Rules Are Rules--Or Are They?

Matthew 22:36-40

Prop: A Board Game (optional)

Good morning, everyone! I have in my hand a board game I've never played before. What is the first thing you do when you get a brand, new board game--after you open the box and unfold the board? You read the rules! That's right.

Our lives are full of rules, aren't they? Rules like "Cross the street at the corner--no jaywalking!" "Keep your hands to yourself," and "Don't look at your neighbor's test paper." Rules are an important part of living together. They help to keep us safe, and to keep things fair for everyone.

There are rules everywhere--at home, in school, on the road, at work and even at church. When we hear them, most rules make sense. There are a few rules, however, that sound pretty outrageous. For example:

1. In Missouri, it is illegal to drive down the highway with an uncaged bear in your car.

2. Restaurants in Kansas are not allowed to serve cherry pie with ice cream on Sundays.

3. In Illinois, it is illegal to give a lighted cigar to your pets.

4. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has a law which prevents housekeepers from hiding dirt under the rug.

5. And my personal favorite--In Arizona, donkeys are not allowed to sleep in bathtubs. This law was passed in 1924 following an incident involving a donkey, a bathtub and a flood.

The Bible is loaded with rules, too. Sometimes it can be hard to remember and try to follow all of God's rules, but Jesus made it easier. He said the two most important rules are these:

1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and

2. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus explained that if we live our lives following these two rules--love God and love your neighbor as yourself--we will be following all of God's rules.

Please pray with me. 
Loving God, we thank-you for putting us into community with you and with other people. We thank you for our families, our friends, our church family, our neighbors. Help us to follow your rules by loving you and loving all of your children. Amen.

It's Pentecost!

 Prop: Make streamers of red, orange and yellow for each congregant. These can be made by stapling together strips of crepe paper, or tying lengths of ribbon in a knot. Here's a photo of the ribbon streamers I made:

Since COVID, our church does not have the children come to the front. I tell the story, either from the center of the chancel, floor level at the top of the aisle, or sometimes walking up and down the aisle. The story, geared to youth, is told to the whole congregation. Here's the Pentecost story:

Before I tell the story, did everyone receive a set of streamers? I want you to pretend that this is fire, and when I get to the part in the story where I mention "wildfire," everyone wave their streamers and keep waving until I stop waving mine, OK? Let's practice. "Wildfire!" (Wave your streamer.) Great! OK, let's begin.

Raise your hand if you have ever been to a children's birthday party. Did you play games at this party?--maybe pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, have a scavenger hunt or a pinata? Did the birthday child receive gifts? What kind of food did you have at this birthday party? Cake?!! And what happened BEFORE you ate the cake? (Candles lit; everyone sang "Happy Birthday"; child made a wish; blew out candles)

Well, today is Pentecost--the birthday of Christ's Church. There were no party games at this first Pentecost, but there was excitement, and wind and fire--like birthday candles--and a very special gift. Let me tell you what happened. (Read Acts 2:1-8 in Eugene Peterson's, The Message.)

As he had promised, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the Christian community on that day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is God with us today. The Holy Spirit helps us to live the way that God wants us to live--showing respect and kindness to others, being honest and caring. The Holy Spirit unites us in our faith, brings us together, cares for us and helps us to love and understand one another, as if we are all speaking the same language. The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us on this birthday of the Church, and every day.

Happy Pentecost! Happy Birthday!

St. Patrick

 March 17, 2024 - or any year!

Today is St. Patrick’s Day, and I have a few questions for you to commemorate this important holiday.

1.    What do you get when you cross a 4-leaf clover with poison ivy? A rash of good luck.

2.    How do musicians show off on St. Patrick’s Day? They play their brag-pipes.

3.    What do you call a leprechaun prank? A St. Pat-Trick.

4.    Finally, who, exactly, was St. Patrick?

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Patrick lived a long, long time ago, and the people of Ireland believe that he is in heaven protecting and watching over them. Most countries have one or more patron saints. The most popular is the patroness saint Mary, the mother of Jesus. She is the patroness saint of the United States, in fact. But back to Ireland and St. Patrick…The interesting thing is, Patrick wasn’t Irish.

He was born in Great Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the 4^th century. His family was not particularly religious. When he was 16 years old, Patrick was kidnapped by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family estate. They took him to Ireland where he spent six years as a slave.

During this time, he worked as a shepherd, tending sheep outdoors and away from people. He became lonely, cold and afraid. He turned to the religion of his childhood for comfort, and became a devoted Christian.

Finally, Patrick escaped. He made his way back to Britain. He wrote that an angel told him in a dream that God wanted him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Patrick studied Christianity for over 15 years, was ordained a priest and returned to Ireland with a two-part mission:

1.    To minister to the few Christians already in Ireland, and

2.    To tell all of the Irish people about God’s love for them in Jesus.

Patrick was a brave and faithful man. He did a lot of good for the Irish people—so much that the people of that country—Catholics and Protestants—agree that Patrick deserves to be the nation’s patron saint. Irish immigrants brought their love of St. Patrick with them when they came to the United States, and that’s why we all celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, whether we are Irish or not!

Hi, My Name Is...

Interim Pastor's First Day 
November 19, 2023

Today I start a new position as Bridge Pastor of a small congregation. Years ago, I read of a children's message for this occasion, in which the new Interim Pastor entered the sanctuary dragging a small suitcase behind her. During the children's sermon, she introduced herself, opened the suitcase and showed the children the items she had brought to outfit her office for the time they would spend together--things like a Bible, her in-home communion kit, her laptop, a collection of stoles, etc. Her time with them would be relatively short, she said. She would not be their pastor for years and years, like her predecessor. She explained how much she was looking forward to getting to know each of them, and of being their pastor, and of helping the church while it looked for a new minister. 

Then on her last Sunday, during the children's time, she packed up her suitcase with the same items, put in a couple of new things which would remind her of her experience at XYZ church, told them how much she had enjoyed being their pastor, that her job was done and they would now have the fun of getting to know their new minister. At the end of the service, she walked down the aisle, pulling her suitcase behind her. 

Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the person who posted this brilliant idea originally, but I do plan to use it this morning. Thanks so much to its creator!

Servanthood

 Mark 10:35-45

I have a confession to make.  I spend too much time on my phone.  Do you know anyone who has this same problem?  Sometimes I tell myself, "I'll just check Facebook real quick to see whose birthday it is so I can post "Happy Birthday" wishes.  Then, 45 minutes later, I'm still staring at my phone.  The other day, however, I read something on Facebook that was actually worth my time.

A woman named Darlene posted a story about a FedEx driver named Rondy, who was on the road, delivering packages.  As he drove by a mobile home park, he noticed an elderly gentleman in the ditch by the side of the road.  He seemed to be having difficulty, so Rondy pulled a U-turn and went to the older man's aid.  It turned out that the man was walking home from the food bank with groceries in a push cart, when he became overwhelmed by the heat.  He fell into the ditch with his cart, and could barely stand.  Rondy was helping the 75-year-old when two other people stopped to offer their service as well.  They helped the struggling man home so that Rondy could get back to his job, delivering packages.

Jesus calls us to serve one another; to be helpful and kind.  In this way, we serve God and help to make the world what God intended for it to be all along--a kind and loving home for all people.

Prayer:

Loving God, we thank you for Rondy and people like him, who put aside their own agendas to help those in need.  Help me to serve you by serving others, too.  AMEN.

      FedEx driver Rondy, lending a helping hand
      Posted on Facebook by Darlene Griffith Pittman
      June 15, 2023

New Season: New Life

 A Story for the Coming of Spring

Tomorrow, March 20, at 5:24pm, marks the Spring Equinox.  In other words, tomorrow is the first day of Spring!  

People of different cultures welcome the arrival of spring in a variety of ways—

·       Every year, hundreds of thousands of people climb 360 steps up the ancient Pyramid of the Sun near Mexico City.   When they get to the top, they throw their arms up to the sun and welcome Springtime.

·       In India, the first day of Spring is called the Festival of Colors.  During this festival, people walk through the streets, throwing colored powder on each other.

·       In Gloucester, England, they roll a huge wheel of cheese down a steep street called Cooper’s Hill.

     The people of Thailand reach for their cannon-sized water guns, buckets, pressure hoses, or any other creative way they can think of to drench their neighbors in water on the first day of spring.

·       And finally, each Spring Equinox, at sunrise, people living in the town of Zenica in Bosnia, gather at the Bosna River and enjoy a community breakfast of scrambled eggs.

Spring is a season worth celebrating!  It is a season of promise and hope as we see new life springing up all around us.  Each day in springtime grows longer and warmer.  There are fresh, new leaves coming out on the trees, and beautiful flowers like daffodils and crocus tell us that Spring has arrived.  

Christians around the world welcome Spring with joy.  When Spring comes, we know that Easter will soon be here.  And Easter is the most important day of the year for those who love and follow Jesus.

You’ll hear more about Easter and why it is such an important day in the coming weeks.  For now, let’s thank God for Spring and all the promise and new life it holds.

MOVING DAY

God's Call to Abram and Sarai

2nd Sunday in Lent, Year A
Genesis 12:1-4a
Prop: A moving box

Good morning!  How many of you have moved from one home to another?  How many of you have always lived in the same home?  When I was young, my family and I moved around a lot.  I was born in Hollywood, California.  Then when I was five weeks old (I barely remember it), my family and I moved to Western Springs, Illinois.  Then we moved to Park Forest, IL, then to Union, Missouri, then back to Park Forest, then to Belleville, Illinois, then back to California.  A few weeks later, I started third grade. 

Moving from one home to another is a lot of work.  You have to go through everything you own, decide whether to take it with you, sell it, give it away or trash it.  You put all of your toys, books and clothes in boxes which often get loaded into a big truck with your furniture and taken to your new home.  Once your stuff arrives, it has to be taken off the truck and put away at the new place.  It’s exhausting!

Many, many years ago—about 3,900 years ago—God asked a man named Abram and his wife, Sarai, to move to a new place.  Abram and Sarai were used to moving.  They were nomads, and their home was a tent.  They would set up camp in a place and live there for a while, and then move to a new place where there was new grass for the animals to eat, fresh water, a different view of the desert.  But God wanted them to move to someplace far, far from the land they called home.  It would be like starting over completely.  They wouldn’t be able to visit their old friends and their family would be far away, too. 

God had an important reason for asking Abram and Sarai to move away from everything and everyone they knew to start over again.  God wanted to do something brand, new.  He wanted Abram and Sarai to be the start of a new nation—a nation of people devoted to God.  God said, ““Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

And do you know what?  They went.  They packed up their tent and all of their stuff, loaded everything onto camels and headed off to a new adventure, a new life, a new relationship with God.  They stepped outside of their comfort zones in faith.  God richly blessed Abram and Sarai and in turn they were a blessing to others.  

Thanks be to God!

The Art of Listening

First Sunday in Lent, Year A

Matthew 4:1-11

Good morning! Today I'm going to tell you about three super-talented, famous people. They have accomplished amazing things in their lives, but when they were young and just getting started, they were told they didn't have what it would take to make their dreams come true. Let me show you what I mean.

First, Walt Disney. Walt Disney was the person who dreamed up Disneyland and Walt Disney World. He created wonderful movies, like Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Dumbo. The first cartoon he drew to become famous was Mickey Mouse. But he wasn't always a world-famous artist. Before he drew Mickey Mouse, he was fired from the Kansas City Star newspaper in 1919. because, his editor said, he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”

That editor was wrong, wasn't he?

Next, Elvis Presley. Elvis was a wildly popular singer and also an actor. It is estimated that during his lifetime, Elvis sold more than one billion records--more than anyone else in record industry history (Graceland.com). But Elvis wasn't always so popular. After one of his early performances at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, Elvis was told by the concert hall manager that he was better off returning to Memphis and driving trucks (his former career).

That concert hall manager was wrong, wasn't he?

My final example is Stephen Spielberg. Stephen Spielberg is a famous director. He directed E.T., Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones, to name only a few of his movies. He has won 155 film-making awards, including several Oscars. But Spielberg wasn't always a household name. Spielberg was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times. The people at the famous film school thought Spielberg didn't have what it takes to make it in films.

The admissions committee at the University of California was wrong, wasn't it?

Here's the thing. We have people telling us stuff all the time. Some of those people just aren't worth our attention. When someone tells us we are "less than"--that we will never make it in this world, that we don't have what it takes, that we are untalented or unlovable, it is OK not to listen to those people. Their opinions are not worth listening to.

I'll tell you who IS worth listening to--God. One way we listen to God's message is in the Bible. Here are some of the things God tells us:



"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever." (Psalm 106:1) God loves us, and His love lasts FOREVER! Not just yesterday. Not just today, but forever and always.

“You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14); the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13).” Isn't that a great thing to be a light in this world?

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are." (I John 3:1)

God loves you, and you, and you, and you, and you. You are God's beloved child. That is the most important message, the most important voice that you will ever hear. That is a message worth listening to.

Labor Day Sunday

Good morning!  The children and youth in our school district started school last week.  This got me to thinking of all the groups and committees which will start meeting again now that the summer is over.  Life is about to get a lot busier for many of us, students and adults alike!  Let me show you what I mean.  We’ll use me as an example.

Imagine that this plate is my life.  I have a lot of interests, activities and obligations which I try to balance on my plate, or fit into my life.  (Go through list, adding representative items to the plate one at a time.  For example, a spiral notebook and a pen could represent your work, a spatula cooking, a framed picture of your family, etc.)  Keep the plate balanced until the last item is placed on the plate, if you can, then let the whole thing fall to the ground.)

OH, NO!  What happened?  I put too much on my plate, didn’t I!  The same thing happens when we try to fit too much into our lives without taking time to pause.  To rest.  To regroup and refresh with God.  If we keep going, going, going without an occasional break, everything we want to do suffers.  We don’t do as well in school as we could.  We don’t have the energy and focus to excel in sports, or music, or dance, or whatever we like to do.  We can neglect our friends and family members. 

God tells us that we all need rest.  God rested.  After creating the heavens and the earth, God took a break.  Jesus, too, walked away from the crowds and spent time alone with his thoughts and with God every now and then. 

I encourage you to follow this example.  Take time out of your day and your week to unplug, unwind and spend quality time with God.  If you do this, the rest of your life will be in better balance and everything else will benefit. 

Discipleship & Thomas

John 20:19-29

When you hear the word, "Disciple," what comes to mind?

In the most general terms, a disciple is one who studies and follows the teachings of someone else.  It could be an individual person or group, or even an idea or philosophy.

We find 12 named disciples in the Bible, but there were many others--people of all sizes, shapes, colors, backgrounds--men and women, too, who studied and followed the teachings of Jesus.  We are Jesus' disciples today, even though we've never met Jesus in the same way that Peter, James, John, Mary Magdalene and Thomas did.  As Christians, we study and do our best to follow the teachings of Jesus, which makes us his disciples.  

After Jesus' death and resurrection, he appeared to the disciples who followed him around for three years, listening, watching and learning from him.  He showed Thomas the scars on his hands and side, and Thomas believed that Jesus was alive once again.  Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes.  Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."  (The Message)

Jesus was talking about people like you, and like me, when he said those words--words which have been true for nearly 2,000 years!  We haven't stood face-to-face with Jesus, but by God's grace we are blessed with faith and friendship through His Church.

AMEN.

Palm Sunday

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES              

John 12:12-27

Have you ever heard the expression, "What a difference a day makes?"  It is often used when talking about a sudden change in the weather--like when one day it's sunny and warm.  You're outside, riding your bike, playing ball, maybe even swimming at the beach or pool.  Then the next day you wake up and it's super cold and miserable--maybe it's even snowing!  That's when someone might say, "Wow!  What a difference a day makes!"

Toward the end of Jesus' life, he went back to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate a festival called "Passover" with his disciples.  Celebrating the Passover Feast in Jerusalem was a big deal, so there were lots of visitors in town.  Jesus was becoming known in Judea as someone special.  He healed a blind man.  He provided lunch for a huge crowd from only a small amount of food.  He even brought a man who had died back to life.  So when Jesus approached the city gate, news spread fast that this amazing rabbi was coming, and the crowd got super excited!  They tore branches from the trees and waved them as Jesus approached.  They were so happy to see Jesus, they shouted, "Hosanna!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord--the King of the Jews!" 

But their happiness did not last for long.  By the end of the week, the mood had changed.  Jesus was arrested, and Pilate, the Roman governor, asked the crowd, "What should I do with Jesus, the King of the Jews?"  This time they shouted, "Crucify him!  We have no king but Caesar!"  

What a difference a week makes!  This was a very sad time for Jesus, but it is not the end of the story.  Come back next week, and I will tell you the exciting, and happy, ending.

Prayer:  Dear Jesus, Sometimes our feelings are changeable, like the weather.  Help our love for you to be constant, even when other things in our lives are not always the same.  Amen.

STINKY FEET - Mary Anoints Jesus' Feet

 JOHN 12:1-3

Have you ever walked on the beach really far, only to have to turn back and walk just as far again to get to your towel and cooler?  Have you ever hiked a long trail in the mountains?  Or walked to a friend’s house who lived many blocks from your own?  Or spent the whole day running from ride to ride and standing in long lines at an amusement park?

These are all fun things to do, but a the end of days like that, my feet are really, really tired, and sore; sweaty, dirty and probably pretty stinky, too.

About a week and a half before he died, Jesus was visiting his friends, Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus, in their home in the town of Bethany.  They were hosting a dinner in Jesus’ honor.  The disciples were invited, too.  Jesus walked a long way to get to the party on dusty roads.  His feet were tired, sore, dirty and probably pretty stinky, too.

Mary, Martha and Lazarus each loved Jesus with their whole heart.  He was their dear friend and teacher—the person they respected most in the world.  Mary wanted to do something for Jesus to show how much he meant to her. 

She took a pound of very expensive perfume—that’s a lot of perfume—and poured it onto Jesus’ tired, hurting feet.  Then she wiped his perfumed feet with her hair.  Imagine how wonderful that must have felt to Jesus—not only the soothing it brought to his tired feet, but the joy it brought to his heart to know that his friends loved him that much.

A few days after this, Jesus and his disciples go to Jerusalem.  There, they share another dinner, where Jesus performs a similar act of love and service for his disciples.  It involves feet, too.

Feeding the 5,000

 

When I was growing up in California, our schools didn’t have cafeterias.  There were 22 elementary schools in our district, most of them built in the 1950’s during the post-war boom when everyone and their brother or sister wanted to move to the land of palm trees and movie stars.  Schools were built so fast, the districts didn’t have the money to include cafeterias.  They said they would add them later.  They never did.

Everyone brought their lunch from home, even the teachers.  Occasionally, someone forgot their lunch at home.  Without a cafeteria, what do you think happened to the students who forgot their lunch?  Did they go home?  Did they go hungry?  No, they ate like royalty!  Other children shared part of their lunches with the one who was without, and in the end, that child usually had the biggest, best lunch of anyone!

Today’s story involves a little boy who shared his lunch and helped Jesus to feed a whole bunch of people.

One time, Jesus and his disciples were on a large hill by the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus looked out and saw a big crowd of people coming toward him.  They had heard about the amazing things Jesus had done—like healing a blind man, for example—and they wanted to meet him.  It was close to lunch time, so Jesus asked his disciple, Philip, “How are we going to buy bread to feed all of these people?”

Philip said, “Are you kidding?  We don’t have close to what it would cost to buy just a little bit of food for each person!’

Another of Jesus’ disciples named Andrew said, “There’s a young boy here who has five rolls and two fish, but what is that when there are so many people to feed?”

Jesus told the disciples to tell everyone to sit down.  The people sat down on the grass.  There were 5,000 men, not counting the women and children!  Jesus gave thanks to God for the food, and then passed it out to the entire crowd.  Everyone had more than enough to eat.  When they were finished, Jesus told the disciples to pick up the leftovers.  They filled 12 baskets!

The people were amazed and filled with awe.  “Surely this man is the prophet sent by God,” they said.  

God's gifts are over-the-top!  He gives us what we need and then some.  

Thanks be to God!

MLK Remembered

    Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day—a day we remember and celebrate the work and person of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  He was an important civil rights leader in the 1950’s and ‘60’s.  He inspired thousands of people to join him in the fight for equality in this country.  He was instrumental in getting the American Civil Rights Act passed.  This law makes it illegal for anyone to discriminate against someone else based on their race, color, religion, gender or national origin.  For example, a person who is qualified for a job—she has the education and experience needed to do the work—that person cannot be turned down for the job simply because of her skin color, or because she’s a woman, or because she is Muslim.  It didn’t used to be that way.  People could be refused jobs, or houses, or apartments, or seats at a lunch counter, on a bus or in a theater simply because the boss didn’t like the way you looked.  King was a gifted speaker and writer, and a firm believer in nonviolent protest as a means of bringing about change.  But I’m sure you learned all these things in school.  Here’s are a few things about Dr. King that maybe you didn’t know:

1.     When he was born, his parents named him Michael King, Jr.  Five years later, King’s father took a trip to Germany, where he was inspired by the Protestant Reformation leader, Martin Luther.  King, Sr., renamed himself and his son.

2.     King was a gifted student.  He skipped his freshman and senior years of high school and entered Morehouse College when he was 15 years old.

3.     Brother Martin was jailed 29 times, sometimes on civil disobedience charges, and sometimes on trumped-up charges.  Once he was arrested for going 5 miles over the speed limit.

4.     Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work was driven by his faith.  He knew that the world he lived in was not the world God wanted, and he felt called to do all he could to bring about change.

Dr. King’s work was successful in many ways.  He lived to see positive changes in the world, but his work—God’s work—is not finished yet.  I hope that as we celebrate MLK Day tomorrow, we will all take a good, long look at the world in which we live, and at ourselves.  What are the good things we see?  Where is change still needed so that all people have equal access to a rich and fulfilling life?  What can I do to help realize Dr. King’s dream of a free and equal world?

Let's pray.  God of all, we thank-you for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  We give thanks that he listened to and answered your call to work for equality and justice, even at the cost of his own life.  Help us to continue his work until the dream of an equal society might become a reality for everyone.  Amen.

Christ the King - Happy New Year!

 Prop: A noisemaker for each child, or each person in the congregation.  You may want to wait until the end of the story to pass these out.

I have celebrated New Year’s Eve in many different ways throughout my life.  (Share your variety of celebrations.)

·       Ocean-front condo at the Jersey shore with long-time friends

o   Dinner

o   Toast at midnight

·       Watched the ball drop, in Times Square with over a million others

·       Fell asleep by 10pm

·       Favorite—at Gram’s house with family

o   Gram gave all 12 grandchildren and their parents cooking pots, and spoons

o   At midnight, all went out into the front yard, banging our pots with the spoons and shouting “Happy New Year!” at the top of our lungs

You may be wondering why I’m talking about New Year’s Eve when it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet.  For the Church, today IS New Year’s Eve!  As a community of faith, we begin what is called the liturgical year with Advent—the four Sundays before Christmas.  Next week, November 28, is the First Sunday in Advent, and the start of a brand, new liturgical year.  We will begin the year anticipating—getting ready—for the birth of Jesus at Christmas.  Through the liturgical year, we will follow the life of Jesus, his death and resurrection, the start-up of the Church and all the wonderful blessings that this means for the world.

The whole story culminates on this New Year’s Eve, which we call Christ the King Sunday.  On this day, today, we remember that Jesus is not only an amazing teacher, a kind and compassionate healer, one who gave his life for the world, including us, but also that he is our King.  He is the king of Kings! He is ruler of God’s Kingdom and the ruler of all Christian hearts.  For this we are thankful, and we celebrate on this New Year’s Eve.

So grab your noisemaker and join me in wishing one another a “Happy New Year!”

Cinderella and David

Dear Storytellers,

I have switched from the RCL to the Narrative Lectionary!  This week's story is the call/selection of David from I Samuel 16:1-13.  Here is one way to approach it:

Today we’re reading a story about the prophet Samuel and the boy who would become king of Israel.  His name was David.  But before we get to that story, I want to tell you another tale—one you probably know well.  Cinderella.  There is a new Cinderella movie that’s showing right now.  It has several things in common with the story I heard as a little girl, but there are many updated parts of the story as well.  Cinderella dreams more of a career than a handsome prince, her stepmother is given a backstory which provides empathy for her cold-heartedness, and the step sisters are more plain than ugly, and not as mean as I remember.  It’s not your grandmother’s Cinderella story.

It starts out the same, though.  Ella’s father has died, and she lives with her step mother and two step sisters, who are not very nice to her.  They treat her more like a servant than a family member.  In fact, they have nicknamed her Cinder-ella because she is often dirty from the cinders in the fireplace where she cooks the family’s meals.

The king hosts a ball for the entire realm, so that his son, the prince, may find a bride.  Her step mother prevents Cinderella from going to the ball, but Cinderella gets there anyway, with the help of a fairy godmother.  The catch is that the magic which provides a beautiful gown, a horse-drawn carriage, horsemen, a footman and glass slippers wears off at midnight, so Cinderella has to be careful and watch the clock.

Of course she and the prince are smitten with each other.  She gets caught up in the romance of the whole thing, and has to run away from the prince and the ball as the clock is striking midnight.  In the rush to get away, she loses one of her glass slippers.  The prince is heartbroken, and vows to find his future princess by trying the glass slipper on every maiden in the land, until he finds the one it fits.

When he gets to Cinderella’s cottage, her stepmother has locked her in her room so that she won’t be able to meet the prince and try on the slipper.  The prince tries the slipper on one step sister, then the other.  Cinderella’s stepmother even tries to force her large foot into the delicate slipper.  It is the last house on the prince’s tour, so he asks, “Are you sure you have no other daughters?”  Cinderella escapes from her prison and appears just in time to effortlessly slip her foot into the glass shoe.  A perfect fit.

I invite you to listen to this morning’s story from the Bible and notice what Samuel and David's story has in common with the tale of Cinderella.

The Syrophoenician Woman and Other Gutsy Moms

Mark 7:24-30

YOUTH MOMENT

In 2019, a movie was released called Breakthrough.  Did anyone see it?  It was based on the true story of a 14-year-old basketball-playing kid named John Smith who was playing around on an icy Missouri lake one cold January morning with several of his friends.  The boys had tested the strength of the ice the day before by throwing a big boulder into the center of the lake.  When the ice didn’t show any cracks, they figured it was safe to walk on it.  But it was time to go home.  The next day, they each got up bright and early, and met again at the lake.  What they didn’t know was the temperature had risen overnight, and the ice was not as thick as it was the day before.  The ice cracked and broke under their weight, and three of the boys, including John Smith, fell into the freezing water.  This is an extremely dangerous situation.

Someone called 9-1-1.  When rescuers arrived moments later, one boy was almost out of the water, one was clinging to the ice.  John, however, was nowhere to be seen.  Using the techniques they had just practiced the week before in a training session, the rescuers used long poles to search for John.  When they found him and brought him to the surface, he had been underwater for 15 minutes and had no pulse.  The rescuers began CPR but couldn’t get a heartbeat.

John was rushed to the hospital, where CPR was continued for another 27 minutes.  Still no pulse.  The doctors called John’s mother into the room so she could say her “Good-byes,” but John’s mom wasn’t ready to let her son go yet.  She prayed out loud and loudly, 'Holy God, please send your Holy Spirit to save my son. I want my son, please save him.'

After a full hour of no pulse, John’s heart started beating again just seconds after his mother’s prayer.  Within weeks, John had made a surprising and full recovery.

In our Scripture lesson this morning, a mother is not ready to give up on her sick, little girl.  She comes to Jesus for help.  When it looks like he may not be willing to heal her daughter, the mom speaks up on her daughter’s behalf and in the end, Jesus makes her little girl well again.  It’s a good story!  Now let’s listen to Mr. David read it from the Bible.

Difficult Lessons

John 6:60

Prop: A poster board or newsprint pad on an easel, and a magic marker

When Kathy was in second grade, she had trouble understanding subtraction with numbers of two digits or more.  For example, 56-17 (write on the pad as shown below).

                      56
                    - 17
                       ??

How do you subtract seven from six when seven is the larger number?  There isn't enough to subtract!

Dianne was Kathy's older sister.  She was in fifth grade, and wanted to help out her little sister.  So, remembering the words her second grade teacher had used, Dianne did her best to explain how it worked.  "When the bottom number is bigger than the top number," Dianne said, "you have to go next door and borrow ten from your neighbor, number 5.  Ten plus six is sixteen, and now you can subtract seven and get nine.  But since you borrowed ten from the five, you are left with four.  Four minus one is three, so your answer is 39." 

Kathy didn't get it.  She tried real hard, but she just couldn't get it.  No matter how loudly Dianne tried to explain (using the same words each time), Kathy just couldn't get it.  Not that night.  However, Kathy kept at it and eventually she not only learned how to subtract all kinds of numbers, but she graduated Phi Beta Kappa, with honors, in (you guessed it), math.

There are a lot of lessons in life that are difficult.  Sometimes we need to look at a problem from a different direction, or hear the lesson using different words, or sometimes we need to grow a little older and have more life experience before we "get it."  Some of Jesus' teachings were difficult to understand.  In today's Scripture reading, Jesus' disciples say, "This lesson is hard!  Who can understand it??"  I encourage you to keep at it, even when you don't understand something right away--whether it be a school lesson or a life lesson. Keep at it and eventually, even if it's in the sweet by-and-by, when we get to heaven, the problem, the question, the lesson will make sense by the grace of God.

AMEN.

On Mother's Day

 May 9, 2021

I received a Mother's Day card a couple of years ago which was really funny.  I liked it so much, I kept it.  On the front it says, "A Thought for You on Mother's Day."  There's a picture of a half-filled glass, and then it says, "An optimist sees the glass as half full.  A pessimist sees the glass as half empty."  Then when you open the card, it reads, "A mother sees the glass of someone who didn't finish their drink, pick up their glass, or put it in the dishwasher.  Happy Mother's Day!"

Yes, today is Mother's Day.

A few weeks ago, our eldest son texted me and asked, "Any ideas what you'd like for Mother's Day?"  I answered, "World peace.  Would you like to cook lunch or dinner for us?"  (He's a really good cook.)  And so this evening, we are going over to his and his family's house for a vegetarian feast.

A friend of mine was 70-something years old.  When they asked, she told her children what she wanted more than anything for Mother's Day was a letter from each of them telling her what she had done right as a mom.  She said, "They were always quick to tell me what I'd done wrong.  I wanted to hear what they thought I'd done well."  I think it's too bad that she had to wait over 50 years for her children to show their appreciation to her!

Some women make better mothers than others.  I have no doubt that  my friend was an excellent mother, but no mom is perfect.  Yet every mother did at least one thing right--she brought YOU into the world!  She gave you the gift of life.  For that gift alone we owe our moms, and our God, thanks and appreciation.

AMEN.

The Woman at the Well

 John 4:1-42

Prop: Display Carracci's painting, "The Samaritan Woman at the Well" found at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annibale_Carracci_-_The_Samaritan_Woman_at_the_Well_-_WGA4446.jpg

This is an oil painting created centuries ago by a famous painter named Annibale Carracci.  It's a picture of when Jesus met a woman in a country called Samaria.  This story can be found in the Bible, the Gospel of John, chapter 4.

Jesus is the person on the far right, in a peachy-colored robe with a blue sash, and the woman is in the center; the only woman in the painting.  

One day, Jesus and his disciples needed to travel from Judea home to Galilee, and Jesus suggested they take a short cut through Samaria.  A short cut sounds like a good idea, right?  Well, it would be, except the people where Jesus came from couldn't stand the people of Samaria.  It was a feud that had gone on for centuries!  It was so bad that most Jews took the long way around to avoid passing through Samaria, whenever possible.

Jesus' disciples may have felt uncomfortable, even anxious, with Jesus' decision, but he was the teacher, and so they all took the short cut.  

They came to a small village, right at lunch time.  The disciples went into town to get something to eat and Jesus stayed behind at the well to rest.  Can you see that big, round thing Jesus is leaning against?  That is the well.  You can even see a big jug there, too.  That's what the woman would put the water in to take home, but I'm getting ahead of the story.

While the disciples were away, a woman came to draw water from the well.  They didn't have indoor plumbing in those days.  Jesus said to her, "Would you give me a drink of water?"  Now, this sounds like a reasonable request.  Jesus was tired and thirsty, and he didn't have a jug or cup of his own.  But actually, Jesus asking for a drink from the woman was quite strange for two reasons.

1. As I already mentioned, she was a Samaritan, and Jesus' people didn't speak to Samaritans, unless they absolutely had to.

2. She was a woman.  In Jesus' time, men and women kept their lives separate, except for at home, and the men didn't speak to women they didn't know.  It was against the rules.

So even though there were two very strong reasons why Jesus should ignore the woman, he chose not to.  He chose instead to talk with her, to care about her and to care about her life.  In the end, she believed that Jesus was sent by God to set all people free.  He told her that he was living water, and she believed him.  She believed that this kind man who broke the rules was and is God's Chosen One--the Messiah.

Carracci chose to picture the end of the story in this painting.  You can see that the disciples have returned--see the man on the left is carrying loaves of bread--lunch--in his sash.  One man is pointing at Jesus as he speaks to another disciple, as if he's saying, "Look at that!  Jesus is speaking to that woman from Samaria!  What's up with that?"  And then two other disciples are whispering to each other.  Also, the woman looks to be walking away from Jesus and the well.  The Bible tells us that she left Jesus to run and tell others about her encounter with him--that she had met the Messiah--and that in her excitement, she left her water jug behind.  Who could blame her?

AMEN.