Taste and see how good the Lord is! The one who takes refuge in him is truly happy! Psalm 34:8

A few days ago I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days in Palm Springs with my aunt and uncle, who live in Michigan, and my cousin and his wife and their two young children. They rented a home with a beautiful backyard and a pool. We were able to come together because all of us are fully vaccinated. A blessing in itself.  My uncle’s health is failing and I knew that this trip might be one of the last times we will be together. I felt blessed they invited me to join them. 

I had recently been doing some work with the youth’s confirmation curriculum. It talks about how to really know God we most often have to experience God. While in Palm Springs I really became intentional on this idea of experiencing God. I was able to experience God’s presence in many different ways. I heard God’s presence in the laughter while playing games and swimming in the pool. God’s presence was heard in the birds singing in the morning. I saw God’s presence in the beautiful trees with their green trunks and bright yellow blossoms and every time the hummingbirds quickly darted around I could see God. I felt God’s touch when our conversations offered support to each other and through the physical hugs that were exchanged. This weekend with my family God’s presence was abundant and I feel blessed to be able to have had the time together with them as well as to be fully aware of God’s presence. 

God is always with us. We sometimes fail to take the time to take in the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells so that we can fully experience God working in our lives. But when we do we are able to truly see how good God is….all the time!

Blessings, Marty Drake

God,

You are a constant in our lives, you never stray away from us. Forgive us for those times when we stray from you. We give thanks for our senses that help us to experience You in a multitude of ways. Thank you for times we get to spend with those we love. 

Amen 

John 15:11
I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will over flow!

Today on my Google feed popped up pictures from 3 years ago today. I don’t always click on those pop ups, but today I did. What a joy it brought to my heart. There were pictures from our Holy Humor Sunday 3 years ago. I saw pictures of our youth blowing bubbles in the service and selling refreshments in the sanctuary like the vendors at ball games. Marty teaching our children about bubble prayers and balloons around the alter. A smile came to my face as I remembered that celebration. Then there were pictures from 15 years ago when my family went to Walt Disney World and joy and gratitude overflowed in my heart. I looked at the pictures of my sons who were then in High School and grade school at the time. The memories rolled over me like a wave. It is good to remember the joyous times and it is important to live with joy. We need to remember those joyous moments as a church family too. This past Easter will be one of those joyous moments that I will remember. It was such a joy to celebrate with our church family here on the church campus, in the sanctuary, and online during worship. To celebrate the joy of our risen Lord!

As we start to open up from our lockdown, we will have many joyous moments. While we are moving forward, we are all a little uncertain how things will go. What we can be certain about is that we can live into the hope and promises of God. That we can live in joy and gratitude for the little things that we have missed (and the big things too). We can live out our lives as resurrection people filled with joy and hope because of what our Lord has done for us. We can be a cup overflowing with love and joy.

Blessings, 

Suzanne Morgan

Gracious and Loving God, create in us a heart that hears your laughter and your joy. Help us tosee what delights you and help us to delight in what warms your heart. Help us to accept thegrace and mercy that you have given to us and to share that grace and mercy with others. Helpus to live truly as people of hope and joy, because we know that you have conquered death andthat you have given us new life and hope. Amen

Our questions for this Sunday:

• How do you live into the joy of your faith?
• Where do you find joy and laughter in your life?
• How will you help our church move forward into this new world with joy?

Early on a Sunday morning in March of 1990 I was preparing for worship when one of the pillars of the church showed up at the office in her bathrobe. Out of breath and at the verge of tears she held in her hand a stack of flyers. “I found one of these on my doorstep. It’s not from us, right? I took as many as I could find in my neighborhood and brought them here? What should we do!?”

On the flyer was a series of slurs against Jewish people. On one side was a depiction of Jesus and the words “The Last Commandment of Christ: ‘Kill Every Jew.” On the other side, down at the bottom, were the words “Distributed by the Methodist Fellowship.”

I had been ordained only 21 months earlier and was serving as Associate Pastor at the Yorba Linda UMC. I had no idea what to do. So I turned and handed the flyer to my Senior Pastor and mentor, the Rev. M. Kenneth Criswell. He took a look, then looked at me and pointed to the computer in the front office. “Start typing.”

As more members and neighbors streamed to the church that morning, we handed them stacks of our own letter. Ken asked people not to remove the original flyer, but put ours next to it. He wanted us all to be aware of the hatred that was out there, but also to know of our position of truth and love.

Why us? Why that place and time? A Jewish Chabad center had just moved in across the street. Clearly, one person felt that they could stir up trouble between us or even cause latent Anti-Semitism to rise to the surface. Perhaps they felt there were others with the same hate who were just waiting for the occasion to act.

While clearly rejecting this hate speech, Ken didn’t respond with words of hate or violence. What he did was so very kind and wise. For the next few days and weeks, whenever someone from the news media would call for an interview, he would make himself available – across the street at the Chabad Center, standing next to the Rabbi. He knew the power of the image. He made certain that the message was not going to be hatred and division, but love, unity, and respect

Someone has been putting out flyers again; at homes in Newport Beach and online. Perhaps there is an organized group of KKK and other white supremacist organizations planning a rally in Huntington Beach. I imagine that there are persons in our area who hold these abhorrent and un-Christian views. I think it is more likely that this is a person or a small group who are “trolling.” They might think that if they announce a rally, like-minded people might actually show up. (“If you build it, they will come.”) More importantly, they might get people to counter-demonstrate. This might be an attempt to reignite some of the demonstrations from last Summer.  In their fever dreams they might even imagine starting a race war. Then the white supremacists could play the victim.

Caught in the middle of this will be the people of the Huntington Beach Police department.  Right now former Officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for the killing of George Floyd. Black folks across the country and around the world are reliving the horror of those 9 minutes and 29 seconds, and all of the other ways in which they have been brutalized. At the same time law enforcement officers are feeling that they are under attack and that all are being held to account for the actions of some.  Calling for a rally and inviting the appropriate and inevitable counter-demonstration will, these workers of evil might imagine, force the police to take the side of the racists.

What can we do?
1. Be proactive, not reactive.  Don’t feed the trolls. Don’t take the bait. Don’t fall for the lies. “We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” — Ephesians 4:14-15   Make it clear to all who will listen that any white supremacist rallies do not represent you, do not represent this area, and do not represent Christianity. Show what we ARE about!

2. Stay true to your values. Make love clear with your words and deeds. “Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing.” – 1 Peter 3:9   Reach out to those who have and are being rejected, harmed, and threatened.

3. Educate yourself, and act in your personal, religious, and political life to bring justice and equity for those who have been and continue to be the victims of violence, hatred, and systemic injustice.

4. Pray.
– Pray for those who have been harmed and those who live with this constant unease.
– Pray for the police officers who must stand in the gap, even as they may feel unjustly stereotyped.
– Pray for those who are so broken and consumed by evil that they lash out in hate and lies, or seek to bring chaos for the sake of entertainment. Pray for healing. Pray that they may be freed of the demons which posses them.
– Pray for your own wisdom and gentle strength.
– When your power and privilege feel threatened, remember that these are the things of this world. Empty yourself of these and pray that God will replace them with humility, grace, and the character to do justice, love kindness, and walk with God.

Below is a statement we are currently adopting. It is adapted from one made by our Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council.  Let us stand together for the good of all.

George Hooper

April 5, 2021

Statement regarding acts of violence and extremist hate groups gathering in Huntington Beach.

Community United Methodist Church of Huntington Beach is saddened by the recent acts of violence in our country, and we are concerned about the persistence of extremist hate groups gathering in our beloved city. We strongly condemn any and all acts of hate and violent extremist ideologies that have led to the loss of lives, the destruction of families, and damage to society. Hate has no place in the world, and hate is particularly not welcome in our Huntington Beach home.

We believe that every human life has infinite value and that each of us deserves respect, love, and support. Let us come together across our city, and across this country, in the spirit of unity, to support dialogues of understanding to eradicate racism, extremism, and hate. Let us open and strengthen the lines of communication between our diverse communities with those who might have a different perspective than we do. We support efforts to learn not only about our neighbors, but about ourselves as well. We encourage all the Houses of Worship, locally, statewide, and nationally, to be gathering places for our larger community.

The members of Community United Methodist Church of Hunting Beach resolve to build upon and strengthen our efforts to:

● Work with each other and with community groups to support spiritual, social, and economic opportunities for those who live in our city.

● Foster a diverse community of spiritual and secular leadership.

● Celebrate the diverse communities and individuals living within our city.

● Through our words and actions, lovingly and actively strive to cross barriers that may separate us.

● Support our Interfaith Community in actively sharing the Spirit of Love, Compassion, and Justice.

We pray that the bodies, spirits, and minds of those injured by hate crimes and acts of violence be healed. We pray for the grieving families to be comforted, and for the hearts of all humanity to come together to share this world in harmony with each other.

Community United Methodist Church

Huntington Beach

“’Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.’” Psalm 46:10 (KJV)
“Our God says, ‘Calm down, and learn that I am God! All nations on earth will honor me.’” Psalm 46:10 (CEV)

My family are fans of “Doctor Who.” From time to time I will walk through the family room and catch a glimpse of The Doctor. Usually, it seems, he or she is running. I commented on this once and they all laughed. Apparently this is a continuing bit on the program. I just looked it up. There are fan-made tributes online to “The Man Who Keeps Running.” There are songs entitled “An Awful Lot of Running.” Apparently The Doctor is not only impatient, but is running away from something. (“The Man Who Keeps Running. Never Looking Back Because He Dare Not. Out of Shame…”)

This, unfortunately, is true for many of us. We keep busy – we keep moving – to avoid the reflection that stillness brings. Even in a lockdown, we have things to do, arrangements to make, and we have to keep up with all the remarkable things people are accomplishing with all this free time!

It was a little like that for the Disciples during what we now call Holy Week. They run from their association with Jesus. The move from place to place to avoid the crowd. They gather in secret, always on the lookout. Even when they are still they are tense, and keep listening to hear the latest tragic news. On Easter morning, once the women share the news of what they have seen at the tomb, they are all off running again. Followers are running off to Emmaus when Jesus meets them on the road. The fishermen run back to their boat. When Jesus calls out from the shore Peter jumps out of the boat and runs – OK, wades quickly to the shore….

Did they have time to consider what was happening?

I like the Contemporary English Version of this passage from the psalms. We don’t have to be completely still to know about God. In fact, I reflect best when I am moving about a bit, whether it be gardening, or walking, or catching a wave. Focusing on one thing allows my inner voices to calm; then I can reflect, remember, and learn about God anew.

I pray that in this coming Holy Week, you take some time to be still and know – or to calm down and learn – that God IS.

Grant us focus, O God. Grant us peace. Allow us to hear your voice. In the busy-ness and in the stillness enter our beings and remind us of your love. When we are afraid, when we are angry, when we are alone, when we are overwhelmed, help us to know that you indeed are God. You are working your purpose out in us. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Your questions for Sunday:
1. When have you been able to move from lament to trust?
2. What hurt do you still carry?
3. What does the cross mean to you?