Message to the Trinity Family for October 29, 2021 -- Election Day, Turkey Dinner, Veteran's Service

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

I pray that everyone in our extended church family is doing well.  We have a lot of things happening in-person and on-line at Trinity.  I hope you will be a part of our upcoming activities and worship opportunities!

You no longer need to RSVP for our in-person worship service on Sunday morning at 10:15. Please join us! 

TRINITY TURKEY DINNER

Our annual turkey dinner is Saturday November 6.  We need your help! We will need volunteers for food preparation and room set-up on Wednesday and Friday.  On Saturday, we need volunteers to come in shifts to help prepare food, serve food, take orders, deliver food to cars, and wash dishes.  Please let me know when you are available to help.

This year, our dinner is drive-through only.  Each meal includes turkey, potato filling, pepper cabbage, lemon carrots, corn, cranberry sauce, apple sauce, a roll, and pumpkin pie.  Each dinner is $17, a bargain for the amount of food you receive! Please call the church office for reservations.  If you would like to pre-order and pay online, please visit: https://www.simpletix.com/e/drive-through-homemade-turkey-dinner-ticke-tickets-79422

ALL SAINTS SUNDAY

On October 31, we will lift up the names of members and friends of Trinity who have died in the past year. If you would like us to say your loved one’s name, please tell Pastor Amelie. 

ELECTION DAY – COFFEE, COOKIES AND PRAYERS!

November 2 is an election day and voting will take place in our church’s education building. We will have coffee, cookies and prayers available for our neighbors in front of our sanctuary building.  We need your help with baking cookies for our neighbors. If you have an hour or two to spare on November 2, please join us at church. We will set up around 8 am.

VETERANS SERVICE

On Sunday, November 7, we will honor our Veterans at the cross in our cemetery at 2 pm. Everyone is welcome to join us.  Please invite Veterans and friends who care about Veterans. Afterwards, we will gather for cookies and coffee under the porch of our Education Building. Donations of cookies are appreciated.

GIFT CARDS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS

The Daily Bread Community Food Pantry is working to support the families whose homes were damaged in the flooding caused by Hurricane Ida. Many people have been left homeless as a result of the devastating floods that ravaged our area several weeks ago. In an effort to help those that have been affected, the Daily Bread is collecting $25 gift cards for Target, Walmart and local restaurants.  They are asking that we write notes of encouragement to go with the gift cards. Please do not seal them. The gift cards can be dropped off at the church or placed in the offering plate.

Thank you for your generosity!

GIFT BAGS FOR SENIORS!

For over ten years our congregation has provided a Christmas gift for each of the seniors that rely on the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry. Once again this year we would like to provide a gift bag filled with toiletries, snacks and some kind of entertainment for each senior. Our gift bags have been very popular with the seniors, and they always look forward to getting them.

To keep every bag the same, the committee will purchase the items for the bags. If you would like to contribute a monetary donation, you can either mail a check made payable to Trinity Christian UCC to PO Box 538, Skippack, PA 19474, or you can drop off a check or cash to the church office. Please indicate in the check memo, “senior gifts.”

 

The children of our congregation will help decorate the gift bags during Sunday School. If any adults wish to participate in decorating them, please contact Nancy Gallagher.

Our other long time tradition is baking homemade cookies for the seniors. We need at least a dozen cookies for each of the 110 seniors. If you are able to bake, please contact our church secretary, Deb Clewell, and let her know. We will need the cookies bagged by flavor, three to four cookies to a bag, depending on the size in a zip lock bag. We need all cookies no later than Sunday, November 28^th at noon.

We will be packing the gift bags and cookie tins on Monday, November 29^th at 2 PM. If you are interested in helping, please contact Nancy Gallagher at (610)584-1468.

This is an important and worthwhile outreach to our neighbors in need. For many of them, this gift bag and cookies will be their only Christmas gifts. Thank you again for your generous support!

HOAGIE SALE

On November 20, we will have a hoagie sale.  Please mark your calendars and plan on hoagies for lunch. 

CONGREGATIONAL BUSINESS MEETING & GREENING OF THE CHURCH

Our annual business meeting when we approve our 2022 budget will be on Sunday, November 21 immediately following the 10:15 worship service.  After the meeting is over, we will decorate the church for Advent and Christmas.  We need everyone’s help and our plan is to be done with both the meeting and decorating by 12:30 pm.

REOPENING COMMITTEE

We are now singing hymns in worship!! And, we are not taking temperatures.

The decision was made to continue to wear masks during our in-person services, until the children have the opportunity to be vaccinated.. We are still socially distancing and having sanitizer available. Thank you to everyone for their concern and diligence during this time.

Hopefully it won’t be much longer before all restrictions are lifted and everyone is vaccinated.

LUNCH BUNCH MEETS WEEKLY!

Lunch Bunch is our Tuesday afternoon Bible Study.  Everyone is invited to join us on Tuesdays at 12 pm.  Please bring your own lunch. (In the past, we had a potluck lunch, but for now each person will bring their own food.)  Lunch Bunch typically studies the portion of the Bible that will be the focus of our worship service on the upcoming Sunday. 

NEED TECH-Y VOLUNTEERS

We are looking for volunteers who are willing to learn how to live-stream the worship services.  If you are willing, please let Bill Vogl or Pastor Amelie know and we will show you how to do it.  There are a few steps involved, but most computer users will be able to easily learn the process.

GIVING TO TRINITY

Although things are not fully back to normal, Trinity’s expenses have continued throughout the pandemic.  We know that everyone’s work-life has been disrupted during this time and we don’t expect everyone to be able to contribute to the church in the amount you were able to contribute in the past.  If you have the means to contribute to the church, you may drop off your offerings during the Sunday Morning service, at the church office, or you may mail it to our address: Trinity Christian UCC; 2009 Church Road, PO Box 538, Skippack, PA 19474

DON’T GIVE UP MOVEMENT

Our Outreach committee is inviting everyone in our congregation to join us in sharing messages from the “Don’t Give Up” movement.  This outreach was started to encourage people who are considering suicide to not give up.  We have yard signs, postcards, stickers, and business cards with messages that say things like “You are Enough” and “Your Mistakes Don’t Define You.” These messages are especially important right now as many people are struggling with their mental and emotional health after the many months of our pandemic.  Please pick up yard signs at church and other signs to promote this message of love for our neighbors.  Here is more about the movement:  https://www.dontgiveupsigns.com/

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:

Juice & juice boxes –shelf stable, Cereal for kids, Chips, Creamed cooking soups, Diced tomatoes, Canned peas, Men’s & Women’s razors*, Men’s & Women’s shaving cream*, Laundry soap*, Men’s & Women’s deodorant*

And any other items you wish to donate would be greatly appreciated. Please, no adult diapers!

            *These items can’t be purchased with SNAP (food stamps).

WORSHIP SERVICES

We now have in-person worship services in our sanctuary.  We are still checking temperatures, maintain social distance guidelines and wearing masks.

We are no longer offering a ZOOM worship service.

On Sunday mornings, you are also invited to join us on Facebook:

Join us for our Sunday morning hymn sing at 9:45 am live-streamed from the Trinity Christian UCC Skippack facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

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

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

We have a Sunday morning Bible Study on ZOOM at 8:30 am.  This is a new meeting time. 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

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

 

 

 

 

With Restoration -- A Message for October 24, 2021

 

Scripture Reading Mark 10:46-52

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 

Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

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

Prayer for Understanding

O God, as we hear your Word read and interpreted today, open our eyes to the way you set before us. Let your Word, heard in faith, make us well, so that we are able to follow your Son, our Savior and Friend. Amen.              

            A few months ago, on opening night we went to see “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” the latest Marvel superhero movie.  We went to the Grand Theater in East Greenville, an old, restored Vaudeville theater that has $5 entry tickets and inexpensive popcorn – my kind of place.  And, on that night, it was apparently the kind of place that attracted a rowdy crowd of teenagers who sat in the back two rows of the theater, immediately behind us. 

            The teenagers did not follow the rules of politeness that govern movie theater behavior. They failed to silence their phones. And, they failed to silence their joking, loud talking. The owner of the theater approached them and asked them to be quiet. They received glares from the moms and dads sitting around them with younger kids. Eventually, after a complaint or two, the owner of the theater stopped the film and made the loud teenagers leave the theater. He then apologized to the rest of the crowd and restarted the film.

            Most of us follow the rules. If we are told to quiet down, we quiet down. We stay quiet in theaters. We stay quiet in church. We stay quiet during yoga class or school classes. When we are told to stay quiet, we stay quiet.

            Not so for Blind Bartimaeus.  Jesus, his disciples, and a large crowd walked out of Jericho and encountered Bartimaeus sitting on the roadside, begging.  Bartimaeus’s blindness prevented him from working, and he relied on the generosity of others for his support. When he heard Jesus was passing by, Bartimaeus began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

            And, apparently, “Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but Bartimaeus shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!””

            Bartimaeus was not a rule followers – he didn’t sit down and quiet up. He didn’t care that he was being impolite. He didn’t care that he was annoying everyone on the road. He did not care about following the rules.

            Jesus told the others to allow Bartimaeus to approach him. So, Bartimaeus “jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.” He threw his cloak aside. He didn’t care about the coins that scattered down the road or the lunch he had tucked in the corner was flung to the ground. Bartimaeus wanted to be near Jesus. He wanted to ask Jesus to help him see.

            And, Jesus did.  He told Bartimaeus that his faith healed him. Bartimaeus was no longer blind. After he could see, Bartimaeus followed Jesus along down the road.  He left Jericho. He left everything behind.  Although we don’t know what happened to Bartimaeus after this event, we know his name.  He wasn’t an anonymous blind man healed by Jesus.  Because we know his name, Biblical scholars assume Bartimaeus was a leader in the early church and was known to the first Christians.

            When I go to the movies and the kids sitting behind me are loud, I find it annoying. I am a rule follower and expect other people to follow the rules too. But, Bartimaeus didn’t follow the rules and he was blessed in return. This story reminds us that sometimes, we must break the rules in order to faithfully follow Jesus. Sometimes we need to break the rules in order to help other people. Sometimes we need to break the rules in order to obtain our deepest desire.

            In the days of the early Christian church, Christians were persecuted. Christians broke the law for following Jesus.  Christians like Paul and countless martyrs were arrested and executed for practicing our faith. They broke the “rules” but were ultimately blessed for doing so. They continue to be held up as role-models for us as people who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their faith in God.

            Before the Civil War in our country, many Christians chose to break the law and break the rules as volunteers along the Underground Railroad. They chose to practice their faith by sheltering and transporting formerly enslaved people so they could reach freedom. They understood that sometimes the rule of the land is wrong, and that our shared Christian faith compelled them to serve God by breaking the rules and breaking the law.

            I am currently the chairperson of the UCC Pennsylvania Southeast and Northeast Conferences’ Ecumenical Relations Committee.  We have partner churches in Guatemala, Cuba, Germany and India. Sadly, the elected government of India is currently promoting “Hindu nationalism.” Religious minority groups, including India’s Christians, are becoming more and more at risk for practicing our faith.  In the last few months, our Christian brothers and sisters have reported incidents when Christian churches and Bible Study groups have been attacked by mobs of people.  Authorities have told Christians not to distribute Bibles or openly proselyte because they may be attacked by groups who are angry that believers are converting to Christianity. Christians in India are scared that they will be attacked or harmed for their faith. Although being a Christian is not illegal, yet, converting people to Christianity is illegal in some Indian states. Christians in India are preparing to break the rules in order to follow Jesus.

            Bartimaeus wanted to see. He wanted to see and knew Jesus could heal him. Bartimaeus wasn’t afraid to be loud and annoying and unconventional to get Jesus’ attention. He didn’t care that he was breaking the rules, because what he asked Jesus for was more important to him than following the rules.

            We may also be asked to do unconventional and brave things for Jesus. We may be asked to break the etiquette of polite society or the laws of our country to follow Jesus. And, when we are put to the test, I pray we will be brave and do whatever we need to do to follow Jesus. May we do so in love. Amen. 

Message to the Trinity Family for October 22, 2021 -- Halloween Parade, Election Day, Turkey Dinner, Veterans Service!

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

I pray that everyone in our extended church family is doing well.  We have a lot of things happening in-person and on-line at Trinity.  I hope you will be a part of our upcoming activities and worship opportunities!

You no longer need to RSVP for our in-person worship service on Sunday morning at 10:15. Please join us! 

SKIPPACK HALLOWEEN PARADE – Tomorrow!!

We need your volunteer help to welcome our community to our annual Halloween parade!

Trinity is blessed to once again co-host the annual parade. This is an opportunity for us to be hospitable to hundreds of our neighbors.  We need volunteers to help pass out snacks, give information about the parade, help our guests line up before the parade begins, and possibly help lead the parade and make sure our route is clear. 

The parade is TOMOTOW, October 23.  We need volunteers to arrive after 9 am. The parade starts at 10 am.  After we parade down the sidewalks of Skippack Pike, the parade ends when we arrive at Floral and Hardy.

TRINITY TURKEY DINNER

Our annual turkey dinner is Saturday November 6.  We need your help! We will need volunteers for food preparation and room set-up on Wednesday and Friday.  On Saturday, we need volunteers to come in shifts to help prepare food, serve food, take orders, deliver food to cars, and wash dishes.  Please let me know when you are available to help.

This year, our dinner is drive-through only.  Each meal includes turkey, potato filling, pepper cabbage, lemon carrots, corn, cranberry sauce, apple sauce, a roll, and pumpkin pie.  Each dinner is $17, a bargain for the amount of food you receive! Please call the church office for reservations.  If you would like to pre-order and pay online, please visit: https://www.simpletix.com/e/drive-through-homemade-turkey-dinner-ticke-tickets-79422

ALL SAINTS SUNDAY

On October 31, we will lift up the names of members and friends of Trinity who have died in the past year. If you would like us to say your loved one’s name, please tell Pastor Amelie. 

ELECTION DAY – COFFEE, COOKIES AND PRAYERS!

November 2 is an election day and voting will take place in our church’s education building. We will have coffee, cookies and prayers available for our neighbors in front of our sanctuary building.  We need your help with baking cookies for our neighbors. If you have an hour or two to spare on November 2, please join us at church. We will set up around 8 am.

VETERANS SERVICE

On Sunday, November 7, we will honor our Veterans at the cross in our cemetery at 2 pm. Everyone is welcome to join us.  Please invite Veterans and friends who care about Veterans. Afterwards, we will gather for cookies and coffee under the porch of our Education Building. Donations of cookies are appreciated.

GIFT CARDS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS

The Daily Bread Community Food Pantry is working to support the families whose homes were damaged in the flooding caused by Hurricane Ida. Many people have been left homeless as a result of the devastating floods that ravaged our area several weeks ago. In an effort to help those that have been affected, the Daily Bread is collecting $25 gift cards for Target, Walmart and local restaurants.  They are asking that we write notes of encouragement to go with the gift cards. Please do not seal them. The gift cards can be dropped off at the church or placed in the offering plate.

Thank you for your generosity!

GIFT BAGS FOR SENIORS!

For over ten years our congregation has provided a Christmas gift for each of the seniors that rely on the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry. Once again this year we would like to provide a gift bag filled with toiletries, snacks and some kind of entertainment for each senior. Our gift bags have been very popular with the seniors, and they always look forward to getting them.

To keep every bag the same, the committee will purchase the items for the bags. If you would like to contribute a monetary donation, you can either mail a check made payable to Trinity Christian UCC to PO Box 538, Skippack, PA 19474, or you can drop off a check or cash to the church office. Please indicate in the check memo, “senior gifts.”

The children of our congregation will help decorate the gift bags during Sunday School. If any adults wish to participate in decorating them, please contact Nancy Gallagher.

Our other long time tradition is baking homemade cookies for the seniors. We need at least a dozen cookies for each of the 110 seniors. If you are able to bake, please contact our church secretary, Deb Clewell, and let her know. We will need the cookies bagged by flavor, three to four cookies to a bag, depending on the size in a zip lock bag. We need all cookies no later than Sunday, November 28^th at noon.

We will be packing the gift bags and cookie tins on Monday, November 29^th at 2 PM. If you are interested in helping, please contact Nancy Gallagher at (610)584-1468.

This is an important and worthwhile outreach to our neighbors in need. For many of them, this gift bag and cookies will be their only Christmas gifts. Thank you again for your generous support!

HOAGIE SALE

On November 20, we will have a hoagie sale.  Please mark your calendars and plan on hoagies for lunch.

CONGREGATIONAL BUSINESS MEETING & GREENING OF THE CHURCH

Our annual business meeting when we approve our 2022 budget will be on Sunday, November 21 immediately following the 10:15 worship service.  After the meeting is over, we will decorate the church for Advent and Christmas.  We need everyone’s help and our plan is to be done with both the meeting and decorating by 12:30 pm.

REOPENING COMMITTEE

We are now singing hymns in worship!! And, we are not taking temperatures.

The decision was made to continue to wear masks during our in-person services, until the children have the opportunity to be vaccinated.. We are still socially distancing and having sanitizer available. Thank you to everyone for their concern and diligence during this time.

Hopefully it won’t be much longer before all restrictions are lifted and everyone is vaccinated.

LUNCH BUNCH MEETS WEEKLY!

Lunch Bunch is our Tuesday afternoon Bible Study.  Everyone is invited to join us on Tuesdays at 12 pm.  Please bring your own lunch. (In the past, we had a potluck lunch, but for now each person will bring their own food.)  Lunch Bunch typically studies the portion of the Bible that will be the focus of our worship service on the upcoming Sunday. 

NEED TECH-Y VOLUNTEERS

We are looking for volunteers who are willing to learn how to live-stream the worship services.  If you are willing, please let Bill Vogl or Pastor Amelie know and we will show you how to do it.  There are a few steps involved, but most computer users will be able to easily learn the process.

GIVING TO TRINITY

Although things are not fully back to normal, Trinity’s expenses have continued throughout the pandemic.  We know that everyone’s work-life has been disrupted during this time and we don’t expect everyone to be able to contribute to the church in the amount you were able to contribute in the past.  If you have the means to contribute to the church, you may drop off your offerings during the Sunday Morning service, at the church office, or you may mail it to our address: Trinity Christian UCC; 2009 Church Road, PO Box 538, Skippack, PA 19474

DON’T GIVE UP MOVEMENT

Our Outreach committee is inviting everyone in our congregation to join us in sharing messages from the “Don’t Give Up” movement.  This outreach was started to encourage people who are considering suicide to not give up.  We have yard signs, postcards, stickers, and business cards with messages that say things like “You are Enough” and “Your Mistakes Don’t Define You.” These messages are especially important right now as many people are struggling with their mental and emotional health after the many months of our pandemic.  Please pick up yard signs at church and other signs to promote this message of love for our neighbors.  Here is more about the movement:  https://www.dontgiveupsigns.com/

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:

Juice & juice boxes –shelf stable, Cereal for kids, Chips, Creamed cooking soups, Diced tomatoes, Canned peas, Men’s & Women’s razors*, Men’s & Women’s shaving cream*, Laundry soap*, Men’s & Women’s deodorant*

And any other items you wish to donate would be greatly appreciated. Please, no adult diapers!

            *These items can’t be purchased with SNAP (food stamps).

WORSHIP SERVICES

We now have in-person worship services in our sanctuary.  We are still checking temperatures, maintain social distance guidelines and wearing masks.

We are no longer offering a ZOOM worship service.

On Sunday mornings, you are also invited to join us on Facebook:

Join us for our Sunday morning hymn sing at 9:45 am live-streamed from the Trinity Christian UCC Skippack facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

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

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

We have a Sunday morning Bible Study on ZOOM at 8:30 am.  This is a new meeting time. 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

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

 ** Our artwork is a mosaic found at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington DC.  It depicts Jesus healing Blind Bartimaeus and was created by Marko Ivan Rupnik. **

 

 

 

Great Service -- A Message for October 17, 2021

 

Mark 10: 35-45

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

“We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 

but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 

and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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

Prayer for Understanding

Holy One, you are the Source of Wisdom for the ages. Prepare us to learn from your Word. Send the Holy Spirit to open our minds and hearts to the scriptures that we may grow wiser as we listen, and serve you more willingly as we live. Amen.

Message                               Great Service                

          In the years that have passed since I was in elementary school, things have changed. Now, many classes have a rotating “job chart.” Each day, a different child gets to pass out the papers, sharpen the pencils, empty the trash cans, and refill the teacher’s water bottle. When I was a kid, each time something was needed, every kid would raise their hands and wave them energetically hoping to be picked to do the job. This was especially the deal when the teachers called on kids to be the “line leader.” Every kid in the classroom vied to be in the front of the line.  We all wanted to be in the lead.

          Likewise, the disciples functioned as an eager group surrounding their leader, Jesus. They each wanted special attention from Jesus like 1^st graders want special attention from their classroom teachers. In our reading from the Gospel of Mark, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, asked Jesus to grant them a special favor. They wanted Jesus to make them his seconds in command – they wanted to rule alongside Jesus when he ruled in glory.

          Old Testament believers in God imagined God ruling over the earth like a mighty king, seated on a royal throne. James and John wanted to be seated alongside Jesus – as the long-awaited messiah, they imagined Jesus would rule the earth a literal throne. Their goal was to be elevated along-side him, and to rule with him over the earth.

          So often, we wish for things to happen for us in the future without understanding the consequences of those wishes.  In our Prayer Course, the pastor who speaks in our videos says that if all our prayers were granted, he would be married to one of the Spice Girls. When we pray, we sometimes ask God to fulfill things that are unhelpful for us or unrealistic for us. I am glad some of my prayers haven’t been answered….I am glad God never granted me a pet pony; a house full of Cabbage Patch dolls; or a marriage to Johnny Depp. Sometimes, we don’t understand what we are asking for.

          In the conversation we reflect on in our reading this morning, James and John did not understand what they were asking for.  They imagined Jesus would become the kind of King who would rule from a throne in a palace. Instead, Jesus showed us by his sacrificial example how to truly serve others and serve the world. Jesus was the greatest gift to the world, and he died for us.  Jesus died a horrible death – and then rose again – to teach us that nothing, not even death, will separate us from the love of God. Jesus’ death teaches us about forgiveness – Jesus forgave the people who killed him, Jesus forgave the people who misunderstood him, God forgives us when we sin. Jesus’ death teaches us about love – as it says in John 15, “Greater love has no one that this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus taught that to be leaders, we have to be servants. Jesus taught that true love is sacrificial, not greedy. True love is not our glory; it is about God’s glory.

          St. Paul summed up the love of Jesus and the love we are commanded to fulfill  in his letter to 1^st Corinthians.  Paul wrote:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Jesus wanted his followers to be do-ers of his work and to fulfill his teachings. He wanted us to become servant leaders, who treat others with patient, humble, love. He preached:

“…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”

Jesus asked James and John if they would be able to do what he was going to do – could they suffer like Jesus would suffer – could they die like Jesus would die. At the time of these conversation, James and John did not understand what they were agreeing to do. They didn’t know Jesus would die a horrible death on the cross.  They did not know that eventually, many of Jesus Disciples would die for their faith. They did not understand that many future Christians would suffer and die because of their faith in Jesus and faith in God.

          We know that living as Christians will not guarantee easy lives for us too.  We will still experience difficult times. We may suffer. We may be asked to do uncomfortable and brave things because of our faith in Jesus.  But, we know that it is worth it for us, the hard times and the joyous times are worth it.  Because of our faith in God and our faith in Jesus, we experience the love of God through the Holy Spirits’ presence in our lives. We are cherished as God’s beloved children. We are forgiven and loved when we fall short and mess up. We are the recipients of Jesus pure, sacrificial love.

          James and John did not know what they were asking for….in order to serve alongside Jesus, in order to become a leader like him, they would also suffer for their faith. But, it was worth it for them and it is worth it for us, because God’s perfect love is shared with us. Like the Disciples, we are called to become do-ers of Jesus’s work and to share Jesus’ patient, kind, modest loves with everyone we meet.  May we do so. Amen. 

What Must I Do? -- A Message for October 10, 2021

 

Scripture Reading                        Mark 10:17-31

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 

You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 

will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

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

Message                                         What Must I Do?  

            This morning, we return to the story of the rich young many who wanted to know what he needed to do to obtain eternal life.  This may be the $64,000 Question – we are afraid to die and just be dead. We want to live forever. We want to be reunited with our loved ones. We want eternal life.

            So, the man’s question was not an unusual question to ask a prophet or a spiritual guru.  Jesus seemed to have answers about theological questions, so the young man asked Jesus: “How do I obtain eternal life?”

            Jesus asked if the man in turn if he followed the Commandments. Apparently, he faithfully followed them and did not break any of God’s rules. 

            Jesus asked the wealthy man to give up the most precious thing he had: his wealth. And, the man couldn’t do it. The man could not give up his riches. He could not give up his lifestyle. He couldn’t give it all up to follow God.

            Despite the centuries that have passed between this conversation and our day and age, we also let things get in the way between us and God. Sometimes, we allow literal “things” to get in the way – like the young wealthy man, we have a problem with letting go of our riches or accumulated objects too. And, sometimes we let other things get in the way of our relationship with God….we love other people more than we love God, we idolize celebrities and athletes, we focus all of our attention on our professional work or our hobbies, we have trouble letting go of grievances we have with other people or with God….we have tons of things that distract us from our faith in God.

            We want to be happy. We want to be good. We want to be loved and respected and cherished. But, sometimes we look for ways to reach those desires in unhelpful or unhealthy places. Jesus wanted us to not let anything separate us from God….not our stuff….not earning money….not our relationships with other people….not our jobs or our hobbies or our teams.

            We live in a world where we are constantly fed information from the media --advertisers, marketers, Instagram influencers, Facebook algorithms – we are fed information that tells us that “they” have the secret to happiness.  If we just drink kombucha or wear L’Oréal mascara or do 100 burpees a day we will become happy. If we just find the right boyfriend on Match.com we will become happy.  If we just wear Lularoe leggings or bank with Key bank or buy the latest iphone, we will be happy.

We know this is not true.  All the money in the world will not buy us happiness.  All the stuff in the world will not buy us happiness.  We know movie stars and celebrity billionaires have broken marriages and kids with addictions and become sick with cancer. Having money does not protect us from unfortunate things happening to us.   Having money and the ability to buy all of the stuff of our dreams does not buy us happiness.

Instead, our true comfort is our relationship with God.  While perhaps becoming a Christian will not lead to eternal happiness, our relationship with God supports us through every trial we experience. As it sagely says in the Heidelberg Catechism, a foundational document of our religious tradition:

“Our only comfort in life and death is that I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. Jesus watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to life for him.”

God loves us so much that hair cannot fall from our head without God noticing. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. 

            Throughout history, God has reached out to us, God’s people. God created this beautiful earth where we dwell. God empowered prophets to teach us about how to have a relationship with God. God sent Jesus, God’s’ word made flesh, to dwell among us and teach us about God’s love and grace. God reaches out to us through the words of the Bible, through the words of enlightened and spiritual people, through the messages God sends us in our prayer times and in our dreams; and through the physical presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  God reaches out to us and welcomes us to be in relationship with God.

            Jesus’ words to the rich young man are a reminder to us that we must respond to God’s overtures. Nothing we do should put a barrier up between us and God. Nothing we have should put a barrier up between us and God. Our faith calls us to be open to God and to cast aside all that we put in the way of that relationship.

            May it be so. Amen.