I have been preaching a sermon series called “Resolutions to Keep” where we looked at the concept of always seeking God in our lives, giving God our “First Fruits” (the first and best of us) and treating others with respect. Sunday Feb 2^nd I finished that series with Dreaming Big.  Here is an excerpt of that sermon regarding my vision for the church community.

Imagine this type of church community:  a place where people know, not just in their head, but in their heart that God loves them.  Really, truly loves them.  A love that is far more deep and wide than we can ever imagine.  I see a place where not only God’s love is known, but the peoples love as well.  And not just for their friends in the church, but for everyone who steps foot in the door, and everyone in the community.  I dream of a church where growth happens – both spiritual growth of the existing members and numerical growth of the overall body of Christ – not just transferring members from another church, but baptizing new believers – and then nurturing those new believers so they can realize their own gifts and everyone can live their fullest God-given potential.  I envision a church where non-believers can come and inquire about God without fear of being condemned, or shut down, rather they are able to express their doubts, fears and even deepest needs, knowing they are in a safe environment.  I see a community of faith where those non-believers can experience for themselves the love of God, and come to believe in Him.  I see a church where believers believe-and share their beliefs with love and respect.  I dream of a church where healing takes place – healing of the body, the mind and the soul, and where prayer happens.  I dream of a church where worship is in spirit and truth, a time of sharing the experience of God with each other, respecting all of our stylistic and worship music choices.  I can see a church where there are multiple services, not to segregate the congregation but to reach multiple people.  I have a dream that the church is such an integral part of the community that its loss would not only be noticed, but would be devastating.  I dream of a community of faith that practices hospitality, healing, hope, love, repentance and forgiveness, for members and visitors and people who just happen to walk by.  That is my dream, my vision for this congregation.  Because this is where God has called me to be.  This is where God has repeatedly confirmed my ministry.  And we can be that congregation.

So what is your vision of the church?

Bill

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)

We have just completed the Christmas season, and now have entered the unknown territory that is 2014. Happy New Year to all of you.  And now, after having to look beyond November and into the Advent season, and looking beyond Advent to plan Christmas, and looking beyond Christmas to plan the New Year sermons, I must look back.  You see, I am a pastor, and a lot of what we do is in advance of what we deliver.  While I am writing a sermon for the first Sunday of Advent, I am thinking about Christmas Eve.  On any given Monday, my parishioners are thinking about the sermon I delivered Sunday, but I am busy researching scripture and writing the sermon for the following Sunday.  But once January hits, I need to reverse that thinking.  I have to consider the previous year to complete an annual report for the congregation and the dreaded statistical analysis for the denomination. 

This analysis, while important (membership numbers, average attendance, age, gender, average congregational shoe size, baptisms, deaths, etc.) fails to tell a story.  It says nothing about the year we had, nothing about the trials and tribulations, nothing about the successes, nothing about the joy, nothing about the pain, nothing about why we do what we do.  It is just numbers without narrative. 

So here is why we do what we do.  Last night we held our Shepherd’s Kitchen meal.  This is offered to anyone in the community who needs a meal.  Our volunteers have a lot of fun serving our guests, and our guests get a great meal filled with lots of fellowship and love.  Last night, as I held open the door to invite some guests in, one woman came up to me, gave me a hug and a holy kiss and said “Praise the Lord!  I get a cooked meal tonight!”  She didn’t care about statistical analysis of how many guests we were feeding.  She didn’t care about the average attendance of the congregation or of the ratio between meat and vegetables in the chili.  She didn’t care about seeing a chart of accounts.  She just wanted to eat a good meal in a place where she was accepted.  Pretty simple, isn’t it?  Jesus said to feed the hungry and that is what we do and why we do it.

May God bless you abundantly in this New Year.

God Bless us Everyone!

The wait is almost over.  But what exactly are we waiting for anyway?  Jesus came 2000 years ago, and for many of us, he has entered into our hearts.  Of course, we are waiting for the day when he will “come again to judge the quick and the dead”.  But this season of Advent, this time of preparation and waiting is more than stating a church doctrine.  And it is more than a period of time before the Christmas celebration.

I had some time to reflect on this the other day.  My wife, a hospice chaplain, often leads Christian services at nursing homes.  Last week she held one for Christian residents of a predominately Jewish retirement community.  But the religious service was not the only part of the day – immediately following the service would be a time of Christmas carols and the surprise arrival of the icon of Christmas, Santa (portrayed by yours truly).

So I was waiting outside the room as the Old Testament readings of the promise of the Messiah were read, and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” was sung.  I was outside the room as the scriptures of anticipation were proclaimed.  Then the New Testament readings – the birth of Jesus, the visit of the shepherds and the Wise Men were read.  And more carols proclaiming that great birth.  And all the while, I stood outside the room, hearing these great words, the word of God, reflecting on the importance of the incarnation, reflecting on my own wait for God, and at the same time, waiting for my cue following the benediction. 

Christmas is certainly a holiday that is split between a religious and secular celebration.  On one hand we hold candles and sing “Silent Night” and on the other hand we celebrate a “right jolly old elf” as he brings toys to good little boys and girls.  And both are wonderful.

Celebration is necessary – and celebration is godly.  God wants us to celebrate the gifts of life, the gifts of the creation that He has given us.  And He wants us to celebrate the most important gift – the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

So, on this final Sunday of Advent, as we approach the fun, festive Christmas holiday, and we approach the holy night when the Word became flesh, consider your own relationship with the Christ Child.  This is a great time to make the holiday more meaningful.  Perhaps your wait is over – and Jesus will rekindle the love of God in your heart.

May God bless you this Advent, and may He enter your heart once again.

Bill

Today’s lectionary text is Luke 1:39-56

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” ⁴⁶ And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord ⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, ⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.  ⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. ⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. ⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful ⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” ⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. This is the word of the Lord

Take a moment and put yourself into Mary’s place.  Here is a young girl, probably 12-13 years old, who has a vision of an angel telling her she was going to bear not only a child, but the Son of God, who will save the world.  Okay – what is going through your head right now?

Mary responds to the angel “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Mary believed that God’s promise to send the messiah was going to come true.  Mary believed that God’s promises to redeem Israel was about to come true.  Mary believed God’s promises.  ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Why do we have trouble believing God’s promises today?  When we have this great record, the word of God to read and hear about God fulfilling His promises, why do we struggle to believe today? 

I don’t mean we do not believe in God or in Jesus as the Christ, I mean why do we struggle to hard to believe God’s promises?  God promised to be with us always.  God promised that even in tough situations, He would carry us through.  God promised to care for us, to provide for us.  But so often we give God lip service and then try to do everything our way, neglecting God.  We may have a brief prayer before a meeting, or a meal, or even bed time.  But do we give the time over to God?  Do we actually invite God to come into our meetings, or bible studies, or work places, or homes?  Do we say “God, we are your servants, may it be as You desire, or do we say a prayer, then “get onto business” forgetting that God is our business?

Mary’s example is one of great courage – saying yes to God meant she faced rejection, being outcast and even being stoned.  But she said yes, knowing that God’s promises were about to be fulfilled.  Are we willing to risk the same?

The Second Sunday of Advent is the Sunday of Peace.  My father’s favorite hymn was “Let There be Peace on Earth”.  I often have difficulty singing this hymn – missing dad and knowing that peace is often so elusive. 

What is peace anyway?  When we speak of peace biblically, it is not just the absence of conflict – but a holistic concept – the body, mind and spirit united together in God’s love. 

I often think about this idea – peace in the midsts of strife – especially as it is expressed in the life of Jesus.  He lived this peace knowing his earthly ministry ends with the cross.  Are we able to do the same?  Can we find peace even when the job is terrible, or the bills are mounting, or the kids are fighting?  Can we find this peace when someone is sick or dying?

Jesus proves this is possible.  And not only did he do it, but he offers that same peace to us.  Jesus said these words:  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  He said these words just before he was arrested and crucified.  

If Jesus is truly the Prince of Peace, and he gives us his peace, why then are we not peaceful?

As we continue this Advent journey, consider how you can accept the gift of Christ’s peace, even when things are going wrong.  And consider how you can pass along the gift of Christ’s peace – for perhaps that is the way to finding peace – passing it along to another.

Dona nobis pacem (Grant us peace)

Bill

  The First Sunday of Advent has passed.  And it was my hope to have this written for Sunday.  But I was not prepared.  I got busy.  There was the planning and shopping for the Thanksgiving dinner.  Then there was the baking of the pumpkin pies and the brining of the turkey.  And, of course, we had to clean the house.  A lot of preparations went into our Thanksgiving dinner, and it was much better because of the preparation.

But now we prepare for Christmas.  And that means a lot of shopping (both food and gifts), a lot of decorating (we are still deciding which train goes around the tree this year), a lot more cleaning and baking and cooking.  And of course there is my preparation for the Christmas Eve service, as well as the Advent services.  There is a lot to be done over the next few weeks.

But there is a lot to be done in my heart as well.  And this is the point of observing Advent.  It is not just four Sundays before Christmas.  It is not just a ritual of lighting four candles, or wearing my purple stole instead of my green stole.  Advent is about preparation.  And just as good preparations make for a good holiday meal, good preparations of my heart make for a better celebration of the coming of the One who God has sent. 

You may be asking “why do you need to prepare?”  I am a committed Christian.  I believe that Christ resides in my heart already.  I am a seminary trained, denominationally ordained, consecrated, called out servant of the Lord.   Why do I need to prepare?  Because I am human and I get too caught up in all the stuff that keeps me from Christ.  This time of year is hard for pastors.  We work hard for special meaningful services that impact both the regular attendees and those who might be visiting.  We have end of the year expectations.  We try to get more visits in during December.  We try to meet with more people in the community in need.  We try to work out all those end of year trials and tribulations that the business side of the church encounters.  And we try to be jolly and joyful with our families, even when the budget is out of whack, the days are long, we are tired, and the last thing we want to do is sing Frosty the Snowman one more time with our children. 

So how do we do this?  We observe Advent – taking this special, holy time to prepare our hearts, and to focus our thoughts on Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh who dwelt among us.  And that is why you should observe Advent as well, as the great reminder that this season is about Jesus Christ.

 May God bless you this Advent season,

Bill

Forgive my crankiness in this post.  This is one of those things that bugs me.  During October, before Halloween, many stores were already putting out Christmas decorations to sell.  One department store had even decorated their store with Christmas decorations.  And on October 21st, I saw my first Christmas/Holiday season commercial on television.  And one of the things I always say (parroted by my daughter) is “it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!  What about Thanksgiving?”  Then I wander off muttering to myself.

So I recently walked into a big box store and what did I see?  Cards and decorations for “TURKEY DAY”.  My friends, it is not turkey day.  It is not a day to celebrate the gifts of turkeys.  Think about it this way.  On Veterans Day we honor our veterans.  We do not cook them and serve them on a platter.  On Arbor Day, we remember the gift of trees.  We do not cut the tree down and decorate it in our homes (that day is coming all too soon).  So on Thanksgiving, we should do what the name says, we should give thanks.  And who do we thank?  We give thanks to God for all His wondrous gifts.  We give thanks to the Lord for He is good.  His love is never failing.

All crankiness aside, we do have a tendency to make Thanksgiving the gateway to Christmas.  We look at the ads in the paper for our shopping plans (previously on Black Friday, but now on Thanksgiving day itself).  We plan our decorating, and we overeat and watch football.  So, on this Thanksgiving day, I charge you with taking some time to give God thanks.  Take time to appreciate all those God has placed in your lives.  Take time in prayer, recognizing all that God has done for you.  Give thanks.  And then celebrate.

Oh, and of course, on Friday you can start to decorate for Christmas!

May God bless you abundantly this Thanksgiving, and may we all turn to Him in thanks.

I am a pretty typical American leader.  I believe that people should not have meetings unless there are reasons for the meetings.  I believe that an agenda should be created and followed.  I believe that goals should be set, monitored and met.  I create a worship order and try to stick with it every Sunday.  I was taught that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Except often we miss God in the formal structures and straight lines.  Today at a prayer breakfast, we were given a message about Moses.  In Chapter 3 of Exodus, we read:  Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.  There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.  So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”  The part that was brought up this morning (and I never caught before) was the last sentence.  When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look…

Moses could have kept going, but he not only noticed but took the time to go back and see this amazing burning bush.  How often do we just keep on going, trying to keep up our to-do lists, goals and agendas?  How often do we miss out on God’s great works because we are too busy being productive, goal-oriented people?

While hearing this, I immediately thought of my daughter.  One day she asked if we could go to the park to play.  And so to the park we went.  Now in my orderly mind this is simple.  Leave house, go down the street, make a right turn, follow that street to the end then make a left turn, follow that street to the park.  Enter park, play, have fun, go home.  Simple, isn’t it?  But to my five year old daughter, getting there is half the fun.  She stops and looks at flowers.  She stops and looks at rocks and stones.  She marvels at God’s creation.  She wants to stop at the neighbor’s wishing well and sit on the neighbor’s bench.  She sees something in the clouds.  She hears something that she likes.  She experiences God’s world in a way that we “big people” keep forgetting.  And so, after cajoling her to get moving, I stop.  And I look.  And I listen.  And I see God’s handiwork all around me, especially in the wonder and love of my daughter.

And so all of you hard working, goal oriented, task achieving type “a” personalities like me, take a lesson from my daughter.  Stop and look at a rock.  Then take a lesson from God’s word.  If you see something wondrous, go to it.  Who knows, maybe God will speak with you.

May God bless you abundantly,

Bill

Those words echo in my head while watching news about the shooting at the Naval Yard in Washington DC.  A law enforcement expert was interviewed and essentially said that these type shootings are a part of the “new normal”.

My heart goes out to those who were hurt and to their loved ones.  My heart breaks every time one of these incidents happens – and they seem to be happening more frequently. People get angry and upset and the “new normal” says to shoot.

Of course the national debate over new gun laws will occur – with the same predictable results.  Advocates of new laws will make their impassioned pleas while those against new laws will make their rebuttals.  But in the end, people have been hurt and killed.  Families will live without loved ones.  Lives will be irreparably harmed.  And we scratch our heads and say “what is going on in this world?”

We live in a world of amorality.  Nothing matters anymore.  Rules only count if we like them, we can live any way we want without concern for others and nobody is allowed to declare a specific truth.  This is the “new normal”.  And it is wrong.  God is the ultimate truth and he has spoken with some basic rules for us.

Mark 12:28-31

²⁸ And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” ²⁹ Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.

Love does not mean “anything goes”.  Love does not mean “who cares how you live your life as long as it doesn’t affect me.”  Love is about serving one another and caring for one another.  In these difficult days of the “new normal”, let us not forget what our Lord teaches us.  Let us instead live out our lives everyday with love guiding us.  And if someone is showing signs of anger, or their lives are going out of control, step in with love.  Maybe you are called to change the “new normal.”

May God bless us and keep us.