“But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” – Matthew 20:13-16

Having never been to a church potluck before, the new youth director eyes went wide as he surveyed the spread. The people were taking their time going forward, so he just walked up, took a plate and started serving himself. All eyes shot to me as a couple stalwarts rushed over to gently suggest a deficit in the new hire’s training. “You need to tell him that leaders go last!”

We did talk; after everyone else was gone and we were cleaning up. I explained that in the church we try to be different from the rest of the world. We try to follow the teachings of Christ and model the kin-dom of God.  Sometimes that seems odd, backward, or even upside-down. I did also share with him words of encouragement: “Consider this: they already think of you as a leader!”  Looking back on that moment from about 20 years ago, I realize that we were talking about privilege, authority, power, justice, and entitlement. 

The Preacher was right: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 

Here we are again, in this time of pandemic disease and epidemic violence, dealing with the same issues as 20 and 2000 years ago.

But what is new, and what continually renews our hope, is the application of the Good News. God is with us. No matter how powerful we think we are, no matter what our entitlement, God is the giver of life and gifts of the Spirit. No matter how insignificant or forgotten we feel God sees us and lifts us. The Holy Spirit continues to work through us in the Community of Grace, to reflect this upside-down kin-dom. In God’s realm servers go first and leaders go last.

Creator of the Universe and Author of Life, we stand amazed at the magnificence of Creation.  We are awed not only by the scope of your power and glory, but even more so by the fact that you desire to know each one of us as individuals. When we are alone, isolated, forgotten, come to us and call us your own. When we have some modicum of power, prestige, or privilege, guide us to offer that up in service to others. Help us to follow the example of Jesus who came to us as a servant to lead us home to you. We pray this in his name. Amen.

Questions for this Sunday in Worship:

1. How do you introduce yourself?
2. When might you present a different persona or “code-switch”?
3. How can you be authentic while practicing adaptive hospitality?

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1

May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15: 13

Greater Love has no one than this:  to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. –  John 15:13                           

Today’s daily Blessing is a continuation of my last writing to you. You may remember that last time, I focused on I Corinthians 13 and talked about the things that remain: Faith, Hope and Love. 

There was a gospel song called, “Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up in Jesus.”  It is so easy to get wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in so many different things in these times we are living through. Because we all find ourselves at home, for the most part, it is natural that we would find ourselves in the refrigerator more often than usual. You may find yourself drinking more adult beverages than you did before the pandemic.  You, like me, may find yourselves in front of the TV much more often these days. Let’s try to redirect our energy to those things that matter.  This is a time when we really should concentrate on the three things that will always remain: Faith, Hope and Love. In this season of great loss, focus on the things that remain.   They will serve as a warm covering in a world that sometimes seems bitter and cold.  “The tide recedes, but leaves behind bright seashells on the sand, The sun goes down, but gentle warmth still lingers on the land.  The music stops, and yet it echoes in sweet refrains. For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains.”  (Poem by William Barrett & Sons)
Build your hopes on things eternal.  I love this old hymn we sang at the church where I grew up:

HOLD TO GOD’S UNCHANGING HAND

Time is filled with swift transition. Naught of earth unmoved can stand.
Build your hopes on things eternal. Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to His hand, God’s unchanging hand.  Hold to His hand, God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal.  Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Trust in Him who will not leave you.  Whatsoever years may bring.
If by earthly friends forsaken.  Still more closely to Him cling.

Hold to His hand, God’s unchanging hand.  Hold to His hand, God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal.  Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Covet not this world’s vain riches that so rapidly decay.  Seek to gain the heavenly treasures.  They will never pass away.

Hold to His hand, God’s unchanging hand.  Hold to His hand, God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal.  Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

When your journey is completed.  If to God you have been true, fair and bright the home in Glory your enraptured soul will view.

Hold to His hand, God’s unchanging hand.  Hold to His hand, God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal.  Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

James Calhoun

 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Live within my love. When you obey me you are living in my love, just as I obey my Father and live in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your cup of joy will overflow! John 15:9-11 The Living Bible

As I had been praying and thinking about what to share, my thoughts kept circling around the word joy. These times we are living in lately seem to have sapped out of us the feeling of joyfulness. As the scripture says, if we live in God’s love, which is loving and caring for others as we love and care for ourselves, our cup of joy will overflow. As I strive to live as Jesus shows us, I also wondered what recently has caused me to have a sense of joy?

So I begin my “joy” list with the rain that we received last week and hopefully more will be coming. I love watching and listening to the rain, the thunder and lightning that can catch you off guard, and the misty light sprinkles where a rainbow can peek through. I feel joy to breathe in deeply the clean crisp and refreshing air.

Watching our sweet dog curl up in her blanket and act like there isn’t a care in the world that she needs to worry about and sleeps the storms away, gives me a sense of joy.

Watching flowers bloom in the midst of a yard that is slightly messy from too many weeds, and yet the flowers continue on in doing what they were created to do and show forth their beauty.

Being able to see and almost reach out and touch our incredible mountain range when they are covered with snow, turn a 180 and see Catalina so closely because some days we forget it’s there.

Being able to wave at my neighbors and chat from a distance making sure all is well with them, brings me joy.

The best joy of all is getting a FaceTime call from our grandkids even though I watch them every week. Ending the call time with our grandson, who will be 4 in March, asking us “Why did the turkey cross the road?… Why? (we asked)… To stretch his legs of course!!”    

I hope this brought a smile and a sense of joy to you this day and I hope and pray you can find joy in your everyday living in the smallest of ways. Know that God’s love is always with you in the big and in the small moments of your day. Be filled to overflowing with the joy of the Lord!

‘May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may the Lord be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.’ Numbers 6:24-26 The Living Bible

Blessings,

Brenda

Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
   in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
   studied by all who delight in them.
Full of honor and majesty is his work,
   and his righteousness endures forever.
He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
   the Lord is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
   he is ever mindful of his covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
   in giving them the heritage of the nations.
— Psalm 111:1-6

Last night, while I was working on the computer, I heard the TV switch off in the other room. I popped my head into the family room and asked “Are you heading off to sleep?”

Kathy looked up from grading papers and said, “No, I just wanted to listen to the rain.” And so, for bit, we opened windows and just listened.

There is something both soothing and energizing about the sound of rain. It may be because it is not all that common around here, so it is different and therefore interesting. I think there is something more, though. For me, the rain is a reminder of the presence of God in our existence. The rain which falls waters the earth; it cleanses and provides for life. Indeed, rain is a sign of God’s providence and blessing.

We can’t control the rain. Meteorologists can share with us predictions, and can give us percentage chances of rain based on past history and observations. With this we can prepare. And this is always the case with God’s blessings: we can’t make them happen, but we can prepare ourselves to best receive the work of God in our lives.

We stand in awe of your power, O God. Calm our busy-ness as we quiet the noise of our lives. Help us to know that you are God, and that you offer us blessings like the rain which falls from the heavens. Allow us to hear your call upon our lives, and then lead us in your ways. Thus, O God, may we, too, be your blessing for your world. We pray this through your Son. Amen.  

George

We will continue with this stream of thought in worship on Sunday. Here are the questions for the message:

1. What does it mean to you to “fear” God?
2. What is your response to authority?
3. What word are you called to speak this day?

For the past few weeks, I have been blessed to be able to help develop and design our newest offering of Saturday worship experiences for the 5^th Saturday of the month, which will be our Taizé service.

For me, a Taizé service is a time and place for me to be still and listen to God’s voice. A time to worship and be uplifted and to be taken to a “thin” place by the meditative music, chants, and prayers.  I love the candlelit space, the readings, prayers, and periods of silent reflection.  It calms my soul and refreshes my spirit.  It is a place to put the craziness of life outside my consciousness for a while and just be in God’s presence and be in worship. I need that now more than ever in my life, and I am going to guess that some of you do as well. 

Brenda Spencer and I have been at work choosing the prayers and music for this service.  That means we get to listen to lots of music and read lots of prayers! That has been such a blessing, sometimes I just need to have a reason to read prayers and listen to music, because I, like many of you, don’t take the time to be still.   Brenda & I get to imagine what we would like the service to be like, to create this sacred space. That in and of itself is a blessing.  While this service will be online, we can still go to that sacred space in our hearts and minds.

Our theme for our first Taizé service is New Beginnings with a focus on how God is with us during times of crisis.  We have all felt God’s presence with us during difficult times, sometimes we just need to be reminded. There will be questions to ponder during the quiet times of silence if you need to use them.  It is our hope that this will be a “thin” space, where you can sense God’s presence and hear God’s voice speaking to you.  A place where you will feel wrapped up in God’s loving embrace and refreshed to go out into this crazy world and live more fully into your own calling to be a follower of Christ.

If you have never been to a Taizé service I invite you to try it if you think that it sounds interesting. It has been such a blessing to plan this service. It is our hope that you will be blessed by this worship experience.

Suzanne

Gracious & Loving God, Create in me a clean heart and renew my spirit so that I might live more fully into being a disciple of yours.  Amen.