“‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches.” – John 15:1-5a

Here we are, one year later. We mourn for what we have lost, especially those dear to us who now have received the healing that comes from dying and rising into the fullness of new life. There is much we still miss about what was, but we know that this is the year of jubilee, the time of return and new growth. We mourn, but we also celebrate the hope, love, grace and strength of God which is seeing us through.

“I need you.” To hear those words from the President yesterday was stunning.  This was not an admission of weakness, but an invitation to strength. In this time of crisis, some have acted selfishly, looking out only for themselves. But so many more have acted with regard for others, and aware that we are all in this together. We need each other and we can tend to one another, even at a distance.

This is the core of our faith. Jesus makes it possible for us to be in relationship with the Creator of the Universe; and in that to be in relationship with all of creation. Jesus reminds us that we are part of each other. He points out that even the times of pulling back, of withdrawal, and of cutting things out of our lives are a time when we become stronger and more prepared to bear new fruit.

On this anniversary of the pandemic changing our lives and cutting back our activities, let us mourn and let us celebrate. Let us be ready for what God has in store for us next!

George

Your questions for Sunday (taken from Pastor Adam Hamilton’s study, “24 Hours that Changed the World”:
1. How do YOU explain the connection between Jesus’ suffering and the world’s salvation?
2. Considering the world today, what kind of messiah/leader would you choose? Why?
(Jesus: Love & Service; Barabbas: Violence; Pilate: Political Expedience)

One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God begin?” Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God isn’t ushered in with visible signs. 21 You won’t be able to say, ‘It has begun here in this place or there in that part of the country.’ For the Kingdom of God is within you.”

The phone rang in the office the other day so I answered it. A gentleman was on the other end inquiring about the shower ministry. I confirmed with him that yes we did offer showers and I gave him the time and days that he could come. I informed him as well that we supplied the towels, soap and shampoo. He was so very excited with the information I had given him. It was a brief conversation but one that touched us both.  I could hear it in his words but his voice was speaking louder and clearer. His voice was saying that at this moment he felt visible. He felt as if he mattered to someone. He felt worthy and of value. At this moment he was not one of the “least”.  It felt good to be able to share this experience with this person that I have never met. It felt like the church was really doing God’s work. God was with us. My spirits were lifted and have remained lifted. 

For me the concept of the Kindom of God has always been this utopian space where everyone is treated fairly and love and grace are abundant. Everything is perfect in this space -all the time! This seems impossible and unattainable because we are human and we make mistakes. We aren’t perfect. But this conversation gave me a glimpse of that space that we strive for. It made me think. Perhaps the Kindom of God isn’t one perfect space but moments that happen throughout our day. Perhaps those moments are all around us and in us and we miss them not because God is not there but because we get caught up in the busyness of our day and miss those moments. Whatever the reason,  I am grateful that I was able to share this moment with him and experience the kindom right here on earth.

Our shower ministry is much more than giving those a place to shower. It is a place where the “least” are no longer invisible. It is a place where God is working. It is a moment where the kindom is alive. 

Marty

Gracious and loving God, we give thanks for those moments that we are aware of  the world you envision for us. Help us to slow down and to be present so that we can experience more of those moments when your kindom is alive and well. Amen

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Last Sunday, February 28 while I was at my desk here in my office connecting to all who were online for the 8:00 worship service, my phone beeped and up popped these pictures saying 14 years ago today. The pictures were of our first Adult work Team to Picayune, Mississippi! We were there through UMCOR to help survivors of hurricane Katrina. What a surprised blessing to see those pictures! We all came together, to help others in need. Some of us were blessed and were able to go, others helped by contributing to help donate for needed supplies and everyone held us and those we were helping in prayer. We were so blessed to be a blessing to others, and I know that everyone on that team felt it was an amazing experience. I personally can hardly wait to go on another trip, which I hope will be next spring. We have sent 11 Adults teams all over the US to help with long term disaster relief and a few of one day local trips to help clean up after fires. Looking at these pictures brings back great memories; we were so much younger then and some of these folks have passed on to the next life. I have always thought that when we are helping others, we are being our best self, and that we are blessed far more than the folk that we are helping. I treasure all the teams that I have been able to be a part of and I hope to once again be able to be a part of many more teams to come. Sunday, March 14 is UMCOR Sunday, it is a time when all UM churches come together to help collect funds for the administrative piece of the UMCOR. It’s the larger church being its best. UMCOR funding has been down lately, so if it is possible for you to contribute to the administration and overhead cost by writing a check to CUMC and putting UMCOR Sunday in the memo that would be a huge blessing.

Gracious and Loving God, create in us a heart that is open to hear the call of others needs and give us the courage to act on those needs. Help us to be the caring listening and non-judgmental ear or the person who just calls to say hello and check in with others. Help us to realize that we can help others in so many ways and that when we are caring for people that we don’t even know we are truly living into whom you are calling us to be and bringing your kingdom here on earth. Amen

Stay well, stay safe and be the hope you wish to see in the world. Hugs, Suzanne

“When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’” – John 8:7-11

This is a story about canceling. At first glance, it looks like the scribes and Pharisees brought this woman to the Temple and riled up the crowd in order to cancel her: to cancel her existence in the community by canceling her heartbeat and breathing. She had offended their sense of righteousness and they took it upon themselves to ban her existence. Pointing out the wrong in the other would make people feel better about themselves, and would help to purify the people. She had no defense, so no opportunity to defend herself was granted. She was guilty because she was accused. This was the work of the righteous.

But there was much more at work here. Taking another look, we see that this woman is simply being used as an opportunity to cancel the troublesome Jesus of Nazareth. It was hard to pin any real wrongdoing on him, so he would need to be condemned for who he condemned, or who he didn’t condemn. They brought her before him so that he could be canceled for canceling her or for not canceling her; for being too strict or being too lenient; for being  a hypocrite or being a libertine. He would call judgement down upon himself for judging her or for letting her live. It was a typical trap.

Jesus doesn’t fall for it. He doesn’t comment on the importance of the law or on right behavior.

Instead, acknowledging that we all have a past, he pointed out (later by word, here by question) that when you take it upon yourself to judge another you are very likely to bring judgement upon yourself. He reminds them, and us, that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God.

Then he points out that we are not bound by our past. He allows us to let go of the shame and stereotypes we place on others and ourselves. We can stop causing harm to ourselves and others. He frees us to be who we can be.

I posted the following online yesterday:

A man goes to the physician, moves his arm and says, “Doc, it hurts when I do this.”

The physician says “Then stop doing that!”

Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which owns the rights to the Dr. Seuss books and maintains this legacy decided to stop publishing six books. They aren’t burning Theodor Giesel in effigy. This isn’t about the past; it is about what they will do from now on.

To continue to publish these could potentially cause hurt. So they stopped doing that.

Of course the hurt is a symptom of an underlying affliction. We certainly must address the deeper issues.

For now, though, Dr Seuss Enterprises has given us all an example of how to thoughtfully act going forward.

We all have a past. Our present and future are not bound by that past. If you have caused hurt, you can, as a first step, “stop doing that!”

Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when he said “go and sin no more.” And perhaps the diagnosis of the deeper issue was what he was doodling in the sand. (Actually, I want for him to have written, “Where is the man?”)

This is the work of Lent: to shine a light into the shadowy recesses of our lives and find the places where we are harming others and ourselves, to examine why that is happening, and to lift this up to God for removal and cleansing, so that we can be rid of that.

Jesus doesn’t cancel people, he cancels sin. Or as Charles Wesley put it in 1739:

“He breaks the power of canceled sin”

You speak, and listening to your voice new life we now receive;
Our mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
In humility set free. 

Your questions for Sunday:
1. In what way would Jesus still be a threat to people’s way of life today?
2. When have you chosen to remain silent rather than speak up on behalf of truth?
3. How can you tell the difference between speaking God’s truth and speaking your own thoughts?

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.       John 3:16

What an exciting time to be alive.  This Lenten period gives us a marvelous time to reflect on our Christian journey; where we’ve come from and where we’re headed. Each of us has a story to tell, and my story will be very different from yours. My Christian walk began many years ago at the 109th street park located in the Watt area of Los Angeles.  It just so happened that I lived on 109th street and the park was in the middle of my street. In those days there were many activities at this park, i.e. swimming, basketball, baseball, and many other activities. 

I specifically remember a group of young missionaries from the First Baptist Church of Downey, who came to the park once a week to play with the kids and take them on trips where they were told about God’s love. I remember a young girl name Casey, who was probably in her teens. She was the first person to tell me about God’s love for me.  Casey taught me that ‘God so loved the world………’   She told me that he had great things in store for me and that God had a plan for my life. Well, this was all very intriguing to me at the time, so I listened. I was told that I would not understand everything at first, but that if I would read my Bible, the spirit would begin to speak to me.  That experience helped to lead me on this journey that I find myself on.

I’ve had many wonderful experiences on this journey, and I’ve met so many wonderful people.  Casey was right, God did have a plan for my life and I am so grateful the CUMC has been a part of that plan.  Thank you for allowing me to reminisce as we move through these reflective days of Lent, lest we forget.  I love these hymns that are loaded with theology and are so very meaningful. 


Lead Me to Calvary
(Jennie Evelyn Hussey)

King of my life, I crown Thee now,
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.

Refrain:
Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

Show me the tomb where Thou wast laid,
Tenderly mourned and wept;
Angels in robes of light arrayed
Guarded Thee whilst Thou slept.

Let me like Mary, through the gloom,
Come with a gift to Thee;
Show to me now the empty tomb,
Lead me to Calvary.

May I be willing, Lord, to bear
Daily my cross for Thee;
Even Thy cup of grief to share,
Thou hast borne all for me.
Amen

James Calhoun