Gathered and Grateful

 November 24 2019    Gathered and Grateful     Pastor Carol P. Taylor

Psalm 67

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us

    and make his face shine on us—[b]

2 so that your ways may be known on earth,

    your salvation among all nations.

3 May the peoples praise you, God;

    may all the peoples praise you.

4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,

    for you rule the peoples with equity

    and guide the nations of the earth.

5 May the peoples praise you, God;

    may all the peoples praise you.

6 The land yields its harvest;

    God, our God, blesses us.

7 May God bless us still,

    so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

This is most likely composed by David the great king of the Hebrew people, ancestor of Jesus. It was a hymn of deep praise..remember the Psalms were written to be sung! 

Note that it begins and ends with “Us” God Bless US...then moves to addressing God. it’s gathering the thoughts of the assembled people to remember their purpose..to worship and praise. “We gather together…” 

Then we worship! The focus is now on God--The God of justice, mercy, and kindness, and bountiful harvest! Nations in the Psalm...means all people...it’s sometimes translated gathered nations...peoples brought together. 

This is a recurring theme in the bible..one of the reasons that some of us pastors here in Beloit work to bring other churches together, through our work with organizations, and with our Community thanksgiving services that we began 5 or 6 years ago, and through the Lenten worship services. Real community happens when we begin to build relationships. We build relationships when we remember that each of us is a child of God. Sometimes on the surface we may not seem to be alike, but once we begin to get to know each other, we do have more in common than not. 

This week some of us were talking about how one can feel close to God in nature. Seeing the beauty and variety of nature is deeply inspiring. 

God loves and cares for all of God's creation, and provides abundantly!! To love means to give! 

And so we remember and honor..and revere God so that all the peoples of the world may know, and worship God as well! 

Psalms are also a model of prayer for us today :D  

In our Sunday morning bible study we’ve been studying the Lord’s prayer, which Jesus taught us to pray.. This came about because in our discussions for several weeks in a row the topic of prayer came up. Over the years I have done many types of Bible study and discussion, including studies on prayer… and it’s a topic that nearly everyone can use more of! We all need prayer, we all can pray, and -if we’re honest with ourselves, we all feel that we could pray more effectively, more deeply. The Lords’ prayer, that we pray every Sunday is indeed a model prayer. Jesus modeled prayer in other ways too, especially in the Gospel of John chapter 17. I commend you to read this whole chapter...jesus prays first for himself, then for his disciples, then for all believers. Let’s look at that prayer for all….

John 17  Jesus Prays for All Believers

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

You see how Jesus’ prayer ‘spreads out?” himself, then the disciples, then those who come to believe through the message shared by the disciples! “That all may be one”  

Jesus, God’s own son, God personified, here on earth in the flesh (Incarnate) prays for all believers throughout the world be ONE. to be united...the apostle paul likened the body of believers to the human body, that each of us is an essential part...a hand, an eye, an ear, each serving their very own purpose and working together with all the other parts. 

Community and prayer--major themes in Scripture..

THis week some of us were talking about feeling close to God in nature…We seem to feel more connected...there’s science behind that...we actually do feel better due to fresh air, chemicals released by plants & trees into the air, the effect of natural light and even the scents of flowers, grass and so on. The sights of sky, patterns in clouds and water also stimulate areas of the brain in beneficial ways. 

Nature inspires us, helps us to be one with God. 

with the inspiration of nature, how God creates so much variety and it all works together. Variety-diversity in creation is important and necessary! When we look at the big picture of nature, we begin to understand that diversity is essential to God’s plan. God always sees the big picture! 

God’s creative expression and love of variety extends to humans too. 

But over history, we humans have struggled with that variety. 

that was a self protection back when humans were first on the earth! But now with better understanding, we are learning that it takes diversity to make up a whole--in nature and in people!

So all peoples...all gathered nations are to be brought to know and love God through Jesus.  And Jesus prays for us to be united--to be ONE as he and God are one.   

This weekend is the debut of the new movie about Mr Rogers, starring Tom Hanks. Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister, and collaborated with child psychologist Margaret McFarland. The program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, was critically acclaimed for focusing on emphasized young children's social and emotional needs, handling topics such as death, sibling rivalry, school enrollment, and divorce.

Rogers TV work was his pulpit! he once said his ministry was the "broadcasting of grace throughout the land." He taught children (and the grownups who watched) that you are loved just the way you are. and that so is everyone else. He celebrated cultural diversity. 

Rogers seldom spoke about his faith on air. He believed that teaching through example could be just as powerful as preaching.

I personally think it may be MORE powerful! Sharing gratitude, finding even one little thing we have in common at this moment..is building relationships, sharing love and compassion, that is a part of living out our faith.
Rogers also used the medium of television very well, speaking directly into the camera, so that he came across speaking directly to his young audience. Never speaking down to them, never proseltyzing, just saying ‘Isn’t this something special to share right now?” reaching out nicely, to make a connection, even thru the camera. He shared his values of kindness, and empathy and caring for others. 

Actor Tom Hanks, who portrays Mr Rogers, is also widely known as a nice person, he readily admits to not being perfect, but says…”I feel as though I am a joyful person. And I think if I'm nice, it's because I am trying to share a sense of joy that I find a natural commodity. And why not? Why not have a good time? Why not bring a little bit of joy from anything from a long plane ride, to a short elevator ride, to an exchange over an extra-large, venti-sized latte in line at your local coffee place? To me, it's the natural order of things”

Sharing Joy, by just being nice, can be a way of praising God, who is the source of our joy. It’s a way of connecting and sharing our faith...of telling others that they are accepted and even loved just as they are--through the Love of the God of all creation. We know this because of Jesus, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

As we gather together, at our Community service this evening, or to assist with family promise, at our Thanksgiving tables...let us remember God’s love and beauty, for all of creation, and that God’s own son prays that we might be One.

In our Psalm, did you hear at the beginning the echo of the ‘blessing” or benediction? From the book of Numbers, chap 6..

Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,

24  The Lord bless you and keep you;

25  the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

26  the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. 

The Psalm echoes this deliberately, this is a prayer of blessing from the time of Moses...Psalmist is sharing the history of the Hebrew people, reminding them that God ishas been with them always!  And here’s a tidbit...the phrase translated ‘lift up his countenance..” has an image associated with it...of holding a baby up in the air with joy!! 

We are ALL --every human on earth, every age, size, ethnicity, ability, every single one of us...God’s children, being held with joy! Let us remember, savor, and pray this love, so that we LIVE it, every day. 

Let’s sing together For the Beauty of the Earth

Short and sweet

This photo is of a "Burning Bush" (the proper name is Euonymus) outside the church building. The leaves are drooping, because we've had some frosty cold mornings. But the colors are still vivid and beautiful. 


Sometimes we think we can't serve God, because we're older, we have health issues or whatever. We may be too busy to add anything to the calendar. But just as the colors of this "droopy" bush shine, we can serve Our Lord. We can pray! One does not have to sit for a length of time to pray effectively. We can pray short prayers throughout the day as we see or hear of a need. Even a quick thought of "God help this person" is a powerful prayer! We can pray for friends and situations as we scroll through social media and news. We may text or email a loving thought to a friend. That's prayer too! 

This Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season, remember that even a few moments of prayer and gratitude are multiplied when given to God. 

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you" -Philippians 1:3a

a Thanksgiving Prayer

Thanksgiving. It's a holiday that means lots of food, usually with family and friends, and maybe a football game on TV. Thanksgiving can be an attitude. We can remember to give thanks every day, not just once a year over a table groaning with food. I pray that we give thanks for a great meal, and remember those who do not have enough to eat most days. I pray that we are grateful for our homes and remember those without. And I pray that we, who are so richly blessed, help out the less fortunate by giving our money and our time to organizations devoted to their assistance. I pray also for those who serve and protect, in our military, in police and fire departments. And for those who must work on holidays, in hospitals and care facilities, and in restaurants and other businesses, and emergency personnel.

I pray for those who are grieving this holiday season. Many of us have lost loved ones this year. The first round of holidays after a loss is rough. And even if it's been many years, sometimes the ache of loss wells up unexpectedly. If you know someone who may be grieving or lonely, do give a call or send a note or message. Even a quick “hello” means a lot at these times.

I pray that each of us remembers how much we have every day. And that we know that even if our budget is tight, we are rich in love. We love because God first loved us. And God so loved the world--the ENTIRE world, all of creation--that God sent God's only Son, our Lord Jesus. It in His Name we pray, Amen.  

Thanksgiving Traditions

Ooops, behind in my blogging. But we knew that would happen didn't we?

It's Thanksgiving week. I like to cook the big dinner, for a couple reasons. I like the leftovers! And with allergy issues, I'm picky. Over the years we've modified the menu a bit to be healthier. We have turkey for sure! For sides, we have roasted or steamed vegetables, and/or salad; sweet potatoes steamed or baked, with butter, no sweetener. Yes, we have potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and dessert. And one can choose to eat those things in moderation-or not! :)

This year we will spend the holiday at the apartment of older son and his girlfriend. She and I will cook together. We did phase 1 of the shopping yesterday and had fun and were quite efficient! Phase 2, the fresh veggies etc will be purchased Tuesday. It's working out well, and I think we are beginning a new tradition.

Holiday traditions are important. Sometimes when our life circumstances change, we want our traditions to stay exactly the same, but that's not feasible. We need to be able to honor traditions, but perhaps modify them to honor our new situation. My family is honoring my wish to cook, but at their apartment, which quite frankly has a much better kitchen!

I pray your holiday is wonderful, with people you love, with some old and new traditions, and some healthy choices along with some treats! 

I don't have a past photo of Thanksgiving dinner, 

so here is the "cornucopia" decorations from church :)