With God’s Grace, our faith, and a healthy dose of good humor, we will get through this!

Jesus was an excellent communicator. He had empathy, charm, and genuine charisma (after all, Charis is the Greek word for Grace). He spoke with confidence, clarity, and gentleness. He spoke to people with illustrations from their own experience, explaining what he meant to those who asked. And he employed humor to make his point.

I am not saying that Jesus wasn’t serious. Nor am I saying that he was a pratfall comic. But in our day as in many days of the past, comedians often serve as prophets and truth-tellers. Consider Mort Sahl, Lenny Bruce, Robin Williams, Sarah Silverman, and Trevor Noah. Whether it is a spoonful of sugar or an over-the-top impression, humor helps us know the truth.

Much of the humor of Jesus does not translate well. We are often confused by his word play. (A “camel through the eye of a needle” seems a bit obtuse, until we learn of a city gate designed so that it was impossible for such animals to enter, or until we learn that in the language Jesus spoke, the word for camel and the word for rope are very similar). But one part of his gift of humor rings with us today – if we would let it – exaggeration:
“’Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.’” (Matthew 7:3-5)

OK, to explain humor is to ruin it. But picture us all walking around with logs sticking out of our eyes. Imagine how ridiculous that would have sounded. Now picture Jesus smiling as he says it, and the people laughing… as he points out their hypocrisy. It makes it so much easier for the people he is speaking to and about to say “OK, yes, I see myself there (as much as I can see around this log!).”

One of the things that has made my life easier in the past week has been humor. People sharing their experiences in funny ways. One of my former youth group members wrote this on Facebook: “We are only a few days in and I’m already ordering weird stuff on Amazon. I thought I’d get in at least a week of quarantine before I decided things like I HAD to have a scope to see inside my ear.”

So many others have written new words to old songs to share the pain our new reality with humor. You may have seen that Neil Diamond has updated “Sweet Caroline” to include: “Hands, washing hands, reaching out, don’t touch me, I won’t touch you!”

I have asked James to prepare to play for us next Sunday another song, which could use a little updating. At first the thought of the song title made me laugh, but as I read the words again it makes me cry with compassion, stand strong with hope and smile in confidence at what God is doing:

“From a distance we all have enough
And no one is in need
And there are no guns, no bombs and no disease
No hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance we are instruments,
Marching in a common band.
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They’re the songs of every (one).
God is watching us. God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.”
(Bette Midler, “From a Distance,” from the album “Experience the Divine.”)

Of course, at this time when we all must be in contact with one another from a distance, the one who is not distant is God. “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of need.” (Psalm 46:1)

O God our hope, be with us now. Help us to feel your presence, your touch, your embrace, even as we must be physically distant from one another. Move through the hearts, minds, and hands of those who are accomplishing your work of healing and sustaining life at this time. Fill us all with a vision of what might be; not just a return to what was, but what we can yet become. Allow this time in the wilderness to make us even more prepared to make your reign on earth resemble that which is above. This we pray through Jesus, our Savior and our smiling friend. Amen. 

Pastor George

Around the year 1440 Johannes Gutenberg created a printing press with moveable type. This technology changed the world. The press broke the monopoly of knowledge held by an elite few, and began the democratization of information. I feel that this led directly to the Reformation of the Church. Eventually we began to understand that the word of God is for all people. Along with that came the understanding that ministry is in our hands.  Instead of going to one person as the fount of all knowledge about God, we could discover God for ourselves, in the Word, in practice, and in a community of equals before God.

In July of 1999 I moved from the greater LA basin, where I had been born and raised, and where all of my friends lived. I was called to serve the Saint Andrew UMC in Santa Maria. The people of that congregation were wonderful and welcoming, and I eventually began to make friendships in town (which last to this day). But at the beginning, I felt cut off. I was hours away from my friends and social support system. I could occasionally persuade some to come and visit, but those visits were few and far between.  I thank God for the internet. Through instant messaging on the computer, I was able to be in contact with my friends and loved ones. It was not as good as a hug or a shared meal, but it filled my soul. There were some occasions where I had many windows open – many conversations – going at once. Technology saved my spirit and allowed for continuity of care in changing times.
Innovation can lead change and innovation can help us adapt to changing circumstances. 

This is where we are as believers.  The technological innovations are not leading the change, but they can be tools by which we continue to be who we are and to do what we do. This week many of us are learning new ways of teaching, sharing, providing for ourselves, and staying connected with others. It isn’t easy, but isn’t it wonderful that the brains God gave us have made these tools possible for such a time as this. The telephone isn’t particularly new technology, but we have actually been using our smartphones to talk to people on the phone (as well as text, email, Skype, Zoom, Facebook, Tweet….).

These changes may feel temporary. We look forward to being in each other’s presence again. I know that day will come. But I realize with great joy that we will learn from this experience! This will spark our imaginations and open us up to continuing to innovate, so that the many who have been left out by the way we have done things in the past will now be able to experience community in these new ways. We will be forever changed, for the good! (Go ahead, sing the song from Wicked.)

Now, I must tell you that it doesn’t feel particularly good to hear that the Governor does not consider communal worship, where we are physically gathered in one place to be essential. Not essential?!  Please notice that he is not saying that our faith is not essential to our being. Connecting with our Creator, being in community with others is very much essential to our lives. But we can do this while physically apart from each other, especially when doing so allows us to care for one-another’s well-being.

In fact, we are being given the opportunity, for a while, to do exactly what Jesus taught us:

“‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’”  — Matthew 6:5-6, NRSV

Dear God, Creator of the Universe and Author of Invention, we pause now to be in prayer with you. Calm our fears of what is new and different; help us to find you in all that we see; help us to connect with you as we connect with others in new ways. Allow this time apart to make us cherish the gifts of home and community. And cause our hearts and minds to be with those on the front lines of this battle: with the health care workers and first responders, those who remain at work to provide food, shelter, power, and heat. And help us to reach out to those who have been forgotten. Move to bring healing to the ill and comfort to the grieving. This we pray in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Pastor George

Proverbs 22.6

⁶Train children in the right way,
and when old, they will not stray.

This scripture can be applied to many things in life, not just following Jesus.  Many parents and grandparents are the main caregivers of children while the schools are closed.  This is a good time to focus on everyday tasks that are important for little ones’ futures.  In a time with a virus that is spreading, it is probably best to talk about cleanliness.  There are many things that can be taught at very young ages.  Maria Montessori believed that household chores are an integral part of growing up and learning.  You can even order child size versions of cleaning items such as brooms, mops, carpet sweepers, dust pans, sponges, scrubbers, etc.  Cleaning tasks will teach a child cleanliness, patience, motor skills, and a sense of reward with a job completed.  Not only will they learn to clean up after themselves, they will learn the importance of chores and keeping a clean household.  There were five children in my family.  I learned chores at a very young age.  Since I was the smallest, I was given some of the smaller chores.  I stood on a chair and did the dishes, I loaded the laundry basket from the dryer, I washed the bottom portion of the walls.  

Older children’s chores may be separated to eliminate frustration.  For example, one of my friends has two teenagers.  They split the bathroom up into three sections:  Sink and toilet, tub area, walls and floor.  They are assigned different areas weekly as to not become overwhelmed by a whole room or by one area.  When making your plan, ask for their input.  This helps to give them a sense of importance and belonging.

Dear Lord, 

I Pray that in this time of isolation you bring families closer together.  You open the hearts of children and fill them with experiences that will last a lifetime.  You replace fear with strength and self-responsibility.  You give them hope.  Thank you for your grace and mercy in all situations.  In Jesus mighty name, Amen!

Judith

This Sunday is UMCOR Sunday and I have the blessing of sharing the message for worship.  While preparing the message, Pastor George mentioned that it would be a good idea to have a lot of visuals in worship, especially since we are worshipping online-only for a while.  So, I have had the blessing of looking through all the pictures that have been taken over the years of all the UMCOR Adult work Teams that I have had the privilege to lead over the years.

It has been a wonderful way to remember all the people that we have helped over the years and to remember all those who have helped be a blessing to others over the years.  Seeing pictures with people who have passed on, or moved away and seeing the rest of us a lot younger than we are now.  We had our first to the Gulf Coast to help with Katrina recovery in 2009.  How wonderful it was to recall those trips, stories and people.  Those teams are our church doing what the church is called to do, help others in Christ’s name.  They recall a time when the church is at is best.  We all participate in those teams whether we are physically on them or not.  We participate by paying, praying or playing as my friend and Cal-Pac Disaster Response Task Force Chair, Judy Lewis loves to say.

During the time of this pandemic of COVID-19 the church can also be its best.  We can help others. We can connect by computers, cards and phone calls.  We can reach out with kindness to others and show God’s love to all.  Something that is always important, but in times like these is even more important.  Know that your church is here and is open even as it is closed for physical meetings, we are meeting online and by phone.  We are streaming worship services and calling and checking up on one another.  We are dropping off prayer quilts to those in need in our church family and keeping people encircled by our prayers.  Our food closet is open with extra safety precautions.  We are still reaching out to show God’s love and care.  

God is still with us and we can still be God’s hands and feet even when we have to keep our social isolation of 6’.  Remember that nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Romans 8:38-39 New International Version (NIV)

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

See you online and keeping you all in my prayers,

Suzanne

Hello my Dear Friends,

We are in the season of Lent. This is traditionally a time when believers take on new disciplines and give up things that they enjoy. The point of these disciplines is to help us remember what is important, to celebrate the simple gifts God affords us each day, and prepare to rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus at Easter.
In the early church, persons who became aware of ways in which they harmed others often separated themselves from the community. In some societies they were even “shunned” for a time. Lent was the time in which they prepared themselves to rejoin the community. In this way, Easter was a day of resurrection and restoration to the community.

We are having quite a Lenten season, aren’t we?!

For the sake of our own well-being and the health of others, we are having to give up quite a bit. Our ordinary lives have been turned upside-down. Things we have taken for granted have become precious. We are also having to learn new ways of doing things, and taking on different responsibilities. We have had to separate ourselves from each other, and from our beloved communities – at least in physical presence.

This enforced Lenten season may extend beyond this year’s date of Easter: April 12 for the Western Church, and April 19 for Orthodox traditions. But we can take heart. We will prevail. We will make it through this. We will help, encourage, support, and pray for one another.  We will learn new ways of being in community, we will learn again to cherish the simple gifts of home and family, and we will be ready to celebrate anew our restoration to physical community.

Today is Saint Patrick’s Day.  Patrick was a Roman Briton, who felt called to be an evangelist to Ireland. He answered that call, later became a bishop and is considered the “Apostle to Ireland.” The story is told that he used a clover, with its three lobes, to each how one God could be the three persons of the Trinity. Legend holds that he banished the snakes from Ireland.

And what he was doing when the venomous snakes started attacking him, causing him to banish them? That’s right, he was on a 40-day fast.  He was fasting – something often done to rid oneself of poisons of the world — and in the course of that fast banished the poisonous snakes from his adopted land. This legend echoes Exodus 7:8-13,  the story of Moses contending with Pharaoh: 

^“8The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ⁹“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a wonder,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a snake.’“ ¹⁰So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded; Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. ¹¹Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts. ¹²Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes; but Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs. ¹³Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.”

Dear Lord, we find ourselves at a time when we are contending with a new contagion which has infected so many. In order to slow the spread and provide space for healing, we have had to change our ways. Use this time, Oh God, to reform and renew us. May our frustration and anger turn them to hope and commitment to care.  May we rediscover and learn again to cherish the simple gifts of home and family. Help us to maintain community in new ways. May this truly be a time that by our separation and deprivation, we may drive out the poisons of our world. Make us ready to celebrate our reunions when that day of restoration comes. This we pray in the name of you, our Triune God. Amen.

Your church staff are here for you. While there will be no meetings on the campus and we will worship exclusively online, we will reach out in ways old and new. In the next two weeks we will seek to call each home for which we have a telephone number. We are here to answer your calls and emails. And each week day you will receive an email such as this from one of our staff members.

May God bless you this day and always.

George Hooper