Lord, teach me. . . .

Not all is doom and gloom. We are beginning to understand the natural world and are gaining a reverence for life—all life. –Roger Tory Peterson On Bended Knee They came to Bethlehem, on foot, by donkey or camel. Shepherds and angels, Wise Men from distant lands received the Good News of a Savior’s birth—and they came. They brought gifts, as they were able: a lamb, a song, gold, frankincense, myrrh. And in the presence of the Holy Child of God, they bowed down in reverence and awe. Can you see it? Something else happened on the first Christmas long ago, something that’s nearly gotten lost in the hustle and bustle of preparing our homes for the holidays. All who came to worship the Christ Child, shepherds and kings alike, received a gift greater than any they gave. They received the gift of the Messiah, the Chosen One, whose arrival marked the beginning of the restoration of all Creation. And each one of us has been re-gifted this very same gift: the gift and blessin...

A true friend encourages us, comforts us, supports us like a big easy chair, offering us a safe refuge from the world.—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. We are almost there. We have paused to remember the promise of the Prophet Isaiah (64:1-9) as we lit the Candle of Hope. We conjured up images of a wild man clothed in camel’s hair (Mark 1:1-8), and lit the Candle of Love. Last Sunday, we heard about John’s call from God (John 1:19-28), reflected, perhaps, on where God is working in our lives, as we lit the Angel’s Candle, the pink Candle of Joy. Finally, this week we light the Candle of Peace. The waiting is almost over, the journey nearly complete. Peace. It’s an elusive thing, isn’t it? We know, far too well, it seems, how to wage war, but we can’t seem to figure out how to “wage peace.” Maybe that’s what this season of waiting is for: to give us good reason to slow down and remember. Remember shepherds, lowly and uneducated—yet these are the ones with whom the angel first share...

A wise man can learn more from a foolish question  than a fool can learn from a wise answer.  –Bruce Lee Advent Three. The week we light the candle that doesn’t match, the Candle of Joy, or the Angel’s Candle. The pink candle reminds us of when God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary—with news that rocked her world, and continues to rock our world today. The way Luke shares the story (1:26-38) is pretty “bare bones,” leaving plenty of room for imagination—and speculation. Was Mary excited and eager, or fearful? (What about Joseph?) Did they tell anyone else? What did the angel look like? Does it matter to my faith whether Mary was a virgin? (The words in the original languages simply mean “young girl.”) This time of year, it can be tempting to stop asking questions and simply lie back and bask in the “Christmas card” imagery of starlight, snowflakes and quiet peace. But it’s important to remember that God came as a vulnerable, human baby into a world filled with vi...

As we give presents at Christmas, we need to recognize that sharing our time and ourselves is such an important part of giving. –Gordon B. Hinckley This week, we lit the second candle in the Advent wreath, the Candle of Love. It’s only fitting; each week draws us closer into God’s loving presence, and each week’s message brings us to a new Kingdom task. Last week, we were reminded that we are called to live as a people of hope . This week, it’s all about the two most important commandments: love God, love one another. There are two other parts to those commandments that you may not have thought about. First, in loving God, let God love you . Of course, we have been taught since we were little, that God loves us. But have you let this message really sink in? In your heart of hearts, when you’ve had a lousy day and are feeling particularly unlovable, do you know and trust and believe that even then, God loves you? It’s true. The second part is this: Before you can lov...

There are two ways of spreading the light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. –Edith Wharton Advent is upon us. This week, we lit the first candle in the wreath, the candle of Hope. Now we begin four Sundays of waiting, watching, listening—remembering when Love first came down at Christmas. Sometimes it’s almost impossible to perceive even a glimmer of light in the midst of a cold, dark winter, and even harder to believe my little light can make any difference at all in the world. Every headline, every story on the evening news reminds us how far the world has wandered from the loving good news of the gospel. Even on days when my light burns brightly, it barely lights my corner of the city. In the face of expansive evil in the world and problems faced by people across the globe, it’s tremendously important to remember: I cannot do everything, but I can do one thing. I can buy one book to donate to our local schoolchildren.  I can fill one bag of gr...

Give till it hurts, until you feel the pain. If we worry too much about ourselves, we won’t have time for others. –Mother Teresa For many of us, it’s that time of year. That time when the church pledge cards arrive in the mail . . . and we talk about next year’s budget . . . and we ask ourselves, “How much should we pledge to give next year?” And there’s always that other burning question: “Why does the pastor have to talk about money ???” We’d really rather talk about almost anything else, wouldn’t we? After all, Jesus flipped the tables of the moneychangers and drove them out of the Temple, right? We shouldn’t even be bringing up dollars and cents in the church—should we? Yes. Yes we should. Jesus spoke a lot about money and stewardship. It was one of his favorite topics: responsible use and sharing of our resources. (See Acts 2 , for example.) But how much should we give? Should we tithe? (Should that be pre- or post-tax?) What did Mother Teresa mean, anyway, to “...

All my life, my heart has yearned for a thing I cannot name. –Andre Breton Remember what it feels like to be in love? Maybe a waffle cone brimming with Mitchell’s ice cream is all it takes to make your pulse quicken. Maybe the object of your affection was a new puppy whose cold, wet nose and wiggle-all-over happiness set you giggling with joy. Or maybe—that special someone who started out as “just a friend” has become more , someone with whom you’d love to spend the rest of your life. Different degrees of the same emotion: there are no words adequate to describe how you feel. How about on your faith walk? Have you ever felt that way, simply having no words to describe what you’re feeling? Have you had a time when the Holy Spirit so filled your heart and soul with peace that you never wanted it to end? And when someone asked you to explain—you just couldn’t find the words. . . . But that’s okay. Keep trying. Keep trying to understand. Some people believe the only ...

You have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have. –J. R. R. Tolkien Remember those days back in middle school or high school, when Gym Day meant choosing up teams for basketball or volleyball? Maybe you were a team captain, the one whose task it was to pull together a group of misfits and ragamuffins, plus maybe a couple of talented athletes, and make a game of it. Or maybe, like me, you were one of those misfits, who would rather sneak off in a corner and have nothing to do with such stuff. Maybe you have a memory of being chosen last, of wishing you could just sink into the floor and disappear, because suddenly, in the eyes of your classmates, you seemed worthless. Not good enough. Thankfully, God never sees any of us that way. At his baptism, Jesus clearly heard the voice of the Creator: You are my Son; I love you, and in you I am well-pleased (Mark1:11). And the same is true for each one of us: We are, each and all, be...

Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right. –Abraham Lincoln It was God’s will. Those words, often spoken in the face of incomprehensible tragedy, can be real showstoppers. The well-intentioned speaker is (usually) attempting to explain the unexplainable, but their words fall far short of bringing much comfort. (And as a side point-- why do we never explain the good things in our lives as “God’s will”?) In 1998, when a young man named Matthew Shepard was beaten, tortured and left to die, some said it was “God’s will” because gays needed to be taught a lesson. Two years ago, when Hurricane Sandy ravaged our coastline, causing massive destruction and the loss of many lives, some said it was “God’s will” because America needed to be taught a lesson. In 2001, when fanatical terrorists flew jet planes into the Twin Towers, some said it was “God’s will” because we all needed to be taught a lesso...

A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination. –Nelson Mandela There are times, it seems, when we are living in a two-part world: the part where our emotions take charge and help us understand and relate to one another; and the side of life that calls for reason, logic and rational discernment. For some reason, life seems simpler to manage if we parse it up. (What’s that expression about the only way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time?) And within our churches, there are those who insist God is only to be understood in one’s heart. Even John Wesley trusted God only when his heart was strangely warmed at Aldersgate. But—and this is a BIG but (I cannot lie. . .)—John Wesley also read and learned from everything he could get his hands on: Catholic tracts and treatises, secular books and pamphlets and more. John Wesley understood that he was created with an inquisitive mind, and God intended for him to use that mind to better understand God. Jesus’...

The thrill of coming home has never changed. –Guy Pearce We have been on a long journey together. It began as a dream: a desire to become truly one congregation, a place where God’s grace and agape love flow freely, uninhibited, to all. We wanted our worship space to reflect the openness of the Kingdom, too, the hope and promise of a future where love wins and peace prevails, while honoring the saints who paved the way, brave souls from whom we have learned so much. Our “extended summer” in the Great Hall has given us time. Time to reflect, to take a break—to be open to the new and different ways God’s Holy Spirit is moving and working among us, transforming lives and hearts. It has also given us time to mourn together, even as we celebrate and anticipate what lies ahead. It’s okay—normal and healthy, even—to have mixed emotions about our renovated Sanctuary. And now, finally, it is complete. We gather this morning for the first time in this new space. We have returned...

What’s prayer? It’s shooting shafts into the dark. What mark they strike, if any, who’s to say? It’s reaching for a hand you cannot touch. The silence is so fathomless that prayers like plummets vanish into the sea. . . . Prayer is the wind that fills the sail. And sometimes, by God’s grace,  a prayer is heard.  –Frederick Buechner A group of dedicated believers has chosen October to be a month of prayer for the nation, culminating with the remembrance of those who have gone before, on All Saints’ Day. As we celebrate a fresh commitment as a united church family, fulfilling a promise we made to ourselves, it seems fitting to focus our minds and hearts even more , and perhaps imagine our prayers as outreach into the world. We have grown tremendously as a praying congregation. We pray as one heart, in private and even >gasp< in public! We are discovering that in praying for one another, our own deepest longings are often satisfied. Even more intriguing:...

It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; it’s the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time. –David Allen Coe A few weeks ago, I had been at the labyrinth at University Hospitals and was walking back towards the Church in the Circle, deep in thought. I paused, and really looked at the Holy Oilcan. Our landmark steeple is currently covered in scaffolding. Workers busily moved up and down, behind and around, shoring up broken places, restoring wholeness to this place we call home . It’s important work, repairing our cathedral. What’s even more important is what’s going inside UCUMC—and I don’t mean the renovation of our chancel. Our building is magnificent, and the restoration and renovation will makes us better able to truly say all are welcome, all the time. But it’s the tireless, never-ending work of the Holy Spirit happening in our hearts that truly takes my breath away. Every Sunday, our hearts are drawn back here. Every S...

If we don’t have a sense of the primacy of God, we will never get it right, get life right, get our lives right. Not God at the margins; not God as an option; not God on the weekends. God at center and circumference; God first and last; God, God, God. –Eugene Peterson Something happens this time of year. Can you feel it? Summer is over, school has resumed. The Rally Day hot dogs were delicious—and now, almost imperceptibly, the busyness resumes. It feels as if we are beginning a mad downhill rush towards “the holidays” earlier every year. Stores try to convince we really need this—and that—and we rush from place to place, event to event with scarcely a chance to breathe, let alone stop. But we need to stop. Research shows, time and again, that taking a break, or observing Sabbath (even if it’s on a Tuesday afternoon) results in increased productivity and an overall improvement in physical and mental health. We feel better. Taking Sabbath doesn’t mean ceasing all ac...

There are things known, and there are things unknown,  and in between are the doors of perception.   –Aldous Huxley The news continues to challenge its listeners, especially those of us who believe: 1) that God’s very nature is Love; and 2) that God is ever-present and all-knowing. Even aside from the horrible, newsworthy global events of recent weeks, there are a lot of things going on, right here in our own community, that are hard to understand. Children go to bed hungry. People turn angry and violent with one another. Young people become bullies, relentlessly picking on one another. The pain grows intolerable; a child (or adult) cannot take it anymore and ends his (or her) own life, too, too soon. We gasp; we blink; we weep. And in our confusion and anger, we begin to question: If God is ever-present and all-knowing, why does this God allow hunger in the world? If God’s nature is love, why is there disease and violence? Why? The answers are not mine ...

When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost. –Billy Graham Remember that big box from elementary school? It had big letters hand-written on the side in Magic Marker: LOST & FOUND . It became the “resting place” for things no one knew what to do with: one mitten with the thumb beginning to unravel; a pair of glasses held together with adhesive tape; a spiral notebook left behind on the school bus. All these things, once valuable, now seem to have outlived their usefulness. But once in awhile, someone persists. That mitten, for instance, turns out to be a child’s favorite, knit by his grandmother, and when it is reunited with the child who lost it, that child’s joy is unmistakable! Matthew’s gospel recounts the parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18). The Good Shepherd, we are reminded, cares so deeply for the whole flock that if even one lamb wanders off, the shepherd will leave the ninety-nine to ...

A blessing is a circle of light drawn around a person to protect, heal and strengthen them.” –John O’Donohue Sometimes we use a word freely and often, and may not have really stopped to think about what it means. For me, blessing is one of those words. The “dictionary definition” makes blessing something God does, and to bless something is to ask God’s favor on someone or something. But in Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, he turns this idea around a little. Drawing from God’s calling of Abram (Genesis 12), Paul charges the church not simply to ask God’s blessing, but to be God’s blessing. As we work, as we play—as we love, Paul reminds us to step down and step back. It’s not about us. It is about who God created us to be. As the Body of Christ, we each have a role to play: some are teachers; some, preachers; some offer abundant hospitality. We are not all called to serve or love in the same way. As Paul puts it (via Eugene Peterson’s The Message ): Love from the...

When your heart is broken, the whole world is cast in the crushing gloom of despair. –Laura Ramirez How often, in the course of a day, are we asked a simple question: “How are you?” Depending on who is doing the asking, our reply may be a terse, “I’m-fine-how-are-you” accompanied by a forced smile, or we may seize the question as an opportunity to be honest and vulnerable, to actually connect with this fellow traveler on life’s journey. Recent weeks have been difficult ones in the world, from continued violence in Israel/ Gaza, to renewed incursions in Iraq, to the closer-to-home violence in Ferguson, Missouri. (As one friend put it, my desire to remain informed is at odds with my desire to remain sane.) I wonder how often, during our time spent in prayer or devotion, we pause to ask the Almighty how God is feeling. If, as we profess and often pray, we desire to have eyes that see as God sees and a heart broken by that which breaks the heart of God, these recent events...

A smile is the universal welcome. –Max Eastman So tell me, one more time: what brings you here week after week? Or, as God asked Elijah, “What are you doing here ?" With so many things calling out to you on a Sunday morning (including sleep), why do you choose to come here to worship? We each have our reasons, each as individual as we are. For me, there are two things that bring me here more weeks than not: Gratitude—and community. Take a deep breath; focus on the way the air goes into your lungs, literally filling them with the gift of life. Every single thing, every breath, every laugh—every corn flake is the gift of our loving, gracious God. And not only that: you, too, are a gift from God and to one another. We are created, not as lone souls, but as companions for one another—and for the Divine, as well. God takes tremendous pleasure in each one of his beloved children, and delights when we gather to worship together. This week, we will borrow a bi...