Let us pray to our seemingly invisible Father in heaven: Invisible God, with the incarnation of your Son, Jesus Christ, we see a reflection of you in your Son. You also give us the Holy Spirit who enables us in prayer and in the search for your truth. In our worship strengthen us to know your purpose for us and the world. Amen.
(Prayers for the Seasons of Gods People, alt)
Jesus compares God to a hen that desires to gather us under the divine wings of nurture, and care (Luke 13:31-35). Yet, when we shun the leading of God’s Spirit, we throw ourselves to the foxes of life that devour us and tear us down. We all have the capability to imitate the fox, but through the Holy Spirit, God gives us the ability to imitate the hen. The Holy Spirit hovers over us and develops us from spiritual chicks to spiritual adults who imitate God as revealed in Jesus Christ.
Having been created in the image of God, we embody the potential to reflect God’s glory to the world (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). We are changed through the Spirit into the likeness of the Christ whom we behold. “The Holy Spirit infuses God’s beauty into our lives and the lives around us (Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible).” The Holy Spirit empowers us to reach our potential in Jesus Christ to reflect Christ to the world.
Although we bear the image of Adam in death and sin, we also bear the image of Christ in the future resurrection and current living (1 Corinthians 15:45-49). Our reading from Luke could be thought of as contrasting the physical person, Adam, with the spiritual person, Christ (Luke 6:27-38). The physical reaction is to curse those who curse us. The spiritual reaction is to bless those who curse us. The physical reaction is to love only those who love us. The spiritual reaction is to love our enemies. The physical reaction is to fight back with violence. The spiritual reaction is to offer love, mercy, and forgiveness.
These instructions of Jesus are not a warrant for allowing others to abuse us and manipulate us; rather, these instructions speak of a resistance that does not employ violence to injure and harm another. It is about making things right through love, mercy, and forgiveness. May our behavior be governed by God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness as displayed in Jesus of Nazareth. May we bear the image of the person of heaven, Jesus Christ.
Let us pray that we grow in the likeness of Christ: God of life and glory, at the Mount of Transfiguration your Son was revealed in splendor before he suffered death upon the cross. Grant that we, beholding his majesty, be strengthened to follow him and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; for he eternally dwells with you and the Holy Spirit, One God now and forever. Amen.
(New Zealand Prayer Book
Welcome to windy March! Although we know there will be some cold and windy days ahead, spring is around the corner. It was a wet February and for that matter, since I have moved here, it has been a season (or seasons) of rain. As I write this first draft it is sunny and in the 50s. Enjoy the sunshine!
March is a time of anticipation on the liturgical calendar. As Advent anticipated the celebration of Christmas, Lenten Season anticipates the celebration of Easter. Before Lenten Season even begins, we have Shrove Tuesday (“Fat Tuesday”). We have a chance to clear our pantries of rich food-stuff that threatens our Lenten discipline. Of course, that is the tradition of Shrove Tuesday. Fat Tuesday is the celebration of “carnival” before the time of Lenten discipline. We will leave Fat Tuesday to New Orleans and enjoy pancakes in Galax on Tuesday (March 5).
What do you give up for Lenten Season to draw closer to God? I personally plan to give up cabbage. It will be tough! On a more serious note, think of things other than food to give up or give less time to. For example, spend less time on the phone, Facebook, computer, watching TV, and so forth, but not March Madness. Replace the food given and/or reallot time to reflect upon your relationship with God. Consider a spiritual food that require more attention: Scripture reading and reflection, prayer, fellowshipping with others, study with others, visiting someone, worship, a walk or bike ride, drive into the countryside. Whatever deepens your walk with God, take time to do it in Lenten Season. Lenten season as a time of spiritual discipline/reflection that prepares us for a joyous celebration of Easter.
Lenten Season begins Ash Wednesday (March 6 at 6:00 in the Sanctuary). We will sing portions of a few hymns, some responsive and Scripture Readings, and prayers. The main part of the service is the Ash Wednesday Cross marked on our foreheads with the ashes of Palm Leaves from Palm Sunday. The Ash Wednesday cross reminds us of our sin, need of repentance, and mortality.
By the way, I do order the ashes from a Catholic distributor, so I am sure they are the ashes of palm leaves. I have found them safe to use. I used to make my own ashes, but one year mine went “bad” and the crosses I made enflamed the forehead of almost everyone with a red cross.
Administrate wise, we have a busy March. The Finance Committee and Administrative Board meet this month, as well as a possible Trustee meeting. I also note that the Adult council will be meeting. These meetings ensure that all the “behind the scene” work gets done to ensure we have bulletins, heat, and paid staff to keep it all going at FUMC. I do appreciate your support of this congregation of Christ’s Church!
I end with a special announcement: Men’s Fellowship Meal is coming this March! Our first meeting is Tuesday, March 26, 6:30 at Porky. The Men’s Fellowship Meal is scheduled for the 4th Tuesday of every month at 6:30 at a location chosen by those who attend. I look forward to seeing the men of FUMC gather for the purpose of fellowshipping.
Pastor Mark McFadden
Eleven youth, five adults and one younger sibling with ties to FUMC attended Resurrection 2019 together in Pigeon Forge, TN, January 25th thru 27th. Everyone attended four worship services that featured music from I Am They, a contemporary Christian band, and a message from Jorge Acevedo on grace.
There was also time for fellowship within the group with meals together and gatherings each night for snacks, worship follow-up and prayer. Our take away from Rev. Acevedo: “At every stage, in every age, from the cradle to the grave, God’s grace follows you.”
Let us pray to God the source of all creation: Almighty God, being created in your image, teach us to discern your hand in all your works, and your likeness in all humanity; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
(Sunday Missal alt.)
I must say, and you know, January was a cold month. What will February be like? We will find out, but one thing for certain, February is closer to spring than January. Nevertheless, there were bright spots in January. January was filled with the celebrations of the day of Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord Sunday. Some youth and a few adults went to Resurrection ‘19 in the Great Smokey Mountains. Wednesday Bible Study resumed after a Christmas/New Year’s Break. We had several meetings and finally conducted our first Administrative Board Meeting, a week delayed. We have appreciated our few sunny days.
Church calendar-wise, we are still in Ordinary time throughout February due to Easter arriving later than normal (April 21). Ordinary time is the time of growth sandwiched between the high times of the Christian Year. The high times are Advent/Christmas/Epiphany and Lent/Easter and Trinity/Pentecost. Ordinary time’s green is the color of growth (and a few well-liked sports teams). To prepare us for Lenten Season, beginning in early March, we celebrate Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday (March 3).
Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday celebrates the mountain top experience of Peter, James, and John with Jesus (and Moses, Elijah, and God the Father) upon the Mount of Transfiguration. We may not experience the mountain top experience of Peter, James, and John, but we all have “mountain top experiences” in one form or another. In such experiences, we are encouraged and gain confidence with a new insight. These are usually fleeting and short-lived, but leave a lasting impression.
I recall a few I have experienced from times of prayer, to reading Scripture, to reading St. Augustine to Soren Kierkegaard to Sunday worship to a walk in the woods to learning from a wise
person. I have gained insight from others whom I did not think had insight to offer. May we always be open to learning from others, no matter their location or status in life. God works
through all of us!
Mountain top experiences have an opposite: The low times and we all experience them. We may wonder if God is with us, or if God has forgotten us, or if God is punishing us, or all three. In such times we especially long for an awareness of God or a sign from God, but that awareness or sign eludes us. It is then that faith in God’s faithfulness takes precedence. Faith is believing without having the evidence from our perspective and current experience. Take time to hear from your Christian sisters and brothers, as well as the Good News of God revealed in Jesus Christ: God values you. Going back to growth, the Holy Spirit is continually forming Christ within you and among us as Christ’s Church as we journey through life.
Pastor Mark McFadden
According to the prophet Jeremiah, God calls us to honestly look at what is in our heart because left to our own devices, our hearts may corrupt us and lead us to destruction in a process that also harms others (Jeremiah 17:5-6, 10).
The Holy Spirit speaks to us boldly and gently, and the Holy Spirit also works through others to speak to us. God is patient with us but desires us to recognize the deceitfulness of our hearts. When we turn to God and confront our deceitfulness, our lives can be a blessing that enriches our lives and the lives of others (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
Isaiah, Peter, and Paul found themselves unworthy, but because of God’s mercy and grace, they found the confidence to do God’s work (Isaiah 6:1-8) (Luke 5:1-11) (1 Corinthians 15:9-11). Perhaps part of spiritual growth is the “realization that the closer we approach God, the more we become aware of our own sins (Geneva Bible Notes).”
Nevertheless, God’s grace and mercy overcomes our unworthiness and qualifies us to do God’s work. God can work through you, and God has a work, for you in a congregation of Christ’s Church and in your community. Saying, “I’m unworthy” is an honest admission of our failings, but let it not be an evasion to not do God’s work.
