Adventures of the Called

I Love to Tell the Story

2012-02-13T19:10:00.000-05:00

When I was in high school someone once told me "You have a story for everything." And I don't think I have changed much since then (at least in my storytelling).

The word story seems to be every where for me lately. I use biblical storytelling for the gospel. I use Godly Play methods in our education program which presents the bible stories with props for a more interactive and hands on learning method. I'm on a committee that is forming a new ministry in Connecticut and my job on the communications team is to "help tell our story." Next fall, Bethlehem while be using the Narrative Lectionary in which each week we will focus on a different bible story. (Okay I know a lot of those examples are about bible stories but you know I am a pastor).

In some ways the word story seems childish because we relate the word often with fairy tales or children's books; adults read fiction or novels. Or the word seems old fashion, related to myths and legends. In the modern world, we care about facts. Or the word has connotations of make-believe and fantasy. I have in the past felt bad about using the word story and have looked for a different word because I felt it was too childish or that the subject of the story must not be real.

But I have come to accept the word story because I LOVE stories. And I love being surrounded by stories and storytelling because stories are such a profound way of communicating.

If people know a story about you, they are more able to relate to you. By telling someone a story from your last vacation, they learn more about you than if you just told them where you went.

Through a story, you can simplify a complex idea into something much easier to grasp. World hunger can be overwhelming if you are surrounded by facts. But by sharing the story of one person who goes hungry, it become easier to realize that everyone can make a difference.

Through a story, morals are taught, ideas are shared, mores are dispensed. Jesus taught through parables. Many of us learned about the world through Aesop's fables and Grimm's Fairy Tales.

Stories can change. I loved Choose Your Own Adventure Books growing up, because the story could change. When you tell stories orally, they change each time you tell them. Different words are emphasized, hands actions and gestures change, the tone of voice is higher or lower or louder or quieter. The words you choose even alter each telling. This is because stories are interactive, and the teller adjusts subtlety with each telling based on the listeners reactions. Stories aren't set in stone, even when everything about them seems the same.

So maybe we need to reclaim the word story, and realize they are an important part of how we communicate with one another and how we teach others about who we are, and what we believe. And that stories are for all people to hear and tell because we all have stories.

Egos Too Big and Too Small

2012-02-12T20:56:00.000-05:00

I really enjoyed researching, discussing and thinking about the similarities and differences between the Old Testament reading (2 Kings 5:1-14, the healing of Namaan) and the gospel reading (Mark 1:40-45, Jesus healing a leper). A rich man, a poor man, an important person, an unnamed person, healed without even being seen, healing through touch. And yet for both of them it was the men's egos that almost got in their way of healing.

Enjoy the sermon

There is a great paradox between the Old Testament lesson and Gospel today. But first let’s start with the Old Testament. In our reading from 2^nd Kings, Naaman was a powerful man, and he felt wanted, important, nothing could get in his way. And yet even with all of his power and wealth he still was sick and diseased. So thinking he could buy his health, the cure for his leprosy, he travels to Elisha with tons of money. And then he become angry and goes away in rage, when Elisha doesn’t even bother to come out of his home to see Naaman in person. So when Naaman’s servants finally get Naaman to do as Elisha told him to do, he has to humble himself to go bath 7 times in this barely worthy to be called a river body of muddy water. Naaman was only able to become whole when for the first time in his life he admitted that he was not powerful enough and he had to rely on God and others.

When have you been like Naaman and thought you were powerful, wealthy, should be treated like royalty?

Naaman almost let his ego get in the way of healing. We can probably often relate to that. Thinking that we are too important, too great, to let little things get to us.

And this is when the paradox with our gospel reading comes in. In Mark, Jesus heals this unnamed leper who has been casted out of society. The leper had been an outcast, he is unwanted. And he knows it. He even challenges Jesus to prove that he is wanted: “If you choose, you can make me clean.”

And we all at times have felt unwanted, unworthy. We all are in need of healing of some kind. Many of us have been cut off from family and friends. (Have you ever had a good friend just stop talking to you for some unknown reason?) Almost everyone at some point has sat outside of the community, apart from the life-giving energy and love that a community provides us with. (Haven’t you ever felt like the outsider?) We are all in need of healing of some kind, whether that is physical, social, psychological, spiritual, intellectual, vocational or financial. We are all in need of healing. And whenever we are in need of healing, some part of us does not feel wanted and we do not feel whole.

So when have you felt unwanted, when have you not felt whole?

At the end of our gospel reading, Jesus chooses to make the leper clean. He heals him through his touch and as a result the leper is able to rejoin the community, while Jesus now needs to stay outside of the towns due to the large crowds. And unlike Naaman, it wasn’t until the leper allowed his ego to grow, to realize, hey wait, maybe I am worth something, that the leper is able to be healed, to be restored to wholeness.

Our egos often get in the way of us becoming whole. It is so easy to realize our ego got in the way when we are like Naaman, thinking we are more important that we really are. But more often our ego gets in the way when we are like the leper, thinking we are unworthy, thinking we are unwanted, thinking that God doesn’t truly love us, or that we cannot possibly be restored to wholeness.

And yet we are worthy, we are wanted, and God truly loves us and wants us to be whole. This is why Jesus died on the cross for us - to forgive us of our sins, including the sins that come when we let our egos get in the way.

Community Bread

2012-02-11T15:28:00.001-05:00

I currently have 6 loves of beer rye bread rising in my kitchen, waiting to go into the oven. And as I was kneading and shaping the dough into loaves, loaves that will go to congregation members who won the Book of Faith puzzler and will be put on the coffee hour table tomorrow, I was thinking about how inter-connected baking and pastoring are for me.

My dad is who I learned to bake bread from. Just about every weekend growing up, my dad would make loaves of challah, or rye, or (my favorite) burlap bread. Often he would give us kids some of the dough to knead, and even more frequently the bread would come out of the oven just as we were getting ready to go out for dinner and my family would devour a loaf of bread before we left the house - leftovers were almost certain on those days. During the months before Christmas and Easter, the kitchen became a stolen making factory with my dad producing some years over a 100 loaves for family, friends, and fellow church members. I grew up with the smell of fresh bread in the house and it is something that I never wanted to go without.

The first bread I baked alone was banana bread, with leftover bananas from my college's fruit and finals kits. The recipe came from my congregations cookbook.

The first time I made communion bread was my year after college as I "made Jesus" for a Teens Encounter Christ weekend.

My first two years of seminary, I was frustrated with the lack of an oven in my tiny studio and for some reason I never baked communion bread for the seminary chapel.

And then internship came. Bob got a job at a bakery up the road and my lack of baking continued.

Until I made caramel rolls.

Hot gooey caramel rolls - dozens of them. For an internship cluster meeting, for Easter breakfast, just because.

Soon I became aware that if the confirmation kids had something to eat in the morning, they were more alert and participated more in the lesson. So it was brownies, and cakes, and bread. At some point Bob left his job at the bakery and I became the sole bread provider in the house. And my consumption of flour grew as I experimented with different recipes for breads and desserts.

In my year off after seminary, before my call at Bethlehem, I baked out of a desire to create something. And my baking was almost always shared, with friends, with co-workers, with the congregation we were attending.

Baking is something to be created and to be shared.

Jesus broke bread together with the disciples, with tax collectors and prostitutes, with 5000 men, plus women and children. He shared the bread.

And so I bake to share. Whether it is loaves given away or a dessert (or 20) at a dessert party. I don't want to eat it alone. I want to give this creation away, as a symbol that I care for the other. But also as a reminder of Jesus who shares his life, his body, his bread with us in communion.

Beer Rye Bread Recipe
This is my dad's recipe as published in Baking with the St. Paul Bread Club, with some minor changes to adjust for my taste.

Makes 4 small loaves or 3 regular loaves.

3 cups beer (I used Magic Hat's Single Chair Ale)
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
5 cups rye flour
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

Heat beer in a saucepan over medium heat until barely bubbling. Remove from heat. Add shortening, brown sugar, molasses and salt. Cool to lukewarm (about 110 degrees). Pour into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile dissolve yeast in warm water. Wait until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add to beer mixture. Beat in rye flour. Add enough white flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic - about 10 minutes. Dough will be slightly sticky. Place in greased bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.

Punch down dough, and divide into 3 or 4 pieces. Form each into a round or oval shape. Place either in a greased bread pan or on a cookie sheet with cornmeal dusted on bottom. Score tops of loaves and let rise until double, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, preferably directly on a pizza stone. Let cool on wire rack.

MMC: Super Bowl/ Souper Bowl of Caring Edition

2012-02-06T08:56:00.002-05:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

Well the Giants might have won the actual Super Bowl, but they didn't win our Souper Bowl of Caring competition yesterday. The Patriots bin raised $39.50 while the Giants raised only $26.07. But all total that is $65.57 or 262 meals for hungry people in Connecticut. The bins will be back this coming Sunday if Giants fans would like to prove they are as generous givers as they are cheers or if the Patriots fans would like to prove that they are gracious even when they loose. You can also still bring in canned and boxed food for Redding Social Services.

A Few Announcements

ARE Team Meeting – Mon Feb 6, noon @Rancho Allegre

Hymn selection – Mon Feb 6, 7pm

Confirmation – Tue, Feb 7, 6pm

Grow 2 Gather – Sun Feb 12 9am

Council Meeting - Sun Feb 12 after worship

Mark your calendars! Mardi Gras Crepe Dinner is Saturday February 18. Suggested donation of $9 for adults $4 for kids with all money raised going to Camp Calumet's Campaign for Today.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: According to Matthew 22, what is the greatest commandment?  A) To love the Lord B) To love you neighbor C) You should have no other gods D) Do not murder
Matthew 22:34-40, a Sadducees tests Jesus by asking him which commandment is the greatest.  Jesus replies “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Congratulations to Judy C, this week's winner.
This week’s question:  When does Jesus pray? A) at his baptism B) When he feed 5000 C) When he raised Lazarus from the dead D) in the garden of Gethsemane E) All of these times and more
As of now I have yet to receive any answers for this week's puzzler, so if you get your answer to me by noon on Wednesday you have a good chance of winning the puzzler.

Yesterday's Sermon

I loved worship yesterday, in fact the installation worship service I went to in the afternoon was a bit of a let down after yesterday morning. If you missed worship, you can read about it and the sermon here. So where & when do you pray? What do you pray for? And what did you think of the prayers of the people yesterday? Were you more prayerful as your prayers and the prayers of the people around you were read?

Serving on Sunday

We have quite a few blank spaces for sign ups on Sunday, so please let me know if you are willing to volunteer.

Worship Assistant: _______

Reader: Nancy B

Ushers: _______ & __________
Communion set up & clean up: _________

Offering Counter: __________

Coffee Hour Host: Heloisa & Mark H

Sunday's Text

We are still in the season after Epiphany and as has been a theme the last few weeks, the texts are about healing.

The first lesson is 2 Kings 5:1-14. Naaman has leprosy and is sent to Elisha for healing. Elisha tells him to immerse himself in the Jordan river 7 times and he will be made clean. But Naaman does not like this advice as it is a muddy river in a far away (for him) land and at first Naaman refused. However his servants convince him to go to the Jordan and there he is made clean. When have you not wanted to do something, even something beneficial to you, because it was too inconvenient or you thought you were better than that? Did you need someone else to convince you to try?

The second lesson is 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, a passage that many athletes find strength in as Paul asks "Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize?" What do you compete in? When have you competed and not won the prize? What does that do to you mentally, spiritually and possibly physically for the next competition?

The gospel is Mark 1:40-45, Jesus healing a leper. After healing the leper, Jesus orders the man not to tell anyone, which the man then ignores and word about Jesus spreads so quickly that he "could no longer go into a town openly." Why do you think Jesus tells the leper not to tell others how he was healed? When have you don't something people tell you not to do? Why did you do it?

Hope you all have a great week.

What Do You Pray For?

2012-02-05T13:14:00.000-05:00

I am glowing right now from how wonderful worship was this morning. I truly felt God's presence throughout the worship service. The sermon today was based on the gospel Mark 1:29-39, and more specifically when Jesus went to a deserted place to pray. During the sermon I asked the questions, "When & where do you pray?" and "What do you pray for?" This lead to a wonderful conversation and people were very honest about what those questions mean to them and more especially what they pray for.

I then gave them an opportunity to write prayers, either just a few words or full sentences and those were our prayers of the people today. Not only did I feel God's presence as we prayed but I also felt like people were actually listening more intently to the words I was saying. I personally tend to zone during the prayers of intercession and just by rote say "hear our prayer," but these prayers seemed so much more full.

We also communed in a circle around the altar and font which always makes me smile as I watch children commune their parents (even if sometimes the children are in their 60s).

So enjoy the sermon - I hope you feel God's presence as you reflect upon prayer.

Jesus has had a busy first day. On his first day of healing, he healed the man possessed by an unclean spirit that Ryan told us about last week, then he comes to Simon Peter’s home and heals his mother-in-law. No wonder why word about him quickly spread.

It spread so quickly that by sundown, when it was no longer the Sabbath, there was a line of people waiting to be healed. People who were sick or demon possessed – the whole city was gathered around the door of Simon Peter’s home.

And after this busy day, Jesus needed some time off, some time to reflect and pray. He got up early in the morning and went to a deserted place by himself to pray. Jesus was probably looking for answers, the way most of us look for answers when we pray. Was his mission to stay in that town of Capernaum to heal the sick of the whole town? Or was his mission to continue to travel throughout Galilee to preach God’s message? Did he really want to do this? Already he was overrun with people and this is only the first day of his healing ministry – did he really want to live this life?

Jesus needed time to be alone with God in prayer. Just like we often need to turn to God in prayer. Therefore – when and where to you pray? What do you pray for? What happens when your prayers are not answered? (at least not the way that you want them in the time frame that you want them to be).

Many people find comfort in knowing that they are not alone in their prayers, that others are praying with them, whether it is for healing, or finding employment or relationship issues, or in thanksgiving for joys in our lives from beautiful days, to births, to love. Yet we are often uncomfortable making those request – it can seem like begging. So here is your opportunity to lift up prayers among the congregation, and still remain anonymous if you wish. In your pews are some note cards, I’m going to give us a few minutes to write down those prayers, maybe just a word or two, maybe a full sentence. And place them in this basket. These will be our prayers of the people today – prayers that came from the people of Bethlehem.

Having others pray our prayers doesn’t mean that they are any more likely to be answered in the way that we truly want, but often when we hear our prayers on the lips of others, we become more open to allowing God to answer those prayers in ways that are not just our own.

The Word of the Week: Intentionality

2012-01-30T17:46:00.000-05:00

This past week was my last installment of Baby Pastor School. The format has been greatly changed and it is not officially called "Leadership Guild" instead of its previous official name "Institute for Congregational Ministry." Unfortunately, it has never officially been called Baby Pastor School ;-( And I have to say I like the changes, though there was most definitely some growing pains this year.

Realizing that the 100 or so participants gather have a diverse range of calls and passions, the organizers got rid of the workshops and keynote speaker whose topic varied greatly from year to year. Also gone was mass gatherings with everyone in our "year" and small groups were transformed. To steal a term from a friend, baby pastor school was previously a tube sock event - it was meant to cover all but in and of itself it was pointless and void. In other words it was trying to be everything to everyone and as a result there wasn't much content.

Instead for the time being, each year they will focus on developing leadership skills to make us baby pastors and roostered leaders better leaders regardless of what type of call we have. The keynote speakers will address those skills and the small group time will be spent developing those skills greater with people who have been called roughly the same amount of time. But this year those leadership skills development started a little too basic and our small group as a result rebelled.

It really wasn't until Wednesday that the information presented became not just stuff we already knew. As one friend stated on Tuesday "Today I learned that in order to get to know someone you should have a conversation with them." Seriously!? No wonder I haven't been getting to know anyone, I have just been talking to my dogs this entire time. Therefore practicing conversations with people was not helpful.

So what did I get out of this experience? Just the idea of intentionality. Yes that might also seem like a no duh, but sometimes I need to be reminded of that. To intentionally take time to get to know new people in my congregation, people in the greater community and even people in my congregation who I have known for the last 2 1/2 years. To intentionally take time for planning ministry. To intentionally take time for reading ministry books and further development of my own ministry skill sets. To intentionally review how events, sermons or worship went to better those in experiences in the future.

So what will I be intentionally working on in the future? Well now that I just wrote that, I have almost too many to think of. But I think I will try and stick with two - one professional, one more personal. The professional option is that as Bethlehem partners with ARE and we start this transformation process, to take time to make sure that people are adapting to the changes. That doesn't mean go so slowly that glaciers are moving fast, but more to check in with people to make sure their concerns are heard and validated.

On the personal side, it is to be intentional about getting out of the house/church for at least an hour Monday through Thursday. Even though I'm an extrovert, it is way to easy for me to hole up, especially since Bob is not at home. Tuesday and Thursday should be easy as I have text study and stitch and bitch on those days. And on Mondays and Wednesdays it means visiting homebound members, meeting with community members and church members (you know that conversation piece up above), or even just going to the coffee shop if what I really need to do is read and write.

And no, even with the changes I would not want to go back to Baby Pastor School next year, but at least I have hope that it won't be such a dreaded experience in the future and the organizers are headed in the right direction.

MMC: Looking towards Lent

2012-01-30T11:57:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

Thank you to everyone who attended yesterday's annual meeting. I enjoyed listening to your comments and concerns about the year past and the year ahead. I especially want to say thank you to our outgoing council members - Vernon Beck, Ellen Grunsell, Jeff Kapec and John Santorella. Thank you for you leadership and dedication to Bethlehem. Some people also wanted to know more about the narrative lectionary. You can find that information here and at their FAQ site.

As January turns into February, we are starting to gear up for Lent which means a busy calendar.

Mutual Ministry Committee Mon Jan 30, 7:30p
Confirmation – Tue, Jan 31, 6pm
Conference Meeting – Sat Feb 4 10am, Salem Bridgeport
Grow 2 Gather Sunday Feb 5 9am - we will be hearing about Samuel and kids who do great things today.
Installation Service for Pastor Cathy Rohrs – Sun Feb 5 3pm at Grace, Stratford
Souper Bowl of Caring is next week. Bring your change (though we will accept checks and bills as well) and vote with your money on who you think will win the Super Bowl: the Patriots or the Giants. All money will got to Kids Care which packages meals for people who are food insecure in New England.
Celebrate Mardi Gras at Bethlehem! Mark your calendar for Saturday February 18^th at 6pm for an evening of dinner and entertainment. Dinner will be a variety of crepes and all proceeds go to Camp Calumet’s Campaign for Today.
Ash Wednesday is February 22 this year and there will be a mid week worship each Wednesday in Lent - more information to come.

Book of Faith PuzzlerThe question from last week: In John 21, who decided to go fishing after Jesus’ death and resurrection? A) Simon Peter B) Thomas, C) Nathanael D) James & John E) All of these

In John 21, many of the disciples returned to the Sea of Galilee. Simon Peter decided to go fishing and the other disciples listed above decided to join him. Nobody submitted their answer this week which means the bread and candy is all mine!
This week’s question: According to Matthew 22, what is the greatest commandment? A) To love the Lord B) To love you neighbor C) You should have no other gods D) Do not murder
Let me know your answer by noon Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon
Thank you to Ryan for leading us in a wonderful discussion about what is an unclean spirit. I appreciated being able to not worry about preaching when I was at a conference all week. So we pretty much decided that we all have unclean spirits - what are some unclean spirits that you battle against?

Serving this Week
A new worship leader sign up sheet is out, but therefore mostly empty.
Worship Assistant: Mark H
Reader:__________
Communion Assistant:________
Ushers:_______ & _____________
Altar set up & Clean up:_________
Bread baker/bringer:___________
Offering Counter:_______________
Coffee Hour Host:______________
If you can help fill some of these empty spots, please let me know.
Sunday's Texts
The first reading is Isaiah 40:21-31. Isaiah is trying to get his listeners to realize it is God who created the world and that same God we give them strength while in exile. When have you looked to the majesty of nature in order to find inner strength? When has being able to look at creation helped you realize that there is a God?

The second reading is 1 Corinthians 9:16-23. Paul writes that he has become like others in order to win those people for Christ. Writing that sentence makes me both want to identify different ways that I can transform myself so I can better communicate the gospel to others and it makes me want to crawl out of my skin as it seems very manipulative. How can we become like others in order to better preach the gospel and yet remain true to ourselves so that when we do transform it does not seem like we are doing this just to manipulate the other?
The gospel is Mark 1:29-39. Our gospel begins with Jesus healing Simon's mother-in-law and many other people in town. The next day Jesus went to a dessert place to pray and the disciples went looking for him because many other people were looking for Jesus. Even early in his ministry, Jesus needed time to pray alone. When do you take time to be alone with God? Do you find it easy or difficult to take such time?

Hope you all have a great week
~Pastor Becca

MMC: Last Baby Pastor School

2012-01-23T08:55:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

I'm actually writing this on Sunday night as I'm leaving (have left) early this morning for my last stint at Baby Pastor School.

That being said, if you have a pastoral emergency this week please call Pastor Geoff Sinibaldo of St. Michael's New Canaan at 203-807-6474. You can reach me on my cell phone though I more than likely will have to return your call later in the day. I will return in plenty of time for our annual meeting on Sunday January 29th.

A Few Announcements

ARE Gathering Saturday Jan 28, 9am-3:30pm Holy Trinity- Trumbell

Annual Meeting – Sunday Jan 29, after worship

Confirmation – Tue, Jan 31, 6pm

Conference Meeting – Sat Feb 4 10am, Salem Bridgeport

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: In the gospel of John, Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanael were the first disciples to follow Jesus. Who were the first disciples to follow Jesus in Mark (hint look near the beginning). A)Simon, Andrew, James & John B) James, John, Bartholomew & Matthew C) Andrew, Simon, Thomas & Jude D) Judas, Philip, Matthew, Mark.
In Mark 1:14-20 (our gospel for today) Jesus calls Simon and his brother Andrew to follow him and fish for people. He then calls to James, the son of Zebedee and his brother John who also leave their boats to follow Jesus. Congratulations to Nancy Beck for winning this week's puzzler.
This week’s question: In John 21, who decided to go fishing after Jesus’ death and resurrection? A) Simon Peter B) Thomas, C) Nathanael D) James & John E) All of these Email me with your answer by noon on Thursday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

If you missed worship yesterday, you can read my written sermon on my blog here. What is Jesus calling you to do?

Serving this week

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this coming Sunday

Preacher: Ryan Hawley

Worship Assistant: Ellen Grunsell

Reader: Nini Constable

Usher: Paul Degener & ________
Communion Assistant: ________

Communion set up & clean up: __________

Bread bakers: Grow 2 Gather

Offering Counter: Nancy Beck

Coffee Hour Hosts: Mark & Heloisa Hasskarl

If you would like to serve in any of the available areas, please let me know.

Texts this week

The first lesson is Deuteronomy 18:15-20. During this reading God says to Moses "I will raise up for [the Israelites] a prophet like you from among their own people." Who do you see being lifted up in our congregation, in the greater community? How does God lift you up to help others?

The second lesson is 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. The Corinthians are fighting over whether or not people should eat the food sacrifices that have been set aside for other gods. Paul's point is that while we are free in Christ, some of us are stronger in faith than others and those strong in their faith should not use that freedom if it causes others to sin. When have you refrained from behavior that in and of itself is not sinful in order to keep another from sinning? An easy example would be when you refrain from drinking alcohol in front of someone who is an alcoholic.

The gospel lesson is Mark 1:21-28. This is the first time we hear that Jesus taught in the synagogue and the people we astounded by Jesus' teachings. And yet when an unclean spirit speaks up and Jesus commands the spirit to come out of the man, the crowd is more amazed that even the spirits listen to him. Have you ever been amazed by someone's authority, presences, knowledge, only to be more amazed when it put to the test?

Hope you all have a great week. I'll be thinking about you in Pennsylvania.

Soon to be a toddler pastor

~Pastor Becca

Are You Called to Abandon Everything?

2012-01-22T15:11:00.000-05:00

I'm still finding the balance in these conversational sermons of how much I should prepare, how much I should leave up to conversation. About what questions I should expect answers for and which questions need to be left hanging. Today was a day in which there was more silence as people were thinking than answers, which I think is a good thing at times. Today's gospel was Mark 1:14-20, in which Jesus' calls his first disciples and they immediately leave their nets, boats and father behind in order to follow Jesus.

I was struck by the idea that we often don't leave behind everything and more than likely that is not what Jesus is calling us to do to be his disciples either. And so my questions if Jesus is calling us to abandon everything to follow him requires more thought than a simple yes or no.

Enjoy the written form, and as always the spoken version was fairly different

What would make you want to drop everything in your life, your career, your family, your home, in order to pursue something unknown?

That is basically what Jesus was asking of his disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John. “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And with those words they drop everything and left their boats, their family (including their father still sitting in the boat), their entire lives behind.

Don’t you wish in some way that Jesus can come to you and in an instant you would be willing to leave everything to follow him? But isn’t that scary as well? We don’t like to leave our lives behind and go entirely into the unknown. Most of the time when people move today it is because of school or a job, or a loved one – there is something known on the other side of that move. Yes occasionally it is just a dream – the dream of making it big in Hollywood or the dream of becoming a music star. But even then the dream becomes the known.

But for these 4 and the 8 other disciples that will follow them, there is completely unknown on the other side of Jesus’ invitation – Where are we going? When we will get there? Who will we meet? Why are we doing this? What are we going to do?
The only answer they have is that Jesus will make them fish for people, whatever that means.

Why do you think the disciples, left everything to, followed Jesus?

Is Jesus calling you to abandon everything to follow him?

How is Jesus calling us to follow him?

We don’t need to abandon our lives to follow Jesus – in fact Jesus doesn’t ask them to abandon their boats, the disciples do that on their own. Jesus was calling them to be who they were, to see what they have and to do what they were called to do to the glory of God. And that is what Jesus is inviting us to do. Who are you? What do you have? What are you called to do? Who are we as Bethlehem? What do we have? What are we called to do? And how do we do it to the glory of God?

Youth Ministry NOW

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

Yale Div School is hosting a series of four lectures/forums about youth ministry over the first four months of 2012. The first such one was this past Tuesday and the speaker was Dr. Andrew Root from Luther Seminary.

Now I have heard a lot about Andrew Root, and I have read some of the things that he has published, but I have not had the pleasure of hearing him talk until Tuesday. And I'm so glad that I was able to go.

Dr. Root titled his talk "Relationships Unfiltered" and he mainly talked about the importance of relationships in youth ministry. But in youth ministry more than any other type of ministry, we use those relationships for influence. We hope that by having a relationship with a teenager it will make them want to go to church, or bible study, or even choose moral behavior. That really there is a hopeful outcome to our relationship though it is hardly ever stated matter of fact-ly. And instead we need to use those relationships to just be with the teenagers, to be with them for who they are and what they are going through in their lives.

One media clip Dr Root showed was from the bad reality tv show called "God or the Girl" in which a group of people we getting together a few weeks before move in day at a college to plan their "evangelism strategy" and the woman in charge of the meeting was saying things like "put your smiles on" "take them out for ice cream" "play frisbee with them" "become their friend" and then "out of loyalty to me, they will come to bible study." Now this clip made me squirm because it reminded me too uncomfortable about my days in Campus Crusade for Christ and how they would plan returning students to live on each floor of each dorm in the hopes to get new freshmen and then they would have events each weekend. I found out once I was more involved that this was because they wanted to basically make it that new students became so entrenched that their only friends were in the group and therefore they would keep showing up. Granted I'm sure they would never put it this way.

Anyway my point of referring to this clip is that is one extreme of having a relationship for the sake of a specific outcome. But it happens all the time, we hope to persuade friends one direction or the other, but to do it intentionally "for the sake of the gospel" often is more detrimental in the long run. People find out that they have been set up and once the friendship seems phony, often the gospel comes off that way too.

If you are in the area, check out the upcoming youth ministry forums at Yale Div, hopefully I'll see you there.

MMC: Calling the Disciples

2012-01-16T11:26:00.000-05:00

Good morning Bethlehem

I'm sure many of you are riding high after wins by New England and the Giants this weekend or you are basking in the after-glow of the Golden Globes last night. And I'm sure even more of you are enjoying this day of celebration as our nation remembers the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Please take a moment today to not just give thanks for his life and the many ways our country has changed as a result of his ministry but to also continue his message. One of MLK's many quotable quotes is this: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?" So who can you help today to change that person's life?

A Few Announcements

Senior Lunch Wed Jan 4, noon at – East Ridge Café in Ridgefield

Grow 2 Gather Sunday Jan 22 9am

Worship Committee Meeting Sunday Jan 22, after worship

American Red Cross Blood Drive sponsored by Girl Scout Troop 50122 will be at First Church of Christ Congregational, 25 Cross Highway, Redding on Friday, January 20th, from 1:45 - 6:45 Walk-ins welcome or donors can make an appointment at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-733-2767 Reward: A coupon for a free pound of Dunkin' Donuts coffee (Give a pint, get a pound!)

ANNUAL MEETING SUNDAY JANUARY 29TH AFTER WORSHIP

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: In Acts 8, where does Philip baptize the Ethiopian eunuch? A)In the River Jordan B)In the sea of Galilee C)In the Dead Sea D)In some water near the road

In Acts 8:26-40, it tells of Phillip being sent by an angel of the Lord to the road between Jerusalem & Gaza where he came across an Ethiopian eunuch who wished to be baptized. In verse 36, “as they were going along the road, they came to some water.” and the Ethiopian was baptized. This was probably more than just a puddle as he “came up out of the water” put otherwise we do not know how great the body of water was. Congratulations to this week's winner Dorothy H.

This week’s question: In the gospel of John, Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanael were the first disciples to follow Jesus. Who were the first disciples to follow Jesus in Mark (hint look near the beginning). A)Simon, Andrew, James & John B) James, John, Bartholomew & Matthew C) Andrew, Simon, Thomas & Jude D) Judas, Philip, Matthew, Mark.

Email me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

As I mentioned yesterday in worship, I was struggling all week about my sermon. And then it came together during our first hymn when we sang the line "Will you love the you you hid, if I but call your name?" You can read more about this process here. What is the you that you hid? How do you hid it? Who is the true you that Jesus is saying "follow me" to?

Serving on Sunday

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this coming Sunday
Worship Assist: Mark H
Reader: Paul B
Communion Assistant: Heloisa H
Ushers_____ & _______
Communion set up:________
Counter: Nancy B
Coffee Hour Host: Barbara & Nini C

If you are able to serve in one of the ways that is currently blank, please let me know

Sunday's Texts

As we continue this season after Epiphany, our stories continue with themes of calling, this time we hear about Jonah and some of Jesus' first disciples.

The first reading is Jonah 3:1-5, 10. Jonah really is a funny book. Personally I think that if you don't laugh while reading it, you either don't get it or you are taking your faith much too seriously. Here is a guy who is told by God to go to Nineveh but he runs the other way, gets thrown out of the boat, swallowed by a fish and then given a 2nd chance by God to go to Nineveh. This time he goes and while he doesn't preach exactly what God tells him to, he tells the city that they are doomed. Within a day the people repent and then Jonah gets upset because God decided not to destroy the city. When has God given you a second chance? (or a third? or a fourth?) Have you ever changed your ways (repented) after being warned that your current actions were going to cause you to be destroyed?

The second reading is 1 Corinthians 7:29-31. Paul says that if we are married or mourning or rejoice or rich, that we should not act that way because the world is passing away. Paul thought that Jesus was coming back in his lifetime, but now 2000 years later, Jesus has not returned and we, as humans, live life including marriage, and mourning & rejoice and even buying things. How do you keep in tension that the fact that we are living life as God has created us, but Jesus is coming?

The gospel is Mark 1:14-20. Jesus calls 4 disciples who all leave their nets, boats and family and follow Jesus. Are you called to leave behind part of your life to follow Jesus? Or can you follow Jesus while still keeping your career, your family, your life?

Hope you have a great week!
~Pastor Becca

And It All Came Together

2012-01-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

I was struggling all week with how exactly I wanted to approach the sermon. Three of Sunday's readings were about God calling us: Samuel being called by God (1 Samuel 3:1-20), a praise of God for searching us out and knowing who we are even when we do not (Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18) and Jesus calling the first disciples (John 1:35-51). But there are four lessons and that one can be sung "One of these things is not like the others, one of these things doesn't belong" - 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul writing against fornication as it is a sin against the body.

It was however that 1 Corinthians reading that struck me in the light of the others. That God is calling our whole selves to follow Christ, not just part of us. And when we escape through sins such as sexual fornication, but you can add drug & alcohol addiction, fornication with money, even giving into peer pressure and acting in ways that are not our true self, then we are not able to truly follow Christ.

And so I struggled all week as I tried to express this. I wrote one version of the sermon, but wasn't a real fan of what I wrote. And on Saturday I heavily edited it and added to it. But still I didn't like what I wrote.

And then it all came together as God and God's word struck me through song. Our first hymn was The Summons or as it is better known as Will You Come and Follow Me. The 4th verse has a line "will you love the you you hid if I but call your name?" And that is the nugget that I needed, the phrase that pulled my entire sermon together.

We hid behind sin, or behind ways that we feel that we should act, through peer pressure, through how the media portrays people. We feel like we can't truly be disciples of Jesus because we aren't willing, or don't feel called to be the person who asks people on the street corner if they have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Or the person who takes a knee and prays in the endzone in front of millions of people. Or the person who can follow blindly, without questioning what the church or what Jesus truly means. And yet Jesus doesn't want us to act that way. Jesus doesn't want us to be someone we are not. Jesus wants us, our true selves to follow him. Jesus wants the person who we often hid to follow him because that if we are too busy hiding we aren't able to come and see.

And so my sermon was re-written, in the moment, in the midst of this song, in the midst of hearing the congregation sing God's Word to me so that we were able to preach the damn gospel together in conversation.

2012-01-13T14:59:00.000-05:00

I have been happily stitching away on both my PhD project and my travel projects and thought I would post a few updates.

I'm getting to the point that I getting antsy to finish the first page of pattern of the PhD project - though it still doesn't look like much considering it is just a wall.

I also have made some progress on the "Pray without Ceasing" travel project I've been working on at Stitch & Bitch.

I'll probably finish the skin this week - thank God, there is only so much flesh tone stitching I can take and be able to start the shirt. My goal is to be able to finish it up while at Baby Pastor School the week of the 23rd.

I'm Cool

2012-01-11T10:22:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you already knew that. ;-)

But I'm stating it today because my friend Joe over at Lutheran Grilled Cheese has asked me to be an occasional guest blogger and write about the spiritual practice of identify God active in your life - or as I more commonly say "Where have you seen God this week?" Check it out.

MMC: Calling and Being Yourself

2012-01-09T11:39:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Everyone

I hope you having a good start to the week and a good start to 2012.

A Few Announcements:

ARE Conference Call Monday Jan 9, 7pm

Confirmation Tuesday Jan 10, 6pm

Council Sunday Jan 15, after worship

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: How many days after his birth to the Magi come bearing gifts to Jesus? A)3 B)7 C)12 D)40 E)We don’t’ know
According to scripture, Jesus was circumcised when he was 8 days old (Luke 2:21) and presented in the temple when he was 40 days old (Luke 2:22). Herod asked the Magi when they had first seen the star (Matthew 2:7) and on that basis killed all the boy age two and under (Matthew 2:16). So based on that information, Jesus was between the ages of 41 days and 2 years old – so really we don’t know how old Jesus was when the Magi came to visit. No one won this week's puzzler, which means more bread for me.

This week’s question: In Acts 8, where does Philip baptize the Ethiopian eunuch? A)In the River Jordan B)In the sea of Galilee C)In the Dead Sea D)In some water near the road Look up the chapter and send me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's sermon
Yesterday's sermon was very different - pure complete conversation about baptism. You and read my recap about the dialog on my blog here. Where you not here and have your own thought about baptism? Did you think of another point/question after we ended or too shy to speak up? If so please send me any additional thoughts you have. Also are there topics that you would like to discuss, let me know what questions you are pondering so we can ponder them together.

Serving this Sunday
We again have a week were few people have signed up to serve in worship (Barbara C has volunteered to count the offering). Otherwise the following positions are available for volunteers:
Worship Assistant
Reader
Communion Assistant
Ushers (2 people)
Communion set up/clean up
Coffee Hour Host

Please let me know if you are willing to serve in one of these ways.

Sunday's TextsAs we are in the season after Epiphany, we hear stories of baptism, calling and light. This week we hear a lot about God calling people.

The first reading is 1 Samuel 3:1-20. Four times God calls Samuel and the first three times Samuel thought it was his mentor/employer Eli. Have you ever had God call you but you thought it was something/someone else? Or have you ever turned from following God's call because it was easier or less scary?

The second reading is 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. Paul uses the sins of fornication and prostitution to illustrate that God wants our whole bodies and lives to follow Christ, not just part of us. As we have recently heard about a Catholic bishop who announced he had multiple teenage children or find out that other Christian leaders actually have secret lives, society often marks them as hypocrites. Yet God calls all of us to fully worship him with every part of our lives - not just Sunday Mornings. How then are we hypocritical in this faith? and how can we by claiming those inconsistencies help others in their faith? I will start this conversation - I swear like a sailor and can be quite irreverent in my faith (have you seen the collection of Jesus toys I have in my office?). And yet because I am this way, I feel like I can actually speak of faith to those who feel they are not "holy enough" without making myself seem superior. The great question is - should I change my behavior to be more in line with biblical teaching or should I be true to myself which often is greater in sharing the faith?

The gospel for Sunday John 1:43-51. Jesus calls Philip as a disciple and Philip, in turns, calls his friend Nathanael to join him. Philip doesn't ask Nathanael to change his mind set before he see Jesus, nor does Jesus ask him to do this after they meet, instead Philip tells Nathanael to come and see Jesus and Jesus flatters him. Who are you inviting to come see Jesus?

Hope you all have a great week and that you are inviting others to come and see
~Pastor Becca

Shortest Sermon EVER!

2012-01-09T09:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had probably the shortest written sermon EVER - in the history of the world. In fact I felt guilty printing it out it was so short. It only consisted of 3 questions.

What is baptism?
What does baptism do?
Why do we baptize?

On the Sunday when the church celebrates the Baptism of Jesus and the gospel was Mark 1:1-13, I thought it was appropriate to have a discussion about what baptism means for us as individuals and as the church universal.

So what did we actually discuss?

Well I first asked "what is baptism?" got a few blank stares so started instead with "Why do we baptize?" I have to say I was kind of shocked where the conversation started - it started with legit theological reasons. Any pastor can tell you those often are not the reason that parents bring their child to be baptized. In fact I had to go fishing for those reasons - because Grandma will be upset, because it is tradition, because by having the child baptized it will keep them from hell, or ward off the devil. Instead the reasons I was first given was - because Jesus commands it (Matthew 28:19), because it is a sign of God's grace that should be given to all, because it is a sign of our faith - are ones that would make many pastors sing if a parent came to them with that reasoning for having their child baptized.

So then we moved to "What is baptism?" and referenced Luther's Small Catechism in which Luther says baptism is water and the Word of God. We also discussed how it is a sacrament and compared it to the other sacrament of Communion.

And "What does baptism do?" Well it is in baptism that God claims us as sons and daughters. It is in baptism that we are given a tangible moment of God's love and grace for us. In witnessing a baptism, we are reminded of our own baptism, that God's love us so much to claim us as a son or daughter and if we cannot actually remember our baptism we are reminded that someone loved us so much to bring us to be baptized so we would never not know that love.

I must admit, I was a little afraid to do this. I have been asking questions in my sermons for, well, just about as long as I have been at Bethlehem. But they started out as almost rhetorical - yes I wanted actual answers but they didn't change where I was going with the sermon - maybe I would use the answers as examples later in the sermon. And even of late, when I have had more conversational sermons, I still have started out with some content.

And you would think 3 questions would mean that I would have spent less time preparing for this sermon than normal - well no. I knew on Tuesday that these questions would be my sermon but since then I have read commentaries, I read the baptism sections of Luther's small & large catechism, I listened to podcast commentaries on the texts and I didn't get to as much as I wanted to. I wanted to take time to read the BEM document from the World Council of Churches (BEM stands for Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry) and read a little book that the congregation often gives to families when they are preparing for a baptism.

So will I do this completely conversational sermon again - without a doubt. Just about ever person in the sanctuary on Sunday was engaged in the conversation - that hardly ever happens in a traditional sermon. People were actually thinking about what baptism is, why do we do this funny rite. Questions were asked that were left hanging for future sermons - adult only baptism verse infant, how much water is needed - and many people were shocked that in case of eminent death anyone can baptize. Realizing that faith practices have reach this inner place of knowledge and having the two connect is a goal of mine and this style of sermon worked so much better than a traditional sermon ever would.

Adventures in Childhood Part 2

2012-01-07T15:53:00.001-05:00

Since Bob was going to have to stay in France for Christmas, my parents decided to come out to visit. They ended up coming up the Tuesday before Christmas, late, it was actually Wednesday before we got back to the house from the airport. And they just left on Thursday morning. Yeah going from living alone to having two additional people in my house, and parents at that, for over two weeks was a little rough, but actually things went better than I expected.

Other than worship, we had a few adventures in the area, mainly in New York.

My parents at Rockefeller Center

The Wednesday after Christmas we went to Manhattan and walked around. We started at Grand Central, went up to Rockefeller Center, hit the northern end of Times Square (God I hate that place), walked through Columbus Circle and explored Lincoln Center a bit. We then took the subway up a few stops, walked across the park. We had hoped to get into the Guggenheim but the line was around the block so we went to the Met instead. There we mainly explored the American Wing and then I showed my parents the Ancient Near East stuff so they can see what Bob studies. We also stopped by Macy's to see the windows before we took the train back home.
We spent two days exploring some of the towns around the Hudson - New Paltz, Tarryville, and a few others that I can't remember the name of.

Mainly we just took time relaxing and shopping and enjoying each others company - well when I wasn't kicking them out of the house to do something or hiding at the church getting work done. So maybe I am growing up a little.

Works in Progess

2012-01-06T15:47:00.000-05:00

About a week before Christmas I finally started on my PhD project, granted I got all about 20 stitches in before Christmas. However this pass two week, while my parents were visiting, most evenings we would spend some time sitting around the table working on our various stitching. Well really my mom would fall asleep on the couch but my dad would work on his project and I got some stitching done on my PhD project.

Someday it will look like this:

But for now it looks like this:

I've only had one problem thus far. The chart has what I'm dubbing normal colons, overweight colons and obese colons (really bold and super bold). I didn't realize this and ended up stitching about 100-150 obese colons were the overweight ones should have been. If the colors were close I would have let it be but the obese is a dark grey and the overweight ones are a light blue. And of course I didn't notice this until I had already stitched about 10 other colors so I couldn't just stitch backwards. Oh well. Now I know to be careful with colons.

Otherwise I'm loving how the stitching is working up. The colors are beautiful and on 20 count fabric the stitches are nice and full with none of the fabric showing through.

But since this project is so huge, it is only for home. So the other week when I was headed to Stitch and Bitch I realize that I didn't have a project to bring with me. So I went through my stash and found a project half done in my stash. It is probably close to 10 years old and I don't remember working on it at all. So this will be my travel project for the time being.

Here it is before Stitch & Bitch last night.

MMC: Baptism & the New Year

2012-01-03T14:17:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon & Happy New Year!

I hope that you are all are adjusting to life post-holidays as the kids have gone back to school, you've gone back to work or company has gone back to their homes.

A Few Quick Announcements

Grow 2 Gather is this Sunday at 9am. We will be hearing the story of Jesus' baptism and discussing the symbols of baptism as we make a reminder that we are loved children of God.
Confirmation is NEXT Tuesday, January 10th at 6pm.
If you ordered poinsettias, they are available to take home. If you forgot what size you ordered, please ask.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The puzzler from the last Sunday in Advent was: What is the longest the season of Advent can be? A)24 days B) 25 days C)28 days D)30 days.

Advent starts 4 Sundays before Christmas, regardless of what day of the week Christmas is on. This year since Christmas was on a Sunday, we had 4 full weeks of Advent, or 28 days, the longest Advent can be. Congratulations to Ryan and Tiina H for being our winners as they duked it out and hurried to be able to count the calendar the quickest.

You should also come to worship as you never know when I'll surprise you with a bonus question and you can receive a loaf of bread on the spot. This week's bonus question was: Sunday was the 8th day of Christmas. What happened to Jesus 8 days after he was born? Well my dad answered the question, even though it was his bread I was giving away, which was that Jesus was circumcised when he was 8 days old as was and is customary in the Jewish tradition. Mark H stepped in and stole his answer in order to receive the loaf of bread.

This week’s question: How many days after his birth to the Magi come bearing gifts to Jesus? A)3 B)7 C)12 D)40 E)We don’t’ know If you know the answer or willing to look it up email me by noon on THURSDAY (yep you get an extra day this week). Thus far I haven't received any answers for this question and I have a loaf of my dad' bird seed bread sitting waiting to be given away plus I haven't baked in over 2 weeks now.

Serving on Sunday
The sign up sheet for Sunday is blank except that Ryan H has volunteered to be the worship assistant. If you are willing to read, usher, count, serve coffee hour, assist with communion or set up for communion, please let me know. Try something new this year and volunteer to serve in a way that you have not served

Sunday's Text
This Sunday we celebrate Baptism of our Lord and many of the readings concern baptism and water: Genesis 1:1-8, Acts 19:1-7 and Mark 1:1-13. I have 3 main questions for you: What is baptism? What does baptism do? Why do we baptize? Think about those this week as we prepare to discuss Jesus' baptism along with our own this week.

Have a blessed week
~Pastor Becca

Gifts of Joy

2011-12-26T12:27:00.000-05:00

As I have mentioned a few times, my congregation is AWESOME!! I'm always amazed at how caring they are towards me and this Christmas is no exception.

My parents decided to come up for Christmas this year and multiple people have invited myself and my parents over to join with their family Christmas celebrations. And even more shocking and wonderful is they had just small gifts for each of us so that we would not be the only ones without. So on Christmas Eve at midnight I participate in a Brazilian feast and on Christmas Day I played nerf gun wars with some of other parishioner's grandkids*

I also received some gifts and I have to share the irreverent ones with you.

A little stuffed church, Holy Toast and a Jesus pen that came in a box that says "Join the Religious Write". I also received two really cute heart shaped stockings with my dogs names on them and they are filled with dog treats. (I need to take a picture of those).

But probably the best present was my congregation members making sure that Bob was able to be here for Christmas. No they didn't chip in for a plane ticket for him and somehow get around all the visa rules he has right now, instead he was sitting in his normal pew:

He is wearing a french beret and a scarf (not academic robes or dressed up like Martian Luther). I first spotted "The Bob" (as I have dubbed him) while walking down the aisle while lighting candles during Silent Night (we do it early in the service during the 5pm worship) and of course started cracking up. Silent Night is has laughter in it right?

So like I said: My Congregation is AWESOME!!!

*Side story that I have to share: the grandkids are from England and during the nerf gun wars would say over and over again in the politest of British accents "Becca, I'm going to kill you." I think Doctor Who should make an episode where aliens invade young children's bodies and they say over and over again "Doctor I'm going to kill you."

Christmas Expectations

2011-12-26T12:05:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve was a wonderful yet crazy day for me. Two worship services at 5 & 10, parents in town and I'm still coughing some - actually to the point that during the 5pm service I had to take an intermission during the sermon in order to drink some water to help with my cough.

Below is my Christmas Eve sermon. What are some of your Christmas expectations and your expectations for God?

There are a lot of expectations around Christmas. We have expectations about what food we are going to eat. About whose home we are going to. We have expectations about what gifts we are going to get and the reactions from people who we bought gifts for. We have expectations about the music we will hear. The kids here are expecting there to be presents from Santa under their Christmas tree tomorrow and they are expecting toys and not clothes.

Most of these expectations are because of traditions. We based our expectations based on what we have done in previous years, the memories we hold most dear. So what are some of your expectations for Christmas?

Don’t you just love traditions? They help form our expectations, but we have also made expectations because we make Christmas to be this picture prefect time of the year. It is the most wonderful time of the year! And yet so often our expectations are not met. The cookies did not turn out exactly like how grandma used to make them. The family gets in a big fight after dinner (and yet somehow we forgot that we actually have this fight every year). We don’t receive the gift we were expecting or someone doesn’t like the gift we bought them as much as we thought. A loved one is not able to make it home for Christmas.

We even have these expectations with God. We expect to come to worship and sing all the carols that we know and love. We expect to have candlelight during Silent Night. We expect to hear the story of Jesus’ birth. And hopefully thus far we have meet those expectations.

And yet we expect to go home, unchanged. Maybe with some warm fuzzies or good memories, maybe with our favorite carol stuck in our head, but we don’t expect to be greatly changed by the experience. But yet Jesus changes everything!

The shepherds weren’t expecting angels to come to them in the fields. Mary wasn’t expecting to give birth in a stable. Joseph wasn’t expecting to have a son who was not actually his. And yet with Jesus’ birth all these things happened.

We don’t expect God to be a baby and yet in Jesus birth, God is there. We don’t expect the infinite God to become finite and yet in Jesus’ birth God is made flesh and blood. We don’t expect the God of heaven to come down to earth and yet on Christmas God was made flesh. We don’t expect the lowliest people hear this news first yet the angels came to proclaim Jesus’ birth to the shepherds instead of kings. We don’t expect to see God in our daily lives and yet because of Jesus’ birth Christ lives in each of us. We don’t expect that God would be willing to die for us and yet in Jesus a savior was given to us that loves us so much he died for us. We don’t expect that God to come to us and yet in Christ, Emmanuel God is with us, here and out there in each and every day of our lives because Christ comes to us not just on Christmas but always, constantly. And for that reason, maybe we should change our expectations, because Jesus changes everything.

Sick, and still sick

2011-12-19T20:50:00.000-05:00

Almost 3 weeks ago now I started coughing, at first nothing bad, just a minor cough every once in awhile. But then it started to become more persistent and deeper, more in the chest. And I spent pretty much the entire second week of Advent at home, in my pajamas, coughing with bronchitis.

While being sick during Advent as a pastor is never a good thing, I have been lucky that with bronchitis I was pretty much just coughing and tired but no sinus, nasal or stomach issues. And my congregation has been wonderful in picking up some slack I've had or allowing other duties to not be pressing.

But being sick does have some advantages. I've lost about 5 pounds and with all the coughing I've been doing my abs are probably the flattest they have ever been. I was also able to finish my youngest niece's Christmas stocking in plenty of time to get it in the mail so she will have it on Christmas Eve.

I've also officially started my PhD project with the first 200 or so stitches done in one tiny corner of my canvas.

And now 3 weeks after those first few coughs and less than a week till Christmas, I'm still coughing, I'm still tired and my voice sounds horse. Each day I'm feeling a bit better though I'm exhausted each evening.

Meanwhile I have a new appreciation for Advent waiting. As we are awaiting the Christ child to be born and Christ to come again, I'm waiting to feel better. And just like how Christ comes in our hearts, it is not a sudden thing, I know I will not wake up one day and instantly feel better, instead each day my faith grows stronger, each day Christ comes more into my heart and each day my bronchitis is getting a little better.

MMC: Christmas is almost here!

2011-12-19T09:07:00.002-05:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

Thank you to everyone who made yesterday such a wonderful day. I am always humbled by how much you all minister to me and yesterday was no exception as we had a wonderful sermon conversation and so many hands came together to make the church sparkle for Christmas.

Schedule

Christmas and New Year’s Schedule
Christmas Eve Worship: 5pm & 10pm

Christmas Day worship: 10am – suggest your favorite carol as we celebrate Christ’s birth

New Year’s Day: 10am – come as you are as we ring in the new year with worship.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: What is John the Baptist’s relationship with Jesus?  A) Friend, B)Student-teacher C) Cousins D) Brothers
According to Luke 1:36 Elizabeth and Mary, the mothers of John and Jesus, are relatives (sometimes translated cousins).  This would make John the Baptist and Jesus second cousins. Congratulations to Aidan C for winning this week's puzzler.

This week’s question:  What is the longest the season of Advent can be? A)24 days B) 25 days C)28 days D)30 days.  Get you answer to me by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

As I mentioned earlier, we had a wonderful conversation yesterday about "What great things does God want to do through you?" In case you missed it, you can read my written portion here

Those serving in worship

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to serve in worship for Christmas Eve.

I could still use some help at the 10pm service, especially a communion assistant. Please let me know if you can serve.

Christmas Text

Saturday's gospel is probably one of the most well know stories from the bible, the birth of Jesus found in Luke 2:1-20. What is your favorite part of the Christmas story? What is your most memorable telling of this story - a Sunday School Christmas pageant, a movie, reading it on Christmas Eve with the family? How can I retell this story to make it new to you?

Hope you all have a great week as we prepare for the birth of Christ.

~Pastor Becca

Great Things Through Me

2011-12-18T20:41:00.000-05:00

One thing that I'm learning from having conversational sermons is that I cannot predict where the conversation will lead or how much I will learn from my congregation.

All week I have been wrestling with the question "What great things does God want to do through me?" as I have prepared this sermon based on the angel coming to Mary in Luke 1:26-38. Quite honestly I have had a hard time answering that question. Yet into today's sermon conversation when I asked that question, we ended up in a great discussion about living a life that proclaims Christ so that others may know him through us, feeding the hungry physically with food but also those hungry for attention. There are multiple teachers in the congregation who all agreed and can attest to just being the person that asks about the kids day is a powerful ministry. Or by visiting a home-bound person you often not only make their day but their week as they often are alone. And these simple acts may not seem like great things but they are to the person being ministered too and all these little acts add up.

These are things that I never thought of before today sermon, and yet ones that I'm still pondering and reflecting upon hours afterwards.

Truly I am humbled after these conversations. I am no longer the preacher but the one being preached to and for me that is a great thing.

So what great things does God want to do through you?

Enjoy the sermon

This is again one of those bible stories that I just think the reaction of the people have been edited over time. An angel comes to Mary, tells her that she is favored and the Lord is with her and she is just perplexed and ponders what this could mean? And then the angel tells her she is going to have a son who she will name Jesus and he “will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will have no end.” And after hearing these words, within the course of a few sentences Mary goes from questioning how this could possibly happen to saying “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

I can pretty much guarantee that Mary’s reaction would not be my reaction at least not my initial reaction. I would be more than perplexed and pondering what the angels words could mean. I think terrified and in a flat out state of denial would be closer to my reaction.

So if an angel of the Lord came to you and said that God wants to do great things through you, how many of you think your reaction would be to be terrified and flat out deny what God wants from you? How many of you think it would be closer to Mary’s reaction of “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”? Would your reaction be somewhere in between.

We sometimes think Mary was able to respond this way because she was extraordinary, that she herself was born without sin through immaculate conception or that she was a perpetual virgin or that her body was taken to heaven through the assumption. But Mary was just an ordinary person. She was the wrong gender, from the wrong place, and the wrong economic class than one would assume that God would come to and yet God came to her. And she said yes to God.

And we too and just ordinary people. We are people who don’t live in a major city, none of us are on any lists as the richest people in the world, in fact, as far as I know, none of us would make it on any list for the richest people in our town. We don’t have connections with major power players and yet God is coming to us.

God is coming to us because God wants to do great things through us. God wants to make the world a better place through us. God wants others to hear about him through us. God wants the hungry to be fed, the homeless given a place to rest, the sick cared for, the widow and orphaned support, and imprisoned visited through us.

So what great thing does God want to do through you?

We have all the right to respond to this request by God with terror and denial because we are just ordinary people, but the hope is that we realize that God wants to do these things through us because God has found favor with us and the Holy Spirit will come to us and guide us and work through us for nothing is impossible with God.

MMC: Advent 3

2011-12-12T11:19:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

Is the anticipation for Christmas killing you or are you starting to dread that Christmas is just two weeks away? Are you patiently waiting for Christmas to get here, chomping at the bit for it to arrive or trying to push it off as long as you can? We are already in the 3rd week of Advent, Christmas is coming, it is almost here, and yet not yet here. I hope that the next two weeks find you you excited and full of anticipation (and in good health).

A Few Announcements

Poinsettia and wreath orders are DUE! If you have not yet gotten your order in call Becky P TODAY
If you forgot your gifts for St. Luke's Life Works, please drop them off at the church or parsonage by Wednesday. You can also call Ellen G
Confirmation is meeting on Tuesday at 6pm at the parsonage
Celebration Choir is rehearsing Tuesday at 7:45pm at the church.
Help decorate the church inside and out! Next Sunday after worship we will be putting up the wreaths, decorating both the tree in the sanctuary and the one in the yard, putting up candleabras and more. Please plan on decking the halls after worship.
Grow 2 Gather is meeting on Sunday at 9am. We will be hearing about Jesus' birth and making a decoration for the church. Please bring Christmas ads that you have received in the mail on newspapers as we will be using those for our craft.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: What was the name of the angel who told Mary that she would have a child? A) Gabriel, B)Michael C)Raphael D)Uriel

In Luke 1:26-27 is says that “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.” Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to a son and name him Jesus. Congratulations to Heloisa H for winning this week's puzzler.

This week’s question: What is John the Baptist’s relationship with Jesus? A) Friend, B)Student-teacher C) Cousins D) Brothers If you know the answer or are willing to look it up, email me the answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

If you missed it you can read it here. Who have been Johns in your life? Who are you called to be John to? How have those people been John to you? And how can you be John to other people?

Serving this Sunday & on Christmas Eve

The following people have signed up to assist in worship on Sunday

Worship Assistant: Mark H

Reader: Cheryl M

Communion Assistant: Lillian J

Ushers: ________ & _________

Bread baker/bringer: __________

Communion set up & clean up: ____________

Offering Counter: Frank C

Coffee Hour Host: M Family

And the following people have signed up to serve on Christmas Eve

5pm Worship:

Greeters & ushers: ____________, __________ & ___________

Readers:

Isaiah 2:1-5: Ellen G
Luke 1:26-35 __________
Isaiah 9:2-7: ___________
Luke 2:1-7: ____________
Luke 2:8-14: ___________
Luke 2:15-20: __________

Communion Assistants: Cheryl M & Tori M

Prayer Leader: Mark H

10pm Worship

Greeter & Usher: _________ & __________
Readers:

Isaiah 9:2-7 __________
Titus 2:11-14 _________

Communion Assistants: Lillian J & __________

Prayer leader: _____________

Please let me know if you are willing to serve this Sunday or on Christmas Eve - I would LOVE to have all the positions filled this week for Christmas Eve so next week I don't have to track down people who are willing to read, usher, pray, etc.

This Week's Texts

For our 4th Sunday in Advent we continue to prepare for Christ's birth, especially in our gospel reading Luke 1:26-38, where Mary is told by Gabriel that she is pregnant. Mary is told that she has found favor with God. Why do you think Mary was the "lucky" one to get to birth the Christ? Do you actually think she was lucky or was she baring a heavy burden? Mary response by saying "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." How would you respond if you were told your life was going to drastically change and probably make your life difficult (at least in the short term) but it was all because God loves you?

Hope you all have an anticipatory Advent!

Who Has Been John to You?

2011-12-12T10:57:00.000-05:00

For yesterday's sermon I was inspired by one of the daily Advent devotions from Following the Star, in which it talked about people who have been like John, preparing us to hear Jesus' word.

Well since I have been sick all week, I freely admit I just stole that idea and was excited that we get two weeks of John in a row as yesterday's gospel was the story of John the Baptist from the gospel of John (John 1:6-8, 19-28).

So who has been John to you? And who are you called to be John to?

Enjoy the sermon

John the Baptist came not to be the light but to testify to the light. John came as the voice of one crying out in the wilderness “make straight the way of the Lord.” John came not as the messiah, or Elijah, or even a prophet. Instead John came so that people would get ready to hear the word of the Lord, to hear the word of Jesus Christ.

John did this because people need to be prepared for the radical love, grace, and forgiveness that is Jesus. Jesus’ message of unconditional love, grace and forgiveness given to all of God’s children was a radical message. It still is a radical message. One that is hard for us to hear.

Many of us have responded to that message this way: What me? God forgives me from all of my sins, that is impossible, I’ve done horrible things, God can’t possibly forgive me. Or..I’m not significant enough to love, I’m a nobody, why would God love me. Or…Why would God give me grace? I haven’t done enough to deserve it.

And we often respond this way because our hearts and minds have not yet been prepared to receive that radical message. That someone like John has not yet come to us to testify to the light so that we can see God. And yet we are also lucky enough that people have been preparing us to hear Jesus’ words, to see God since we were born.

Take a moment and think about the people in your life who have prepared and are still preparing you to hear Jesus’ words. Parents, pastors, Sunday school teachers, friends, spouses, children, coworker, that person in college who you had great conversations with late into the night. There are many throughout your life you have been Johns to you, who have helped prepare your way so that you may see God. There should be a notecard in your bulletin, on one side will you write down three of those people’s names.

And we are also called to be Johns to other people. To help prepare their way so that they may see God and hear Jesus’ words, Jesus’ radical message of love, grace and forgiveness. On the other side of the card, will you write down three names of people you can pray for, talk with, support in their journey with Christ. It doesn’t mean you have to give them a lecture about why they should believe, instead tell them that you are praying for them and actually do it, talk to them gently about your faith, support them in life, invite them to worship, encourage them during times of hardship.

MMC: Advent 2

2011-12-05T09:40:00.000-05:00

Good Morning

It is hard to believe that we are already in the second week of Advent. And that Christmas is coming and Christmas is coming quickly.

A Few Announcements

Wreaths and Poinsettias order forms are due!!! Please contact Becky Pirron (203-644-4208) ASAP to get your order in.
Senior Lunch is Wednesday at Noon. We will be meeting at Plain Jane's (208 Greenwood Ave, Bethel)
Council meets after worship this Sunday
Grow 2 Gather meets again on Sunday Dec 18. Please bring in and Christmas advertisement you have to help us make a decoration for our church.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: Today is the first day of the new church year. Each year the majority of our gospel readings come from a different gospel. Which gospel will we hear the most from this year? A) Matthew B) Mark C) Luke D) John
This year the majority of our gospel readings will come from Mark, however since Mark is the shortest of all four gospels, we will hear a lot from John as well, especially during the Lent and Easter seasons. Congratulations to our winner Nancy B.
This week’s question: What was the name of the angel who told Mary that she would have a child? A) Gabriel, B)Michael C)Raphael D)Uriel

Send me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing. And looking up the answer is not cheating, it is encouraged.

Yesterday's Sermon

If you missed it, you can find the sermon here. How do you see Jesus' story still unfolding?

Serving this Sunday

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this week.

Worship Assistant: Ellen G

Reader: Nancy B

Communion Assistant: Lillian J

Ushers: ______ & _______

Bread baker/bringer: ________

Offering Counter: ___________

Coffee Hour Host: Heloisa and Mark H

Also people are starting to sign up to serve during the Christmas Eve Worship services

5pm Worship

Greeters and ushers ___________, _______________ & ________

Readers (up to 6 people) ____________, ____________, _________,____________, ______________ & __________

Communion Assistants: Cheryl M, Tori M

Prayer Leader: Mark H

Worship Coordinators: Nini C & Becky P

10pm Worship

Greeter & Ushers ___________ & ____________

Readers (up to 3) ____________, ___________ & _______

Communion Assistants ________ & ________
Prayer Leader: ____________

If you would like to volunteer in one of the ways that is currently not filled, please let me know which position and service you are volunteering for.

This Week's Texts

The first reading is Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11. Isaiah says that the Lord will bring comfort to those who mourn and deliverance to those who are oppressed, yet this time of year is very difficult for those who mourn and are oppressed as all the movies, tv shows, stores and radio remind them of memories of love ones or of what they do not have. How does God still bring comfort and deliverance in the midst holiday and Christmas festivities?

The second reading is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24. Paul concludes his letter to the Thessalonians with a few simple instructions: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, & give thanks constantly. When is it easy to rejoice, pray and give thanks? When is it difficult?

The gospel reading is John 1:6-8, 19-28. We again hear about John the Baptist, this time from the gospel of John. John is asked by the religious leaders "Who are you?" and he says he is not the messiah, or Elijah or a prophet but the one calling out to prepare the way of the lord. If someone was to ask "who are you?" how would you respond? Are you one preparing the way of the Lord? Or are you someone who needs to be better prepared yourself? Or are you both?

Hope you all have a great week!

Have an Anticipatory Advent

~Pastor Becca

This is Just the Beginning

2011-12-05T09:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's sermon was on the gospel for the day Mark 1:1-8, or more specifically Mark 1:1 "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." It is a strange opening line, one that has puzzled scholars for generations.

Oh and I'm not completely avoiding John the Baptist, we get him again this coming Sunday so I'm sure he will actually appear in my sermon next Sunday.

Enjoy

Either our gospel reading for today and the entire gospel of Mark has the lamest opening line of all times, or there is something truly remarkable happening. The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

What story begins with “this is the beginning of the story”? They don’t. They begin with “Call me Ishmael.” Or “It was the best of times it was the worst of times.” Or “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” Good stories catch you from the start, from the opening line. Not “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

How does that draw you in?

Well maybe it not until the end of the story, the end of what was written that you think back on this opening line. Does anyone know how the Gospel of Mark ends?

The Gospel of Mark ends with the empty tomb. Not with the appearance of Jesus. Not with Jesus ascending into heaven. Not with great power and joy. The Gospel of Mark ends with the two Marys, May Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus, going to the tomb, finding the stone rolled away, an angel sitting there telling them Jesus has risen and it ends with the line: “So the women went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

So as oddly as this gospel begins, it ends just as oddly.

So maybe Mark is actually trying to tell us something else. Not that “I’m going to start telling you a story now” or “hey listen up this is the start of my story.” But this, the entire story, is just the beginning! Jesus’ life on earth is just the beginning of the good news for us. Jesus’ life on earth is just the beginning of how Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God who is present in our lives. And the entire Gospel of Mark, the entire 16 chapters of scripture is just the beginning, just page one, or a remarkable story about good news of Christ in our lives that still continues today.

Christ is still active in our lives. This story still continues. New pages are being written each day. New members of the body of Christ are being added to daily as people come and are baptized with the Holy Spirit. The body of Christ is still being strengthened and added to as we confess our sins.

This story has not yet ended.

How do you see this story of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God still being written?

MMC: Advent is here!

2011-11-28T09:54:00.000-05:00

Good Morning everyone

I hope that you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving and are already preparing for Christmas as we have kicked off the Advent season. If you would like to participate in a daily Advent devotion, I have a few suggestions: There is Busted Halo's which has a tv or movie clip each day along with an activity to do. There is also YouVersion.com that has multiple options, Rediscovering the Christmas Season, Countdown to Christmas (family focused), Carols (look at the words behind your favorite carols) and The Christmas Story (only 5 days long). Each of the devotions from YouVersion you can also get on your smartphone.

A Few Announcements

Confirmation is meeting on Tuesday at 6pm
A service of Advent Lessons and Carols will be at Christ Church (184 Cross Highway) at 4pm on Sunday December 4th
Senior lunch is Wednesday December 7th at noon at Plain Jane's in Bethel
The Georgetown Community Association is having a Christmas party on Friday December 9th at 6pm at Gilbert & Bennett School, bring a dish to share, drinks are provided.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: How often did God give manna to the Israelites while they were in the desert? A) Just once B)Once a week C)Every day D) Every day but the Sabbath
In Exodus 16, God provided food for the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness, in the form of manna. It was one the ground each morning and the people would gather up what they needed for each day, except on the 6^th day of the week when they gathered up twice the amount since the manna did not come on the Sabbath. Congratulation to Cheryl M for winning this week's puzzler.

This week’s question: Today is the first day of the new church year. Each year the majority of our gospel readings come from a different gospel. Which gospel will we hear the most from this year? A) Matthew B) Mark C) Luke D) John If you know the answer (or ever winning to Google it) let me know your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing. And I'll give you a hint - there is a big hint to the answer somewhere in this email.

Yesterday's Sermon
You all were fairly quiet yesterday, so answer me now - How do you see things that have failed away but God's love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and Jesus' words not passing way? When have you see love, community, caring, or forgiveness take place even after buildings have been destroyed or items have been lost, stolen or broken or even after death? If you missed the sermon you can read it here.

Serving on Sunday
The following people have signed up to serve in worship this coming Sunday
Worship Assistant: Mark H
Reader: Paul D
Communion Assistant: Cheryl M
Ushers: _____ & _______
Communion set up & clean up:________
Offering Counter: _________
Coffee Hour Host: Barbara C

If you would like to serve in one of the ways that are currently open, please let me know. Also this coming Sunday I will have a sign up sheet for Christmas Eve worship leaders. At the 5pm service we will need 2 to 3 ushers, 3 to 6 readers, 2 communion assistants, 1 prayer leader, and 1 worship coordinator. At the 10pm service we will need 2 ushers, 1 or 2 readers, 2 communion assistants and 1 prayer leader. So please start thinking about if you are able to and willing to help on Christmas Eve and at which worship.time.

Sunday's Text
During our second week of Advent, we prepare and anticipate Jesus' birth through prophecy.
The first prophecy is Isaiah 40:1-11. Isaiah talks of the voice that cries out to prepare the way of the Lord and the Lord will feed his flock like a shepherd, gathering them into his arms. How do you prepare the way for the Lord? How are you preparing for Jesus' birth this Christmas? How are you preparing others to hear more about Christ?

The second reading is 2 Peter 3:8-15a. The author writes that with God one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like one day. But we are told to wait for the new heaven and a new earth with patience and peace. Anyone who can remember childhood knows that December can seem to take FOR-EV-ER as you await to open the presents under the tree. How is the waiting for Jesus to return still taking forever, and how has time seem to have passed by quickly?

The gospel is Mark 1:1-8. We skipped ahead in Mark last week, almost to the end, but no we are back at the beginning. But Mark does not being with Jesus' birth but Jesus's baptism. And before Jesus is baptized, John the Baptist is preparing the way for Jesus. John tells the crowds being baptized that one person more powerful than him is coming and while John baptizes with water, the one to come will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Most of us have been baptized, often when we were too young to remember, and during the baptism we "sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever". What does that mean to you? How does the Holy Spirit work in your life? How has Christ marked you with the cross?

I hope you have had a great long weekend and are not in too much of a tryptophan coma to get back to work today
Blessings
~Pastor Becca

Busy Day, Quite Church

2011-11-28T08:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we had quite the crowd in worship. We had about 10 friends and family that were visiting, mainly due to Thanksgiving. And on top of that we had a baptism which brought in another 20 or so people. So yes we were a crowded (for us) and busy church.

However as a result, people were a little shy during the sermon. Normally I can't get people to be quiet when I open up the opportunity for them to talk during worship, whether it is when I ask them how they have seen God in their lives or during the sermon. Well yesterday, not so much.

So I ad libed a lot of my sermon. I preached on Mark 13:24-37 but mainly on the 31st verse "Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away."

Now that there are 30 plus people you don't know that well listening, how do you see Jesus' words, love, grace, mercy and forgiveness not passing away even when things have passed away?

So the kids were just asked what they want for Christmas this year, but I have a different question now, what did you get for Christmas last year?

Did it take you a few moments to remember? Can any of you name more than 3 items that you received? I’ve been thinking about this all week and I still cannot remember more than a few items that I received from my family and that was even after I looked at the picture from Facebook.

But what do you remember from last Christmas?

Hmmm memories are longer lasting than stuff, shocking!

In our gospel today, Jesus says: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” That the stuff that we are surrounded by whether that is new Christmas presents or family heirloom decorations or even this building and stone – all of that is stuff and it will eventually all pass away. We will forget what gifts we have received, the decorations will eventually break, this building will some day cease to exist, even the earth one day will be consumed by the sun before it burns out.

However Jesus’ words will never fade. The love and grace that is given to us will never cease to exist. The ways that we experience God through love and kindness from family, friends and even strangers is stronger, longer lasting, than any physical object.

The water that is poured out upon us at baptism, the water poured on Logan today, will dry up, but God’s love for us as Logan and each of us are claimed as God’s children will never stop.

How else will Jesus’ words and God’s love last longer than any object, than heaven and earth itself?

What Are You Thankful For?

2011-11-24T09:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had the privileged to preach at the Redding Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. Each year the worshiping communities of the town come together at a different house of worship to give thanks in prayers, readings, and song. Worship leaders were represented from Episcopal, Congregational, Catholic, Lutheran and Reform Jewish houses of worship.

I decided I couldn't have a complete conversation, but did ask them a question: What are you thankful for? After a brief moment of slightly awkward silence as people realized that I actually wanted to talk to them, one of my congregation members spoke (Thank God for ringers!)

After the worship service I received so many fantastic comments from people about how great it was that I was interactive and engaging. It truly was humbling.

So enjoy the sermon, and what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is a very American holiday that speaks to many people regardless if their families have been here since the days of the pilgrims or they just immigrated here last month. There are many traditions that make up Thanksgiving that people delight in across the nation, regardless of age, or gender, or ethnicity, or religious affiliation or family make up. There is the turkey, and all the trimmings, pie for dessert, watching a parade in the morning, either in person or on TV, and watching or playing football in the afternoon. For me, one of my favor traditions is going around the table and each person saying what they are thankful for.

So this Thanksgiving what are you thankful for?

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We as a people, as a nation, do not do this often enough, pause and reflect on what we are thankful for. We get so carried away in the hustle and bustle that is daily life that we forget to pause and give thanks. And yet there is something humbling about giving thanks.

When we say we are thankful for something, whether that is telling God that we are thankful for what has been given to us or saying “thank you” to a fellow person or just having a feeling of thanksgiving we are admitting that we do not have complete control over what has been given to us.

When we are thankful, we are admitting that we didn’t receive our jobs or nice home or expensive car just because of our own hard work. That others have helped us along the way, by educating us, or giving us break when we might not have deserved them.

When we are thankful, we are admitting that the love from our family and friends is not our own doing. Sure we are adorable, who wouldn’t want to love us and we love them. But as many of us know too well, just because you are loving, doesn’t mean that you will be loved in return.

When we are thankful, we are admitting that often we are just lucky. We have been the lucky ones who have been born into a country where diseases like malaria and tuberculosis are basically non-existent even when they still kill thousands world wide each year. We are the lucky ones who have not developed cancer, or diabetes, or heart disease, or Alzheimer’s, and just because we haven’t yet develop such a disease doesn’t mean that it still won’t strike us.

When we are thankful, we are admitting that others have not been so abundantly blessed. When we are thankful for the food that is on our table, we realize that not everyone has a table, that not everyone has food. That a child dies ever 4 seconds in this world often due to malnutrition. That there are 430 thousand people in Connecticut that are considered food-insecure.

Giving thanks means admitting that we have been blessed. We have been blessed by God, we have been blessed by others. And we are blessed in so many ways that we should take more than one day a year to spend in Thanksgiving.

Bob is Gone...

2011-11-23T10:36:00.000-05:00

...and I'm home alone.

Bob, my husband, left for France last Monday evening where he will be there off and on for 3 years while he works on his PhD. Meanwhile I'm still in Connecticut, getting used to my new norm.

My lovely dogs seem to have gotten more obnoxious about waking me up in the morning when Bob is not here, so they have pushed me out of bed earlier this past week than I have gotten up in the past with Bob at home. Which has given me a bit of a routine which makes the day go by quickly-ish.

I've also been busy with meetings, home visits and seeing friends this past week so when Sunday afternoon came and I was free for the rest of the day, I hid in the home office and needle-pointed and watched TV.

Before Bob left, I decided that I needed my own PhD project, and Edwin Longsden Long's painting Babylonian Marriage Market seemed like a great fit. The final product will be about 4 feet by 2 feet (aka HUGE!)

But I haven't been able to start it just yet, first I must get some Christmas stitching done. So this week I've been working on a smaller project for a swap partner on Ravelry which needs to go out in the mail by December 7 and then I'll try and get a Christmas stocking done for my youngest niece before Christmas actually comes. But my fingers are itching to start my PhD project so hopefully I can finish up those stitches quickly.

MMC: This Congregation Makes Me Smile

2011-11-21T10:12:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who put on a hairnet yesterday before and after worship. We made over 3000 meals with Kids Care (well over our goal partially in thanks to matching funds through Thrivent). The meals will be going to Daily Bread Food Pantry in Danbury. Did you enjoy making the food, even if you had to wear a hairnet? Are you sad that you missed if? I would love for us to make even more meals in the spring, are you up for it?

A Few Announcements

Redding's Community Interfaith Thanksgiving service is this Wednesday at 7:30pm at St. Patricks Catholic Church (169 Black Rock Turnpike). Join me in this moment of prayer and worship with people throughout the community as we spend time giving thanks to God this week. I'll be preaching.
Next Sunday we celebrate the baptism of Logan McGuire. Logan is the great-nephew of Eva and Connie Beote.
A public thank you - last week when I dropped off all the food we collected from Ingathering Sunday, the employees at Redding Social Services practically fell at my feet in Thanksgiving. Normally Redding Elementary School, does a food collection but they didn't this year (though they did ask for monetary donations however, they did not receive nearly as much as normal). They were quite tight getting together all the meal bags for the members of the community who have asked for Thanksgiving help but knew they could count on Bethlehem to not just bring food, but lots of food including fresh produce. So thank you for making it a delight to bring 3 grocery carts worth of food to RSS (next year, we will actually fill my car, I'm positive of it)
On a personal note - Bob has made it to Paris safely and is starting to settle in. Thank you to everyone who has sent emails, called or stopped by this week, it is really humbling, as the pastor, to be ministered to, but I do appreciate it and please continue to check in with me every once in awhile.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: In today’s gospel, the NRSV translate the amount of money the slaves received as “talents” (I use the word “million”); how much money was a “talent”?  A) A day’s wage B)A month’s wage C) a year’s wage D) 20 years of wages
A talent was worth about 6,000 denari, and a denari was a day’s wage.  Meaning a talent was worth over 16 years of wages if you worked every day of each year.  Or more likely 20 years after taking a weekly Sabbath and holidays off. Congratulations to Paul Bengtson for winning this week's puzzler.
This week’s question:  How often did God give manna to the Israelites while they were in the dessert?  A) Just once B)Once a week C)Every day D) Every day but the Sabbath
As of now I have no entries for this week, so grab your bible (or wikipedia) and send me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon
Well I didn't preach yesterday so I can't direct you to my blog to read the sermon if you missed it. But how is God commanding you to feed the hungry, care for the sick, cloth the naked and visit the imprisoned?

Serving in Worship this Week
The following people have signed up to serve in worship this coming Sunday
Worship Assistant: Ellen Grunsell
Reader: Cheryl Muniz
Communion Assistant: Anna Hawley
Ushers: ________ &______
Communion set up & Clean up: Nancy Beck
Coffee Hour Host: Jeff Kapec

WHOA! I think that is probably one of the most filled weeks we have had. If you would like to be an usher on Sunday, please let me know.

Sunday's Texts
Sunday we start a new church year, which means we will leave behind the gospel of Matthew for a few years and be focusing mainly on the gospel of Mark, though some weeks we will hear from John. Sunday is also the first Sunday of Advent, the season when we look forward to Jesus' birth.

The first reading is Isaiah 64:1-9. The reading ends with the sentence "Now consider, we are all your people." Isaiah is pleading to God to remember that everyone belongs to God, not just those who worship God. This was written after periods of war and famine when many people have turned from God. Times of trial brings some people closer to God and others turn away from God during such times. When have you prayed to God to remember those who have turned from him? When have you had God remember you, even if you weren't remembering him?

The second reading is 1 Corinthians 1:3-9. Paul gives thanks to God for all the ways that they have been enriched by Christ, especially in speech and knowledge. As we enter into Advent and prepare for Christmas, our greater culture is pushing us to prepare with presents, decorations and buying stuff (lots of stuff). But God is preparing us for Christ's birth through knowledge and speech. How can you prepare for Christmas this year by spending time with family, reading scripture or otherwise enriching yourself through Christ?

The gospel is Mark 13:24-37. Yes we are starting the church year off towards the end of the gospel, not at the beginning (that is next week). But first we are reminded that Jesus promised that the Son of Man is coming and that "heaven and earth will pass away, but [Christ's] words will not pass away." What are the Advent and Christmas memories that you hold most dear? Do they involve presents or people? Do they involve the consumer culture or a religious culture?

I hope you all have a great week and a wonderful Thanksgiving!

MMC: Christ the King

2011-11-14T14:37:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who made worship so enjoyable yesterday. In some ways it was a little disjointed with Ingathering (thank you Ellen for setting up such a beautiful altar), a very weird gospel text and the farewell and godspeed for Bob, but there was also such a great sense of community in the sanctuary which is my favorite thing about Bethlehem. (Well I have many favorite things but they all seem to go back to the sense of community in this congregation.) Also if you forgot your food for Ingathering, please drop it off at the church or the parsonage by tomorrow at noon. (If I'm not home please leave it on the porch, and if you can't make it by the church, please either bring it Redding Social Services, at the Community Center, or any other food pantry that would appreciate a donation.)

A Few Announcements

Confirmation is meeting tomorrow (Tues) at 6pm at the parsonage
Senior Lunch is this Wednesday, Nov 16, at the Redding Roadhouse
Council is coming Sunday, Nov 20 after Worship
Grow 2 Gather is on Sunday, we will be packaging meals with an organization called Kids Care. Everyone is invited to help us package 1002 meals in a morning.
Redding Community Interfaith Thanksgiving Service is Wednesday Nov 23rd at 7:30pm at St. Patrick's Catholic Church (169 Black Rock Turnpike). I will be preaching so you know the sermon will either be good or bad, depending on what you think of my preaching ;-)

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: How many plagues did God send on Egypt before Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to go (well before he then changed his mind and chased them to the Red Sea)? Chapters 5-12 of Exodus discuss the plagues that came to Egypt – blood, frogs, lice, flies, diseased livestock, boils, hail, locust, darkness and death of the first born – 10 plagues in all. I decided to be generous and give all the kids who entered a prize; Nini C, Anna H, Anna R and Dylan R are our winners this week.

This week’s question: In today’s gospel, the NRSV translate the amount of money the slaves received as “talents” (Pastor Becca will use the word “million”); how much money was a “talent”? A) A day’s wage B)A month’s wage C) a year’s wage D) 20 years of wages If you know the answer, let me know, as of now I have had no guesses.

Yesterday's Sermon

What a wonderful conversation we had yesterday! But I also know that I had to cut the conversation off due to time concerns. For those of you waiting to say something and didn't, what were you going to say? Have you thought of other ways that God is presented to us by society that doesn't make sense when you believe in a God full of love and grace? If you missed the conversation, you can read the first part of it here.

Serving this Sunday

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this week
Worship Assistant: Mark H

Reader:___________

Communion Assistant: Anna H

Usher: __________ & __________

Bread Baker: Lynn T

Communion set up/clean up: ____________
Offering Counter: Frank C

Coffee Hour Host: ___________

If you would like to serve in one of the ways that is currently blank, please let me know.

Sunday's Texts

This Sunday is Christ the King, the last Sunday of the Christian church year. And as you may guess by the title for the day, a lot of the readings have to do with Christ being the King of Kings.

The first reading is Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24. This passage actually refers to God being like a shepherd who seeks out his flock from among the many sheep. How does God seek you out? How does God feed you and care for you?

The second lesson is Ephesians 1:15-23. The author is praising God for making Jesus not just the Lord of the church but the Lord of the whole universe. How do you see Jesus as Lord of the whole universe?

The gospel is Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus envisions a future conversation where he will thank the righteous for giving him food when he was hungry, water when he was thirsty, and clothing when he was naked. The righteous however will not realize that it was him when they did those things for the least of God's family. And a similar conversation will occur with the unrighteous however they never helped the least of God's family. How do you help the least of God's family? How could you be more giving of what you have?

Hope you all have a great week!
~Pastor Becca

God is Not Always Who is Presented to Us

2011-11-13T17:11:00.000-05:00

Today was a busy day in worship, multiple ways of people talking about how they saw God, Ingathering day were the altar is decorated with produce and people bring forth non-perishable items for the local food pantry and we had a farewell and godspeed for Bob before he leaves for France on Monday. In all honesty it was a little disjointed with so much going on, but yet worship was full of joy, love and a sense of community.

Below is the written portion of today's sermon. Like last week, I opened the sermon up to conversation and we had a great discussion about the negative ways God is portrayed in our society, some ideas I would never have thought of. But please read the gospel for today Matthew 25:14-30 before you read this sermon. Most often this parable is taken literally but when you do so it makes many people cringe because it is a difficult one to interpret that way.

Enjoy!

Altar from Ingathering Sunday 2010

This gospel lesson does not make any sense to me. How can this be the kingdom of heaven? There is a master who is harsh and reaps where he does not sow and gather where he does not scatter seed. The ones who double their money are praised and the one that does what a trustworthy steward at the time would have done, buried the master’s money, is berated and thrown into the outer darkness. And the master insist that the one who buried the money should have put in the bank in order to get interest even though that is one of the big no-no prohibited by Jewish scripture.

Therefore I, and many biblical scholars, can only conclude that Jesus wasn’t actually saying this is what the kingdom of heaven is like but that Jesus was saying this tongue-in-cheek. That Jesus’ original followers, after hearing a multitude of parables about what the kingdom of heaven is like, were starting to think allegorically – oh the master represents God, and we humans must be the slaves. But then Jesus pulls the rug out from under them and all of a sudden this is not actually a straight allegory of what heaven is like. He switched things up on them, to make sure that they were listening.

But isn’t that often the case. That the God that is presented to us does not often make sense. I’m sure we have all heard the argument that you must “accept Jesus as your personal Lord and savior in order to be saved.” Well that doesn’t make any sense! A God who sent Jesus to die for our sins isn’t going to say that you must admit that this happened in order to reap any benefits.

Or we have heard that you must do good works in order to receive God’s love and blessing. What?! God loves us regardless of our actions, and often when we the most turned from God is when we need God’s love the most.

And there is the idea that there is only so much in this world and if we are blessed then others must suffer. Nope, doesn’t work either because God is full of abundance and blessing and giving.

Or that if things aren’t going your way or if bad things happen to you it is because you have done bad things to others. Well sure if you sexually abuse children in your workplace there is a pretty good chance that you will end up fired and in jail because our actions often have consequences. But God doesn’t have your grandma die in order to punish you for making fun of someone.

How else is God presented to us that often doesn’t make sense?

See the God that is presented to us by society, sometimes even by religious institutions, is not always God. God is full of love and grace. God forgives us before we even realize that we have sinned. And sometimes God even has a sense of humor as Jesus told this parable tongue-in-cheek to make sure that people were listening.

MMC: Power Outage Aftermath

2011-11-07T10:33:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

As we continue to clean up from the storm, I know that a few of our congregation members along with our great community members still did not have their electricity restored as of yesterday. Please continue to check on neighbors and others until all are back to normalcy. Also tomorrow is election day so please plan on voting tomorrow for your town selectmen, school board and other local positions. I'm sure we can all agree that this past week we have learned a little more about the importance of local government.

A Few Announcements

Confirmation is Tuesday night at 6pm at the parsonage
Due to scheduling conflicts Senior Lunch has been postponed a week to November 16.
Sunday is Ingathering Day, please bring any non-perishable food items which will be donated to Redding Social Services. Last year my car was nearly full, this year our goal is to fill it to the brim.
Also this coming Sunday is Bob MC's last Sunday with us before he departs to France so we will be having a farewell and godspeed for him at the end of the worship service.
Sunday November 20 we will be making meals with Outreach Inc/Kids Care. Our goal is to package 1002 meals before and after worship so please come ready to learn a little about this great ministry. It cost $0.25 per serving, and the first 100 meals are being paid for out of our education budget so bring your quarters to help pay for the meals.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from two weeks ago: We are already at the 19^th Sunday after Pentecost. How many “Sundays after Pentecost” are there this year: A) 20 B) 21 C) 22 D) 23 E) 24

This year there are 23 Sundays after Pentecost, with the last one on Sunday November 20. That day is also known as Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the church year. Congratulations to Frank C for winning this week's puzzler.

This week’s question: How many plagues did God send on

Egypt

before Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to go (well before he then changed his mind and chased them to the Red Sea)?

If you know the answer, or think you do, let me know by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

I really enjoyed yesterday's sermon and the conversational dialogue we had about being a saint now. If you missed it, you can read the written portion here. What did you think about the sermon? Both content and style. Have you thought of other ways you are living into your sainthood now? Or have other thoughts come to mind after our conversation ended? Did you enjoy the dialogue that occurred or did it make you uncomfortable? Do you wish there was more time or was it too long of a conversation? Any feedback you have is helpful as I craft sermons as I try to think of what will connect with you.

Serving this week

The following people have signed up to serve in worship for this coming Sunday:

Worship Assistant: Ellen G

Reader: _________

Communion Assistant: ____________

Bread baker/bringer: ____________ (any bread leftover from the previous weeks was thrown out after the power outage)

Communion set-up/cleanup:___________

Ushers: ___________ & _________

Offering Counter:

Coffee Hour Host: Mark & Heloisa H

Please let me know if you are willing to serve in a way that is currently not filled.

Sunday Text

The first lesson is Zephaniah 1:7,12-18. Zephaniah is one the minor prophets at the end of the Old Testament and he wrote shortly after the end of a reign of a tyrant king and his overall message was that the day of the Lord is coming and it will be filled with judgement and wrath. Has the day of the Lord already coming? Is it still to be? Is it full of judgement and wrath or is God more just and kind?

The second lesson is 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. The author tells us that the day of the Lord is coming and it will be like a thief in the night. But "God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." How has Jesus saved us and the world from God's wrath? Do you think one needs to be threaten to believe or that belief can come out of love?

The gospel is Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents. The first two servants take the money that we given to them and doubled the amount. Yet the third only gave back what he was given. Who does God call us to be? And how does this parable fit with conversations in our greater society such as the Occupy Wall Street movement and the the top 1% or earner having made much gains in wealth while the other 99% have not. Or various tax plans that have been throw around by politicians about how much different people should pay to support the greater society? Are we suppose to be like the first two servants who double what was given to them, though we are not told how? Or like the landowner who is harsh and reaps where his does not sow and gather where he does not gather seed? Or the 3rd servant who buries what is given to him and is therefore thrown into the darkness? Or are we to be like none of these people?

Hope you all have a great week, that the power (and more importantly heat) is back on soon for those still without and to see many of you at Mark & Heloisa's wedding on Friday

Blessing

~Pastor Becca

God's Children NOW

2011-11-06T18:22:00.000-05:00

Today I used a progessional dialogue style of worship. I started with some thoughts on All Saints Day and the second reading 1 John 3:1-3. I then asked a pointed question which lead to myself and others responding to one another and how we are currently living into our sainthood. It was a great conversation and I know sparked more conversation as a few people were talking after they marked one another on the forehead with a cross.

I haven't included what people responded mainly because I thought that would be inauthentic to the conversation as I did not take notes.

Enjoy and let me know how you are living into your sainthood.

I have a love/hate relationship with All Saints Day.

I Love All Saints because it is like a communal funeral. We, all of us, get together to pray for family and friends whose death we mourn individually. We are reminded that we are not alone as we mourn; that others mourn along-side us and together, we support one another.

And yet I hate All Saints Sunday because of all that focus on death. Let’s face it All Saints Day can be depressing. We are reminded yet again of people in our lives that we have lost. And if we are lucky enough to not have experienced death in our lives recently, then on this day we are forced to realized that death does happen and we will all eventually die.

But that is not the real reason I, at times, hate All Saints Day. The real reason, I hate it is because both All Saints Day and many All Saints worship services, make it seem that to be a saint one must first die.

Yet we are all saints and sinners, sinners and saints. We are not just sinners now and have to wait to die in order to claim our sainthood, that we must die to live into our sainthood. We do not have to hope that we live a good life or do enough good deeds or confess our unwavering faith on our death bed or have the right type of funeral or even have people remember us after we have died in order to claim the fact that we are now saints.

Our reading from 1 John says “Beloved, we are God’s children now!” Now! Not in the future, not based on who we hope to be or who we try to be or who we are hoping to become. We are God’s children now! God has claimed us as sons and daughters. We are saints now in Christ.

So how do you live into your sainthood now? How are you God’s child now?

Will you do me a favor, turn to your neighbor and make the sign of the cross on their forehead and say their name “you are a child of God now and forever”

Today is All Saints Sunday and we are saints now and forever. Amen!

I've Survived October!

2011-11-02T10:27:00.000-04:00

I was going to write on Saturday about surviving my crazy October but instead decided that there were a few days left of the month so I wrote my week away. And it is a good thing I waited to talk about surviving the month.

At the end of September I wrote about how crazy my October was going to be. I had a 10 day trip to Minnesota for a continuing ed preaching conference followed by some vacation time with family and friends. Then a weekend trip to Rhinebeck for the New York Sheep & Wool festival with my Stitch and Bitch ladies. Following that with a dessert/bon voyage party for Bob and finishing up with bishop's convocation. Well just when I thought I had survived and actually enjoyed the craziness that October brought, it ended with a snow storm.

Now being from Minnesota I'm use to snow in October, but flurries and maybe even some sweep-able snow, but not anything measurable in inches or even feet. A few years before my family moved up north, there was the Halloween Blizzard of '91 that lasted 4 days and piled a foot and a half to two feet of snow in many places.

But this was different. It was snow, but it was the heavy icy snow. And being Connecticut, many of the leaves were still on the trees. Maybe it was just because I was gone for most of the month but I had yet to be driven crazy by the sound of leaf blowers this year. So between the ice clinging to the leaves many of the limbs, branches and trees that did not fall over or break off during Hurricane Irene just two month ago came down. And with the limbs they brought down the power lines.

We were for the second time in 2 months left without power for multiple days. And this time, being without electricity also meant no heat. Fortunately with candles, many blankets, long underwear and two compact heats I refer to as our dogs Daisy and Koko, we kept warm.

Worship was cancelled on Sunday, we spent much of Monday at a local library, took showers at the Y, ate out more than normal and about 67 hours later our power was restored.

But we are the lucky ones. Many people are still without power and will be for over a week by the time everything is restored.

The local schools have been cancelled all week meaning they already have 10 "snow" days and it isn't even Thanksgiving yet.

But life moves on. Bob is still hear for now, but we are headed to New York City tomorrow so Bob can apply for his student visa at the French Embassy. Afterwards he will book his flight and will probably be off to Paris before Thanksgiving.

And I'll be home alone in Connecticut hoping that there won't be any more long term power outages because they are much more bearable when we lay in the bed piled with blankets and surround by candles playing cards.

Hope you all are staying warm!

MMC: Blizzard Edition

2011-10-31T12:00:00.002-04:00

Hello all

As a Minnesotan I can say that I'm use to snow in October, but flurries and maybe even some sweep-able snow. And everyone still talks about the Halloween Blizzard that happened in 1991, but that did not take out trees and powerlines.

I hope you all are safe and warm and if not there are some shelters that are opened.

Weston middle school is open as a 24-hour emergency shelter.
The Wilton Y is open for showers and a warming center and most of Wilton Center's businesses are open for a place to stay warm or get a hot bite to eat.
Ridgefield community center is open as well for showers and a warming place (though I don't know if it is open over-night)

If you know of any other places that are open or you yourself have power and are willing to open your home, please let me or the Bethlehem community know by hitting reply all.

Currently the church and parsonage are without electricity and I'm working from the Westport Library (much less crowded than Wilton) and I'll let you know when we have power back at the church. But no damage that I can currently see has happened to either building other than a few big limbs being down in the yards.

The unpreached sermon from Sunday can be found here. I hope you enjoy it and are willing to give some answers to the questions raised because I really feel like those questions need be asked. Hmm maybe I can just rewrite it a little to fit with the text for All Saints Sunday.

Speaking of which, Sunday is All Saints Day. Please send me the names of anyone in your life who has recently died, been born or baptized so that we can remember all the Saints in our prayers this coming week. (And the weather forecast calls for 60 degrees on Sunday so hopefully we won't have a repeat of this past weekend).

Also start bringing in can or boxed good for Ingathering Sunday on November 13 and money for meals for Kids Care on November 20 when we hope to package 1000 meals during Grow 2 Gather and after worship.

See you Sunday and in the meantime let me know if there is anything I can do for you to keep you warm and safe or spiritually feed in the wake of the snow.

Blessings

~Pastor Becca

An Unpreached Sermon

2011-10-31T11:52:00.001-04:00

For the second time in 2 months, we are without electricity at the church and parsonage, only this time due to a October snowstorm of heavy wet snow which took out many trees that still had their leaves on them.

Therefore yesterday worship was cancelled, many roads in the morning were impassable not due to the snow (actually that was easily plowed) but due to trees being down across roads and powerlines down as well. And also it was REALLY cold in the church yesterday morning since without power, the heat does not work.

Hence why this sermon did not get preached. Which is sad cause I was really looking forward to it as well. Yesterday was Reformation Day, when we remember when Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenburg which sparked the Reformation and we celebrate that we are still a reforming and changing church. So this sermon is about that, but also in response to some of the conversations that I had at bishop's convocation, many of which I should not recount here. The gospel on Reformation day is always John 8:31-36, Jesus telling those who believe in him that the Son will set them free.

But as has often been the case for me lately, this sermon is incomplete, mainly cause I was planning on the congregation to fill in some holes. So here is the outline, the basics of what I was going to preach and I hope you are willing to answer some of the questions and fill in the gaps for me.

Enjoy!

What is your favorite Halloween tradition? Can you image Halloween without costumes or candy or trick or treating? But lets be honest, how many of you are expecting more than 10 trick or treaters? 20? 30? Trick or treating is a tradition that is changing as our communities change, as less people live in neighborhood or know their neighbors, as more parents become overly worried about walking around in neighborhoods at night out in the cold more and more communities are hosting events like Treat or Treat Street at schools or shopping malls. Halloween traditions are changing and with that we can often feel pain and sorrow over it.

And yet tomorrow is also Reformation Day, today being Reformation Sunday, when we remember the day that Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the castle church door at Wittenburg which started the reformation. And as a result, many traditions changed. Worships that were once held entirely in Latin were now spoken in the language of the people. All people (well at least adults) were able to participate in communion, the Lord’s meal, by having both the bread and the wine; the wine was no longer relegated to just the priest. And speaking of priest, pastors were now allowed to be married and not every worship leader had to be ordained. Luther and many of his fellow theologians realized that the people of the Catholic Church in Germany were slaves to sin and also slaves to tradition. But when they looked at what God was doing in society, and listen to what God was calling them to do, God was able to free them from many of their traditions in order for them to more fully worship God.

And our church is still reforming. We are still changing, and God still loves us with such an amazing love that has changed along with the culture. God is still speaking to us, God is still setting us free from sin and God is setting us free so that we are no longer slaves to traditions. The Christian church has amazing traditions that we have become part of, but if those traditions were created in one culture that no longer pertains to us, we become slaves to the tradition and if we spend more time trying to understand those traditions than we spend actually worshiping God then those traditions will die and we as a community will die right along with them.

What are some traditions that have changed in your lifetime?

Are any of these ones that you truly miss?

So what are some traditions that we do in this congregation that you do not understand?

God has set us free from sin so that we do not have to worry about what is the “correct” way to worship. Worship is not about following one correct format. It is about opening our hearts and minds to give thanks to God for all that we have been given and all that God has done. Worship is about lifting up to God our cares and concerns, it is not about worrying that we have the right words or that the table cloth on the altar is straight or that we know the word for what an altar table cloth is called.

God has set us free from those things. We are no longer slaves to those things. We have been given the truth and the truth will set us free to worship with all of our heart, soul and mind. The truth is God’s words of love, grace and freedom and that is what we really should worship, not tradition.

A Short Week on the Cape

2011-10-29T15:54:00.000-04:00

This year Bishop's Convocation was on Cape Cod, Hyannis to be exact. And what a lovely area for Bishop's Convo. Even when we were inside for the majority of the time, it was great to arrive a bit early to explore the town and spend Tuesday afternoon outside (at a bar of course) enjoying the gorgeous fall weather.

The keynote speaker was Nadia Bolz-Weber, the founding pastor of House for All Sinner and Saints, an emergent Lutheran congregation in Denver. Nadia is a very engaging speaker and spend the majority of the time of the first time set aside for her to speak talking about herself and how she came to be an ELCA pastor with sleeves of tattoos, multiple piercings and swears about as much as I do. She then talked some about the Millennial Generation (people my age and younger) and why they aren't coming to worship. None of that was really all that new for me, especially as someone born on the cusp of that generation.

However she then showed slides of things that House does throughout the year that help engage people in worship. Some of these I'm most definitely stealing. They made an icon out of Christmas ads people received in the mail. A series of pictures from the earthquake in Haiti were used for the Stations of the Cross. A bake sale on Reformation Day called the "Sale of Indulgences." An Alleluia banner created every year on Transfiguration Sunday is physically buried in the ground for Lent and comes up at Easter moldy and bug eaten. On Maundy Thrusday everyone is encouraged to bring 30 pieces of silver which are dropped into a bowl at the end of worship and donated to an organization that represents people who have been betrayed. On All Saints Day people bring in pictures of people in their lives who are dead and use those pictures for icons for the day. Operation Turkey Sandwish were turkey sandwiches, stuffing muffin and pumpkin bars are given to people who have to work on Thanksgiving with a note that says something like "It sucks that you have to work on Thanksgiving, but we give thanks for all you do and wish you a great Thanksgiving."

And probably my favorite of all: a stewardship t-shirt that on the front says "This shit ain't free" and on the back: "So you better tithe, Bitches!"

These are just the ideas I remember. I love the creativeness in worship, that it doesn't have to be a straight follow the rubric. That people can use art and media in worship to help deepen the experience. That the bible stories are brought to life by putting them in modern terms and doing service in God's name.

Overall I had a great time at the Cape, and as always I love hanging out with my fellow pastors and rostered leaders in New England Synod and I know my sermon for tomorrow is highly influenced by this week...now if only I get a chance to preach it because even though it is only October in Connecticut, we are breaking all sorts of records with about 4 inches of snow already fallen.

MMC: Preparing for the Reformation

2011-10-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

Good Morning all

We are starting into a fairly active stretch of worship as the Season After Pentecost winds down, so hold onto your hats

A Few Announcements - broken down by Sunday

Sunday October 30 - Reformation Day

First join a group of people from the church on Saturday at 1pm for a trip to Barton Orchards in Poughquag NY. Cost for an all inclusive ticket is $15 ages 6 and up, $10 for children between ages 3-5. Rain date: Sunday October 30. Let me know via email if you are planning on attending
At 9am come to Grow 2 Gather as we hear about Jacob and Jospeh. We will be looking at the Christian Family tree and making Joseph's coat.
At 10, join a Reformation worship and wear red as well remember that we are still part of the reforming church

Sunday November 6 - All Saint Day

At 9am Grow 2 Gather will meet and hear about Moses and the Plagues, we will be doing some bible study and experiments about how the plagues really happened.
During worship, we will be lighting candles as we remember our loved ones who have died.
We also will be praying for all the new saints in the world, especially those born or baptized within the past year. Please sign the sheet in the community room or email me with the names of people who have been recently born, baptized or decease.

Sunday November 13 - Ingathering Sunday

Every year we decorate the altar in produce and bring non-perishable food items to be donated to Redding Social Services. Last year my car was mostly full, but not all the way to the top. This year my goal is that I'll have to make two trips or borrow a bigger car. Help fill my car with food for Redding Social Services so that everyone in our community can eat this Thanksgiving and throughout the winter.

Sunday November 20 - Kids Care Sunday

At 9am Grow 2 Gather will hear about the Isrealites wandering in the wilderness and eating manna and quail. We will then package meals for Kids Care - an international organization that packages meals for the hungry throughout the world including in our own community. Meals cost only $0.25 a serving and we will be collecting money between now and then for the meals. Can we collect enough to make 1000 meals?
At 10am our guest preacher will be Pastor Matthew Martin from Kids Care.

Book of Faith PuzzlerThe last weeks question was: What was sacrificed by Abraham when he was sent to the mountain to sacrifice his son? A) Isaac B) a bird, C) a ram D)a bull In Genesis 22, God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. However in verses 9-14, just as Abraham is about to take his knife to Isaac, God sends a ram to use for the sacrifice instead. But as what often happens when I'm not around, no one submitted their answer

This week’s question: We are already at the 19^th Sunday after Pentecost. How many “Sundays after Pentecost” are there this year: A) 20 B) 21 C) 22 D) 23 E) 24 If you know the answer, email me by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

I had a lot of fun preaching yesterday, but I always feel that way whenever I ask you all questions and you are a little cheeky. If you missed it you can read the printed version here. What does love mean to you? And how do you love yourself? Others? How does God's unfailing love comfort you even when we are not able to love ourselves or others?

Serving in Worship this week

The following people have signed up to serving in worship this Sunday

Worship Assistant: _________
Reader: Bob MC

Communion Assistant: _________

Usher: ________ & _______

Bread Baker/Bringer: __________

Communion Set up/Clean up: _________

Offering Counter: _________
Coffee Hour Host: R. Family

If you would like to sign up to serve in one of the ways that are currently available, please let me know.

Sunday's Text

The first reading for this Reformation Day is Jeremiah 31:31-34 when the prophet tell Israel that God will write the law on their hearts and they will know God. How is the law written on your heart? How do you know God?

The second reading is Romans 3:19-28. This passage is the basis for Paul's theology and also Lutheran theology, that we are saved by grace through faith and not works. When Martin Luther first realized this, it was life transforming for him as he felt free from the burden of the law and able to spread God's love and grace to all the world. How is God's grace freeing to you? How do you feel justified (saved) by grace and not works?

The gospel is John 8:31-36. Jesus tells his listeners that the truth will set them free yet they claimed that as Israelites they have never been slaves (apparently they have never read the Old Testament). How are you free in Christ? How are you still bond to sin?

I hope you all have a great week and see you Sunday!

~Pastor Becca

PS - I'll be at Bishop's Convocation on Cape Cod this weekend (I will suffer for your benefit). I'll have my cell phone on me in case of emergency.

What is Love?

2011-10-23T15:06:00.000-04:00

Today was one of my shortest sermons and one of my longest. The people of Bethlehem were in a very chatty mood today which when I open my sermons up for people to contribute to, can always pose a danger for amusing comments. But those are also the moments that I LOVE which is why I know I am so blessed to be called here as the pastor of Bethlehem.

The gospel today was Matthew 22:34-36, a two part gospel when Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is and when Jesus asks the Pharisees about the Messiah. Well in good preaching fashion, I ignored the last part because well I don't quite understand it. But also because the first half in which Jesus boils all the laws down to two commandments is so rich.

So enjoy my short sermon written wise, and I have included some of the congregations responses to my questions in italics.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” And “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

What does it mean to love? We love many things. I love pizza. I love Parks and Recreation. I love the color yellow. I love your earrings. We LOVE everything – food, movies and tv shows, colors, clothing, places, and even people. We love so many things that we often forget what it means to love. So what does it mean to love? What does love mean to you?

Now most psychologist will tell you that you have to love yourself before you are able to love others, so how do you love yourself?

Taking care of yourself through getting enough sleep and eating well
Quit Smoking
Nap
meditate
Taking time for self
Forgive yourself
Be yourself
Believe in yourself
Enjoy time with company and alone time
Find joy

And how then do you love others?

Care for them
Spend time with (or not)
Show gratitude
Forgive
Believe in them
Be generous towards them with time, talents and gifts
Support them emotionally
Teach them
Kisses & hugs
Feel for them
Feed them
Let them hold the remote (told you we were chatty today)

We are called to love God, others and ourselves. But yet we often don’t.

We often don’t love ourselves. We put ourselves down. We don’t take time for ourselves, we overwork ourselves, never taking time to rest, relax and enjoy our lives. We constantly compare ourselves to others and feel like we don’t measure up, that others have outdone us.

And we don’t always love others. We yell at strangers who cut us off while driving. We get annoyed with the people at the grocery store. We gossip about our co-workers or fellow community members. We spew hatred about the unnamed person who disagrees with us politically online. We put ourselves first, thinking we are more important and our needs are more worthy than everyone else in the world.

And we don’t always love God. We fail to worship God. We forget to be thankful for all that have been given to us. We often are unable to see God right in front of us. We destroy God’s creation. And we do not love God’s children, both others and ourselves.

But even when we fall short. Even when we fail to love God with all of our heart, soul and mind and even when we fail to love our neighbors as ourselves, God still loves us. God still loves us with an unconditional love that is constantly out-flowing. It is a love that compelled God to send Jesus to die for us. It is a love that does not fail, even when we fail. It is a love that does all these things that we strive to do, even when we do not. It is a love that loves us even when we do not do all these things that we strive to do. For God loves us with all of God’s heart and all of God’s soul and all of God’s mind and God loves our neighbors as much as God loves us.

MMC: I'm back!

2011-10-17T12:44:00.002-04:00

Good Morning!

I'm back from my long trip to Minnesota for the preaching conference and my short trip to New York with some friends and I can't believe we are half way through October already! I hope fall is treating you all well and you aren't ready to curse the leaves that have fallen into your yard yet.

A Few Announcements

Confirmation is meeting on Tuesday night at 6pm.
Senior Lunch is Wednesday at Noon. We will be meeting at the Olde BlueBird Inn, 363 Black Rock Tpke, Easton
Worship committee is meeting after worship on Sunday Oct 23rd. All are invited to discuss plans for Advent, Christmas and beyond
Come say Bon Voyage to Bob Middeke-Conlin at the parsonage this Friday, October 21 starting at 7pm.
Corn Mazes & more is our next family fun outing on Saturday Oct 29 at 1pm (raindate Oct 30). Tickets are $15 or less, sign up in the community room or let me know if you are planning on going.
All Saints Day is coming. Please let me know by email or by filling out the sheet in the community room, those in your lives who have died, been born or baptized within the last year.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The last weeks question was: What happened at a wedding banquet that Jesus attended? A) a fight broke out B) Jesus walked on water C) Jesus was arrested D) Jesus turned water into wine

In John 2, Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding banquet when the party runs out of wine. This was Jesus’ first miracle. But no one submitted an answer last week which means more bread or candy for me.
This week’s question: What was sacrificed by Abraham when he was sent to the mountain to sacrifice his son? A) Isaac B) a bird, C) a ram D)a bull If you know the answer, let me know by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Serving this Week

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this coming Sunday

Worship Assistant: _________

Reader: Barbara C

Communion Assistant: __________

Ushers: _________ & _________

Communion Set up & Clean up: __________

Bread baker/bringer: ___________

Coffee Hour Host: Bob & Becca MC

Text this Week

Our first lesson on Sunday is Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18, which tells us not to unjustly judge, slander or hate others because we should be holy as God is holy. How have you unjustly judged, slandered or hated others? How does being a child of God effect you when you realize you are doing such things? How has if felt when others have treated you in such a way, especially fellow Christians?

Our second lesson is 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8. Paul uses the imagery of a mother nurse caring for her children to describe how he came to care for the people he writes to. Paul argues that he was entrusted by God to care for them by sharing the gospel of Jesus. When has someone cared for you so that you may benefit and not them? When have you cared for others in a like way?

The gospel for Sunday is Matthew 22:34-46. Jesus is tested by a lawyer asking "what is the greatest commandment?" After Jesus answer that there are two, to love God and to love your neighbors, Jesus then asks the lawyer and his colleagues what they think of the Messiah. How do you think the two questions connect? How have you both broken and kept the two greatest commandments? And what do you think of the Messiah?

Hope you all have a great week and hopefully we will see many of you on Friday night

~Pastor Becca

MMC: Columbus Day

2011-10-10T11:48:00.000-04:00

Good morning and happy Columbus Day!

For those of you who have today off, I hope you are enjoying the long weekend, for those working, I hope you enjoyed your normal length weekend.

I am still in Minnesota as yesterday I was able to celebrate the 50th anniversary of my parents congregation, the place I was confirmed at. If you do have a pastoral emergency you can call my cell phone or you can call Pastor Geoff at St. Michael’s Church, New Canaan

A Few Quick Announcements

Council Sunday Sun Oct 16, after worship
Grow 2 Gather Sun Oct 16 & 30, 9am
Senior Lunch Wed Oct 19, noon at the Bluebird Inn in Easton
Worship Committee Sun Oct 23, after worship
Everyone is invited to the parsonage on Friday October 21st at 7pm for a bon voyage for Bob MC before he heads to Paris for his PhD program
Everyone is invited to Mark H & Heloisa R's wedding on Friday November 11th at 11am. Please let them know if you are planning on attending by signing up at the church or emailing Mark
Mark your calendar for our family fun day outing to Barton Orchards for a corn maze and haunted house on October 29 at 1pm. Tickets are $15 for everything, rain date is Sunday Oct 30.

Book of Faith Puzzler

Last week's puzzler was: Who planted the first vineyard? A) Adam B) Noah C) Abraham D) King David
In Genesis 9, Noah plants the first vineyard after he disembarked from the ark. Congratulations to Ryan H for winning this week's puzzler.
This week’s question: What happened at a wedding banquet that Jesus attended? A) a fight broke out B) Jesus walked on water C) Jesus was arrested D) Jesus turned water into wine Email me by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's puzzler.

Serving this week

As of last week the following people have signed up to serve in worship for this coming Sunday

Worship Assistant: Ellen G

Reader: Cheryl M

Communion Assistant: Jenna H

Usher: ______ & ______

Communion set up & clean up: _________

Bread baker/bringer:_______

Counter: Lillian J

Coffee Hour host: Heloisa R & Mark H

If you would like to sign up (or already have) for one of positions not currently covered, please let me know

This Sunday's Text

The first lesson is Isaiah 45:1-7, Two themes that run through this text is that God calls us by name and there is no other gods. How does God call you by name? How does God know who you truly are and allows you to be who you truly are? Is there anything that you worship before God? Does that allow you to truly be yourself?

The second lesson is 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10. Paul is writing to new Christians who live in a community where their faith is in the minority, yet Paul tells them they have been chosen by God to share the good news of Jesus with their community. And this is evident by how the Holy Spirit is working through them. As worshiping Christians in Connecticut, in many ways we can be considered the minority. How do you feel chosen by God to share the good news of Jesus to our community? How is the Holy Spirit working through you to share God's love with others?

The gospel is Matthew 22:15-22, Jesus being asked about taxes and his famous line "Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's and to God the things that are God's." What things do you have belong to God? What things do you have belong to the government? How do we confuse these things? What do you think Jesus meant by this saying?

Hope you all have a great week!
~Pastor Becca

Progression Implicatory Dialog

2011-10-05T23:04:00.000-04:00

I've been spending this week in Minnesota at the Celebration of Biblical Preaching hosted by Luther Seminary. The Celebration is now over, but I'm still around for a lectionary overview of the Gospel of Mark for this coming church year calendar. Personally I have found continuing education conference much more rewarding in the long term if I can spend time shortly afterwards processing what was discussed. So you all get to read my processing.

But A LOT has been covered in the 3 days I have spent at Luther thus far, so this will hopefully be done over a few of these blog posts in the next next few days. And I also won't cover everything, probably just my favorite one or two sessions from each day.

So I thought I would start with Doug Pagitt's session from Monday afternoon. Doug is the founding pastor of an emergent congregation in Minneapolis and has written many books including a series all entitled "_____ in the Inventive Age" He was also our preaching on Tuesday's morning's worship.

The main premise I took from Doug's presentation was that we are in a new cultural age and need to adapt our preaching to better work with the markers of this current age. He started his presentation by giving us a new term, Progressional Implicatory Dialog, and that should be our aim in preaching. That our preaching needs to be progressional - relevant to today's society, it needs to be implicatory - applicable to the hearers daily life, and it needs to be a dialog - not just top down but something all participate in creating.

This new way of preaching has developed because we are in a 4th cultural age in our country. 1st was the agricultural age - where the church was the center of the town and the pastor wore the symbol of the shepherd - the stole. 2nd was the industrial age where the pastor represented the brand, (either the specific church or the denomination) and the goal was to produce the same thing over and over again in the form of worship and "godly families". The 3rd age is the information age where knowledge is the center of focus and the pastor was the one who knew the important stuff and it was their job to tell all the people who came to listen. Doug used the architecture of churches to demonstrate the shift in congregations during each of these ages, from country churches, to churches built to look like factories, to the huge education wing addition.

Agricultural age church

Industrial age church

Education Wing

I think this can also be seen through the names of congregations. Most congregations founded in the agricultural age have biblical names - either names of cities or people from the bible: Bethlehem, St. John's. Industrial age churches are often named after biblical imagery or theological terms: Good Shepherd, Atonement, Emmanuel. Though a little counter-intuitively the church of the information age dropped these theological terms for the congregation names that have more lofty names: Peace, Faith, Lord of Life.

We are now in the beginning of the inventive age. An age where we value thinking, values, aesthetics and tools. It is no longer what you know but how you know it and creativity is rewarded. Many of these churches are in non-traditional worship spaces, meeting in coffee shops, bars, or in converted churches with couches and ping pong tables instead of traditional pews. These church names tend to be double entendres or very relaxed sounding names- Sanctuary, Solomon's Porch, House of Mercy.

The inventive age can be categorized by valuing -

relational authority - relationships have authority not degrees
participation - we are all invited to be part of the creative process
dialog - everything is a discussion
abundance - there is enough in the world, distribution is the problem
open source belief - people's beliefs shift over time
beauty matters - aesthetic are just as valuable as function
integration is essential - how does everything fit together from one area of life to another
ownership - people are competent and want to be an owner in the system

Thus by keeping the Inventive age in mind and these things that are valued, especially the ownership, participation and relational authority, by changing our sermons to have more areas of participation so that it is a communal event that connects the rest of life better to scripture, we will be able to preach better to our society.

There was a lot of backlash to Doug's presentation and his interactive bible study type sermon, especially from the older generation. I heard many people say "if I did that in my congregation....", "my congregation would freak if I did that" or "I could never do that." and it was quite frustrating for me to hear that. I was talking to one other attendee and we decided that these comments come from two sources fear and underestimation.

Many pastors have underestimated what there parishioners can actually do. In fact they probably think their members are flat out stupid and therefore aren't able to interpret the bible for themselves and we, as those with the degrees, must do that for them (this is very un-inventive age thinking).

Or pastors are afraid. They are afraid that if they start letting their congregation members interpret scripture, they as pastors won't be needed any more. Or they are afraid because preaching in a dialog/participatory way takes them out of their comfort zone. It has nothing to do with the congregation's reaction but their own.

Yes it is scary to start preaching in a participatory style. I've been doing it for awhile, though not every sermon, though I do ask "where have you seen God?" at the beginning of each worship service. There are times you can hear crickets or I have to reask the question and coax an answer out of people. But after a few times, my congregation has gotten the hang of it. And I can tell they listen more and the sermon gets them thinking more when they are a part of creating the preaching experience.

So I encourage you to start being a little more participatory in your preaching because we are in a new age and just as our church buildings and names have changed, so too should our sermons.

MMC: 1st week of October in Minnesota

2011-10-03T09:17:00.000-04:00

Good Morning from beautiful Minnesota where the forecasted high for today is 16 degrees higher than Georgetown. Sorry to make you jealous but I wanted to let you know that it doesn't always snow in Minnesota.

A Few Announcements

I am in Minnesota this week for a continuing education conference at Luther Seminary. I will have my cell phone on me and access to email throughout the week but in case of pastoral emergency please contact Pastor Rip H at. Rip is an ELCA pastor and member of Bethlehem who is currently serving as the interim rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Weston.
Mark your calendars:
Council Sunday Sun Oct 16, after worship
Grow 2 Gather Sun Oct 16 & 30, 9am
Senior Lunch Wed Oct 19, noon at the Bluebird Inn in Easton

Book of Faith Puzzler

The last weeks question was: How many visitors told Abraham that Sarah would have a son within a year?

In Genesis 18, Abraham and Sarah have 3 visitors who tell Abraham that Sarah will have a child within a year. Since both Sarah and Abraham were both quite old, Sarah laughed when she heard this news. Hence why they named their son Isaac which means laughter. Congratulations to Cheryl M for winning this week's puzzler.

This week’s question: Who planted the first vineyard? A) Adam B)Noah C)Abraham D)King David Think you know the answer? Willing to Google it? Email me the answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

If you missed if you can read it here. How have you experienced God's crazy love? How have you experienced pain when others reject God's crazy love for us?

Serving this Sunday

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this coming Sunday

Worship Assistant: Mark H (Well I believe it is Mark, Ellen and Mark keep switching the schedule around on me)

Reader: Paul D

Communion Assistant: Cheryl M

Ushers: _____ & ______

Bread baker/Bringer: ______

Communion set-up: ________

Counter: Lillian J

Coffee Hour Host: Lillian J

If you would like to serve in one of the ways that is currently open, please let me know.

This Sunday's text

The first reading is Isaiah 25:1-9, a hymn of praise which is often read at funerals as it celebrates God being able to "swallow up death forever." When has God wiped the tears from your face? How have you experienced God's victory of salvation.

The second reading is Philippians 4:1-9 which includes the famous verse "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice" (which is what my red stole's design is based upon). Paul wrote this when he was imprisoned for his faith and yet he was able to still celebrate his faith. What do you rejoice about? How do you rejoice in the Lord?

The gospel reading is Matthew 22:1-14, the parable of the wedding banquet. This parable is a frustrating for many preachers because one of the people invited last minute is thrown out for now being dressed appropriately and those who were first invited were deemed unworthy because they rejected the invitation. How are we unworthy when we reject Jesus? How have people received the invitation but still feel or act as if they are unworthy? How are we called to extend the invitation to others?

Hope you all have a great week! Meanwhile just saw the forecast for Minneapolis this week - high 70's all week. (okay I'll stop making you envious now)

Crazy Love from a Crazy God

2011-10-02T13:34:00.000-04:00

Today is World Communion Sunday. It is a Sunday on the church calendar to remind us that we are part of a whole community of believes of all time and places who worship and commune with God together. As part of Bethlehem's celebration, all of our music today was written by Hispanic composers.

The gospel for today was Matthew 21:33-46, the parable of the wicked tenants which follows last weeks reading of Jesus' authority being questioned. I know various parts of the sermon struck a cord with a few members of the congregation as they realized just how crazy the landowner was or how they have been affected by people they know who reject God.

Enjoy!

These tenants really do not know how the world works. They seize, beat, kill and stone the first set of slaves and they think they can get away with it! And then they do the same to the second set, seizing, beating, killing and stoning them as well. And then they get it in their heads that if they kill the son of the landowner that they will somehow be able to claim the vineyard, the son’s inheritance, as their own. They don’t realize that the punishment for murder is death, that eventually the police and armies will come after you and murder you as well, they aren’t going to let you live out your days in peace in the vineyard because they all fear you.

And this landowner is really just as crazy. After people have seized, beaten, killed and stone one group of powerless slaves, you do not send to them another equally as powerless group. And then you certainly don’t send them your son and expect the outcome to be any different. No real landowner would do such a thing. After the first set of slaves were killed, a normal landowner would send an army to kill off these tenants or at least send them away and then lease out the property to other, more trustworthy tenants. But then again this is not an ordinary landowner, for this is not a real story, this is one of Jesus’ parables.

And in many parables, we often try to explain them allegorically – that every person or thing in the parable represents something else in real life. Now that doesn’t always help with the explanation but often it at least helps us at first glance. So thinking that allegorically, who would you say is the landowner? The slaves? The son? The tenants? And what is the vineyard?

So if God is the landowner, the slaves were the prophets, Jesus is the son, and the Israelites are the tenants and this all takes place in heaven, the kingdom of God, that would mean that God is so crazy, so desperate to have a relationship with God’s people, that God has sent prophet after prophet to tell them about God. And yet prophet after prophet was rejected, and often killed for their teachings. And so God, realizing that God’s people will not listen to prophets, decides to up the ante, and sends Jesus, the son of God. And yet Jesus is also rejected and killed.

Well no wonder why the chief priest and elders were getting a little hot under the collar at Jesus when they realized that he was talking about them. They are God’s chosen people, they are to inherit the kingdom of heaven. However this is when thinking of this parable as an allegory breaks down.

Because people have thought this way for centuries, Christians have used this text as an excuse to kill the Jewish people, because they think God has now rejected them and chosen Christians, followers of Jesus to inherit the kingdom instead. And on this World Communion Sunday we are also reminded that this way of thinking has not just caused arguments about who will inherit the kingdom of heaven between Christians and Jews, but different sects of Christianity and different races and different cultures, and often those arguments have ended in war, in death.

But this parable is not just a straight allegory tale. Through using Jesus’ words, Matthew, our gospel writer today, is trying convince all people, Jew and gentile to turn to Jesus. Matthew is deeply pained that his own people, the Jews, are rejecting Jesus. So he tries grace: “the stone that the builders rejects has become the cornerstone.” And when that doesn’t work, Matthew tries threats: “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produce the fruits of the kingdom”.

And isn’t the same for us. Many of you have spoken to me about the pain that you have when your family, siblings, children, grandchildren, reject the church and do not come to worship or are sometimes not baptized. And some of you have tried to convince your family to go to worship with grace or with threats of eternal suffering, or with begging or even with the “will you just do it for me” argument, hoping that if you can just get them in the building the pastor’s words, or music, or scripture will seep into their minds in some way.

Last week when I asked what questions you have for Jesus, someone asked something along the lines of why Jesus doesn’t just do something so great that no body could possibly doubt. We are all in pain when other’s doubt. We are pained for them that they are not able to have faith. We are in pain for the body of Christ, the whole church, because the church is not yet whole when there are people missing. And we are in pain for ourselves, because when others doubt, it make us doubt our faith as well.

And yet God has done something amazing, God has done something great in order to keep us from doubting. God sent prophets to help teach us, and when that didn’t work, God sent Jesus, the only son of God to die on a cross for us so that we might inherit the kingdom, the vineyard. Because quite frankly the world doesn’t work that way, but God is just so crazy, so in love with us as a people, that God gave up his only son Jesus to die for us so that we can enter into the kingdom of God, the vineyard. And it is because that gift is so great that Matthew, our gospel writer, and fellow Christians, and ourselves experience such pain when people do not see the crazy love God has sent to us over and over and over again.

Changes in October

2011-09-29T14:55:00.000-04:00

I have been pretty quite on my blog lately, well other than sermons and Monday Morning Church updates. But things are going to change soon because things are changing in my personal life as well.

October has been a scary month on my calendar for awhile now, one that I have looked at starting in August and wondered how I was going to survive until then and how I will survive through October. And now as we have neared closer to that elusive month, October means even more things me.

For the last few years, my Stitch and Bitch friends have talked about the fun and excitement that is Rhinebeck, aka the New York Sheep and Wool Festival. This year I decided that even though I'm not a knitter I'm going to go. It has been a long time since I've had a girls weekend and I'm looking forward to hanging out with my friends for a full weekend with stitching, wine, fiber and our sexy hats (pictures will be kept a secret until Rhinebeck). So I've taken that weekend (October 14-16) off of work. Well for me since a lot of my work Monday through Friday leads to stuff on Saturday and Sunday, if I'm not going to be there on the weekend I might as well take the whole week off, plus I had an extra week of vacation so I might as well use it. Woo-hooo vacation week! Nothing scary about that.

Also Bishop's Convocation, our synod's annual gathering of pastors and rostered leaders is always the last full week of October. So Monday through Wednesday, October 24-26, I will be on Cape Cod enjoying the company of my colleague in ministry and listening to our awesome keynote speaker, Nadia Bolz,-Weber who is probably the most predominant Lutheran emerging church voice. Okay that seems do-able a week off and another 3 days away at a conference.

Back in July I realized that I still had half of my continuing education budget to use so I started looking at conferences to attend. Well the Celebration of Biblical Preaching stuck out at me as something I wanted to attend. It had many more pros that cons. Pro: Interested in the topic. Pro: Really enjoy some of the presenters work and want to hear more from them. Pro: Stuff I will actually use in ministry. Pro: Also going over the lectionary for the next year - very helpful. Pro: It is in Minnesota so I'll get to see family and friends. Con: it is also in October (the 3rd - 6th to be exact) Pro: I have the week off afterwards with nothing really planned in Connecticut, so I can take a few extra days. Sweet I'm going.

But now you see my October has been scary since August. It basically means I'll have about a week and a half in the office/at home all month long.

And now the changes in my personal life:

In July Bob heard about a PhD fellowship opportunity and applied in August. And he got it!!! Bob will be researching ancient Assyrian mathematics at the University of Paris Diderot (as in France!) and he starts:

November 2!

When he applied we thought the fellowship started at the beginning of October, so I thought if by some chance he got it, it would be a good thing that I would be so busy in October so I wouldn't miss him as much. Ha! Now instead of just being busy for that month, and only home for 1 1/2 weeks I also have only 1 1/2 weeks left with Bob really before he leaves for Paris for a few months, though he might sneak up to Bishop's Convocation with me (shhh....don't tell the bishop or really don't tell the hotel staff)

So yes things are going to be busy, and things are going to be changing.

Hopefully I will get back into the habit of adding some non-sermon or MMC posts on a regular basis. And you will get to hear about me adjusting to living alone. Stuff like Bob and I figuring out skype dates with the time difference, and me buying Lean Cuisines and other meals for one, or me learning to go to the library or coffee hours on a regular basis just so my 1 minute interaction with the librarian or barista can be my one face to face interaction for the day.

I am really super excited for Bob, he has worked so hard for this and unfortunately has dealt with a lot of rejection thus far in the process. But I know this is his calling, and this is where God wants him to be. We have spent time apart before - most of the time we were dating we were in different states or different countries - and last year he spent a few days a week on the other side of Connecticut. But I also know it will be hard to adjust to not seeing him on a regular basis, not being able to talk to him to brainstorm a sermon or to rant about something that is bugging me. Or not being able to give him a hug and a kiss good bye in the morning. But thus far I have yet to mourn me missing him yet, because I'm still trying to survive till the end of October.

MMC: Beginning of October

2011-09-26T08:00:00.002-04:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

I hope you all had a great weekend and are ready to face this Monday.

A Few Quick Announcements

Confirmation is meeting tomorrow evening at the church at 6pm
This coming Sunday is World Communion Sunday, come enjoy many hymns that have a Hispanic flare to them.
Thank you to everyone for making my 2nd ordination anniversary special. I really am blessed to be serving this great congregation.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The last weeks question was: What did God create on the 4^th day? A)light B)animals C) sun, stars and moon, D) land In Genesis starts with the creation story and 1:14-19 talk about the 4^th day in which sun, moon and stars were made. Congratulations to Becky P for winning this week's puzzler.
This week’s question: How many visitors told Abraham that Sarah would have a son within a year? Submit your answer to me by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

If you missed it you can read it here. And thank you to everyone who asked questions. I will keep this list and refer to it for future sermons and hopefully help us explore the answers. What other questions do you have about faith, scripture, the afterlife, theology?

Serving this Sunday

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this Sunday.

Worship Assistant: Ellen G

Reader: Bob MC

Communion Assistant: Lillian J

Ushers: ________ & ________

Communion Set-up & clean up: __________

Bread baker/bringer:_________

Offering Counter: Nancy Land Dorothy H

Coffee Hour Host: Barbara C

If you are willing to serve in one of the ways that are currently free, please let me know

Sunday's Texts

The first reading is Isaiah 5:1-7. The author writes a love song for the vineyard that he tended to but it yielded wild grapes. Afterwards he let the vineyard be destroyed. When have you felt tended/care for by God? When have you felted left abandoned?

The second lesson is Philippians 3:4b-14. Paul writes of his religious heritage and but yet those things which were highly valued by his society don't matter to Christ. It is his faith that matters. What is one thing that you prize that probably does not matter to God? Why do we put such stock into these earthly things?

The gospel is Matthew 21:33-46 the parable of the wicked tenants who kill the slaves and son of the vineyard owner. When are we like the wicked tenants who mistreat God's messengers (and God's son)? When have you also been a slave who has been mistreated when telling others about God?

Hope you have a great week and see you Sunday

~Pastor Becca

Questions, Questions and More Questions.

2011-09-25T13:15:00.000-04:00

Today's gospel, Matthew 21:23-32, is one of those kinda crummy text to preach. First Jesus' authority is questioned and then Jesus tells a parable of two sons. There were a lot of comments in my pastors bible study this week about the lack of unity between the two parts and just general confusion of the text. (It also doesn't help that neither the 1st nor 2nd lessons were all the great of preaching options either, though all three text are wonderful bible study text as they have quite a bit of depth and bring up many questions).

But there was one thing that struck me about this text: the chief priest and elders asked Jesus a question.

We have many questions for Jesus and we don't always want to ask them or get to ask them. So I decided to ask my congregation what their questions are, which I have included in italics, and there were a lot of questions. The questions were asked by people ages 4 to 80 plus. Some light hearted, some profound. Some I laughed when they were asked, some my heart broke when they were asked. I will keep this list and refer to it and while I probably am not able to answer the questions, I hope in the future I will at least help people explore the answers for themselves. So what are your questions for Jesus?

Enjoy!

Our gospel starts with what could be a simple question posed to Jesus by the chief priest and the elders: “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority?”

But we all know that not all questions are asked purely to seek information. Yes you can ask questions solely out of curiosity “Why is the sky blue?” “What makes up light?” But you can also ask questions to inform someone “Did you know that the men of Bethlehem are meeting tonight at 6pm?” And you can even ask questions to entrap someone. We do it all the time. “Did you do your homework?” “Did you eat the last piece of cake?” “Who took my stapler?” When we ask these questions, most often we know the answer, no you haven’t done your homework, yes you ate the cake even though I said I wanted it, I know you have my stapler even though I told you not to take things from my desk.

And occasionally when we ask these entrapment questions, no matter what the answer is we are ready to pounce.

This is the case for the elders and the chief priest. Really they didn’t need to hear the answer because no matter how Jesus answered the question they were ready to attack him. If he said God gave him the authority, they would have called him crazy or accuse him of blasphemy. But on the other hand if Jesus said that he performed miracles, healed the sick and drove out the money changers from the temple on his own authority, they would have accused him of being above the law. Either way, Jesus’ response would have gotten him into trouble with the law and possibly even put to death.

This is why Jesus avoids the question by asking a question of his own. If the elders and chief priest truly wanted to know who gave him the authority to drive money changers out of the temple, perform miracles and heal the sick, he would have answered it.

Questions are part of faith. We all have them. Questions about scripture, questions about the nature of God, questions about how to understand and practice our faith in our daily lives, at work, at home, when hanging out with friends, when running errands. Throughout the gospels people are asking Jesus questions, and most of the time he actually answers them.

So I’m going to give you an opportunity to write future sermons and possibly some bible studies. What are your questions? About faith, scripture, theology, the afterlife.

Why do horrible things happen?

Why do people hurt each other?

How do we understand scripture?

How are we to reconcile scripture with science and everything?

Who goes to heaven? How about animals?

How should we celebrate Jesus' birth and resurrection?

What is heaven like?

What is Jesus' favorite color?

Will we meet our loved ones in heaven?

Why does it often seem like evil "wins"?

Why does God allow so many innocent people to die on September 11, in war, etc?

How are we to tell tell others about Jesus?

Who goes to hell?

What is hell?

Can you get to heaven from hell and vice versa?

Why is there pain in the world and why do some people suffer so greatly before death?

Why do people look asleep when they are dead?

Why is there hell?

Why do some people think certain people will go to hell?

Why do we worry so much about heaven and hell instead of this earth?

When will the world end?

Will the world end? If so how?

Why is there doubt? Why do some people not believe?

Is there life on other planets?

What is Jesus' favorite denomination?

What does Jesus think about the church today?

Now I’m not going to answer them now, because well we would be here all day for one, and two I’m not prepared to answer these questions right now. But also I can’t answer these questions for you. I can tell you what I believe. I can tell you want the ELCA believes or at least where they lean on some of the answers. With some research, I can tell you want different theologians and religious leaders have said about the topic over history. But I cannot answer these questions for you.

Part of growing in your faith, maturing in understanding, is to explore these questions for yourself, for everyone on this planet has questions about faith. And Jesus invites us to ask them, as long as we are asking out of curiosity and not to entrap him. God has given us scripture and theologians and church bodies and religious leaders to help us explore these questions for ourselves. And when these human means are not enough, faith is relying on Jesus to help fill in the gaps and faith is what causes us to continue to ask questions.

And Jesus is calling us to help others ask the questions. To help others realize that church is not a place that you go when you have all the answers but a place you go when all you have is questions. We are called to help others ask their questions and also to point to Jesus for the answers.

For we do not need to know the answers for salvation, we just need to be willing to ask questions and look to Jesus for the answers.

MMC: Great News!

2011-09-19T10:37:00.002-04:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful Monday morning.

A Few Quick Announcements

Join us this Friday for Family Fun Night. If you are available at 4pm, meet at the church and we will go apple picking at Blue Jay Orchard in Bethel. If not come at 6:30 for a light dinner, and apple related fun: apple treats will be made and we will bob for apples and play Apples to Apples.
Grow 2 Gather will be meeting on Sunday at 9am. We will hear about the life of Abraham and then you can either play a game, participate in a small service project or help prepare the church grounds for fall.
All men are invited for the first meeting of the men's group this coming Sunday at 6pm for a grill out.
Thank you to everyone who donated items for the health kits. All 50 kits were put together yesterday and will be shipped off shortly to Lutheran World Relief.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The last weeks question was: The first lesson starts after Joseph’s father had died.  Who was Joseph’s (from the Genesis) father?  A) Noah B) Isaac C) Jacob D) Joshua
Jacob, Joseph’s father, had 12 sons of which Joseph was the favored being the first born of his favorite wife, Rachel.  You can read about Jacob & Joseph’s lives in Genesis starting at the 37^thchapter. Congratulations to Nancy Beck for winning this week's puzzler
This week’s question:  What did God create on the 4^th day? A)light B)animals C) sun, stars and moon, D) land If you know the answer, email me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

A Personal Announcement

As Bob announced in worship yesterday, he has received a fellowship to study cuneiform math in a PhD program at University of Paris Diderot. I am so proud of my husband and look forward to all that he will be able to accomplish. However we are both committed to the ministry at Bethlehem, so I will be staying here in Connecticut and remain serving as Bethlehem's pastor but you can probably guess where I'll be taking my vacations.

Serving this Sunday

The following people have signed up to help lead worship in the following ways this coming Sunday:

Worship Assistant: Ellen Grunsell

Reader: Paul Degener

Communion Assistant: _________

Usher: Bob Middeke-Conlin & ______

Bread Baker:____________

Offering Counter:__________

Communion set up & clean up:_______

Coffee Hour Host: Apparently there is going to be some celebration for the 2nd anniversary of my ordination

If you would like to sign up for one of the areas currently blank, please let me know.

Sunday's Texts:

The first lesson is Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32. Ezekiel challenges his hears who think that they cannot change to change because God is constantly inviting us to turn from our sin. When have you done something that you thought you could not do? Is there a certain sin that you would find especially hard to stop committing? How can you use the first experience to help you find strength to stop sinning?

The second lesson is Philippians 2:1-13. This reading includes one of the earliest Christian hymns (verses 6-11) which talks about Jesus humbling himself and being obedient to the point of death. What can we learn from Christ's selflessness? As of the result of Jesus' death, he was also exalted, when have you been praised for doing what is naturally in you to do?

The gospel lesson is Matthew 21:23-32. The gospel starts with the religious leaders asking Jesus what authority he has for teaching and he turns it back on them by asking if John's baptism came from heaven or from human origin. Answering questions with questions, is older than Socrates and can be quiet effective in getting people to think in a different mindset, but it can also be unnerving to others. When have you been pushed to answer your own question? Were you flustered like these religious leaders or were you able to answer yourself? Jesus then tells a parable about 2 sons, one who tells his father he will not work but changes his mind and does, the other tells his father he will work but does not. We all have been both sons at points in our lives. When have you said one thing but done the opposite? Why did you change your mind?

Hope you all have a great week and see you on Friday

~Pastor Becca

It's not fair, but you decide why

2011-09-19T09:43:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Rally Day at Bethlehem, meaning that it was a busy day with LOTS of (almost too much) stuff before, during, and after worship. But it was a festive day which always makes worship wonderful.

At the beginning of worship, I pointed out two note cards stuff into each bulletin. I asked people to write on one something they hold a grudge against or are envious of. On the other I asked them to write a blessing they have received. We then used these note cards during the sermon which was based on the gospel Matthew 20:1-16.

Enjoy the sermon!

Can you blame the first for being upset? If any of us were in the same situation wouldn’t we each be upset that we did not get more? We worked a full day, 12 hours under the hot sun. Meanwhile those others just worked an hour and yet they got the same pay as us. So what if we agreed to the pay that we received before we ever started the job? So what if what we were given is enough for us to support our families by putting food on the table and a roof over our heads? What we care about is that it is not fair! It is not fair that we worked 12 times the amount as the last hired and yet we got the same pay. It is not fair that the landowner decided to be generous and let all the people under his care to be give enough to survive. It is not fair!

It is not fair that some of us are struggling to pay our bills while others get multi-million dollar bonuses each year. It is not fair that some people have been unemployed or underemployed for years and yet others easily jump from one job to another. It is not fair that some people have to study hard and still only get B’s and others never open a book and so how manage to get an A on the exam. It is not fair that life seems to constantly dump the worse onto some people in the form of illness, deaths, financial and relationship problems and others never have problems and breeze through life.

Life is not fair! It is not fair that some people who are good Christians there entire life, always trying to do what is right, and others who come to believe in Christ on the last day, will both receive the same reward of heaven. Heaven is not fair!

The early laborers were upset that they did not receive more for their work. They did not think about how depressing it could have been to be waiting for work all day and have perspective employer after perspective employer choose someone else over you. They did not think about those hired last who spent all day calculating how they will be able to stretch what little they have to feed their families for one more day without an income. They did not think about how those hired last did not give up hope for finally being able to find work. Instead as the last hired were receiving their pay, the first were seeing dollar signs in their eyes. They were already thinking about all the ways they would spend their extra money. So when they did not receive what they expected, and instead just received what they had agreed upon, they resented those who were hired last. How dare they get an equal reward for unequal work?

But if you are able to step out of this parable and look at it from a different point of view, you can see that the first laborers can either hold on to the things that they resent about the last receiving equal pay, or they can rejoice with the last and count their blessings and be grateful that their fellow workers, their neighbors and friends, are also taken care of. Because the last were paid for a full days work, the first will not have to take of their food in order to help feed their neighbors, those who were only paid for part of the day. Because the last were paid for a full days work, the first will not have to open their homes in order to allow their relatives, the last to get hired, to have a place to rest their heads at night. Because the last were paid for a full days work, the entire community is fed, the entire community is cared for, the entire community is blessed. But the first must choose, they must choose to either hold on to the things that they resent or they must choose to focuses on and lift up their blessings, they can’t do both.

And the same is true for us. We cannot hold on to both things we resent and to our blessings. When we hold on to resentment and grudges that we have against others, family members, friends, community members, neighbors, even people who live on the other side of the planet our hearts and minds start to focus only on those negatives and as a results we are not able to celebrate and rejoice in the many blessings and abundances that we are giving. When we focus on the resentment and grudges we see the world as unfair and we are the ones who are getting the short end of the deal and so we hoard onto what we do have and become inward and me focused.

But when we focus on the blessings and abundances that both ourselves and others have been given, well then we see that the world is unfair, but we are not the ones getting the short end of the deal. And instead we work to make sure that our abundance, our blessings are given to those who are given less. Through focusing on the blessings and abundances of this world, we are not only much happier but we also end up with a life-giving sense of justice.

So you should each have with you two pieces of paper. I asked you earlier to write one a resentment or grudge that you hold, or something you are envious of. And on the other I asked you to write something you are grateful for or a blessing you have received. Now flip them over. Physically they look much the same on this side. Yet one of these cards is weighing you down spiritually. One of these cards is like chains wrapped around your heart, keeping you from loving you neighbor and in some cases keeping you from loving God. And the other card is light, it is something that you want to tell others about, something that you want to share. Now you have a choice, I’m going to pass a basket around and I’m going to ask you to keep one of those cards and give away the other – I’ll burn them after worship. The card that you keep, I hope that you hold on to. I hope you use it as a reminder that you can focus on either the negative or the positive but not both.

Unfortunately choosing to count blessings instead of holding grudges is not as easy in real life, but remember those who were holding a grudge, the first laborers who were hired, received the landowners grace and generosity. And even if we end up holding grudges instead of counting our blessings, God still gives us grace and gives it to us generously and with abundance. God is fair because God is just! God is generous! God is abundant and God is loving.

MMC: Gearing up for Fall

2011-09-12T10:21:00.000-04:00

Good Morning Bethlehem!

I hope you all enjoyed our gorgeous weather this weekend, I know that I and 10 of our youth and adults did at Hammonasset. And I've heard that Sunday's worship was quite nice and it was nice to have Pastor Ned back.

Some Announcements

It is a busy week coming up at Bethlehem as we kick off our fall

Senior Lunch is this Wednesday at noon. We will be meeting at Chuck's in Danbury.
Our conference is meeting on Saturday at 10am at Salem in Bridgeport. Please let me know if you would like to join me in hearing what other Lutheran churches are doing in Fairfield County
Rally Day is Sunday with our kick off to Grow 2 Gather, our new inter-generational educational program. All are invited to come at 9am for a time of bible study and this week we will be making health kits for Lutheran World Relief
On Sunday we will also be blessing backpacks and other work/school related items during worship. So bring your backpacks, briefcases, lunch bags, phones, laptops or other items that represents your work.
After worship we will be taking our annual congregational photo, so please plan on sticking around a few minutes and enjoy a snack or cup of coffee/tea/juice during coffee hour.
Council is meeting after worship on Sunday.
Mark your calendar to join us for our Family Fun Night on Friday Sept 23. For those able to go apple picking, we are meeting at the church at 4pm. However the true fun begins at 6:30 as we will make apple related goodies, play Apples to Apples and bob for apples. All forms of family are invited as we are all part of the Bethlehem Family.
All men are invited to a cookout and planning session on Sunday Sept 25 at 6pm. Enjoy some time of fellowship and brainstorm ways that you as men of Bethlehem can gather, volunteer, serve Bethlehem or just get to know each other better.

Book of Faith Puzzle

The last weeks question was: In Sunday’s gospel Jesus tells you how to confront someone who sins against you. But how many times are you suppose to forgive someone who sins against you? A) 7 B) 70 C) 7 times 7 D) 70 times70, E) 700

Well this is a question when I should double check the answer and not type so fast. Depending on the translation, Jesus says in Matthew 18:22 that we are to forgive either “77 times” or “until 70 times 7”. Congratulations to Paul B for not just knowing all these options were incorrect but also knowing the actual answer.

This week’s question: The first lesson starts after Joseph’s father had died. Who was Joseph’s (from the Genesis) father? A) Noah B) Isaac C) Jacob D) Joshua If you know the answer, or even if you had to look it up, send me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Serving this Sunday

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this coming Sunday

Worship Assist: Ellen G

Reader: Nancy B

Communion Assistant:_____

Usher: _____ & ______

Bread baker/bringer: _________

Communion set up/clean up:______

Coffee Hour: Heloisa R & Mark H

Please let me know if you are willing to volunteer in any of the blank spots.

Sunday's Text

The first reading is Jonah 3:10-4:11. The book of Jonah is very brief and this comes at the end. Jonah is sent to go to Ninevah to tell them to repent their sins and turn back to God; Jonah runs and goes the other way; he ends up being swallowed by a big fish; he then decided to go to Ninevah and gets "spewed" out of the fish; the people of Ninevah listen to Jonah and turn back towards God and God forgive them. However Jonah is not happy about this and gets upset that God forgave them. When have you been upset that someone was forgiven? Were you upset that they were forgiven, that the other was able to forgive, or that it wasn't done to you?

The second lesson is Philippians 1:21-30. Paul writes about his commitment to Christ and his ministry. He encourages the people of Philipi to live lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. How have you lived a live worthy of the gospel? How have you failed? (and don't worry we have all failed) How are you still struggling to live a life that is "firm in one spirit", striving for the faith of the gospel and "in no way intimidated by your opponents"?

The gospel is Matthew 20:1-16, the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The laborers hired at the end of the day get the same pay as those hired at the beginning - a usual daily wage. Those hired first are upset that they did not get more even though they agreed to their pay at the beginning of their work. Have you ever been in a similar situation, when you thought you would get more than you did based on what others received? How did you react? Were you envious about what the other received or about the giver's generosity?

Hope you all have a wonderful week and I'll see you Sunday, if not before

Blessings

~Pastor Becca

MMC: Forgiveness in September

2011-09-06T10:00:00.001-04:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

I hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day weekend and are enjoying this first rainy day of school.

A lot is happening at Bethlehem in the next few weeks so please read

A Few Announcements

Forgot your toiletry items? I will be bringing them to Americares tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. Please bring them by the parsonage if you forgot, you can leave them on the porch if no one is home.
RALLY DAY is Sept 18. Starting at 9am we will have a time of hearing bible stories together for all ages followed by making health kits for Lutheran World Relief. We still need some people to volunteer to bring towels, nail clippers and combs. If you are willing to provide those items, please let me know.
During worship on Sept 18 bring your backpack, lunch bag, briefcase, or whatever else you use in your vocation so that they can be blessed.
After worship on Sept 18 we will have our annual congregational photo so please plan to stick around for a few minutes.
Senior Lunch is Wed Sept 14 at noon at Chucks in Danbury. All are invited to join us for lunch and conversation.
Our conference is meeting Saturday Sept 17 at 10 at Salem Lutheran in Bridgeport. All are invited to attend and find out what is going on at other Lutheran churches in our area. Please let me know if you are interested in attending.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The last puzzler from 2 weeks ago was: In our 2^nd reading from Romans 12, Paul talks about the body of Christ having many members but we are of one body. Where else does Paul compare the church to a human body? A) Genesis 40, B) 1 Corinthians 12, C) Matthew 8 D) Galatians 7 Out of those options Paul only wrote the books of 1 Corinthians and Galatians, but Galatians only has 6 chapters. Chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians has a wonderful analogy of the church as a body and how we need all parts of the body.

This week's puzzler is: In today’s gospel Jesus tells you how to confront someone who sins against you. But how many times are you suppose to forgive someone who sins against you? A) 7 B) 70 C) 7 times 7 D) 70 times70, E) 700 F) 70 time 7. If you know the answer you have until Thursday at noon this week to submit your answer to me.

Sunday's Sermon

Were you traveling this weekend and missed it? You can read the sermon here. What do you love and hate about community? Have you ever politely confronted someone? How did it go? What concerns you and frees you about Jesus' advice?

Serving this Sunday

Are you willing to be a reader, usher, counter, worship assistant or communion assistant this Sunday or in the future? Let me know

Sunday's Text

The first reading is Genesis 50:15-21. Joseph's brothers come to him begging for forgiveness and asking to be his slaves as a result of their actions. Joseph not only forgives their sins against him but says good actually came out of it. When have you begged for forgiveness and been forgiven more than expected? How can this text help us as a nation as many do not forgive the terrorist and those who masterminded September 11, 2001 or even hold those few men's actions against people who are of the same nationality or religious?

The second reading is Romans 14:1-12. Paul writes to a community that is struggling with diversity (Christians of Jewish heritage and Christians from various other religious heritages) and says that they should not despise or judge those who are different from them for we will all stand before God in judgement. We as a nation have struggled many times with religious diversity. How have you despised or judge those who are or different religious heritages that yourself? It is hard to stop despising and judging others; how can we be less judgmental?

The gospel is Matthew 18:21-35. Jesus tells his disciples how much to forgive and then tells the parable of a slaves whose debt was forgiven by the king but then went out and acted cruelly to someone who owed him. God forgives us many times and yet we have a hard time forgiving others. When have you had a hard time forgiving someone? When have you received forgiveness from someone? Who are you not able to forgive?

Hope you have a wonderful week

~Pastor Becca

I Love Community, but....

2011-09-06T09:19:00.000-04:00

Sunday's sermon was based on Matthew 18:15-20, where Jesus points out how to go about addressing a member of the church sinning against another member of the church. Well after a week when most of the member of Bethlehem, and most of the residents of Connecticut were without power for multiple days, we have been on a high about talking about how good community is. In fact many of the ways people talked about how they saw God was in people coping with the aftermath of Irene as a community. But as anyone knows there are some dangers to living in a community.

Enjoy!

It has been an interesting week. As most of us were without power for a few days, we all harnessed our inner pioneer to find ways to cook, bathe, and spend hours in the dark with electricity. But I have heard one big positive about this week, a phrase I have heard over and over “The community has come together.” Neighbors have let people plug into their generators, those with electricity have open their homes to those without to shower or just hang out in the evening, and even just the general fact that we couldn’t stay in front of our personal laptops and tvs, people have gotten out of their homes and met and gotten to know their neighbors a little better. The community has come together.

But we actually are each part of many different communities. What communities do you consider yourself to be a part of?

And as I have mentioned earlier there are some great benefits of being part of a community, what are other things that you love about being part of a community? Kindness, Camaraderie, friendship

But there are also downsides of being within a community. We all have moments when we want to avoid others for various reasons, but let’s name some of them now. Gossip, group think, xenophobia

Jesus knew that community is a wonderful gift, but in all communities, and in the church especially, a community that is suppose to be based in God’s grace and love, these things, these negative things can get in the way of forming and maintaining a community. So Jesus put out some basic points.

First he gives the obvious, people sin and communities, the church included, are made up of sinning people. But Jesus says that when someone in your community, in your church, sins against you, to do something about it by going to them directly and calling them on this. And if they don’t listen to you, you go and get a few more people involved. Now these other people are not to gather witnesses or to get people on your side, but as a way of involving the larger community that is also affected. And if the person still does not listen then get the whole community involved, but be worried at this point you are at risk of the community being in turmoil.

Oh this is scary almost to think about. It is difficult, especially when you have a relationship with someone but you aren’t extremely close to them, to tell them that you are upset with their behavior. When a stranger cuts you off in traffic, it is easy to yell at them and to get upset. Or when your spouse or parent or sibling says something to you that offends you, you can normally tell them so, though it might be a few minutes or days later and after either a good talk or a yelling match, all is good again and you are still in a relationship with them. But when it is a friend or a fellow worshipper or your pastor, it can be difficult. How can you tell them that you were hurt or offended by something that they did or didn’t do without either sounding accusatory or like you are such a sensitive person that you quake at any minor offense. Often it is the unknown, the unknown of how that person will react that scares us the most about confrontation. When we don’t know how they will react, when we confront someone even with grace and love, we worry if they will over react or take it out on us or won’t take us seriously.

So instead of confronting people in a loving and grace-filled manner, we either ignore the behavior or become passive aggressive and both are equally as dangerous to hurting the community, the good things that happen that we listed earlier. I know of many congregations that have that one person who behaves terribly and yet everyone lets them because “oh that is just ____.” And statements like “God loves her, but I have my moments” or prayers like “Lord give me patience in dealing with him” are uttered and yet the person continues to snap at fellow congregants, stop worship because there are crumbs from communion bread in the altar area, put off visitors and would be new members, or try to make the entire congregation focus solely on them and not God. And because no one ever politely calls the person on their behavior, the behavior often gets worst.

And if we don’t ignore someone who sins, we then act passive aggressive about it and do things like talk about them behind their back, or call a bunch of other people to complain about them. Or we sent them a nasty email and while we are at it CC the pastor and the bishop. Or we avoid them and de-friend them on facebook, and refuse to be on any committees with them. And if we can’t avoid them, well we’ll just leave the congregation entirely.

But that is not what Jesus is telling us to do. He is telling us with love and grace to talk to the person. Maybe they didn’t realize you were offended by something they did. Maybe they are actually having a lot of trouble in their personal lives and just took it out on you. And if that doesn’t work, get a few others involved. But when you do this in love and grace, be warned, you might find out you are the one at fault that your demands to have only prayers said in iambic pentameter or your reverence of the candlesticks might not be what the community, what the congregation wants.

However when we do this, when talk to people in grace and love about not just what is good, but also what we disagree on, community is formed. And community is important.

The congregational council just adopted our new mission statement: Bethlehem Lutheran Church strives to serve God while providing spiritual guidance to its members and the community through worship, fellowship, education and service while expanding the congregation and growing within the community.

Here the word community means surrounding area, but there is also an idea about building strong relationships both between those who come here to worship and those who live in the surrounding area. And the council wrote and adopted this mission statement not because it sounded good but because community is a wonderful thing, especially when we can talk to each other with grace and love, through both good times and bad. And when we do that, Jesus is with us. Jesus is with us whenever we are in community with others, whether that is sharing a generator, offering a hot shower or telling someone politely that we disagree with their behavior.

The Church is Not Just a Building

2011-08-21T16:05:00.000-04:00

For today's sermon, I referenced both the gospel, Matthew 16:13-20, and the second lesson, Romans 12:1-8. The thing I find more interesting about the gospel is that it is not Peter the man who is the foundation of the church but Peter's confession. And I also find it interesting that we often assume the church has been built.

Enjoy!

Just two weeks ago as Peter attempted to walk on water, we heard Jesus tell Peter “you of little faith, why did you doubt,” after Peter began to sink and had to cried out for Jesus to save him. And now, just 2 chapters later we hear that Peter is the rock on which the church is built. And unfortunately when we hear this, many of us think that the church is done being built.

Yes, Peter went on after Jesus’ death and started the church. Through himself and the other disciples telling people about Jesus, the church was formed. People started to worship the risen savior, Jesus the Christ, who died on the cross for our sins. And various worship practices were started, many of which we still use today, such as communing together as a group, and greeting one another in peace. And as people told their stories about Jesus, they were written down and became the gospels that we still read from today, the very thing that we get today’s reading about Peter’s confession and him being the rock on which Jesus will build the church.

And as the church, the fellowship of people who worshiped Jesus, grew, so too were churches were built. Cathedrals, basilicas, chapels and church buildings were built in order to provide a space for the Church, the people of God, to worship.

Our own church building, the room in which we are now in, was built a little over a 100 years ago. The basement was completed about 80 or 90 years ago and the community room was completed around 50 years ago. Our church building has been built.

So as a result we see the church as having already been built; completed; past tense; finished.

But that is because we in English often confuse the church building for the church, the people, the body of Christ.

We see the church buildings completed. They are made of wood, rock and glass, and other than basic upkeep or the hope of expansion, the church has been built, the church building that is.

But the church is more than a building. Bethlehem is more than this building here that we are now in, and the church is more than all the church buildings, great and small, new and old, through out the world. The church, the body of Christ, the fellowship of believers, is something that cannot be contained by wood, rock and glass nor can it be made by wood, rock and glass.

Instead the church is a living thing, constantly changing, constantly evolving, constantly growing. And we are part of that church to which Peter was just the beginning.

Peter was and is the foundation to the church, the rock on which the church is continually being built. But it wasn’t Peter the man, the disciple of Jesus, who is that rock, but Peter’s confession. Peter confesses to Jesus “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” That is the foundation for the church, the body of Christ.

And through this confession, and through Peter telling others about Jesus, even though at the time Jesus told him not to, other people came to believe the same thing and made the same confession that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and they told more people who then came to believe and tell others. And so on and so on until us today.

Because others have told us about Jesus, we have become part of the church, part of the body of Christ. And because the church is a living thing and we believe in a living God, we are not called to stay here stagnate and focus solely on the building and its upkeep. Instead we are called to continue in Peter’s and the other disciples footstep and in their foundation and tell others about Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of the living God, who died to save us from our sins. We are called to tell others that Jesus came for us and for them. We are called to tell others that they too are loved with a love so great that at times it can be terrifying because God’s grace as been poured out upon us, even when we feel unworthy and there is nothing that we have done to deserve it.

And like any living being, this living church that we share in has many different parts and roles so therefore we are each called differently. As Paul so eloquently says in our reading from Romans today: For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually, we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.” We each have been called to tell others about Christ in different ways. We have been blessed with different spiritual gifts so that we might call a variety of people into this church, the whole body of Christ.

No one person is greater than the rest of this body of Christ. Peter’s confession is the foundation, the rock on which the church is built, but our confessions, make up the walls, the ceilings, the tapestries, the carpet, the lighting, the chairs, the doors, and the windows on which this church continues to grow, continues to change.

The church is not yet finished, for we are a part of it.

MMC: Rain Towards the End of Summer

2011-08-15T10:27:00.000-04:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

I hope you are remembering your baptism with all this rain we are having and hopefully not slogging through a flooded basement cursing God instead.

A Few Quick Announcements

Yesterday we raised enough for 426 meals (or $106) for Kids Care Meals of Love. If you were not able to be at our indoor picnic yesterday or did not have any money on you, we can still collect money this coming week. All the meals will be packed by our youth and others at Hammonasset with the goal of packaging a minimum of 15,000 meals.
A special thank you to Victor M. for being our grill chef yesterday and to the rest of the M. family, Karin & Carl R. and Ellen G. for coming early and setting up the basement for our picnic. And Johnny, Heloisa's grandson who cut his finger yesterday, is doing just fine. No stitches, no broken bones and as Heloisa has said, he is already on to his next adventure.
We are still collecting toiletries of all sizes for Americares in Danbury through the end of the month. Any toiletry that you use on a daily basis is appreciated.
Rally Day is September 18 and as part of our Grow 2 Gather kick off we will be making 50 health kits for Lutheran World Relief. There is a sign up sheet in the community room to bring towels, soap, toothbrushes, nail clippers and combs with specific amounts needed. Please bring those items to my office so they do not get confused with the items for the giving basket.

Book of Faith Puzzler

Last week’s question was: Jesus also performs other miracles on the Sea of Galilee,(the first being walking on water) which of these is not one of them? A) Starts up a storm B) a miraculous catch of fish C) a coin in a fish’s mouth D) calming a storm.
A miraculous catch of fish occurs in Luke 5:1-11 and John 21:1-14. A coin appears in a fish’s mouth in Matthew 17:24-27 and Jesus calms a storm in Mark 4:35-41, Matthew 8:23-27 and Luke 8:22-25. Jesus never starts a storm, at least such an event was never mentioned in the gospels.Congratulations to Susan K for winning this week's puzzler.

This week’s question: In our gospel, Matthew 15:10-28, was Jesus being rude to the Canaanite woman? A) Yes, B) No C) We really don’t know. Think you know the answer? Well hopefully you do because it is an opinion based question. Email me with you opinion by noon on Wednesday to be entered into the drawing.

Yesterday's sermon

Yesterday's sermon can be found here. How do you feel unworthy of God's grace and how have you felt unwelcomed in church? How have you made others feel unworthy and unwelcomed.

And for those who were in worship, what did you think of our confession yesterday? Was it a helpful exercise? I personally saw God in the fact that many people wrote something down to being with and full sentences that were quite honest. And as long as I'm asking questions, honestly what did you think of the sermon, did I cross any lines for you about being too crude?

Serving this Sunday

Confession time - it is pouring out, I'm at the house and I don't feel like running next door to check the sign up sheet for worship assistants, just to run back to the house, so these is all from memory so I apologize if I forgot that you have signed up to serve this week.

But those who I remember who have signed up to serve in worship this coming Sunday are:

Worship Assistant: Mark H

Reader:: ___________

Communion Assistant: ___________

Ushers: __________ & ___________

Bread baker/bringer: __________

Communion set up & clean up ___________

Offering counter: Nancy B

Coffee Hour Host: ___________

If you would like to sign up in any of the blank spaces, please let me know.

Sunday's Gospel

This coming Sunday the gospel text is Matthew 16:13-20. Jesus asks his disciples who people say that the Son of Man is and who they think he is. He also renames Peter the rock on which the church is built. If you were to describe Jesus to someone who did not know about him, how would you describe him? Who would you say that he is? An how are part of the church that was built upon Peter?

Hope you all have a great week and stay dry!

Pastor Becca

You are Welcome! You are Worthy!

2011-08-14T18:01:00.000-04:00

Today was suppose to be our outdoor worship and picnic. I say "suppose to" because it started raining at around 11pm/midnight on Saturday and as I write this at 5:30pm on Sunday it has not stopped raining or even let up from a steady downpour. So we worshiped inside instead and had our picnic in the church basement. It turned out to be a nice service even if the rain dampened our parade.

But with an outdoor worship in mind I planned a few things differently than normal and decided not to switch them just because of the weather. The biggest change was that I decided to base the confession on the sermon. The sermon, which is below, talks about how we often feel unworthy to Jesus, and we,as Christians, often make others feel unwelcomed and unworthy. Therefore after the hymn of the day I had people write on two different color slips of paper ways they have felt unworthy and unwelcomed and ways they have made others feel unworthy of God's grace and unwelcomed. We then used what people wrote as a prayer of confession and asked for forgiveness and guidance as we struggle to change.

The second thing that I planned differently because it was suppose to be an outdoor worship was I was a little more brash in my sermon than normal. Now most people who know me, know that I don't have the cleanest language and I'm not afraid to make an off-colored joke or talk about a topic that some people find impolite to talk about in public. And it is hard to just ignore that fact that Jesus refers to poop in the gospel text (Matthew 15:1-28 BTW I used the Message translation and a longer text than the assigned text for the day which was just verses 10-28). However most people find hearing such things from a pastor while in the sanctuary a little off putting, but being outside and not in the traditional worship space can open people to hearing things that might seem a little impolite otherwise. But I liked how my sermon turned out and based on what the message is I wasn't going to not refer to poop or ignore such topics as rape, sex, divorce, homosexuality and murder just because we ended up in the sanctuary due to weather. So be forewarned - the word poop and vomit is coming. Multiple times in fact. And so is words like rape and incest. But if you can get past that, which I hope you aren't that easily offended, I think you will enjoy the sermon and get a bit out of the message.

Excuse me but was Jesus talking about poop and vomit?!

This isn’t a text that we like to hear. In fact it is one that we often want to ignore. First we get this fairly graphic, at least by biblical standards, depiction about the digestion process, but also because we then hear about Jesus being out-right rude to this poor Canaanite woman.

This doesn't mesh with our picture perfect Jesus. The Jesus who welcomed the little children and carried cute little cotton ball sheep. The Jesus who’s picture hung in our Sunday School classroom, with a well groomed beard and mustache who looks freshly bathed. The Jesus who we worship, the Jesus who we learned about as children didn’t talk about poop and was intentionally rude to someone.

I hate to break it to you but this is the same Jesus. Jesus who healed the sick and multiplied loaves and fishes and walked on water is also the same Jesus who talked about poop. Jesus of Nazareth, who died on a cross to save us from our sins is also the same Jesus who was intentionally rude to a woman who came to him begging for mercy.

We often want to sugar coat the Bible. Many pastors today will be ignoring the first part of this text today when Jesus talked about what defiles a person and focusing on only Jesus’ interaction with the Canaanite woman, and then they will say things like Jesus was just testing the woman or explain that he really wasn’t being rude. Others will ignore this text completely and instead focus on a more Sunday School appropriate text. But I think that is a shame.

It is a shame to ignore the parts of the bible that we find to uncouth, too crude, or brash or vulgar for our taste. It is a shame to do this because when we do we are subtlety and not so subtlety making a statement about who we want to be part of our worshipping community. If you really dig into certain parts of the bible there is a lot that would not be accepted actions in our modern society, incest, rape, genocide, adultery, pre-meditated murder, stealing and the list goes on. Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery and then told their father that he was mauled by a wild animal and died. Abraham passed his wife Sarah off as his sister not once but twice in order to save his own sink, but as a result she was probably raped, not that it is ever referred to as rape in the Bible. The people in the Bible are not always upstanding moral, role-models.

And yet when we try to make them to be perfect people, or when we ignore those parts of the bible things that we find too vulgar, we are telling people that they are not allowed to be people in this community, this congregation, this church. Instead in church, in worship, you need to be part of some 1950’s idealized perfect nuclear family, where the husband is the head of the household, the wife balances housework, child rearing and even a job and the children always obey their parents and never say an unkind word other than gee will-i-cers and golly gee. But that is not who we are and that is not who we should pretend to be. We become no worse than those people Isaiah prophesied about "They worship me with their lips but their heart is not it in, they act like they are worshiping me, but they don't really mean it." When we put on a facade to worship God, we are not truly worshiping God.

We should not feel the need to put on a false façade in order to come to church, in order to worship God. God knows who we are, and what is in our hearts when we are worshipping, working, driving a car, or drinking a beer at the bar. But we as Christians as a whole do this, and make a statement, often unspoken, but occasionally spoken, that if you are divorced, gay, sexually active before you are married or outside of your marriage, drink, smoke, a drug user, have tattoos, swear or any other modern taboo that you are not welcomed here and Jesus did not come to save you. And not only do others feel unwelcomed, they also feel unworthy of God’s grace.

And yet that is exactly the opposite of what our gospel message says today. First Jesus gets questioned about why his disciples eat with unclean hands, a taboo in first century Palestine. And Jesus response that it is not what goes into a person that defiles it but what comes from the heart. Breaking taboos will not make you a person unfit for God’s grace, it will not make you a bad person. However if from your heart you treat others badly, you have evil intentions, murder, commit adultery, fornicate, steal, or lie it is then that you become defiled, unclean. It is not how you treat yourself that makes you unclean, but how you treat others. Jesus is saying that taboo breakers are not only welcomed, but wanted! Jesus is telling others that it is okay to be yourself. If you get to dinner time and forget to wash your hands first, it will be okay, the world will not end, nor will your salvation be in question.

And then Jesus goes and obeys the laws of the land and as a results treats a Canaanite woman, an outsider, one of those people who would be unwelcomed throughout Israel, as if she is the scum of the earth even though she is begging for mercy. Jesus calls her a dog and says that he came only for Israel; that their sins are keeping him busy enough as it is. Now I don’t know if Jesus was intentionally treating her badly in order to make a point or if Jesus was having just a very human moment, but either way the woman, in her great come back “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” remind Jesus that there is always plenty and that she too is worthy of God’s mercy. And in doing do Jesus gives her more than she asked and heals her daughter.

See all are welcomed to partake in the Kingdom of God. All are invited to worship Jesus. And all should be welcomed here, in this place, in our worshipping space, both out here and inside. And we are invited to come as we are, to come as who we are, whether we fit in better as an extra in a 1950’s sitcom, at a Harley rally clad in leather, or waving rainbow flags in Greenwich Village. We are invited to be who God created us to be, and we are all worthy of God’s grace, God’s amazing mercy that is pour out upon all of us, even if we feel unworthy, even if we feel at times like poop or vomit or a dog. Because we are worthy of God's grace and we are welcomed by God and hopefully we are also able to welcome all of God's children as well.

MMC: Uncouth

2011-08-08T10:25:00.000-04:00

Good morning Bethlehem

I hope you are doing well and enjoying this wonderful humidity that we are having.

A Few Quick Announcements

Senior Lunch is Wednesday at noon. We will be meeting at Heibecks/Blondie's across route 7 from Caraluzi's. Just a reminder that this is a cash only establishment.
Our annual outdoor worship and picnic is Sunday!. Bring a side dish or dessert to share for the picnic. Hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers will be provided. Bring your lawn chairs.
Check out the Pastor's library. A few of my favorite or most well known books from my library are on one of the small tables in the community room. Check them out and feel free to borrow any. They are all ministry related but range from novels to memoirs to random musings to a summary of a national multi-year study.

Book of Faith Puzzler

Last week’s  question was: Sunday’s gospel is Jesus feeding a large crowd of 5000 plus people.  This story is heard in multiple gospels, which is it NOT hear in? A) Matthew B) Mark, C) Luke, D) John E) it is in all 4 gospels
The feeding of the 5000 appears in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:5-15.  The feeding of the 4000 also appears in Mark 8:1-9 and Matthew 15:32-39. No one put in there answer for this week, so next week's winner will probably get two goodies.
This week’s question: Jesus also performs other miracles on the Sea of Galilee,(the first being walking on water) which of these is not one of them? A) Starts up a storm  B) a miraculous catch of fish C) a coin in a fish’s mouth D) calming a storm. If you know the answer or even if you cheat and look it up, get me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

Have you heard the rumors? There was a pool in the sanctuary. Apparently we shouldn't have gone with the lowest bidder when getting the roof redone two years ago (kidding!) The pool was part of my sermon and can be found here. In what ways do you want to be like Jesus? In what ways are you not willing to be like Jesus? When have you taken your eyes off of him? When has Jesus saved you, even if you were not looking to him at the moment?

Serving this Sunday

For our outdoor worship, we don't need as many volunteers as a normal Sunday, but we still need a few. The following people have signed up to serve as follows:

Worship Assistant: Ellen G

Reader: ____________

Greeters (aka hand out bulletins): ____________

Offering Counter: Frank C

If you would like to serve as a reader or greeter, please let me know. We could also use a few extra hands early to set up chairs, our make/shift altar, as well as set up tables and the tent for the picnic.

Sunday's Gospel

The gospel on Sunday is Matthew 15:[10-20], 21-28. (The brackets mean those verses are optional and I'll decide later this week if I'll read the whole gospel or just the last few verses based on what I decide to preach on.) The bracketed verses are of Jesus discussing that it is not what one consumes that defiles a person but what a person says. Though through Jesus' sense of humor and blunt way of putting things this can be seen as a conversation that many 8 year old boys would love. The unbracketed verses are of a Canaanite woman who begs Jesus to heal her daughter saying that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. When have you had a conversation that seems a little uncouth or cheeky? Have you still learned something from those conversations? Did the fact that they were unexpected in wording help you better understand the point or at least grasp your attention more?

Hope you all have a great week!
Blessings

Pastor Becca

Wade in the Water

2011-08-08T09:56:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a fun day for me at Bethlehem. I put a kiddie pool in front of the altar.

See:

Why did I do such a thing? Well beside it keeping me cool as I was able to walk through the water during my sermon, I had it as a prop for my sermon. The gospel text was Matthew 14:22-33 when Jesus and Peter walk on water. Therefore I was going to try and walk on water. I didn't spend the entire sermon in the kiddie pool, just part of it.

Now I have a date with a bucket to try and get the pool emptied. Meanwhile you enjoy the sermon:

As many of you have figured out by now about me, I often have questions about what was going on through people’s minds during these bible stories. So therefore I have two big questions about this text. The first is: Why did Peter think he could walk on water? Have any of you ever seen someone walk on water? Have any of you ever walked on water yourself? People have tried many times, with different methods like special shoes or running in an arch. There is even a video out there that shows some guys getting about 7 steps in before they sink, but that video is a hoax. But let's try it now. I'm going to try and walk on water.

Was Peter just caught up in the moment? Was he challenging this being that he thought was a ghost? Or did he want to be like Jesus. He had been a good follower of Jesus, obeying his commandments, well at least most of the time, so couldn’t he do the amazing things that Jesus has done? Couldn’t then Peter be like Jesus and cure the sick, multiply food and probably the most impressive of all, walk on water?

I think Peter did want to be like Jesus. Don’t we all want to be like Jesus? Don’t we all wish that we could perform the miracles that Jesus performed? Don’t we all wish that we could be like Jesus? Always doing what is right. Never causing sin, hurt and pain in the people that we love. Never having to worry about things like money, food, housing issues or gas for the car because we know God’s plan for our lives and can put such trivial matters aside. Don’t we all want to be like Jesus so that we too can be put to death on a cross and battle the devil so that other people’s sins can be forgiven?

Then let’s admit it. We really don’t want to be like Jesus, at least not truly. We just want the cool parts, the miracles, turning water into wine, making the blind see and walking on water. We don’t want to be like Jesus when it comes to challenging ourselves, when it comes to giving up of ourselves in order to first care for others. We don’t want to be exiled from our hometowns or thrown out of the temple when people don’t understand what we are talking about. We don’t want to be like Jesus when it comes to giving up of our lives. Let’s face it, we have a hard enough times just keeping our eyes on Jesus. Peter took his eyes off Jesus and started to drown. We take our eyes off Jesus, turning from our faith, and start to drown emotionally and spiritually as the cares of this world get in our way. We want to be like Jesus in many ways but as soon as we are challenged, we start to take our eyes off of him and it is then that we start to drown.

Which brings me to my second question about Peter in this story: Why did Peter think he was going to drown and needed Jesus to save him? Peter is a fisherman, he grew up on the Sea of Galilee, we hear of him swimming to shore after Jesus rose from the dead. Peter was not afraid of the water. Peter knew how to swim. He wasn’t going to drown. He could have easily swam back to the boat, even with all the waves and wind tossing him about. Peter had as much of a chance of drowning in that water as I have of drowning in these 2 inches of water in this pool.

And yet he relied on Jesus to save him.

And Jesus was there, he immediately reaches out his hand and catches Peter and brings him into the boat.

Peter did not need Jesus to save him physically and yet relied on Jesus to save him. And in doing so, it was then that Peter realized that Jesus is God and he is not and Peter truly demonstrated his faith.

Peter realized that he cannot be Jesus. Most of us realize that we cannot be Jesus. That we are not capable of completely giving up of ourselves for other people. That we are not willing to die a gruesome death in order to save others from sin and death.

And that is okay. It is okay that we are not Jesus. It is even okay that we often take our eyes off of him. Because we don’t need to be Jesus. We don’t need to be God. In fact, it is impossible for us to be Jesus because we are not like Jesus. Jesus was fully God and fully human and we are not gods, we are not even partially God, we are just fully human. Imperfections and all. And therefore we cannot save ourselves.

When we realize that we cannot save ourselves, we show great faith. It is then, when we are sinking, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, that we call out to God to save us. And it is when we call out to God to save us that we are most humble and are best able to see that we are not gods.

And even though we are not gods, Jesus still saves us! Jesus still reaches out his hand and catches us when we are not able to walk on water. Jesus still heals us with his touch when we cannot heal ourselves. Jesus still feds us with the food he as multiplied when we are not able to multiply food on our own. We are fed and forgiven through Jesus. We are fed and forgiven because we cannot be Jesus and because Jesus was sent by God to save us, even when we take our eyes off of him.

MMC: August Already

2011-08-01T09:46:00.000-04:00

Good Morning Bethlehem

Is it really August already?! I hope you all are enjoying the summer and not yet thinking too hard about the fall.

A Few Announcements

The giving basket is collecting toiletries of all type and size. Travel size shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, and body wash are especially appreciated. All items will be donated to Americares clinic in Danbury.
Senior lunch is at noon on Wednesday August 10. We will be meeting at Heibecks/Blondies on route 7. Just an FYI that it is a cash only establishment.
The outdoor worship & picnic will be Sunday August 14! Bring your lawn chairs and a side or dessert to share. Hamburgers, hot dogs & veggie burgers will be provided.
Mark your calendar - Rally Day is September 18th! Christian Education & Sunday School is going to take on a whole new look this year. Watch for more information.

Book of Faith Puzzler

Last week’s question was: Sunday’s gospel consisted of 5 parables, which of the following is not another parable that Jesus told? A) The houses on rock and sand, B) the lost coin C) the wise baker D) the ten talents. There is not a parable about a wise baker, though Pastor Becca thinks that there should be. Congratulations to Mark H for winning this week's puzzler.

This week’s question: Today’s gospel is Jesus feeding a large crowd of 5000 plus people. This story is heard in multiple gospels, which is it NOT hear in? A) Matthew B) Mark, C) Luke, D) John E) it is in all 4 gospels If you know the answer or are willing to google it, submit your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing. As of Monday morning no correct answers have been submitted.

Yesterday's Sermon

If you missed it you can read it here. So do you think the loaves and fishes were multiplied or that the crowd shared food that they had? Does it really matter which? When is it hard for you to share? What are ways that we don't share that might not seem too obvious? How can we learn to share and compromise more?

Wednesday's Worship

This Wednesday at 7pm we will be hearing about Jesus walking on water and Peter trying to. Bring your lawn chairs for an informal worship experience.

Sunday's Worship

The following people have signed up to serve this coming Sunday.

Worship Assistant: Mark H

Reader:____________

Communion Assistant: ______________

Usher: _____________ & ____________

Counter: _________________

Bread baker/bringer: __________________

Communion set up & clean up: ________________

Coffee hour host: Ellen G

If you would like to sign up to serve in any of the ways that are currently blank, please let me know.

Sunday's Gospel

We continue through Matthew's gospel, this time with Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus walking on water. When have you tried to do the impossible? When has God done the impossible in your life? Peter started to sink after becoming afraid. When have you started to fail at something after you have become afraid to continue or to succeed?

Hope you all have a great week and I'll see you Wednesday or Sunday

Pastor Becca