I love the Easter Season. It is a season of refreshment; refreshment of the earth, refreshment of all the flowers and trees, and refreshment of our faith as we once again celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. I love the dedication of our choir members as they work hard to put together a program worthy of presentation as praise to God. I also love the fact that we have well attended worship services during Easter and I thank you for making our services a success. The sound of so many voices lifting up praise and prayers to God is the true sound of love. I love the fact that families use this season get together and share meals together and worship together. Yes, indeed, Easter is a joyous season.
One the other side of the coin though, for me personally the downside is that I know that our pews are going to be emptier for a little while. The planting season has begun and our farmers and their family members will be busy getting the corn planted and then the wheat harvested. However, when I do occasionally frump about the lack of attendance on a given Sunday, I remind myself that it is the hard work and efforts of people right here in these two congregations that contributes to feeding the world. In my book, that is exactly the work God would have you do. So, I pray for a safe planting season and a bountiful harvest.
I want to appeal to the youth of our congregations once again. We need your support to keep the youth group going. Our leaders have worked very hard to bring you a well rounded program. If there are things you would like this group to become involved in and would then support, come on out and get involved.
God’s speed,
Pastor John
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Pastor John's Corner for April
Pastor John’s Corner
At long last spring has arrived. I don’t know why this winter has seemed so very long since after-all we didn’t actually start getting any really bad weather until after Christmas. But I’m glad to see the flowers blooming and see the gold finches turning back to their summer yellow.
Spring always brings with it the Easter season. This year we will celebrate Palm Sunday on the 5th of April and then Easter on the 12th of Easter. As usual we will have our Easter Cantata at St. Lucas at 7:00 a.m. This will be a parish event and I hope all of you will attend if you are in town. This year’s Cantata will be “Lord of Glory.”
We have had such a wonderful attendance at our spring book discussion of The Shack. I thank Julie Wallis for taking this task on. She has done a marvelous job of getting us through the book and leading us in discussion. For me though, it didn’t matter if you loved or hated the book. The fact that we had 25 people attend regularly and share their comments was a beautiful thing. I plan to look at other things that we might do together to generate covenantal discussion.
With the Easter season and each new flower we see blooming in the yards and in the fields we are once again reminded of the glory of the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Just as the flowers that die off in the fall and go dormant only to rise again in the warmth of spring full of beauty, so did our Savior lie dormant in his grave for three days. But --- come the third day, a miracle of beauty did occur. Christ arose from that cold dark grave and exclaimed that no longer can death be the victor. Through Christ, our salvation had been secured.
I hope all of you will continue to make our worship services a priority in your life. I also want to wish our farmers a good and safe planting season.
God’s speed,
Pastor John
At long last spring has arrived. I don’t know why this winter has seemed so very long since after-all we didn’t actually start getting any really bad weather until after Christmas. But I’m glad to see the flowers blooming and see the gold finches turning back to their summer yellow.
Spring always brings with it the Easter season. This year we will celebrate Palm Sunday on the 5th of April and then Easter on the 12th of Easter. As usual we will have our Easter Cantata at St. Lucas at 7:00 a.m. This will be a parish event and I hope all of you will attend if you are in town. This year’s Cantata will be “Lord of Glory.”
We have had such a wonderful attendance at our spring book discussion of The Shack. I thank Julie Wallis for taking this task on. She has done a marvelous job of getting us through the book and leading us in discussion. For me though, it didn’t matter if you loved or hated the book. The fact that we had 25 people attend regularly and share their comments was a beautiful thing. I plan to look at other things that we might do together to generate covenantal discussion.
With the Easter season and each new flower we see blooming in the yards and in the fields we are once again reminded of the glory of the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Just as the flowers that die off in the fall and go dormant only to rise again in the warmth of spring full of beauty, so did our Savior lie dormant in his grave for three days. But --- come the third day, a miracle of beauty did occur. Christ arose from that cold dark grave and exclaimed that no longer can death be the victor. Through Christ, our salvation had been secured.
I hope all of you will continue to make our worship services a priority in your life. I also want to wish our farmers a good and safe planting season.
God’s speed,
Pastor John
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Pastor John's Corner- February 2009
The season of the Epiphany is almost half over. Epiphany literally means “to reveal” and we associate it with the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child. By doing so, it is said; they revealed the Christ Child to the world as a Savior for all people not to just a select few people or a particular society.
Let’s think about that theme of “to reveal” for a moment and in particular, think about what we can do to “reveal” the spirit of Jesus Christ to others. In order to reveal, we must discover and I’d like us to focus on the discovery and reveal process this year as a parish. Let’s begin by asking ourselves a series of questions: “Are we the best that we can be?” “Are we using all of the talents that God has given us?” “Am I personally serving God to the best of my ability?” “What am I doing to help my church serve the community in which I live?”
I suspect that if we take some serious time for reflection we will find that we, personally or as a faith community, have barely touched the surface of using the talents that God gave us. So, here is a list of things I’d like you to think about and maybe you too can come up with an epiphany.
1. How can we develop a “Prayer Chain” for each church or
maybe even a parish-wide one?
2. Finish this sentence: I think _______ would make our worship
services more inspirational and or vital, and this is what I can
do to help.
3. Finish this sentence: I really wish our church would _______
and this is what I can do to help.
Three simple questions to think about; and yet they all require thought and personal involvement. They require working together and planning and volunteering. I’m betting if you ask yourself these questions and then share your answers with each other that a ground swell can occur and we can accomplish great things for 2009. Ask God for help; He’s always there!
Pastor John
Let’s think about that theme of “to reveal” for a moment and in particular, think about what we can do to “reveal” the spirit of Jesus Christ to others. In order to reveal, we must discover and I’d like us to focus on the discovery and reveal process this year as a parish. Let’s begin by asking ourselves a series of questions: “Are we the best that we can be?” “Are we using all of the talents that God has given us?” “Am I personally serving God to the best of my ability?” “What am I doing to help my church serve the community in which I live?”
I suspect that if we take some serious time for reflection we will find that we, personally or as a faith community, have barely touched the surface of using the talents that God gave us. So, here is a list of things I’d like you to think about and maybe you too can come up with an epiphany.
1. How can we develop a “Prayer Chain” for each church or
maybe even a parish-wide one?
2. Finish this sentence: I think _______ would make our worship
services more inspirational and or vital, and this is what I can
do to help.
3. Finish this sentence: I really wish our church would _______
and this is what I can do to help.
Three simple questions to think about; and yet they all require thought and personal involvement. They require working together and planning and volunteering. I’m betting if you ask yourself these questions and then share your answers with each other that a ground swell can occur and we can accomplish great things for 2009. Ask God for help; He’s always there!
Pastor John
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Pastor John's Corner- January 2008
Pastor John’s Corner
I truly do hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I know Kathy and I certainly did. It was wonderful to see the sanctuaries all decorated and to once again hear the old and familiar Christmas Carols. I was really impressed by the youth of the parish as they performed in the Christmas Pageant. And of course no Christmas would be complete without the youngsters doing their part of the Christmas program. It was wonderful too to see large attendance at each of our Christmas Eve services.
The year 2008 was beset with bad weather in the spring and bad financial news for not only our country but for the world in the fall. History was made though as this country elected its first President of a mixed race. I don’t know about you but, I take pride in saying that President-Elect Barrack Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ. I guess though, --- the thing that I take away from this election is the hope that just maybe, this country is beginning to “get it”! We are all children of God and there is just no room for things like racial bigotry and hate in any society that claims to be God fearing and or professes to be a “Christian nation.” I wish the new president and our country well as we begin a new era in our country’s destiny.
We have just completed a very successful year in the parish. Each church has gained new membership in addition to those gained through the confirmation process and we frequently see visitors in the pews. I’m thankful to see our St. Paul’s “Scriptures and Donuts” program going strong and I’m also grateful to see good attendance at our Bible study programs. I’m looking forward to the Lenten season when Julie Wallis will be presenting a book discussion series on W. Paul Young’s fictional novel “The Shack”. I hope many of you will attend.
I wish you a very spiritually rewarding 2009. Study your Bible and share your faith with someone who may be searching for help to get through the year. God bless you all.
Pastor John
I truly do hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I know Kathy and I certainly did. It was wonderful to see the sanctuaries all decorated and to once again hear the old and familiar Christmas Carols. I was really impressed by the youth of the parish as they performed in the Christmas Pageant. And of course no Christmas would be complete without the youngsters doing their part of the Christmas program. It was wonderful too to see large attendance at each of our Christmas Eve services.
The year 2008 was beset with bad weather in the spring and bad financial news for not only our country but for the world in the fall. History was made though as this country elected its first President of a mixed race. I don’t know about you but, I take pride in saying that President-Elect Barrack Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ. I guess though, --- the thing that I take away from this election is the hope that just maybe, this country is beginning to “get it”! We are all children of God and there is just no room for things like racial bigotry and hate in any society that claims to be God fearing and or professes to be a “Christian nation.” I wish the new president and our country well as we begin a new era in our country’s destiny.
We have just completed a very successful year in the parish. Each church has gained new membership in addition to those gained through the confirmation process and we frequently see visitors in the pews. I’m thankful to see our St. Paul’s “Scriptures and Donuts” program going strong and I’m also grateful to see good attendance at our Bible study programs. I’m looking forward to the Lenten season when Julie Wallis will be presenting a book discussion series on W. Paul Young’s fictional novel “The Shack”. I hope many of you will attend.
I wish you a very spiritually rewarding 2009. Study your Bible and share your faith with someone who may be searching for help to get through the year. God bless you all.
Pastor John
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Pastor John's Corner December 2008
Pastor John’s Corner
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” These words from Luke 2:10-11 are a singular discourse and account of the birth of Jesus. Matthew, in his gospel, only says “Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod.” He then tells us the story of the visit of the royal astrologers or “wisemen” as we tend to call them. Mark and John speak nothing about a miraculous birth.
Why then do you suppose it was so important for Luke to tell us about a “miraculous birth” with angels and shepherds on the hillsides and all of the other things that we have come to associate with the Nativity scene? And of course the second question would be; “Why, after 300 years, did we suddenly decide that this was event that needed to be told in this particular manner.”?
I think the answer lies in the simple word: “hope”. By the year 313 AD approximately 90% of the Roman Empire had “converted” to Christianity, however, there was a large split looming in the faith because of a division over the acceptance of the divine nature of Jesus. So the Emperor Constantine, at the Council of Nicaea, established and wrote the Nicene Creed, thereby “officially establishing” for the church, the Divinity of Christ. That then brought into play, Luke’s gospel and the telling of the Nativity story as we know it today.
I personally love the Christmas story because it is a story of hope. It tells of a longing of people to be a part of the kingdom of God. It gives us hope to know that God loves us enough to send his very own son, and that makes the birth of Christ very personal to me. Luke wrote of the birth because he felt it important that we hear the story and realize that this wasn’t just a man that God tapped on the shoulder to give a good message. This man had been miraculously conceived and angelically announced. This man was God’s Son.
I hope you too have a miraculous Christmas.
Pastor John
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” These words from Luke 2:10-11 are a singular discourse and account of the birth of Jesus. Matthew, in his gospel, only says “Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod.” He then tells us the story of the visit of the royal astrologers or “wisemen” as we tend to call them. Mark and John speak nothing about a miraculous birth.
Why then do you suppose it was so important for Luke to tell us about a “miraculous birth” with angels and shepherds on the hillsides and all of the other things that we have come to associate with the Nativity scene? And of course the second question would be; “Why, after 300 years, did we suddenly decide that this was event that needed to be told in this particular manner.”?
I think the answer lies in the simple word: “hope”. By the year 313 AD approximately 90% of the Roman Empire had “converted” to Christianity, however, there was a large split looming in the faith because of a division over the acceptance of the divine nature of Jesus. So the Emperor Constantine, at the Council of Nicaea, established and wrote the Nicene Creed, thereby “officially establishing” for the church, the Divinity of Christ. That then brought into play, Luke’s gospel and the telling of the Nativity story as we know it today.
I personally love the Christmas story because it is a story of hope. It tells of a longing of people to be a part of the kingdom of God. It gives us hope to know that God loves us enough to send his very own son, and that makes the birth of Christ very personal to me. Luke wrote of the birth because he felt it important that we hear the story and realize that this wasn’t just a man that God tapped on the shoulder to give a good message. This man had been miraculously conceived and angelically announced. This man was God’s Son.
I hope you too have a miraculous Christmas.
Pastor John
Pastor John's Corner- November 2008
Vacations are a wonderful time if we only let ourselves physically and mentally actually take one. Probably one of the hardest things for me to do is to “let go” and walk away to let someone else do the job. Kathy will be the very first to attest that I am a person who has not learned to relax. But this last week Kate and I again made our way to Nevada and California, and for once I think I really relaxed and refreshed myself.
I owe part of that relaxation, and my sincere thanks, to Julie Wallis who shared her book with us called “The Shack.” I read this book from start to finish in one sitting, (four hour planes rides will give you that opportunity) and I believe it truly set the tone for our vacation. If you have not read this book, I would suggest you put it on your personal Christmas list of “things to do for myself.” I guess I would call it a “Christian fiction” book, but it is deeply theological and will not only give you much to think about, but will maybe even challenge your ideas about God’s essence and will possibly open you up to new and insightful thinking about faith ---- not religion ---- faith.
The second book I read, (yes, on the plane ride home) was called “FIREPROOF”. This story is about a couple who discovered, almost too late, that the power of Christian faith and the Holy Spirit were the only answers that might save their marriage. The book has just recently been released as a movie. Buy this book somewhere and read it.
My other relaxation blessing came as Kate and I were driving through the Lake Mead and Valley of Fire National Recreation areas. The convertible top was down, the sun was sitting low on the mountain horizon, the scenery was breath-taking and suddenly the “Hallelujah Chorus” came wonderfully and loudly through our Sirius Satellite Radio Station. God is Still Speaking! --- And when God says “take a break,” God not only means it ---- God provides the tools and the setting.
Christ’s Blessings,
Pastor John
I owe part of that relaxation, and my sincere thanks, to Julie Wallis who shared her book with us called “The Shack.” I read this book from start to finish in one sitting, (four hour planes rides will give you that opportunity) and I believe it truly set the tone for our vacation. If you have not read this book, I would suggest you put it on your personal Christmas list of “things to do for myself.” I guess I would call it a “Christian fiction” book, but it is deeply theological and will not only give you much to think about, but will maybe even challenge your ideas about God’s essence and will possibly open you up to new and insightful thinking about faith ---- not religion ---- faith.
The second book I read, (yes, on the plane ride home) was called “FIREPROOF”. This story is about a couple who discovered, almost too late, that the power of Christian faith and the Holy Spirit were the only answers that might save their marriage. The book has just recently been released as a movie. Buy this book somewhere and read it.
My other relaxation blessing came as Kate and I were driving through the Lake Mead and Valley of Fire National Recreation areas. The convertible top was down, the sun was sitting low on the mountain horizon, the scenery was breath-taking and suddenly the “Hallelujah Chorus” came wonderfully and loudly through our Sirius Satellite Radio Station. God is Still Speaking! --- And when God says “take a break,” God not only means it ---- God provides the tools and the setting.
Christ’s Blessings,
Pastor John
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