E-Letter to the Trinity Family from December 11, 2020

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

I hope everyone is doing well this beautiful Friday afternoon!  The skies are sunny and bright! Despite the chilly weather, please take a good look at God’s creation when you are outdoors.

We have a lot going on at the church that I want you to know about:

COVID UPDATE

Last weekend, 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.

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 “Ralien Luann Besch” 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

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

+13126266799,,75566827269# US (Chicago)

 

Dial by your location

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        +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

 

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT DECORATING & CRAFT GATHERING

Our Advent bags included church Christmas ornaments.  Everyone is invited to join together on Sunday, December 13, from 2 to 4 pm to a virtual decorating party.  You can color or paint your ornaments, color your Advent packet or Coloring Bible, make Christmas decorations or do other crafts. Even if crafts are not your thing, join us so that we can have an opportunity to visit together. 

Here is the login for our gathering:

 

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

 

Topic: Trinity "Family" Ministries

Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82854155123

 

Meeting ID: 828 5415 5123

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,82854155123# US (Chicago)

+16468769923,,82854155123# US (New York)

 

Dial by your location

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

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

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

        +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)

        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 828 5415 5123

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kftTi4frM

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

BLUE CHRISTMAS

The Skippack Area Ministerium Pastors decided to collaborate on a Blue Christmas Service this year.  This is a service for people who are having a hard time getting into “the Holiday Spirit.” – those who are grieving, those who are depressed, those who are very conscious of loved ones who we can’t gather with this year.  Since we are in the middle of a pandemic, most of us may be feeling “blue” as we prepare for Christmas this year.

The service will be streamed on our “Trinity Christian UCC Skippack” facebook page on December 21 at 7 pm. I will also try to live stream it on the Trinity ZOOM worship site.  Please join us. 

CHRISTMAS EVE

When our Consistory decided to discontinue in-person services, our Christmas Eve options were impacted.  Therefore, we will still have three services, but they will all be virtual. 

At 12 pm, we will have a live-streamed worship service on Facebook.  Please log into the “Trinity Christian UCC Skippack” facebook page to participate.  The service will continue to be on facebook after it is live, so if you are not available at 12, you can participate in it later.

At 3 pm and 7 pm, we will have live ZOOM worship services.  Please join us by clicking 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

 

CHRISTMAS CAROL HYMN SING

This December has 5 Wednesdays.  On December 30, Ralien and Amey are inviting us all to join them for a virtual Christmas Carol Hymn sing.  We will join together on facebok at 7 pm. Please sent your Christmas Carol requests to Ralien and we will work to sing everyone’s favorites. 

To join in, log on to “Ralien LuAnn Besch” ‘s facebook page at 7 pm on Wednesday, December 30.

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.

 

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR CHILDREN

Members of our church are invited to purchase Christmas Gift for the children whose families use the services of the Daily Bread.

This year, the toy list includes:

·        Paw Patrol

·        LOL

·        OMG

·        My Little Pony

·        Super Hero Figures

·        Polly Pockets

·        Lego

·        Make Up/Nail Kits for Teens

·        Hair Dryers/Curling Irons

·        Old Spice/Axe Kits for Teens

·        Board Games for any age.

At this time, we do not need craft kits.

 

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

BIRTHDAY ANNOUNCEMENT

Rita Dickey is tuning 80 on December 17!  Her girls are asking for Rita to be showered with cards.  If you are able to send her a card, her address is PO Box 402, Skippack, PA 19474.

I will “see” you in worship on Sunday!

Many blessings!!

Pastor Amelie

 

Messengers of Hope -- A Message for December 6, 2020

          

Scripture Reading: Psalm 85: 1-2, 8-13

 

You, Lord, showed favor to your land;

you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2 You forgave the iniquity of your people

and covered all their sins.

 

I will listen to what God the Lord says;

he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—

but let them not turn to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,

that his glory may dwell in our land.

 

10 Love and faithfulness meet together;

righteousness and peace kiss each other.

11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,

and righteousness looks down from heaven.

12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,

and our land will yield its harvest.

13 Righteousness goes before him

and prepares the way for his steps.

This morning, we light the candle of Peace.   We are people who crave peace: peace in our hearts, peace in our families, peace in our communities, peace in our country, peace in our world.  At times, we feel peace is fleeting – if we watch the news, it seems like we are more into the “eye for an eye” kind of Old Testament justice than peace.  But, we know our hearts.  We know we are encouraged when things are headed in a positive direction.  We resonate with the New Testament understanding of Peace: Jesus came to earth to teach us to be giving and forgiving, to turn the other cheek to those who hurt us, to work to love other people, even those people we consider our enemies. 

            This morning, we read a second text from our scripture, a portion of the book of the Prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah knew all about the negative consequences of war, of living in a time without peace.  The first part of his book is a warning about war and exile to come.  The second part of his book is about the restoration of peace and a time of return.  Listen to these words of comfort as we read Isaiah, chapter 40, verses one through eleven:

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40: 1-11

Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”
9 You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

Prayer

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, Oh God, Our strength and our redeemer. Amen.

   When Lucia was little, we got into Advent traditions. During these four weeks, we always have an Advent wreath on our table.  Every night, before dinner, in addition to our prayers, we light the candles and sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Next Sunday, the 13^th, Lucia will wear her St. Lucia crown with light-up battery operated candles – I have never been the brave mom who allows her daughter to wear real lit candles on her head.  This morning, I checked our front door.  St. Nicholas came in the night and filled Lucia’s cow girl boots with candy.  She is not home today to eat her candy, but I will save some for her to eat tomorrow.

            St. Nicholas was an early Christian bishop who lived in the Turkish city of Myra.  He is thought to have been born to a wealthy family.  He became very devout and after a pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine, he became a bishop.  He is attributed with secretly given money to families who didn’t have money to pay for dowries to marry off their daughters.  Several traditions have evolved since his human life where he is attributed with bringing treats to children in the night and leaving those treats in their shoes.  St. Nicholas day is December 6, so the treats appear on his special saint day.  For many children, St. Nicholas day is the beginning of their Advent festivities.  He brings joy in the midst of a dark season of the year.

            Children have trouble waiting for Christmas to arrive, so celebrating little holidays as we lead up to the 25^th helps them maintain their patience.

            For us adults, we can look to our scriptures to discover bright spots that reminded people that their time of suffering was almost over.  Our reading this morning from the Prophet Isaiah comes at the point in the history of Israel when the Babylonian exile was almost over.   In the 6^th century BC, the people of Judah, including the inhabitants of Jerusalem, were exiled to Babylon for almost 40 years.  During that period, the people suffered under hostile conditions and lived as strangers in a strange land.  The first part of the book Isaiah is about the time before the exile, a time with the people had fallen away from God.  They saw the exile as a consequence of their lack of faith and right-worship.  The second part of the book is covers the period just as the exile was about to end.  This morning, we read words of promise….the suffering of those exiles was about to end…soon they would have the opportunity to return to their homeland.

In our history as Christians, we also know that for the people who lived in the time of Jesus, with the brutal Romans ruling the people of Israel, Jesus came to end the suffering of the people of Israel.  The book of Isaiah spoke to three different populations.  Its words were said to the people who lived alongside Isaiah, words of hope for people whose Babylonian exile was about to end.  The book also spoke the faithful people of the first century who lived under Roman oppression, people whose suffering ended when Jesus came to earth, preached and healed, died to take upon his shoulders the sins of the world, and then was resurrected to remind us that we are never left alone or as orphans, because God is always with us. 

The book of Isaiah is also a word of hope for people who live now….for us.  People who are waiting out this terrible pandemic.  Waiting for our virus to be conquered.  Waiting for a vaccination that prevents this dreaded disease.  Waiting for our lives to be restored.  Waiting for our suffering to end.  Waiting for Jesus to return to earth to help us create in the here and now a world modeled on the Kingdom of God. 

Advent is a season of longing.  It is a season of waiting for what we have hoped for for a very long time.  In the first century, that hope resulted in a tiny baby.  How absurd that is!  A teeny tiny baby, a helpless babe in arms, came to save the world.  Yet, that is what Jesus did.  He saved us.  He taught us how to follow God.  He opened the promises of salvation to all people, not just the Jewish people.  He died so that our sins will be wiped away.  And, after his ascension, he made sure the Holy Spirit would come to dwell among is, to guide us, to inspire us, and to help us. 

And, right now, we need that Holy Spirit….because we are stuck in a weird, long, limbo period. We don’t know when things will get back to normal. We don’t know if we are the next one to fall ill.  We don’t know when this will all end.  But, we have hope in a loving, generous, gracious God.  We have hope in a God who loves us, who cares about us as individuals, who forgives us when we makes mistakes, and who will embrace us when we transition from this world to the next.  So, even if the worst happens, and we become ill, we know that God will be with us no matter what.

So, let’s hang on for a while.  As the words of Isaiah remind us: “God tends God’s flock like a shepherd: God gathers the lambs in God’s arms and carries us close to his heart.”  We have nothing to be afraid of, because God is with us.  No matter what happens, God is with us.  And, the promise of the Gospel is that we will get through this.  Our people and our land will be restored.  And there is always more good to come. 

Thank God!  Amen. 

Where Are You, God? -- A Message for November 29, 2020

 

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 64:1-9

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
    that the mountains would tremble before you!
2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze
    and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
    and cause the nations to quake before you!
3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
    you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
4 Since ancient times no one has heard,
    no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
    who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right,
    who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them,
    you were angry.
    How then can we be saved?
6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
    and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
7 No one calls on your name
    or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us
    and have given us over to[b] our sins.

8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
    We are the clay, you are the potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.
9 Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;
    do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
    for we are all your people.

This morning, we begin the season of Advent.  Our readings are all focused on the theme of the first Sunday of Advent, Hope.  We heard already a reading from the prophet Isaiah, and now we turn to the songbook of the Bible, the book of Psalms and read a portion from Psalm 80.  Listen to these words as we invite God to redeem and restore us:

Scripture Reading      Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
    shine forth 

2 before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Awaken your might;
    come and save us.

3 Restore us, O God;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

4 How long, Lord God Almighty,
    will your anger smolder
    against the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears;
    you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.
6 You have made us an object of derision to our neighbors,
    and our enemies mock us.

7 Restore us, God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

17 Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,
    the son of man you have raised up for yourself.
18 Then we will not turn away from you;
    revive us, and we will call on your name.

19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

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

Prayer for Understanding

Lord we thank you for the gift of your Word and as we think on these things open our hearts and minds to hear your word to us. Amen  

Message                                             Where are You, God?

          Today is the first Sunday of Advent for 2020. Advent is a season of waiting….we are waiting for Christmas.  For children, this means we are waiting for Santa to come and deliver our toys.  But, for those of us who are not waiting for toys, we are waiting for Jesus to break into our world.  We remember the way he came the last time – embodied as a helpless baby, weak and dependent on others. And, we believe Jesus will return to the world as the Messiah who will come and lift us up.  The next time Jesus comes, we will be the weak ones who are dependent on others.  We want Jesus to come and care for us, we want Jesus to come and rescue us.                

The forth verse of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” says:

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, 
Our Lord Immanuel!

We are impatient people….we don’t like waiting.  This year, things have been extremely difficult for us impatient people – we are waiting for the pandemic to end….we are waiting for a vaccine to arrive…we are waiting for cautions to be lifted and for everything to get back to normal --- for our jobs to be steady; for our schools to be back to their regular, in-person schedule; and for our hospitals to empty out.

          The candle we light on the first Sunday of Advent is the Candle of Hope.  This week, we read from the Prophet Isaiah and recall the plight of the Jewish people who hoped for and waited for their Messiah for centuries.  They prayed and waited for Jesus to come from one generation to the next.  In the twenty-first century, we have trouble waiting in line for a few minutes….it is difficult to imagine waiting for someone to arrive after centuries.  Yet, like the ancient Jews, we are waiting for Jesus to return to earth once again, to restore what is broken, and to right the wrongs we live with.

          Americans use the word “hope” to represent something we “want.”  We are not sure it will happen the way we want, but we “hope” it will.  “I hope the Eagles will win today’s football game.”  “I hope I finish my book club book before we meet on Wednesday.”  “I hope Lucia finishes her outstanding assignments before the trimester ends.”  These are wishes, these are wants, but they are not guarantees.

          In the Bible, and in Christianity, we use hope differently. The word Hope in the Bible means a secure assurance.  It is a trust placed in a trustworthy God.  God has not failed us in the past, and therefore, if God claims God will do something in the future, we are assured it will happen.

          This week, I read about the history of an ancient Christian symbol: “The Hand of God.” Apparently, this symbol is a traditional decoration for Christmas trees.  It looks like a hand reaching down out of the clouds.  During the first 8 centuries of Christianity, it was the most accepted symbol of God.  The “Hand of God” symbol presents an Eternal Father, reaching out in love to the “lost” people of the world.

          I find it comforting to remember that God is always present with us.  God’s hand reaches out into our world, to save us, to rescue us, to pull us out of the mire of our pain, our fears, and the chaos we live with.  The hope of this season is that God keeps God’s promises – In Deuteronomy 31, God says: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  We have hope for tomorrow, because God goes with us. 

          We enter Advent today…an Advent like no other.  We have to wait just a little bit longer…wait for Jesus….wait for the vaccine to come…wait for Covid-19 to end.  And, we can trust in God and Hope for a better world to come.  As Isaiah the prophet proclaimed God’s words:  “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  The Hand of God reaches down to us, to uphold us, strengthen us and guide us.

            May it always be so.  Amen!