worship, of study and
reflection, of compassion and service. But, more than that, there is the choice to
allow all of these ingredients to inform and inspire the way we choose to live out
our lives. In this regard, there is often a bit of mystery involved in the discipleship
experience. Ultimately, we find it difficult to be too precise our measurements.
We may simply choose to point to the fact that, in ways we don’t always
understand, God’s Spirit has been at work.
As you prepare for worship this week, I invite you to think a bit about your own
choice to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. What choices have you made that have
enabled you to grow in your faith? What steps have you taken that have allowed
you to move forward on your journey?
While we might not always be aware of the specific ways in which we have grown
in our faith experience, it is, I believe, important to be as mindful as we can be of
the process involved in making disciples.
One thing is certain. Disciples don’t just happen on their own. No, they are shaped
by the faith experiences that are often created within the context of Christian
community. In this understanding, then, we all have the responsibility of
contributing our gifts and graces to nourishment and growth of those who share
the journey of faith with us.
I look forward to worship this week and the opportunity we will have to help one
another take the next step.