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Sunday, January 31, 2021 || 4th Sunday after Epiphany Pastor Christy Wright We invite you to light a candle at 9:30 AM and join us in prayer ONLINE or over the PHONE Audio worship is also available at (978) 990-5000, access code 719365#. Just dial in, enter the access code on your keypad, and you will hear the service begin with music. Opening Hymn - O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, UMH 57 1. O for a thousand tongues to sing 3. God speaks, and listening to God’s voice, My great Redeemer’s praise, New life the dead receive; The glories of my God and King, The mournful, broken hearts rejoice, The triumphs of God’s grace! The humble poor believe. 2. Jesus! The name that charms our fears, 4. In Christ, your head, you then shall know, That bids our sorrows cease; Shall feel your sins forgiven; ‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears, Anticipate your heaven below, ‘Tis life, and health, and peace. And own that love is heaven. Scripture Reading - Mark 1:21-28 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching - with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. Sermon My work week started off with a bang - and not in a good way. I had my first accident at Lovin’ Spoonfuls, the job in which I drive a large refrigerated truck to transport food between grocery stores and food pantries. Thankfully there were no injuries and really almost no damage. I just happened to back into a parked vehicle that I didn’t realize was there. The license plate on the car crinkled up a little bit, and the truck itself is a tank, so it sustained no damage. Other than that, everything was fine. Regardless, I was definitely shaken up, and as we filed the report, my hands were trembling so badly that I needed to create a new form because the first one wasn’t legible. When we were ready to hit the road again, my co-worker jumped into the driver’s seat for the rest of the day. As I debriefed with my supervisor over the phone, he was incredibly understanding. He told me that everyone on staff has had an accident, none of them serious, and in a brotherly way, he told me, “Welcome to the team!” My supervisor did say, though, that I need to get into the driver’s seat on my next shift; I need to conquer the fear and move forward. “Don’t let this become a big thing,” he said. “Everyone makes mistakes, and that’s okay.” Easier said than done, to be honest. The way I normally deal with a situation like this is that I run through it multiple times in my head, beating myself up for not doing the right thing. And when it’s time to face that fear, those thoughts become an endless cycle of “what if’s” and worst case scenarios. But is that really the way God would want me to move forward? To entertain those thoughts or engage with them? To give them validity? This morning’s scripture reading from Mark is an unusual one in that we encounter demons - something that is pretty rare within the Bible and even more rare in today’s world. Jesus had been teaching in the temple when his lesson was interrupted by a sudden, unpredictable moment: someone wandered in who clearly wasn’t well. They began to yell at Jesus, making a commotion and causing a scene. Imagine being in the room at that time. What thoughts would be running through your head? What fears might arise from this situation? While our human response might be one of fight or flight, Jesus took another approach - silencing the demons. He didn’t argue with them, or attempt to intellectually spar with them, or let anything of this moment slide. Instead, he shut it down, and freed this man from his demons, all of those things with which he was wrestling. The man was well again, and all were amazed at what they had just witnessed. Jesus, this teacher of great authority from God, responded to fear in a way that takes great courage and faith: head on, and without hesitation. As we reflect on our own struggles, what are some of the demons we are dealing with today? Maybe it’s a worry or fear that just keeps cycling through our mind. Maybe it’s regret or guilt for something we’ve done or haven’t done. Whatever it is, Jesus doesn’t desire us to live lives marred by worry or fear; rather, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live freely, openly, not even entertaining a thought of negativity. And what a wonderful world that would be. I’d like to close with the full version of the Serenity Prayer written by Elisabeth Sifton. Most of us will recognize the first verse, but the last two may provide greater depth to our prayer. God, grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace; Taking, as God did, this sinful world As it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that God will make all things right If I surrender to God’s Will; So that I may be reasonably happy in this life And supremely happy with God Forever and ever in the next. Amen. Hymn of Meditation - Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, UMH 133 1. What a fellowship, what a joy divine, 3. What have I to dread, what have I to fear Leaning on the everlasting arms; Leaning on the everlasting arms What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning on the everlasting arms Refrain Refrain Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms 2. O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, Leaning on the everlasting arms; O how bright the path grows from day to day Leaning on the everlasting arms Refrain Benediction And now, may the peace of the Lord Christ go with you wherever God may send you; may God guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm; may God bring you home rejoicing at the wonders God has shown you; may God bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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Stream Audio Worship Above (Note that there are 2 Parts this week)Covered under ONE LICENSE: #400013-P Learning to Walk in the Dark: Failure Doesn’t Define Us
Sunday, January 24, 2021 || 3rd Sunday after Epiphany Pastor Christy Wright We invite you to light a candle at 9:30 AM and join us in prayer ONLINE or over the PHONE Audio worship is also available at (978) 990-5000, access code 719365#. Just dial in, enter the access code on your keypad, and you will hear the service begin with music. Opening Hymn - Come Down, O Love Divine - UMH 475 1. Come down, O Love Divine, 2. O let it freely burn, 3. And so the yearning strong, Seek thou this soul of mine, Till earthly passions turn With which the soul will long, And visit it with thine To dust and ashes in Shall far outpass the power Own ardor glowing; Its heat consuming; Of human telling; O Comforter, draw near, And let thy glorious light For none can guess its grace, Within my heart appear, Shine ever on my sight, Till Love create a place And kindle it, And clothe me round, Wherein the Holy Spirit Thy holy flame bestowing. The while my path illuming. Makes a dwelling. Scripture Reading - Mark 1:14-20 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea--for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. Sermon While studying in seminary and a couple of years after, I spent a good deal of my time in the food industry, working in coffee shops and beyond. In one of those jobs, I was initially hired as the head chef and kitchen manager; though I didn’t have much experience, I had the passion and the drive to learn and grow into this incredible position. I worked alongside the current head chef, who was due to leave at the end of the month. I followed her around, taking diligent notes, learning tried and true recipes, working on my knife skills, and asking as many questions as I could. But only 30 days later, I would be informed that I hadn’t met expectations and would be demoted to a line cook, complete with a pay cut. I was devastated and heartbroken. I had moved to a new area specifically for this job, and it was like the rug was pulled out from underneath me. The truth is that I didn’t blame anyone else but myself. I felt like the biggest failure. I felt like I had not only let myself down, but I had also let my employer down and all those we served. While I really enjoyed working in the food industry, I began to question where I was headed. It was a really difficult time for me, and I was forced to learn to walk in the dark, without direction and simply just trying to pay my bills and be financially stable. Shortly thereafter, I found a different job and moved on, but the fear of failure followed me. Even as I began applying for ministry work and preparing to go before the District Committee on Ordained Ministry to be approved for a pastoral license for serving our beloved community at George Whitefield, I still felt like I had a lump in my throat, that I would just fail again. But as I prayed about it, as I meditated on God’s call in my life, it was like a radio was being tuned, like the message was beginning to come through more clearly. From fuzzy static to an eventual firm foundation in my bones, I heard God’s call: Failure does not define you. My love does. Amanda Gorman, our nation’s youngest inaugural poet, spoke beautiful words of truth and power on Wednesday, and I’d like to share a few of those with you this morning. She begins her poem, The Hill We Climb, with these words: When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade? The loss we carry, a sea we must wade. We’ve braved the belly of the beast. We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace. In the norms and notions of what just is isn’t always justice. And yet, the dawn is ours before we knew it. Somehow, we do it. Somehow, we’ve weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished. As we continue our series on learning to walk in the dark, I hear echoes of this concept in Amanda’s moving poem, and indeed, within our scripture reading this morning. As we look to the Gospel of Mark, there’s some subtext that I’d like to fill you in on. In the first chapter, we hear of Jesus approaching fishermen and bidding them to follow him. Something we may not know from the text alone is that these fishermen that Jesus chose were actually rejected by society, by the religious elites. In ancient Jewish tradition, young boys typically filled their days with religious study, following their Rabbi in the hopes of becoming a Rabbi themselves. They would quite literally trail their local Teacher all throughout the village, following him wherever he went - to the market, to the Temple, and frequently to the dinner table. Throughout their learning, they would hear scripture readings and be encouraged to make their own interpretations. They would be tested and examined every step of the way, the process growing continually more challenging the older the boys got. But if the journey proved too strenuous, they were dropped from the process and were sent back into general society to provide for their families, most frequently through hard labor in agriculture or tradesmen work. The fishermen Jesus called, it seems, had been rejected on every level. And this is significant. Jesus didn’t call the religious elite - he didn’t call the bankers or the wealthy. No, he called everyday people, people who had been told they were not religious enough, not devoted enough. Before Jesus’ arrival, these men were learning to walk in the dark, their dreams dashed and their hearts broken. They were unable to meet societal standards, and instead settled for a career that was deemed “less than.” They also had to grapple with the pressure of the man to be the “breadwinner” and provider for his family in a living that ultimately paid very little. But then, Jesus came along. And in his call to drop their nets and follow this Rabbi, the disciples clearly heard: Failure does not define you. My love does. In this glorious moment, the disciples realized that all hope was not lost. They found Jesus to be the light they could follow, even before he had ever proven himself to be the Messiah. At this point in the story, he had done no miracles, but he had the charisma, the spirit to draw folks in. They knew that something was different about him; the disciples could sense his Divinity even through his earthly gaze and his human beckoning. And in Jesus, the disciples suddenly found a new identity - not as failed men who didn’t make it through Rabbi school, but rather as beloved and sacred in God’s eyes, more than worthy of following Jesus and establishing the global Church as we know it today. This Sunday marks the first Sunday in four years with a new president. Regardless of how you’ve felt about the election cycle, we cannot deny that this administration will be vastly different from the previous. For many of us, we have witnessed darkness and uncertainty, not just through the months of the pandemic, but also within seasons of our own lives. We have had to learn to walk in the dark, and it has been no small feat. It seems like things are changing, but how can we dare to hope? I was talking with one of my friends earlier this week, who happens to be an author of a book on spiritual disciplines, so he thinks a lot about how we can live out our faith in daily life. He said something so incredibly moving during our conversation that I had to run and grab a pen to write it down before we moved on. He said that “when life is at its darkest, it takes almost a stupid kind of courage to believe that tomorrow will be better than today.” This audacious hope not only provides a firm foundation in knowing that the light is arising, but it also flies in the face of those who have said we’re not good enough, that we will never live up to what society deems successful. No indeed, as we continue to learn how to walk in the dark, in the midst of uncertainty and the unknown, know that failure does not define you. God’s love does. Let’s close with these words from Amanda Gorman, whose poem The Hill We Climb ends this way: We will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one. We will rebuild, reconcile and recover in every known nook of our nation, in every corner called our country our people diverse and beautiful will emerge battered and beautiful. When day comes, we step out of the shade aflame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it. Amen. Hymn of Meditation - Two Fishermen, FWS 2101 1. Two fishermen, who lived along the Sea of Galilee, 3. O Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John beloved one Stood by the shore to cast their nets into an ageless sea. You heard Christ’s call to speak good news revealed Now Jesus watched them from afar, To God’s own Son. Then called them each by name. Susanna, Mary, Magdalene who travel with your Lord It changed their lives, these simple men; You ministered to him with joy They’d never be the same. For God is God adored. Refrain Refrain Leave all things you have, and come and follow me, And come and follow me. 4. And you, good Christians, one and all who’d Follow Jesus’ way, 2. And as he walked along the shore Come leave behind what keeps you bound ‘Twas James and John he’d find, To trappings of our day And these two sons of Zebedee would leave their boats behind. And listen as he calls your name to come & follow near; Their work and all they held so dear For still God speaks in varied ways They left beside their nets. To those God’s call will hear. Their names they’d heard as Jesus called; They came without regret. Refrain Refrain Benediction And now, may the peace of the Lord Christ go with you wherever God may send you; may God guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm; may God bring you home rejoicing at the wonders God has shown you; may God bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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Sunday, January 17, 2021 || 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Pastor Christy Wright We invite you to light a candle at 9:30 AM and join us in prayer ONLINE or over the PHONE Audio worship is also available at (978) 990-5000, access code 719365#. Just dial in, enter the access code on your keypad, and you will hear the service begin with music. Opening Hymn - For the Healing of the Nations, UMH 428 1. For the healing of the nations, 3. All that kills abundant living, Lord, we pray with one accord; Let it from the earth be banned; For a just and equal sharing Pride of status, race, or schooling, Of the things that earth affords; Dogmas that obscure your plan. To a life of love in action, In our common quest for justice Help us rise and pledge our word, May we hallow life’s brief span, Help us rise and pledge our word. May we hallow life’s brief span. 2. Lead us forward into freedom; 4. You, Creator God, have written From despair your world release, Your great name on humankind; That, redeemed from war and hatred, For our growing in your likeness All may come and go in peace. Bring the life of Christ to mind, Show us how through care and goodness That by our response and service Fear will die and hope increase, Earth its destiny may find, Fear will die and hope increase. Earth its destiny may find. Scripture Reading 1 Samuel 3:1-10 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, "Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, "Here I am!" and ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, "Samuel!" Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again." Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." Sermon I grew up right around the time that the internet arose as the next biggest thing, but our family valued our outdoor time, and we were encouraged to stay active. While some of my friends played video games and had the first model of the Macintosh computer, my brother and I mostly played outside - him learning tricks on his skateboard and going for bike rides, me climbing trees and flipping over rocks to find salamanders. As the sun slipped below the treeline, and the mosquitos came out to play, we knew the rules: when it gets dark, come back inside. Especially in the summer months, when the daylight would stretch on and the warm air would give no clues to the time, our parents would inevitably have to call us inside because we had lost track of time. My brother and I were off in our own little worlds, imagining that we were olympian cyclists or park ranger explorers. But we knew that as soon as we heard our parents’ call, we recognized their voices and headed back to the house. This week we begin a new four week series based on the book Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor, who is a phenomenal writer and whose experience in church leadership has led her toward walking with folks who are going through the darkest times of their lives. It’s no secret that our congregation has had its fair share of heartbreak over the past year (and even long before then). We’ve lost loved ones, said goodbye to beloved active members of our church, and we’ve watched our world grow ever more divided. How are we to ever move forward? As we turn to this morning’s scripture passage, I can’t help but notice the power of hearing, recognizing, and heeding God’s voice. In many ways, I see parallels of my own life to Samuel’s call in the Hebrew Bible. Samuel heard a voice calling out his name, and he initially it was Eli. But after multiple times of mistaking God’s voice for someone else, he realized it was God calling him all along. On my own journey within the church, folks have been speaking into my life from the very beginning - from friends who used to refer to me as the “Nun in Training” throughout middle school and high school, to mentors at church and throughout my college career, to my own family and coworkers. I didn’t realize it was God’s new growth within me, calling me toward ministry; just as it is difficult to identify a seedling until it grows larger, I didn’t identify my call until I finally started to believe it in my bones and could see it from a different perspective. Through God’s still, small voice, I realized that my call to ministry wasn’t dependent on my perfection or who I considered to be the ideal pastor or leader. It was a repetitive call, one that I continue to hear through the encouragement of this congregation and beyond. For most of us, God’s voice usually doesn’t arrive in a sudden revelation or in a momentous audible call. Rather, when we lean into the mystery of God’s will for our lives, we find that not only is God always present, but God is also speaking; we need only be still. But what if we’re not sure which voices to listen to? In today’s world, we’re a captive audience to talking heads across the political spectrum, trying to decipher truth from fiction. More than ever before, our perception of reality has been turned on its head, and we simply do not know who or what to believe. And worse than that, we’re quite literally fighting each other, even to the point of death, trying to claim our truth as ultimate truth. On January 6th, 2021, I watched in horror as the violence in Washington, DC erupted into chaos. In the aftermath of that awful day, I’m still listening to the news, reading articles online, and seeking out truth: what actually happened? And how did we get here? Regardless of who is at fault and the reasons for this violence, we must seek to hear God’s voice above all, and listen for God’s guidance. We must dig deep within ourselves and truly sit in prayer and contemplation to reflect on where and how things have gone so wrong, and potentially even uncover our own role in either condoning the unrest or our failure to speak against violence when we should have. These are uncomfortable moments, moments that make our stomachs turn; these are moments where God is not only actively convicting but also entirely healing our souls. Thanks be to God for God’s patience and grace, as we learn and grow and seek to follow Jesus’ example of love, above all. So, a question for you all: As we continue to hold our breath, anxiously awaiting peace to arise within our nation’s capital, to whom are we listening? Whose voice are we hearing? Are we hearing God’s voice above all? I’d like to close with a quote from the Talmud, an ancient Jewish scripture that I feel speaks to this time: “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” So, let’s hear God’s voice, recognize it for Who it is, and heed it. Let’s get to work. Amen. Hymn of Meditation - Here I Am Lord, UMH 593 1. I, the Lord of sea and sky, 2. I, the Lord of snow and rain, 3. I, the Lord of wind and flame, I have heard my people cry. I have borne my peoples’ pain. I will tend the poor and lame, All who dwell in dark and sin, I have wept for love of them. I will set a feast for them. My hand will save. They turn away. My hand will save. I who made the stars of night, I will break their hearts of stone, Finest bread I will provide I will make their darkness bright. Give them hearts for love alone. Till their hearts be satisfied. Who will bear my light to them? I will speak my word to them. I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send? Whom shall I send? Whom shall I send? Refrain Refrain Refrain Here I am Lord. Is it I, Lord? Here I am Lord. Is it I, Lord? Here I am Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I have heard you calling in the night. I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart. I will hold your people in my heart. I will hold your people in my heart. Benediction And now, may the peace of the Lord Christ go with you wherever God may send you; may God guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm; may God bring you home rejoicing at the wonders God has shown you; may God bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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Sunday, January 10, 2021 || Epiphany Sunday Pastor Christy Wright We invite you to light a candle at 9:30 AM and join us in prayer ONLINE or over the PHONE Audio worship is also available at (978) 990-5000, access code 719365#. Just dial in, enter the access code on your keypad, and you will hear the service begin with music. Pastoral Letter Dear Beloved Community, As demonstrations erupted into violence on Wednesday afternoon at our nation’s capital, I found I could not look away or easily erase what I saw and heard: The echoes of yells reverberating on the marble floors of the capitol building. The haze of gases unknown. Heads ducked under bulletproof seats. Four lives senselessly lost. It breaks my heart that we, as a nation, have lost our sense of unity and that we have become warring factions. Though we as a church community are not of one mind when it comes to politics, nevertheless we are called to model love and grace toward all, regardless of political affiliation or any other differences. Even Jesus welcomed Judas to the table for the Last Supper, knowing that Judas would ultimately betray him. What grace is this, that even Jesus would welcome Judas? The days and weeks ahead need not be fraught with conflict, for Jesus has modeled how we are to respond: let us be the light of the world, inspired by hope and upheld through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us meditate on these words: God of all people and all places – who formed each person in their mother’s womb and knows each heart inside out – we come to you in confidence that you can reach across aisles, behind closed doors, and into the very motives of each person. We pray today for all people of position, power, or influence, with the means to make peace where there currently is none. We ask that where they have hardened hearts of stone, you would soften them again into flesh that has compassion for others and a desire to carry out your purposes of justice and righteousness. And we pray most of all for those who are especially pivotal today – those who have softened hearts, or some ground of softness in their hearts, or those who are beginning to question and to let in the light, who can speak up for truth and be heard today; give them boldness and use them to soften others and bring about strategic and lasting change for the sake of all who are suffering and afraid and your Son who lived, and died, and lived again for every single one. Amen. (Sarah Parkinson) Scripture Reading Isaiah 60:1-6 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and God’s glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. Matthew 2:8-12 King Herod sent the wise men from the East to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. Sermon When I was in college, I was first introduced to film photography, and in particular, developing my own film in the darkroom on campus. I found a lot of solace in that red-tinted room, where it was cool and quiet, where I was away from the hustle and bustle of college life. But the task ahead of me in the darkroom was no easy feat. In order to develop film, you have to be in complete and total darkness; the red lights were only useful for printmaking with photosensitive paper that didn’t react with colored light. If film were exposed to the red light, the entire roll would be ruined. So I’d shut myself into a tiny closet and fumble around with a can/bottle opener to pry off the cap of the metal canister of film. Then I’d blindly wind it on a reel, careful to not crease or fold the film, before dropping it into a sealed container that protected it from the light once more, and where I’d then add the developer. Through a series of chemical reactions and careful timing, I’d finally be able to add the fixer as the last step, which stopped the developing process and prevented the film from reacting to light. The best part of the entire endeavor is simply not knowing what you were going to get at the end of the day: it was always a mystery and always a surprise, beautiful in its own right. What’s always fascinated me about film photography is that it is ethereal, nebulous light made tangible, real. We can hold both light and time within our very hands. When we take a photograph, the image before the lens is illumined, and that moment is burned into the photosensitive emulsion on the film. If you’ve ever gently passed your fingers over a negative, you’ll notice indentations on the surface - literal light and darkness, tangibly felt on our fingertips. As we close our Christmas season and celebrate Epiphany, we recognize Jesus as that tangible Light that has surprised us all, a mystery that has arisen in the darkness that we can quite literally feel and see before our very eyes. In our first scripture reading this morning, we hear that darkness is simply a part of life - that it is something that we will all have to face. The wise men from the East recognized too, for they foretold of Jesus’ death by bringing myrrh, a typical burial embalming spice. They knew, too, that darkness was inevitable. But what if we understood darkness differently? What if we viewed darkness as a place of mystery, of anticipation, of light revealing truth in its own time? What if it was a threshold to something greater than our eyes could ever behold? You see, sometimes we have to fumble around in the darkness to reveal the beauty. This darkness can be scary because there’s so much uncertainty and so much we don’t know. But there is one thing we know: we’re never alone. We always have the eternal Light of Christ with us, who will never leave us or forsake us. This Divine Light guides us, even when we cannot see the path before us. Sometimes engaging with darkness, leaning in and allowing ourselves to feel the weight of it all can bring about incredible understanding, and indeed, even epiphanies and greater mysteries revealed. And we need not fear, because even when fear overcomes us, Jesus overwhelms us with love and grace. We know that Jesus has set the course within his resurrection: all will be well. Death will be restored to life; and darkness to light. As we enter this new year, typically we focus on new beginnings, catalysts that move us forward into a better future, and a striving for health and happiness. If you’re anything like me, however, you might be feeling weary and exhausted at the prospects of processing all that has occurred over the past several months that indeed felt as long as a decade. As we lean into our reality, we also know that God is with us as we process and grieve together. This year we have lost many beloved church members and loved ones, and the weight of each passing is undeniable. As we grieve, know that God has never left us. God is weeping with us as we mourn our losses, and the Holy Spirit guides us as we work through life after death. Will you join me in holding those in the Light whom we have lost? Evelyn Armitage (11/06/2020) Ardell Marona (10/12/2020) Judy Bartlett (03/08/2020) Marge Reim (12/26/2020) Barry Bennett (08/22/2020) Millie Silverberg (12/14/2020) Dorothy Carpenter (05/30/2020) Raymond Swartz (09/02/2020) Oloose Chicoine (07/16/2020) Phyllis Warriner (01/17/2020) Let us close with a meditation by Jan Richardson called How the Light Comes. I cannot tell you how the light comes. What I know is that it is more ancient than imagining. That it travels across an astounding expanse to reach us. That it loves searching out what is hidden, what is lost, what is forgotten or in peril or in pain. That it has a fondness for the body, for finding its way toward flesh, for tracing the edges of form, for shining forth through the eye, the hand, the heart. I cannot tell you how the light comes, but that it does. That it will. That it works its way into the deepest dark that enfolds you, though it may seem long ages in coming or arrive in a shape you did not foresee. And so may we this day turn ourselves toward it. May we lift our faces to let it find us. May we bend our bodies to follow the arc it makes. May we open and open more and open still to the blessed light that comes. Hymn of Meditation - Give to the Winds Thy Fears, UMH 129 1. Give to the winds thy fears; 3. Leave to God’s sovereign sway Hope and be undismayed. To choose and to command; God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears, So shalt thou, wondering, own that way, God shall lift up thy head. How wise, how strong this hand. 2. Through waves and clouds and storms, 4. Let us in life, in death, God gently clears thy way; Thy steadfast truth declare, Wait thou God’s time; so shall this night And publish with our latest breath Soon end in joyous day Thy love and guardian care. Benediction And now, may the peace of the Lord Christ go with you wherever God may send you; may God guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm; may God bring you home rejoicing at the wonders God has shown you; may God bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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Sunday, January 3, 2021 || Second Sunday After Christmas Rev. Megan Stowe We invite you to light a candle at 9:30 AM and join us in prayer ONLINE or over the PHONE Audio worship is also available at (978) 990-5000, access code 719365#. Just dial in, enter the access code on your keypad, and you will hear the service begin with music. Scripture Reading John 1:1-18 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. Sermon - District Superintendent Rev. Megan Stowe As a United Methodist Minister, I have done quite a bit of moving around. It is really hard moving into a new community, new neighborhood, new school system, and a new church. The ways in which people make connections and build relationships these days are vastly different than when we grew up, hanging out on front porches and where everyone knew their neighbors. What I’ve learned as I’ve moved is that it is important to have neighbors, people we can call on when there is an issue. People we could list as emergency contacts if our children get sick while at school. In a previous appointment, our family did a parsonage walk through just before moving in and the next-door neighbors came over and introduced themselves to my family. They had children who were right about our kids’ ages. They graciously invited us to their annual Fourth of July backyard bbq. Their radical hospitality to someone they didn’t even know was so beautiful. Wonderful friendships sprung forth from these neighbors. The next-door neighbors made space for someone different, someone new, someone who was on the outside looking in. They modelled for me what a radically inclusive community might look like. Families with neurodivergent children were welcomed alongside neurotypical ones. Divorced and married and single people mingled together. Infants and senior citizens enjoying each other’s presence. The Unitarians, Catholics, atheists and United Methodists gathered together to celebrate freedom and family. Rather than being stingy, food and drink were in abundance, each neighboring family contributing what they had. Since we just moved, our offering was not great or homemade, but it was accepted graciously. It was as if the Kindom of God was here on earth. It was everything church is supposed to be about, and frequently isn’t. We are halfway between the New Year and Epiphany. In the New Year, we make resolutions. One that your congregation is making is to build a radically inclusive community, welcoming a diversity of ages, gender expressions, social classes, sexual orientations, and political beliefs. So let’s explore through the Gospel text and the example of the neighborhood party how we can build an inclusive community together. Our Gospel text this morning is frequently referred to as the Prologue to the Gospel of John. This is a very beautiful and complex text which sets out the themes that will be present throughout the entire gospel. A significant theme is that of the incarnation, of God dwelling amongst us through Jesus. We hear this in verse 14 where “the Word became flesh and lived among us.” The Message Bible says it this way, “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” This isn’t a God who is physically distanced from us but is actively engaged amongst us. A second theme is about our radical inclusion as God’s children. I would like us to spend some time this morning on these two themes of inclusion present in the Gospel text and how they inform us as Christians today. The incarnation, God putting on flesh to live among us, experiencing our joys and our sorrows shows that he “is a relational, deeply intimate Christ.” The deeply relational Christ works hard to connect to all people. He embodies radical solidarity with the marginalized, to be present with us in our lived experience. He connected not just with the wealthy, the powerful, and the deeply religious. He ate with sinners and prostitutes, healed lepers, engaged in conversation with the Samaritan woman, worked alongside zealots, fishermen and a tax collector. He raised up women and invited children to come unto him. He invited his disciples to not get caught up in the social distinctions of the day, but to be in ministry to all people, not just those in Jerusalem or Judea, but to Samaria and to the very ends of the earth. The second theme today is of our inclusion as children of God. It is so unexpected. There has been nothing we have done to deserve being included as part of God’s family. How does it feel for you to know that you are a child of God’s? Philip D. Jamieson says: “This change in status implies a movement from outside the family to inside; it implies a new way of living, founded upon a new relationship to God and ultimately to all creation. The new status granted to those who have become God’s children through the agency of Jesus Christ has tremendous implications for congregational life.” Can we “recognize [our] new status and its gifted nature? Are [we] able to know and act according to the knowledge that the Creator God is also [our] loving Parent? So what does it mean for you to be included as a child of God? Does it make you feel special, loved, accepted, important? Philip D. Jameson also states, “A second and equally important question is also raised here. Founded upon the gracious knowledge that the Creator is also the loving Parent, are these children of God treating others in a new way? Once again, all too many Christians are happy to claim a new status, but are hesitant to treat others in a way consistent with that status. Those who are the children of God, those who have not labored for the new relationship, must be willing to view all others as potential children of God and therefore people of infinite value.” I believe this question and how we answer it affects our ability to be a truly inclusive community. How can we handle differences so that all experience welcome? All feel accepted? All are valued? All are loved? Bringing back that the theme of Annual Conference and our fall church conference, how are we building the beloved community? I believe that beloved community practices radical hospitality, empathy and compassion. It blends faith and action. Being a beloved community means that we speak truth in love, defeating injustice through direct action. Our time together focuses on scripture, prayer and table fellowship. Through a backyard bbq, beloved community was built. Through the Word made flesh, we have experienced grace and truth. We have witnessed the creation of an imperfectly human built inclusive community. Because the Word came to dwell among us, we cannot live the same lives we did before. Because the Word was the light of all people, the brokenness of the world cannot overcome it. Through the Word, beloved community springs forth. The world will not necessarily know him or how we are to be in relationship with one another. But when we treat one another as beloved siblings in Christ, fellow children of God, then there is beloved community in action. I want to close today with a poem by a favorite United Methodist minister of mine, Rev. Jan Richardson. It is called “Blessed are you who bear the light.” Blessed are you who bear the light in unbearable times, who testify to its endurance amid the unendurable, who bear witness to its persistence when everything seems in shadow and grief. Blessed are you in whom the light lives, in whom the brightness blazes—your heart, a chapel, an altar where in the deepest night can be seen the fire that shines forth in you in unaccountable faith, in stubborn hope, in love that illumines every broken thing it finds. Benediction/Commission and Blessing And now, may the peace of the Lord Christ go with you wherever God may send you; may God guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm; may God bring you home rejoicing at the wonders God has shown you; may God bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors. |
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