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Mike's Memo, February, 2012 It is no coincidence that the annual observance of Week of Compassion falls this year at the beginning of Lent. It takes two dimensions to make a cross, even as it takes two relationships to live out the Christian faith. One direction points Godward; the other humanward. Half a cross is no cross at all. There is room for the sanctuary as well as for the neighborhood. Each relationship is essential to the other and neither is independent of the other. God chooses to minister to human need in a rather unique way. Undoubtedly, God could turn stones into bread or miraculously bring forth water from a rock. But God doesn't. Instead God asks us to be fellow participaants. And when we respond affirmatively, blessing is experienced. The vertical becomes the horizontal. Likewise, we do not put our Week of Compassion offering directly into God's hands. We detour by way of bank deposits, agencies, and ministries performed nationally and globally. The needs of humanity become the channel through which we offer ourselves to God. As Jesus said, "As you have done to the least of these...you have done it to me." the horizontal becomes the vertical. The gospel invites us to take up our crosses and follow Jesus. Each cross has a vertical post anchored firmly in the physical world, but steadily points upward toward ultimate meaning. At the same time, each cross also has a horizontal beam reaching out to embrace humanity in love and mercy. May the cross be raised again this Lenten season as we prepare to make our contributions to Week of Compassion. And as we do, let us also not forget that it was between two hurting persons that Jesus was crucified and not between flowers and candles. That's what his crucifixion was all about and that is what our ministry to others needs to be. To know Him is to love him, and to love him is to love one another. See you Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo: January, 2012 As much as we like to emphasize the celebration of Christmas, we are as evasive with the challenge of Christmas. At least, I often find it so. Christmas, we we know, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It commemorates the day when God intervened in the affairs of the world and became incarnated as a human being. The message proclaimed throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas is this: we no longer need to search for God because God has searched for us, and found us! God has become human and, by so doing, has become involved with us, has become part of the world in which we live, has shared our concerns and crises, and has provided the answer for all our dilemmas. At Christmas we turn on the lights, from candles in the window to brightly colored twinkle lights on the tree. Each and all symbolize the light of Christ's coming. "In him was life, " wrote the apostle John, "and that life became the light of humanity. The light shines in the darkness..." (1:4-5). It is in this "light," now emphasized in the Season of Epiphany, where we discover our challenge. Now that God has entered the human experience, now that the Light is present, if we, by our attitudes and actions, prevent or hinder that Light from taking affect in us, are we not then standing in opposition to the message of Christmas? By neglecting or refusing to allow Christ's Light to illumine our outlook and lifestyle, are we not damaging the true meaning of Christmas? In the face of church apathy, diminished resources, loss of prophetic integrity, clergy malfeasance, and watered down theology, it is becoming harder for us in the church to retain a hopeful outlook. As we try to figure out where we are and where we need to be in an increasingly more anti-church culture, it is tempting to accomodate, even abdicate our core values and calling. As such, it is no wonder we are losing our edge to positively affect people with the gospel. Discouragement, dissension, cynicism, apathy, disillusionment, and despair--are these not the antitheses of everything Christmas stands for? I, for one, am not willing to cave in, for "the light still shines through the darkness." Here's a suggestion for a 2012 resolution: as the Light of Christ's presence continues to illumine our hearts and minds, can we not learn to refocus our vision to what God is doing to pokes holes in that darkness? An encouragement here, a helping hand there, a compliment expressed, an offering given, a ministry shared, a prayer said, an injustice remedied, or a need filled--are these not the means by which the Light of Christ is passed on? Yes, we know the church is going through a rough patch right now. We're all trying to work our way through a wilderness caused by a global paradigm shift from one era into another. It's really nothing new. History is replete with evidence that we have walked this wasy before. Each time there was a "sifting." Nonetheless, the church continues. In spite of its failings, its troubles, its fears, its hardships, its setbacks, and its reworkings, the church keeps bouncing back. the darkness cannot stop the Light that has come. And so, I continue to trust we will come through this dark time as well. Now we may look different, minister different, worship different, manage different, and even think different, but we will still be here to make a difference. The reason is simple: the Light cannot be extinguished. Yes, the celebration has been good. Christ's appearance has once again filled our hearts and uplifted our spirits. But now, as we enter 2012, let us move on to face the challenge before us: penetrating today's darkness with the Light we have received. What will this mean and what will it demand? One thing is for sure. It not be by going the way we walked before. With renewed dedication let us resolve to press on as we rethink how we might help people in 2012 and beyond to know that, for us, a Light has truly come. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo: December, 2011 (Read Phillipians 1:3-11) The season of Advent invites us to focus on four key words that aid us in our preparation for the coming of Christ--faith, hope, love, and joy. Recently, I began a Bible study on Paul's letter to the Phillipians. What I find interesting in this letter is how Paul freely employs the use of all four words. For example, here in our lesson, Paul says, "I always pray with joy; being confident (hope) of this; that your love may abound;" and "he who began this good work in you (faith) will carry it on to completion." What is remarkable about Paul's attitude and affection is that it is being shared out of a stressful situation in order to bring peace to another stressful situation. Paul is imprisoned because his belief in Christ as Lord is challenging the current socio/political system. The Phillipian congregation is encountering stress within and stress without as a result of trying to remain true to their calling as a "partner in the gospel." We, too, have our strains and struggles, our imprisonments and disenfranchisements. As individual Disciples, or as congregations and regions, we continue to contend with "principalities and powers" beyond our control. How do we all it to affect us? How do we keep from having it demoralize us? How can we hang in there and not let it all deflate us? Paul's answer and Advent's message is most helpful. By learning once more to focus on the words--faith, hope, joy, and peace--we, too, can "be able to discern what is best so that we may not stumble or cause to stumble until the Day of Christ." Perhaps, even more, we can learn that in the Presence behind the words Advent can be more than seasonable. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo: November, 2011 You and I are persons whom God loves and to whom God has given gifts, talents, and ample resources. We also belong to a community of faith where we receive and give support, love, and nurture. If we looked upon ourselves only as individuals, without any regard or responsibility to any one else, and our gifts as simply means to benefit our own selfish ends, we would perish under our own indulgence. Just as the human body is given life by the flow of blood in and through its various parts, so you and I, as Christians, as Disciples, are linked together by the flow of Life that wells up within us. Stewardship is not so much about giving up what belongs to us, as it is about our participating in the flow of resources, love, prayers, and good works that God has already mobilized within us. Stewardship is the way you and I link ourselves with one another in the sharing, participating, supporting, and communing of Life within the Body of Christ. Each Sunday, as we participate in the Communion, you and I are personally dramatizing the ultimate sharing of Life. God so loved us that God became human, sharing in our struggles and strains, in order to bring us peace and joy. The bread which we break represents not only the Life God shared with us but the Presence that still abides with us. The juice we drink not only represents the blood poured out for us, but also the Love that still offers mercy and pardon. As we each injest these elements, we are accepting God's gift as well as sharing in God's suffering and joy. At the same time, since we are all participating together in unison, we are opening ourselves to share that Life and Love with one another, thus allowing God's blessing to flow freely in and through us as well. As we approach this season of Thanksgiving, taking stock of God's many blessings, and consider what our stewardship of God's resources will be for the coming year, let us be aware of the Life blessings we have received from God, of those with whom we share our lives in Christ, and of the mission and witness we help to strengthen through the wise utilization of our resources and gifts. Together, let us renew our faith expression by responding to God's constant--freely given--harvest of blessing with a generosity befitting our thanksgiving. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo: October, 2011 Autumn is a lovely time of year. In fact, its my favorite. I enjoy the brilliance of the colors, the aroma of the air, the chill in the wind, the crackling of the fire, the gathering in of the harvest, the excitement of football, and the refreshing taste of cider. Yet, there are other signs that Fall has arrived. Walk about or drive around and you will notice yards and homes creatively decorated for Halloween. Some even approach the excessiveness of Christmas. Its amazing how this annual Fall festival has become so endeared within the American culture. Who would have thought a religious celebration commemorating those who passed on would evolve into such a colorful and cheerful holiday? By the end of the month, every community and hamlet will be invaded by little creatures and their ghoulish friends. Children who otherwise wouldn't be allowed to cross the street will roam in packs. Armed with huge sacks, they will manuver up and down the neighborhood, visiting every house with their traditional ultimatum, "Trick or Treat!" Witches, goblins, princesses, heroes, villians, ghosts, hobos, demons, skeletons, clowns, cowboys, ninjas, and jedis will appear on every doorstep in such abundance that people who haven't seen visitors for ages will jump for joy. It is also not unusual to hear on the news of communities organizing just for this event, adding extra police to help with the traffic as well as to curb the pranks, and setting aside certain hours for the grand shakedown to occur. Local establishments offer Halloween specials, churches and civic clubs sponsor parties, spook houses, and trunk or treat events. All in all, children will collect enough candy to upset their stomachs, ruin their appetites, and decay their teeth for weeks to come. But who cares! Its Halloween. Parents are not immune to the festivites either. They get to chaperone groups of goblins as they attack each house with coordinated precision. they get to deal with the inevitable child who needs to go to the bathroom while wearing three layers of costume. they also get to help carve faces on pumpkins, a chore which requires considerable creativity and patience. Then, of course, are the parent parties for those who are still kids at heart. It is all good, clean, fun. To be seriously critical of Halloween is unnecessary and probably grounds for chastisement. If anything, our celebration of All Halllows Eve has had an interesting history. We have moved from requium masses to masses of children shouting "boo" to passersby. You might say we have learned to laugh in the face of death. And I find that to be a blessing. Our Lord has always been delighted with the joy and laughter of children and certainly with their squeels, howls, and shreeks of excitement. In fact, there are some real possibilities that our modern celebration of Halloween comes closer to God's will than All Saints ever was. Anytime the church can aid in furthering the joy in a child's life or give reason to show how our Christian experience overcomes fear and death is proclaiming the gospel. Oh sure, there will always be those who choose to view things differently, but I choose to act in faith. And if, in faith, we can affirm that Christ is Lord of the living and the dead, of Halloween and All Souls, of Trick or Treat, then why not enjoy a night where we can sing with saints living and dead, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo: (September, 2011) I reach a milestone this month. I turn 60 on the eighteenth. Yes, that's right! I'll be officially classified as a "senior." For those of you who still think sixty is young, bless your hearts! For those who now know how old I really am, I beg your pardon. Looking back, it's hard to believe I have lived as long as I have. Our baby cribs were not only classified as unsafe but they were also covered with brightly colored lead-based paint. We rode in cars without seat belts, child seats, and air bags. Every now and then riding in the back of a pick up truck was a special treat. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us, except by yelling or whistling. We either played baseball, football, or army and every once in a while, one of us got hurt, but that was okay. We built carts out of scrap lumber and rode them down the hill. It was only after we hit something that we thought about brakes. Occasionally we got cut, or broke an arm, or picked up a bruise, but they were "accidents," and nobody was blamed but us. Sometimes we got into fights and then became best friends. We ate cake and cookies, bread and butter, fried potatoes and gravey and never gained weight. We even shared a bottle of soda with four friends and never caught a germ. Little League had try outs and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't learned to deal with it. Some kids weren't as smart as others and maybe had to repeat a grade, but they did it without complaint. Tests were tests and not adjusted for any reason. Our friends were real, not virtual. We went outside and found them. We rode bikes, walked to a friend's home, knocked on the door, or just walked in and enjoyed each other's company and companionship. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in that cold, cruel, world. How did we ever do it? In sixty years I have come to know freedom, failure, success, and responsibility. Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide behind and no one to bail you out. You just learned to deal with it all. Much of life has changed but those values learned remain. Turning sixty reminds me of the inevitable: life is short and growing older cannot be avoided. Still, in God's creative life process, there is something more to consider: now, more than ever, is the time to concern ourselves with relationships---with love, mercy, compassion, concern, forgiveness, and goodwill--for they truly are the verities of life. Unlike memories or body metabolism, these qualities should increase, not diminish, with age. And so, here's to 60! See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (August, 2011) We Americans have grown up in a culture that extols the "virtues" of self-reliance, independence, and autonomy. As such, we soon figure out that to ask for help is tantamount to admitting weakness, failure, or inadequacy. What's more, to accept help is to confess that we really can't do things on our own. Consequently, whether as individuals, communities, or even church, we find it hard to give, let alone, receive help. In our society we tend to laud those who have "made it." We celebrate them as being "self made." Perhaps that is why it is so difficult to resolve so many political and social issues. Our culture instills within us a subtle prejudice against the giving and receiving of help. On the one hand, to offer help runs the risk of offending people by implying that they are weak or inadequate. On the other, to be the recipient of help is to imply that one is impoverished or lacks initiative. I find it ironic that we often are quite willing to admit our dependence on certain kinds of technologies and conveniences (i.e.: "I simply can't live without my ........"), but then are reluctant to admit that we need one another. A lot of us do not see ourselves as being dependent upon or responsible to our fellow human beings. Rather, we regard ourselves as being autonomous individuals or as members to one another only in a contrived sense. The thinking goes something like this: Your life is your life and mine is mine. There is no need for you or anyone else to believe that I will ever need anything from you. I can take of myself very well, thank you." How then do we learn that we really do need help and subsequently, be willing to receive help graciously, when we live in a culture that teaches us that all such requests are invasive and irresponsible? One of the many benefits of coming to worship is to be reminded that we are all dependent upon God, our Creator and Sustainer, a fact that should, in itself, convince us that none of us got here on our own. What's more, as we listen to the stories of scripture, we come to understand, unlike what the culture insists, that our collective history is not one of impressive accomplishments achieved by our own talents, abilities, and hard work, but rather by receiving what we did not deserve, what we in no way earned, or what we could not secure for ourselves. In worship we are reminded that we are all the recipients of God's good grace. What sets us apart as disciples is not that we have been blessed and others not, but rather that we know Who to thank and others don't. Staying connected with the church also aids us in the giving and receiving of help. the New Testament imagine of the church as the Body of Christ radically challenges our learned notions of self-sufficiency and autonomy. Becoming a Christian and being grafted into the Body are one and the same. It is simply an oxymoron to say that one can be Christian wihtout being connected to the Church. God has so created the Body that each member needs the others (I Cor. 12:12-27). It is a mistake to assume you can have one without the other. You cannot have a functioning body without having body parts, and you cannot have a functioning body part without belonging to a body. God has so arranged the Christian experience that none of us can secure our well being. We really do need each other. The reality of giving and receiving help is learned more by immitation than by ideology. Learning to live the Christian life requires more than simply knowing the right words; it calls for embodying a way of life. What is encouraged is more than reading a manual and following directives. Its more like learning how to play golf. Sure, you can pick it up from reading and watching, but most of us learn by having someone who knows stand behind us and go through the awkward yet necessary movement of the swing with us. Confidence is built, even though it may not "feel" right, because someone is there who is better than us, working with us, and guiding our movements. In the same way, many of us could learn a great deal more about helping and being helped if we were willing enough to call upon those saints we know who can do things better than we can. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (July, 2011) It was customary during World War II for a family who had a son or daughter actively serving in the conflict to place a small banner with a single blue star in the front window of their home. In some homes, however, one could spot a single gold star. That meant that their particular son or daughter had given his or her life for the country. The practice is somewhat seen today, but rarely. Years ago, Sir Harry Lauder shared a moving story about this custom. He said that one night a man was walking down a city street accompanied by his five year old son. The boy was interested in the brightly lighted windows of the houses and wanted to know why some had star banners hanging in the window. The father explained that those families had sons who were off fighting in the war. Each time the child spotted a star he would clap his hands and cry out, "Look Daddy, there's another family who gave a son for the country!" At last, they came to an empty lot and a break in the row of houses. Through the gap a star could be seen shining brightly in the evening sky. The boy caught his breath, "Oh, Daddy," he said, "Look at the star in the window of heaven! God must have given his son, too." When I was in Roanoke I had an elder who was among the troops that stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day. He spoke of the events of that day from both a personal and reflective perspective. I encouraged him to write his thoughts down. He did. During one Fourth of July celebration we heard from John Slaughter, another D-Day veteran, speak on the events of that battle and the great honor given to him and his comrades with the opening of the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA. Both he and Reg (the elder of whom I earlier spoke) were originally from Bedford. (By the way, the reason Bedford was chosen to serve as the site of the memorial was because that community had lost the most sons on that day.) If you ever travel to Virginia, I encourage you to stop and see the National D-Day Memorial. But even more, let us not forget in our preparations to celebrate the Fourth, the tragedy and personal cost individuals and families paid to preserve and defend our freedom. Many thousands of courageous men and women gave their service and indeed, lives, that you and I might know and value human liberty. But let us also not forget during this month in which we think about our personal freedom to neglect the cost of our spiritual freedom. Let us continue to praise God for sending his Son to fight against the forces of evil and death, giving his own life, that you and I might now know freedom from sin and liberty to begin again. May we, too, look to the night sky to see the star hanging in God's window of heaven and offer our thanks for "the Truth that sets us free." See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo, June, 2011 We humans are a rather strange lot. On the one hand, we have the unique proclivity to injest misery the same way we tackle meal time: at regularly scheduled intervals and often to the excess. On the other, we hold on to the hope that out there is someone who can bring us endless bliss or, at the very least, tell us where happiness might be found. That is one reason why I believe people look to so-called "mini-messiahs." Why do you think we flock to movies based on comic book heroes? Or why do we hang out with persons or groups who promise us everything from being spiritually blessed to looking younger in minutes--all for a modest downpayment and regular monthly "contributions," with Visa and Mastercard accepted? Our search for personal and spiritual fulfillment isn't just limited to peddling religion. We still live in a society that believes that "out there" is a special someone who will make your empty life into a thing of endless delight. Its as if matching two imbalanced personalities will suddenly create an amaxing unity. Right! The more I see life and learn from people in life, the more I'm convinced there really isn't another person who can supply all my needs. Neither self-proclaimed prophets nor persons who fit all the criteria typically listed on a computer dating service can carry all our freight. The problems you and I encounter in life, and the pain we sometimes experience, cannot always be sensed or eased by even the most compassionate of friends. Simply recall Jesus' experience in the Garden of Gethsemane. Agonizing in prayer over his impending death, his three closest friends could do nothing more than sleep away the time. Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying that relationships are not important for our spiritual and psycholoigcal well being. The ability to love, trust, and risk is indeed essential for our growth as human beings. But it is one thing to give someone your heart and quite another to load them with the responsibility to maintain your spiritual equalibrium and your sense of self worth. That, my friends, is impossible. To expect "a little help from my friends" is proper and good. But for the bulk of what you and I need to sustain our personal and spiritual well being, you and I must look within--to the warehouse we are stocking as a result of our own walk with God. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo, May, 2011 There is something within us all that longs for ease and pleasure. It goes so far as to prompt some pretty irrational hopes. Thus, we find people who cling to the delusion that by just taking a pill they can eat whatever they want and not have it adversely affect them. Even the best of life is far from easy. Each of us must endure our share of headaches, heartaches, back aches, and stomach aches. That is why I become a little skeptical of persons and preachers who talk about the Christian life as if it were an insurance policy against pain. The often mentioned "victorious Christian living" does not shelter us from ill winds or make us immune to trials and tribulations. Christians still bleed when cut, hurt when knocked down, and sweat upon exerting any energy. The word "victory" implies that there was someting formidable that was overcome. The very expression conjures up images of conflict, clamor, and casualties. For example, has there ever been a boxing champion who did not withstand some of the same bruising blows that were absorbed by the loser? Conquerors are not people who are never bothered or buffeted. The unscathed are the ones who never make it out of the locker room. Winners are persons who have the resources to endure the onslaught and somehow remain upright through all the unpleasantness. If we really want to know what "victorious living" requires, then take a look at Jesus. Our Lord did not glide through his brief life like a hot knife through butter. He suffered everything from verbal abuse to being nailed to a cross. The victory of Easter was not won until he first endured the defeat of Good Friday. Yet, even in the midst of that horrendous ordeal, Jesus was confident of his Father's promise. The power of real "victorious living" is such that the "thrill of victory" can be experienced while we are smack dab in the middle of the "agony of defeat." Christianity is not all peaches and cream, as some pundits proclaim. But neither is it all vinegar and gall. To be sure, our triumphs will not come without a bit of turmoil. Yet with God's help and Christ's example, we can move through our hardships without "throwing in the towel." See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (April, 2011) Easter calls our attention to the events of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and the glory of that first resurrection--each one an important part of the celebration we honor. But none of these occasions can overshadow the central person in whom our faith is based--Jesus Christ. Only in knowing him do we, as Christians, have the spiritual foundation adequate enough to sustain us. The reasons are obvious. For one thing, our understanding ofGod is centered in Jesus. Being "the only begotten Son," Jesus is one of a kind. There were none before him nor would there be another after him. "In him," wrote the apostle Paul, "all the fullness of God dwells in bodily form" (Col. 1:19). The eternal love of God, his compassion for all, and his desire to develop relationship with us becomes embodied in and through Jesus. Second, our experience of redemption is centered in Jesus. From the cross Jesus cried out, "It is finished!." These were words of completion, denoting that the problem of sin had now once and for all been settled. Good Friday reminds us that the sin that separates us from God and from one another nailed Jesus to the cross and that his spilled blood is now the basis of a new covenant, assuring us that God's divine grace forgives sin and removes all guilt and condemnation. Jesus took upon himself "the punishment that brought us peace" so that "by his stripes we are now healed." Finally, our hope in life after death is centered in Jesus. As a prelude to the resurrection Jesus said to the grieving Mary and Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me shall never die" (Jn. 11:25). On that first Easter morning, he verified it! Jesus defeated the last enemy--death. Never again would we need to be dominated by defeat, fatalism, or despair. No longer would we need to weep like those without hope. In the living Christ we find the courage to face our trials triumphantly and the confidence to meet death victoriously. Yes, there is something beyond life as we know it, and the continuing presence and power of our living Lord confirms it. No doubt about it, what you believe about Jesus is vital. Without him, life is meaningless. With him, all things are possible. May this Holy Season offer you an opportunity to affirm or reaffirm faith in Christ Jesus so that with assurance you, too, can boldly sing, "because He lives, I can face tomorrow." See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (March, 2011) In 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 the apostle Paul writes, "as God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, 'in the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." This was his way of saying that all was now ready. Hope had been born. Rebirth was now possible. New life was at hand. A new age of reconciliation and peace had come. This, of course, became the church's proclamation of hope, renewal, and promise. Salvation had been won. No longer did we humans have to remain enslaved to the tyranny of sin. Victory had been achieved in and through the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. And so, the season of Lent became the time to share this message with the faith that persons would respond affirmatively and be received as members come Easter. The days following Ash Wednesday and leading up to Easter Sunday were days set aside to prepare persons for baptism. Easter then became a day of baptizing and receiving into the church those who had claimed their new life in Christ. Consequently, Lent also became a time for those who had already been baptized to remember their baptism by participating in spiritual practices designed to renew and refresh their faith life. Is it possible for such an experience to happen this Lenten season? Some of you may be contemplating making a profession of faith. Others of you may feel the need to reconnect spiritually. Still others of you may be desiring to grow deeper in your spiritual life. If so, then now, indeed, is the acceptable time. During this season of Lent there are many opportunities planned for us to examine ourselves more closely and thus be rewarded more deeply. The following are an offering of what you can expect: .. Ash Wednesday supper and service (Mar. 9) ..Midweek Lenten Devotional Suppers (each Wed. during Lent) ..Spiritual Gifts Workshop (Mar. 12) Let me encourage you to take advantage of them. Allow them to influence and impact you. To feel the tug of the Spirit's urging is an act of grace. Be sensitive to it. Be transformed by it. God is reaching out in love. Its a precious moment. As each of us finds ourselves becoming more reflective on where we are and desirous to be what we can become, let us utilize this sacred season to be a time of healing, a time fo discovery, a time of hope, and a time of renewal. In otherwords, a time of salvation. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (February. 2011) This year marks the 40th anniversary of Amtrak, our national passenger rail service. At one time, as some of us remember, passenger rail service was once provided by the individual rail companies themselves. But with bankruptcies and mergers a new experiment was required and, for better or for worse, the federal government stepped in and saved, what I believe, is a national treasure. Happy Birthday Amtrak! As with all public transportation, those who travel by train are eager to get on their way. All anticipate a smooth journey with minimum delays. Still, in spite of all the adequate preparation by both the travelor and the carrier, occasionally unexpected, unplanned, and unforeseen difficulties require long delays, interrupted schedules, or even cancellations. If you're like me, such delays will invoke feelings of aggravation. Delays have been noted to foster panic, heartache, ulcers, and high blood pressure. They can change your countenance from soft and smooth to rough and rigid with only a touch of understanding visible. Becoming so enamored, however, results generally in nothing more than allowing your life to be controlled by the disruption rather than by the original, goal, plan, or dream. Quite often you hear of persons changing jobs, acquiring degrees, developing hobbies, or learning new skills after many years of being involved in other routines and activities. They are described as "latecomers." But late by whose schedule? The fact is that in spite of what may have been years of family, career, or financial obligations these persons never abandoned their goals or dreams. They remained open and hopeful, even in the midst of delays. Scripture reminds us that every journey carries with it the possibility of delay, for no travelor can escape human error or material malfunction. But to become so upset that you prematurely abandon the dream God has planted within you will surely sidetrack you from ever reaching fulfillment. Keeping your goals and dreams alive, therefore, is wholesome and healthy. They are the lubricant that enables your inner self to function productively and efficiently. Abandon those aspirations and you'll soon find yourself rusting away on some siding. Where are your dreams right now? Are they sitting on the turntable called fear? Are they being delayed at some terminal called despair? Are they stacked in some classification yard called disappointment? Retrieve them! Review them! If necessary, re-evaluate them! But please, do not shelve them, for you are kept by them. As the writer of the Hebrews informs us, "let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful" (Heb. 10:23). Perhaps this prayer may help: Lord, create in me visions to challenge my potential so as to fulfill your aspirations for me. Let me not allow the delays of life to discourage me from being all that you would have me be, enjoy, and experience. Saturate my mind and heart with the oil of your gladness that I may remove the rust of impossibility. Amen. See You Sunday, Pastor Mike
Mike's Memo (January, 2011) You may be entering this new year/decade feeling as if you are experiencing the best days you've ever known. You have energy and enthusiasm. Life is good. The family is well. The job is safe. Your spirits are high. You give thanks to God in the ways your worship, study, give, and serve. You look forward to the new year with anticipation and eagerness. Do you fall into this category? On the other hand, you may have been going through the worst times you've ever faced. Life has been hard. Losses have been heavy. Even coming to church does not relieve the pain nor instill the hope. Little news is good and you have little cause to celebrate. Your need is so pressing that it causes you to be oblivious to those around you. You count the days until you can move somewhere else, find another position, retire, or even see Jesus. Have I described your situation? Most of us, I think, fall somewhere in between. We have been blessed and we have been disappointed. We know there is room for growth but wonder how best to achieve it. The new year is a good opportunity for us to take stock, evaluate, visualize, set goals, and determine to "press ahead." The wonder and beauty of the gospel is that hope is always held out. An opportunity to reclaim, recover, restore, and renew lies at the essense of the Christian faith. Our times are in God's hands and as we know, God "works everything for the good." God's faithfulness remains, even in the midst of troubled and challenging times. Regardless of the circumstances, we can still be confident in this: "if God is for us, who can be against us." That is what I claim and that is what I believe will see us through. No, we may not understand, we may still have to struggle our way through, we may win a few and lose a few, we may even not be around to finally realize, but if we hold on to the promise and follow the leading of the Spirit, we will come to know better days and come to appreciate the fruit of our efforts. Let us then seize 2011 as an opportunity to claim what is ours and give of ourselves in helping to make God's reign more of a reality than it already is for us and for those we serve in his name. New Year Blessings, Pastor Mike
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