Notes and News – 12/05/20

What the Incarnation Means for us Today!

This advent we are examining The Incarnation not as something that happened over 2000 years ago or as a doctrine of the Church. We are looking at The Incarnation as something that has an impact on our daily lives today. Last week we looked at The Incarnation in terms of hope. Too often when people use the word hope they're really expressing far more doubt than hope. For example, when someone says I am hoping for the best, they are not expressing any certainty in outcome but rather more their doubt that the actual outcome likely won’t be what they would like it to be. The Incarnation puts hope in an entirely different light. Namely, the God who comes in our midst, claims us now and for all of eternity. Therefore, our future is absolutely and eternally guaranteed. There is no circumstance or situation, no matter how terrible or painful, that can prevent God's intended will for us from coming true. Please let that reality sink into every fiber of your being. Another way of saying this is, the worst word is never the last word. The last word is always one of triumph and perfect love. This is what we mean by hope. This hope is not rooted in our situation or power but rooted in and guaranteed by God's grace. This hope is incredibly powerful and life changing.

Tomorrow we look at The Incarnation in terms of the gift of Salvation. Perhaps there is no more misunderstood or often off-putting question than, “Are you saved?”. The problem with this question is not that it is being asked, but in the underlying assumption that being saved is something in the past tense. I suspect many who ask this question are really speaking about a conversion experience, which was indeed powerful for them. This of course is legitimate, but we always need to remember that a conversion experience does not mark the end of the journey but the only the beginning. No matter how powerful the experience might be, we are called upon and expected to grow into an ever deeper and richer relationship with Jesus Christ.

The reality is being saved is something each of us needs on a moment by moment, day by day basis. It can never be viewed as a past accomplishment of ours. You and I need to be saved all the time. Perhaps a better way to ask the question is, “Are you being saved?”. When all is said and done Salvation is not a single event but an ongoing transformational process where God in Jesus Christ is molding us and making us into the very people we were created and intended to be. Salvation and sanctification are the theological words used to describe this continuous process.

In tomorrow's sermon I'm going to be examining some of the things in our regular everyday lives that we need to be saved from as well as what we need to be saved to. In the process of being saved we can experience the gift of peace. Biblically, peace always means more than the absence of conflict – it means the presence of well-being and fulfilment.

I am looking forward to our virtual service tomorrow and I hope you are as well.

Grace and Peace, John

Notes and News – 11/28/20

We Can Recover Something Valuable!

I suspect there are people reading this who remember when The Christmas Holiday season did not begin until the Friday after Thanksgiving. In our rush to start the holiday season earlier and earlier we've lost something very special. Back when we waited until after Thanksgiving, it was Thanksgiving with the focus on giving thanks and gratitude, that offered a fitting start to the Christmas season.  I have become convinced there is something very special, valuable and powerful when we let Thanksgiving and its focus on gratitude usher in this most precious season.

Bill Gove referred to gratitude as the “Queen” of emotions. What he meant, is gratitude opens our hearts and spirits to some of the most significant and important experiences of life. I'm talking about love, joy, peace, and more. Gratitude has an incredible power to lift us out of life's difficult and challenging moments. It frees us to experience the love, joy and peace that give our lives a sense of meaning, purpose and significance. I don’t think there can there be a better way to prepare for a meaningful and joyful Christmas season.

Gratitude can be a part of our lives in a variety of ways. One of the most obvious and easiest ways is when it simply bubbles up and captures us. Examples of this can include a word of encouragement or appreciation offered by somebody close to us. Or it can be a special gift that touches us very deeply, triggering gratitude. Sometimes gratitude can bubble up as we look at it a family picture or remember a special family tradition. And there are still other times that gratitude can come out of the blue catching us totally off guard and by surprise.

A second way we experience gratitude is by taking time to reflect back on experiences in our lives. Sometimes these experiences are fun and joyful to remember. Other times we can find ourselves reflecting back on moments and experiences that in their time seemed disastrous. But we now know they worked out for the best and we are filled with gratitude. Often in these times we can discern a power greater than ourselves having a hand in our lives (for me this is God).

The third way is most challenging and yet potentially most rewarding. This is to focus our thinking on something different than our present painful or difficult life experience. It's no secret our world is filled with suffering and heartache. We all can recall such moments. As a pastor it breaks my heart when I encounter people who are locked in a terrible cycle of recounting the wrongs that have been done them or the pain that they are experiencing. It’s like they are trapped in a prison of pain and heartache. It doesn’t have to be this way! Paul gives us an alternative in the 4th chapter of Philippians, urging us to think about the things that are true, honorable, just, pure and more. This is not wishful thinking. It is in reality shifting our focus to the arena where gratitude reigns. This can become the entryway into joy even in the most painful and difficult circumstances and we often encounter God in the process or at the very least, better prepare to re-discover God is with us in the manger as a small baby!

Grace and Peace, John

Notes and News – 11/22/20

Some Things You Should Know!

Back in August I had what I assumed would be a routine echocardiogram. It had been five years since my last one and my doctor just recommended it as a thing to do that would be good to do on general principles. I fully expected great results since I've enjoyed a daily routine of walking virtually every day since mid-March. I was surprised and a bit shocked when the results came back indicating that I only had an ejection fraction of 35% and a possible hole in my heart.

I shared this information with our session but wanted to until a more precise and sensitive procedure called a TEE (transesophageal echocardiogram) yielded more information before sharing it with you. I had that outpatient procedure last late last month and the results were better than the initial echo cardiogram indicated. The hole in my heart proved to be microscopic and therefore no further procedure is needed. My ejection fraction was 45%, better than 35%, but not at the normal 55%. My cardiologist has changed some medications which seem to be helping.

Wanting to be as proactive as possible and with the prompting of Joan Bryden, our Outreach Director, Cinda and I enrolled and are participating in the Ornish Lifestyle Management Program at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. We meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 until 1 at the Rand road location.  The program consists of 4 segments each session, exercise, stress management and relaxation (I’m becoming a huge fan of chair yoga!), group support and diet (Cinda and I are committed to a whole food, plant based lifestyle). The program as a whole is designed to help people reverse the effect of heart disease and other diseases as well.  The insurance our church and denomination provides for us is covering the vast majority of the cost. So, a very big thank you to all of you for helping make this possible.

The week before last Cinda was having difficulty getting her blood pressure under control so I took her to the Blake ER last Saturday night. Long story short, she received a stent on Monday afternoon and came home Tuesday afternoon. She is doing better now.

The other outcome of all of this is I have decided, after prayer and discussion with family, to retire on May 1, 2022.  This has been a difficult decision. I thoroughly enjoy being your pastor and have a deep affection for you. Although difficult and at times even frightening decision, I believe this is the correct one.

My priorities as your pastor over these next 18 months will look something like this:

1. Working with Joan Bryden to get Our Community Garden off to a great start and firm foundation for continued success.

2. Continuing to expand our website and community presence.

3. Working with our Session to develop a strong, workable transitional strategy that brings out the best of our church and builds confidence, ownership and energy in our congregation.

4. Doing whatever I can to lay a foundation for success for whoever has the privilege of being your next pastor.

Lastly a word of confession and repentance on my part. I confess I had intended to wait until the new year to share this. However, a friend challenged me, saying I was depriving our congregation of the opportunity to pray for us. He was right. Sharing this today is my act of repentance. I always welcome your prayer support and especially in these times. Thank you for being who you are.

Grace and Peace, John

Our Sweatshirts Have Been Ordered (Mostly)! 

Our sweatshirt order for Manatee Elementary School is 90% placed and should be delivered the week of November 30th.  We anticipate completing the balance of the order this coming week. With the early morning cold weather this last week the arrival of the sweatshirts will be much appreciated. Our total sweatshirt order will be 520 sweatshirts. I had total confidence placing our order because I have complete trust in your faithfulness and generosity. Several people have made gifts already. There is still plenty of time to make your gift and every gift received will have an impact on children (and their families) who often slip through the cracks.

 Once again, the price per sweatshirt will be $8. I invite you to join Cinda and me in “buying” 1 or more sweatshirts in honor of grandchildren or other family members. This is a tremendous way for us to share the joy of the upcoming Advent/Christmas Season both with the kids who receive them and also with the staff who can give these kids they love and care about, the sweatshirts that make such a difference.

Notes and News – 11/14/20

It May Be Winter But That’s Not So Bad!

Although it is normal and perhaps even natural to think that because we are not meeting together for worship little or nothing is happening in the life of our church. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In reality a great deal is happening.  Perhaps it is helpful to think of our church like a tree in the wintertime up north.  On the outside it seems as though the tree is dead and dormant.  The leaves are on the ground (and hopefully raked up) and the cold of winter is at hand. In fact, the winter is a critically important time in a tree’s life. Lots of growth and activity is taking place on the inside – its simply out of sight. It’s this out of sight wintertime activity that makes spring and summer growth possible.

It is much the same for our church. Significant work has been going on behind the scenes. Here are some examples:

1. We have begun the work to start a Community Garden on the large grass field just to the south of the church. We applied for and received a $15,000 Blessing Grant from Peace River Presbytery. This will be the first community garden in Palmetto. The Blessing Grant will enable us to do many of the necessary preliminary things to get a garden off the ground.  Our garden will include non-citrus fruit trees such as avocado trees that yield avocados you can not buy in the stores because they do not ship well. In addition, there will be planting areas for produce, both in “boxes” on the ground and raised up versions for people who can no longer bend over. The garden itself will grow and evolve over time with strong possibilities for flower plots and perhaps in time a memorial section for people to sit and pray. There will be a place for composting stations (odor-free), a shed for tools, a gazebo structure with a picnic table and places for people to sit and rest/fellowship, rain barrels to catch the rain, and water sources and much more in time.  I am just sharing the tip of the iceberg with you. We have been working with the city of Palmetto and the local extension service for quite some time.  I believe this community garden will become an identifying part of the life of our church much like the thrift store has become. It will also be a tremendous way to reach out to our community and to attract people to the kind of church we are.

2. We are continuing to expand and improve our website. This website serves at least 2 basic purposes – to provide information for our family of faith and to give people who are not yet part of our church a real sense of who we are and what kind of church we are.

3. We are working with a company that specializes in online giving for churches to off that option to those who would like to sue it. More will be shared in the near future on this. In the meantime, we understand that not everybody will want to move in this direction and that is perfectly fine. The present envelope system will be available for those who wish to continue in this manner. No problem at all. But for those who would like the ease and security if online giving it will become an available option. This will also be an easy way for those beyond our church to give and support things they would like to support.  Again, much more information will be coming in the next few weeks.

4. We continue to refine and improve our capacity to offer virtual services. This will continue when we are finally able to safely gather again to worship together. A sizable grant is being made available to every church in our Peace River Presbytery to help with the purchase of equipment and technology for this. In fact, I foresee everything we have done so far and are planning to do for this new area of outreach and ministry to be covered. I am proud and honored to be part of a presbytery like our Peace River Presbytery.

This “winter season” of being isolated from one another will come to a close. Our Session has and continues to affirm that safety is our first priority. When it is safe, we will gather together again with much joy and celebration.  In the meantime, there is lots going on to be proud of and excited about.

 Grace and Peace, John

Annual Congregational Meeting - 12/13/20

Following our virtual service on Sunday December 13th , we will have a congregational meeting via Zoom to elect a the 2023 class of Elders and hear the annual report of the corporation( a state requirement). You do not need to do anything special except to stay connected following our service on the 13th. All church members have a vote. Our fellowship time will follow this meeting.

Notes and News - 11/07/20

Think About Champions Instead!

The terms “winners: and “losers” has been used over and over again for quite some time now. However, like most labels the terms “winners” and “losers” are often misleading at best and more typically fairly useless. Their descriptive accuracy is limited at best and distorted at worst. In common with other labels, these terms more often than not hide and distort rather than illuminate and reveal.

Instead of these terms, let me suggest the word “champion”. Champions are described and determined by their character and not the outcome of a particular event. A champion can lose and still be a champion. A person can win and not even come close to being considered a champion.  Simply put, those who only focus on winning don't get what it means to be a champion. Unfortunately, as a result, we often hear ridiculous comments like “if you're not cheating, you're not trying hard enough to win”, “whatever it takes to win” or misrepresentations of the great football coach Vince Lombardi’s comment on “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”. Even a cursory examination of the lives of his players’ accomplishments both on the football field and in life reveals that he built champions and that is why they succeeded in football and life after their football playing days were over.

Champions come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Here are just a few that come to mind immediately: Bob Dole, the wounded WWII vet and politician; John Lewis, the Georgia Congressman and Civil Rights Icon; Jim Abbot the one handed major league pitcher, Annie Glenn, the stuttering wife of Senator John Glenn who gave a speech to a large crowd because her husband could not be present; countless veterans who have made incredible sacrifices up to and including their lives for the benefit of others; more doctors and nurses than we could possibly mention in this COVD-19 pandemic; and on and on. Some champions are famous, but the vast majority are not, outside the circle of lives they have touched.

Champions are not perfect. They are often the first to tell you so. The heart of a champion is something to behold. Champions typically have these qualities of character:

• Instead of whining and blaming others, they focus on becoming better and improving.

• Instead of giving up and quitting, they look for ways to learn and grow.

• Instead of shrinking from adversity, they find ways to let it make them stronger.

• Instead of focusing on disappointment, they search for ways to be grateful and gracious.

• They understand defeat and failure as opportunities to learn and improve.

• They learn from the past to be better able to see opportunity in the future.

• They are hopeful, resilient and refuse to quit or give up.

• They refuse to compromise their core values.

• They are committed, humble, team players and focused more on others than themselves.

• They focus their energy and attention on what they can control – not what they can’t.

• They stand up to big challenges relentlessly.

Champions are extraordinary leaders and leave a lasting impact. Most of all I believe champions are one of God’s many gifts to us.

Grace and Peace, John

Thanksgiving Outreach to Our Homeless Neighbors

On both Sunday, November 22nd and Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving Day) at 1:00 pm, Palmetto Presbyterian Church will be dropping off 30 Turkey Dinners at Sutton Park.

Also joining us will be a representative from the Manatee County YMCA distributing “Blessing Bags.” In the bags there will be blankets, socks and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment.)

If you would like to help in some way (financially or otherwise) please contact Joan Bryden for more information at: outreach@ppcfl.org

Notes and News - 10/31/20

The Power of Listening for Healing!

By this time next week, the elections will likely be over. No matter who wins or loses there will be a need for healing across our country. Regardless of what happens at a national level, we are called as followers of Christ to be agents of healing here locally in our church and our community. I have thought long and hard about how to best be agents of healing with one another and with our neighbors. To be sure, there is the power of prayer. We should all be praying for healing locally and nationally. Specifically, our prayers, in my judgement, should seek to lift up and find ways we can break down existing barriers and walls and replace them with bridges that bring us together and bind the wounds which all too often appear to deeply separate and even alienate us. Obviously a humble, loving spirit will make such prayer far more effective and impactful.

 But what are we to do as we interact with one another when differing views have too often resulted in walls and the application of labels, differing camps and sadly judgements about one another. I have been wrestling with this for quite some time. It seems to me the answer for healing lies in our willingness to listen to one another. The challenge of course is that this is far easier to say then to put into practice. The painful truth is that we are not very good listeners.

 The late Bill Gove, who was the salesman credited with making Scotch tape and 3M household names and would later become the acclaimed and revered “father” of modern professional speaking, loved to tell the story of a sales training event which focused on listening, perhaps the most powerful tool in a truly professional salesperson’s repertoire. This is how the story goes: Bill was paired up with another salesperson and it was Bill’s turn to tell his story and for the other person to listen. Bill (who had a great sense of humor) preceded to tell him that he was a bomber pilot in World War Two. Intrigued the listening salesman said, “Tell me more.” Bill preceded to say, “I knocked out two bridges and an ammo dump and then they sent me overseas to Europe. The “listening” partner’s response was, “That's a wonderful war record Bill! You must be very proud!” As you might guess, Bill would get a great laugh from the audience. But he would use this to lift up a very important point: how even when we are supposed to be listening, we really do not listen. His “listening” partner heard what he wanted to hear which of course was off target. Perhaps he was more interested in getting his turn to talk. Both sabotage effective and healing listening.

 Listening is so important and potentially so powerfully significant in the healing process because each of us has a deep and powerful need to be heard and understood. I do not think it is accidental that in Saint Francis powerful prayer he asks God for the grace to first seek to understand rather than to be understood. That is what true and effective listening does – it seeks first to hear and understand.

 When we seek to understand our focus is not on trying to fix, correct, advise, criticize, argue or prove a point (which typically means our idea is right and the other person's idea is wrong or defective). When we listen to understand our focus is on empathetically hearing what the other person has to say. Or in other words to put ourselves in their shoes. Make no mistake, this is hard and demanding work.

 However, I am convinced we will never breakdown walls that separate us by proving we're right and the other person or other side is wrong. I'm also convinced that when we embark on the difficult but very doable process of listening, we will discover that we have far more in common than we would imagine. When we do this, we will start the process of building bridges instead of walls. Healing, reconciliation, cooperation and a brighter future will be the fruits of such listening.

 Grace and Peace, John

A Brief Zoom Congregational Meeting Sunday November 8th

Following our virtual service next Sunday, we will have a brief congregational meeting via Zoom to elect a Nominating Committee. You do not need to do anything special except to stay connected following our service. All church members have a vote. Our fellowship time will follow this brief meeting.

 Our Sweatshirt Outreach Ministry is Here! 

The time of year when we make sure every child at Manatee Elementary School has a sweatshirt for the colder winter months is here. The school has shared with me they need 520 sweatshirts this year. This an increase over last year but not surprising. I will be placing our order by this week because I have complete trust in your faithfulness and generosity. Once again, the price per sweatshirt will be $8. I invite you to join Cinda and me in “buying” 1 or more sweatshirts in honor of grandchildren or other family members.

 Because of you, children, who easily slip through the cracks, are not only warm and comfortable, they are also in a better position to learn. And there is also the joy the staff feels being able to give these kids they love and care about, the sweatshirts that make such a difference.

Notes and News – 10/24/20

Before You Vote and When You Vote

The election process is already underway, and Election Day is just around the corner. I would like to encourage everyone who can to vote, whether by absentee ballot, early or on election day. I hope you will take the time to research the candidates and issues you’ll be voting on. Rather than letting political rhetoric the primary guide for your voting decision I invite you to let the candidates and issues which ones best represent your values as a follower of Christ be your north star. Political rhetoric seems to me to have one objective – to convince you and me that their side is right, and the other side is wrong. This applies whatever side you are on, Red or Blue. I would like something of more substance to base my decisions on. I am saying the process for deciding how we will vote is just as important as the act of who or what we are voting for. Too often, it seems to me, the political rhetoric seeks to make that decision for us.

In a democracy such as ours, I believe the act of voting is a sacred responsivity, an act of Christian discipleship. Of course, there are many very legitimate situations that can prevent a person from voting. However, apathy or lack of interest are not among them.

The simple truth is there never is a perfect candidate or totally obvious issue. God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat and neither political party perfectly reflects the Kingdom values Jesus preached about. Both sides get some things right and some things wrong. We, as people of faith are called to do our best to listen and discern the candidates strengths and weaknesses, their vision and values and then we vote.

Here are some scripture passages I would recommend reading and reflecting upon in your decision-making process. They are representative of the Kingdom values Jesus Christ preached and taught. I have chosen one or more passages from each of the Gospels. There are certainly many more that could be cited from not only the Gospels, but the remainder of the New Testament and Old Testament as well. Here are the representative passages I chose:

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)

False Prophets (Matthew 7:15-20)

The first sermon in Mark (Mark 1:14,15)

The Synagogue Sermon in Luke (4:16-20)

How to Treat Enemies (Luke 6:27-36)

Two Kinds of Fruit (Luke 6:43-45)

The Great Commandment (John 15:12-17)

When the election is over someone will win and someone will lose. This is the way a democracy works. Because of the extremely partisan nature of our political arena and the deep divisions within our country I am convinced it will also be critical and essential that we let Kingdom values such as these be the standard for how we treat one another and live together. When all is said and done and the drone of political rhetoric has been subdued, the only real winning outcome will be steeped in what I have called Kingdom values, which are values rooted in the grace and mercy of God.

Grace and Peace,, John

Your Gifts and Support Are So Important and Vital

The fact our church is not open on Sunday morning does NOT mean it is closed – far from it – many things are happening. The old saying, out of sight - out of mind applies to all of us and many times can serve us very well.  We have made it through the summer months and are heading into the time of the year when we have typically made up lost “financial ground”.  This year presents unique challenges with the extra income from the Thrift Store being lost because it is closed. Our expenses for the most part remain fixed with very little let up on utilities, like water and sewer which are beyond our control and we have been operating our electric needs in an efficient way through our programmable thermostats.  Some are voluntarily turning their salary checks back in.  Please hear this for what it is, a simple, straight forward way to let you know where we stand as we move into the fall of this year. Your support is so important. Just as you have come through in the past, I trust you will continue.

Notes and News – 10/17/20

The Rule of Law and The Law

The Constitution of the United States and the 10 Commandments (i.e. The Law) are the 2 most significant, far reaching and surprisingly similar “documents” ever written down. Let me be clear I am not equating them.  Of course, the 10 Commandments are pre-eminent. What I am saying is there are characteristics of both that are helpful to understand and doing so can give us a deeper, richer understanding of them.

Please include me in the group of people who say the US Constitution is the most brilliant document on self-governance and setting the foundation for a society, ever written by humankind. When I read the Constitution and its’ accompanying Federalist Papers as a political philosophy major in college I was struck by the wisdom, awareness of human nature and far reaching thinking of those people we refer to as our Founders. I still am. Today I am also aware they were flawed human beings who rose above their flaws to create something very special. The concept of the rule of law, to the best of my knowledge, was not original, but they enshrined it in a way that has helped our country be a beacon for the world. Both, the Constitution and the concept of The Rule of Law deserve our thoughtful respect and honor but not our worship.

This leads me to the 10 Commandments, the Law. Like constitution they are foundational but also much more. Unlike our constitution they were not written by people but given by God. They are both foundational and instructional. They are foundation in that they set the most basic and necessary “rules” for life and community. Both accounts in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5 1-22 are almost identical. The first 4 have to do with our relationship with God and the remaining six our relationship with one another as a result or outgrowth of our relationship with God. The first commandment is by far the most dominant and critical. If we are not committed whole heartedly to the first, “I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before me”, we will never get the other 9 right. To say the same thing a bit differently, if I am having trouble coveting, I need to return to my relationship with God which needs work. When that relationship is restored the problem of coveting will cease.

Obedience, whether in the form of respecting and honoring the Constitution and Rule of Law or the Law is challenging and calls for far more than our casual agreement or easy acceptance. It takes effort, trust, humility and faith. None of these comes easily to us and so often we look for an easier way: Here are some of the ones that have been used for thousands of years:

• Conveniently forgetting the law has both legal and moral claims and authority. It is much easier to just keep things “legal” and ignore the often-inconvenient moral dimensions.

• Settling for legalistic rules that seek to define the limits of our responsibility.

• Focusing on the letter of the law and forgetting the spirit of the law.

• Focusing only on what the law says and ignoring the harder but far more rewarding work of discovering what it means.

• Deciding a particular interpretation of the law (or faith doctrine) is the only valid one and all others are invalid, false or worse. Of course, the particular correct interpretation is always the one “we” or “I” hold as true.

• Trying to precisely define the scope of a law or action when common sense points us beyond these artificially imposed limitations.

What all of these, and the others I have not listed, have in common is we use them to try to be in control in ways that end up being hurtful and painful for all concerned. And that is always a bad thing. As a matter of fact, it is also a violation of the first commandant.

Grace and Peace,, John

Notes and News – 10/10/20

Some of the Challenges of Changing Times!

During a morning walk earlier this week I found myself reflecting upon a time back in February of 1991 when my running mentor and friend, Ted Root, and I decided on a Sunday after church, that we would meet together later that afternoon and go for a run. It was one of those February days up north when the weather takes a break from the winter freeze.  The temperature had risen into the mid 50s with northern Ohio gray, but it was the nicest day we had experienced in since early December. For the first time in at least two months we were running in just our shorts and our tee-shirts. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and as Ted described - it felt like we were young colts experiencing the joy of being released into the pasture for the first time and frolicking around in our new freedom. A cherished memory with a good friend.

Fast forward to a February day here in Florida this past winter with the temperature in the mid-50s. This time I am going for a walk. I’m wearing sweatpants, a sweatshirt, a windbreaker, gloves, a ski hat and I must talk myself into venturing into the frigid winter elements. The entire time I’m walking I find myself thinking maybe the summer 90-degree heat and humidity wasn’t so bad after all. When I get home, I triumphantly announce (at least to myself) how I have braved the frigid winter elements and brutal cold and survived! Quite a difference nearly 30 years can make!

Perhaps you chuckled as you read this. I know I have in recalling these moments. But there are changes that have been taking place in our society that are no laughing matter. How are we, as followers of Jesus Christ, to deal with these changes and the challenges they present.

I am thinking of the news reports late this week that white supremacist terrorists sought to kidnap the governor of Michigan. I applaud the Republican Legislature Leader who quickly and forcefully denounced these people and their alleged and foiled criminal actions. Like all they are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Having said that, it is also worth noting, the FBI seldom expends the efforts and resources it did on cases like this because they are dealing with innocent people. I also find it sickening that an elected county sheriff would seek to excuse their actions along the grounds of perhaps intending to make a citizens’ arrest of the sitting governor. Hopefully, the days of vigilantly justice such he was suggesting are behind us forever.

The question remains, what do we as Christians do?

1.      The first thing is to expect and demand our elected officials, at every level from local to national, to stand up to and condemn violence and hatred wherever it occurs and whoever commits it. Nothing less is acceptable – ever.

2.      The second thing is to expect and demand of ourselves the exact same thing. If we are not condemning violence and hatred everywhere then we are complicit – period, stop!

3.      When it comes to our own hearts it means opening that dark side to the healing light of grace and forgiveness. In our faith heritage, the process for this is called repentance and confession. I find it helpful to think of confession and repentance not in linear terms but as a spiral process. By that I mean, the more I confess the more I come to understand my need to repent (turn my heart and life to God). Likewise, the more I repent, the greater my awareness of my need to confess becomes. Through this process we experience healing and new life.

4.      Lastly, I believe we are called to commit our lives to making the words of the prophet Micah a foundational and guiding force everyday: “to do justice, and love kindness and to walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8).

The biblical term justice means to actively seek the well-being of others. You could also say doing justice is making sure others get nothing less than they deserve because they too are precious children of God. To love kindness is to be passionate about kindness, which is best understood as the natural result of doing justice. It is my observation that the deficit of kindness in our society as a whole today is far more extensive than our National Debt! It can and must begin to be erased by people like you and me being kind. To borrow from the saying of the late Senator Everitt Dirksen of Illinois, an act of kindness here and an act of kindness there and before you know it you have a lot of kindness. When we are doing justice and loving kindness the result can only be discovering we are walking humbly with our God.

I can hear somebody saying, sounds good but way too idealistic. Our world is too nasty for this kind of love to prevail. My response is our world is too nasty for anything but this kind of love to prevail. The love Micah is pointing to is the same love that the entire witness of the Bible is pointing to. It is the greatest power in our universe, and it beats at the center of God’s heart.

Grace and Peace, John

Our Sweatshirt Outreach Ministry is Just Around the Corner! 

We are fast approaching the time of year when we make sure every child at Manatee Elementary School has a sweatshirt for the colder winter months. I will be calling the school to get numbers this week. My guess is the number will be like in the past around 450. I will know more specifically after talking with my staff contact person.  I will also expect to have a firm cost of sweatshirts from Hanes.  Look for these in next week’s edition of Notes and News. I am excited as we prepare for this outreach ministry because I know of your faithful and generous support through the past years.

Notes and News – 10/03/20

Shocked but Not Surprised!

I am guessing you, like me, woke up Friday morning to the news our President and First Lady both tested positive for COVID-19. I was shocked as I suspect you were. We join many others when we say our prayers are for a speedy recovery for both of them as well as all the others who have been diagnosed: well-known and unknown, neighbor and stranger, citizen and refugee, and friend and enemy. This vicious virus brings fear and heartache along with the myriad of physical issues and problems it creates. It can attack both the arrogant and the innocent. Our good friend Tony Last tested positive earlier this week over in England (Gail did not). Please keep both Tony and Gail in your prayers for strength, peace and God’s healing touch.

Back to our President and First Lady. I was shocked but not surprised. The shock was if the most protected person on the planet can get COVID-19, then virtually anyone can. The scientific truth is, this virus makes no distinctions what so ever,  not caring if a person is democrat or republican, liberal or conservative, man or woman, young or old, white or black (or any other skin color),American or Iranian, Christian or atheist, or any of the other labels we use to point out the perceived differences between us.  Forgive my crudeness, but all this virus cares about is its next “meal” in order to perpetuate itself.

I say shocked but not surprised because of the cavalier (polite language, grossly irresponsible – not so polite) attitude of so many of our “leaders” who for whatever reason (political, economic, religious, etc.) decided to ignore the advice and warnings of the experts, front-line doctors and medical professionals. Can you imagine someone living in any coastal community during WWII, refusing to turn out their lights at night during the blackout periods because it was inconvenient, or it interfered with their evening reading, or they didn’t want anyone to infringe on their freedom to do what they wanted to do! I suspect the response would have started with outrage and escalated from there.

The two most recommended things we can do (and the two most abused as well) are to wear a mask and to practice social distancing. I cringe when I hear a so-called person of faith say “I don’t need to wear a mask. God will protect me.” That is NOT a statement of faith at all. Quite the contrary it is a self-centered expression of prideful arrogance. What the person is really saying is, “I am going to do what I want to do and I expect God to honor my actions.”  The overwhelming witness of the Bible is this is not something God does – God honors our actions when they reflect our obedience to God not visa-versa!

But perhaps, even more important, when I wear a mask and socially distance it gives me an opportunity to put into practice the Great Commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you.” I don’t wear a mask or practice social distancing to protect me from you. It’s just the opposite!  It’s to protect you from me, in case I have this virus and don’t know it. We are at our best, when we are intentionally putting into practice the great commandment to love one another.

Grace and Peace, John