Notes and News – 03/19/22

What Does a Vital Congregation Look Like?

Throughout this Lenten Season I am preaching on 7 marks or characteristics of vital congregations. Each week we will look at a different mark or characteristic. The first Sunday of Lent we looked at discipleship – the intentional, life-long process of becoming who God intends us to be. Another way to say this is to become more and more like Jesus Christ.

Last Sunday we looked at what authentic evangelism is and is not. It is NOT a program or campaign to grow the church by trying to convince someone what a great church we have. It is NOT trying to get someone to believe what we believe or scare someone into a relationship with God. There are plenty of other common misconceptions of evangelism that are anything but authentic.

Authentic evangelism is meeting people where they are, listening to them and when the opportunity presents itself (if we truly are committed to listening, it will happen).

My favorite “definition” of authentic evangelism is: one hungry person telling another hungry person where there is a banquet where all the food is free, and everyone is always welcome to eat and enjoy the meal anytime.

Tomorrow we will be examining how and where we find Jesus. The title of tomorrow’s sermon is – Outreach: Finding Jesus in the Forgotten.

I am also looking forward to the third of our fellowship meals. In addition to a great meal and time of fellowship there will be an opportunity to discuss some of the ideas in the sermon.

I also want to remind you we will be taking pictures tomorrow and next Sunday from 9:30-10:15am in the Annex. These will be for our new, updated directory. Just wear whatever you typically wear to church on any other Sunday – informal and relaxed is fine.

Lastly, but very importantly, I invite you to mark your calendar for Sunday April 10th. Melana Scruggs, our General Presbyter will be sharing the process of finding a new pastor after I retire. You will especially want to be in church or on Zoom on that Sunday.

Grace and Peace, John

P.S. – Our church is NOT going to close or fall apart.

Notes and News – 03/12/22

Tomorrow is a Special Day

Throughout this Lenten Season I will be preaching on one of the 7 marks or characteristics of vital congregations. This week I will be preaching on the mark of Authentic Evangelism. My sermon is, Evangelism: It’s Not What You May Think” I will be sharing what true, authentic evangelism is and perhaps as importantly, what it is not. You may well be surprised.  I am very much looking forward to sharing with you.

I am also looking forward to the second of our fellowship meals. In addition to a great meal and time of fellowship there will be an opportunity to discuss some of the ideas in the sermon. And if I can pull it off, I hope to have a technological surprise I think you will find both humorous and thought-provoking

I also want to remind you we will be taking pictures tomorrow and next Sunday from 9:30-10:15am in the Annex. These will be for our new, updated directory. Just wear whatever you typically wear to church on any other Sunday – informal and relaxed is fine.

Grace and Peace, John

Notes and News – 03/05/22

Vital Congregations Initiative

As I learned more about the Vital Congregations Initiative, I became more and more enthused and convinced this would be of great benefit for our church. One of the things that got my attention is this is not another program for a church to embrace.  This is not a program at all. It is an opportunity for a congregation to take stock of where it is and seek to discover the future it believes God might be calling it to live into. With the upcoming transition for our church as my retirement approaches it seemed like a good fit for us. I shared how I saw this benefitting our church with our Session, and they agreed.

We begin this journey with a Lenten sermon series I have entitled, Signs of a Vital, Loving and Life-giving Congregation. Each Sunday I will be preaching on one of the 7 “marks” or characteristics of a Vital Congregation. We will follow the worship service with a congregational meal and a chance to talk at tables about what each Sunday’s topic and what it could mean for our church. I think you will find this an enjoyable and worthwhile experience.  Here are the topics for this Lenten Sermon series:

March 6, 2022      Discipleship: Growing in the Soil of Grace            Acts 2:42-47

March 13, 2022    Evangelism: Its Not What You Think                  John 4:1-26

March 20, 2022    Outreach: Finding Jesus in the Forgotten             Matthew 25:31-46

March 27, 2022    Servanthood: Love in Action                                John 13:1-20

April 3, 2022         Worship: The Transforming Power of the Spirit    Romans 12:1-2

April 10, 2022      Caring: Bearing the Burdens of Love                    Galatian 6:1-10

April 17, 2022      Easter: The Rest of the Story                                  Luke 24:13-35  

Grace and Peace, John

Notes and News – 02/26/22

A Prayer for Ukraine

Perhaps like me, you have felt overwhelmed, helpless, and heartbroken as you have watched the news of Vladimir Putin and Russia’s illegal and certainly immoral invasion of Ukraine. Many innocent lives will be cut short because of one man’s lust for power and to make his mark on history. In the long run he will most certainly fail. But in the meantime, what can we do? I believe the most effective and consequential thing we can do is pray. I have written the following prayer that you are most welcome to use as part of a daily devotion or in what-ever- manor you choose.

Almighty God we come before you with the horror of violence and the brutality of war all over the news. We see the pictures of destruction and devastation, of rubble and ruin, of heartache and grief, and of shock and disbelief. We see people who are just like us, and we can easily share their feelings of helplessness, anger, and rage over this evil act of aggression. Help us all to remember our strength and our hope come from You. In this spirit we pray that:

Your wisdom will open the eyes, hearts, and minds of all our world’s leaders to find a peaceful resolution where none, at this time, appears to exist.

Your power will raise every leader above economic convenience and fortify their moral courage to do what is right, just and leads to peace.

Your comfort will bring healing to every grieving heart – Ukrainian and Russian.

Your grace will liberate every person in the clutches of fear and doubt.

Your courage will sustain every person in harm’s way.

Your presence will be a source of strength for every person feeling helpless.

Your mercy will free every person entrapped by despair and cynicism.

Your love will mend every broken heart.

You will redeem every bit of the suffering and destruction caused by this evil aggression and create something new and better than we can imagine.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, we pray. Amen

Grace and Peace, John

Notes and News – 02/12/22

When Christ Lives in Us: We Are Called

I suspect most people think being called only applies to pastors. That is understandable since in the church at large we have been pretty irresponsible, (in my judgment), with the concept of being called only being used when we talk about pastors. We have pigeon-holed the concept of being called as a professional, vocational term that applies to clergy. That has been a mistake.

It is true that a pastor who does not have a sense of being called by God is very, very likely not meant to be a pastor serving a church. I know of more cases than I want to remember of young men and women who were told by their churches that they would make good pastors but really weren’t called by God. The result was always painful, disillusioning and heartbreaking for all concerned.

Having said this, it is important to acknowledge our narrow understanding of being called being mainly for pastors has greatly impoverished the life of too many congregations. The simple and powerful truth is we are all called by Christ. For far too long we in the church have forgotten that membership in a church is at heart an institutional concept. The Body of Christ is not an institution but a living body – with Christ as the Head. Being called is a term of discipleship. We are all called to be disciples of the Lord of Life.

Both terms, membership and discipleship are expressions of a relationship. Membership implies a status and the benefits and responsibilities that come with that status. Discipleship refers to a much different “status” – one that expects service, obedience, trust, and growth. If member is the word for membership, then follower (or as I prefer, student) is the word for discipleship. Membership is about who we are. Discipleship is about who we are becoming.

In our sermon tomorrow, I will be exploring what it means for all of us to be called by Christ as His disciples.

Grace and Peace, John

Notes and News – 02/05/22

When Christ Lives in Us!

As we begin February the news is not encouraging. On the light side, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, bringing another 6 weeks of winter to our northern friends. Far more serious is the dangerous winter weather that is gripping much of our country with the likelihood in the coming weeks of more dangerously bad weather to come. And the national news shows us violence continues with video of a young black man shot to death as he was awakened while sleeping on a couch in his apartment by police serving a no-knock warrant not even intended for him.

We have no control over the weather, but we can have an impact on the human side of events. One thing we can do is increase our awareness of each other. Black History month is a great time to do this. Start wherever you are and maybe push the boundaries of your comfort zone just a bit. Next week we will have a bulletin insert that gives a wide range of suggestions. I invite you to try at least one. The more we become aware of each other the more opportunities for walls to be broken down and bridges to be built. When I am with someone who is different or causes me to feel uncomfortable, I have learned to ask myself the question, How would Christ view and treat this person. This has been helpful for me many times over.

That question is also related to the sermon series for February, When Christ Lives in Us.

            February 6th    The Paradox of Faith              Galatians 2:19-21 & 4:19

            February 13th    We Are Called                       Luke 5:1-11

            February 20th   We Feed the Hungry              John 6:1-14

            February 27th   We Are Healers                      Mark 46-52

This is the first of my final 3 sermon series with you. I used my study leave to carefully decide what I wanted to share. I am very much looking forward to sharing all three with you.

Grace and Peace, John

Notes and News – 01/29/22

Walking to New Heights!

The 40th chapter of Isaiah brings a significant change to the prophet’s message from judgment and pain to comfort and hope. Chapter 40 ends with the powerful promise of verses 30 and 31:

30 Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; 31 but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Many people are familiar with the first part of verse 31 – about waiting for the Lord, renewing strength, and mounting up with wings like eagles. Anyone who has ever seen a still picture of a soaring eagle or better yet, a video clip of an eagle flying, knows what a striking image that is of freedom, strength, and majesty. Little wonder so many have turned this into a memory verse.

I would, however, suggest there is a deeper, more profound message Isaiah wants us to hear. In Hebrew poetry, (and English as well), when there is a series of thoughts, the rule of thumb is to move from the least important to the most important thought. Applying that to this verse would make walking and not fainting more important than mounting up with wings like eagles. Could it be that Isaiah uses the image of the flying eagle to grab our attention and sharpen our awareness for the punch line – to walk and not faint? I believe it is.

Perhaps you are saying but walking is so ordinary and mundane. I think that is precisely the point. As we wait on God, we learn to trust God. And as we grow in our trust of God, our faith grows and matures. What better arena could there be than the ordinary, everyday, often mundane parts of our lives. Often, they can be unglamorous and too easily ignored. That is a mistake on our part. God isn’t just present in the breath-taking moments. When we discover God in the ordinary, we come to understand that every moment, every situation, and every place is filled with God’s presence – sometimes mysterious, sometimes cleverly disguised, and sometimes requiring a deeper trust in God’s redeeming power.

A mentor shared the experience of sitting on the couch holding hands with his wife. Tired from the day’s activities, she fell asleep. Sitting there, he was struck by the many ways those hands were tangible expressions of God’s loving presence in their lives. He thought of all the diapers washed and changed, the gentle tapping to burp a baby, the countless loads of wash and ironing, the meals made, the hugs given, the cuts cleaned and bandaged, the tears wiped dry, the loving hugs, and on and on. He realized God was showing him holy hands and was moved to tears.

God is present in the ordinary. Isaiah wants us to know this. It is walking and not fainting that helps us to soar to new heights of faith. We need to walk before we can fly!

Grace and Peace, John

Notes and News – 01/22/22

What Comes Before Endurance?

In the first chapter of the Letter of James we find these words:

 2My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance 4 and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

James reminds us that endurance leads to a complete and mature faith. But what precedes endurance is times of trial and testing. When God tests us, it is not to see if we “pass” and are thereby considered to be acceptable to God. We are already accepted by God. That is the very definition of grace, that we are loved and accepted, no strings attached and no if’s, ands, or buts. We are accepted because God is who God is – the one who loves us unconditionally, period, full stop!

So, when God tests us, it is for a different reason. It is to help us grow in faith and to be come more and more like Christ. Testing and trials are an essential part of growing and maturing in faith. And this is where perseverance comes in. It precedes endurance. It is in fact a necessary condition for endurance. I think of it as the link between testing and trials and endurance. I am looking forward to exploring perseverance and its power with you in tomorrow’s sermon.

Grace and Peace, John

Notes and News – 01/15/22

An Opportunity to Treat One Another with Love and Respect

Since mid-March of 2020 the COVID-19 virus has had a painful impact on the life of our congregation, individually and corporately. We have all grown weary of this awful virus that seems to rear its ugly head yet again, just when we think we are almost getting back to some semblance of the normal we remember.

Throughout this ordeal, our Session has consistently affirmed a policy of safety first, listening to the scientists and doctors for guidance, and seeking to treat each other with respect and rise above the rancor and division that marks too much of our country.

We have maintained the view that if we are to err, let us err on the side of caution and safety. We do this not because we are afraid, but because we know there are several within our congregation who are especially vulnerable to the suffering, heartache and even death that COVID-19 can bring. In short, we approach the idea of caution and safety as an act of love. 

Since May of 2021, we have been able to once again worship in person to the delight and joy of all involved. At the same time, we have continued to offer the experience of worship through our “Zoom service” to those who, for a variety of reasons, cannot join us in person.

As the summer unfolded, with the growing number of people being fully vaccinated and “boosted” we were able to relax the wearing of masks and social distancing which were necessary in May.

Recently the omicron variant has exploded throughout our community, state, and country. Our hospitals, doctors, nurses, and support staffs as well as first responders are being pushed to the brink yet again. This does not even begin to account for all the people who need other important and even lifesaving care. And the number of vulnerable people in our congregation has increased over the past months.

With all of the above in mind, our Session voted unanimously at its January 11th meeting to require masks when we gather to worship. We fully realize no one likes wearing a mask to worship and that includes your Session members and pastor. However, we believe it is the responsible thing to do given the current situation. We will gladly provide a mask for anyone who needs one. We also hope this requirement will be very short-lived. 

As your pastor, I am painfully aware of all the misinformation and vitriol surrounding masks, vaccinations, and COVID-19 in general, that has “infected” our country, causing mistrust, division and evoking estrangement. I also believe our congregation can rise above this very dangerous secondary “infection” and embrace what hopefully will be a very temporary situation, with the grace and loving care you have brought to other challenges we have faced together. In that spirit, I thank you in advance for your help and cooperation.

Grace and Peace, John

Note and News – 06/26/21

Why Is Reading the Bible Important?

At first glance this might seem to be a strange question, especially coming from a pastor. I can almost hear the most obvious answer - because it is the Word of God. Of course, that is true, but it also is too obvious and easy an answer, and in fact, really begs the question. It is like responding to the question, why is it important to obey the speed limit? With because it is the law. There is more to the matter than a simple pat answer that doesn’t really require any thought or reflection.

There’s yet another even more practical reason. While it is certainly true the Bible is the Word of God, that alone is not enough reason to motivate someone to read the Bible. Please hear me out. Why in the world would I say such a thing? Because when couched in these terms it often leads to a sense of guilt and frustration. Reading the Bible becomes something we “should” or “ought to” do. While guilt can be a powerful motivator it is only so for a short time. When the sense of guilt passes, typically the motivation wanes. It is then easy to get caught on a yo-yo of guilt and relief, both of which are temporary and feed each other. Reading the Bible often gets lost in the cycle.

One of the consistent messages of the Bible is God wants us to desire or want a relationship with God.  That is the way grace and love work. They, unlike guilt, unleash a desire in our hearts. Instead of coming to God because we should, we seek God because that is the desire of our hearts. This is not only a much stronger source of motivation, it in fact, can become compelling and irresistible from within our own hearts.

With the above in mind, here are some reasons why reading the Bible is important:

1.      It gives us tremendous wisdom and insight into human nature and why we often do the things we do.

2.      It can reveal to us the keys to living a fulfilling, significant and satisfying life.

3.      It offers comfort and hope that far exceed our capacity to generate.

4.      Its wisdom is a refreshing alternative to the “conventional wisdom” of our culture.

5.      The values we encounter when reading the Bible are eternal and authentic and reflect the deepest longings of our hearts and spirits.

6.      The Holy Spirit has a way of making passages we may have read over and over come alive in new and life-giving ways.

7.      We can be encountered by God as we read, ponder or study a word, verse, story, passage, book or theme of the Bible.

Over the past 45 plus years I have fallen deeply in love with reading, studying and listening to the Bible and the Lord who meets me in the process. I am a different person because of it. Make no mistake I have plenty of rough edges left and God is far from finished with me. But my journey with the Bible is a source of wonder filled joy. My prayer is that it may it be so for you as well.

Grace and Peace, John