Re-Gifting is OK!

            Perhaps you, like me, have been a bit frustrated with the early turnout for Christmas marketing.  It was barely November when the radio stations began full time Christmas music.  We are making our way to “Black Friday” and now that has crept into Thanksgiving Day itself. 

            We could spend a good bit of time bemoaning this market strategy driven movement, or we can take the time to reclaim the purpose of Christmas itself.  Over the next five weeks we are going to work through a new sermon series entitled, “A Different Kind of Christmas”.  Each week, we are going to discuss things like love and peace, highlighting how those oft used terms really have a unique meaning that comes to light under the Bethlehem star.

            This week, we are going to be speaking about gifts, and how you and I have received a unique, though often overlooked gift in the person of Christ at Bethlehem.  We are given an opportunity to be in relationship with God.  The gift is not just in the blessings offered by our all-powerful Lord, but is found in the inherent nature of the relationship itself.  That is the greatest gift.

            In contrast to the manners of the day, we are encouraged to “re-gift” that relationship.  In the busy-ness of our days and season, we tend to shy away from that relational priority with God and others, but the late priest Henri Nouwen in his book “Out of Solitude” (Ave Maria Press 2008) beautifully captured the often un-appraised value of this gift:

“What we see, and like to see, is cure and change. But what we do not see and do not want to see is care: the participation in the pain, the solidarity in the suffering, the sharing in the experience of brokenness. And still, cure without care is as dehumanizing as a gift given with a cold heart.”

            His words remind us that Christ came to a painful and broken world and the greatest gift is not just that he offers wholeness.  The coming of the Christ child also reminds us that the most valuable treasure he offers is simply himself and his presence in hardship and suffering.  He offers this gift with the warm heart of his presence.

            Therefore, as you and I move into this Christmas time, it is important to remember the simple gift of being with people, especially people who are hurting.  So often, we can’t solve all the problems nor can we make it all better.  Jesus can but all too often, we are just not that good.  But we can always offer the ministry of presence.  Even if it doesn’t take away all the brokenness, it still re-gifts the gift of Jesus and does it with a warm heart.  Come join us for worship and we will talk about this some more. 

In Christ,

Pastor Pete

A Sunday Morning with a Mercy Mom

            Many are aware that this past weekend our church did something unusual.  Instead of worshiping in our regular way, we “gave it away”.  Approximately six hundred people went out on Saturday and Sunday to serve the community in mission instead of gathering in typical fashion in our sanctuary.

            One of the most powerful aspects of this healthy disruption to our routine is that we can experience the harsh reality in which so many around us are living.  At the same time, we are reminded of that transforming power of love.

            My family and I had the privilege of working at a local ministry called “Mercy Moms”.  This is a residential home that houses several mothers who have been living on the fringe of life.  Some are recovering from substance abuse, others have different struggles.  But they all have babies.  The problem is that they have never learned how to be moms.  So this ministry houses them and their children and teaches them the basics of parenting, finances, and other general life lessons.

            It is led by a young woman named Ashley.  I was building some shelves for the moms when Ashley told me her story.  It is a story which she yearns to tell and has told many times.  At sixteen she was pregnant and had an abortion.  She entered into a downward spiral that resulted in a drug addiction and a second pregnancy at age 23.  She kept this baby but didn’t know how to be a mom.  She told me that she had simply decided that this was her destiny.  She figured she was just a drug addict and that she would never be anything else. 

            But then, someone from a local congregation took her in.  The family loved her and accepted her and as a result, she accepted Christ. They mentored her and provided life lessons that she had missed.  Her life is so different now.  She is healthy, strong, and speaks with such passion and love.  And now, she does the same thing for other mothers who need that love, hope, and Savior. 

            Ashley finished the story and I was finishing the shelves.  But then, several young women walked in, returning from a morning of worship at their church.  It was clear that their faith was as young as the babies in their arms. 

            I can’t say much for my carpentry.  The shelves were adequate, but not beautiful.  But that picture on a Sunday morning, of those women carrying those babies, returning from church, well, it just doesn’t get much better than that.  I am holding on to that one.    

            Sometimes we church folk forget how powerful our own spiritual ammunition really is.  When love starved people meet the real thing, and Jesus is the real thing, they soak it up.  That means that when we love people in tangible ways in the footsteps of Jesus, we have the privilege of being a part of that thing that really works, that really changes people.

            This weekend, as a veteran church person, I had the privilege of stepping out of the routine and being reminded of why we do what we do.  Jesus really loves people, and Jesus really can change people.  When we hook into this same love and this same Jesus, we get to witness this wonder time and time again.  Thanks be to God! We are going to speak some more about this in worship this weekend.  See you there!

Pastor Pete

Those Chairs Aren't Just for Four Year Olds!

            Last week, I was reminded of a truth I learned years ago, that some of the most powerful “God moments” happen during the week, as opposed to just in weekend worship.  It was something simple but I just had to take a picture:

 

            This is an image of something that happens all the time around here; people gathered for Bible study.  But this particular Wednesday afternoon, our “Senior Saints” and others were at the church for their study.  They usually meet in one of our nice new classrooms.  But, here they are in a very different place. 

            As I hope you know, we were hosts to our CARITAS guests last week.  This ministry works with folks who are temporarily homeless.  They live in various locations, usually churches, from week to week until they can get their feet on the ground again.  So, they slept in our classrooms and ate in our activity rooms.  We had the privilege of sharing meals and getting to know them and their stories.

            All of our regular classes had to cancel, postpone, or move.  That is why this picture is so special.  It is of our seniors and others, in a tiny pre-school art room, sitting on tiny chairs, around a table designed for four year olds.  Our oldest members led the way to make room for those who need a bit of help.  They would of course say that this is no big deal, they didn’t even think about it.  Perhaps they didn’t but I couldn’t help but notice their leadership in our church, showing us the way of inconveniencing ourselves and our spaces for those who are down and out.

            That picture reminds us of why we do what we do.  This weekend, we are going to continue that adventure and “Give it Away” on Saturday and Sunday.  Instead of gathering for worship in our usual way, we will worship by going out into the community and serving.  Some will be passing out food, others will be painting and repairing, while others will be helping to sing and lead worship in other locations.  Hundreds of people will serve and be served this weekend and our prayer is that each will experience the reality of love and hope that is the kingdom of God. 

            Thank you Woodlake for all that you do and all that you are.  May God bless us as we strive this weekend to be a living testimony of the love that he has for all of us!

 

In Christ,

Pastor Pete