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

Relationships, sermon at Lenten Prayer service March 13, 2019

March 13, 2019       Relationships        Pastor Carol P. Taylor

Ephesians 2 New International Version (NIV)

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time,gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

In our Ash Wed service last week, Pastor Dave Ewing spoke about Reconciliation. Tonight i’m sharing about Relationship. We can not have true reconciliation with God or others without effective relationship.

These Beloit area Lenten services have been going on for decades. As with most things, there’s been an ebb and flow to the churches participating. Over the last few years, we’ve been able to expand the number of churches and pastors who speak so we have a broader spectrum of the community. It’s a nice way for us to see other churches, experience other styles of worship, and to hear different musicians and pastors. Thru our offerings we support two valuable local organizations. And then we get to have some nice conversation over refreshments!  

Lent being a time of 40 days which remembers Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness. In the early church, it was a time of repentance and preparation for new believers, who would be baptized into the Christian faith on Easter Sunday morning! And is a time for those of us who’ve been Christians for some time, to repent of wrongdoing and to search for ways God is calling to deeper faithfulness.

My scripture lesson for this evening is from the Epistle to the church in Ephesus.  I came across Ephesians 2:10 a few weeks ago in my devotional reading.. And it just spoke so deeply to me. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

Let’s look at the beginning of this chapter.. It’s a very Lenten chapter, isn’t it? The Bible over and over reminds us that humans are flawed and we fail in our relationship with God. We are dead in our sin….BUT GOD!! Rich in grace and mercy, LOVES us even tho we fail over and over…… And redeems us...thru faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. This is Grace.

Found a nice explanation of Grace in my study bible..

"Grace is God's unmerited love, favor, mercy, and action in our lives.

It's by this grace that we receive new life in Christ. God's Grace is pardon for the things we did wrong and power to grow day by day in the image of Christ . by Grace we are forgiven, healed, redeemed, restored, transformed, and Made Alive. by Grace we are saved!

We may sometimes think that we are not good enough to be saved- or we need to prove our worthiness... Ephesians 2 reminds us that God's merciful action in our lives does not happen because we deserve it or earn it we are saved by grace because God deeply loves us.

as recipients of this lavish gift let US in turn be bold in extending Grace to those around us." {CEB Women's Bible}

Grace is the story of Lent. We finite humans, created in the image of God but never managing to be anywhere near as good as God, that silly free will, after all, have the benefit of Grace.

We’re created in Christ Jesus (he was present In the Beginning, was part of the creation of all things AND is the body of the church in whom we live and move and have our being! (acts 17:28)

Ephesians 2:10 The Message (MSG) Paraphrase by Eugene Peterson

God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

We created for Good works! We’re created to live our faith. To love God and Love each other. (of course that is much more easily said than done!)

Someone said “You are a child of God, and so is that other jerk you are arguing with!”

Jesus set the example. Jesus, One with God, present In the beginning, came to earth, as a human, to live as we do. Came as a baby, completely vulnerable and dependent. As an adult, Knew the aches and pains of a long day’s work...as a carpenter, not an easy job by any means! Lived and worked and traveled with ordinary people and even those not accepted by their own society...purely out of Love, to Be ONE with us, and to show us how to be in that perfect relationships for which we’re created.

I believe with all my heart that people living as Jesus did, caring for one another, promoting compassion, and equality-- The Shalom of God for everyone--will prevail. And the WAY it is will be every single person knowing they are a child of God, created and beloved exactly the way they are, the way God wanted them.

One of the main reasons we do these Lenten services is to help two local Ministries, Caritas Food pantry/Diaper bank and Family Promise homeless ministry. I’ve worked closely with both as many of us here have!

This past fall, I had a wake up call about homelessness… we know there is a perception of addictions or just poor decision making being the reasons for homeless, but we’ve heard the statistics, that many homeless are veterans, which is a travesty, that medical expenses are a leading cause of homelessness. The expenses incurred by a devastating diagnosis or disabling accident can bankrupt a family in a heartbeat.

My wake up call came from a pastor I know, who is from KC, about a year ago took a call in Northern California. Andrew’s a great guy, for a KC Chiefs and Royals fan…

One day last fall, within a matter of minutes, his church, his home, and most of his town, burned to the ground. He lived in Paradise Calif.

He posted one day on Facebook, “Never judge the homeless or the refugee, you don’t know how quickly it could happen to you.”

Came across a story about one person living as Jesus did.. A man in Ohio named Keith Wasserman who works with homeless. He periodically becomes “homeless by choice’ as he puts it, to better understand the situation of the homeless in our society. Every few years, he spends several days at a time on the streets and in shelters, in various cities.  His story is fascinating. {good-works.net}

He wrote “I believe that since Christ incarnated himself into our world in order to be a bridge for {people} to have a relationship with their maker, we too then, must incarnate ourselves into the world of those whom we care about in order to understand how they think and how they feel in order to really love and help them.”

He is striving to understand and re-evaluate the experience and treatments of homelessness, to serve in ways that are safe, meaningful and truly helpful.

He has, in these various stays, found that he may be treated as an alcoholic or drug addict. Staff may assume he is lying. He has witnessed staff being verbally abusive to clients. He has been made to sign long lists of rules without being given time to read them. He has experienced an utter loss of privacy and loss of identity. He wrote that "living in these situations, and the constant hopelessness and Fear changes one’s personality and affects a person’s life choices. Prolonged fear can turn you into someone you don’t like and don’t want to be with. Could it be fear that prompts some people to lie in order to survive?"

"I am aware more than ever before how these experiences have helped me to more fully understand that those who experience homelessness are people; human beings made in the image of God; people who in many ways are not much different from myself. Over the years, I have learned that for any of us to understand and help people who are suffering, we must learn how to leave the comfort of our own security and reach out, perhaps incurring some personal risk and pain. As a Christian, I now more fully understand what Christ Jesus has done for me. I am grateful and I want to continue to turn my gratitude into a godly activism."

Eph 2 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Now i am not saying that we all need to go live in a shelter for a while. But we can determine to prayerfully serve better, with more compassion than judgement, and to spend time with our neighbors in need in a grace-filled way. You know, sometimes the best talk you can have with someone is not to talk.. But to listen. To say only, “thank you for telling me. I care for you. We’re praying for you.”  This is living in grace.

Grace is God's unmerited love, favor, mercy, and action in our lives.

Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15)

 

Shall we pray! Holy Lord God, this Lenten season, draw us ever closer to you, so that we recognize your powerful Grace. Let us take action to more completely live out the relationships chosen for us, to share that unmerited love, favor, mercy, and action with our all of our neighbors, especially those in need. Thru the Name and Spirit of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen.

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

Prayer for Veterans November 9, 2018

Grinnell Hall Event

For much too long, our society at large has not been appreciative of you who served. And we recognize our abject failure to express our gratitude! So please, when you are thanked this Veterans Day weekend for your service, know that we acknowledge that failure,  our appreciation is sincere.

Let us pray,

Holy God of all, thank you for this opportunity to freely gather together, in recognition of those who have served our country, protecting our freedoms. These men and women gave generously of their time and energy. They have seen many give their lives to keep our nation safe and free. We are humbly grateful, dear Lord. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  and we say thank you for that great love of our nation. Help heal the physical and emotional wounds that may linger for many of these veterans. Please continue to bless and guide these brave veterans who served so well. Lord, we ask that you Please help us civilians to always be grateful and kind to them! We also ask Your blessing and protection on those who serve today, in the reserves or active duty. Remind them that “those who hope in the Lord will have their strength renewed and fly on wings like an eagle.” Give their families protection and peace of heart as well, dear lord.

And we pray for our community, our country, and the world. That Your compassion and spirit of hope and unity prevail over any selfish motivations we may have. Guide our leaders to Godly answers that are for the greatest good.

Lord we pray all these things, and the very deepest prayers of our hearts, knowing that nothing in all creation can separate us from the Love of God thru Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Blessing for Every Occasion

Sermon at United Church of Beloit Nov. 5, 2017 

A Blessing for Every Occasion 

Psalm 118:19-29

19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.

22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

25 Lord, save us!
Lord, grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Our Psalm this morning is one of several that was composed specifically to be sung in worship services-for the beginning of the Passover worship service.

118:19  the gates of righteousness.  The entrance to the sanctuary, leading to the presence of God, where the psalmist will offer thanks. The gates are righteous because the One who dwells behind them is righteous, and those who enter must be righteous as well (Ps. 15  and  24). must put God first and obey the commandments...

118:22  The stone that the builders rejected.  The metaphor would likely refer originally to a king, who represented his people.

the cornerstone.  The low and insignificant, despite having been rejected, is exalted to the chief place. A Cornerstone, the first stone or concrete block laid in the foundation of a new building, must be laid perfectly straight, because all the rest of the building is aligned with that very first stone. A stone rejected by the builders, was not square, or would not align straight and true. Yet, the song says the rejected stone became the the cornerstone!

This hymn must have been on Jesus' mind during his Last Supper with the disciples. In the gospels Jesus quoted vv. 22, 23 about Himself. He said HE was the stone the builders rejected who would become the Cornerstone. He would of course become the cornerstone, the foundation of the church!

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! We hear and even say that a lot. And it means today this very day is the day the lord has made, so we are grateful!!

but it means much more as well! It means that Jesus. The One who was rejected is the cornerstone, the very foundation of our faith and worship. And how can we be anything but grateful!?

118:26  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the  Lord. Later, this cry is lifted up by the crowds as they welcome the true King, Christ Jesus, into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday. (Matt. 21:9). In a way still beyond their understanding, Jesus was about to defeat sin and death on the cross.

Because of God’s victory, His people will turn the day of despair into a day of worship before the Lord. We now know that victory came through Jesus on the Cross,

You see how this psalm ties to the stories of Jesus?

Shortly in our Communion service, We commemorate the Passover meal , that last supper that Jesus had with his disciples.

Now let's look at our New Testament Lesson.

Philippians chapter 4

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Keep God first. Rejoice, find something to be grateful for. Remembering to count our blessings is powerful. An attitude of gratitude for blessings large and small makes life better all the way around! Do you know people who grump and complain about every little thing? They're never happy. Then think about someone you know who is grateful for what they have and always tries to look on the bright side! Who would you rather spend a lot of time with?

How can we develop or improve our attitude of gratitude? ...

In the Jewish tradition, at the time of Jesus and since, people say quick short prayers upon awakening and throughout the day to help them remember to always put God first. The prayers begin with “Blessed are you Oh Lord Our God, King of the Universe..” if you saw the play or movie Fiddler on the Roof, there is a line, “Rabbi, is there a blessing for a sewing machine?” to which the Rabbi replies, “There's a blessing for everything!”

to be clear, one isn't praying God bless you, God. To bless God is to praise God! Remember Psalm 103 which begins “Bless the Lord O My Soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” it means to praise the Lord. By the way, a pastor friend says that if you forget to say grace before a meal, you can just say that verse!... (pat stomach) “all that is within me bless his holy name..”

“to bless” in Hebrew translates to both praise, and to kneel, as if kneeling in worship, or to receive a blessing. To kneel, is an act that shows that you are humbling yourself. Lowering yourself before God or the person bestowing the blessing.

So to say Blessed is the Lord God, is to humble ourselves to praise God, to honor and revere, the lord and creator of all. And in so doing, we are putting God first, which helps us to remember how truly blessed we are!

At that Last Supper, After Jesus and the disciples settled together around the Passover table, the first words Jesus spoke were: “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15). 

He looked forward with joy and anticipation to have this special celebratory meal with his favorite people...

do you look forward to a holiday dinner with your favorite people? If you're the main cook and cleaner, then Joy may not be the very first word that comes to mind! {Story about Sherry remembering me teaching her how to shuck sweet corn! My thought was “all these people to feed”}

But years later, that moment was a cherished memory for our oldest niece! So do try to find some joy even in all the work during the upcoming holidays. You never know what might end up being a blessing for someone else.

Philippians 4

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable―if anything is excellent or praiseworthy―think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me―put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

We may find ourselves down, struggling with emotions for a variety of reasons. But we can choose to change our focus, to mentally set aside the sadness, anger, or whatever. I have a friend who has a magnet on her frig that says “Today I am in charge of how I feel, and I am choosing happiness” she isn't just ignoring situations in her life, or in the world, but she is a person of prayer. She prays over things, and then doing whatever she can about situations, she moves forward. And chooses to be happy. Because she knows she is alive, she has children and grands and that is a lot to be grateful for.

I think of this text being a type of "mental floss". When we are mired in thoughts or things we've heard or read that bring us down or make us angry, we can help turn ourselves around, and 'floss' our thoughts with whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. These are qualities of God. When we view something lovely, we are taking in a quality of God. Ponder excellence or perfection, you are pondering a quality of God. If and when we think about things that have these qualities, it helps us to get the negativity out of our minds. That's  why i call it "mental floss" -we can floss away the debris left by the negativity.  That's what my friend does.

Jesus chose to be filled with Joy at that last Supper...he had eagerly looked forward to it. Even tho in a matter of hours he would be arrested, beaten, and go through the worst form of capital punishment that humans could devise, and in so doing, he would take on the sin of humanity...all of OUR sin, and therefore, upon that cross, endure complete and utter separation from God. Yet He chose to enjoy time with those closest to him. He praised God, how can we do anything less?

Please pray with me, Blessed are you Lord God, maker of heaven and earth! Thank you for your Word which helps us learn how to choose gratitude, and to honor and revere you, Thru your blessed son, Jesus we pray, amen.

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.  

inner self

2 Corinthians 4:16

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

A pastor often spends time with folks in either the highest or lowest moments of life. Births, weddings, illness, death. It is not always easy but it is a privilege to be with families in these moments.

Sometimes when a person has had many challenges, their faith is challenged too. We know God is love and God's promise is to be with us always. But when we've seen or experienced suffering and loss, we may feel terribly alone.

The processes of aging or illness may have us feeling that our “outer self is wasting away.”

This scripture reminds us that our “inner self is being renewed day by day.” how can this be so, when we feel so alone? One of the most effective ways is to spend time, even a few minutes a day in the God's word and prayer. Reading the Bible and prayer do not have to take a lot of time. Even ten or fifteen minutes in the morning can be the foundation for the day. Or we can have time to read and pray in the evening before bed to finish our day.

Beginning and maintaining this practice will help us get through our daily lives. And when the challenges come up, we will have a daily habit to hold us in good stead. 

Our Favorite Verses: The Lord is My Shepherd

Psalm 23

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

1 Corinthians 11

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for[e] you. Do this in remembrance of me.”[f] 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Did you ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?

Starting a series on “favorite” Bible passages. I really want to hear from YOU all what your faves are and why? What does this verse mean to you?

And if you are interested in a Bible reading plan...many people start the new year with some resolutions...i have reading plans to read thru either the New Testament or the whole Bible in 1 year!

Psalm 23, most people's favorite, even younger folks who have not grown up in a church like this one for funerals especially. But it is more than a reading for funerals.! there is so much here in these few verses. It is full of hope for every day.

A Shepherd's rod was to ward off predators..a wolf or whatever, and the staff was for guiding the sheep, directing them. The shepherd offers protection, guidance, and is always there. God with us—always!

When Jesus said I am the good shepherd, his listeners would have surely thought of this psalm. They were well educated in their scriptures and would probably have sung this psalm many times.

The reminder and assurance of this Psalm is that God is always with us, even in the darkest valley.

The psalm also speaks of God's provision. Preparing a table in the midst of enemies! “Sit at the table, have some nourishment to help you for the rest of your journey.” And the hospitality overflows!

God's provision is abundant. God's grace and mercy are abundant.

that's why we come to the Table.

Our NT lesson, Apostle Paul is teaching—scolding believers in Corinth. They were folks who do not seem have a worshipful attitude. They are putting themselves, their wants & desires ahead of their worship.

And he says “For I share with you as it was given to me....”

Reminding the people that we come not because of ourselves but because of Jesus, because of what the LORD said and did for each of us.

these are what we call the “Words of Institution” in the Communion liturgy. Very often you will hear exactly these words. I am a bit of a purist when it comes to liturgy, but have come to realize that story is important, people relate well to stories –that's why Jesus told them! and so I combine these words with the story from the Gospels, especially Luke in which he also uses the phrase 'in remembrance of me'

To remember-re-again, member-a part of-- means to recall, to put together again in your mind...to bring back and renew in your mind an image or images. To be mindful. Do this in remembrance of me...do this recalling me, thinking of me, honoring me...Jesus said.
Years ago when I was first becoming a pastor, I had given my Aunt some of my sermons, and she was telling me how proud she was of me. And she gave me a ring, right off her finger. Saying “when you wear this, remember me!” and my first thought was, well you are my Aunt, I am not going to forget you! Then I realized she was talking about an older meaning of “remember me'. Meaning, keep me in your heart, pray for me!'



I think this is what Jesus was saying, keep me in your heart!



The Lord's supper,-Communion (with together) is the one of the purest ways we have to put Jesus first. We set aside several minutes to quietly pray, meditate, with some music playing, or perhaps scripture being read....and we serve each other...isn't that a beautiful thing? Isn't it just what Jesus told us?



Isn't it a mystery? The bread which is broken makes us whole....and drink which is poured out refills and renews us?



What if we treated our Bible like we couldn't get along without it?
What if we used it to receive messages to stay connected?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

Unlike our cell phone, we don’t have to worry about our Bible being turned off because Jesus already paid the bill.

Let's make 2014 the year we renew our faith regularly. Let's make this year the best we've ever had, because we are connected –to God thru the Bible and prayer, and to each other.