You are the one who created my innermost parts;
you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb.
I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart.
Your works are wonderful—I know that very well.   Psalm 139: 13-14

Life is full of peaks and valleys. The peaks are joyful, and the view is beautiful up on the top. It is easy to see the blessings and to be full of gratitude. The valleys on the other hand can feel restricting and the view is blocked by the steep valley walls. The ability to see the blessings becomes harder which then allows room for self-doubt to creep in.

I recently entered a valley and I became disappointed with myself and began to think of all the ways I had let people down, how I hadn’t done my best job, and I began to focus on all my weaknesses. The self-doubt was creeping in; but then I remembered that every part of me, my strengths, and my weaknesses, were created by God and I was wonderfully made. With this reassurance, I began to climb out of the valley.

These times are challenging and challenging us to learn new ways and new things. It can be exhausting, exciting, and rewarding. Working towards mastery while learning something new can cause frustration and self-doubt and we can quickly find ourselves in the valley.

Next time you’re in the valley, give yourself some grace. God already has. Remember that every part of you was created by God and God’s works are wonderful.

Loving and gracious God, we often find ourselves questioning our worth forgetting that you created us, and your works are wonderful and therefore we are of value. Forgive us.  Help us to remember that we are unique and have much to offer to others in your honor. Thank you for your steadiness and presence when we are on the top of the peak or when we have entered the valley. We pray all this in your name. Amen

Marty

“So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.  So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all…” Galations 6:9-10

During these challenging times, there has been a paradigm shift in our perception of workers who are essential. Prior to the pandemic, many of us rarely gave a second thought about those who harvest our fruits and vegetables. Not many of us gave much attention to the truckers who deliver these goods to the supermarket.  We just knew that  when we arrived at the market, items would be stocked and ready for purchase.  For many years I drove past Farmer Johns located in Huntington Park, not thinking about the meat that was processed there. Bacon was my favorite.

Doctors, nurses, and those who now stand outside the doors of hospitals taking temperatures. Clerical workers who process paperwork so that doctors and nurses are free to provide much needed care. Teachers who spend countless hours creating lesson plans and more hours executing those plans daily. Stay at home moms and dads and grandparents whose job is sometimes seems thankless but brings the greatest joy. These are a few of the essential workers. People who do the right thing for the common good and for the good of their families and friends.

We are inevitably linked in one way or another. The actions of a few affect the many and vice-versa.This Labor Day my hope is that  we will take the time to remember those who do the hard work that helps to keep our country moving. Remember the military that keeps this country safe, both at home and abroad, and remember those who protect and serve. Let’s not forget the postal workers that will deliver ballots, prescriptions, and countless other vital mail.

My hope is that we will continue to do the work  that will get us into “good trouble” for the  common good of all.

James Calhoun

Gracious God, we thank you 

for the world you have created  and 

the many resources you have provided

and for all those who work to make

this world a better place. Give us  

continued strength to bring light to  our world.

We pray in Jesus name.

Amen

Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
   his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
   let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing,
   making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
   he adorns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
   let them sing for joy on their couches.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats
   and two-edged swords in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the nations
   and punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings with fetters
   and their nobles with chains of iron,
to execute on them the judgement decreed.
   This is glory for all his faithful ones.
Praise the Lord!
– Psalm 149

Each Wednesday a small group meets on Zoom to talk about the Scripture readings for the following Sunday. It is an open group and you are all invited to join us. When we read through this Psalm together, we agreed that we liked the first part, but were a little uncomfortable with the implied violence of the second part.

Indeed, we all like the idea of praising God with dancing and singing, and celebrating God’s goodness in giving the victory. Right now, in our time of being safer at home, many believers quite literally on Sunday mornings “sing for joy on their couches.”

But we have seen the horrors of people using the excuse of faith “to execute [their own] vengeance upon the nations and punishment on the peoples.” We would rather not get caught up in that.

It is tempting to want our faith to be purely personal and inward, with no outward action required. I have often stated that I think the phrase “spiritual but not religious” means “I want all the good feelings but I don’t want to have to do anything about it.”

But love and faith are meant to be verbs. Our relationship with God does require action. Our concern for others often means that we must, in all humility, take action. “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8). Right now, for example, we must not only pray for a cure or vaccine for the Coronavirus, but we must wear masks, observe distancing, and wash our hands regularly.

Sometimes we must confront evil and speak out on behalf of others. This weekend we celebrate not only the value of good hard work, but the justice wrought when workers organize.

And sometimes the people must work together to bind the kings and fetter the nobles. In our blessed country the powerful are limited by the will of the people through the means of elections. In less than two months the people will again execute our judgement upon many of those who lead us. By the grace of God, the wisdom of our forebears, and the courage of those who defend freedom, we have this power and will be able to exercise it.

Did you know that there are fifteen people running for three City Council seats in Huntington Beach? That’s a lot to choose from! You have less than two months to learn more and to act.

You’ve got this!

Dear God, we feel out of control. It seems that we have so little power and that we can’t make a difference. Yet we know that your strength is shown in our weakness, and that you bring change through simple means. Help us to let go of that which we cannot control, and to focus instead in acting where can make a difference. Instead of screaming in the darkness, let us walk in the light. Help us to speak kindly and firmly. Subdue our pride that we may be channels of your grace and mercy. Give us wisdom, that when we take the opportunity to choose, we might choose the path of righteousness. This we ask in the name of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions for Sunday’s message:

1. What is the difference between justice and personal vengeance?

2. How do you usually handle conflict?

3. How can this congregation constructively address injustice?

I am going to tag onto what Marty wrote about in her Daily Blessing, even thou I haven’t read it yet.  While there have been many things that COVID has taken away, COVID has also forced us to think creatively in how we do church and how to be in connection and ministry with each other.  We have learned to use Zoom for meetings and fellowship and while that is not the same as in person, it does allow us to reach out to people father away.  Because of Zoom, folks who have moved away are now joining us for worship and for studies, which is pretty awesome.

While back in the day when we had in-person worship it was difficult for people to invite someone to church, now it is a lot easier for folks to share our worship service on their Facebook page and all of a sudden we are reaching your friends and family.  We have several people who have joined us who have never stepped onto our campus.  Facebook can be a blessing if we let it be.  Streaming services and zooming groups will never take the place of in-person worship and meetings, however it can be use in tandem with in-person (once we can safely do that again) to reach more people and to stay connected with folks who have moved out of the area.

We are starting a new book study group on our Facebook page Cumchb Book Study.  The book is “Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People” by Nadia Bolz-Weber. Nadia is a Lutheran pastor who has used her background and struggles to reach many people who are disillusioned with Christianity.  Accidental Saints is an amazing book about how God can show up in people you least expect.  We will read a chapter a week of this book and start commenting on what we read on Wednesday, September 9.  One of the blessings on being on FB is that there is no “meeting time” so you can post your thoughts on our book study FB page at any time.  This is a great format that makes it easy for anyone who is on FB to join in our group.  You just have to like our Cumchb Book Study FB page and join in.

Blessings can come in many disguises and sometimes we don’t realize them when we receive them, but when we look back, we see them.  While COVID is certainly NOT a blessing, we can see the blessing in some of the adjustments that we have had to make because of COVID as blessings.  Thinking outside the box and creating new ways for people to participate here at CUCMC is a blessing.  Calling and connecting with people you would not normally be talking to at church is a blessing. Having time to clean out stuff around your home is a blessing as is learning that you can live without all that stuff is a blessing.

We need to remember that God is with us and gives us hope, even when we do not feel very hopeful.  One of the ways he gives us hope is through our minds and creativity, let us use this that gift and reach more people in new ways while we help each other in living out our faith in our daily lives. 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.        Jeremiah 29:11

Gracious and Loving God, we thank you for the gift of thought and creativity.  You created such a beautiful and vast universe with a planet with wonderous diversity for us to live on.  Help us to learn to think outside the box of we have always done it this way to find new ways of living into our faith and creative ways to help others discover your love for them.  Help us to remember that nothing separates from your love and help us live into our faith that we may share the gift that we have found in you.  Amen

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

Suzanne