Sign of Things to Come -- A Message for November 28, 2021

 

Scripture Reading      Jeremiah 33:14-16

 “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

“‘In those days and at that time
    I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line;
    he will do what is just and right in the land.
In those days Judah will be saved
    and Jerusalem will live in safety.
This is the name by which it will be called:
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’

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

Prayer for Understanding

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be always acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. Amen

          When I lived at my last house, the side of our yard was covered in trees.  In the 1960s, before the house was built, our neighborhood was a family farm and the land was kept clear of trees. But, when the houses went in, the neighbors all let the trees grow up between the yards.  We could only see our Western neighbor’s houses in the dead of winter.  Otherwise, the view looked onto a forest, albeit a very slender forest.

Every once in a while, members of the church’s property committee would decide they needed to remove trees – they were dying – they were too big – they were too close to the house or the shed.   So, the guys and gals would come over and have a tree cutting party.  But, the volunteers were amateurs and didn’t have stump removal equipment.  The trees would come down, but the stumps would remain. 

          Often, the stumps looked dead. Eerie and dead. But, given a little time, something magical would happen. The dead stump would start t0 sprout.  Trees that seemed totally dead before they were cut down still had life left in them.  New growth would appear.  And, if given the right nurture and time, those stumps could grow into new trees.

          When Jeremiah wrote and spoke his prophesies to the people of Israel, or to the former people of Israel, they felt like a dead tree stump. They were living in exile as strangers in a strange land. Their cities and communities were destroyed by the Babylonians and they were transplanted against their will to Babylon.  In Babylon, educated and formerly grand people were forced to live as slaves and wait on others.  They were heartbroken.

          But, things weren’t over yet. And, with God things are never over even when you feel defeated. God is with us to support us and care for us no matter what.

          Jeremiah’s words to the exiled Jewish people were that God will fulfill the promises God made to the people of Israel and Judah.  Out of a tree stump, a severed tree, God was going to send out a sprout.  Even though the royal line of David seemed like it had been ended by the Babylonians, a baby descended from the family of David was going to be born – we know that baby was Jesus.  And, Jesus was going to restore God’s covenant promises to the people of Israel and extend God’s reach to all of the people of the world.  Everyone on earth is now welcomed to follow Jesus and believe in God.  Everyone on earth is now God’s beloved child.

          This prophesy that Jesus was coming to the land of Israel – that the messiah was coming – was repeated to the Jewish people by many prophets. The hope of the coming messiah guided the Jewish people as they lived in exile and when they returned. The hope of the coming messiah guided and sustained the Jewish people as they lived under the rule of foreign governments like the Greeks and the Romans. The hope of the coming Messiah reminded Jewish people that God would never forget them or forsake them.

          And, although we live in a post-resurrection world, the knowledge that we are the children of God and the followers of Jesus the Christ continues to give us hope. Today we light the candle of hope to remind us that God fulfills God’s promises.  The people of Israel hoped for their Messiah, and God answered their hopes and prayers by sending Jesus to earth. God hears our hopes and prayers and promises our world will be transformed.  God’s peace is coming. God forgives us and will guide us to make our world a reflection of the kingdom of God, of heaven here.

          Today, we remember that sometimes we feel crushed. Sometimes we feel like a dead stump, like nothing is going to go our way, like we will never recover. Sometimes, we feel our grief is so great it will never go away. Sometimes, we feel overwhelmed by depression and paralyzed by anxiety. Sometimes, we feel like the exiles in Babylon, that our lives will never be restored, that we will not recover what we have lost.

          When we feel this despair, we must remember that out of a dead stump, a shoot will grow. In the middle of our struggles, God’s Holy Spirit is there. In the times of our lives we feel most alone, God is with us. And, our hope rests in the Lord. Jesus is the light of the world.  The light can shine into the darkest corners of our lives, into the darkest corners of our souls. God will never leave us or forsake us. God forgives us no matter how we fail. And, God guides us out of our struggles and out of the darkness into the light.  God restores us and our hopes rest in God. 

          Let us not forgive that our hope is in the Lord. As the Prophet Zephaniah proclaimed:

The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
God  will take great delight in you;
    in God’s love God  will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

On this, the Sunday of Hope, we remember that our God fulfills God’s promises. God is with us, and our hope rests in God.

            Thanks be to God. Amen

Message to the Trinity Community for November 26, 2021

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! 

YOUR COOKIE DONATIONS ARE NEEDED!

Each year, Trinity packs 110 bags filled with Christmas gifts for the seniors who use the services of the Daily Bread Community Food pantry. When these bags are shared, they are accompanied by homemade cookies. We need your cookie donations! After your cookies are baked, please place them in bags by flavor, three to four cookies to a bag, depending on the size of the zip lock. We need all cookies no later than Sunday, November 28^th, at noon.

If you are able to come help pack the gift bags and cookie tins, we will gather on Monday, November 29^th at 2 PM. 

ADVENT TUESDAY STUDY—LIFE SHARED

Last winter, we Tuesday evenings became our set aside time for adults in our community to explore our faith together. On December 7, 14, and 21, we will gather together for a 7 pm conversation on Zoom. Our topic is called “Life Shared” and consists of three sessions to encourage and equip Christians to share our faith with others. Often, we are shy about talking to others about our faith. This brief class helps us to have simple tools to talk about our faith with others. Please let Pastor Amelie know if you would like to join our group.

WINTER COLLECTION DRIVE

Trinity is a collection site for local effort to collect winter items for local community members. The collection bin is on the porch of the Education building. Requested items are gift cards to local supermarkets, cleaning supplies, new socks and undergarments, laundry soap, diapers, personal care items, coats, hats, gloves, blankets, and books for children and babies.  The items will be distributed to local Montgomery agencies including the Daily Bread Food Pantry. The collection will be ongoing until December 16.

CHRISTMAS ANGEL TREE

Trinity’s Angel Tree is in the church narthex. On the tree are tags with gift requests for children whose family uses the services of the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry. The gifts are for children of all ages and include a variety of options. If you are interested in purchasing a gift, please take the tag and then place the unwrapped gift under the tree by December 19.  Please keep In mind that the parents are only able to pick three gifts for each child, so it is better to buy one large gift rather than a lot of small gifts. The Food Pantry does not need any more Barbie dolls. The Human Services Committee thanks you for your continued support.    

WINTER TUESDAY STUDY—GOD-AT-WORK

Christians in the 21^st century are often in settings where we are in the minority. Our co-workers, friends, and family members are not always people who prioritize their faith. Starting on Tuesdays in January, we will begin a 12 week course called “God-At-Work: Live Each Day with Purpose.” The course combines videos with discussion. The video host is Ken Costa, a Christian who works in the banking industry. The course focuses on learning to integrate your faith and work and becoming an agent of the kingdom of God in your workplace. The teachings of this course are helpful for people who are retired and who don’t have traditional occupations in addition to 9 to 5 workers. The course will begin meeting over Zoom on January 4 and will continue to March 22. Please let Pastor Amelie know if you would like to join our course.

BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE

We will gather for our Blue Christmas Service on the 17th of December at 6 pm. This is a service for those who are struggling with the Christmas season--those who are grieving, those who are sad, those who are lonely. We will gather to pray, to mourn, and to battle the forces of darkness.

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP

This year, Christmas Eve is on a Friday evening. We will gather for only one worship service at 7 pm. The service will be for all-ages and will included a retelling of the Christmas story, Christmas Carols, Holy Communion, and Candle lighting.  Please join us for this special evening and opportunity to welcome the Christ child.

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:

Children’s cereal

Peanut Butter & Jelly

Side Dish Kits (hamburger/tuna helper)

Stuffing

Juice

Chips/Cookies

Muffin Mixes

White rice

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!

REOPENING COMMITTEE

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

We are keeping a list of the names of attendees for contact tracing purposes.

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/

WORSHIP SERVICES

We now have in-person worship services in our sanctuary.  We are 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

 

 

 

 

A Wise Reign -- A Message for Sunday, November 21, 2021

 

Scripture Reading                        John 18:33-37

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

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

Prayer for Understanding

Let us pray: Take my lips, O Lord, and speak through them.

Take our minds and think with them.

Take our hearts and set them on fire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

            Films and literature are full of stories about royal families and kings and queens. We love reading books or watching movies about imaginary princes and their beautiful princesses, like Snow White and Cinderella. We are also intrigued by tales about historical kings and queens – currently, there are popular tv series about the current Queen Elizabeth of the UK and Catherine the Great of Russia.  The American people are also fascinated by living kings and queens and princes…Meghan and Harry are daily fodder for internet and cable news. Queen Elizabeth’s recent health setbacks are extensively covered.  Despite our country’s successful rebellion against the tyranny of a monarchy in 1776, we are still enthralled by royalty.

            Perhaps we would not be so impressed with royalty if we had to live under the rule of a tyrannical king. We also would not be titillated by royalty if we lived in a land seized by a foreign ruler after a defeat in war. Certainly, the people of 1^st century Israel were deeply disturbed by the constraints of living under Roman rule. They believed their land to be the promised land of the Jewish people, set aside by God for Jewish people to live in and rule.  But, for most of the history of Israel, non-Jewish rulers and governments have reigned supreme. The 1^st century Jewish residents of Israel loathed the Roman Empire. The Jewish leaders of Israel, the Temple officials such as the Sanhedrin, had an ambivalent relationship with Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. They only maintained their influence and power if Pilate and other Roman officials allowed them to keep their authority over the common people. But, they also resented that they were not fully in-power over their people.

            Governments in the 1^st century had kings and queens and emperors. A few centuries earlier, Greek City states experimented with republican governments, but those experiments ended when Alexander the Great conquered the world between Greece and India.  The people of Israel dreamed of the Messiah coming to their land, overthrowing the Romans, and then ruling over them as a wise and generous king.  They wanted the Messiah to be both a fierce and powerful military leader and a gracious ruler.

            If you consider the personalities of kings in history, we can understand the people wanting an alternative to what they had. We all crave leaders who are strategic, wise, generous, and kind.   Many historical kings and queens operated more as tyrants than as good and generous leaders.  We would rather live under presidents like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln than we would want to live under dictators like Adolph Hitler or Saddam Hussein.  We want our leaders to be mature, compassionate, considerate and kind.

            Today is Reign of Christ Sunday.  When Jesus talked to Pontius Pilate before his crucifixion, Pilate asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jews.  Pilate needed to interrogate Jesus to find a reason to execute him. If Jesus was a rebel leader working to overthrow the Roman government, Pilate could easily justify sentencing him to execution. But, throughout his ministry, Jesus did not give simple answers to questions. He was not a yes or no, black and white kind of guy.   When Pilate asked Jesus if he was the King of the Jews, Jesus answered with questions: ““Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” Jesus told Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world – he wasn’t going to form an army and rise up against the Romans. He wasn’t going to rule over the people like a human king rules over his subjects.

            Instead, Jesus offers all humans an alternative to worldly rulers. When we become Christians, we turn our lives over to Christ. We vow to follow Jesus’ leadership over and above the leadership of all men or women. Our relationship with Jesus, and our obedience to God, is more important to us than following the secular leaders of our country.  Our relationship with Jesus is more important than honoring the leaders of our nation or any other.

            In the Old Testament book of Daniel, we read the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  The three men lived in the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Apparently, King Nebuchadnezzar had a great golden statue made in his image.  All of his subjects where required to bow down before the statue to demonstrate they were beholden to the King and completely under his authority.  In the retelling of the story, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were faithful Jewish men who followed the 10 Commandments. Therefore, they wouldn’t bow down or worship a graven image and they wouldn’t worship any other gods or people, even their king. The king had the men thrown into a fiery furnace.  But, because of their faithful obedience to God, God saved them from harm and they went on live long lives.

            The faithful men refused to worship or bow down to a secular king or his image. They valued their relationship with God above all earthly rulers. Fortunately, we don’t live in a land ruled by a tyrannical king. But, as faithful Christians, we are called to value our relationship with God above all things in our lives – we are called to value our faith in God above our patriotism, above our nationalism, above our allegiance to our sports teams and our alma maters, above our allegiance to our families and our friends.  If our faith is put to the test, we are called to be obedient to God.

            Jesus is the perfect “king” or ruler of humanity. He is focused on what is best for the people of the world. Jesus calls upon us to rise above our selfish nature and chose to do better. Jesus guides us to live with integrity and to incorporate our faith into our daily lives. Along with Jesus, God watches over us and God’s Holy Spirit guides the minute aspects of our lives. God blesses us and encourages us to be a blessing for others. And, God is loyal to us. No matter what happens to us, no matter how many ways we mess up, God is steadfastly present with us. God’s Holy Spirit accompanies us though every moment of our lives.

            On this Reign of Christ Sunday, we thank God that we are beholden to God.  God will never fail us or leave us. God’s goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives, and we will dwell with God forever. Amen. 

Message to the Trinity Family for November 19, 2021 -- Cookies Needed, Hoagie Sale, Advent Decorating and Congregational Meeting Sunday, New Class!

 

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! 

YOUR COOKIE DONATIONS ARE NEEDED!

Each year, Trinity packs 110 bags filled with Christmas gifts for the seniors who use the services of the Daily Bread Community Food pantry. When these bags are shared, they are accompanied by homemade cookies. We need your cookie donations! After your cookies are baked, please place them in bags by flavor, three to four cookies to a bag, depending on the size of the zip lock. We need all cookies no later than Sunday, November 28^th, at noon.

If you are able to come help pack the gift bags and cookie tins, we will gather on Monday, November 29^th at 2 PM. 

HOAGIE SALE

On November 20, we will have a hoagie sale.  Please mark your calendars and plan on hoagies for lunch.  You may pick up your hoagies between 10 am and 1 pm. We are serving ham and cheese, Italian, or turkey and cheese hoagies.  We will have walk-in sales of hoagies tomorrow!  We are serving Ham & Cheese, Turkey & Cheese, and Italian. 

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.

ADVENT TUESDAY STUDY—LIFE SHARED

Last winter, we Tuesday evenings became our set aside time for adults in our community to explore our faith together. On December 7, 14, and 21, we will gather together for a 7 pm conversation on Zoom. Our topic is called “Life Shared” and consists of three sessions to encourage and equip Christians to share our faith with others. Often, we are shy about talking to others about our faith. This brief class helps us to have simple tools to talk about our faith with others. Please let Pastor Amelie know if you would like to join our group.

WINTER COLLECTION DRIVE

Trinity is a collection site for local effort to collect winter items for local community members. The collection bin is on the porch of the Education building. Requested items are gift cards to local supermarkets, cleaning supplies, new socks and undergarments, laundry soap, diapers, personal care items, coats, hats, gloves, blankets, and books for children and babies.  The items will be distributed to local Montgomery agencies including the Daily Bread Food Pantry. The collection will be ongoing until December 16.

WINTER TUESDAY STUDY—GOD-AT-WORK

Christians in the 21^st century are often in settings where we are in the minority. Our co-workers, friends, and family members are not always people who prioritize their faith. Starting on Tuesdays in January, we will begin a 12 week course called “God-At-Work: Live Each Day with Purpose.” The course combines videos with discussion. The video host is Ken Costa, a Christian who works in the banking industry. The course focuses on learning to integrate your faith and work and becoming an agent of the kingdom of God in your workplace. The teachings of this course are helpful for people who are retired and who don’t have traditional occupations in addition to 9 to 5 workers. The course will begin meeting over Zoom on January 4 and will continue to March 22. Please let Pastor Amelie know if you would like to join our course.

BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE

We will gather for our Blue Christmas Service on the 17th of December at 6 pm. This is a service for those who are struggling with the Christmas season--those who are grieving, those who are sad, those who are lonely. We will gather to pray, to mourn, and to battle the forces of darkness.

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:

Children’s cereal

Peanut Butter & Jelly

Side Dish Kits (hamburger/tuna helper)

Stuffing

Juice

Chips/Cookies

Muffin Mixes

White rice

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!

REOPENING COMMITTEE

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

We are keeping a list of the names of attendees for contact tracing purposes.

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/

WORSHIP SERVICES

We now have in-person worship services in our sanctuary.  We are 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

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I will see you in worship on Sunday!

Many blessings!!

Pastor Amelie

 

 

 

 

Praise the Holy One -- A Message for November 14, 2021

 

Scripture Reading      1 Samuel 1:4-20

There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 

He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

Year after year Elkanah went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 

Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 

But to (his wife) Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 

Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 

This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 

Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. 

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 

And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 

Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 

and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 

Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 

So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

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

Prayer for Understanding

O Lord, teach us your ways and give us the grace to follow them. Give us eyes to see the world as you do. Give us hearts to love others as you do. And give us the wisdom to discern how best to live as followers of Jesus, your Living Word. Amen.

Message                     Praise the Holy One            

          Last Sunday, our 8:30 am Adult Bible Study, our Wired Word group, discussed the problem that many young adults feel the church doesn’t focus on issues that are close to their hears. The young adults aged 13 to 25 surveyed by sociologist Josh Packard felt that their own church community did not care about contemporary social issues they were concerned about. The young people said they didn’t hear the issues they cared about spoken about in their churches – they didn’t hear about them in sermons and they didn’t hear other church members talking about the issues.

          Perhaps one of the reasons ministers shy away from talking about contemporary social issues in our sermons is that many ministers are criticized by their church members or their “former” church members for not having their sermons be “Biblical enough.” Ministers contend with complaint that they are not “preaching from the Bible.”  I haven’t been to a Christian church that doesn’t read scripture from the Bible during worship. But, perhaps, sometimes, the sermons preached by ministers aren’t connected to the Biblical passage in a way that is obvious to the people in the listening audience.

          As I read the story of Hannah praying for a child, I thought about the contemporary social issues present in this story, a story that is probably at least three thousand years old. Hannah struggled with infertility.  There are families sitting in this room and watching over facebook who have struggled with infertility. Hannah was bullied by her sister-wife. We may not have sister-wives, but we have all experienced bullying by family members or people who we care about. Hannah was accused of being drunk by Eli because she was so emotional. I suspect women in this community can relate—sometimes women are criticized for being “too emotional” or my favorite: “too hormonal.” So, despite the cultural setting of Hannah’s story being very different that Skippack 2021, there are many contemporary social issues present in this story.

          We have all lived through long, sad and difficult times. In the story we read from 1^st Samuel, Hannah is living through a long, sad, difficult time. This story takes place almost a hundred years before King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem. Elkanah and other followers of God travelled to shrines to offer prayers and sacrifices to God. Every year, Elkanah, his two wives, and his children made a pilgrimage to Shiloh to spend time worshipping God. When the family was at the shrine, Elkanah gave his family meat for them to offer in sacrifice to God. Elkanah gave a double portion to Hannah because he loved her and he pitied her because she couldn’t have children.

 In the ancient Israeli culture, a woman was valued for the children she was able to birth. Women’s status in the family and community was based on her number of children, particularly her number of sons. When women became widows, their sons were responsible for caring for them. If a women did not have sons, she could be cast out by her family. She was at the mercy of her step-sons who were under no obligation to care for her.

Peninnah was Elkanah’s other wife. Since the scripture says Elkanah “loved” Hannah, we suspect he didn’t quite “love” Peninnah as much. Peninnah punished Hannah by tormenting her.  Peninnah picked on Hannah and was cruel to her because she was barren.  Hannah was troubled – she was probably hard on herself because she couldn’t get pregnant.  Many women who cannot have a baby worry there is something wrong with them or their bodies. And, Hannah had to live with a woman who intentionally tried to shame Hannah with her judgments and words.

While the family was at the Shrine at Shiloh, Hannah went to pray and talk to God by herself. Eli observed Hannah. Eli was the high-priest and was faithful to the Lord. His sons were not. Eventually, God punished Eli’s sons for not behaving the way priests were supposed to behave.

When Eli saw Hannah, who was in anguish, he misinterpreted her behavior. He thought she was drunk. Eli told her to go away.

Hannah defended herself and explained to Eli that she was not drunk, but was instead grieving and praying to God with her whole soul.

Eli offered Hannah a blessing and said he hoped God would grant her request.

Apparently, after Elkanah and Hannah went home, God did grand Hannah her request.  Hannah gave birth to Samuel, which means “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

When Samuel was old enough to be separated from his mother, Hannah took him back to Shiloh and gave him to Eli to be his apprentice.  Since Eli’s sons were not good priests, God made Samuel Eii’s successor. Samuel eventually became the high priest who anointed first Saul and then David to be king over Israel.

Samuel’s birth solved the problem of both Hannah’s barrenness and Eli’s unfaithful sons who couldn’t’ be their father’s successors as high priest.

Hannah was mocked by everyone. Penninah mocked her for not having children. Eli mocked her for being “too emotional’ when she prayed. Hannah’s neighbors probably joined Penninah in mocking and judging Hannah for her barrenness in a day and age when women were valued for their ability to bear children.  Before Samuel’s birth, Hannah was in despair.

But, she didn’t give up on God. Despite her mistreatment, Hannah believed in God. She prayed to God. She asked God to be gracious to her. She turned to God in her despair.

God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we want them to be answered. We don’t always get the answer we want. When Eli prayed about his unfaithful sons, he probably asked God to help them turn around. He didn’t ask for a substitute, a step-son, to take on his work. But, eventually, God sent Samuel to Eli. God didn’t give Eli the answer he wanted, but God did answer Eli’s prayers.

God hears our prayers. God steadies us when we wobble. God makes sure we are not alone – after Jesus ascended to be with God, God shared God’s Holy Spirit with us to support and guide our daily lives. God answers our prayers, but not always in the way we expect. God answers our prayers, but sometimes in ways we don’t understand.

          The story of Hannah reminds us that God loves and blesses people the rest of the world looks down their nose at. Hannah was very low-status….she was a wife who couldn’t have children. She was a woman who lived in at a time when women were not treated as equal to men.  Hannah was bullied and picked on by her family members and by her neighbors. Yet, God listened to Hannah. God loved Hannah.

          Let us remember that no matter how low we feel, God loves us. God listens to us. Let’s us also remember to be better than the people who surrounded Hannah. Let us try not to judge others. Let us try to treat everyone with love and respect. Let us try to treat others as our equals, as our peers. Let us remember that Jesus reminded us God wants us to treat other people the way we want to be treated, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

          Let us do so in love. Amen.