Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. -Colossians 4:6

Every year in Pre-K, as part of “A” week, we make applesauce.  This year, we spent a lot of time in conversation around how we could keep this fun preschool experience while following COVID-19 guidelines. We moved forward and while making applesauce was a bit different than in years past, it was still fun for the kids to use the apple peeler, slicer and corer tool. We were feeling quite successful and things were going great until we realized that we had poured salt, instead of sugar, into our applesauce. 

Worried that our already different experience was going to be more of a disappointment to the kids we quickly went into “how can we fix this” mode. To make matters worse, the other classroom also got salt instead of sugar so now we had two batches of salty applesauce.  Expecting an upset teacher, I was pleasantly surprised when checking in and apologizing for the mix-up,  I was greeted with a giant smile and a response from the teacher saying…”Don’t worry about it.  This is great!  It’s an adventure.”  

What a refreshing response, especially during this time, when it feels like collectively we are quick to point fingers and assign blame. This was a grace filled response that immediately put the brakes on this being a negative experience and turned it into a positive one.  That moment of grace given and received has stuck with me.  I felt God’s love in that teacher’s response.  I wonder what our world would look like if we viewed more mistakes, disruptions and inconveniences as adventures?   If we looked first for the positive in situations?  If we offered a smile and grace-filled response, the same kind of grace that God offers to us, to others… and then moved forward working together to solve problems? 

On this particular day, in our world of preschool, no one was blaming anyone, we were having an adventure! Instead of having ruined applesauce, we had salty sauce!  We could still taste it.  We could still compare it to the store bought applesauce we were having for a snack later.  We were even able to make another batch of applesauce, with sugar, using our leftover apples.  And guess what?  There wasn’t as much laughter and joy in tasting applesauce made the “right” way.  It just wasn’t quite as fun…or adventurous. 

It is amazing, and a true blessing to see how a moment of grace – freely offered – changed the course of things so quickly.

Prayer:
God, we give thanks for the abundant grace you freely offer each of us.  Forgive us for those times when we fail to love others in the same way and respond with judgement and blame instead of mercy and grace. May your presence in our lives remind us of how much our words and actions impact others and may your grace flow through us so that we can bring your love, compassion and healing to all of our conversations and interactions. Amen.

Leyla

The power of RE-

Bless God, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
   and do not forget all God’s benefits—
who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
— Psalm 103:1-5

Even as the kids get older, there are still days when , in the midst of a melt-down, I will hear Kathy calmly saying, “Would you like a do-over? OK, let’s stand quietly for a moment and breathe… Now, let’s turn around a few times… stop… take another deep breath… and we will start again.”

Our faith is based on such do-overs. We hear the Bible stories of beginning and beginning again. We understand that in God’s great compassion and grace there is always room for forgiveness, and a second chance. Jesus teaches us to forgive even more than 70 X 7 times.

And our Christian vocabulary is full of words which recognize this. In English, many of these words start with RE: Repent, Renew, Restore, Remember, Recover, Recompense… In our church work we receive, reflect, re-imagine, and re-establish. I caring for God’s world, we recycle and reclaim. God never gives up on us. The “Re-” words serve as the, well, reminder of this.  Come Christmas we will once again “repeat the sounding joy!”

If only it would be that easy to start 2020 over again! Most of us would like a series of do-overs! Yet even now in the midst of everything, God is re-forming us, re-freshing us, re-newing us!

For this reason, the focus of our Stewardship Campaign this year will be “REVIVAL!” God is bringing us back to life and God is doing a new thing in us. Over the next few weeks we will be focusing on how God has been, is, and will be at work through Community UMC.

Bless, O God, our hearts and minds, that we may be open to what you are doing through us. Open us to new possibilities. Grant us imagination and vision. Strengthen our relationship with Christ and with each other, that we may see and serve Jesus in all that we do. We pray this in His precious name. Amen.

Questions for this Sunday’s worship services:

1. What is the difference between being restored and being reformed?
2. When have you experienced restoration?
3. How can God use you in the ministry of restoration?

George

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. Ephesians 1:16

As we are now in the fall season and temperatures have started to cool down a bit, we start thinking about Thanksgiving.  This Thanksgiving will be like none that we have experienced before, and families are having to make difficult decisions about how they will celebrate Thanksgiving.  It is easy to get incredibly stressed out, depressed, and frustrated at trying to figure out how do we get together with our families during a pandemic.  Or do we make the decision not to get together in person and perhaps meet on Zoom. That stress can change our attitude and we start feeling less grateful for our many blessings.

While we are getting ready for the Thanksgiving season, we need to have the attitude of gratitude, and right now one of the groups that we are most grateful for are our healthcare workers. We have been praying for health care workers since the very beginning of this pandemic.  Thanking God for their service and praying for their strength and health during this time.  We are going to step that up and collect handwritten or handmade thank you cards for the workers at Orange Coast Hospital.  We would love to have 100s of cards to give them to show our gratitude for their hard work and dedication. 

We will collect cards in the church office on Monday, November 2 – Thursday, November 19.  That way I can deliver them to the hospital on the 23^rd, right before Thanksgiving.  Often, when we start focusing on others, it creates a change in our attitudes.  It can help us to realize how blessed we are and thankful we are to God and others and that can help put our hearts and spirits in a better place. It is my hope that this will help create an attitude of gratitude in our hearts and help us to put life into perspective and remember that we have so many blessings, and people in our lives to be grateful to and to remember them in our prayers.

I have some small blessing cards you can color and write a note on the back if you need a little push to get your creative juices flowing.  They will be on the counter in the church office for pick one and take home to color and bring back.

Stay safe and be the hope you wish to see in the world.

Suzanne

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² Then he called a little child over to sit among the disciples, ³ and said, “I assure you that if you don’t turn your lives around and become like this little child, you will definitely not enter the kingdom of heaven.  ⁴ Those who humble themselves like this little child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:1-5 

Becoming a grandma 6 years ago has been an extraordinary experience. Steve and I have 2 sons who have given us 3 grandchildren.  Not lessening the blessing and joy of becoming a mother, but becoming a grandma has been nothing short of magical.

I have been amazed that shortly after birth how their unique personalities emerged and watching how strong and beautiful those personalities are. Hannah, our 6 year old is a nurturer with an empathic heart. She is always making sure everyone is being fair and that all her friends are being included. Her brother, William is 3 ½ years old and is total boy who becomes a super hero to help people and stop the bad guys and has a belly laugh that can knock your socks off. Lily is 5 years old and is an active free spirit. She loves to create with her hands and to make new friends, she reminds us to embrace life with all the gusto and energy we might possess.

At these ages their love is so pure, their thoughts and feelings are transparent, untarnished or subdued. They are amazed at the creation of bugs, beauty of nature, stars and the moon. A child says things the way they see things through unfiltered lens. They accept others and themselves as God had intended it all to be, through the lens of love and a pure heart.

May we be reminded and reclaim our child-like love, joy and amazement for life and others no matter how old we may be.

Peace,
Brenda

Loving God, open our hearts to see with child-like eyes. To embrace the gifts and beauty of life that you graciously created for us and to love others as you intended. In the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.

“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep God’s love is.” — Ephesians 3:17–18

When we have a baptism in our church, we as the congregation are asked if we will nurture the person being baptized in the Christian faith and life. We respond together as a faith community with these words… 

With God’s help we will proclaim the good news and live according to the example of Christ. We will surround them with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their trust of God, and be found faithful in their service to others. We will pray for them that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life.

This past Saturday at our 3rd grade Bible presentation in the parking lot, you lived up to those vows.  What made this time even more special was that people took time out of their day and made a special trip to the church to come support these 3rd graders. Receiving a Bible is a special time and a rite of passage for children growing up in a faith community. But for Jack, Olivia and Caige theirs will be even more special. After all, not every 3rd grader receives their Bible in a parking lot with horns honking. 

The community of love and forgiveness this church creates is not limited to a parking lot Bible presentation. The continuous support all the youth and children here at CUMC receive allows them opportunities to serve others and to grow into being true disciples that they will carry on into their life.  Jack, Olivia, Caige and all of our youth and children were, and will continue to be, embraced by your love.

Marty Drake

Dear God,

Thank you for those that support, encourage and uplift our youth. Thank you for those who know your love and want to share their faith with them. Help us to remember to continue to be in relationship with these children who will one day share the stories of their faith to the generations to come. May our youth  feel the embracement of our love. 

Amen