E-Letter to the Trinity Family for Janury 29, 2021

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

I pray that everyone is having a good weekend.  As we reflect on this week’s inauguration, we continue to pray for peace and unity within our country.

UPCOMING ADULT CLASS OPPORTUNITY

You’re invited to explore life’s big questions. 

Alpha is a place to explore the Christian faith with others.  It’s a series of conversations focused on the questions of life, faith, and meaning.  Each session includes a time to connect with others, hear a talk on some element of faith, and then a change for people to share their own questions and perspectives with the group. 

Ned and I are running two Alpha classes.  Each will start on February 16.  We will have a class that meets at 1 pm and a class that meets at 7 pm.  Each session should last about one and half hours.  The classes will be each Tuesday until they conclude on May 25.  In order to get the most out of the class, we ask that you plan on coming every week.

This spring, the Alpha classes we offer will be on Zoom. Since this is our inaugural run, we will limit each class to 8 participants.  Each participant will be given a book that explores the topic of each class.  If you would like to join, please let me know you are interested and which time slot you prefer.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING & ANNUAL REPORT

Trinity’s annual Congregational meeting will be on Sunday, February 14 at 12 pm.  The meeting will be held on Zoom.  Please plan on joining us.  Attached to this email is a copy of our 2020 annual report.  Please take a few minutes to read the report.  Each portion of it was written with care.  Despite 2020 being a very weird year, we accomplished a lot in our little corner of Skippack 😊

WORSHIP SERVICES

On Sunday mornings, please join us on Facebook or Zoom:

Join us for our Sunday morning hymn sing at 9:45 am livestreamed from the Trinity Christian UCC Skippack facebook page.

10:15 Facebook livestream Worship.  You can find us at our "Trinity Christian UCC Skippack" facebook page.

11 am ZOOM worship.  You can login at this link:

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Trinity Worship Services

Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/75566827269

 

Meeting ID: 755 6682 7269

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,75566827269# US (Washington D.C)

+13126266799,,75566827269# US (Chicago)

 

Dial by your location

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

        +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 755 6682 7269

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kih56ueDN

BIBLE STUDY

We also have a Sunday morning Bible Study on ZOOM at 8:45 am.  Here is the link to log in:

 

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Trinity's Wired Word Discussion Group
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76933813590?pwd=Nzc0MkthZFBkdmVNTGYycjVtRXkwUT09

Meeting ID: 769 3381 3590
Password: 7qLSWw

MUSIC MINISTRY

Here is information about Trinity’s Music Ministry: 

Wednesday music schedule:

 

Adult Choir - 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month on Zoom

Mission Music - 2nd Wednesday of each month on Zoom

Leo - 4th Wednesday of each month on Facebook

Special Surprise - when there is a 5th Wednesday of the month

 

Each of our Wednesday activities will be at 7 pm.   Here is the ZOOM link for our music ministry Wednesday evening activities:

 

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

 

Topic: Trinity's Music Ministry

Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87363505182

 

Meeting ID: 873 6350 5182

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,87363505182# US (Germantown)

+13126266799,,87363505182# US (Chicago)

 

Dial by your location

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

        +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting ID: 873 6350 5182

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbetKNjam4

DAILY BREAD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

We continue to collect food and toiletry items for the Daily Bread Food Pantry.  They can be left at the doors of the church.

The Daily Bread's Current needs change every few weeks. This is their latest list of needs:

Personal Care: Laundry Detergent, Cleaning Supplies *

Food: Jelly, Jam, Peanut Butter, Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Rice, Skillet Helpers or Rice a Roni, Cookies, Chips, Juice, Shelf Stable Milk, Stuffing, Pie Crust Mix, Pie Crust Fillings in cans,

Pet Care: Dry Cat food*

And any other items you wish to donate would greatly be appreciated!

 

*These items can’t be purchased with Food Stamps. 

COVID UPDATE

On the weekend of December 6th, our Consistory had an emergency meeting and voted to discontinue our in-person worship services.  We are only meeting virtually on Facebook and Zoom.  

The Covid pandemic continues to peak and is worse now than when we first closed this past spring. Please know that we are consistently re-evaluating and updating our Covid practices and criteria according to official guidelines, both state and county, as well as what we consider best for our members and community. We ask you to be patient as we find our way through this bewildering time.

We feel that returning our services to an online presence is a small price to pay to keep our congregation and friends of our church safe. We've been informed that the next three months will be the most critical of the entire pandemic. 

Let's do our best to mask up, use gloves, distance, wash our hands, and stay home as much as possible. Hopefully we will be together again soon but, in the meantime, please stay the course and be safe.

At the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference UCC’s fall meeting, Reverend Worley recommended that all of our churches return to online-only worship services.  The neighboring UCC churches who are part of the Skippack Ministerium are meeting virtually and are not meeting in-person.

HYMNALS

If you would like to borrow a hymnal from the church, please let me know and I will arrange for you to receive one. 

TRINITY BLOG

Trinity now has a blog where I am posting notes to the congregation and the text of my sermons.  If you would like to read these notes and messages, you can find them at: www.trinityskippack.blogspot.com

I will "see” you in worship on Sunday!

Many blessings!!

Pastor Amelie

Follow Me -- A Message for January 24, 2021

 

Mark 1:14-20

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 

15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 

17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 

20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Here ends this reading of the Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer for Understanding

God of new life, speak to us in the rich, ancient words of scripture.

Send us your Holy Spirit so that we will hear your call,

leave behind our old ways,

and follow Jesus Christ, your Living Word. Amen.

As Jesus began his ministry, he surrounded himself with a group of disciples…his own “Cabinet” of sorts. I am not an expert on presidential transitions, but this week, as I glanced through the news, there were stories about the members of President Biden’s new cabinet and the skills they bring as they begin to serve our country in a new way. Each member of the cabinet is carefully selected by the new president and their team because they are expected to support and enhance the work of the leader of our country.
Jesus also gathered his Disciples with care, but chose people that did not immediately seem like the types of people who would have the skills to enhance the work of the Messiah. Jesus called tax collectors, rebels, common folks, and fishermen.

What do fishermen have to do with promoting the work of God on earth? Fishermen are not typically trained as religious scholars or public speakers. Fishermen are not typically trained as counsellors or nurses. Fishermen are not typically trained as administrators or customer service representatives.
Instead, fishermen are trained to catch fish. Fishermen in the first century wove nets. And, they spent a lot of time mending those same nets. They learned to sail. They learned how to gauge the weather. They learned to steer the boat and bounce with the waves. They learned to stomach their panic when storms reared up and tossed their boats to and fro.

Fishing requires strong, able hands. 1st century fisher folk had to be strong enough to haul in heavy nets and also have the dexterity to mend those same nets when holes were ripped into them. Fisher folks had to be masters with their knives – they gripped their knives to quickly and carefully clean their fish to bring them to market.

Jesus invited the fisherfolk to follow him and he would lead them to fish for people. What did he mean? Obviously, Jesus didn’t expect his disciples to run around and trap people in nets. Discipleship is a bit less physical than fishing for fish. We don’t trap people. Instead our goal is to present the gospel in a way that draws people in…no into our nets, but draws people into a deeper relationship with the God we serve.

Jesus called hearty and hardworking people to be his disciples. He needed disciples who could successfully endure challenges, both physical and mental challenges. He needed disciples who were emotionally tough—who could endure criticism and skepticism. Jesus needed disciples who were faithful – and had the type of faith that can withstand hardship – everything is not always rosy for Christians, but we have to have a faith that we cling onto even when we are suffering.

How does this translate to 21st century disciples and followers of Jesus? Some of the trials the first disciples faced are not problems we will face. As Americans, we will probably not be jailed or executed for our faith. Most of us will not be rejected by our families for our faith. Most of us will be able to simultaneously be Christians and whatever profession we have. Most of us will not face danger because we are Christians. We should never take these freedoms for granted, though, because there are fellow Christians who live in different places and countries who are terribly at risk.

So, as 21st century American Christians, we have smooth sailing, right? Our lives are all easy-peasy?

Unfortunately not. Despite the technological advances we live with, despite the order and peace of our communities, despite the relative wealth we have compared to many people throughout the world, we live with many fears and challenges. We are having a pandemic. We are adjusting to post-Covid limitations to our freedoms to travel and pursue activities outside of our homes. We have immense pressures on our families – kids dealing with disrupted school days, adults worrying about our jobs and our health, fears for relatives and friends who have underlying health conditions that put them at risk of scary Covid complications.

So, with all of the fears that we have, how are we to behave as disciples of Jesus? How can we fish for men and women?

First, we have to trust God. The original fisherfolk disciples literally walked away from their fishing boats. Zebedee’s sons left their dad in the boat. Their faith was so strong they were willing to drop out of their lives and follow Jesus. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, instead of returning to their pre-Jesus life, they worked to share the Good News with new people. They ended up being the leaders of the Christian church as the church grew and spread across the Roman world. They migrated far, far away from the shores of the Sea of Galilee, to start churches and Christian communities. They trusted God.

We also must trust God. No matter what happens to us, God is with us. No matter how we fail, God is with us. God forgives us when we fall short. God loves us even when we have trouble loving ourselves. God shares God’s Holy Spirits with us to comfort, guide and sustain us. God is persistent; God never leaves us alone. God carries us when we can’t bear to go on. God is leading us through this time of Covid, and will guide us as we start to reassemble our post-pandemic lives.

Second, disciples share the Good News. It would be selfish if we believe we have discovered the truth in our Christian faith and we did not work to help other people have faith themselves. We have knowledge that others need to know. WE have the word of God written out in the Bible to guide and comfort us. WE have the knowledge that Jesus came to teach us all, to lead us all, to save us all. We know that because of God’s grace we can never do anything so horrible that we can’t be redeemed and forgiven. We must tell others about our faith. We must work to show others how we live faith-filled lives. We can’t keep it to ourselves, we have to let it shine out to help other people who need to know God loves them, forgives them, and wants to be in relationship with them.

Disciples are people of the commandents. Jesus summarized the Greatest Commandment is that we are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ….” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” So, we are called to be mindful of these commandments in our hearts, words and actions. We need to question if God is our priority, or if we are putting other people up too high on a pedestal. Lucia loves Taylor Swift, but her love for a singer must be less than her love for God. All week long, people who admire Bernie Sanders have been reposting his inauguration day photo on top of other pictures, but our love for Bernie must be less than our love for God. Lebron James is considered by many fans the greatest basketball player of all time, but they should love Lebron less than they love God.

We also must work to be loving towards our neighbors. All of our neighbors. People who live in our neighborhoods. People who live across town. People who vote like we do, and people who don’t. People who look like we do, and people who look every possible way a person can look. People who are our age, and people who are all other ages. People who share our values and experiences, and people who have other values and other experiences.

As disciples of Jesus, we must treat other people with love and compassion to demonstrate that we are living out the Commandments to love other people as much as we love ourselves.

Jesus calls the least likely people to be his disciples. People who are not accomplished theologians. People who are not educated and sophisticated. People who themselves never thought they would be called. People like the fishermen. People like us.

And, in order to serve Jesus, we must trust God and remember God is with us to help us through whatever we face. We must work to tell others about our faith—to share it with other people. We know it makes a difference in our lives and there are lots of hurting people who need to know they are loved and sustained by our God. And, we must work to be people of the commandments: people who love god and love other people.

May we do so in love! Amen.

E-Letter to the Trinity Family -- January 23, 2021

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

I pray that everyone is having a good weekend.  As we reflect on this week’s inauguration, we continue to pray for peace and unity within our country.

SUNDAY MORNING HYMN SING

Our Sister in Christ, Ralien Besch, lost her father to Covid-19 this week.  Please pray for Ralien, Amey, and their children.  They are in Montana this weekend – the funeral is today.  Therefore, we will not have a Facebook Hymn Sing tomorrow.

If you would like to send a card with your condolences to Ralien, please reach out to me and I will give you the Besch's address.

UPCOMING ADULT CLASS OPPORTUNITY

You’re invited to explore life’s big questions. 

Alpha is a place to explore the Christian faith with others.  It’s a series of conversations focused on the questions of life, faith, and meaning.  Each session includes a time to connect with others, hear a talk on some element of faith, and then a change for people to share their own questions and perspectives with the group. 

Ned and I are running two Alpha classes.  Each will start on February 16.  We will have a class that meets at 1 pm and a class that meets at 7 pm.  Each session should last about one and half hours.  The class will conclude on May 25.  In order to get the most out of the class, we ask that you plan on coming every week.

This spring, the Alpha classes we offer will be on Zoom. Since this is our inaugural run, we will limit each class to 8 participants.  If you would like to join, please let me know you are interested and which time slot you prefer.

WORSHIP SERVICES

On Sunday mornings, please join us on Facebook or Zoom:

Join us for our Sunday morning hymn sing at 9:45 am livestreamed from the Trinity Christian UCC Skippack facebook page (but there will be no Hymn Sing tomorrow). 

10:15 Facebook livestream Worship.  You can find us at our "Trinity Christian UCC Skippack" facebook page.

11 am ZOOM worship.  You can login at this link:

 

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

 

Topic: Trinity Worship Services

Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/75566827269

 

Meeting ID: 755 6682 7269

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,75566827269# US (Washington D.C)

+13126266799,,75566827269# US (Chicago)

 

Dial by your location

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

        +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 755 6682 7269

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kih56ueDN

BIBLE STUDY

We also have a Sunday morning Bible Study on ZOOM at 8:45 am.  Here is the link to log in:

 

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Trinity's Wired Word Discussion Group
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76933813590?pwd=Nzc0MkthZFBkdmVNTGYycjVtRXkwUT09

Meeting ID: 769 3381 3590
Password: 7qLSWw

MUSIC MINISTRY

Here is information about Trinity’s Music Ministry: 

Wednesday music schedule: 


Adult Choir - 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month on Zoom 

Mission Music - 2nd Wednesday of each month on Zoom 

Leo - 4th Wednesday of each month on Facebook 

Special Surprise - when there is a 5th Wednesday of the month 


Each of our Wednesday activities will be at 7 pm. Here is the ZOOM link for our music ministry Wednesday evening activities: 

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Trinity's Music Ministry

Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87363505182

Meeting ID: 873 6350 5182

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,87363505182# US (Germantown)

+13126266799,,87363505182# US (Chicago)

Dial by your location

+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting ID: 873 6350 5182

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbetKNjam4

DAILY BREAD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

We continue to collect food and toiletry items for the Daily Bread Food Pantry.  They can be left at the doors of the church.

The Daily Bread's Current needs change every few weeks. This is their latest list of needs:

Personal Care: Laundry Detergent, Cleaning Supplies *

Food: Jelly, Jam, Peanut Butter, Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Rice, Skillet Helpers or Rice a Roni, Cookies, Chips, Juice, Shelf Stable Milk, Stuffing, Pie Crust Mix, Pie Crust Fillings in cans,

Pet Care: Dry Cat food*

And any other items you wish to donate would greatly be appreciated!

 

*These items can’t be purchased with Food Stamps. 

COVID UPDATE

On the weekend of December 6th, our Consistory had an emergency meeting and voted to discontinue our in-person worship services. We are only meeting virtually on Facebook and Zoom.

The Covid pandemic continues to peak and is worse now than when we first closed this past spring. Please know that we are consistently re-evaluating and updating our Covid practices and criteria according to official guidelines, both state and county, as well as what we consider best for our members and community. We ask you to be patient as we find our way through this bewildering time.

We feel that returning our services to an online presence is a small price to pay to keep our congregation and friends of our church safe. We've been informed that the next three months will be the most critical of the entire pandemic.

Let's do our best to mask up, use gloves, distance, wash our hands, and stay home as much as possible. Hopefully we will be together again soon but, in the meantime, please stay the course and be safe.

At the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference UCC’s fall meeting, Reverend Worley recommended that all of our churches return to online-only worship services. The neighboring UCC churches who are part of the Skippack Ministerium are meeting virtually and are not meeting in-person.

HYMNALS

If you would like to borrow a hymnal from the church, please let me know and I will arrange for you to receive one. 

TRINITY BLOG

Trinity now has a blog where I am posting notes to the congregation and the text of my sermons.  If you would like to read these notes and messages, you can find them at: www.trinityskippack.blogspot.com

I will “see” you in worship on Sunday!

Many blessings!!

Pastor Amelie

 

Known and Loved -- A Message for January 17, 2021

 

          After Jesus began his public ministry, he gathered a group of trusted friends to accompany him on his journeys.  Jesus eventually turned the reigns over to them….they carried on his work when he wasn’t here to do it on earth.  But, the people Jesus selected were not necessarily the most obvious choices: he didn’t chose scriptural scholars and priests to work alongside him.  Instead, Jesus chose fishermen and carpenters, tax collectors and a revolutionary.  This morning, we read one of the stories of Jesus calling his followers are it was recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter one, verse forty-three through fifty-one.  Listen now to the word of God:

John 1:43-51

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 

45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 

51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer for Understanding

Spirit of truth and life, speak to us in the rich and ancient words of the scriptures. Let us hear your call so that we may leave behind our old ways, and follow in the footsteps of Christ, the Living Word. Amen.

Message                      “Known and Loved” 

          Nathanael was what my college group of friends would have called “a hater.”  He was a negative and critical person.  Philip was delighted to rush to his friend Nathanael and tell him the good news that he had met the messiah.  And, instead of being delighted himself, Nathanael responded with the negative “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”  Nathanael almost allowed his prejudice against the little town of Nazareth to keep him from meeting Jesus.

          After some arm twisting, Nathanael went with Philip to meet Jesus.  And, when he arrived, Jesus said: “Here truly is an Israelite with no deceit.”

What does this statement mean?  There are two possibilities.  The first is that Jesus may have recognized Nathanael as someone who always told the truth.  He spoke his mind.  He was one of those people who blurted out whatever popped into his head, even if his statements were mean or offensive.

          The other possibility is that Jesus may have been teasing Nathanael.  I kind of like this: I enjoy sarcasm, and it warms my heart to think that perhaps Jesus used gentle teasing as a corrective of his peers.  All Jewish people are descended from Jacob, who was also named Israel.  Jacob and Esau were the twin sons of Isaac.  Jacob was sort of a habitual liar – he manipulated Esau into giving away his birthright, he tricked his father to give away his brother’s firstborn blessing, he manipulated his father-in-law into giving him all of the best sheep of his flock, he lied to Esau and told him he would return to live together with him and the rest of the family and instead moved to another place.  Lies and manipulations came out of Israel’s mouth during much of his life. 

          So, when Jesus said to Nathanael: “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit,” Jesus may have been joking that Nathanael was the perhaps the only completely truthful Israelite.

  Jesus may have also been making a statement about judging a person based on his heritage….Perhaps negatively judging someone just because they are from Nazareth is just as bad as assuming all Israelites are liars. 

          Either way, Nathanael and Philip became followers of Jesus even though Jesus grew up in Nazareth.

          This weekend is the weekend American’s remember the life of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Doctor King came to national prominence as someone who worked to end discrimination against Americans of African descent.  Just as Nathanael made negative assumptions about Jesus because of his origins in Nazareth, many Americans have been unfairly misjudged and treated because of their skin color or ethnic background.

          And, just like Nathanael could have missed the opportunity to become a follower of Jesus, many people miss out when we dismiss people who look differently than we do.  When you make assumptions about whole groups of people because of their town of origin or because of their ethnic origin, you lose out.

          Christians are called to be both accepting and loving.  We can’t judge a book by its cover.  We can’t make assumptions about Jesus’ worthiness just because he was from a small, backwoods town. We can’t make assumptions about other people because of the color of their skin, or their ethnic background, or their country of origin, or their religious beliefs, or their sexual orientation, or the political party they voted for in the last election.  Instead of being like Nathanael, of being “haters” who assume the worst about others, we need to work to assume the best about others. 

One of the ways we assume the best is by working to appreciate other people as the unique, talented people they are.  We are all different.  We are all blessed with different abilities and gifts.  We are all able to teach other people something new.  We are all able to share stories of our lives that will enrich other people’s lives.

Nathanael had to get over his prejudice about people from Nazareth so he could follow Jesus.  He was only willing to go and meet Jesus because Philip insisted it was worth it for him to do so.  Sometimes, we need to listen to friends or fellow Christians to get over stumbling blocks.  When we make incorrect assumptions about other people, perhaps it takes a persuasive family member or church friend to convince us to reconsider our views.  Oftentimes, our children teach us – I have heard stories of families who only let go of their prejudice because their kids brought home their gay friend or their Muslim friend or their black friend.  And, then, when the families got to know the friend better, they realized it was unfair to lump all of those kinds of “others” together in a biased way. 

When Philip convinced Nathanael to meet Jesus, Nathanael not only became a follower of Jesus, he also deepened his relationship with God.  He learned that even though he was one of those “better” kinds of people, he had a lot more to learn in order to practice his faith.  He had a lot more to do in order to deepen his relationship with God.

We need to be open to listening to the nudging of God.  Perhaps that nudging comes to us through the words of a friend or a family member.  Perhaps that nudging is coming from within, nagging at us that we need to do something different in our practice of our faith.  Perhaps that nudging will come to us as a message in a dream or in a conversation we over-hear at the grocery store.  God works to connect with us however God can, sometimes in the least expected ways. 

          And, sometimes God connects to us through the people we least expect…people from Nazareth…people who don’t look like us…people who we make “hateful” assumptions about.

          Let us work to listen to God and to open our hearts in love to all people.

          May it be so.  Amen.