A Christmas Story

I was at the Almost Free Shop a couple weeks ago when a young woman came to the ladies and quietly shared her husband was home from the military and she was hoping to find a Christmas tree for him.  I had noticed that Christmas trees do not hang around very long at the shop and as much as everyone wanted to help, I had my doubts that there would be one available.

However, the word spread through the shop and our women went to work and in just a few minutes they had found a suitable tree from the back room, a tree stand that fit the tree, and a big bag of decorations and lights.  Another of our workers came bringing a nice wreath to add to the small mountain of decorations.  The young woman was almost in tears out of a humble appreciation.   Our women declared the tree and decorations to be, “almost free,” meaning there was no payment accepted for this transaction.   Now I was almost in tears.

Having just seen God work in an amazing way I started back across the street to my office.  As left the shop and began to cross the alley, a car pulled up and another family from the church began to pull bags from the car and carry them into the shop.  I stopped to help. 

As I carried the last bag I asked, “What you are donating today.”  The reply was, “we are bringing in some decorations we are not going to use this year.”  It was a Christmas tree, some decorations for the tree, and a nice wreath.  I was stunned, as the tears began to fill my eyes again.  Under my breath I said a quick prayer which ended with, “But God, now I think you are just showing off.”  

Freedom and Responibility

One of Our Neighbors at South Fork

I am a gun owner.  I own three guns: a pistol given to me from my father-in-law, an old Winchester 22 rifle I got from my grandmother when I was a kid, and a shotgun I bought to get rid of skunks and possum.  I keep no guns in the parsonage.  I keep the guns apart from the ammunition.  Separate places, hidden places. 

When I was younger I used to hunt some; rabbits, birds, deer. Not so much anymore.   Now I only shoot the occasional offending animal who might be carrying rabies at the farm and engage in some friendly target shooting; what a friend calls a little “plinking.”  I am safe.  I am careful.  I am discrete.  I care about nature and hold a deep regard for the fragility of life.  I consider the right to bear arms a fundamental freedom.

 

What I do not consider a fundamental part of our freedom is the right to bear military weapons without a special permit or need to carry such destructive force.  Automatic and semi-automatic weapons have no place in our homes.  We should not be able to purchase and stockpile such weapons at will.  Our laws have gone too far in offering carry permits to almost anyone. I believe no real good will come from allowing to own and carry heavy weapons. 

The events of the past few weeks underscore my thoughts on this topic.  From unfortunate accidental and self-inflicted shootings to the event of horror in Las Vegas, as a nation we seem to have lost our minds.  Folks who harm themselves or engage in mass shootings are mentally ill. There is no reason to work to find the reason why the man in Las Vegas shot all those folks, because there is not a reason which is reasonable.  There is simply no answer good enough for us to say, “Yes, I can see why someone would do such a thing.”  Our mentally ill are invisible in our midst.  We must change our focus because our neighbors are clearly in pain.

In addition, I believe we must move toward some kind of gun control, because right now we are out of control and my heart grieves the needless loss of life.  I am not suggesting to round up all the guns in the world and throw them in a pile, like some book burning from the last century.  Instead I am suggesting the process of gun purchase be slow and careful, and making military weapons hard to purchase, very hard.  And persons who ask to carry in public must be able pass very detailed checks. 

Freedom holds responsibilities.  Mental Illness is a clear and present danger.  We are called to join together and follow the example of Jesus Christ in how we live with our neighbors in peace and love.

Weekly Study Notes Leading to Sunday October 08

PERSONAL DAILY STUDY

This week we study Ecclesiastes 3.   You may recall the passage begins with the declaration that “for everything there is a season.” The first section of the reading is familiar however we will go further and consider the good words which follow.  I am confident there is a message for us today with the conflict and division we experience. 

In addition we will read from Luke 12 about learning to not worry and how we ought to focus our lives into the things of God.

Monday: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A time for everything.  Do you know what time it is today? Right now?  How has the season changed for you in the past months? Days?  Which of these seasons have you found fruitful in the past few hours?

Tuesday: Ecclesiastes 3:9-13

• What does the author say is the best thing workers can find from their toil?  Do you agree? Why?

Wednesday: Ecclesiastes 3:14-15

·         This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible.  What can we learn about God from these two verses?  List the qualities of God.

Thursday: Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

·         This passage is a bit darker in tone and even is sometimes quoted to make a case for the spirit of our pets going to heaven.  Verse 22 may be the key verse in this section. 

Friday:   Luke 12:22-34

• What does this passage teach us about worry?  Instead how should we present ourselves in relation to the world around us?  What is the “Father’s good pleasure/”

Saturday:  Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

·         Take time to read the section again and let the scripture speak to you.   

• What does this passage tell us about God?
• What should be our response?

Sunday:        Reflect and Worship

Sermon Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:14-15

Sermon Title: “Turn, Turn Turn”

SMALL GROUP STUDY GUIDE

Icebreaker:  Share something nice about the change of seasons.

Opening: Name a God moment from this past week

Read: Ecclesiastes3:1-8, 14-15

Study Questions to Ponder:

• When do the seasons change? Who is in charge of this?
• Why are opposite activities needed in different seasons?
• Share about the anxiety created by changing seasons.
• What season are you experiencing today?  Why?

Share Your Personal Plan: to Worship, Study, and Serve this week

Closing with Prayer and Blessing

Study Guide For the Week Leading to Sunday October 01, 2017

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost - Green

PERSONAL DAILY STUDY

This week we study Galatians 5 and 6.   This passage contains the Apostle Paul’s writings on Christian freedom. The free will to make our own choice is theological bedrock.  We build our lives upon and around this ability to choose our own actions.  We can choose with wisdom or we can choose poorly.

We will also take a look at Luke 6 to consider a motive for our decisions based in extreme love.

Monday: Galatians 5:1-12

• What appears to be taking place for Paul to be so concerned about freedom? What must some people be trying to teach the folks?

Tuesday: Galatians 5:13-15

• How does Paul suggest our freedom should be put to good use? What is the great commandment?

Wednesday: Galatians 5:16-26

• Take time to consider the list of the works of the flesh verses the works of the Spirit.  Note the ethical counseling offered in verse 25 and 26.

Thursday: Galatians 6:1-10

• This passage again offers ethical standards for us to follow. How can you see Christ in these ideas? Why are they difficult for us to follow?

Friday: Luke 6:27-49

• To love with extreme passion calls us to a new place in our discipleship? What would it mean to love our enemy? Can you follow one who offers this as our path? 

Saturday: Galatians 5:1-15

• Take time to read the section again and let the scripture speak to you. What does this passage tell us about God?  What should be our response?

Sunday:        Reflect and Worship

Sermon Scripture: Galatians 5:13, 14

Sermon Title: “Real Life Freedom”

SMALL GROUP STUDY GUIDE

Icebreaker:  Share a time when you felt free.

Opening: Name a God moment from this past week

Study Questions to Ponder:

• Why is Paul concerned with freedom?  What is to be gained or lost?
• How do you describe your freedom in Christ Jesus?
• Describe a church which can love in extreme ways.
• What is the golden rule?

Share Your Personal Plan: to Worship, Study, and Serve this week

Closing with Prayer and Blessing

Dead People Don't Speak

People encouraged me to speak.  I held powerful positions in the church, I should speak up.  Some suggested my silence was violence. They said, I was hurting others by holding back my voice. 

I have realized in the last few months that dead people do not speak. Now I was not literally dead, but my heart had been deeply wounded and I understand my silence on some topics has not been for lack of care or concern.  Rather, I had lost my voice and could only shake my head in sorrow. 

I am healing and regaining my voice.  What I say may not be pleasant to some.  Others may weep with me, or still others may find refreshment in my sharing. I only have what is in front of me; my own experience.

The lie of our culture is certainty. As a scientist and as a clergy I learned to be certain.  And God is on the side of certainty.  This is wrong.  Science requires certainty.  And yet historically certainty holds back new scientific discovery.  In my experience, certainty is a hallmark of individuals with personal agendas.  They are certain of many things; never mind the details and possibilities.  Jesus did not teach certainty. Instead Jesus offered friendship and peace with our neighbor, especially our enemies.

I find I am uncertain about just about everything, except God.  I find strength in the ability to question assumptions without discarding.  Strength comes from honoring our enemies into hearing their story.  Strength is in carefully holding persons, even the prickly ones, to a higher place of grace which neither divides nor passes judgement.  And to attempt all this without becoming anxious or infected.

If this is where the church is headed, a place where we dialogue and care for one another as we learn from each other, then I am in.  If however, the church is headed down the path of supporting competing individuals who are certain of their certainty, then I am out.  Not out of the church, just out of that dialogue where power is the real meat on the table and grace is just something said before fighting begins over the scraps in an attempt to fill personal goals. 

My spirit has been wounded, even unto death.  And the valley of dry bones has been my dwelling place. I had lost my voice.  But I have a taken time to rest by still waters.  Today I have less need to build a proper fence around my ideas.  As I let go of certainty, and cling to faith, I find my voice re-emerges.

So the next time you begin to chew on someone for being silent, pause to consider your position of certainty.  Consider your willingness to listen and your need to control.  And then reach out to one who may not be breathing because, dead people do not speak.

Today's Sermon

Had fun with the sermon today.
Preached from John 15, "I am the vine and you are the branches."  We learned three big lessons for all children of God.
1. We MUST stay connected.  Hold onto the rope. Sacraments, prayers, singing, group study, and working together connect us.
2. We MUST allow pruning. When we bear fruit we will be pruned so we can bear more fruit. 
3. We MUST bear fruit. No exceptions. See 1 Corinthians 12 for a nice list.

My Morning Office

Thoughts For Sunday March 26

Fly of the Day

Some interesting creatures on the lip of the drying cup.

My Response to Psalm 112:10

For there was kindness and you responded with anger.
There was grace and generosity and your eyes were filled with revenge and pain.
Silence stood with a firm heart of peace and you gathered rocks and called together a mob.
Praise to God was offered, and yet you mocked.
Once again, I hold out a humble hand.

Fly of the Day

We have Black Ants in the House. Oh No!

 

Made of plastic kitchen shelf liner, peacock for legs, and some black thread.

 

Bring People to Christ

“Bring People to Christ” is our mission statement.  In the January meeting The Administrative Council approved a re-tooling of our statement from “To Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World” to a more compact and simple statement of “Bring People to Christ.”  The new statement is only four words and yet carries the meaning and intent of our former statement.   Because the new statement is easier to remember and carry with us we will find it useful in helping the church focus our ministry efforts. 

Everything we attempt as a congregation should relate back to the mission and Bring People to Christ.  We will learn to hold ourselves accountable as we ask a couple of questions.  How does this activity Bring People to Christ?  We should be able to make a list or name the ways.  We also can begin to set goals, SMART goals, which have a way of allowing us to measure our work.  For example, just how many people should we expect to be brought to Christ by our Sunday worship services in a year?  How will we know?  There are many great questions which we will want to ask as we work together so that as the end of the season or end of the year the simple question, “How is it going?” may have profound responses.

This new activity will take new discussions and new energy related to our mission.  We will need to be vulnerable and direct in our communication.  This will also requires relationship building and trust building as key pieces to our life together.  We will slowly begin taking steps to deepen our relationships focusing on our discipleship as the key.  The Spiritual health of the congregation is always a place to begin again.  We cannot give what we do not have.  We cannot bring others to something we do not attend to ourselves.  The first people we will need to bring to Christ may be ourselves.

Knoxville First United Methodist is a great church, one which has offered Christ for generations. This new season of re-focusing our mission has the possibility of bringing surprising new life along with old souls made new again by the power of the Holy Spirit.  As a new year begins, may we begin a new season with a new joy in our hearts offered through a refreshed mission to “Bring People to Christ.”

 

 

Fly of the Day

Only one thing missing. You guessed it.